Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

A BRITISH ride-on lawnmower has set a new land speed record - reaching 86mph (138km/h) - but today its rider, Don Wales, is going to try to crack the 100mph (160kmh) barrier, the BBC reported.

The new record, set at Pendine Sands in west Wales, toppled the 130kmh (80mph) record which had been set at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah.

In making a bid for the record, the lawnmower must be driven over a measured mile. It must also be built primarily from lawnmower parts and be capable of cutting grass, but the blades are removed when racing for safety reasons.

The BBC reported that Wales' grandfather was Sir Malcolm Campbell who broke the world land speed record, in a car, at the same venue in 1924.

source www.dailytelegraph.com

Good thing you posted that.  Due to two days with not posts, I thought the sight might have been experiencing "technical difficulties".

I haven't been doing much with my OPE.  Put both of my cheap Murray/MTD single stage machines away until the fall. 

We got a big dump of 8 to 10 inches of heavy wet snow on Sunday.  I used the modified Craftsman to clear the top of the driveway and it actually handled the wet stuff better than the Toro until the chute started to fall off.  By then, it was out of fuel so I put it away.  I'd say the reason it threw the wet stuff better than the Toro SS is because it can't take as big a bite of snow due to worn paddles and, more importantly, is probably making close to ten h.p. running at 6000 rpm.   It was truly impressive on level ground.  Not so much working it up the hill.  It doesn't pull well at all.  When the Craftsman ran out of fuel, I took out the Toro 221 to do the steep part.    It  pulled well up hill but could only toss the slush maybe 12 feet.   I did half the driveway with it until I got to the stuff that had already been thrown once and now was as thick as mud.  I retired the Toro and pulled out the Simplicity.   Eleven horsepower does make a difference.   It pumped that stuff very effectively although, distance was maybe only 25 to 30 feet and it doesn't clean down to the pavement as nicely as the SS machines.   Hopefully, that's it for snow.  Now I'm working on getting an old 1974 Yamaha RD200 ready for the road.  Got the fork seals done, wheels are off waiting for new rubber.  Cleaned the carbs yesterday and the engine runs great.   Should have it on the road in a week or so.   When that's done, I've got to go pick up the two old Lawn Boy mowers to see what they're all about.  Then it's camping season with outboards to get in the water, brush cutters, trimmers riding and push mowers to fire up......   Never a shortage of things to do.

That is  an interesting article. but the speed record set by Brit. Don  Wales  has since been  beaten by the American Bobby Cleaveland

with a speed of 96.529 miles per hour , but it won't stop there.