Talan Skeels-Piggins has become the first paralysed motorcyclist to pass the 200 mph barrier, recording 200.254 mph on a turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa. The run was timed over one mile at the Straightliners World Speed Record event, held at Elvington Airfield outside York in 2026.

The mark came on Skeels-Piggins’ fifth attempt, after difficult weather and strong winds had complicated the effort. His pursuit began in 2015, when he reached 175 mph on a standard Hayabusa but remained short of the intended 200 mph target. The project ultimately stretched across 11 years and included setbacks as well as financial challenges.

Skeels-Piggins has been paralysed from the chest down since 2003. A former Winter Paralympian and downhill skier, he moved into two-wheeled motorsport in 2012. He went on to become the first paraplegic rider in the world to compete against able-bodied motorcycle racers, giving the speed attempt a longer sporting context beyond the final number.

A year before the record, Skeels-Piggins restarted the project with motorcycle engineer and racer Lee Baxendale. Baxendale spent more than 600 hours building, modifying, testing and preparing the turbocharged Hayabusa. After the run, Skeels-Piggins said the motorcycle had performed well and credited both his crew and the Straightliners team for their support.