Thanks Sumner!
quick question -- how did Sam Wheeler #999 do? (this would be the initial shakedown runs after the multi-year rebuild)
Sam didn't run. I guess they were trying to get there Thurs/Fri. but didn't have the bike done. Alan, of BMR fame, drove them all Sat. night to get there Sunday morning. The following is my understanding of what then happened, so it might be wrong.
Sam was asked to do a bail-out and couldn't get in the liner with his new suit. So then I guess he put on his old suit and still couldn't get in because of helmet (maybe also new??) issues. So they pushed the bike over for a photo shoot.
From the cockpit to the rear wheel/tire it is about all new with the tubo Busa and intercooler and also a new 2 speed transmission with belt drive from it to the rear wheel. I think gear drive between the busa output shaft and the 2 speed transmission but I might not have that right.
My understanding is they have the 2 speed in low range and take off with the busa transmission in low. Then switch to 2nd in the 2 speed trans., still in low on the busa trans. Then leave it there and make the rest of the gear changes with the busa transmission.
We all complain about packaging problems, but none of us have packaged so much into so little space as what Sam has accomplished. It is an amazing piece of engineering...
Sum