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Author Topic: Fatalities in LSR  (Read 211249 times)

Offline Vanishing Point

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Re: Fatalities in LSR
« Reply #325 on: August 29, 2019, 08:16:06 AM »
Glad you have a F A S T  Recovery with allot Titanium parts you been back on track / sand / hill .
Zef   and Welcome on SH. o R g

Greets from Kees Tulpcountry
Busa'00 Bleu/Silver,Front Drop 2"and Rear 3"
I like Dragracing from 1976
Busa is FUN,FunnyBike is a Hayabusa

Offline scott g

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Re: Fatalities in LSR
« Reply #326 on: September 25, 2020, 12:15:07 PM »
RALPH HUDSON, a 50 year veteran of high-speed motorcycle racing,
 and the second of only two men to ride over 300mph on modified street bikes,
died in hospital in Salt Lake City after suffering fatal injuries at about 250mph
in a crash at the Bonneville Salt Flats in August of 2020.

Hudson was riding the same 1000cc turbocharged Suzuki 1,000cc bike
that carried him over 307mph in Bolivia in 2017.  Eye witnesses reported
the bike “became unstable” while making a record-back-up-run,
and the bike crashed; ejecting Hudson. 

Hudson was only 69 years of age.

The speed of 250mph was a familiar one to Hudson,
and he had exceed that speed several times already
 in the 2020 Speed Week competition, including
a qualifying speed of 269mph.  Hudson also raced
his similar turbocharged 600cc Suzuki at
nearly 250mph  in the same meet.

Investigations of the accident are ongoing by the
Southern California Timing Association (SCTA),
the promoters of the event.  Eye witnesses report
that the major cause of instability was
a ”wobble or weave” at high speed. 

Hudson himself had reported instability problems in the
days before the crash, and according to an eye witness,
appeared “quite concerned” about wind conditions in the
minutes before starting his fatal run. 

Hudson had crashed at high speed on this track before.


Offline scott g

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Re: Fatalities in LSR
« Reply #327 on: September 25, 2020, 12:30:49 PM »
The world famous Bonneville Salt Flats suffered it’s
third fatal motorcycle crash during competition in August 2020.

For almost a century, high speed motorcycle racing on the flats
under the guidance of the Southern California Timing Association
(SCTA) had been considered the paragon of motorcycle safety. 

The Association had conducted racing starting in 1949 with
ZERO motorcycle fatalities in competition until about 10 years ago. 

Since then, three brave men have died behind the handlebars,
first streamliner driver Cliff Gullett, then recently
Sam Wheeler, also in a streamliner.

The August crash by Ralph Hudson becomes the first
(and only) fatal crash by a modified street bike.

Has something changed ?


Offline Oz Booster

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Re: Fatalities in LSR
« Reply #328 on: September 25, 2020, 03:47:03 PM »
High speed crash survival always will have an element of luck involved
Also physical condition and age will play a big part, GP riders crash at similar speeds , they generally have best possible gear like airbag suits and since last year stringent helmet requirements , but there also young (except maybe Rossi ;)  ) , quite possibly a younger body would have coped better in Sam and Ralphs situations
I dont know if Ralph was using the new FIM spec helmet we were all required to buy to run FIM after Dec 19 or if it would have made any difference

 
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Offline FlaminRoo

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Re: Fatalities in LSR
« Reply #329 on: September 25, 2020, 04:19:12 PM »
Helmets are off secondary protection,,

There is an interview with Ralph on the salt at Bonneville at the 2020 Speedweek event,, this interview starts with vision of Ralph making a pass then returning to his pit aboard his 1000cc machine,,
 
I note that the tail section on the bike appears to be much larger (higher, SCTA),,

He had made a number of safe high speed runs on the 600cc machine which had a smaller (lower, FIM) tail section,,

Did he underestimate the affect the wind would have on this larger tail ???
First Australian to ride a motorcycle 200mph at Bonneville,,

Offline scott g

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Re: Fatalities in LSR
« Reply #330 on: September 27, 2020, 12:13:24 AM »
« Last Edit: September 27, 2020, 12:25:10 AM by scott g »

Offline Ken 12r

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Re: Fatalities in LSR
« Reply #331 on: October 02, 2020, 05:10:22 AM »
Zef Eisenberg died sadly after a big accident at Elvington Thursday 1st October attempting to break a British land speed record in a car he had been building for some time.
Well known for his love of speed the best we can say is he lost his life doing pursuing the dream

Offline Oz Booster

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Re: Fatalities in LSR
« Reply #332 on: October 02, 2020, 03:49:21 PM »
 :( Another taken too soon
Was watching how he was progressing with the slippery bodywork on the new LSR turbine bike
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Offline Mike-Nightrider

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Re: Fatalities in LSR
« Reply #333 on: October 04, 2020, 02:47:39 AM »
So sad. He was a really great guy . RIP Zef  :(
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1/8: 5.101s..........1/4: 7.801s
227.7mph Woodbridge/GB 2013