Trike class

[randy48]

I've searched the forums and found two old threads pertaining to trikes; one from 2007 and one from 2009. With the number of three wheeled motorcycles around these days, both production and homebrewed, when is SCTA going to open/re-open the trike class? I have a 57 servi that would love to set a record on the salt in 2013, not just pickup a time slip for going fast.

[dw230]

Class died because of no interest. The record minimum may have been a tad high too - 300 MPH.

DW

[Trouble]

Op Ed:

Production 3-wheelers are sold in far greater quantities than side cars.

Can't even think of the last time I saw a real sidecar on the street.  They never were popular due to poor handling, and poor performance.  Not to mention the terrible ride experience in the monkey bucket.  Harry Potter movies do not count.

A wise man would think a minor change in the pseudo-sidecar rules would permit 3 wheelers just due to safety considerations.   Side cars by design get more dangerous the faster you go.  Not true for sym wheelbases.

Pseudo sidecars would still have a huge advantage of frontal area and aero.  And you would not have to add classes.  So no new classes, and more safety.  Can't see a downside, but I need glasses.

[grumm441]

The rule change form is on the SCTA website
If you want "someone" to do something about it.
G

[Nortonist 592]

Op Ed:

  They never were popular due to poor handling, and poor performance.  Not to mention the terrible ride experience in the monkey bucket.  Harry Potter movies do not count.

A wise man would think a minor change in the pseudo-sidecar rules would permit 3 wheelers just due to safety considerations.   Side cars by design get more dangerous the faster you go.  Not true for sym wheelbases.

Garbage.  Utter and total garbage.   Can the moderator please delete this trash?

[Trouble]

Op Ed:

  They never were popular due to poor handling, and poor performance.  Not to mention the terrible ride experience in the monkey bucket.  Harry Potter movies do not count.

A wise man would think a minor change in the pseudo-sidecar rules would permit 3 wheelers just due to safety considerations.   Side cars by design get more dangerous the faster you go.  Not true for sym wheelbases.

Garbage.  Utter and total garbage.   Can the moderator please delete this trash?

Meh.   

No offense intended, nor do I advocate the elimination of the 3-wheeler classes.  Point being is a sidecar HAS 3 WHEELS.  Count them.

The fact the CG is off center affects braking, slalom, etc, etc, etc.  You really don't want to mess a CanAm on Ortega with a comparable sidecar rig.  You might whup them in top speed, but they will be at the bottom of the mountain chewing a chilidog before you make it to the candy store.

[Dean Los Angeles]

The major source of resistance its the hundreds of motorcycle classes already on the books.

Last year it was the moped guys. They started their own racing organization.

Feel free to join the SCTA and submit a rule change request.

Your challenge is to prove that there are at least three racing vehicles ready to race. That proves interest to the board.

It may be true that you rarely see sidecars on the road. Sidecar racing in many forms has been happening for 50+ years. Three wheel racing? Not so much.

[Dean Los Angeles]

While we are on the subject of "classes made so you can set a record"

Bonneville Speedweek 2012
Bike records: 76

Motorcycle regular engine: 16 - (12 of the top 15 speeds. Two more were sidecar streamliner with regular engine)
Motorcycle pushrod/vintage: 42
Sidecar: 15 (5 regular engine, 9 pushrod/vintage, 1 omega)
39 records under 100 mph
15 under 70 mph

[Nortonist 592]

You might whup them in top speed

Isn't that the whole point in land speed racing?   Or am I missing something?

[Tman]

You might whup them in top speed

Isn't that the whole point in land speed racing?   Or am I missing something?

Yes but don't confuse him with the facts Bill!

[Nortonist 592]

Proposed new Bonneville course.


By weslake at 2012-09-06

[Trouble]

You might whup them in top speed

Isn't that the whole point in land speed racing?   Or am I missing something?

No, you are seeing the EXACT point.  If a true motorcycle 3 wheeler goes to compete against a motorcycle with a small wheel added to the side, the sidecar wins.  Hence nobody loses their record due to just a rule change.

It's not a threat to the sidecar classes.  All it would do is permit a whole segment of performance street motorcycles to race LSR, without adding classes.  If a three-wheeler beats a 2.25 wheeler, it's not because it had the advantage of design.  It's because the sidecar wasn't competitive against other sidecars.

[Trouble]

Proposed new Bonneville course.


By weslake at 2012-09-06

You're too late.   Silver State and Pike's Peak beat you to the punch. 

There is nothing evil about a fast car/bike having brakes or being able to handle excellent.  They are not exclusive.  Especially with bikes.

[Trouble]

...
15 under 70 mph

So 15 entries probably went faster on their way to and from the track, than they did at the track?   

[Nortonist 592]

Don't forget that as soon as say five three wheelers show up at Bonneville modifications will begin and before long you'll see a 120" wb laydown with a turbo'ed hayabusa and full streamliner body work.  Or would the rules for 3 wheelers be written in such a way that only "true" 3 wheelers could compete.  The next step would be to define a "true" 3 wheeler.

Whats a 2.25 wheeler?  You either got 3 wheels or you don't.