Cover: Cycle World’s Bonneville Contenders; 16th Annual Bonneville; DKW Returns; CW Bonneville Specials; Road Tests: Matchless 750, Ducati 5-Speed Diana; Technical: Two-Stroke Exhausts; International Six Days Trial; Springfield; Grand Prix of Finland; Road Impression: Garelli 50; Italian Grand Prix; New Fath Engine; Ulster Grand Prix; more

1964 November Cycle World Motorcycle Magazine Back-Issue – Bonneville available at www.DadsVintageAds.com in the “ Motorcycle Magazines” category

Search our Magazine Back Issue Index for more old Motorcycle Magazine Back Issues for sale.

To search our full inventory of Vintage Motorcycle Advertisements, Articles, and Road Tests CLICK HERE.

Cover: World’s Fastest Motorcycle – streamlined 650cc Triumph; Complete Bonneville Report; Road Tests: Norton Manx 350 & 500, BSA 650 Royal Star; Watkins Glen road Race; Springfield 50 Miler; Peoria TT’s; Mt. Garfield Hillclimb; Travel: Santa Ynex Lure; Trail Test: Honda 55; Ulster Grand Prix; Mini-Bike Test: Bird Wren; Black Hills Rally & Races; Rider Profile: Bart Markel; more

1962 November Cycle World Motorcycle Magazine Back-Issue – Bonneville available at www.DadsVintageAds.com in the “ Motorcycle Magazines” category

Search our Magazine Back Issue Index for more old Motorcycle Magazine Back Issues for sale.

To search our full inventory of Vintage Motorcycle Advertisements, Articles, and Road Tests CLICK HERE.

( COPYRIGHT FREE – PLEASE CREDIT ALASTAIR WALKER )

Allen Millyard's amazing Dodge Viper engined motorcycle

Allen Millyard is one the best custom motorcycle builders in the UK, with a variety of one-off motorbikes, most featuring multi-cylinder engines like V8/V12 Kawasakis, to his credit.

His latest amazing creation made its debut at the UK International Motorcycle Show, which opened today, Friday 27th November 2009.

The Millyard Viper V10 features an engine from the Dodge Viper car, which Allen sourced from e-bay for £5000. The 500bhp motor transmits its torquey power via a two-speed auto gearbox to the rear wheel.  Allen made the entire chassis in his garage, with the front forks featuring Vauxhall Carlton damper units and Hagon springs. Six pot calipers, plus AP Lockheed front disc brakes help slow this 630kgs heavy machine.

But the weight of the bike, and the lack of fairing hasn’t blunted the performance. A recent test at Bruntingthorpe saw the Millyard V10 Viper special hit 207mph, making this arguably the fastest road legal, unfaired motorcycle in the UK. Allen’s special has passed the government SVA vehicle inspection, so it is taxed and insured for road use.

The bike has been ridden at high speed by a professional test rider, who was impressed with the bike’s sheer torque and its stability. The plan is to take the bike to Bonneville to set an ultimate top speed of perhaps 250mph. Lateral thinking engineer Millyard is also seriously considering a limited production run of the Viper V10 machine.

“Everything’s been designed in my head on this bike,” said Allen, ” but I want to build a pre-production prototype and do some proper design drawings, so there’s a kind of template to work from. We could make maybe ten bikes to individual owner specifications.”

Reaction at the UK’s annual motorcycle show, held at the NEC near Birmingham, was very positive, with many bikers commenting that Millyard’s V10, the Norton Commando launch and the new BMW six cylinder concept bike, were the main highlights of the event.

ends.

This Thanksgiving week, General Motors has officially ceased production of it’s Pontiac brand of vehicles as a result of the bailout by the U.S. government.  Not only could the car maker not meet it’s financial obligations but, the fact is that the car’s brand no longer had the appeal it once did and sales were declining.

The last Pontiac G-8 rolled off the assembly line in Orion heading for a fleet order rather than a museum for posterity sake yesterday.  http://www.detnews.com/article/20091126/AUTO01/911260411/Pontiac-reaches-end-of-the-line/?imw=Y 

http://www.pontiac.com/ has the official closeout information on remaining vehicles for sale with deals as low as o% financing for six years or cash back offers up to $4,500.  As a wake up call to anyone buying a car, six years is an absurd amount of time to pay off a car, especially when the warranty ends before you pay it off.

With discount offers like this across most of GM’s product line up, how they are ever going to make money, get out of bankruptcy and away from government ownership is beyond any one’s guess. 

Besides the 1000’s of job losses at Pontiac plants, NUMMI the joint venture between  GM and Toyota venture looks to be shutting its doors as well. http://www.mercurynews.com/drive/ci_13766495 From the Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment by state http://www.bls.gov/web/laumstrk.htm is listed.  Like the climategate, how true these numbers are is any one’s guess.

I recall the 1978 Pontiac Bonneville that I learned to drive in.  What a tank, but it had the radio antennae built into the glass which was pretty cool.  In 1982 came the Firebird and was featured on the TV Show Knight Rider.  I never owned one, but a lot of my buddies did and it was a girl magnet.

Pontiac Fiero

In 1984,  my dad through a mid life crisis or whatever, found the Pontiac Fiero much more in the spirit of things.  What a car it was and far removed from anything on the market.  The damned things body was made of plastic!  We’ll some sort of poly-resin- that when a grocery cart hit it it bounced off with no damage.  With no USA steel to give it strength, on impact the car crumbled.  Luckily, we never crashed it but traded it it on something or another.  Might have been the Cadillac Sedan De Ville with the horrendous 4-6-8 valve engine- another GM disaster.

Our Fiero was hot red in color with every option known to man, including the fabulous sound system from Bose.  Nothing like Van Halen screaming at you at ten decibels while driving down the highway. A definite babe magnet of a car.  It made you want to live in the fast lane or at least drive in it.

Chief Pontiac, Ottawa Tribe

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa Tribe must be glad to know that the spirit of the Pontiac brand of vehicles will go on- in memory at least.  He was quoted as saying, 

According to a French chronicler, in a second council Pontiac proclaimed:

It is important for us, my brothers, that we exterminate from our lands this nation which seeks only to destroy us. You see as well as I that we can no longer supply our needs, as we have done from our brothers, the French…. Therefore, my brothers, we must all swear their destruction and wait no longer. Nothing prevents us; they are few in numbers, and we can accomplish it.   Peckham, Indian Uprising, 119–20; Dixon, Never Come to Peace, 109. via  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Pontiac#cite_note-8

It didn’t turn out so good for the Indians being forced to reservations, but in the long run some tribes are probably more financially stable than the U.S. government,  thanks to good fiscal policy and casino’s.

Ironically enough, the Pontiac Silverdome was sold this month for $583,000 USD to a Toronto, Canadadian businessman. Completed in 1975 as the Pontiac Metropolitan Stadium, at a cost of $55.7 million, the Silverdome seats 80,311. It contains 102 luxury suites and 7,384 club seats. more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_Silverdome

“While still not sure what he’ll ultimately do with the stadium, adjacent fieldhouse and 127 acres of land, Apostolopoulos said he’d like to return it to being a place that hosts football, soccer, hockey and basketball as well as concerts.  “People today like sports so we have to keep it for sports events,” he said. “Whatever they like, we’ll do.” But Apostolopoulos said the zoning does allow for the tearing down of the stadium and the building of houses, apartments or almost any other kind of construction.” http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/729769–toronto-developer-snaps-up-vacant-pontiac-silverdome

At less than $5000 USD an acre that was a good deal for any pilgrim. 

™©® by repective owners.

Open wide, say ahhh and check out more posts from Ahrcanum including our Swine Flu report that started  in April and is updated regularly at http://ahrcanum.wordpress.com/swine-flu-report/

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En 2010 La Bonneville Sixty sera une série limitée à 650 exemplaires de la Bonneville T100. Disponible uniquement en  coloris Blue/Caspian Blue avec  liserés  peints à la main chaque Bonneville Sixty sera numérotée (plaque gravée sur support de guidon) et livrée avec son certificat d’authenticité. Sachant que cette serie ne sera pas dotée d’innovations techniques ou d’équipements supplémentaires on est en droit de se demander quel sera le prix de l’exception.

Not long ago I had the priveledge of shooting a custom vintage 1960’s Triumph Bonneville. The motorcycle buffs out there will immediately notice that this bike has been highly modified from it’s stock beginnings… and transformed into a big chunk of metal coolness! The bike was built by local builder Jason North, one of the most talented motorcycle guys you will find anywhere. I can’t wait until his next project is completed so I can capture that one as well.

“Dobbiamo cambiare lo scooter”. Dopo la salita lo scooterino, uno yamaha majesty 150, con due pesi massimi come noi, non ce la faceva proprio più. Oltretutto, dopo l’intervento di un meccanico, che con fare da guappo mi ha anche fregato 20 euro sul pattuito, era diventato anche pericoloso.

L’orientamento era su uno scooterone, tipo un Tmax oppure Burgaman 650… roba grossa. Io però ho sempre avuto una passione per le moto.Soprattutto quelle anni 70. Ricordo i “grandi” di piazza Martinez quando passavano sulle Honda o le Kawasaky con la “mina” dietro. Fichissimi.

Era un po’ di tempo che avevo adocchiato una bellissima moto che vedevo spesso parcheggiata fuori dal mio ufficio. Una Triumph tutta nera, bellissima. Così tra una parola e l’altra si diceva “bisogna cambiare”, ed io inserivo dei “si però, tutti quei soldi in uno scooter… preferirei allora una moto, oltretutto costa meno!”. Quando si fanno le cose insieme, si decide tutto insieme.

E così, siamo andati a vedere questa mitica Bonneville. Bè, è piaciuta subita anche a lei, e ce la siamo “accattata” la moto cacirra.

L’unico “difetto” è che è molto facile da guidare e per me che non guidavo una moto da decenni e ne venivo da uno scooter è stato un attimo il trovarmi in terra con una frattura del 5° osso metatarsale del piede sinistro. Al 51 km!

Mi arrendo?, ma manco pe’ gnente. Appena posso sono sempre in sella!

Triumph Bonneville T100 - il rigone sono io

FRIDAY

The morning was clear and a brisk 36 degrees when we rolled out to the salt.  The first order of business was to get out to the Triumph and see how the night treated it.  The winds that can come up are capable of blowing a motorcycle over, thus our concern.  When we arrived, there it was right where we left it, in its plastic cocoon.

Unwrapped and in the trailer, we joined the parade of the other record run contestants.  There are a couple of big advantages that go with making your backup runs first thing in the morning.

The first is that is usually calmest in the early morning, with the winds and weather issues rising at noon or later.

The second is the air density, which is a measurement of the amount of air in a given volume, is the highest then.  A figure that is given on every time slip is Density Altitude.  This is a measurement of different factors (temperature, humidity, barometric pressure) that is used in a formula to give you a figure that corresponds to the distance above sea level the atmospheric conditions provide.  This is very helpful in making jetting, timing and nitro percentage changes.  The lower the number the more air there is to burn.  Some instances at the racetracks near the coast or specifically the dragstrip at Joliet Illinois, the density altitude can be below sea level.  When that happens, hang on as the motors will make phenomenal horsepower (and this mechanical exuberance can show itself in spectacular performance numbers or spectacular explosions, especially in the fuel categories).

Once in line, the runs begin.  The tension mounts as you get closer to the front.  Finally we are there and Jim is inspected once again by the SCTA staff and given a final check by the starter.  We crank up the Triumph, verify all is as it should be and send him off.

As he heads down the salt he moves to the left side of the lane to avoid the loose salt in the middle of the lane between mile marker 2 and 3.  He moves way left.  We load up the starter cart, pile in the suburban and follow down the return road.  Listening on the CB we hear the announcer say “125.05 at the quarter”.  This is enough for the next license upgrade and the 125mph exit speed at the three mile marker is the next announcement and we are now in search of Jim.  Luckily the Triumph is very east to spot and into the trailer and back to impound we go.

Just as the bike was going into the trailer I looked over and saw a coupe sliding backwards across the salt, coming to rest almost directly out from us.  I noticed smoke or steam coming out of the engine area and no activity indicating the driver was getting out of the car.  Hollering for the fire extinguisher, I headed across the salt towards the car.  Having seen enough Funny Car fires to last me, the increasing smoke/steam added more incentive.  As I got to the car I saw a tube from a course marker sticking out from under the right front wheel, and the banner wrapped up in the suspension, the windshield broken and the entire inside of the car coated with an oil/water mix, including the windshield itself.  The driver had opened the door and was just sitting there sort of dazed.  I pulled the pin on the extinguisher and looked for his seat belts hollering to see if he was all right.  He sort of shook his head yes and then the SCTA personnel arrived and got him out of the car.  I put the pin back in the extinguisher and started back to our truck and trailer.  That’s when the driver of one of the SCTA trucks hollered “check his heart!”  I turned around and realized she was pointing at me, not the driver of the coupe.  Must have been the gray hair and the twenty pound extinguisher coupled with the quarter mile sprint that concerned her.  I assured her I was fine, but damned if that fire extinguisher didn’t add another ten pounds to itself on the walk back.

As I was leaving I heard on the SCTA radio “flat spin mile 2” and I looked up to see David Pilgrim going around and around and around… I stopped to see how he came out and when it was said he was OK I started back to the truck yet again.

On the ride back, the run was dissected and a tendency for the bike to drift to the left was noted and without any wind socks to judge by it is hard to tell what may have caused that tendency.  It was definitely not a condition I felt at Indy when I rode the bike there to about 120 mph.  We also heard the course was shut down to clean up glass that we guessed came from David’s car.

As we approached impound, Jim went to get his time slip and we pulled in to go through the tear-down process that is part of the record verification process.  There was no time limit here, but we wanted to get it done and back in the trailer to avoid the ever-present salt corrosion possibilities.  Bob and Louie got out the tools and away we went.  Some of the items I had hoped to deal with to ease the servicing of the bike didn’t get done due to time constraints so it was a bit of a thrash to get it apart.  Items were added to the list for future consideration in name of ease of service.  Aaron Frank wanted to ride it out there, but with the Ducati needing attention and the goal of a record accomplished the extra time to reassemble the top end was not available.

Once the head was off it was time to summon the head motorcycle tech inspector, Tom Evans.  He then set about the task of measuring the bore and stroke to verify the displacement of the motor was within class limits.  The bore was a loose stock diameter.  OK so far.  The crank’s stroke, the distance the piston travels up and down in the bore was another matter.  Due to the characteristics of the pistons there was a fair amount of rocking in the bore and he kept coming up with a longer stroke than stock.  Now I knew this couldn’t be because it was a standard diameter rod journal that had never been ground or even polished.  A discrepancy in stroke can arise if a crank is reground and the person doing the grinding sets the grinder up to the wrong stroke specification resulting in either a longer or shorter stroke.  We have had shorter stroke cranks made by this method.  Measuring the stroke at the wrist pin at the side of the cylinder yielded a consistent number.  When calculated, it came out to 649.3 cc on a 650 cc class limit.  After the forms had been filled in and verified and my stomach unwound itself, Tom mentioned that the Triumph 650 did have a .010” overbore allowance because the stock displacement was so close to 650cc.  I think he was having us on, but all in fun.

Jim was glowing after that, and deservedly so.  When you are able to realize a dream that takes that much work it is like a great weight is lifted from your shoulders.  I am proud and grateful to have been able to help him do that.

Now to put everything back in the trailer, oil the bores of the motor and roll the beast back up in so we could get back to the pits.  Once again, Bob and Louie were instrumental in collecting up the debris from the teardown and not leaving anything behind.

Once back, we saw David’s Corvette minus the trunk lid, left door skin, door glass and part of the hood.  They were washing it down and changing the wheels back to the transport wheels.  David had billet wheels made for the car for aerodynamic reasons and when he spun on the salt it flat-spotted all four tires to uselessness along with the body damage.  It was surmised at the time that the decklid failed and unloaded the rear end of the car.  At that point as soon as the car came around the air got under the door skin and tore it off, taking the window with it.  The damage continued up to the hood.  He spun from the 2 mile marker through the 2 ¼ mile marker and beyond.  He sure seemed pretty cool after having gone through that.  He was a bit disappointed because the 233 mph of the spin didn’t qualify for the record.

Housekeeping continued in the trailer and I put the intake manifold back on the Ducati.  It was a bit distorted in a couple of spots, but Kip had done an admirable job on the weld-up.  All the bolts and clamps were tightened in place and the moment of truth.  Had I burned the exhaust valves out of it or not?  Cranking it over it lit normally and after a bit of a warmup settled into its normal idle with no undue noises through the turbo.  The response seemed fine, so into the trailer it went and on to the starting line.

The electric bike was providing a bit of a handling issue for Aaron as it tended to weave going down the course.  It was a great opportunity for me to watch a master, Paul Thiede, the owner of RaceTech suspension look into the situation.  Changing the tail section, along with setting the tracking seemed to calm the errant behavior.  A trip back to the pits for some various hardware bits reduced the panic factor a bit, but with a bike that has so little to extrapolate from it is always a challenge, met well by the crew.

Waiting in line was another ordeal and we were six pairs from the starting line when the wind came up.  There is a 3-4 mph threshold for running the streamliners, and an 8 mph range above which bikes can’t run and since the winds were 20 to 25 mph, it pretty much shut everything down for the day.

The electric bike Aaron was riding was in line ahead of us and we offered to let them put it in the trailer overnight rather than let it sit out on the salt with all those electrical parts.  As I said, it was a generous allowance of 500 pounds weight as it took four to get it up in the trailer.  Leaving the trailer at the starting line also meant that the supplies back in the pits would be out unprotected.  This was where a rental car was handy as we loaded all the gasoline we had sitting back there into the car and took it back to the starting line and put it in the trailer.  A little Ford with thirty gallons of race gas would make a marvelous signal fire given the right circumstances!

Then it was back to Wendover to sample a local Mexican restaurant with the crew of the electric bike.  I can tell you there were some interesting viewpoints put forth and much dialog exchanged concerning the future of motorcycling.  A brief history of electric auto racing as relating to possible parallels with motorcycles, battery technologies, supply streams from and to Asia, Top Fuel cars, and a host of other topics had the restaurant staff looking at us wondering if we were ever going to leave.

Some photos of other cars and bikes:

Next time:  the final day on the salt

*All photos courtesy of Bob Crook and Gary Ilminen

THURSDAY

It was still dark when the team assembled in the motel lobby.  A few other teams had members gathering for breakfast and getting ready to head out to the salt for the first day’s running.  Everyone was a bit nervous with anticipation and uncertainty.  This is a common thread throughout racing, and the only relief is to put a wheel on the track.

In the truck and we began the daily routine we would follow the next three days.  The speedway access road is a string of taillights and marker lights of the waiting vehicles, since you can’t get on the salt before 7 a.m.  Once the gates are opened, it’s three and four wide across the salt heading for the pits.  The sun coming up offers a truly unique and beautiful backdrop with the sunrise over the mountains to the east and the stark lighting of pink on the rock outcrops to the west.

photo by Gary Ilminen

photo by Gary Ilminen

The rider/driver’s meeting was first on the agenda and it was there I first met Dick Munz.  I had heard of him around the Madison Wisconsin area for many years but our paths never crossed.  He is a successful real estate businessman with a penchant for things motorized.  His collection included a roadster out on the salt as well as many unique two and four wheeled vehicles back home.  After the National Anthem and the prerace prayer it was off to drive the course after the rookie meeting.

It was while going down the course we realized how good the salt really was.  It was said to be as good as some had seen in 30 years.  There were none of the holes that were there in 2007 and it was so hard we couldn’t drive nails in it to hold own our drop cloth in the pits.  In the middle of the course between Mile 2 and Mile 3 there was some loose stuff, but it sat on top of solid salt.  All we could do was shake our heads and go “Oh my God!”  Another excuse for poor performance removed.

Looking down the track

Unloading the bikes and verifying their running at the 38 degree temps is a part of the routine that can be interesting, considering all the testing was done at 60 to 70 degrees at the shop.  We saw 24 degree temps coming over the mountains so it was a good thing we had antifreeze in the Ducati.  Firing up the Triumph was always an adventure with the 20/50 oil giving a 180 psi. oil pressure spike before the relief valve kicked in and the oil started to thin out a bit.

We loaded the bikes back in the trailer and headed off to the starting line.  This is another thing that takes a bit of work, the loading and unloading, that is.  Here we are out on the salt and the chase truck has to find two motorcycles over a 6 mile span, load them up and head back to the impound area if a record has been run.  If it isn’t a record run you then decide whether to go to the starting line if a little work is needed or the pits if a lot is needed to be done before the next run.  That is the reason for the ramp door on the trailer, so we don’t kill the chase crew after loading and unloading two bikes up to four times a day.

Once in line for staging which is the lead-in for the starting line you have a chance to get out and meet with people you may not have seen for a year and meet new and different individuals.  At this event there was only the one long course owing to the fact that most of the salt flats were under water the Sunday before.

Normally there is a long and a short course for the fall event and two short courses and a long for the summer Speed Week event.  The single long course made it more difficult to make a lot of runs because the streamliners that normally use the long course take more prep time before a run and even though some run near 400 mph, the time to run the entire course, slow down and exit the course takes quite awhile to allow for a safe process.  The short course is for use by vehicles running under 175 mph and/or licensing runs.  This group using the short course can have its own challenges as far as timing.  You can have a rookie rider who turns out (or the wrong direction), doesn’t get to the return road to clear the course, falls down, etc.  To correct these deficiencies is more than just yelling at someone because there is usually a mile or more between race officials.  It is sometimes hard to at first to comprehend the scale of distance.  This is shown by the extensive use of CB radios by the race officials and crews.

As we approached the starting line, it was time to unload the bikes.  One of the things unique to Bonneville is the rule that specifies the race vehicle will only be operated on the racing surface (meaning the course out on the salt).  Thus there is no riding the bikes or driving the cars in the staging lanes or in the pits.  They have to be towed everywhere.  We unloaded Gary’s Magna, then the Triumph and then the Ducati.  Final fuel levels and tire pressures were checked and then the riders suited up.  Moving forward we were approached by the SCTA safety crew and at this time we were checked for helmets on and strapped, tether kill switch hooked up, sitting on the bike before startup and tech medallions on leathers.  Ooops, remember earlier when Gary didn’t get his?  Evidently they had decided to use engine seals instead and Gary hadn’t gotten one and he was immediately shuffled to the side and sent to Tech to get his seal.

Gary

Well, that left Jim to run and then me.  As the cars ahead of us left on their runs, the tension mounts.  You are always looking at the bike for a loose this or a wiggling that.  It is a studied, practiced cool and casual you see in a crew chief as he accompanies the vehicle to whatever starting line it is.  A jittery crew chief can spook the rider or driver, making them wonder what is wrong with the vehicle and disrupting their concentration.  Speaking from personal experience now and in the past, I am as nervous walking Jim up to the starting line on the Triumph as I am getting on the Ducati the next bike after.

Bill and Jim

Ready to run

Having seen the car before leave we pull up on the line.  We are again greeted by another SCTA official, this time the official starter.  He rechecks the helmet security, tether attachment and asks the rider how he is feeling.  A few casual words from him or her (a lady starter also working the event this time) and they then step back to monitor the other vehicle on the course.  It seems like hours while they check the down-course progress (or lack thereof), and that the vehicle is safely on the return road intact (not leaving parts on the course).  A quick reminder to flip your shield down and then the same motion a flight control officer gives the planes on a carrier and off you go.

Jim moved away and after second gear looked a natural on the bike.  Then he started moving to the left.  He had mentioned that was his plan, having seen the loose stuff between Mile 2 and Mile 3, but I didn’t think he was going that far to the left.  We listened to the radio and loaded up the starter cart as they said his exit speed at Mile 3 as 119 mph.  Not what I wanted to see but we could discuss it when we picked him up.

Now it was my turn.

The car in the lane next to me left on his run and I didn’t realize it was Mike Cook, an organizer of this event and of the previous week’s private meet where Chris Carr went 367 mph in the BUB streamliner.  He was a long course car and I started everything up way too early.

By the time it my turn to go I had the engine temp up to 83 degrees C and I was wound pretty tight as well.  Taking off I didn’t clear the motor out and it nearly died and was never very happy taking throttle.  Chugging along I plugged it into second and it showed a bit of life.  This bit of teasing went on in third as well.  A bit of misfire followed by a bit of  promise.  I could see the 1 mile marker go by.  Realizing that I had to make 175 mph by the 2 mile marker I got a bit more adventuresome with the throttle and looked at the EGTs (exhaust gas temperatures).  They were showing about 1300 degrees which was within acceptable limits, but not making any boost.  I pulled in the clutch and hit the throttle a few times to try and clean it out and then rolled it back on.  A few bangs out of the exhaust and it started to run again, albeit poorly.  By this time I could see the 2 Mile marker approaching and knew something had to happen.  I rolled further into the throttle and it rolled past the marker shooting ducks.

I then looked at the GPS and it showed way below what I needed and in the true fashion of a die-hard I was sure I could salvage something of the run, so I jacked the throttle wide open and was rewarded with a VERY loud bang.  I was a little surprised by this and wasn’t quite sure what had happened.  I looked down and the entire left side of the intake manifold was folded out about an inch along the top edge.  I opened the throttle just to see what might happen (not the brightest move in hindsight) and to my surprise it relit and started to run again.  I looked back at the EGTs and the needles were past the end of the scale, covering up the “Made in USA” area which should have indicated molten, so I shut it off and rolled over to the return road.

Bob and Louie rolled up and we loaded up the Ducati after quickly surveying the damage and went to pick up Jim.

The pits and the black line

Jim was waiting down track about a mile and a half and we loaded up the Triumph and went back to the pits to unload the Ducati.  After doing that we realized we had better get to Impound as we had to be there within an hour after the run on the salt was finished, his run being the first leg of a record.  At a speed of just over 119 mph it wasn’t what I wanted to see, but we knew we were coming out a bit light on horsepower.  The bike had worked as expected with no surprises in the chassis and all the parts were in the motor.  The only vibration casualty was the shift light pill that had popped out and was in the belly pan.

We checked into impound and received a card with the time we had to be done with the bike and gone.  You are allowed three hours to service any vehicle after a record run and that is it.  The vehicle then sits on the salt that night and is among the record run parade at 8 o’clock the next morning.

We started servicing the bike, checking oil levels, topping up the fuel, setting the valves, clutch and checking for other missing parts.  An allen screw at the front of the chain guard was the only apparent casualty and we replaced it.

It was at this time that I looked over towards tech and noticed a tall blonde next to a Hayabusa.  If you have been following motorcycle speed runs for the last two years you should know who Leslie Porterfield is.  If not, look it up.  I was able to get her autograph for my girls on a course map and we talked about my girls working on the bikes.  A very pleasant lady to talk to.

We went about regearing the bike as it wouldn’t pull the gearing used on the first run.  The decision to go from a 31 to a 35 tooth rear sprocket necessitated adding a link to the chain and the air compressor just wasn’t up to the task, adding a lot of generator noise and time to a normally simple project.  It was during the servicing time that I felt a tap on my shoulder and a request for safety wire and pliers as tech wanted pinchbolts wired (sounds familiar).  I did have to look a considerable distance upward as Leslie is in fact very tall.  A short time later I’m back up to my arms in Triumph and her bolts are done.

After it was all said and done we wrapped the Triumph in plastic and left the impound area with thirty minutes to spare.  I wondered how the bike was going to take being abandoned and all alone on the salt overnight.

Gary had made his first run and was rewarded with a 72 mph blast and didn’t get far enough off the course, earning a comment or two.  Once again ,the scale of the place take some getting used to.

We talked to David Pilgrim again and found out he had just gone 262 mph in his turbo Corvette on his own 236 mph record he set when we were there in 2007.  They were busy finishing up servicing the car and not much time for chatting.  He did lend me a small stick welder with aluminum rods that unfortunately was beyond my abilities to try and deal with the Ducati.

David Pilgrim's corvette

Gary was the next to last vehicle down the salt and after a bit of frustration at waiting in line, got to make another runs and went over the 100 mph mark on the salt.  Congratulations Gary and Jackie, (his wife)!

Back to the pits and the Ducati.  The initial damage estimate was accurate as the manifold had split down the top seam on the left side.  My ear was still ringing from that and after the manifold was removed we set off in search of a TIG welder in the pits.  Well I found a trailer with a TIG welder but no argon (the bottle didn’t get loaded). Another trailer left theirs home for this trip because they had to pack quickly to get here.  The third possibility had just blown up out on the salt and packed up and I saw them disappearing into the sunset.  I called the local auto parts store and was put in touch with Kip who said he had burned up his TIG welder (I never found out how he did that) but he could MIG it and had just fixed two gas tanks that day.  The deal was struck and he took the manifold, promising to call when it was ready.

This left me time to try and figure out why it blew up.  I surmised the ignition quit due to a component failure so all the components were replaced.  Pickup coils, ignition coils, spark plugs, the works.

Well, we packed up the trailer and after talking to Rick Yacoucci (who holds more records than a vintage music store) concerning the profile of the front fenders and windage succeptibility, we got a phone call and went into town to meet Kip. Delivery right to the motel lobby with a smile and a reasonable fee to boot. MIG welding aluminum is very difficult and while Kip’s welds were strong, the airtightness couldn’t be verified because nobody had plugs big enough.  A slight leak in the manifold would cause a leanout that could lead to another rupture.

Not knowing what to expect, we stopped at the local parts store and tried to buy a fiberglass kit.  Well, Rick Dorfmeyer’s crew had bought all of them because they had to lower the back of their bodywork to conform to the 40 inch maximum height.  After looking all over Wendover, and picking up a 2-part epoxy called “Goo” this led to a trip back out to the salt where they generously allowed us to borrow fiberglass resin and scissors (more items on the packing list for the future).

After dinner out came the sandpaper, acetone and ultimately the “Goo”.  The bathroom fan labored mightily and eventually a satisfactory sealing job was done.  By morning it was ready to go, and so were we.

Next time: runs and spins

*All photos courtesy of Bob Crook and Gary Ilminen

MONDAY

Once loaded up, the departure happened on schedule Monday morning.  A bright clear day greeted us as we headed west.  Twenty four hours in a truck with three other guys can turn ugly, but luckily Bob, Louie, Jim and I travel well together.  There is no way around an all-night drive in a 24 hour stint and it gets especially long if it is the last half.

About six hours into the trip we heard via cell phone that due to the weather the event was being moved back a day. Rather than stop over, we decided to push on to Wendover, drop the trailer and then ourselves.  Other than the snow in Wyoming and not being able to hear all of the Packer game it was a relatively uneventful trip.

TUESDAY

We arrived at Wendover about 10 in the morning and seeing the salt wasn’t open yet we drove into town, unhooked the trailer and sat in the motel lobby killing time.  At that time we met Rick Dorfmeyer, a sales rep from Indianapolis out for his first world finals riding a Honda CBR-600RR.  We checked in and after starting to wind down we got a call that the salt was open to park the trailer and off we went.  It is always a thrill to be pulling out onto the salt flats as you immediately loose your reference points due to the expanse of white that is uninterrupted once you are past  the end of the dikes used for water control.

Pulling into the pit area 6 miles out from the entrance road, I immediately spotted my landmark…the porta-johns.  They are also strategically located near tech, timing and the SCTA office.  Pulling in we also noticed a big black trailer with Texas plates and were pleasantly surprised to see David Pilgrim pull in the pits next to us.  He was a joy to get to know and a huge help in getting the procedure right for licensing and calculating speeds on our first time here in 2007.  Unfortunately his wife was having a rough time with her MS and was unable to accompany him this time but it is hoped that next year she can.

Back into town and off to the Rainbow Casino to do a hurt on their buffet and then time to crash out in the motel in preparation for Wednesday’s tech.

WEDNESDAY

Tech inspection at an SCTA event can be a long process, even if the bike passes on the first go.  Because the Triumph was a new bike, it had to be inspected by two different inspectors.  Because the Ducati was capable of over 200mph (in theory) and the class record was 219.55 mph it also got two inspections.  Gary Ilminen who was out with us was a new rider and bike so he got doubled as well.  The people behind us were very patient but I’m sure they were wondering what in the heck was going on.

Other than two pinch bolts to safety wire and a steering stop angle adjustment, the Triumph and Ducati sailed through.  All the rider’s safety gear had to pass tech with the age and spec of the helmets, leathers and gloves with no perforations, and boots of the ten inch high plus type.  Gary’s leathers were close, but needed a bit of tinkering.  You can’t run on the salt until your leathers are marked with a medallion riveted on denoting them as acceptable.  The tinkering was accomplished and a verbal OK was given.  No tech medallion was given due to their theft from the tech director’s car in the motel parking lot the night before.  This would come back to haunt Gary.

There were a few items to take care of on Gary’s bike that we were able to do and back to tech he went, with the bike passing and getting his tech decal.

Once we were done with tech there wasn’t a lot to do, so I stooged over to the electric bike Aaron Frank was scheduled to ride.  There seemed to be a quite a bit of activity surrounding the bike and I must say I never have seen that many batteries and wires nor that large an electric motor before.  Staying well clear of the electronics, I offered what help I could and found the owner Richard Hatfield a congenial individual in spite of the challenges that seemed to arise in a ratio of 2 to 1 over solutions.  We started with the most glaring items that needed to be addressed before even going to tech and went from there.  All the fork axle pinch bolts needed to be drilled and safety wired and since they were buried, required all six flats be drilled.  Well that allowed us to use the sweet little vise we had just installed in the trailer.  Returning with the bolts, wire and pliers, we took care of that and moved on.  Getting the bike around was the next challenge as they didn’t have a trailer and the estimate of 500 lbs weight of the bike was a bit generous I think, making loading it in and out of the van out of the question.  It’s hard to explain the fine points of being towed around at the end of a long tiedown behind a van, but they were able to do it, much to their credit.

Next time: the first run

*All photos courtesy of Bob Crook and Gary Ilminen

The word “scramble” comes from a form of motorcycle racing that appeals to a greater number of fans and participants than the big races because the scramble tracks are very informal and a closer association with the activity is allowed.

Usually, a club or group builds a dirt track in some remote wooded area in their town and on week-ends they race, generally on an amateur level. It’s great fun and gives a form of relaxation seldom enjoyed in any other sport.

The experience of the “scrambles” is relived on this record. We recorded actual sounds and combined them with an exciting racing music to make this album an enjoyable away-from-the-track thrill.

The musical group “The Scramblers” are also motorcycle enthusiasts, therefore, know the kind of music to play to be authentic.

Diplomat Records D 2316.

Side A: Scramble Baby, Bonneville, Black Boots, Chopped Chief, Beezer Boogie;

Side B: Tiger Cab Stomp, Spokane Drop Out, Hairpin Heartbreak, Straight Away Baby, High Bar Suzy

1964 Motorcycle Scramble Music and Sounds LP Record Album by the Scramblers available at www.DadsVintageAds.com in the “Motorcycle Gifts & Collectibles” category

Search our Magazine Back Issue Index for old Motorcycle Magazine Back Issues for sale.

To search our full inventory of Vintage Motorcycle Advertisements, Articles, and Road Tests CLICK HERE.

Well it was fast approaching the time of departure for the SCTA World Finals at Bonneville and as usual things weren’t quite in as good order as hoped.  With the “new” Triumph came increased space demands in the trailer, not only because the bike was a lot longer, but there was a starter cart housing two large batteries involved as well.

WJ’s trailer so kindly lent us for the first outing was going to be too small and even if all the stuff would fit in it, dramatically overloaded.  So thus began the trailer shuffle.  As most of you know that have followed the travails of recent years we are a bit shorter on space than in the past.  I have to keep the big trailer at my house (the neighbor’s just love that) and there is no room to keep it here.  A quick sale of the old trailer (an open flatbed) allowed the space to keep one, but now to find the proper unit.  We looked around and realized that for the half-ton vehicles we all owned, an aluminum trailer was a highly desired specification.  A minimum length of 16 feet, a ramp rear door and 6000 pounds of capacity would serve well as the rest of the qualifications.  After looking at all the local dealers we found one series if trailers that looked right.  They were a bit more than originally budgeted, but offered all of the desirable traits.

Then along comes Craigslist.  Fred saw a Wells Cargo in northern Illinois that, while not aluminum framed, would do very well for our uses.  The pictures looked good, a shiny black with aluminum wheels, ramp door, removable wheel chocks and a neat well in the middle of the trailer to carry tiedowns and whatever.  I called and asked about it and he said that yes it was still available and to come and see it.  Well four hours later there I was looking at a rat.  Two tires were gone, the frame rusting out in back and all the door hardware nearly worn off (yes, off) the trailer.  Come to find out the guy kept the photos from when he bought it five years ago and used them on Craigslist.  Great recycling, eh?  I made him an offer on it as it was rebuildable and when he declined I hopped in the truck and got out of there before either he or myself could change our minds.

The next day we went to the original dealer and struck a deal on a new Legend trailer.  I have never owned a new trailer, but considering that we were going to basically load up and leave it seemed the best way to go.  The V-nose was supposed to give back 2 to 3 miles per gallon and we installed flat-floor wheel chocks and a complete covering of

E-Track with a compliment of clips, straps, cups and such.  If you have never used E-track, it is like having Spiderman secure your stuff because you can attach it to the walls, floor, and even the ceiling if you were so inclined.  I recommend it for any trailer application!

Loading a new trailer is always a treat, especially for a 24 hour drive over the mountains as nothing can touch anything else or there will be pieces and rub marks all over.  Bob and Louie helped along with Nick, Jim, and the rest of the crew.  True to form, the owner of the property around us called the police on us as we were loading the trailer on a Saturday morning.  It made absolutely no sense, as we have been loading trailers here for over thirty years up until now with no problems. This added an extra dimension of fun as the bikes had to be loaded in and everything loaded in around them, and then the trailer moved to finish packing.  Customers need not worry as they aren’t there long enough to count.

Next time: the drive, the salt, the tech inspection.

Idag köpte jag en custom. En Triumph America. Se bild i föregående inlägg. Men de väskor som sitter på ska tas bort. Rutan ryker nog också. Nya läderväskor på 18 liter är beställda. Jag är van vid att kunna packa ned lite saker under turer som termos och smörgåsar.

När jag ändå var i farten beställde jag nya ljuddämpare, raka rör, och trim. Dels för ett göttigare ljud, dels för att det aldrig är fel med fler hästkrafter. Fler idéer har jag, men med dem skyndar jag långsamt. Ska köra lite med hojen först innan jag bestämmer mig för eventuella ytterligare förändringar. Kanske är jag nöjd som det är. Jag är absolut ingen prylkille utan gillar det enkla och att bara kunna ta mig fram på ett behagligt sätt. Men bläddrar jag i Triumphs tillbehörskatalog så dreglar jag som alla andra.

Hojen, levereras, ordningsställd med nya läderväskor och raka rör om cirka en vecka, varför jag inte kan publicera några fina bilder ännu. Tog några bilder med mobben dock och de kanske kommer upp imorgon. Men bilder kommer garanterat upp så snart den är levererad.

Jag känner mig väldigt glad över att jag nu har gjort mitt val av hoj och då jag tidigare i höst fått tillfälle att testa en likadan hoj, så är jag ganska säker på att jag kommer att trivas med den.

Den är också utrustad med sissybar och skön passagerardyna varför någon positiv person (kvinna) med fördel kan åka med. ;-)

Hur ska jag kunna hålla mig till säsongen 2010?

I’ve been around motorcycle racing for far too many years than I care to admit sometimes. From desert racing as a teenager to showing my AARP card while signing up for a roadrace. When you love racing, it stays with you for life.

Over the years I have learned that motorcycle racing, no matter what the form, is a community. We all help each other..” I need a clutch lever for a Bultaco Pursang..anybody have one?” …someone shows up in about five minutes with it. Over the PA system comes “rider number 112 needs a clutch pulling tool for a GSX-R750..if you can help he’s behind the garages in a green Dodge truck”…five minutes later, you got a tool. Racers are good people.

The generosity of racers towards one another is a beautiful thing, but I think there is something that binds us together even more closely. No, it’s not the risks of racing, it’s not the kind of bike we ride or the type of racing we do and it’s not sharing tools and parts…it’s our pit bike.

Yes, the lowly pit bike. Never washed except when it’s left outside and it rains…at the track it’s always left laying on it’s side outside the trailer, hasn’t had new tyre’s since the Truman administration, the gas in the tank has been in there since your dad was a kid and it was his pit bike and when somebody asks you what it is, you say..”Uh..I don’t know”.

The late comedian Rodney Dangerfield epitomized the ’Pit Bike’…” I don’t get no respect”…but what would we racers do without our pit bikes? How would we go get new tyres mounted at the Dunlop truck? How would we go visit friends almost a half mile away in the desert?…and most importantly…how would we go get lunch???

So today, go out to your barn, garage, shed, under the plastic tarp…pick up your little pit bike and give it some love. Wash it, you might want to even think about checking the oil…we’re going to call Oct 22nd official pitbike appreciation day

Here’s an interesting street tracker built on a Triumph Bonneville T120R. It’s got a rebuilt engine and transmission and an electronic ignition so it should be relatively reliable all things considered. One of the things I like most about this bike is the mix of modern aesthetic touches with its basic old-school sensibility. Most of this is centered around the handlebars, with the matte black finish and the aluminum/black grips, which go quite nicely with the glossy paint and chrome all over the rest of the bike. Yes, grippy rubber bits would be better on the bars from a functional standpoint, but it isn’t like this bike is a canyon carver given the low pipes. There’s more pics if you click through, but these were the ones I thought spoke best about this bike…

The bikes are back! Stay tuned for more updates on our second attempt to set a world record.

Celebrating the Best of Pontiac
 

Michael Schlee

At the end of the year Pontiac will cease to exist. Whether you view this as a sad day, or long overdue, one thing is for certain; Pontiac has made some of the most memorable vehicles over the past 52 years.

1965 Pontiac GTO

Who could forget the GTO, the Trans Am or the Fiero? Who can forget (although you might wish you could) the Aztek, the T1000 or the last generation Bonneville? These cars (and others) will remain in our consciousness years after the make has stopped production.

So you may be asking yourself, ‘Why 52 years and not 50?’ Well, in 1959 Pontiac started to use their trademark ‘Widetrack’ design and split grill nose. This ushered in the modern era of Pontiac.

So take a look below at some highlights (and lowlights) of Pontiacs over the past 52 years.

Z3 M Coupe on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah.

(Right-click > View Image to see full-res in Firefox.)

- Gyro

I wish I had some more details about this car, but I’ll tell you this: if I had described this to you, you would have told me it looked awful in your minds eye. Looking at it though it becomes instantly clear why this thing is awesome. Chopped roof, super-dumped, So-Cal Speed Shop retro paint scheme, side exit exhaust, it’s all awesome. So this changed my mind about the HHR, I’d have a bagged SS in no time.

Are you a racebike enthusiast? Happen to be planning a trip to the Nuerburgring in Germany?

If so, you may want to visit former motorcycle and auto dealer and racer Frithjor Erpelding, a man who claims to have the second largest private museum in Europe dedicated to race motorcycles. Located in the Eifel mountain hamlet of Jammelshofen, near the ‘Ring, the museum houses 200-some bikes and a half-dozen of his championship-winning race cars.

Among the units on display: AJS, Aprilia, Ariel, Bimota, BSA, CZ, Egli, Gilera, NSU, Koenig, Moto Parilla, Moto Guzzi, MV Agusta, Matchless, Maico, Triumph, Norton, Greeves, Jawa, Puch, Wanderer, Harris, BSS, Benelli, Laverda, Royal-Enfield, Harley-Davidson, Horex, Honda, Gilera, Kawasaki, Kreidler, Linto, Suzuki, Scott, Seley, Yamaha, Rickman, KTM, Ducati, Montessa, NSU, Vincent, Velocette and Zuendapp, etc.

I asked Erpelding which of the 200 units is his favorite. “The Norton,” he replied without pause. Erpelding has two Norton Manx. “The chairman of Cambridge University recently contacted me, asking if I would sell one of my Manx. I told him ‘No’. He offered Euro 100,000 and I declined. Then he offered Euro 200,000 and I again declined. Finally, I cut to the chase and told him I wouldn’t be selling the bike no matter what the price.”

But, Erpelding is willing to sell certain units. He says he recently sold a Vincent to a collector in the United States for Euro 80,000. “He deposited the check in my bank account before even receiving the bike. I called and asked him why he trusted me, and he said, ‘I’ve heard you’re a trustworthy guy’.”

Erpelding is a fella who loves telling his stories. If you’re planning a visit, be sure to leave time to have beer at his Race Museum Bar. He’ll tell you about his run-ins with racer Agostini and Yamaha bosses; his thoughts on Triumph, MZ and KTM; his trips to Goodwood; and his days of racing Honda motorcycles and cars.

Check out Erpelding’s website, which features the full line-up of the museum’s bikes on display.

Sinopse:

Filme que conta a história real de um homem neozelandês que com coragem e dedicação realizou seu grande sonho ao participar de uma competição disputada de motociclistas em Salt Lake, Utah, nos Estados Unidos, conhecida como Speed Week, nos anos 60. Ele é Burt Munro, em interpretação elogiada de Anthony Hopkins, um homem que pega uma motocicleta Indian 1920 e monta toda ela com seus próprios recursos para deixá-la pronta para a competição. (Durante as filmagens, o filho do competidor visitou o set e chegou a chorar quando viu Anthony representando seu pai, tamanha a fidelidade de sua interpretação).

- Bom filme! Muito boa a interpretação de Anthony Hopkins.

- Assistido 27/09/2009

… we’d have no luck at all… and then there’s ‘ the best laid plans of mice and men’… and lastly, ‘what could go wrong?’…we’ve all heard those sayings and for some of us they are all too true.

Building a Bonneville Streamliner is no easy task. First there is the design concept, then the engineering, “what do you mean you don’t fit in the cockpit?”… all the parts, replacing parts, re-engineering for the third time and all the while reading the rulebook…’the tilt sensor has to be set for what angle??’ When you finally think you’re ready, it’s off to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah with lofty goals of a Land Speed Record. Besides all the work you put into the bike, you also need a healthy dose of luck.

This year our team, Left Coast Racing, was mounting its third assault on ‘The Salt’. Past parachute and shifter problems had been dealt with, new electronics installed and a nose cone mounted…we were ready, what could go wrong?? Tempting fate is never a wise move.

It’s a long drive from Southern California to Bonneville, we decided to split it into two days. First stop Las Vegas…confusion at the hotel, room change and a really bad rollaway bed, not a good start…a portent of things to come?? Nah..just a no sleep night. Saturday morning , a really bad hotel breakfast…we should have hit one of the casinos for their $4.99 all you can eat breakfast buffet’s, it would have to have been better.

Interesting drive up what is known as the ‘extraterrestrial highway’; you know, I didn’t see any extraterrestrials or UFO’s… all those extra miles for nothing, sheesh. Finally we caught a glimpse of the Great Salt Lake, I have seen Salt Lake many times and it never ceases to amaze me. No matter how many times you go to a race track, when you see it from a distance and know you’re almost there and you’re going to be racing on it soon, your heart speeds up, your breathing steps up and mentally you are already racing.

Our first day was spent getting the bike tech inspected; a few minor adjustments here and there and we were ready to fly. Well, some tweaks were not quite so minor…re-engineering for the fourth time. Lets go racing…uh tomorrow.

The Bonneville Speed Trials are an interesting dichotomy. The long track (also known as the International track) is either eleven miles or eight miles long and the Mountain Track is either five or three miles long. We started our record quest on the long track. You get anywhere from two to five miles to build up speed and then speed through the measured mile, the whole run takes anywhere from five to seven minutes tops, but…you have been waiting in line for nearly two, maybe three hours. Bonneville is the epitome of ‘hurry up and wait’. The good thing about waiting, at least for a journalist like me, I get to meet and talk to a lot of interesting people. But, more about the luck of ‘Left Coast Racing’.

Monday morning dawned bright and beautiful and no wind!! Perfect for running a streamliner. After a good three hour wait at Mile Zero, the starting line, our Norton powered streamliner was green flagged. The moment Eric, launched the bike…our luck struck…the parachute popped out??!! WTH?? Right at the starting line?? One-quarter mile later Eric and the Norton were laying on it’s side. there went that day. The rest of the afternoon was spent figuring out why the chute popped out…by time we got the problem sorted, there was no way we could get another run in. “Anyone want a beer?” Nobody said no.

Tuesday morning, motto for the day..”we’re prepared , what can go wrong?” Again, tempting the gods is not a smart move when it comes to racing. Another loooooonnnggg wait and we’re back on the track. Eric launched the bike perfectly, the motor sounded great and off we went to catch him at the end of the track. One of the great things about the BUB Speed Trials is that they have a dedicated radio frequency to broadcast what is going on all day…so we’re listening to Eric’s time while he is still on the track…104mph. What??? This thing is geared for around 212mph..what happened?? The announcer said something about damage to the bike as it passed the timing lights. What happened?

The Salt Flats are sitting on top of parts of The Great Salt Lake and every now and then you get a ‘pothole’. Not a good thing on a race track. Track workers spotted it, put cones all around it, warned Eric at the start about the cones but for some reason Eric was determined to aim for those cones. Back to the pits with our crippled motorcycle. Clean up the damage and it’s back to the track. The next run would be great right? Right? A sputtering motor kept the ‘liner to a slow 105 mph.

When you tempt the racing gods, they send the ignition gremlins. Four hours of searching, changing, searching more and changing more; builder Ken and master mechanic Kevin think they have the problem solved. However, it was too late to make another run that day. “Anyone want a beer?” Again, nobody said no.

Welcome to Wednesday morning and high hopes for a good run. We get to the Salt Flats early so we can get a jump on the day. Right out to the staging area to take our place in line and visit with everyone else hanging around for their turn to run. Tom Mellor and his 195 mph Triumph Trident ( towed by a Rolls Royce ) is there, the worlds fastest 50cc streamliner is there as is the former Land Speed Racing record holder, the BUB #7. We’re all back to waiting, that’s part of Bonneville, we’re used to it. While waiting I had a moment to talk with Chris Carr, pilot of the BUBS#7, former Land Speed record holder, multi-time national flat track champion and all around good guy…I asked him about the Indy Mile a couple of days before and then we talked about the BUBS Streamliner, he told me they were having some issues ..fuel? ignition? They didn’t know…HA..even the big guys get caught by the gremlins.

Our turn finally comes up…ok, we’re ready, lets go. Eric launches perfectly, the bike sounds great, and off we go chasing him down. Over the radio comes his speed, 125mph…only 125 we thought? Something still has to be wrong…big sighs from the team. When we pick up Eric he tells us he never got out of third gear. What?? Now, always wanting to think positively, I looked on the bright side…”hey, 125mph in third gear!?. that’s great!! Imagine what it will be at the top of fifth!!” By the looks I got from the rest of the team, being Mr. Sunshine wasn’t going over so well.

If you want to set a Land Speed record at Bonneville, you have to make two runs…one up and one back within a certain period of time, making no modifications to the motorcycle. Even at 125mph we were on record pace so we set out for our return run. Again, a good launch but…it sounded like we hadn’t exorcized all the gremlins, Eric’s top speed 105mph. Back to the pits to start the process all over again. Another few hours of searching revealed…not much. It was getting late in the day, the track was closed and the restaurant was going to close soon. “Anyone want a beer?”

Now, its Thursday, the last day, we have until three o’clock to achieve our goals and set the record for our class. We have done everything we can so now it’s up to the ‘Salt Gods’. After waiting for what seems like an eternity… is this beginning to sound familiar??..we’re lined up, Eric is strapped in and………the Norton won’t start. Are we out of gas? Can’t be, but it won’t start and it won’t start. Our hearts sank, this was our last chance. I couldn’t muster up a Mr. Sunshine comment. We just went back to the pits in silence. “Anyone want a beer?”..no answer required, I just passed them out and cursed the ignition gremlins.

We packed up our home away from home and headed back to the hotel. Showers, another beer and off to dinner to start making plans for next year. That is one of the beauty’s of racing..there’s always the next race. There is only one problem with running a streamliner, you can’t just run it up and down your street to see if it’s running right…your neighbors won’t like you and neither will the local constables.

Friday morning we say good bye to Kevin as he heads home to Reno, Ken, Eric and I start the long trip back to Southern California. It’s an easy drive, long, but easy. Breakfast at the Silver Cafe in Pioche, Nevada, the best breakfast I have had all week. Next stop Las Vegas.

Like I started this tale with, if it wasn’t bad luck we’d have no luck at all. While leaving the gas station in Las Vegas, we discovered that someone had put concrete posts at the end of the gas pump islands right where we wanted to go…how inconsiderate…one of those posts took the fender right off our trailer and bent the axle. Didn’t we leave the gremlins behind in Utah? Fortunatley a trailer supply house was literally around the corner and three hours later we were back on the road to home.

The Bonneville Salt Flats is a very humbling place, not only for the fact that it can dash your hopes of being in the Land Speed Racing record books, but also for it’s stark beauty. Flat, white and seemingly endless. Mountains seem to float in the sky, motorcycles disappear into the distance followed only by the wail of the exhaust. Bonneville is so much more than seeing how fast your motorcycle will go. There is something about the salt thats brings you back year after year. Whether you are riding, wrenching or writing, the salt gets in your blood. I’ll be back next year, nothing could keep me away.