“They didn’t speak any English, we didn’t speak any
Russian,” explained Brice. “But as with all car and mo-
torcycle enthusiasts, it was a really friendly atmosphere.
Through hand gestures and pointing we were able to
communicate, help each other out and lend each other
tools. That’s what I love about events like this, we’re all
here for the same reason and we all want to share the fun
and make sure everyone has a good time.”
With technical inspections complete, the amazing bike
and Sebastien (Seb) Lorentz were given the go ahead to
try a first run on the 1/8-mile course. It’s a must for all
‘novice’ riders to explore the ice and prove they can cope
with the idiosyncrasies of such a track.
“The first run was good,” beamed Seb. “I was just look-
ing to test the traction of the studded tyre that Dorsan
had built, to see how stable the bike was, and of course,
to make sure I could stop.
“Appaloosa pulled really well, and the front tyre was
not being pulled by the uneven surface. With good con-
trol, traction and stability, it gave me the confidence to
go harder in the next run.”
A second run on the 1/8 mile gave both Brice and Seb
the confidence to try the longer full mile course, coinci-
dently the Baikal Mile is not run at that distance because
it’s the recognised distance for all land speed records, no,
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