Motorcycle "Records" - Really??

[lsrjunkie]

WOW! I am not a bike guy in any way shape or form, but this is crazy to me. As long as I have known about land speed racing, or Bonneville, I was under the assumption that you went there to do one thing. Prove to yourself the vehicle that you designed and built was fast. To prove your ideas in a real world situation. I'd bet a few bucks that's how Mr. Munro got there. There was many men and women a lot less well known before and after him chasing the same things. I'm building a car right now. Do I hope it's fast? Hell yes! Will it be? I don't know. It's just something that I want to do. Prove to myself that I can do it. If I get a record along the way then great. I understand everybody would like to hold a record, I sure would. The problem is we can't all have a record. There has to be a second place. it's just how the world works. I just hope we don't start to lose sight of why we started doing this. In my case, for the plain and simple fact that I want to go fast!

[Vinsky]

The absolutly most horribly difficult record I ever set was 98+ mph on an open record in 1000cc MPS-P...

Wobbly, you think that was difficult??? We upped the 100cc APS-BF with a 1967 Yamaha 3 speed trail bike motor
from 49mph set in 2008 to 91mph and out the back door at 99+.  Can't wait for someone to break that one.

[RacerX9623]

If the record is open it means no one had ever built one of those. I applaud anyone that is doing something different.
That is what land speed is about. Doing something and doing something new. That is what will also keep the sport alive.

[nrhs sales]

I can pretty much guarantee that if you put pushrod engines into the same class as overhead cam engines you would see motorcycle participation drop by at least 30% which would in now way be good for the sport. I know I would not participate as I have no interest in Japanese or European bikes.

[Stan Back]

So you're saying that records are the incentive to run -- more than just seeing how fast you can go?

[nrhs sales]

yes I am saying that I would not race if there were no records available.

[lsrjunkie]

I would run no matter the record.

It's very nice to have a great group of volunteers, again I say volunteers, to tell me how fast I went, keep record of that speed and implement some safety regulations to keep me from killing my fool self.

But again, for me it's seeing how fast I can go, not how much faster I am than the next guy.

[donpearsall]

I agree with NRHS Sales.  I don't think I would go to Bonneville if I were not racing against a record, even an open record. Going to Bonneville is just too much of a costly effort if the goal is "to have fun." I can have lots more fun if I were to spend $1000's and a whole years effort to have that fun. There are lots more fun things to do than to stand in line for a week in order to make a few 2 minute runs.

Racing is a competition. There has to be a goal to beat the other guy. Without competition there can be no innovation. Going to Bonneville merely to "have fun" reminds me of the kids sports teams where there is no winner at the end of the game. Everyone gets an orange slice.

Would bowling be fun if you rolled the ball down the alley but the pins were behind a black curtain? You rolled the ball, wasn't that enough fun?  Why do you need to know your score? When you go to a football game don't you want your team to win?

It is called Land Speed Racing. Racing means you compete to win. If you have fun while doing it, great. But that is not the goal. Getting the record is.
Don

[Stan Back]

So I guess we should have more record opportunities.  The bikes now have almost double the number that cars do.  Maybe the cars should all add a sidecar class and double up to catch up. 

I remember (?), i think it was JD years ago, that said we might consider using our entry number for our record.  And every time ol' 5669 went faster, he had a new record.

Jim Lattin would take issue with this -- I think he runs four vehicles under #69 from time to time.

[Nortonist 592]

I believe there was "pulling a trailer with an engine in it but not hooked up or running and get a record with it" class a few years ago.  I don't think it caught on.

[Stainless1]

Jeez Dean, think you stirred the pot enough this time... Seems you have pissed off a few of your fellow bikers...

My thoughts
Going as fast as you can is great 
Going faster than someone else can is better 
 

[jimwebb]

There are no easy or 'bought' records at Bonneville. If the record comes easy, it will fall sooner. We don't own 'em, we just hold 'em for a while.

[Gu11ett]

As far as disparity-
 How about the fact cars guys can run almost any engine they want-car, bike, atv, sled, jet, etc. Yet motorcycles are limited to motorcycle only engines.
If the rules are changed so cars can only use car engines, there would be lots of records for the car guys to "buy" or "cherry pick".
Or the concerned individual could build a bike himself.

are you drinking tonight ? What are you talking about maybe 5% of the car classes if not less?

Nope, not drinking. I just think there are few car engines for the H,I,J,K engine classes-therefore it would be hard to set a record without the bike engines. That would translate to some open/soft records.
 I am not trying to fan the fire, just trying to understand the original post.

[Nortonist 592]

  Maybe the cars should all add a sidecar class

If you do Stan you might get to be on French TV.  All it takes is three wheels.

http://videos.tf1.fr/auto-moto/plein-phare-sur-la-speed-week-de-bonneville-2013-8248733.html

[Peter Jack]

  Maybe the cars should all add a sidecar class

If you do Stan you might get to be on French TV.  All it takes is three wheels.

http://videos.tf1.fr/auto-moto/plein-phare-sur-la-speed-week-de-bonneville-2013-8248733.html

You looked good Bill!