Talan Skeels-Piggins has crossed the 200-mph mark for the first time over a standing-start mile, reaching 200.254 mph, or 322.27 km/h. He achieved the speed on a specially modified Suzuki Hayabusa Turbo and is described as the first paraplegic rider to pass that threshold in this discipline. The British rider had been pursuing the goal for 11 years.

The run took place on Saturday 19 September at Elvington airfield, near York in Great Britain, during the Straightliners event. Skeels-Piggins completed five runs over the measured mile and made the breakthrough on the fifth and final pass. Weather narrowed the operating window to roughly four hours in the afternoon, with rain and strong winds affecting the schedule. A technical problem also kept the motorcycle below the speed originally targeted for ideal conditions.

A Hayabusa built around its rider

Skeels-Piggins was paralysed after a motorcycle accident in 2003, and controls the Hayabusa mainly with his upper body and arms. The project therefore demanded far more than an increase in engine output. More than 600 hours went into the motorcycle, including extensive work on its frame, suspension and controls.

The effort was revived in early 2025, when Skeels-Piggins reconnected with engineer and rider Lee Baxendale. Baxendale developed the machine with his son, Jay. The frame was lengthened and lowered, while the suspension was reworked specifically for the attempt: K-Tech handled the front end and Nitron supplied the rear shock.

The rider interface received equally focused attention. Special footrests and Velcro straps keep Skeels-Piggins’ legs in position during acceleration. An air-shift system lets him change gear through the horn button, reducing the movements and additional controls he has to manage while the bike is accelerating.

Turbocharging was not part of the original plan. Baxendale began with a naturally aspirated setup, working on the intake and exhaust, and also considered nitrous oxide as a way to reach the required power. The Hayabusa that ultimately reached 322.27 km/h was therefore substantially different from a standard motorcycle. One month earlier, Sampie Erasmus had recorded 198.217 mph on a Suzuki GSX-R1000, making the 200-mph threshold a clear focus of the speed-testing effort.