Landracing Forum
Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => Build Diaries => Topic started by: landracing on October 18, 2005, 12:24:29 PM
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List,
As you know there are a few motorcycle members traveling to Australia in March to race with the DLRA under FIM sanctioning. Mike Akitiff is putting this together for all of us to race there. I decided I am going to start to keep a journal here to show what is going on from the Team Amo stand point of the process of getting there while we are there and the return home. The topic will not be one you will be able to post in but more for information on what we are doing.
Jonathan Amo
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Ok obviously we have some type of timelines and objectives and dates to hit to make this happen.
We are trying to stay in touch with Mike as much as possible to see progress and keep us up to date and make sure we are getting things done. This is just a partial list....
1. Joe has to complete the bike, new turbo installed, get it crated to California to make the container.
2. We need to get passports.
3. We need to figure travel to and from the salt
4. We need Ice problem figured out for intercooler
5. Lodging
6. Food
7. Internet options for Landracing.com
8. Plane Tickets
9. Customs
10. Fuel for bike.
The list will go on and on im sure as the months progress.
But for part of the list here is where I am at.
No birth certificate found at home for passport. I got online and found the Vital Records website for Spokane Washington. I was born on Fairchild AFB in 1975. Ordered the certificate and got it next day air. Costs about $40. Now ill be making my way to post office to get passport papers completed.
Our Travel arrangements have been made by Gary Baker from Australia. Otherwise known as Hawkind on the board. He has arranged getting up to and from the salt with the bike.
Ice problem is up in the air as far as we know.
Airline tickets are still up in the air. Airlines wont let us book a ticket until we are about 3 months out. So we are looking about Jan. before booking tickets. Mike might be able to get us a group rate from LA.
Joe has completed the bike and it has been run on the Dyno. We need now to make sure the engine will measure legal for FIM rules. Which is 1000cc and under. BNI events let us have a .010 additional for cleaning up stock cylinders. Stock bike is 998cc... Joe is also getting a spare motor together for "just in case"
The plan for running there is still under "brother" debate. He want's to go all out. I say make two check out passes and get a DLRA record in gas class. Then let little brother get on it for a DLRA record in the fuel class, just enough to get in the DLRA 200 mph club. Then turn up the boost and step on it for some FIM records.
The internet issue for Landracing.com to report while I am there on the daily activites is getting close. I have to send a few emails out to clarify on the wording. Looks like a satellite connection good for about 115 KB sec transfer rate. This is much faster then the data I have been transfering at Bonneville with a 30-40 kB connection speed on my wireless card. Satellite works anywhere you can see the sky, the wireless card is sketchy at best on the salt, I have to move around alot to get best possible connection.... im all over it.... They charge by the MB. pretty costly. The figure I am using for transfer while I am there is about 3-4 MB a day. That would include 40 pictures a day at 50 kb each, plus emails (3-10 kb each), transfer of website information (300-500 kb) a day, and need to be available for other americans and aussies who would like to email home while we are there (500kb) a day. I think 3-4 MB a day would be a good estimate. The equipment can be rented fairly cheap for a 1 month interval. I am thinking totol costs of $750-$900 for the service.....
Fuel for bike has been taken care of by Mike already. We will have 15 gallons of ERC A8C taken with us. This lets us use an already known fuel we have been using for years past. And not have to pay the high costs of Aussie fuels...
Thats it for now.
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See you there little "A"
We are working on getting a new bike ready for OZ
J
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:D :D counting the days :D :D
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So what is the word on shipping gasoline and nitrous--will they let you?
What sort of customs hoops will there be?
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Any update guys?
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Here is the update from Joe and I,
Our bike is still going thru the once, twice and third look over. Connections are being replaced, fittings replaced, electrical connections tested and cleaned and redone etc etc. Second motor going together.
Joe and I have both went to the post offices and applied for our Passports. Hope Joe gets the bike shipped and then doesnt get a passport... More run time for me on bike... Just joking.
We both got the same response from our local post offices. About 6 weeks to get the passports.
As for fuel, we will be shipping fuel to Australia via container. Will be using Rick's ERC fuel.
The internet connection has been verified and taken care of. It is of the Satellite type. As long as I can see the sky there will be internet. It is a small unit (4 lbs) that will locate a statellite and acquire a signal. It takes approx 3 to 5 minutes to acquire then we will have a connection. This is then connected to laptop via ethernet or USB cable with a trasfer rate of approx 144 kb's per second. Enough to transfer photos and regular updates and answer emails. The price per MB transfered that is both upload and download is about $16/mb. THe rental on the unit is pretty inexpensive at about $200 for a month. Very pricy but it is our only option.
Jon
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Hope to see you guys over here
(http://photobucket.com/albums/y108/dlra2/speedtrials2005-136.jpg)
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Jon, we havent met, I am new to the site. Joe knows me from up here in Rapid City. He told me about the trip a few eweks back.
I wanna wish both of you guys best of luck. If there is anything I can do to help on this end give me a call Joe!
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Well,I have the wife's blessing for the Australian Adventure.Have a Ford F-250 and a couple of my Ozzie friends lined up to pit.Passport app filled out and put in for the time off of work.Should be an adventure of a lifetime.Big thanks to the Ack Attack gang for making this possible.
A couple of things I was reminded of by those same friends--in the itinerary sent out by Ack gang they list drive to Port Augusta as 6 hours and they disagreed and said--"Jim read the lower info as well on this e-mail
Pt Agusta is not 6 hours from Adelaide its is only
290 km IE 3 hours, 6 hours drive from Adelaide puts you at the Salt lake
for your and others info.
regards
Paul"
and the other detail is Australian electricals are 220v based not 110v like US stuff so be aware.
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With that type of signature on your posts, maybe we should leave you behind.....
Just joking, look forward to it, but if it does rain......
Jon
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quote]and the other detail is Australian electricals are 220v based not 110v like US stuff so be aware.
Fireman, AUSTRALIAN single phase voltage is 240V and 50 Hertz, ( 3 phase is 415V ) whereas in the USA single phase is 110V and 60 Hertz.
hope this helps..... bring your own generators if need be.
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50 hertz (cycles per second for old timers) means that you need to pay a little extra attention to powering your American electrical devices. A transformer built for USA 60 Hertz won't work as well on 50. Maybe what ever you try to power through a 60-cps transformer won't mind, maybe it won't work. Check with your local know-it-all and be positive you're covered -- so you don't burn out your battery charger or Margarita blender motor.
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Best thing is to read your electrical devices power adapters. For example my laptop will work from 100-240 Volts and 50-60 Hz...
Jon
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considering makign the trip.
should have my HDTV cameras by then. Will make for some good shooting.
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something else I thought of , Lake Gairdner is almost at sea level , dont know if you realised this
Gary
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Yea if you are turbocharged it is a disadvantage. Thicker air = more drag. We are hoping the condition of the salt and length of course will make up for it.
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Received my passport in the mail. That actually didn't take very long at all, not the full 6 weeks they claimed. Great...
Now on to other info. I think Joe is right about done with the bikes shipping container. Need to put an outside skin on it and it should be about done. Then fill it with our junk...
Clothes will be packed in the container for the duration of our stay in Australia, so just a few items will be needed to take on the plane. We dont want to have ANY checked luggage...
Still trying to figure on what we are going to do for pistons on our second motor. We have had an issue there... Time is getting to short to get this second motor together... Or maybe just spare parts at this point we have less then a month to figure it all out..
We have found that Fuel may have to be purchased in Australia because shipping in may cause the container to be Hazardous... Mike was looking into and found options for us to get fuel there if need be.
Mike has been doing a TON of behind the scenes work on getting this all put together with alot of help from the TOP 1 Oil guys. Getting Motorcycle Australia ok, getting FIM sanctions and a rep setup, getting the DLRA guys read and prepared for the FIM requirements etc etc. Thanks again Top 1 Oil and Mike...
More to come in sure soon enough..
Jon
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A big thanks to all of those folks for the behind the scenes work and allowing us to tag along.
I got a shipping container from my sponsoring dealer-- Vallejo HD/Buell to ship the bike in and have been packing tools and parts in pelican cases and such to survive the trip.Passport should be here soon,esp if they are as fast as Joe's.Wired in ignition retard and put in bigger nitrous jets,back to dyno one more time.Hope they find out about fuel situation soon,any word on nitrous shipping?
Cannot wait!!
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Received my passport in the mail. That actually didn't take very long at all, not the full 6 weeks they claimed. Great...
Now on to other info. I think Joe is right about done with the bikes shipping container. Need to put an outside skin on it and it should be about done. Then fill it with our junk...
Clothes will be packed in the container for the duration of our stay in Australia, so just a few items will be needed to take on the plane. We dont want to have ANY checked luggage...
Still trying to figure on what we are going to do for pistons on our second motor. We have had an issue there... Time is getting to short to get this second motor together... Or maybe just spare parts at this point we have less then a month to figure it all out..
We have found that Fuel may have to be purchased in Australia because shipping in may cause the container to be Hazardous... Mike was looking into and found options for us to get fuel there if need be.
Mike has been doing a TON of behind the scenes work on getting this all put together with alot of help from the TOP 1 Oil guys. Getting Motorcycle Australia ok, getting FIM sanctions and a rep setup, getting the DLRA guys read and prepared for the FIM requirements etc etc. Thanks again Top 1 Oil and Mike...
More to come in sure soon enough..
Jon
Pistons will be there tomorrow, they showed today however no one to sign for them. Judie will get them tomorrow..
Mine on the other hand need to be restarted..
J :roll:
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Yep box was there today, now just good times.....
Thanks Jon!!!!!!!! :) :) :)
Jon
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Final preparations for the Australian trip to the DLRA-FIM speed trials March 6th through the 10th 2006.
If there is anyone here or abroad planning to run for a FIM record you paper work must be submitted to the FIM by January 6th 2006 and you must apply for an FIM competition license from your FIM affiliate organization in your respective country.
If there is anyone else planning to go here is our Itinerary:
Have all motorcycles and equipment to the Port of Oakland for loading by the freight forwarder by January 15th 2006.
Leave LA 2/27/06
Arrive Adelaide 3/01/06
Rent vehicles and load equipment 3/03/06
Travel to Port Augusta 3/04/06
Travel to Lake Gardiner 03/05/06
Here is the final line up of who?s going to Australia with us:
John Noonan Taking his open wheel
Michelle Derwin Michelle may run John?s bike for a DLRA record
Sam Wheeler
Jim Higgins Taking his open wheel
Joe Amo Taking their open wheel
Jon Amo
Mike Akatiff Taking the ACK Attack
The ACK Attack Crew:
Ken Pucio
Greg Akatiff
Chuck Bullwinkle
Jim Leale
Frank Milburn
Bob Miller
Christy Akatiff
Jason Akatiff
Brenda Leale
Dick Lague (JAL Productions)
Larry Lague
Jon Lague
Jeff Lague
Jim True
Mary True
Sam Wheeler will make the initial FIM pass in the ACK Attack Streamliner with a conservative gear hopefully for a FIM record above the current 322 mph held by Easy Rider. The crew and I felt that Sam should have a shot at getting the FIM record if even for a short time as Sam has been a pioneer of modern motorcycle streamliners and has worked for many years to achieve this goal. After Sam John will be the only rider and we will go for broke. All of us are very grateful to Top Oil for making this Australian trip possible.
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Mike,
What a stand up guy to let Sam Wheeler make some runs. Says alot about the team, and you as a person.... Sam will appreciate it...
Thanks Mike for giving Sam the opportunity..
Jon
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whatever number sam puts up it will still be a hard one for john. not takin anythin away from my pal John, no one has more liner seat time then sam. he knows how to gass it.
kr
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whatever number sam puts up it will still be a hard one for john. not takin anythin away from my pal John, no one has more liner seat time then sam. he knows how to gass it.
kr
Kent, I get to "install" the final gearing :wink: ...the team goal is to have Sam fulfill his goal of getting an FIM record and then I attempt to get the record we leave with of course if it all works out.. [-o<
Thanks to Top Oil and Team Ack Attack! !
J
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it's going to be great to have you guys out here this year. Many of us haven't witnessed an official world record attempt and it's added to the annual build-up excitement.
The once a year pilgrimage represents such a complete break from the daily grind it's become an addiction, I *NEED* this trip and enjoy every second of Speed Week. The excitement starts to build months before we leave, and your adventure raised the anticipation-bar as soon the goss spread around.
Don't read any pressure to perform into that. The DLRA members are the most easy-going, great bunch of Motorsport enthusiasts I've ever come across.
Add a road trip into serious Aussie Outback, which kind of etches its soul into yours, and you guys are in for a true adventure.
Looking forward to seeing ya'll.
Regs,
PJQ