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Local racer looks to set Australian speed record on Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR
Matt Sheppard is looking to set a new Australian sub 500cc production speed record aboard a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR at South Australia’s 2024 Speed Week.
Held at Lake Gairdner National Park, which is 450km north of Adelaide, the event organised by Dry Lake Racers Australia attracts racers from far and wide, looking to make their mark on speed history.
South Australia's Lake Gairdner is one of three salt lakes that host internationally recognised speed events.
The capacity classes all run up to a maximum CC rating, meaning the Ninja ZX-4RR will be in the 500cc class as it is over 350 but under 500cc.
The current 500cc production record sits at 123mph (197km/h), and Matt is confident that the Ninja ZX-4RR will be “capable of anything between 125 to 140mph” (201 to 225km/h).
Matt will be racing alongside the Salt Monkeys Dry Lake Racing Team, which consists of six riders and crew.
A history of Matt Sheppard and motorcycle racing
Matt has had a passion for motorbikes since his late teens, he is an experienced motorbike mechanic and has run a small business specialising in classic bike modifications.
In 2021 he was invited to have a motorcycle display at Adelaide's Beer and BBQ festival, It was here I met Frank and Corinna who run a local craft brewery and are the founders of the Salt Monkeys Dry Lake Racing Team.
He joined the Salt Monkeys for Speed Week 2021 and managed to get a colleague's incomplete BSA together and compliant in a couple of weeks to race and set his first record.
He currently works for South Australia’s long-standing Kawasaki dealership SA Motorcycles.
He also competes in Vintage Motocross and is planning on racing at the 2024 VMX Nationals on a 1974 KX-450. In 2023, he won his South Australia VMX Series categories and placed in the VMX State Titles. Matt also has previously raced a 2009 ZX6R in local road race events and owns several road-going bikes.
Matt is a land speed record holder on his bike the 'Express Postie', a heavily modified 1974 Honda CT90, and holds a record on a vintage BSA B33.
Keep up with Matt by following his social media accounts via Instagram and Facebook.
