Speed record fantasy

[dwilson]

At this point it's mental masturbation, but for the past year I've been putting some serious thought into building a Salt Flat's bike.  I've looked into the rules and they have classes 50cc up to 3 liters.  The first record was set in 1906 when Glenn Curtiss hooked a blimp engine to a bike frame and went 123mph.  The current record is about 400mph and was powered by a Kawasaki ZX-11 presumably nitro-methane & nitrous oxide.  The body was a streamliner (you know, the bullet looking ones).  

I'm looking for ideas, no matter how silly.  If there's any mechanical engineers out there interested in teaching me some basics, I'd appreciate some guidance.  I plan to start construction in 2004.

[Super Dave]

First things first.

Ok, I know a guy that went out and did a run on a Harley KR...

You can't just "go do it".  If you're gonna, you've got to be part of a club.  You've really got to look into things like that.  They are pretty tight on just allowing you in.

What are you going to build?

[Mark Bernard]

At this point it's mental masturbation, but for the past year I've been putting some serious thought into building a Salt Flat's bike.  I've looked into the rules and they have classes 50cc up to 3 liters.  The first record was set in 1906 when Glenn Curtiss hooked a blimp engine to a bike frame and went 123mph.  The current record is about 400mph and was powered by a Kawasaki ZX-11 presumably nitro-methane & nitrous oxide.  The body was a streamliner (you know, the bullet looking ones).  

I'm looking for ideas, no matter how silly.  If there's any mechanical engineers out there interested in teaching me some basics, I'd appreciate some guidance.  I plan to start construction in 2004.

Have you seen the Tomahawk that Dodge built? Viper V-10 engine built on a custom bike frame. I offered to ride it for them but they said no... :-/

[EM JAY]

Have you seen the Tomahawk that Dodge built? Viper V-10 engine built on a custom bike frame. I offered to ride it for them but they said no... :-/

Yea!!  I seen on the news last night that they are actually going into production now!  Not just prototype.  What class would they run in?   ;D

[Mark Bernard]

 Yea!!  I seen on the news last night that they are actually going into production now!  Not just prototype.  What class would they run in?   ;D

Would have to invent a Super Heavyweight modified "scare the hell out of you" class!!! lol
I wrote to the people at Tomorrow Magazine and offered to ride the friggin thing, but they wern't too hip on the idea. (Altho the magazine did call me back last week and interviewed me for there spring NASCAR issue) 8) "Just call me Hollywood!" lol I'm courious to what the price of the Tamahawk will be!!??  :o Rumor has it that it should top out at well over 4oo mph. Would that be a rush or what? I wonder if the seat is covered in velcro?  ;D

[dwilson]

Dave, I already looked into clubs, tech inspection, classes etc...  I plan to do a custom frame, partial stream-liner with a < 1350 class or a 3.0 liter BMW straight 6 motor.  Probably nitro-methane, turbo & nitrous.  Depends on which I figure I can get the best power to weight ratio.  I'm already up to my eyeballs in the BMW motors though & their pretty tough.  I have some frame ideas but nothing I'm decided on.  I'm pretty good at metal working and my Dad has access to full machine shop at a major pharmacuetical plant.  I also toyed with the idea of jet/chemical propulsion but I need to move first.  I'm actually looking for a place to set up shop (1+ acres) to be able to start such experiments...  

Those Dodge Viper bikes are pretty cool, except there $250K and NOT street legal.  Instead you could buy a Y2K superbike (jet powered, theoretical top speed) or buy 2 Boss Hoss's.

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

I once heard that if you roll a streamlined motorcycle side over side at anything over 100mph, your brain explodes from the G forces... :o :o :o

[KBOlsen]

Waitaminnit... doesn't that Tomahawk actually have 4 wheels?  That ain't no steeenkeeeng motorcycle!

[StuartV666]

One of my friends here in town holds more records at Bonneville on motorcycle than any other human. I was going to go out there with him this year, but it was the same time as the SE round at Barber's. (in retrospect, I guess I should have gone to Bonneville, but anyway)

I would strongly suggest starting with something a LOT more conventional for your first trip out there. There are a lot of smaller displacement classes (i.e. smaller than 1300) that have pretty low records and would be easily set by a determined Bonneville neophyte.

Get it together and take it to Maxton, NC (ECTA - East Coast Timing Association) for a few meets there. You can a learn a lot there. I think they usually run on the last weekend of each month during their season.

- Stu

[TreyBone]

They run at Maxton pretty often. That is only 30 minutes from my house ;D  They use an old airport that was used in WWII. The runway is long enought to land a 747 with some room left over.  :o

[dwilson]

Wow thanks Stu, I checked their site.  I live in PA so the salt flats are a real hike.  NC isn't exactly close, but I can get there in a day.  The numbers they run don't seem too tough to keep up with, I was thinking to get started maybe I'd just jet my extra carbs for nitro-methane and see what the old FZR has got in her  ;D

Hey TreyBone, where is Maxton?
              
                            Thanks guys!