Toseland aims for 400mph land speed record

'If successful, this will be a fantastic personal achievement but also a great accolade to bring back to the UK' - James Toseland

Kyle White

04 Dec 2012

Toseland, USA WSBK Race 1 2011
© Gold and Goose

Two-time World Superbike champion James Toseland has set himself a new challenge of breaking the world motorcycle land speed record in a daredevil 400mph bid.

Former MotoGP rider Toseland, forced to retire from racing due to injury in 2011, is bidding to top the current FIM record of 376.363mph set by American 'Rocky' Robinson and is targeting at least 400mph.

He is being backed by an all-British team headed by Alex Macfadzean, a former Grand Prix and TT Sidecar competitor.

Macfadzean is a former holder of the British land speed record and the first UK man to achieve over 200mph.

Toseland, who will make his attempt at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, in September 2014, said: "I am hugely excited about this record attempt but I'm under no illusions as to how difficult it will be.

"I've been racing motorcycles for most of my life but this means learning a completely new technique in order to pilot the motorcycle streamliner.

"If successful, this will be a fantastic personal achievement but also a great accolade to bring back to the UK," added Toseland, who recently married singer Katie Melua.

Macfazdean is the driving force behind the technical side of the record bid and will utilize support from students and staff from the University of Derby's Motorsport courses.