ambassadors
Fastest rider at the Isle of Man TT and the Ulster GP. And now the North West 200. Peter Hickman has cemented his place as the fastest man on two wheels after a blistering lap in the first Superbike race of the North West 200. He stripped four seconds off the lap time to post a 4:18.753 at an average speed of 124.799mph, and a top speed through the trap of 208.8mph. As he prepares for a BSB race at Donington this weekend, and then the big one, the Isle of Man TT in June, we caught up with Peter “Hicky” Hickman to find out what it feels like to be the fastest road racer in the world.
Hicky, in the first Superbike race of the day you went out and casually broke the lap record. How did that feel?
The North West is a great event, but it’s always been a bittersweet one for me. I’m obviously fast there – even breaking the lap record this year – but I’ve never had a result at the North West. I’ve won two Superstock races, which has been great. But in the Superbike races, there’s always something every single year. It’s really frustrating. Even this year I was fast enough to win and had the pace. I set that lap record coming back through the pack after making a very small mistake on the first lap (I accidentally flicked the bike into neutral and went straight on at University). I knew I couldn’t win the race after that. So, I was just riding within myself. I got up to fifth place and was about to pass for fourth and broke the lap record along the way. Yet I still didn’t finish the race because of the tyre problem.
Did you get any more riding in at the North West?
I didn’t actually ride the rest of the day because of that tyre issue. The Superstock race was next and it’s the same tyre as the Superbike, so the team and I decided to pull out. We couldn’t guarantee we wouldn’t have the same issue again and I was already really lucky with what happened in the Superbike race. A tyre blowing out at 197mph is not what you want.
208.8mph on a narrow, Irish country road sounds pretty crazy. Can you talk us through the ride?
It’s really hard to describe what it’s like to ride a bike at 200mph. Especially on a normal road. Bikes in general are escapism at its best. You’re in your own little world, totally focused on what you’re doing. It’s an exciting feeling. Obviously very thrilling. There’s a lot of adrenaline running through your veins while all that’s happening. That’s the fastest I’ve ever been on a road. Nearly 209mph is phenomenal really.
You’ve described your BMW M 1000 RR as a total weapon – and it certainly seems to be quick. What makes the bike so fast?
The bike’s good and working really well. The team have got it set up bang on and my input into getting the bike set up how I want has been pretty good, otherwise I wouldn’t be happy riding it. But it’s everything put together. All the partners involved, including Motul, make all the difference. What we’ve got with the FHO Racing team is a really strong package with really strong suppliers such as Motul, which is what is making the bike as good as it is.
How important are lubricants at these speeds when the bike is revving hard and under a lot of stress?
Massively important. Having the right lubrication, from the engine to the chain and the gearbox, is one of the most important things on a motorcycle. It’s an accumulation of everything.
How does the North West help you get into the TT frame of mind?
The North West is a really good warm up for the TT. It gets your brain up to speed with doing over 200mph on a normal road, which you can’t really practice anywhere else. Even though I call it a warm up, I still want to win when I’m there. I’m a racer at heart and I want to put on the best show on I can to race and try and win.
You’re also racing in BSB. Does that give you a competitive edge on the road?
100%. That’s why road racers like Dean Harrison are doing more BSB because they’re trying to keep themselves sharp to make them faster for events like the TT.
