Author Topic: Valerie Thompson  (Read 4654 times)

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Offline Uncle Jimbo

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Valerie Thompson
« on: June 27, 2012, 10:22:19 AM »
Valerie Thompson's Need for Speed - Another Bonneville Story from Lou Fischer   :cheers:

http://youtu.be/Ktmj-Veh5_8

Scottsdale Arizona resident Valerie Thompson has set her sights on becoming the “World’s Fastest Female.” Thompson has risen from a top competitor in the All Harley Drag Racing Association series to become a 2-Time Land Speed Record Holder at the famed Bonneville Salt Flats. When not presenting motorcycles at Barrett-Jackson & Metro Auto Auctions, she is managing her 200+ mph motorcycle land speed racing team, or preparing to pilot a 50,000 horsepower supersonic land speed vehicle!Valerie ran a “personal best” top speed of 209.5 mph at the premier event of the 2012 Mojave Magnum 1.5 Mile Speed Trials on June 2. Thompson became a charter member of the event’s “200 MPH Club” based on her consistent 200+ mph passes. Her top speed of 209.5 mph officially makes the team’s Martech Services Company S1000RR Superbike the world’s fastest BMW production motorcycle in land speed racing. The VTR team will compete at a number of land speed racing events with the goal of setting multiple new records and joining Bonneville’s prestigious “200 MPH Club.”







From days of old, when knights were bold, and rode Iron Horses
24 Land Speed Records
M/PP 1350 AMA/BUB - M/CPG 1350 - M/CPF 1350 - LTA
M/PG 1650 - M/PF 1650 - AMA/BUB
A/PG 1650 - A/PF 1650 -  ECTA - LTA
Top speed to date 194.664

Offline RansomT

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Re: Valerie Thompson
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2012, 12:05:17 PM »
209.5 on a Production S1Krr is impressive.  I wouldn't have thought that the aero was that good considering the diminutiveness of the stock fairings.  I do know that the engines will make a butt load of power in the 14k+ rpm range and that using the WSBK fairings, exhaust, and such; 210+ mph has been seen on the tracks during qualifying.

Offline Uncle Jimbo

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Re: Valerie Thompson
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2012, 06:44:14 PM »
Holy cow Ransom T - "diminutivness" ?  You made me get my dictionary out for that one.  =  aka extremely small in size: tiny -
OK, I get it now - the stock fairings are kinda small.    :-D
But she sure can ride that bike, in fact it seems like what ever machine she gets on is going to go really fast.   :cheers:
From days of old, when knights were bold, and rode Iron Horses
24 Land Speed Records
M/PP 1350 AMA/BUB - M/CPG 1350 - M/CPF 1350 - LTA
M/PG 1650 - M/PF 1650 - AMA/BUB
A/PG 1650 - A/PF 1650 -  ECTA - LTA
Top speed to date 194.664

Offline beerbellykelly

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Re: Valerie Thompson
« Reply #3 on: August 22, 2012, 08:25:31 PM »
good luck to valerie-we saw her bike in line for rookie runs at BSW-anyone who get's one these motors to hold together for any length of time under race use is doing well-we have seen 2 let go on the dyno here,and our friends who run the dynojet dyno concession have reported seeing 7 of these let go-most were destined for road racing-big end bolts letting go in most cases-
BMW were pretty casual about it all-they sent out fresh motors-or offered to do the work free if the complete machine was returned-this is in europe only-and race supplied machines only.
p.j.
GOD BLESS THE HUMMIN' CUMMINS
www.jamesandfriend.com

Offline RansomT

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Re: Valerie Thompson
« Reply #4 on: August 22, 2012, 08:35:05 PM »
good luck to valerie-we saw her bike in line for rookie runs at BSW-anyone who get's one these motors to hold together for any length of time under race use is doing well-we have seen 2 let go on the dyno here,and our friends who run the dynojet dyno concession have reported seeing 7 of these let go-most were destined for road racing-big end bolts letting go in most cases-
BMW were pretty casual about it all-they sent out fresh motors-or offered to do the work free if the complete machine was returned-this is in europe only-and race supplied machines only.
p.j.

That was the 2012 models with the connecting bolt issue, no?   Seems that one of Factory Torque wrenches was slightly off calibration, by something like 30 lbs.  It wasn't as big issue in the states because it was caught in Europe first and BMW put a stop on all units here.  A few made into customers hands, but I believe that the vast majority was repaired before catastrophic failure.

Offline beerbellykelly

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Re: Valerie Thompson
« Reply #5 on: August 22, 2012, 08:58:13 PM »
yes-we were suprised as bmw have been making race worthy machines for a long,long time-our bike was up to around 223bhp-but was set to 194bhp for racing on the island-the fresh motor has proved reliable-interesting to see the differences in the usa/euro marketing too-
GOD BLESS THE HUMMIN' CUMMINS
www.jamesandfriend.com

PatMc

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Re: Valerie Thompson
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2012, 09:06:30 AM »
I get a kick out of BMW's website for the S1000RR...

Power - 193bhp
Dry weight - 398lb
Top Speed - "over 120mph"


Ya thnk?  Nice to know it could outrun a minivan if it had to.  I wonder what gear they are talking about, 3rd?

 :-D

Offline wobblywalrus

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Re: Valerie Thompson
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2012, 09:31:26 PM »
... and I was happy to get 83 horsepower out of my Bonneville ...

 

Offline ToyCollector

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Re: Valerie Thompson
« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2012, 11:46:55 PM »
I get a kick out of BMW's website for the S1000RR...

Power - 193bhp
Dry weight - 398lb
Top Speed - "over 120mph"


Ya thnk?  Nice to know it could outrun a minivan if it had to.  I wonder what gear they are talking about, 3rd?

 :-D

First gear tachs out at over 90mph.  :-D