Posted on 12/24/2004 1:42:53 PM PST by skeptoid
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Posted on Fri, Dec. 24, 2004
MINNESOTA: Motorcyclist clocked at 205 mph pleads guilty
Associated Press
WABASHA, Minn. - The Minnesota motorcyclist accused of buzzing down a rural highway at 205 mph must complete nearly an hour of community service for every mile per hour authorities say he was going.
Sam Tilley, 20, pleaded guilty Wednesday to speeding and driving without a motorcycle license. He was sentenced to a year of probation and 200 hours of community service. Wabasha County Attorney Jim Nordstrom said he dropped a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving.
Tilley, who previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, decided against going to trial on charges that carried maximum penalties of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Without a trial, Tilley and the State Patrol won't be able to make their case about how fast Tilley was actually going. In September, a state trooper flying above U.S. 61 in southeastern Minnesota used a stopwatch and road markings to clock Tilley going 205 mph in a 65-mph zone.
But motorcycle enthusiasts - and Tilley himself - said they doubted his Honda RC51 could move that fast. Tilley had his bike tested by a mechanic, who said it wouldn't exceed 159 mph.
Tilley wasn't talking about the guilty plea Wednesday and has given few interviews since the incident. The State Patrol didn't comment either.
Legal observers said while Tilley avoided jail time and fines, the community service requirement is far more than the 15 to 30 hours that even a first-time DUI offender often gets.
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© 2004 Grand Forks Herald and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved. http://www.grandforks.com
I would have fought it, isnt the Motorcycle landspeed record 200 ish or something?
Hope he had his *training wheels* on...
The absolute motorcycle land speed record is 322.149 mph.
The fastest record for blindfold motorcycling is 164.87 mph.
THis bot shoulda got a trophy.
THis boy shoulda got a trophy.
He is lucky to able to plead guilty. Better that than pleading dead.
Carolyn
In my county, he would have done time. Plenty of it.
LOL
Why does it not amaze me there is a record for this?
man oh man I hope its on video.
CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE SECTION:
40801. No peace officer or other person shall use a speed trap in arresting, or participating or assisting in the arrest of, any person for any alleged violation of this code nor shall any speed trap be used in securing evidence as to the speed of any vehicle for the purpose of an arrest or prosecution under this code.
40802. (a) A speed trap is either of the following:
(1) A particular section of a highway measured as to distance and with boundaries marked, designated, or otherwise determined in order that the speed of a vehicle may be calculated by securing the time it takes the vehicle to travel the known distance.
(2) A particular section of a highway with a prima facie speed limit that is provided by this code or by local ordinance under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 22352, or established under Section 22354, 22357, 22358, or 22358.3, if that prima facie speed limit is not justified by an engineering and traffic survey conducted within five years prior to the date of the alleged violation, and enforcement of the speed limit involves the use of radar or any other electronic device that measures the speed of moving objects. This paragraph does not apply to a local street, road, or school zone.
205 is moving on. Some of the crotch rocket motorcycles will run 180 out of the box. I dont think the guy was doing 205. One thing I am sure of it wasnt a Harley .
You also have to account for wind and possibly downhill whereas the speed records are usually on flat ground with little wind.
Maybe it was on downhill section of the road?
Today's life lesson: Speeding around the streets at 200+ MPH- Great for video games, not too smart in real life.
And miss the chance to be a legend? :-)
If you want to see a small video of a really and truly fast bike, try this. This Busa would eat the RC51 for lunch.
http://www.supersiteusa.com/Files/Videos/HayabusaTurbo.wmv
Tom
You got THAT right! Harleys on the freeway are just a 'mobile obstacle course' to me and my Cagiva Gran Canyon.
Whole lot of noise and vibration (and image), very lttle actual motion...
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