Sunday Night: Chasing Speed with Leslie Porterfield

03/31/2012

by Eileen Marable

Have you ever done something just because someone said they didn’t think you could? If you have then you’ll understand what motivates Leslie Porterfield. She’s been riding motorcycles since she was 16 – because she can. Because she loves it. And, because she’s damn good at it.

Leslie doesn’t just ride, she chases speed. She holds several world records as the fastest woman on a motorcycle.

Leslie Porterfield has always pursued her dreams with a passion. She turned her love of motorcycles into a career by opening her own motorcycle dealership – High Five Cycles in Dallas, TX. It’s her home base as she trains and sets her sights on breaking records at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

Chasing Speed: Leslie Porterfield airs Sunday, April 1 at 10 pm E/P      Photo Credit: DCL

The Bonneville Speedway has been used as a place to set speed records since the 1930s. The flat, hard salt surface is perfect for the long tracks where vehicles of all sorts are used to make attempts.

Leslie Porterfield has gone to Bonneville many times trying to break speed records on motorcycles. On her first attempt at a land speed record in 2007 she crashed at 110 mph and ended up with seven broken ribs, a punctured lung and a concussion.

That would have been enough to stop a lot of people, but not Leslie. She went right back to chasing that dream of a speed record. That’s takes a special kind of courage and determination – and one we love to celebrate here at Velocity!

Leslie went back to Bonneville in 2008 and set her first record of 209 mph on an unfaired motorcycle. This is what earned her the honor of being the first woman in the Bonneville 200 mph club on a conventional motorcycle in its 61-year history.

2008 was a big year for Leslie – it was at the 2008 BUB Speed Trials at Bonneville that she became the world’s fastest woman with a speed of 232.522 on her 2002 2000cc turbo-charged Suzuki Hayabusa. The record was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records and earned her the title of the World’s Fastest Woman on a Motorcycle.

All told, Leslie Porterfield holds or has held Motorcycle Land Speed records in four classes and in 2009 she took the Top Speed of the Meet award at Bonneville for an amazing 240 mph pass – and that was for both men and women.

Chasing Speed: Leslie Porterfield joins Leslie at High Five Cycles as she’s preparing to head to Bonneville to take on the stock 1000cc production bike challenge. She is planning on taking the bike over 200 mph – something riders have tried for years.

Our show will join Leslie as she trains for the event and gets into the mindset of a record breaker. We’ll then join her on the Flats to see how it turns out.

Chasing Speed: Leslie Porterfield airs Sunday, April 1 at 10 pm E/P

 

Comments

[sito incontri]

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[bt]

Love the show. Good story when will it run again.. what band was her coworker in?

[Montlhery]

I have met Leslie Porterfield numerous times and she is one of the kindest people . Ask the chap out at the salt who was in desperate need of a welder ,Leslie came and offered her welder .And the guy who needed a new tire etc etc .As for milking Honda and the poor media give me a break . My mate won 3 national superbike races on a Honda and when he asked them for some help with a blown gearbox they didn't return his call ! If Leslie can get help out of Honda good luck to her. I have got a feeling her "boyfriend" also spends a awful lot of money with Honda and so they should help him ! Milking the media is the funniest thing I have heard ,I am sure Rupert and Ted are really upset. Any riding is practice for the salt who cares were it is . Maybe add a bit of lemon to your Salt ,Salt Shaker. Leslie Porterfield is an excellent role model for young girls and boys for that matter .Her acheivments are many and most people would have chucked the towel in after her spill first time on the Salt .She is an inspiration to many.

[Salt Shaker]

Yet another example of Ms. Porterfield ripping someone off while getting as much publicity as possible. In 2009 Leslie earned real credibility by putting up big numbers on a legitamate race bike. All of us in the LSR community respected her efforts. Since then she and her boyfriend have been milking Honda, sponsors and the media when ever possible. No one (except some clown from Velocity) cares about the slowest record, no one cares about a production class record (to call that a production bike is a joke). Slapping a turbo on a 1000cc bike isn't nearly enough to break the true top speed record against other purpose built motorcycles. Riding a pristine dirt bike across a construction site is what she considers training? Please. There is a real story here. A few years ago she accomplished her objective. I was hoping that this show would have told that story. Instead all we got was some clips of a publicity hungary woman, some feeble attempts at humor, and a glimpse of how she treats her employees.

[jack kline]

Leslie has much to be proud of
Hey Biker Lady
can you say jealousy,
The fact that Leslie's High Five Cycles is not one of the larger shops, pays tribute to her accomplishments. Having hard times with money as you start your own business and also chase your dreams and passion is nothing to be embarrassed about. This is simply part of the process, most people give up after difficult challenges, they do not press on to be the best at what they do. This is what seperates Leslie Porterfield from the rest. Dont hate her for being beutifull, ambitious, succesfull, and doing what she loves.
Jack Kline
Klinecustomhomes@gmail.com

[joeyhssdad]

Grow up true biker lady. If by "ride" you mean that she doesn't do what you do, which you call "true"?????? ..... true to what? I am so effing sick of snobby bike folks that turn their snobby nose up at folks who don't do what they do. What are you true to? Chasing down canyons in leather?, riding poker runs? ice racing?, motocross? Dual Sport? Grocery Grabbin'?, Commuting? Lots of riders who do one of the above could all call themselves true bikers, and they could think vile things about folks who aren't true riders, but they don't. Don't be such a hater. It will shorten your life.

[Hot Chick]

"a true biker lady"
Don't be a hater because you are fat and ugly. If you don't like her don't watch the show. Its simple.

[A true biker lady]

She says she rides? No she doesn't. Ask her when was the last time she was even on a bike other than the Salt Flats where she fell "flat". Did she happen to say her shop is one of the SMALLEST in Dallas, not one of the BIGGEST? Did she happen to tell you she can't pay her employees properly and had to cut their pay by half 4 years ago? If is wasn't for her PAST employees (2 have gone on to better incomes and job environment), she wouldn't have a shop! I bet she didn't tell the producers or director all of the above. I thought this was reality?! Don't be fooled by her. She really DOES NOT RIDE, not weekly, not monthly, but yet ONCE A YEAR and most of that once a year ride is spent flat on her back with her bike broken. I can't say enough about "I Love Myself" Leslie Porterfield!!!! As a lady biker, I am incensed that she portrays herself as one of the true women bikers who ride a whole lot more than she does!