One Old Man's Quest.........for 250 Mph.
- Thread starter TZ750d
- Start date
Further digression:
Last week we raced to a 289 mph top speed into a 14 mph
headwind yesterday with our new sidecar rig.
That makes us the fastest sidecar in history,
and optimistic about 300 mph later this month, at the next race.
Spent this morning meeting folks associated with the TRIUMPH
land-speed-record bike, being driven by GUY MARTIN.
GUY is a smart man, but I needed an
English-to-American translator,
which Guy had with him.
Spend a further 2 hours familiarizing myself with
the bike mechanicals, and now feel quite
comfortable around the cycle.
Last week we raced to a 289 mph top speed into a 14 mph
headwind yesterday with our new sidecar rig.
That makes us the fastest sidecar in history,
and optimistic about 300 mph later this month, at the next race.
Spent this morning meeting folks associated with the TRIUMPH
land-speed-record bike, being driven by GUY MARTIN.
GUY is a smart man, but I needed an
English-to-American translator,
which Guy had with him.
Spend a further 2 hours familiarizing myself with
the bike mechanicals, and now feel quite
comfortable around the cycle.
Last week, I hung around with the
“First Lady of Bicycling at Bonneville.”
She set the new BICYCLE record at Bonneville
with an amazing 147 mph for the full mile
(in this case 3 to 4) and her FIRST RUN.
The rest of her meet was largely
a disappointment, but they did
get a lot of media attention.
I had watched Allen Abbot set the (then)
men’s record in 1973, and he showed
up to be part of the festivities…….
Last week, we raced to a 289 mph top speed into a 14 mph
headwind yesterday with out new sidecar rig.
That makes us the fastest sidecar in history,
and optimistic about 300 mph later this month, at the next race.
Spent this morning meeting folks associated with the TRIUMPH
land-speed-record bike, being driven by GUY MARTIN.
GUY is a smart man, but I needed an
English-to-American translator,
which Guy had with him.
Spend a further 2 hours familiarizing myself with
the bike mechanicals, and now feel quite
comfortable around the cycle.
headwind yesterday with out new sidecar rig.
That makes us the fastest sidecar in history,
and optimistic about 300 mph later this month, at the next race.
Spent this morning meeting folks associated with the TRIUMPH
land-speed-record bike, being driven by GUY MARTIN.
GUY is a smart man, but I needed an
English-to-American translator,
which Guy had with him.
Spend a further 2 hours familiarizing myself with
the bike mechanicals, and now feel quite
comfortable around the cycle.
Consider that, as speed increases,
so does the wind resistance,
but in greater proportion
than the speed.
That might mean that, had I
been on one of our 250mph
turbo-Hayabusa bikes,
that the LEATHERS ALONE,
could have made a 5-10 mph difference.
That’s a lot of wasted horsepower !
Back to Speed Week, and the "Little Bikes."
I then, with a little more experience under my belt,
was able to notch a 2nd record, at about the
same speed, 64+ mph...........I was on a roll !............
On the third record, I found I had been WAY over-confidant.
I hit a small pot-hole, and the bike jumped sideways hard
enough to tear the sole off my racing boot...........
But another record was gloriously set,
the third in the 64mph range...........
I then, with a little more experience under my belt,
was able to notch a 2nd record, at about the
same speed, 64+ mph...........I was on a roll !............
On the third record, I found I had been WAY over-confidant.
I hit a small pot-hole, and the bike jumped sideways hard
enough to tear the sole off my racing boot...........
But another record was gloriously set,
the third in the 64mph range...........
slightly off time, but I can't resist.....
Guthrie-Levie Racing
DOMINATES
Land Speed Racing !
Guthrie-Levie racing
Is the first and ONLY
Racing team in LSR to have
over-250 mph speeds
on 2-wheels, 3-wheels and 4-wheels !
JOHN LEVIE in 2016 at 289mph on 3-wheels
Dean Sabatinelli in 2010 at 269 mph on 2-wheels
Shane Stubbs in 2009 at 265mph on 2-wheels
Scott Guthrie in 2004 @ 251mph first on 2-wheels
Scott Guthrie at 258 mph in 1992 on 4-wheels
Guthrie-Levie Racing
DOMINATES
Land Speed Racing !
Guthrie-Levie racing
Is the first and ONLY
Racing team in LSR to have
over-250 mph speeds
on 2-wheels, 3-wheels and 4-wheels !
JOHN LEVIE in 2016 at 289mph on 3-wheels
Dean Sabatinelli in 2010 at 269 mph on 2-wheels
Shane Stubbs in 2009 at 265mph on 2-wheels
Scott Guthrie in 2004 @ 251mph first on 2-wheels
Scott Guthrie at 258 mph in 1992 on 4-wheels
Interestingly, records three and four were set with
no changes other than removing the fairing.
So yes, since all four records were in the 64mph range,
it looks like the fairing was,
aerodynamically speaking,
worth NOTHING.
Actually, the fit of my leathers made more difference in
the speed than the WHOLE FAIRING and WINDSCREEN !
After John set "fast time of the meet," at 242mph, we decided
to have a little fun, and "bookend" John's "fastest"
time with the "Slowest" speed of the meet.
The administration was initially unimpressed
with the idea, but "track time" was more
available this late in the week.
Many of our competitors had either blown their engines,
or had set all the records they could.
Also, the track condition had scared a LOT of folks off.
to have a little fun, and "bookend" John's "fastest"
time with the "Slowest" speed of the meet.
The administration was initially unimpressed
with the idea, but "track time" was more
available this late in the week.
Many of our competitors had either blown their engines,
or had set all the records they could.
Also, the track condition had scared a LOT of folks off.
Racing at Bonneville is almost universally
about holding the throttle wide open,
and going as fast as possible
In MY dubious case, I was trying
to go SLOWER than anybody in the SCTA
(Southern California Timing Association)
had ever gone
The speed to beat ?...
the venerable 19.9 mph of the
powerful "Saline Visine" team of France,
set with their electric Paris moped............
about holding the throttle wide open,
and going as fast as possible
In MY dubious case, I was trying
to go SLOWER than anybody in the SCTA
(Southern California Timing Association)
had ever gone
The speed to beat ?...
the venerable 19.9 mph of the
powerful "Saline Visine" team of France,
set with their electric Paris moped............
I attached a sidecar to the thing,
and I wobbled down the track
as slowly as possible...............
Never having tried to go slow at
Bonneville before, I almost over-shot
the mark, but was able to make a
last-minute adjustment in the final
1/4 mile, to clock 19.8 mph.............
Victory was in sight !............
AND, BTW, this bit about losing records
by small amounts is far too real !
Until this year, we held a decent record
in the 1000cc class at 230.711 mph.
It was broken in August by another
team going 230.719 mph.
We had LOST a world record by 0.008 mph.
Eight THOUSANDS of a SINGLE mph………..
by small amounts is far too real !
Until this year, we held a decent record
in the 1000cc class at 230.711 mph.
It was broken in August by another
team going 230.719 mph.
We had LOST a world record by 0.008 mph.
Eight THOUSANDS of a SINGLE mph………..
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