Open class

[LittleLiner]

Some have the respect of speed and don't go into impounds at a low speed just to have a record. They wait until they put down a good number................but not everyone thinks this way................ Good Luck

I see your point.   But may I offer a 'new guys' view of this?

Even though I'll be running at Maxton and (hopefully) Bonneville where neither have open class minimums, I have a personal goal of exceeding the posted El Mirage minimum.  That is my objective.  I doubt I will ever run at El Mirage due to cost/distance/time issues.  I just use that number because it is the only minimum speed I can reference.

But frankly when I finally get my open class car done and am fortunate enough to make it to Bonneville and make a full run under full power, you better bet I'll take it to impound regardless of the speed.   Failing to reach at least a speed equal to the El Mirage minimum won't cause me to wave off the 'record'.  Not after the effort and cost of getting there.  While I won't be fully satisfied until I at least exceed the minimum, I'll be glad to at least have a record. 

If someone thinks a record is soft, . . . well . . . they are entitled to their view.  May I suggest that they enter a car in that class and bump up the record?

Later

[Speed Limit 1000]

Well said! You never know what will happen, we always go to impound when we get the chance.

[Jonny Hotnuts]

I read about Don Vesco saying leave Burt Munro's record alone

I was like 4 years old when Burt died and can not say that I knew him other than what I have learned about him from Sir Tony.

I think the idea of preserving his memory is great, after all from what I gather he was a good person and really performed some great accomplishments.
But I would be willing to bet that if you could ask Bert today if he would want to have his record stand simply because no one would make an attempt at it because of his memory, that he would not want that and would likely be proud of someone building a bike and besting his record.....especially if it was an Indian!

Just another way to look at it.....but it wont be me doing it!

[sockjohn]

I thought is was great when I  read about Don Vesco saying leave Burt Munro's record alone, let it stand. You guys are right on the money when you say some go after a soft record. Very good points from great stewards of the salt.

Maybe I'm missing the point or misunderstanding, but I don't see how one could really run on the 67 record.

That Beautiful Indian is neither APS or S, so if you ran a streamliner and bettered the record not really the same class due to rule changes.

One could probably spend a lifetime making runs on open motorcycle records, and there are all sorts of instances with gas records higher than fuel records, unblown faster than blown so lots of soft records to go after.

[JackD]

If wisdom prevailed, the S/F record held by Burt would be properly reclassified to vintage or Push Rod where it now belongs .
That is just a small example of the problems the rulers make for you and themselves when their narrow view is allowed to go  without suitable oversight.

[1212FBGS]

Vesco did not say to leave Burt's record alone... he told me it was cursed... and now i believe him
kent

[Jonny Hotnuts]

I would agree that if the class has changed that it should be retired. I dont really know how much anything with bikes has changed but now that I think about how much the car rules have changed just in the last few years it really would not be fair to run a record this old unless it was reasonably similar.

[JackD]

Only the safety measures have matured and evolved in Burt's class.
Slicker vehicles are now going faster, and it is the aero  performance evolution that makes older vehicles obsolete and not rule changes.

[jimmy six]

A friend of mine runs a AA/GMR in the 220's, record is 255. The fuel record is open. So far he has not run on the open one eventho friends and I feel a record over 220 shows well. Each one of us makes a choice.  I do not believe any of us would take a record at an embarrassing speed. Some of you may think different. Good Luck

[JackD]

US and YOU, that looks like 2 classes right there that can be run with the same type machine.
I guess it is kinda like a PRO-AM huh ? 

"How can I lose ?
 I have the best of everything that money can buy ."
(often heard, seldom repeated)