That 500-HP Viper V10 Motorcycle Just Set a New Speed Record
You have to be pretty brave to be a passenger on a bike at almost 200 mph.
You want to know what's scarier than taking a homemade, V10-powered motorcycle to nearly 200 mph? Sitting on the back of one as a passenger. The duo of Allen Millyard and Henry Cole just did both, respectively, as they just broke the UK Timing Association (UK&ITA) two-up (rider and passenger) speed record, at 183.5 mph.
The bike they used was one Millyard built himself 14 years ago and it packs a massive 8.0-liter V10 engine from a Dodge Viper. It makes 500 horsepower and causes the bike to weigh around 1,322 pounds (600 kilograms). All of that weight, did make the top speed record a bit sketchy for Millyard.
“I’ve got that to manage and then I’ve got someone on the back. It’s like having a topbox on the back of your bike, full of cement,” he told Motorcycle News.
Millyard built the Viper bike back in 2009, after seeing Dodge's attempt at a Viper-powered motorcycle, the Tomahawk. However, while Dodge's was more of a fun concept than an actual road-going bike, Millyard's is the real deal and he's proven it time and time again. Not only did he just break a speed record with it, while carrying a passenger (!), but Millyard previously reached 207 mph on it.
It took 1.25 miles for the duo to reach their record breaking top speed. However, they also broke another record. They managed to reach 178.6 mph in a standing mile, which is also the fastest two-up standing mile. Even more impressive is that, to achieve those figures, the pair ran 29 miles on the Yorkshire runway, proving that it isn't only fast but it's reliable.
If I were ever asked to ride on the back of any bike at 180-plus mph, my answer would be a firm no. However, motorcycle TV presenter Henry Cole was brave enough and I think we're all glad he was. This bike is one of the most impressive custom bikes in the world and it just proved its worth by cementing itself in the record books.
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