KillaJoule Sidecar Motorcycle Streamliner

[velocity]

Willi -

When you attend your first funeral of a compatriot who died trying to set a world record, or visit one in the hospital after crashing out trying to do the same, you will have acquired the knowledge and accompanying respect that record-holders have earned.

No one is saying the speed runs have no recognition, simply that what went down at the test and tune did not result in any records. And be fair to those women who hurtle along on 2 wheels, not on the stable comfort of 3, they have a harder time of wrestling the speed gremlins. Ask Leslie Porterfield how many bones she broke when she went down and down hard. Very hard. But is what she did when she came back that counts: a 232MPH record.

"To make a good rider," Porterfield told Time Magazine, "it takes somebody who can react to unusual circumstances effectively and stay calm. These bikes are a handful, and they are tough to ride. There is a lack of traction that always comes into effect and sometimes the bike moves around quite a bit and sometimes it can get out from under you pretty fast, so it takes some good calm reactions and a lack of panic when things get a little squirrelly out there on the salt [at Bonneville]."

[John Noonan]

Eva and her team has shown what Electric powered vehicles are capable of and their results whether records or just timed passes were awesome.

I do see an issue claiming "Fastest Woman "on" a bike". As a person that has run a streamlined motorcycle at the salt you are in and not on..I would like to see them run 300 "in their Streamlined Sidecar"

Her team has set the bar high for other sidecar streamliners for sure. 

[tallguy]

I, too, was excited and pleased to learn about Eva's 270+ mph speed(s), regardless
of whether they were "official."  More power to her!

I have read that she indicated that this is about as fast as her streamliner can go.

It would be terrific it she modified it and went 300 (officially, that is!), but of course
it gets more difficult, expensive, and dangerous as the speed increases. 

300 is a more "magical" number than 200 when it comes to this land speed stuff.  If
she wants to go 300, I hope it happens as safely as possible.  And if it can be done
("kind of") economically, that would be good too.

Best wishes to everyone for great salt conditions, safety, and results this year.  Here's
hoping to see the first 400+mph official record-setting runs by a motorcycle soon!

tallguy (in northern California)

[Malcolm UK]

Malcolm dear, we were only talking about Bonneville and only about the Cook test and tune, not the whole wide world. . . and besides, none of those other sanctioning bodies have dominion on the salt anyway. Let's not confuse the situation anymore than it is already Mr. Speed Record Club president.

Leave out the condescending phrases next time please Louise, it does not help the conversation. 

No governing body dictates what type of surface to run on or its location, not even the SCTA who race on dirt and salt. If you had made it clear that the narrow dimensions of the conversation were "Bonneville" and "Cook" (and electric sidecars) then that would have sufficed.

The Cook event was, for the few entries, a "speed challenge" much like a standing mile style events but increased in scale to provide 5 miles acceleration and 1 mile timed (with the 132 ft exit trap).

(Much like the "Sir Malcolm" used by the Bluebird Project restoring the DMC boat K7, the "President" was an added tag used about me by someone during the Cook meeting.  All SRC members know that Paul Hannaford is our club Chairman, because it states that in the newsletter Fast FACTS).   

Regards, Malcolm

[TrickyDicky]

The KillaJoule web site has a very well-written summary of Eva's (and her team's) achievements.

CURRENT RECORDS

KillaJoule – land speed racing records

KillaJoule is the world’s fastest electric motorcycle and the world’s fastest sidecar motorcycle of any kind with an official speed record of 240.726 mph (387.328 km/h) in the flying mile (AMA record August 2014, pending official certification) and a registered top speed of 270.224 mph (434.9 km/h).

The 240.726 mph record beats all the previous national and international speed records for electric motorcycles as well as for all kinds of sidecar motorcycles (including internal combustion-powered sidecar motorcycles).

The speed of 270.224 mph makes Eva Håkansson the fastest woman on a motorcycle in history.

Complete list of official speed records for KillaJoule and pilot Eva Håkansson:


240.726 mph (387.328 km/h) in the flying mile, AMA record, Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials, Bonneville Salt Flats, August 2014 (pending official certification by the AMA).

212.172 mph (341.458 km/h) in the flying kilometer, FIM record, BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials, Bonneville Salt Flats, August 2013.

212.047 mph in the flying mile, AMA record, BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials, Bonneville Salt Flats, August 2013.

212.040 mph (341.246 km/h) in the flying mile, FIM record, BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials, Bonneville Salt Flats, August 2013.

191.488 mph in the flying mile, AMA record, BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials, Bonneville Salt Flats, August 2012

188.063 mph in standing 1.5 mile, LTA record, Loring Timing Association, Maine, July 2012

164.131 mph in standing 1 mile, LTA record, Loring Timing Association, Maine, July 2012

138.586 mph in the flying mile, AMA record, BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials, Bonneville Salt Flats, August 2011

138.055 mph in the flying kilometer, FIM record, BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials, Bonneville Salt Flats, August 2011

138.036 mph in the flying mile, FIM record, BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials, Bonneville Salt Flats, August 2011

Registered top speed (single run):

270.224 mph (434.9 km/h), Mike Cook’s ShootOut, Bonneville Salt Flats, September 2014.

[bak189]

The above post tells it all........... and all these achievements in the "stable comfort of 3" wheels........I would like to invite Louise for a ride in a Landracing sidecar on the salt....( it would have to be at the all motorcycle meet due to the fact that SCTA/BNI since 1986 outlawed passengers) so she can see for herself how stable AND comfortable it is to race the salt on 3 wheels. In fact I would at 77 years old come out of retirement to do the driving honors............It might even inspire her to write another book about "3 wheels on the salt"....
She could get input from people like John N. as to how comfortable he felt going 210mph. plus, on the dirt at El Mirage on 3 wheels.  Then she could fly to Switzerland and talk to Fritz Egli to ask about his 206mph (former) World Record run on the salt..............Yes, that is why I have raced sidecars for the past 60 plus years because I wanted the "stable comfort of 3" wheels............Come on Louise get real!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sumner]

The above post tells it all........... and all these achievements in the "stable comfort of 3" wheels........I would like to invite Louise for a ride in a Landracing sidecar on the salt....( it would have to be at the all motorcycle meet due to the fact that SCTA/BNI since 1986 outlawed passengers) so she can see for herself how stable AND comfortable it is to race the salt on 3 wheels. In fact I would at 77 years old come out of retirement to do the driving honors............It might even inspire her to write another book about "3 wheels on the salt"....
She could get input from people like John N. as to how comfortable he felt going 210mph. plus, on the dirt at El Mirage on 3 wheels.  Then she could fly to Switzerland and talk to Fritz Egli to ask about his 206mph (former) World Record run on the salt..............Yes, that is why I have raced sidecars for the past 60 plus years because I wanted the "stable comfort of 3" wheels............Come on Louise get real!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll have to agree, the 3rd wheel appears to add a safety factor, but in reality at those speeds I'd much rather be on 2 wheels without that appendage sticking out there and not real sure what it is going to do (rest assured though that I'll never attempt either).

A lot of effort goes into streamliners, lakesters and other cars to make sure they hopefully are pretty symmetrical to keep them running straight and her rig sure isn't symmetrical.

The hardest vehicle in my opinion to get down the course is a motorcycle streamliner.  Few have been good at it.  She has the definite advantage of the initial 'getting up to speed' without falling over, but from that point on I think if there isn't crosswinds 2 wheels will be more stable at higher speeds than probably the 3 wheels with the possible unknown aero tendencies of the vehicle.

I'll also add hats off to Eva and her team, not a lot of people will run over 250 regardless of the vehicle,

Sum

[debgeo]

First it is nice to see Sumner on the forum again and I hope all is well with you. Lets see they build a streamliner basically at home and power it with a bunch flashlight batteries and go 270. My hats off to them. I do not care a lot about who sanctions who. I think it is fantastic what they have done. I live in Denver and would love to meet them. On face book I saw Eva with children at Salt flats can you imagine the thrill they had being with her. I would bet not one of them asked who sanctioned the meet. Maybe the first person to go 1000 miles per hour was on that bus. My congratulations on what you have accomplished.

[Kix]

In direct contrast to the curmudgeonly opining of the poster who claims to "say what everyone else is thinking" even when this is rarely the case... I, for one, would like to avoid another Jesse James v. Louise embarrasment and get back to the original spirit of this post!

I had no idea what the KillaJoule was when we followed the trailer off of I80 and onto the salt.  I was pleasantly surprised to learn over the next two days that this trailer was chocked full of the dreams of two vibrantly intelligent people who are quite successfully foraying deep into the unknown.  We can all argue the semantics of the number of wheels, and "on" v. "in", this organization, that organization, blah, blah, blah... whatever....  

But at the end of the day, these pioneers, Eva and Bill, are living the dream of those innovaters who pushed the envelope of our sport long before it was even a recognized sport.  I don't mean to wax nostalgic, but pushing the envelope of technology was exactly what innovators like Ak Miller, Marvin Lee, Wally Parks, Malcolm Campbell, Mickey Thompson, and a huge list of other heroes to the sport were all about.

Our current generation desperately needs more models of courage, innovation, and seeing the payoff for good old fashioned hard work!  I'm truly inspired by your efforts and I wish you continued success!

Kix

 

[velocity]

Tricky Dicky has the best post of this thread where it lists the facts about the sidecar streamliner's records and single speed runs.

All the rest of the ego twisting is pointless.

[Stan Back]

bak --

Is there a minimum (and maximum) weight for passengers?

[doug]

In direct contrast to the curmudgeonly opining of the poster who claims to "say what everyone else is thinking" even when this is rarely the case... I, for one, would like to avoid another Jesse James v. Louise embarrasment and get back to the original spirit of this post!

I had no idea what the KillaJoule was when we followed the trailer off of I80 and onto the salt.  I was pleasantly surprised to learn over the next two days that this trailer was chocked full of the dreams of two vibrantly intelligent people who are quite successfully foraying deep into the unknown.  We can all argue the semantics of the number of wheels, and "on" v. "in", this organization, that organization, blah, blah, blah... whatever....  

But at the end of the day, these pioneers, Eva and Bill, are living the dream of those innovaters who pushed the envelope of our sport long before it was even a recognized sport.  I don't mean to wax nostalgic, but pushing the envelope of technology was exactly what innovators like Ak Miller, Marvin Lee, Wally Parks, Malcolm Campbell, Mickey Thompson, and a huge list of other heroes to the sport were all about.

Our current generation desperately needs more models of courage, innovation, and seeing the payoff for good old fashioned hard work!  I'm truly inspired by your efforts and I wish you continued success!

Kix

 

HAHAHA you beat me to the blah blah blah.

It is not the first or last time a professional writer was wrong.  Who cares!
Everyone enjoy this if you haven't already viewed it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt5XJ6AXbAo

[javajoe79]

All the rest of the ego twisting is pointless.

As was your shot at her record (pending verification apparently).....    Or did you have a point?

[Malcolm UK]

The mile long trap was used on the salt for the Lucas Oils/Varta Batteries Speed Challenge. 

So the 270 mph achieved by Eva was her average speed over the 5280 feet of timed distance. The team call it their 'top speed', but to many it will be the mile target speed for other electric powered teams, (except the OSU Buckeye Bullet).

It was a pity that Paul Drayson could not run on the salt last October with his Le Mans based Lola EV Class II electric car (an official FIA record holder). Any figures might have been unable to match the mile one way average set by KillaJoule (which I was able to observe).

Using a British phrase for comparison (about the equivalent to the bang for each buck spent), the "£ spent per mph" would seem to be very good value with the Killacycle Team, when compared with all other electric powered contenders of today with completed vehicles or design renderings.

Electric power started the story of the World LSR race in 1898, but perhaps unfortunately it will not end the story because non wheeldriven vehicles have taken over with the top speeds. Eva and Bill and their team (Alicia and Mike and Kent) will keep a place for wheeldriven electric in the ongoing story of speed.
 
 

[Holly Martin]

Thank you to all of the men and women in Land Speed Racing who encourage me to crew, race and capture the passion of the LSR culture.
As a photographer, it was not records that inspire me to drive, it is the racers discipline to stay in shape, their skill to ride or drive and their courage to go fast.
It is wonderful to know there is always a possibility I could get a record or a "Red Hat" someday, but that is just the icing on the cake. I find it more rewarding to inspire others, just as Eva, Danny, Willy, Kitty, Leslie, Al, Jane, Tegan, Chick , Monte, George, Ali, Nick, Fred, Judy,  Ed, Mike, Billy, Tony, Lee, Jill, Jim, Martin and countless others have inspired me.

It is not about records. Land speed racing is about being positive, inspiring others to be courageous, be self –confident and follow their dreams.
So far, as evidenced by the  attached photo, my choice to be positive and encouraging to others is very rewarding.
 
My next step is to get my “A” license, then a record and into the 200 MPH Club. These personal goals are a direct result of the positive and encouraging attitude of others. I am extremely grateful to those who have given me so many amazing opportunities. 
Thank you.

“We can improve our relationships with others by leaps and bounds if we become encouraging instead of critical.”- Joyce Meyer