140 MPH over the speed limit

His&Hers · 09-21-2004, 03:09 PM

Don't know if this was posted elsewhere...
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WABASHA, Minn. -- With a State Patrol airplane overhead, a Stillwater motorcyclist hit the throttle and possibly set the informal record for the fastest speeding ticket in Minnesota history: 205 mph.

On Saturday afternoon, State Patrol pilot Al Loney was flying near Wabasha, in southeastern Minnesota on the Wisconsin border, watching two motorcyclists racing along U.S. Highway 61.

When one of the riders shot forward, Loney was ready with his stopwatch. He clicked it once when the motorcycle reached a white marker on the road and again a quarter-mile later. The watch read 4.39 seconds, which Loney calculated to be 205 mph.

``I was in total disbelief,'' Loney told the St. Paul Pioneer Press for today's editions. ``I had to double-check my watch because in 27 years I'd never seen anything move that fast.''

Several law enforcement sources told the newspaper that, although no official records are kept, it was probably the fastest ticket ever written in the state.

After about three-quarters of a mile, the biker slowed to about 100 mph and let the other cycle catch up. By then Loney had radioed ahead to another state trooper, who pulled the two over soon afterward.

The State Patrol officer arrested the faster rider, 20-year-old Stillwater resident Samuel Armstrong Tilley, for reckless driving, driving without a motorcycle license - and driving 140 miles per hour over the posted speed limit of 65 mph.

A search of speeding tickets written by state troopers, who patrol most of the state's highways, between 1990 and February 2004 shows the next fastest ticket was for 150 mph in 1994 in Lake of the Woods County.

Tilley did not return calls from the newspaper to his home Monday. A working number for him could not immediately be found by The Associated Press today.

Only a handful of exotic sports cars can reach 200 mph, but many high-performance motorcycles can top 175 mph. With minor modifications, they can hit 200 mph. Tilley was riding a Honda 1000, Loney said.

Kathy Swanson of the state Office of Traffic Safety said unless Tilley was wearing the kind of protective gear professional motorcycle racers wear, he was courting death at 200 mph.

``I'm not entirely sure what would happen if you crashed at 200 miles per hour,'' Swanson said. ``But it wouldn't be pretty, that's for sure.''

fengler · 09-21-2004, 03:11 PM

Dont they say that anything above 80 mph(on a bike), there is a very high chance that if you somehow you lose control that you will die?

CorvetteChris · 09-21-2004, 04:05 PM

Yeah, this was over in general sport bikes.

Isn't is something how they managed to make wearing full gear a negative thing?

Dante · 09-21-2004, 04:39 PM

Holy (beep) thats hauling rear....

speed wheelie · 09-21-2004, 09:31 PM

205 That's bull shit.

Cops lie!!!

falco · 09-21-2004, 10:20 PM

clocked over a 1/4 mile thats bs, 4 seconds... thats leaving a bunch of room for error, a fraction of a second would be like 40 mph

Reckless01 · 09-22-2004, 08:24 AM

i would have to agree with Falco, a few 10ths = major speed theres no way for him to prove it the bikes specs will not allow that kind of speed from that vehicle. even a modded hayabusa only flirts with the 200mph marker. My .02

ZeuSeason · 09-22-2004, 08:40 AM

Could you imagine the cost of a 140mph over speeding ticket? The guy will have to mortgage the house, sell the kids, work endless overtime hours and still have to spend time in jail for the price tag on that!

Dante · 09-22-2004, 08:42 AM

+1 on that... Do not pass go, do not collect $200, give up the bike and go home.....

bajjer9 · 09-22-2004, 10:03 AM

Someone told me the news reported the guy was on a stock RC 51...soo is this even possible? isnt top speed on a 51 something like 175? or there abouts?

Wheeliesteve · 09-22-2004, 10:55 AM

yeah, that's bullsh*t. it would take major mod's to make 205mph and i don't see a 20 year old doing that. cops lie

BBarnes719 · 09-22-2004, 03:37 PM

stock rc 51, at 205, i'd like to see the dyno chart for that one!

CorvetteChris · 09-22-2004, 04:58 PM

DUDE, Governor did 205 in the 1/4 mile saturday on his RC51. I think he lost his timeslip though.

Elementum Vita · 09-22-2004, 05:10 PM

Yeah, I'm gonna have to say that's ummmm well yeah bull$hit, 205mph on a freaking honda, besides if he was going that fast how the hell do they stop him even if the radio ahead, what'd the cruiser do coast along at 110mph, til the bike came flying by, by the time he put his lights on the bike would be outta sight. That $hit is wack.

The Governor · 09-22-2004, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elementum Vita

Yeah, I'm gonna have to say that's ummmm well yeah bull$hit, 205mph on a freaking honda, besides if he was going that fast how the hell do they stop him even if the radio ahead, what'd the cruiser do coast along at 110mph, til the bike came flying by, by the time he put his lights on the bike would be outta sight. That $hit is wack.

Did you even read the article? It says the rider slowed to 100 waiting for the second rider.....and then he was pulled over by officers on the ground.

Gov