Four-time world land speed record holder prefers Canterbury

Four-time world land speed record holder prefers the University of Canterbury

February 11, 2015

Automotive journalist and four-time world land speed record-holder Kevin Clemens chose the University of Canterbury’s mechanical engineering department to do his ground-breaking PhD research because of the history of land speed record work at the university.

Clemens hopes to modify his electric sidecar motorcycle to surpass 240 kilometres-per-hour at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, with the help of research he will undertake at the university.

If Clemens achieves his goal he will beat the current world record for a gasoline powered motorcycle at Bonneville in a similar weight category. His current world record is 159 kilometres-per-hour on an electric two-wheeled motorcycle.

Clemens’ electric sidecar motorcycle requires the advanced capabilities of the university’s super computer because the asymmetrical design is unique and difficult to model. Clemens hopes to improve the aerodynamics and speed of the motorcycle, as well as prevent it becoming airborne.

Clemens’ PhD research will require him to travel between Christchurch and the United States, where his workshop and electric sidecar motorcycle are located.

The theoretical research will be carried out at the university, where a model of his motorcycle will be 3D printed and tested in the university’s wind tunnels. Clemens will then take his results back to the United States to modify his motorcycle accordingly and eventually attempt to break his current land speed world record on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Clemens’ PhD research will be of great benefit to the mechanical engineering department as the modelling of an asymmetric sidecar motorcycle is new and will provide new learning opportunities for mechanical engineering staff and students. He is optimistic about the results of his research, and has bigger goals in mind for the future.

“Everybody who goes to Bonneville wants to go 320 kilometres-per-hour – it’s just the magical number. Someday maybe we could get a vehicle to go 320 kilometres-per-hour – and I’d really like to be the person riding it,” Clemens says.

View his comments about his upcoming research at the University of Canterbury here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtGpxF5Heg4

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