Friday 1st June 2012

Brit biker sets new 'ring record

What does a 7min 10sec bridge to gantry 'ring lap look like on a bike? Scary...

---

There's a new, if unofficial, lap record around the Nurburgring, and it's been set by a resident British biker called Andy Carlile. Lapping the Nordschleife in just 7min 10sec bridge to gantry during public hours, he's nearly 20 seconds under the previous records set by Tim Roethig and Helmut Daehne. That translates to about 7min 28sec for a full flying lap or just 7min 24sec for an 'industry' or 'SportAuto' lap (that's a full lap minus the T13 straight).

Comes across as quite sensible ... and then

Riding his own modified Yamaha YZF-R1, Andy set the lap only a few days ago during a quiet public session. His bike is road-legal, shod with Dunlop road-legal trackday tyres and lightweight carbon wheels. Brit suspension experts Nitron helped Andy set up the suspension.

"It's taken nearly five years to get to this point," says Andy. "Some years there was practically no progress whatsoever, but I kept plugging away, optimising, learning and trying again."

Asked if he could go any faster he says, "What you're all thinking, and what I'm trying to ignore, is the number '6'. Yes the bike will go a little bit faster, but we're plumbing the deepest depths of diminishing returns."

For more on how Andy did it check out the interview on BridgeToGantry.com.

Track pic: Frozenspeed

---

Watch the (utterly terrifying) lap video here:

 

[Liquid Knight]

Very well done. The state the track is in and traffic I'd use a Paris Dakar Spec TDM instead of an R1.

[jason61c]

Makes a 4 wheeled lap look easy and boring!

[Garlick]

Few seconds to be gained there as the two cars definitely slowed him

Very exciting video

[cadoganpier]

Fantastic lap, just wonder what someone like Mcg ( not disrespect to this rider) could do on a closed track with a race bike? I suspect there is another 20 seconds to come off that time.

[SirSamuelOfBuca]

will watch later!

[Liquid Knight]

I hope a variation of the new Norton race bikes make it on the road. Nothing as radical as the Nemesis (but that would be awesome) how quick the track bikes have been in testing I think it would be a serious contender as a road bike.

How long do you think it will be before a road bike cracks a six minute lap time?

[jon-]

Now THAT'S a mega lap, much more interesting than a safe race lap at night no where near the limit

The scary thing is he lost some time at key places due to traffic., I wonder how fast he's be on his down.

[CocoUK]

Corr blimey guvnor, that rocket is properly lit!

I agree that a closed track would dip him into sub 7 mins, but I think even a legend like McG would need a fair amount of time to learn the Ring.

[N88]

Bonkers!

[Mad Jock]

Garlick said:

Few seconds to be gained there as the two cars definitely slowed him

Very exciting video

Actually, I reckon the bikes slowed him even more.....................

[anonymous-user]

Legend!

[Chris Harris]

At 5min 12sec , this is insane.

Amazing skill, balls whatever you call it.

Need to lie down now.

[Freakuk]

Locks it up a few times on the brakes too, screaching of the tyres!

[jon-]

Mad Jock said:

Actually, I reckon the bikes slowed him even more.....................

Agreed, must have lost at least 3-4 seconds between them both as they were leading into fast parts of the track.

A 6 minute lap possible on road tyres and a bike he can ride home? Instant legend.

[Garlick]

jon- said:

Mad Jock said:

Actually, I reckon the bikes slowed him even more.....................

Agreed, must have lost at least 3-4 seconds between them both as they were leading into fast parts of the track.

A 6 minute lap possible on road tyres and a bike he can ride home? Instant legend.

True, fair enough.

[Mr Gear]

Excuse my Ring-norance, but but what's a good car lap?

[agtlaw]

Same time as a 2009 Nissan GT-R. Good work.

[jon-]

Mr Gear said:

Excuse my Ring-norance, but but what's a good car lap?

http://bridgetogantry.com/2/index.php/btg-laptimes

Should give you an idea!

[Mr Gear]

jon- said:

http://bridgetogantry.com/2/index.php/btg-laptimes

Should give you an idea!

Cheers

[Woodyrvf750]

And he used to race.... mopeds.