DANIELE RESTELLI'S EXTRAORDINARY QUEST ON THE SALT LAKE, TOLD BY THE PROTAGONIST
October 2024, article by Daniele Restelli: “10 years - so much time has passed since a film that I saw on television in 2014 influenced part of my life in a significant way. The World’s Fastest Indian is the title of the film, and it tells the story of Burt Munro, who set off from New Zealand for the American state of Utah, with the goal of setting the speed record with his old motorbike, a 1920 Indian.
This film has a real romantic feel, and it inspired me to emulate it, undertaking an adventure that was certainly out of the ordinary, but which seemed within my reach. As an amateur biker, I decided to ride a Gilera 50cc from 1972, a small motorbike with gears that was the dream bike of many 14-year-olds at the time.
After an early experience in 2017, which was unsuccessful in terms of speed but formative in terms of the experience I gained, and following further attempts to take part in subsequent years, interrupted by various unforeseen circumstances - insufficient preparation, health problems, the pandemic and adverse weather conditions - I finally managed to set off in 2024.
The organisation process began with the shipping of the bike from Italy to Los Angeles. Then, after loading it on a big American pick-up truck, we drove around 1,000 km to Wendover, a small town of about 6,000 people divided across two states: Nevada and Utah. Over the next two days, we attended the various presentation and information meetings, got acquainted with “the salt”; the Americans were very friendly, and being Italian with such a small motorbike made us more likeable to them!
After getting the bureaucratic paperwork out of the way and passing the technical checks, we faced the first challenge: a flat battery followed by a sudden wind and rain storm which delayed our début by a day.
Despite everything, on the 26th of August, we managed to make our first attempt with the motorbike with fairing, setting a first record with a speed of 82.676 km/h. The attempts continued, and we made the most of the opportunities presented by the AMA and FIM regulations - for example, racing without a fairing - to add more records to our booty. During subsequent attempts, we also improved on our speed, hitting 86.676 km/h. This apparently slow speed is a result of the various environmental factors attributable to the salt lake: the high altitude, temperature, atmospheric pressure and humidity, which have a seriously detrimental effect on engine performance.
LAST RUN – DANIELE RESTELLI & GILERA 50:
https://www.facebook.com/sfidaabonneville/videos/1698534224320322?locale=it_IT
In conclusion, on the days when we were able to compete, we completed a series of four record runs (*), achieving:
... I still can’t quite believe what an incredible achievement this is!
In the FIM, the categories are specified in a different way and are much more difficult to understand, so for ease I have used the AMA coding.
(*) Solely for information, I’d like to point out that all records, although confirmed by the AMA and FIM officials at the race site, are “Pending Ratification”, as the final confirmation will only be made after a series of bureaucratic checks.
This adventure of mine on the Bonneville Salt Flats was an incredible, unforgettable experience, and I would sum it up as follows:
Daniele Restelli/Bonneville Challenge 2024:
https://www.facebook.com/sfidaabonneville/?locale=it_IT
Daniele Restelli adds: “Here are a few facts about the Bonneville Salt Lake, located in the state of Utah - it’s one of the most fascinating and unique places in the United States. It has a surface area of around 250 square kilometres, and three events are organised each year on its surface with entrants vying to set speed records. Provided the weather permits, and the salt flats don’t flood of course! The salt flats are located at around 1,300 metres above sea level, with heavy snowfall in winter and summer temperatures of above 40°C. The vast expanse and surrounding landscapes offer an experience that is unforgettable for anyone who visits.”
READ THE PREVIOUS ARTICLE ANNOUNCING THE CHALLENGE:
https://wide.piaggiogroup.com/en/articles/people/return-to-the-salt-flats
