Group in UK talking about emulating Burt Monroes land speed record

[Nortonist 592]

I'm still mad that someone broke The Comte de Chasseloup-Laubat's record.  That should have been left untouched.  Wayno

Back in 1899 it was a tough record.  Today I think beating 39 mph can be done by more than just a few streamliners.  Same with Burt's record.  The way the rules and engines have changed breaking his record would be a piece of cake.  Burt has a special place in land racing.  No one owns a record but some should be left for posterity to read and understand how hard Burt worked for it.  As I said before normally I'll wish anyone the best of luck in their record attempts but NOT in this case.  No respect.

[BHR301]

Records are on loan and should to be broken no matter who set them. If the SCTA or AMA wants to save Burt's name in the record book let them write a class for the bike to fit in. Burt's bike is not a streamliner by todays rules which means the 1000cc S-F record is up for setting at a higher number.

Bill

[Freud]

Nortonist 592      I agree.

It's like a cop taking a child's chalk

because he is marking the sidewalk

while playing Hop Scotch. He can

do it, but WHY?

FREUD

[Nortonist 592]

Freud.  I compare it to shooting a puppy with an elephant gun and then calling yourself a big game hunter.

[RichFox]

OMG. I never knew how much drama is involved in motorcycle records. I'm glad I have a car.

[4-barrel Mike]

I'm with ya, Rich.   

Mike

[Nortonist 592]

Not records Rich.  A record.  Perhaps car guys don't have the same passion as bike guys.

[Elmo Rodge]

Not records Rich.  A record.  Perhaps car guys don't have the same passion as bike guys.

Yeah. That must be it.  Wayno

[4-barrel Mike]

Not records Rich.  A record.  Perhaps car guys don't have the same passion as bike guys.

I  believe there's more than one "dramatic" motorcycle discussion going on at this time.   

Mike

[rouse]

I know what you mean  about other the discussion

Rouse

[tauruck]

Freud.  I compare it to shooting a puppy with an elephant gun and then calling yourself a big game hunter.

That's it right there.

END OF DISCUSSION, Thanks Nortonist. That is the post of all posts.

[datsaxman]

+1 to what Nortonist says.  There are loads of records to go after.  All meant to be broken.  BUT...

Because of advances in technology, along with rule and procedure changes, some of those very old records simply CANNOT be broken in anything remotely resembling the manner in which they were set.  If we are FOR fair competition, we should think about setting a very few records aside as UNBREAKABLE.  It is a copout to just say that the rulebook class is the class you race in and those are the records and so on.  Because things have changed too much.  Who wants to resort to UNFAIR means to break a record??  I hope none of us. 


A very few really special records inspire us all.  I always look at the records when I get the latest Rule Book.  The records in my own displacement category first...then I look for records that I think are a little slower than they maybe could be with a good effort - records that somebody like me (no money, limited skills at making stuff out of dirt and bailing wire) might be able to take a serious run at...and then the Burt Munro and Don Vesco records.  There doesn't seem to be anything as old as Burt Munro's record in the car records.  And there are even older ones in the MC section.  NSU and Triumph records from the dark ages. 
Should those records be off limits?  FAIR PLAY might demand it. 


Oh, and I think racing against Munro's record...going faster...and then declining inspection...is brilliant.
 

I have a 100% serious proposal for somebody with a suitable chassis...

Any of you out there in LSR land have a liner project I could put a budget 1000cc motor in?  It would just be a team of me...or you and me...I don't really have any money to spend...so it will take at least a year to put it together...now THAT would be a worthy effort.  No home cast pistons I expect.  Pledged to always run safe and legal...and to ALWAYS decline displacement inspection.  Maybe we could run fast enough to discourage anybody else...what if somebody comes out and they run fast?  We run FASTER.  How would they feel about having a SLOWER liner, but having to decide whether to accept a bogus "record" that we had already declined or were going to decline?  Now THAT is a tribute to Burt Munro.

At least until they reclassify Munro's record as unbreakable. Then we could see about that modern liner record.

[RichFox]

So you want to retire the 1000cc s-f record as it stands and make it an open record?
or just drop the class altogether? The fuel record of Munro is 4 mph faster than Kent Riches 2003 gas record. Compared to the other 1000cc records, it doesn't look all that soft to me. But i still would like to know what you want to do with the existing record.

[datsaxman]

Good question Rich Fox.  Munro's record was set using the famous 1920 flathead. 

That ain't Vintage...That is ANTIQUE.  It was an antique when HE ran it.  This year, that record is 47 years old...and his engine was 47 years old when he set the record too. 


I say reclassify Munro's record as 1000cc SA-F (Streamliner Antique - Fuel), and let anybody else with a pre-war or pre-1935 (or something) engine have a run at it.  It wouldn't have to be a closed class...just one where you have to compete with similar equipment.


I would like to have a run at the 1000cc S-F myself if I could afford it. 

[joea]

this seems to be getting ludicrous...

these kids have met with the Burts son, discussed project with him and how
to best memorialize Burt with their effort.....they named their liner with Burts name
and record speed so "if" they were to get it, it keeps Burts name in the books, and they
additionally hope others coming after might do same to honor him

I have a hunch that the pushback from LSR family about the bragging about breaking Burts
record has had a significant impact on the team and how they go about this endeavor, hence the
recent name change etc....

not sure why someone else thinks their manner of paying tribute is better, the willingness to
pay tribute by any party is pretty darn honorable

fact is the record will be challenged as all should, many previously mentioned manners of carrying on
the history of Burts legacy  with various trophies etal are more sustainable

now if we could start a US vs UK first to the 1000 SF record, that could be intriquing....

who wants to be the "first to earn the Burt Munro trophy" ..?