On 2010-12-21 02:43:36 -0800, Eric Stevens said:

On Mon, 20 Dec 2010 19:03:32 -0800, Savageduck
wrote:

On 2010-12-20 18:16:12 -0800, Eric Stevens said:

On Mon, 20 Dec 2010 14:40:25 -0800, Savageduck
wrote:

On 2010-12-20 13:40:46 -0800, Eric Stevens said:
Le Snip

A Vincent Black Lightning for me.


Eric Stevens

Now there was a case of 1930's tech taken to its limits. The Vincent BL
was an amazing machine, but even though it had that powerful motor, it
was a 1930's bike (Vincent's 1936 Brough Superior beater) trying to
survive into the fifties and it failed early. The frame, forks, and
suspension were not a good match for the motor, and were obsolete in
1948. Undoubtably a work of art, but the record breaking bikes of the
1948 and early fifties were all custom frame bikes with custom forks.

Not so. I worked with Bob Burns and Russel Wright on Russel's record
breaking Vincent. It was standard forks and frame. The connecting rods
were ex the Vincent Picador engine designed for drone aircraft, and
were worth another 1000rpm. Both cylinders were fitted with ported
rear cylinder heads which gave a better air flow. The gear box was the
standard Vincent close-ratio box. The clutch may have been modified,
but I can't remember.The fuel tank was a special. The oil tank was the
main frame member as in the standard bike.

OK! Not that I doubt you in anyway, but just which "record breaking
Vincent" was that? ...and when was it you did this work?

Garn - you do doubt me, and why not? Several generations ago I was an
engineering student at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch
New Zealand. I was a regular participant in the flying mile events
held on the long flat 'Tram Road' on the outskirts of Christchurch. I
had my 500 Triumph up to 102 mph fairly early in the pice which was
much faster than most of the other road bikes at the time (I
eventually got to 118 mph, but that's another story). Russel Wright
and Bob Burns were running Russel's Vincent there and I became good
fiends with Bob Burns. They set a record of 186 mph on the Tram Road
and later took the bike to Bonneville where they ran it at 198 mph.
Unfortunately about two weeks previously NSU had taken the 'Flying
Deckchair' to Bonneville and set a new record of (I think) 202 mph.
Bob's explanation of why they didn't go faster is that they were just
learning about Nitro fuel and didn't have the courage to tip the jug
over far enough.

Aah! 1955! Actually 184.83 MPH I see. The NSU World Record run in 1956
was 211.4 MPH.


http://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=73122 has a number
of pictures of the bike as I remember it except that the rear
suspension units have been replaced by solid struts. I don't know when
that was done. The front brakes have also gone.


In that case this Kiwi immigrant to California should interest you;

http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechute/Munro-5825w.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechute/Munro-5920w.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechute/Munro-5947w.jpg

That is Bert Munro's record breaking alcohol fueled 1920 Indian Scout.
In 1967 he set the record for streamlined/alcohol 1000cc class, at
183.586 MPH with a one way run of 190.7 MPH. Not quite the machine
movie goers saw Anthony Hopkins riding!




Not the Rollie Free 1948 bike, which was the well publicized record
breaker. Certainly not the 1949/50 Reg Dearden bike which never
actually made a run.
Then there is the Joe Simpson Supercharged which held the American MC
speed record twice. (that is currently at the Solvang Vintage
Motorcycle Museum in California)

...and I hope I am not aging you too much, but just how old are you?

Give me four weeks and I shall be 77.

Well there you have me by 15 years.


--
Regards,

Savageduck