A RACING motorcyclist was banned from the roads yesterday after being caught riding his Honda Blackbird at 124.5mph.

Magistrates at Harrogate heard how Graham Salter, 47, a design engineer who had built up his own company, had been travelling on the A1(M) in North Yorkshire on his way to meet a client in Shildon, County Durham, when he was pulled over at Boroughbridge.

His solicitor Paul Hinds said Slater was going to correct a fault which could have had a knock-on effect on production at the Nissan car factory and cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Mr Hinds said that as a racing motorcyclist Salter had exceptionally talent, adding: "He is not a boy racer, he has plenty of opportunity to race competitively when he wants to."

Salter, of Woodhall Drive, Batley, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to speeding. He was fined £400 with £60 costs and was banned from the roads for 56 days