Finally Made It To Bonneville!!

And what an experience it was!  I had been to the Salt Flats before, but never during Speed Week.  It is more than a bit overwhelming to simply see it for the first time, add to it the activity and the thoughts of actually running a vehicle on this 65th anniversary of Speed Week and it is sensory overload!  I thought I was going to blow a gasket!

Sunrise First Day Of Racing.

Pretty spectacular.  I took it as a good sign for the first day of actual racing.  The Salt Flats are soooo flat you are actually seeing the curvature of the earth.  

Anyway, I was stoked as all get out.  I still had to get all my rookie stuff out of the way, so we hitched up the trailer and hauled the bike out to the short course.
I'd made quite a few changes to my bike to get ready for this and it would be here that I actually rode the bike after the changes.

Opening Ceremonies And Orientation

As the rookie orientation and first run preparations ran on the sun was climbing and it was getting more than a bit warm on the salt.  My own feelings were running a bit towards the anxious side and the heat was enough to make me not quite in all that much of a hurry to don my leathers.  The officials make it pretty clear that they want you ready to go as soon as you are the third vehicle back from the start line.

Next Up

And then it's time for your first actual run on the salt.  I don't think that anything I had done previously could prepare me for this, but all I could think of was having that much course in front of me and how damn cool it was to be able to take the bike out, jump on and simply roll on the throttle to the stop and just keep shifting up until you can go no faster.  What a deal!!  

Starter Jill Iverson Gives Me The Go

The smooth white surface is rolled out in front of you, the traditional "black line" from years ago has been vetoed by the BLM and you simply run between the orange cones.  It's kind of funny, but all of a sudden 100 mph seems like a stroll.  You tuck in, relax and begin to realize just how far you are going.  The bike is handling perfectly, and apart from some wheelspin at the start you are just sailing along.  As I entered the first mile I was almost daydreaming and was startled by my rev limiter wondering why I hadn't shifted into 6th gear.  How rude!  Just when I was starting to really enjoy the ride!  I'd nearly forgotten why I was there and consequently made a horrible run.  

 

Gets A Bit Lonely At The End Of The Course.

 

The horrible run, ended up being replaced with at least one run good enough to earn me my "D" Competition license, and even though there was no immediate remedy to get mt rev's up and keep the bike on the cams, we made several more runs and on Thursday decided I should just get out of the way of the record runs and backup runs,

Stay tuned, we have remedied the 5500rpm rev limit, the bike now can turn 7000, so we are hoping that El Mirage is dry enough to have our September meet.  We may just be starting to hit our stride and plans for next years Speed Week are already started!  

Ahh, I found this neglected blog

And so I decided to update it. Maybe I should just overhaul it. I have been to El Mirage and discovered their is more to this than just having a fast bike. It took 2 trips just to please (?) the Tech Inspector. And I am not sure about that entirely. He doesn't like my tires, doesn't like my steering stabilizer and thought my airbox modifications were questionable. Suffice it to say, I have been disappointed but not washed out.
I have started a new bike, but will still run my Superglide. More work, more study and just maybe I can nab a record.
I have gotten myself a nearly useless (by my standards) left arm and hand in an accident at work. June brought my first surgery to correct the damage, Aug. another for my hand, and I am still working at getting full use of both. Let me caution any of you possibly needing rotator cuff surgery... get a second opinion! Perhaps a third.
Anyway, this stuff was just to be posting something about my quest for speed, it may be a bit delayed but not shelved just yet.

Still Working!

Well, I am still using my bike as a daily rider. The 2007 HD Super Glide (Dyna) is still stock right down to the exhaust system and sporting a pair of tiny take off bags to haul stuff in. It's also remarkably quick for a 650+ lb. motorcycle. Researching the fuel injection system on the bike is tedious, but I am gaining some knowledge (which we all know is power, according to the old adage "knowledge is power" and in my particular case "horsepower"!) and with the assistance of my brother Dave, we're making some headway. We're still looking for solutions to set a record with essentially a "stock" 96 C.I.D. Harley Davidson engine and back it up with a full on effort at breaking 200 mph following some very extensive modifications to the bike.

I have already modified the suspension, with some assistance from Patriot Suspension in Rancho Cucamonga. Added their new "Genisis " fork springs to eliminate the mushy stock springs and a prototype pair of rear shocks. The bike now handles far better than with the stock suspension and I owe a _huge_ dose of gratitude to Patriot Suspensions for their help. Fine people making fine products. All American Made to boot! Check them out at http://www.patriotsuspension.com and you'll see they have a set of springs for your HD that'll make you feel as if you just bought a new bike. Also check out the January issue of IronWorks magazine featuring Patriot Suspension and my bike as the test subject compared to a "stock" SuperGlide.
Stick around, I am slow to update this, and due to the Holidays have been putting in a lot of long hours at work not having a lot of extra time for my more serious pursuits.
Happy Holidays to you all!

I guess I will add some stuff after all.

I was doing some research and needed a little inspiration, "cubic dollars" is not the only answer! (but it sure as hell helps!) Arfons has always been one of my inspirations, Breedlove follows and the first time I heard of the World of Speed Trials it was on an old black and white television show called "You Asked For It!"that ran a film of the crash of Dennis Campbells boat while trying for a record on water. Campbell was the man that always kept the thought of going faster than anyone else in the world in my mind. The ones that followed continue to give me inspiration.

Welcome To The World Of Speed

Looks like I had to start somewhere, so I'll begin at the beginning. I have no idea what the hell I am going to post here that would interest anybody, but sometimes boredom is only overcome with action. I have one desire. To get myself into the 201 club on the Bonneville Salt Flats. I choose to make the attempt with an un-streamlined twin cylinder motorcycle. I am not a watcher, I am a doer. I could care less how anyone else does it, and I don't think that buying a bike that does 220+ out of the box and puffing it up is much of a feat. I could be horribly mistaken, but I don't believe so.
Anyway, enough of this stuff for now. Perhaps I'll do some research and add more to this and it will turn into something. But. if I expend much energy on this, I won't achieve my goal, will I?

Stay Tuned........