STD 5350 500 APS-PF Report

[Bruin]

My story is a snooze compared to Ed's saga (The Flying Credenza) but even Homer would have trouble competeing his epic tale. The trip out was a breeze. We just ate peeled grapes and softly encouraged Ed as he drilled holes in his muffler for more Rocky mountain climbing power... grunt, grunt. As he finished his build we joined the teeming masses in slow registration but tolerable scrutineering. The Big Red One passed with a few tugs, raps, and a shake. Last year I toasted the engine so this year I'm running an assembly of '82 XR 500 ebay parts. STDer Bill A. mated this to that and warned me that he believed the crank was loose and suspect. I shrugged, added a straight pipe and some taller gearing and headed to the line.
  Last year I used the stock 36mm Kehin and topped out at 101 mph. This year, on this engine, it started breaking up in the higher rpms and never saw the better side of 90 mph. The clutch slipped a bit as well. I tightened the clutch and wedged on a 38 mm Mikuni. I had a full collection of jets for it but the first handful I grabbed gave the plug a nice light tan look. The engine growled like only a straight pipe thumper can and demanded to be let loose on the track before it killed something. It ran an easy 104 mph, a personal best. Now that I know it will hold together I will feel better about redlining it through the gears.
 I didn't have anything to compete with Ed's piston failure. I did drop the carb float bowl drain nut on the return to pit road. A short walk of shame and deligent search later and I was back in business. A weird thing did happen after we trailered it. Just sittin there it suffered a spontanious tire failure and instant deflation. I guess it didn't want to return as the only running STD bike.

[Nortonist 592]

The engine growled like only a straight pipe thumper can and demanded to be let loose on the track before it killed something.

Another congratulations on a successful meet.  Did you find out what caused the tire to deflate?  Glad it was on the trailer and not the course.  We too, had a trouble free SpeedWeek.  Compared to Eds saga it was almost boring.

You're right about singles though.

 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwoRBeNkrTk

[Bruin]

I have not pulled the tire to examine it yet. I tried to pump it up to roll it off the trailer but it bleed out faster than I could pump it up with a 100 psi air bubble! I will post the cause when I find out.

[John Noonan]

I have not pulled the tire to examine it yet. I tried to pump it up to roll it off the trailer but it bleed out faster than I could pump it up with a 100 psi air bubble! I will post the cause when I find out.

I would guess it was from a  hole in the tube/tire...

Noonan

[Nortonist 592]

I would guess it was from a  hole in the tube/tire...

Noonan

Is that one of them black holes I keep hearing about John?

[Bruin]

A little salute to Speed Team Doo and crew. Left to right. Brian Allen (moi) set a personal best on a stock collection of ebay parts. James Slover had his first taste of salt as a gopher-roadie-pit assistant and loved it. Tucker Allen upper her own record by 10 mph while passing out slices of her 60th birthday cake. Ed Bennett debuted a recumbant cycle and hand repaired a piston to better his own record. Harry Townsend has been with us every year, sometimes pit crew, sometimes rider, always valued. My thanks to the entire team!

[Nortonist 592]

A fine collection of miscreants that deserve way more than a "little salute"!

[Bruin]

Found out why the rear tire suffered the spontaneous collapse. The shop monkey who first mounted the tube and tire onto the spoked rim did not use a protective band. Spokey pokey holey. That shop is now defunct and none too soon. New band, new tube, lets roll!