200 mpg Barrier Broken

[gregsfc]

Motorcycles have been recorded over 400 mpg on a track, lying in prone position, etc; but this is the first time that a bike or scooter or trike that is liquid fueled and passes all the Vetter requirements as a fully highway capable, high utility ride, ridden in a real world environment has exceeded 200. Vic Valdés, the winner last year at the mid-Ohio Vetter FE Challenge at 187ish blew away his own record and surprised even himself with a 236 finish. The ride this year was faster due to a better, less restrictive (speed wise) route. Most all the regulars saw their numbers take a drop, but not Vic!

Results in the link below. I'm the one at seventh place at 88; my wife came in last at 24 in a full-sized, gas-powered, turbo-charged V6 pickup truck that was used as the chaser vehicle. I think using the truck helps with the validity of this event. My own records of truck mpg were very close to the official result, and I've recorded as high as 26.5 mpg in this truck. So the numbers published are not inflated. It's 100% real!

Schultz Engineering - Custom Motorcycle Parts and Renewable Energy Products

[14Corolla]

Congrats.... Interesting....

[gregsfc]

One other first-time achievement: First time any contestant, electric or otherwise, finished the ride under 1 penny per mile. Of course low gas prices has a lot to do with that achievement.

I noticed from the website there is a picture of the gas station with fuel prices and that diesel fuel was cheaper on that day than regular unleaded. There is a man named Fred Hayes that had planned to attend with his Hayes diesel machine but sustained an injury from what I heard. In the past, he has surpassed 178 mpg. This contest would have been very interesting if Fred would have come. I doubt he would have come close to Vic, but Fred, on his modified KTR650 with a 667 single cylinder, naturally-aspireated, mechanically-injected, light-weight diesel engine and 5-speed manual, chain-driven bike; could have made it interesting versus the three electric competitors.