Landracing Forum

Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials => Bville Motorcycle Speed Trials General Chat => Topic started by: Koncretekid on March 21, 2014, 12:28:06 PM

Title: 1956 AMA speed records
Post by: Koncretekid on March 21, 2014, 12:28:06 PM

I recently read an article sent out by the BMAC (British Motorcycle Association of Colorado) which was a reprint of a November 1956 issue of Motorcyclist magazine.  It showed pictures of Allen's Triumph streamliner as well as others.  One of the photos showed 16 year old Jess Thomas riding his T100 (500cc) Triumph to 128.91 mph for an AMA record. He was shown on what looked to be a stock open bike with no streamlining.  It states that this was "AMA Class "C"... must be equipped with standard factory cataloged parts...Must use pump gasoline and have a compression ratio of not more than 9 to 1. ...The stroke must be standard and the bore not more than .040" over."  Furthermore, the gasoline was tested, the C.R. was only 8.2 to 1, and the bore was not oversize.

The only thing that is not clear is whether it was a one-way run or a two-way.  How did they do it?  What happened to these old records? 

I'm running a huge carb, 13 to 1 compression, modern gasoline (K110), and a very low bike and can't get that kind of speed (but I am close).

Title: Re: 1956 AMA speed records
Post by: dw230 on March 21, 2014, 01:52:10 PM

I believe that 1954 was the year the SCTA 'Invited' the AMA to attend Speed Week and included motorcycles to set records. In the early days the AMA portion of the program was administered by Earl Flanders. In '73 or '74 the SCTA took over the motorcycle records and included them in the database.

The records were kept by Elmo Gillette and then Jack Dolan. The early records seem to have been filed somewhere that is now unacceptable. The three gentlemen mentioned have all passed away with no instruction as to the record location.

I found this all out when researching my book. The story is how I got it, there may be some misinformation which I am sure someone can expand on.

Good luck,
DW

Title: Re: 1956 AMA speed records
Post by: Old Scrambler on March 25, 2014, 05:40:20 PM

The current movie WHY WE RIDE mentions the early days of the AMA and how INDIAN & H.D. agreed on the rules for the 'C' class of racers. BTW.......they have a nice cameo of BUB competition and feature the Klock-wurks ladies.