| In Carolina country, specifically near
Charlotte, North Carolina, we had heard tell of a machinist
and his bike that were putting up some outrageous numbers
on the track. Sure enough, when Brian and the crew traveled to this beautiful
part of the country they found Rich Yancy and his record setting Suzuki Hayabusa.
Rich is a machinist for Dale Earnhardt, Incorporated and
he told Brian that he had purchased the bike with the idea
of having a great deal of fun and to see what it could do
with some modifications. Let's us just say, that remark was
an understatement. Modified with a turbocharger, bored cylinders,
an ice water intercooler, and several frame and suspension
changes, and combined with the fact that it is 50 pounds
lighter than a stock bike, this rad ride is something to
behold. In addition, the NASCAR themed paint job certainly
looks at home in this part of the country, and the performance
of the bike fits well in this center of racing in the South!
Now, let's get to the numbers. Rich told Brian that the bike
makes more than 380 horsepower at the rear wheel and delivers
210 ft/lb of torque! After telling Brian those performance
stats, Rich added with a grin, "It got way beyond where I
intended it to go."
To see how the Hayabusa would perform on the track, Rich secured
the services of land-speed racer, Wayne Pollack who gave Brian
a rundown of how the bike performed. On the first pass, and
even though the fuel mixture was too rich and it needed more
boost from the turbo, the bike still clocked 235.6 miles per
hour! Next, after a few adjustments, the bike recorded a stunning
speed of 236.7 miles per hour! Now, in the world of racing
bikes this figure is certainly respectable, but what you have
to remember is that this Haulin' Hayabusa is street legal!
Not only that, it's also Rich's daily driver! So, if you're
pulled up to a stop light in Charlotte and are sitting next
to a red Hayabusa sporting the #8. Just smile and pull slowly
away. There's a good chance that Rich has found some more speed
to put to the road. Thanks Rich!
Back to Episode
CRN8015
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