Grandad breaks motorbike speed record
Brave Mike Grainger broke a European speed record by hitting 401 km/h (249.1 mph) on a motorbike — aged 61.
Grandad Mike averaged 369 km/h (229 mph) on two quarter-mile runs at a speed trial. He reclaimed the record he had held for two years until 1998.
He said: “Now I’m waiting for someone, somewhere, to go out on their motorbike and break my record so I can beat it again.
“I don’t see any point in breaking my own record.
“I’m already the fastest granddad in Europe. Someone will have a go at it — if they do, I’ll have to do it again before I get too old.”
Fearless Mike, who runs his own motorbike business, made his record attempt on a modified Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa at Elvington airstrip, North Yorks.
He reckons that he spent around £25,000 on his customised bike, including bolting on a huge turbo-charger giving it 530bhp — more horsepower than a Ferrari F430. He beat 35 rivals at the speed trial.
The grandfather-of-two, from Plymouth, Devon, said: “The next closest to me was 27.4 km/h (17 mph) slower — not bad for an old man.
“It is very exciting but I didn’t find it scary at all.
“I have been riding motorbikes since I was 16 — I’ve grown up with speed.”
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