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Author Topic: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !  (Read 30620 times)

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #25 on: August 23, 2016, 11:10:59 AM »
Ok;  How about a little "narrative shift " here ?

My team (Guthrie Levie Racing) is now
home from the salt, and
doing needed maintenance. 

We had an EXCELLENT Speed Week,
and want to go back for more at
World of Speed next month.

We may visit the BMST for a "review,"
but have no real interest in
running against AMA records.......

Offline RansomT

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #26 on: August 23, 2016, 12:30:01 PM »
and congratulations on all of the records.  Did I see a 238+ record?   :thumb:


But the one record that I do have a question about ...  Dang!

1101B    Scott Guthrie Racing    175CC    APS-PF    168.389     

Fastest 1.5-Mile Pass - 252.222
Fastest 1-Mile Pass - 244.2997
Half Mile - 211.47
Fastest Nitrous Bike
Production Bike
211.079 LTA. P/P 1350

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #27 on: August 23, 2016, 12:38:09 PM »
and congratulations on all of the records.  Did I see a 238+ record?   :thumb:


But the one record that I do have a question about ...  Dang!

1101B    Scott Guthrie Racing    175CC    APS-PF    168.389     

Yes Ransom, We now as a team (John Levie riding)
have the fastest SCTA Bonneville record for a streamliner
at 238 mph, with an exit speed of 244 mph.

That was the FASTEST MOTORCYCLE OF THE MEET !


We also have the SLOWEST (Scott Guthrie riding)
Bonneville SCTA  world record at a (get ready for it ) 18 mph !

FIRST team to have the Fastest and
Slowest bikes at one time !


Offline Team Millholland

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #28 on: August 23, 2016, 12:44:35 PM »
Congratulations Scott on the records!

What were you riding on for the 18mph record.........John's back?    :D

Dan

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #29 on: August 23, 2016, 01:28:21 PM »
Congratulations Scott on the records!

What were you riding on for the 18mph record.........John's back?    :D

Dan

Thanks Dan !

When we started the week, we knew the "liner"
was going to be fast, but we didn't expect THAT fast !

After the experience soaked in, we thought it would
be fun to also be "The Slowest......."
And I chose to be that rider.

(After all, if you can't laugh at yourself,
you are probably the only one
who isn't laughing....)

I selected my ride for the week, a 175cc
pushrod-operated LIFAN, of Communist Chinese
manufacture (more on this later).

I equipped it with a sidecar (We are big into sidecars),
and HAMMERED the bike down the track to
qualify at 19.9 mph,which was actually a little too fast,
since the prominent French team Saline Visine" had set
 the previous lowest record at 19.833 mph..

Having cleared this ridiculous endeavor with the SCTA,
I set off the next morning to "back up" the record,
hopefully with a slower speed that the day before.

Running first on "record morning" (A HIGH honor) I sped
down the track at what I felt would offer my "best"
performance - 5,000 rpm in 2nd gear.

I was dreaming of 10 mph, but was
handed a timing slip in the low 18's.

Still good for the slowest record speed ever........

Offline joea

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #30 on: August 23, 2016, 03:07:51 PM »
Fastest "motorcycle" at the event was Ralph Hudson on a 1000 cc partially streamlined bike at over 235 mph ...

fastest 3  wheeled machine ..was definitely the full streamliner with streamlined wheel on a stick jutting out the side ..2000 cc machine of Guthrie Levie racing ..

a great effort all the way around

...  by putting a wheel on a stick out the side of a push rod  bike to be able to set yet "another" record ...
at 19 mph ...

that fits this thread to a T


ex busa owner
not worthy

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #31 on: August 23, 2016, 04:11:58 PM »
Fastest "motorcycle" at the event was Ralph Hudson on a 1000 cc partially streamlined bike at over 235 mph ...

fastest 3  wheeled machine ..was definitely the full streamliner with streamlined wheel on a stick jutting out the side ..2000 cc machine of Guthrie Levie racing ..

a great effort all the way around

...  by putting a wheel on a stick out the side of a push rod  bike to be able to set yet "another" record ...
at 19 mph ...

that fits this thread to a T

Thanks for stopping by and offering comments, Joe.

Joe brings up some very good points, one of which is that the track surface
was both slippery and treacherous; Fast running was NOT the easy task for
the powerful bikes that could spin their wheels at 200 mph with a flick of the wrist !

Ralph Hudson - who has been running at Bonneville
 for almost 50 years - was particularly affected.

Ralph's best speed on pavement is over 262 mph,
but he could only manage 235mph at this meet.

Joe Amo, timed previously at Bonneville at
an astounding 272mph only saw a best of 197 mph

The HALOPHILE, which has shown 252mph in the past ten years,
could only manage a single run over 200 mph; at 215mph

A full-on Japanese Kawasaki team running the desirable H2R
unobtanium bike went 220 mph,
FAR short of expectations !

A full-on Honda FACTORY team ran
a streamliner well, but it had 4 wheels....

(This and all previous times are per the current SCTA results)

This was NOT an easy week to find traction.

MANY teams went back and forth between the long (5 mile),
and short (3 mile) courses hunting fort he right combination
of traction, handling, and distance,

Our team, anticipating problem salt conditions for the last few years,
and traction problems with the existing tires, has been moving toward
the stability and predictably of the sidecar for the past four (4) years

It has paid off, with 244mph
in the first meet for that bike.

1670cc Gen I Hayabusa, N/A

Fastest 3-wheeler in the SCTA record book............/b]

Offline joea

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #32 on: August 23, 2016, 06:17:31 PM »
very excellent points Scott..!!

maybe thats part of the future of Bonneville...there has been a trend..

if two wheels become too tough to tame...put a strut off the side with a third wheel...and go after
side car records..

that is some tongue in cheek..and some very daunting "reality"....
ex busa owner
not worthy

Offline FlaminRoo

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #33 on: August 23, 2016, 06:59:09 PM »
Its only human to aim for the best of conditions, but it dosent hurt to have a "backup" plan, with it, one gets the optunity to make more passes, thus gaining knowledge  :wink:

Scott,, the addition of an extra wheel gave a better "feel" to handeling the ruff condition of the salt ?,,,
First Australian to ride a motorcycle 200mph at Bonneville,,

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #34 on: August 23, 2016, 08:09:30 PM »
very excellent points Scott..!!

maybe thats part of the future of Bonneville...there has been a trend..

if two wheels become too tough to tame...put a strut off the side with a third wheel...and go after
side car records..

that is some tongue in cheek..and some very daunting "reality"....


Quite correct Joe:

For years, starting in the 1980's, I would measure the coefficient
off friction( traction ) before we started racing.  If we had brought
four (4) bikes, we might run only the "little" bikes if the traction was low. 

If traction was high, out came the big bikes.........

We measured the thickness of the "salt crust" at the six(6) mile mark,
and found the crust to be about 3/4 inch thick.  At the start line, it was
maybe 1/4 inch more, or one (1) inch thick. 

In the 1950's, it was maybe 5 inches thick.

We may soon be running on mud, if we run at all.......

For us, the future may include sidecars,
which will allow us to go as fast at 2-wheelers,
but with far less risk.

And....risk is part of all this.

Offline RansomT

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #35 on: August 23, 2016, 08:18:25 PM »
I think it is just genius to build a "fast" S bike with a sidecar.  Especially, considering the salt condition...
Fastest 1.5-Mile Pass - 252.222
Fastest 1-Mile Pass - 244.2997
Half Mile - 211.47
Fastest Nitrous Bike
Production Bike
211.079 LTA. P/P 1350

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #36 on: August 23, 2016, 08:22:26 PM »
I think it is just genius to build a "fast" S bike with a sidecar.  Especially, considering the salt condition...

Thank you, Ranson !

We started this year's program with two
 "solo" bikes, and two side-car bikes.

By the end of the week, we were at 3 sidecars............

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #37 on: August 24, 2016, 12:14:08 PM »
I think it is just genius to build a "fast" S bike with a sidecar.  Especially, considering the salt condition...

Thanks Ranson, but I can only claim partial credit for the idea.

My partner, John Levie, and I had discussed our "directions"
about 5 years ago, and the concept of the sidecar kept coming up,
and we pursued it as an alternative of wheel-spinning solo bikes.

I think the "gestation" of the idea appeared to me after
my friend Jason McVicar was tossed off at
Bonneville about ten(10) years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QImtEKiicus

(Jason is now in the GUINESS BOOK OF RECORDS
as the fastest survived motorcycle crash)

We both consider this a questionable idea for a
thing to do intentionally to get into the record book !

Over the great Bonneville Famine of the past 2 years,
John and I had time to look more deeply into our 5 and 10 year plans,
and with the "thinning" of the salt, we thought we would try sidecars.

We ran our first "serious" attempt in 2013,
and that put John into the Bonneville 200 mph club,
followed by his DAD soon after in the same bike.)

Over the past 2 or more years, john drew and
built the current sidecar-streamliner.

This was a bit of an "iterative process,"
and eventually involved cutting out and replacing the complete roll-cage,
and eventually completely re-fabricating the WHOLE frame.

 Over the winter, we will probably re-do the back half,
and add suspension and stiffen the swing arm........

I am VERY suspicious of head-safety in streamliners
in general, and bike liners particularly.

Sam Wheeler's death has only darkened my view of these things.....

But, we are trying !

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #38 on: August 24, 2016, 12:18:34 PM »
Its only human to aim for the best of conditions,
but it dosent hurt to have a "backup" plan, with it,
one gets the optunity to make more passes, thus gaining knowledge  :wink:

Scott,, the addition of an extra wheel gave a better "feel" to handeling the ruff condition of the salt ?,,,

Yes, Ro, we kind-of plan for the worst, and hope for the best

I don't really like the low-speed handling of the sidecars,
but it seems more steady and "car like" as I go faster. 

I am still trying to adapt to the idea that when I turn "into" the sidecar,
the rig steers like a bike, and like a "car" when I steer "away.

To much for my feeble brain.........

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #39 on: August 25, 2016, 04:44:08 PM »
Anyway, back to our regularly scheduled programing.................

In 1973, after a meandering trip to Bonneville
on a long summer holiday with my wife, I
promptly hammered the Harley down the track
to an “amazing” top speed of 85 MPH (by time slip)
on my very first run on the salt.

The standing record was in the high 120’s.

I had been faster in my 6-cylinder
Dodge Van, on the way to the track…….


Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #40 on: August 26, 2016, 08:12:12 AM »
(Digression)

While at speed week 2016,
I had a chance to chat briefly
with Joe Amo ( currently at
#3 on the ALL-TIME FASTEST
RIDERS LIST.  And, truth be known,
should probably be in position #2, just
behind Bill Warner)

Joe was having trouble with the track.

*                *              *            *

Also saw friends Bob "Stainless" Steel and
John Gowetski, who run a small car using
mostly motorcycle engines.

Their driver spun the car, and really hammered
the left front tyre.  Somehow the car stayed
upright.  The same incident on a bike
could have been pretty bad !

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #41 on: August 28, 2016, 01:34:16 PM »
   

    OK.....another bit of a digression here.............

    I was a freshman at Florida State University
    in 1962. Joining me on the Freshman swim team
    was my friend from Largo FL, . Joe Papalardo.

    Joe played in a "dorm band" that year, but eventually
    left school to work and play in a
    couple of bands in the Largo area.

    Joe eventually was hired to play in
    Tommy Roeman's band, "The Roemans.

    http://www.m3cats.com/roemans_joe_pappalardo.htm

     


Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #42 on: August 29, 2016, 02:10:25 PM »
While driving back and forth to Tallahassee (FSU)
from Sarasota FL in the 1960's,
I found myself sharing rides with Reese Wynans,
younger brother of my good friend "Bud" Wynans.

( I was great hot-rod pals with Bud. 

He had a 1950 Mercury2-door coupe,
as did my mother. 

Bud's, however had a 392 Hemi
under the hood. )

Reese had started FSU in Classical Piano,
but soon switched to popular music, and
later moved on to play with
a number of popular groups,
such as Stevie Ray Vaughn.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reese_Wynans

He currently backs up Joe Bonamassa.............

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #43 on: August 30, 2016, 07:59:58 AM »
OK: I have digressed (again)to last week's
SCTA Speed Week. which is current news.

A casual reading of the results will offer that my team
GUTHRIE LEVIE RACING set twelve(12) world records,
that my friend JOHN LEVIE was the fast bike of the event,
with an exit speed of 242 mph, while setting four (4) records.

John's dad Allen set two (2) good records, and that I sort-of
trailed the group on a 175cc LIFAN going MAYBE 65 mph.

You might wonder why the idea of riding a bike at Bonneville
at SLOWER than the speed limit was at all attractive........

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #44 on: August 31, 2016, 06:25:34 AM »
Well, we had gone there to set records,
and I was the Caboose.

Having drawn the short straw...I was assigned
to the team's slo-poke...a Chinese Communist
Lifan motorcycle, of dubious origin.

The engine was a FULL 175cc of push rod-operated
Communist power, with basically a 1970 design.

Even the manual was in Chinese, so tuning was chancy.

I had ridden this bike 5 years ago, and it made me swear
off Bonneville riding almost forever,
and after my first run on Saturday,
I almost quit again..............

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #45 on: September 01, 2016, 07:12:15 AM »
The bike wobbled, weaved and bucked
like an un-broken pony for three(3) miles,
and I couldn't have kept it on my side
of the road if I was on the highway...........

Yes, it was that bad..........

BUT, it was, at a magnificent 65 mph,
good for the first 1/2 of a record........

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #46 on: September 05, 2016, 07:57:53 AM »
Just endured Hurricane Hermine.

Eye of the storm went
directly over our house.

Not my first hurricane,
 and everything OK now,
with full utilities and internet
back up after only 3 1/2 days...............

Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #47 on: September 05, 2016, 08:14:25 AM »
The bike wobbled, weaved and bucked
like an un-broken pony for three(3) miles,
and I couldn't have kept it on my side
of the road if I was on the highway...........


.



We had four(4) bikes to run at speed week,
and I was dragged into service to run the little bike.

In the middle of preparing for the first runs
of the week - always a flail with 650 teams lining up,
and this year the pressure of having missed two full seasons
adding to the "itching sensation" to get in the first run........

I had paid little attention to the preparation of this,
the slowest bike, and that mistake
would come back to haunt me..........




Offline scott g

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #48 on: September 05, 2016, 11:38:20 AM »
To try to get the most out of our bikes
at Bonneville, I usually have special leathers
hand-made to fit my “substantial” frame. 

This can be a lengthy “in person” process,
since I must approximate (for the maker)
a riding position that is used
in no other motorsport. 


Offline FlaminRoo

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Re: Why would ANYBODY want more than ONE LSR record ? - that's just GREEDY !
« Reply #49 on: September 05, 2016, 04:44:31 PM »
Just endured Hurricane Hermine.

Eye of the storm went
directly over our house.

Not my first hurricane,
 and everything OK now,
with full utilities and internet
back up after only 3 1/2 days...............


Scott, great to hear that you and yourse came thru "The Blow" ok,,

Have endured being thru and on the edge of many Cyclones in this part of the world (Tropical North Queensland,  Australia),, the sound of the wind is :twisted:,, good to see that thay restored your utilitys in three days, our last (five years ago) it took seven days before the electricity was restored, although this was a small price to pay as many others had their homes destroyed,,

First Australian to ride a motorcycle 200mph at Bonneville,,