English scooter lover, worked three years to modify his full-bodied Lambretta GP adding more than 75% to the engine’s original capability
The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) ratified only recently. In September 2020, Keith Terry, 69, of Southend, managed to smash four different world records after reaching a top speed of 110mph on his 1980s scooter. He spent three years modifying and improving his scooter adding more than 75 percent to the engine’s original capability. All his work turned a 200cc full-bodied Lambretta GP into his beloved ‘Orient Express,’ officially the fastest full-bodied Lambretta in the world. The new four FIM World Speed Records are the quickest standing start mile at 110mph, the “flying kilometer” at 107mph, the fastest standing start quarter-mile at 14 seconds, and the quickest flying quarter mile at 8.5 seconds.
All his work turned a 200cc full-bodied Lambretta GP into his beloved ‘Orient Express,’ officially the fastest full-bodied Lambretta in the world
The challenge took place on September 26th and 27th at Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire. Terry’s run on the runway was “done blind” to help streamline the scooter as he crossed the finish line. Moreover, he also had to battle against a crosswind to achieve top speed. He said: “There was just another guy on the day, we had a right battle the whole day. I tuck my head right down into the dashboard, I’m riding it blind at the end, but I wouldn’t recommend doing that!”
Keith commented: “It took a lot of work to get to this point, so I’m really pleased with the outcome. I’ve been eyeing up the opportunity for more than two years. It’s taken a lot of modifying and changing it around. There was also a lot of red tape to get through before I could enter. I even had to ask them (FIM) to change the rules to allow me to take part.” Adding, “I also had to pay for private healthcare to make sure I was healthy. I had an ECG and a heart scan before I traveled up there.”
Ilona Catani Scarlett