A BIKER daredevil from Oxfordshire will follow in the footsteps of The World’s Fastest Indian.

Witney man Barry Beadle will travel to The Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA, in an attempt to break the speed record for the bike.

It was at the same salt flats that New Zealander Burt Munro set the world record of 183.586mph, on his Indian Scout bike, in 1967.

The story was turned into Hollywood blockbuster The World’s Fastest Indian in 2005, with Anthony Hopkins.

More than 40 years later, Mr Beadle hopes to top Mr Munro’s feat on his street legal Suzuki Hayabusa, known as Stealth.

The 48-year-old will set off for America in 12 days and return on September 19.

He will be accompanied by 20-year-old daughter Erin, who shares her father’s love of motorcycles and will be a member of the crew assisting the record attempt.

The current record is 247mph.

Mr Beadle is the only Briton to enter the meet, and will join a line-up of 134 riders.

He said: “Even if I don’t do it, I am just looking forward to going out there and learning as much as I can – and maybe trying it again.”

The keen biker has spent the winter building the heavily modified street bike, which has 500 brake horse power – two and a half times that of a normal motorbike. He has already tested the bike at Elvington airfield, in Yorkshire, where he reached 213mph.

The bike was to be shipped to Utah today.

Mr Beadle will enter three meetings — Speedweek, BUB and World of Speed.

He will race in heats of up to 42 degrees celsius, with 16 per cent less oxygen than normal.

The biker who also has a 23-year-old son called Christopher, said: “There could be traction problems as salt tends to be a little bit more slippery than asphalt. And when I get going, it will be like riding through mud as there is more resistance. We are on a learning curve, but there is a team of mechanics and hopefully we will do it.”

Mr Beadle, an area manager for Witney charity Cranstoun Drug Services, said: “I am confident of the bike. I will do my best but it’s a very unknown quantity for me, although I have an international racing licence.

“There are many people that have come over the years and there have been very few serious injuries or death, as there is nothing to hit, you just slide.

“You have certainly got to be aware of the dangers.”

He added: “We have had a lot of moral and financial support from people around the town, from family and friends who have been very helpful.”

witney@oxfordmail.co.uk