Yow! Got an email today from Daemond Rogan, the legendary Chicago biker who, in what may have been the most idiotically cool stunt of all time, got clocked at 160 MPH on Lake Shore Drive in 2001 (scroll down):
I was kicking around the net, and came across your comments on Tim Blair forum. Thanx for the support on that one bro. I thought a lot of peeps forgot all about that crazy stunt.
My CBR600F4 was not modified in any way, except carbon fiber here, and there (not enough to lighten it up) :) Passing the fountain is where I really opened up, and man she was "Scratchin the Redline"! The Oak street turn was taken between 120 mph, and 130Mph (forgive me for not having a more accurate speed, I was a bit busy with my eyes glued to the pavement ya know)
I still have the bike in storage, and I just got a letter in the mail 2 days ago saying I can now go get a Drivers License again! Call me up, will ride with ya anytime bro
Daemond Rogan A.K.A "LSD"
I just might take him up on that; I'll post a report, on the odd chance I survive.
In the meantime, feel free to post your personal memories of stupid vehicular stunts.
160. Chicago. Whoa.
I've had some o' those whipper-snappers blow by me late at night on MoPac - always scares the bejeezus out of me. Of course I could catch them *anytime I wanted* in my Hot Stock Civic. Really.
Fastest, moi? 1992, on the A5 southbound out of Frankfurt in a 2.0 Ford Sierra *rental car*. Had it floored in 5th gear for a few minutes at a time - about 250kph (~150mph or so) and STILL had a few, uh, more robust vehicles pass me. Fairly smooth ride. Gawd, kids are dumb.
Oh, and a few weeks ago I hit 51mph on 2222 on my 10 speed.
So there. Nyah.
-Chris
Posted by: CedarFever | June 21, 2004 at 09:59 PM
I had a secret service agent knock me off my bike, the bastard.
Posted by: Darren | June 22, 2004 at 07:56 AM
Maybe you can hook up with him and see what that Vespa will do.
Sorry, but you're never living that down.
Saw last night about a '77 Bonneville convertible in eggshell white. Absolutely mint. Purred like a sleeping grizzly. Ate my heart out.
Posted by: spongeworthy | June 22, 2004 at 08:53 AM
My brother did a rush hour Skokie-to-O'Hare run (Edens to Kennedy) in just over 20 minutes. Not only high speeds, but zig-zagging through traffic. Not only driving himself, but My Mother.
Addles my brain just thinking about it.
BTW, iowahawk it was a pleasure to meet you in Chicago last week.
Posted by: sharona | June 22, 2004 at 11:10 AM
Hey, screw you Spongey. You'll never know true terror until you bury the speedo (60+ mph) on a scooter with 10" wheels. Besides, it's a Lambretta. Nyah.
Sharona: same here.
I don't have any insane warp speed tales of my own to report. As a driver, 124 mph (dragstrip timer validated) in a car, 95 on a motorcycle; as a passenger, 150 mph in a car (Corvette Z06), 110 on a motorcycle.
Posted by: iowahawk | June 22, 2004 at 11:46 AM
Even way out here in the sticks I've heard about Daemond Rogan, and not just from from Tim Blair. It's one thing to get nabbed for the Illinois state speed record, but it's a whole different level to get nabbed going 160 down LSD. As someone who's gone just a touch under 160, and only in the middle of nowhere, that is completely unimaginable on so many levels. The guy's a kind of folk hero among the fast and stupid (the way of my people).
When I was 17, my dad foolishly gave me the keys to a newish misbegotten '86 Corvette and told me "go easy." Got it up to 140 on I-80 through the middle of Reno. I did not beat that speed for another 15 years.
Guy in my building went through central Denver on I-70 at 155, attracted the attention of the local constabulary, who CLOSED THE FREEWAY ahead of him to get him. Lost his license for 5 years. You'd never suspect him. He, too, was a teenager at the time.
Cheers Daemond, I have to say you're stupid but my hat's off.
Posted by: Matt in Denver | June 22, 2004 at 09:37 PM
Fastest flat out in a car: 160
Fastest on a motorcycle (wheels down): 120
Fastest on a motorcycle (wheels up): 80
Posted by: Dacotti | June 23, 2004 at 08:24 AM
I've actually had the pleasure of tandem scootering in Bermuda drunk. Did you know the roads are backwards there? I actually did know that. Did you know that the traffic circles are messed up beyond belief on account of it? I didn't know that.
Sobered up quickly.
It was a '65 Bonneville convertible, BTW. I'm still green.
Posted by: spongeworthy | June 23, 2004 at 09:22 AM
Dacotti do you live in Indiana? I got passed by a motorcycle doing a wheelie while I was doing about 80 back in 2000. He must have covered a good 1/2 mile that way.
Posted by: guy | June 23, 2004 at 10:40 AM
Last summer I had the pleasure? of watching "Wrong Way Roger" jump 5 cars while riding backwards on a Harley Sportster. The succesful landing was complicacated by "Wrong Ways" confusion between the shifter and the brake and he slammed into the concrete track barrier at about 35mph (still ridig backward). A ruptured spleen, lacerated kidney, and several fractures appear to have ended Rogers career.$65K and counting in uninsured medical expenses the last I heard.
Posted by: gymnast | June 23, 2004 at 04:37 PM
Back in the Seventies, in Brisbane, I came across a big queue of vehicles on Coronation Drive while riding my Yamaha DT250 dirt bike.
I stopped in the queue, couldn't see why they were all stopped (no traffic lights or obvious accident), then decided they were all dicks and pulled past them full throttle, front wheel right up - when I got up front I saw why they stopped - the cop standing there with his hand up.
He looked at me, I looked at him. I kept going. He stayed still. Never heard about it again.
Posted by: Robert Blair | June 23, 2004 at 11:09 PM
Daemond Rogan A.K.A "LSD"
Larry St. Dubois?
Posted by: mojo | June 24, 2004 at 04:28 PM
96 mph.
But it's the "extenuating circumstances" that make it a worthy story.
It was a used Dodge Omni (honest!). I was driving on Missouri Ozark Roads -- lotsa curves, no shoulders, steep embankments. And...I was CHANGING CLOTHES WHILE DRIVING (I was late for a wedding).
Posted by: cj | June 25, 2004 at 01:16 AM
Spun out on some gravel on the edge of a shoulder ... at 115mph ... in a Miata. (yes, they go that fast) I think I did 3 sliding 360 degree turns, and luckily it didn't flip over.
Posted by: Bill from INDC | June 29, 2004 at 03:06 PM
Was browsing the internet and came across this site where they were talking about Daemond Rogan, the motorcyclist from Chicago who broke that speeding record on Lakeshore Drive. Have been searching for Daemond for a while, am an old friend of his. If anyone has an email address on him, let me know at wickedangel1001@yahoo.com. Thanks All!!!!
Posted by: keri perillo | July 25, 2004 at 05:19 PM