Grandfather breaks land speed record for a scooter (From Echo)

Grandfather breaks land speed record for a scooter

6:00pm Friday 21st August 2009 in

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A GRANDFATHER has set a new land speed record for a Lambretta scooter, on his 58th birthday.

Keith Terry, of Parkston Drive, Southend, cranked his modified moped up to 132mph during the record-breaking attempt.

In 1991, he broke his first national record on a Lambretta and a year later he had become the UK sprint champion, racing a quarter mile in just 12.7 seconds and crossing the finish line at 104mph on his trusty bike.

He said: “After that I sold the scooter. But last October I went to the National Sprint Association’s anniversary meeting and the question came up about where my old sprint bike was.

“After a search I found it, sorted out a deal and four months ago I bought it back to try to set another record for others to chase in the future.

“I suppose some people would think it’s scary, but I actually bend down and look sideways when I’m riding the bike. I don’t look where I’m going, I just measure it.”

He travelled to Elvington Airfield, in Yorkshire, with his two daughters on his birthday, Saturday, August 15, to try to beat the record of 121mph, set in the 1950s.

It is the same airfield where Top Gear’s Richard Hammond was left with life-threatening injuries after crashing a drag racer.

He added: “It was better than expected, but to set a world record you have to do two timed runs, over a measured distance.”

When not modifiying or tuning scooters, he is a ground handling supervisor for ATC Lasham at Southend Airport.

He thanked Kegra Scooter Centre, Progress Classic Scooters, the Sign Factory, Putoline, and Colchester District Vespa and Lambretta Club for their help in setting the record.