Tag Archives: Guy Martin

WMC’s New SuperBike Bullet Houses a Huge Air Duct

The big reveal is here!

WMC has just given us the WMC250EV – and she has a hole running right through her. 

After sneak-peeking the bike to us earlier in the month (we covered the story on June 18), White Motorcycle Concepts revealed the electric machine virtually on their Youtube platform, following the removal of their attendance from an event in Silverstone due to ongoing restrictions.

The concept of using the body of a bike as a giant aerodynamic duct was clever – and is the main reason why the company can continue to boast up to a 70% reduction in air resistance.

the air duct of the WMC250EV

The staggering improvement in aerodynamics was also made more feasible by electric powertrains, which have more flexibility of shape and size than the conventional fossil-powered motorcycle.

Regardless, WMC is right to be excited, as no one else has been able to come close to this jump in efficiency for the motorcycle industry – let alone the racetrack. 

According to a report from TopGear, The airflow through the duct of the WMC250EV’s framework will help the bike dig into the pavement, increasing friction and keeping the bike stable at high speeds.

The bike’s weight is also a huge factor, clocking in at a gargantuan 300kg – but WMC isn’t worried about the weight.

“We’ve removed any blockage from duct entry – and in doing so, we’ve managed to pull together a new hub-center-steered assembly for the front that encompasses two motors for two-wheeled drive and regenerative energy possibilities,” says Robert White, CEO and Founder of White Motorcycle Concepts.  

preliminary technical image for WMC's 250EV
A technical image of WMC’s 250EV

“As a result, those studies have enabled us to load front and rear wheels to a level that isn’t seen on a conventionally forked motorcycle  – [let alone] a motorcycle with a fast channel of air moving through the center.”

William Jock Ross Teo

The WMC250EV measures 2.44 meters (8 feet) in length, 1.19 meters (3.9 feet) in height, and is purported to have 5 times more load on the front axle than a conventional motorcycle.

The upper portion of the air duct also appears to be carbon fiber, showing further proof that the WMC250EV has been tinkered with from multiple angles to guarantee maximum efficiency. 

a view from above of the 250EV from WMC
WMC250EV at Silverstone

Robert White still has his eyes on the prize and expects his WMC250EV to break 400km/h for the World Land Speed Record…though all he has to do is deliver slightly over the current 366.94 km/h (228 mi/h) record set by Max Biaggi aboard the Voxan Wattman, to emerge victorious. 

Bottom line, WMC is ready to set records across the industry – and we can’t wait to see what they have in store.

Check out the photo gallery below for more photos on the WMC250EV.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Guy Martin’s second Great Escape

Just weeks after completing the two jumps from The Great Escape, former Isle of Man TT racer turned TV daredevil Guy Martin has pulled off a second great escape on charges of having a fake driving licence.

It wasn’t his motorcycle licence at issue but his Irish licence to drive a heavy goods vehicle.

In December 2018, he pleaded not guilty in Lincoln Crown Court on two charges of using a fake Irish driving licence to secure a UK HGV licence.

The matter has been dragging on since then and was expected to be sorted in court on Monday (6 January 2020).

However, the judge and prosecution have now agree with psychiatric advice that Guy truly believed his licence was genuine because of his autism.

They have now dropped all charges.

Second great escape

Guy Martin practises Great Escape jump
Guy makes a second great escape

It’s a great escape for the likeable larrikin who has proved his bravery and skill with several daring stunts for his British TV show.

In 2018, he broke the speed record for riding an Indian Scout around the Wall of Death and crashed while attempting to break the 400mph speed barrier in a Triumph streamliner.

Guy Martin Wall of Death speed recordGuy Martin Wall of Death speed record
Guy cheats wall of death

Last month, he completed the second failed jump over a barbed wire fence from the 1963 World War II POW film, The Great Escape on a specially prepared  Triumph Scrambler 1200.

The bike was modified with different suspension, a lot of weight stripped off, punchy little exhaust and god knows what else under the skin.

Guy even had his trademark unkempt hair cut to look just like McQueen’s!

The jump was aired on the UK’s Channel 4 and you had to be a British TV licence holder to watch it.

The video is not yet on Guy’s or Channel 4’s YouTube channel nor social media and there is no word yet on when it will be available.

Meanwhile, here is the preparation video.

Next stunt for Guy

Guy’s next stunt will be to break the 300mph (482.8km/h) speed barrier on a motorcycle within a mile (1.6km).

The last person to attempt the record, Bill Warner, crashed and died after a tyre failure.

“If anything goes wrong, if it all goes to shit, they’re all right,” says Guy. “Sharon and Dot are all right, and the dogs, Nigel and Steve.”

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Guy Martin jumps into Switzerland

Finally, the POW has jumped the second barbed wire fence and escaped the Nazis for freedom in Switzerland … even if it was just a stunt for a British TV show.

Performing the stunt from the 1963 World War II POW film, The Great Escape, was former TT racer and all-round larrikin daredevil Guy Martin.

And he made it look easy on his specially prepared  Triumph Scrambler 1200.

Don’t try this at home … that bike is substantially different to the street-wise model with different suspension, a lot of weight stripped off, punchy little exhaust and god knows what else under the skin.

The bike was used to complete the second failed jump by Steve McQueen’s character in the 1963 World War II POW film, The Great Escape.

Guy even had his trademark unkempt hair cut to look just like McQueen’s!Guy Martin practises Great Escape jump Switzerland

The jump was aired on the UK’s Channel 4 overnight and you had to be a British TV licence holder to watch it.

The video is not yet on Guy’s or Channel 4’s YouTube channel nor social media and there is no word yet on when it will be available.

Meanwhile, here is the preparation video.

Next stunt

Guy’s next stunt will be to break the 300mph (482.8km/h) speed barrier on a motorcycle within a mile (1.6km).

The last person to attempt the record, Bill Warner, crashed and died after a tyre failure.

“If anything goes wrong, if it all goes to shit, they’re all right,” says Guy. “Sharon and Dot are all right, and the dogs, Nigel and Steve.”

Jump mystery

Meanwhile, the Great Escape movie stunt, which is one of the most famous in movie history, remains a bit of a mystery.

We know it was not done by McQueen – not because he couldn’t do it, but because the filmmaker’s insurance company wouldn’t let him.

Many believe it was done by his friend and bike fettler Bud Ekins who died earlier this year and has been honoured with special edition T100 and T120 models.

However, there remains some doubt.

Several endurance riders who were competing nearby at the European motocross championship were invited by McQueen to visit the filming.

Tim Gibbes The Great Escape Triumph TR6 Steve McQueen
Tim Gibbes

They included Australian Tim Gibbes (who swears it’s not him in the film) and another unnamed Aussie rider who had a go while the cameras were rolling.

It is still not clear which take was used.

Some home movies of the filming shot by Tim have recently been unearthed.

Switzerland jump

Guy jumped a reconstructed 2.4m barbed wire fence to complete the failed leap to freedom in Switzerland.

The video apparently had a part where the team didn’t think they would have the fence done in time. Typical reality TV dramatisation!

Not that the jump needs much dramatisation.

In the film, McQueen jumps the first 5ft (152cm) fence, but fails to clear the 8ft fence (244cm).

Steve McQueen in The Great Escape
Steve McQueen in The Great Escape

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Guy Martin attempts Great Escape jump

Former TT racer and all-round larrikin daredevil Guy Martin will attempt the failed Steve McQueen jump from the 1963 film, The Great Escape.

His attempt will be aired on the UK’s Channel 4 at 9pm next Sunday (8 December 2019).

He won’t be doing it on a Triumph TR6 like in the original movie stunt, but on a new Triumph Scrambler 1200.

Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE jump
MBW Practises his own escape!

Jump mystery

The movie stunt, which is one of the most famous in movie history, remains a bit of a mystery.

We know it was not done by McQueen – not because he couldn’t do it, but because the filmmaker’s insurance company wouldn’t let him.

Many believe it was done by his friend and bike fettler Bud Ekins who died earlier this year and has been honoured with special edition T100 and T120 models.

However, there remains some doubt.

Several endurance riders who were competing nearby at the European motocross championship were invited by McQueen to visit the filming.

Tim Gibbes The Great Escape Triumph TR6 Steve McQueen
Tim Gibbes

They included Australian Tim Gibbes and another unnamed Aussie rider who had a go while the cameras were rolling, so it is not clear which take was used.

Some home movies of the filming shot by Tim have recently been unearthed.

Guy’s jump

Guy will jump a reconstructed Nazi wire fence to simulate the leap to freedom in Switzerland.

In the film, McQueen jumps the first 5ft (152cm) fence, but fails to clear the 8ft fence (244cm).

Steve McQueen in The Great Escape
Steve McQueen in The Great Escape

That’s why Guy has chosen the much more powerful and better suspended Scrambler.

Even the stock the suspension has been bolstered for the attempt.

Obviously most modern MX bikes could easily do the jump, but after all, this is showbiz!

And Triumph has done its best to exploit this particular moment in cinematic moment for many years.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Former racer Guy Martin’s licence a fake?

Former Isle of Man TT racer, motorcycle daredevil and TV presenter Guy Martin has pleaded not guilty to having a fake driving licence.

What! The man who broke the speed record for riding an Indian Scout (above) around the Wall of Death and crashed while attempting to break the 400mph speed barrier in a Triumph streamliner doesn’t have a proper licence?

Guy says no way!

He has pleaded not guilty in Lincoln Crown Court in the UK on two charges of using a fake Irish driving licence.

A two-day trial into the matter will be held next July.

Guy claims he had an Irish document so he could get a UK driving licence.

The former British truck driver raced in the Isle of Man TT from 2003-2015 and made a one-off return in 2017.

Guy Martin at the Isle of Man TT fake
Guy Martin at the Isle of Man TT

Despite never winning a TT, he has 17 podiums.

Since his racing retirement he has presented several TV shows in which he performs daredevil motoring stunts.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com