The World's Fastest Motorcycles?

[hawkwind]

Sure streamliners are motorcycles as well as sit on , and as the motorcycle steward for the DLRA I have gone as far as calling and allowing these examples of  'motorcycles' as well ,infact we are WWWAAAAYYY more inovative than the SCTA ,we allow any combination of 2 or 3 wheels to run as motorcycles ,of the examples below one of those combinations will see me produce the first 300mph (non streamliner ) 










Gary

[PorkPie]

i dont see any two wheeled streamliner drivers that have also
set records over 240 on a sit on bike and visa versa.....

is it lack of skill.....or other....?.........


Joe

Joe,

going 240 on a sit on bike is something.

I had never the interest to bother the sit on bikers.

To the point with the 240, slower or faster, doesn't matter - the "heroes" of the earlier streamliner periode was all well known as very expierence sit on biker with a lot of skill - Vesco done the first big win for Yamaha, Campos was a great quarter miler - as a example. But to the time when they set there records, there was not 240 sit on bike's - but they was fast with the available bikes to this time.

The speed which Wilhelm Herz reached in 1956 with the NSU Delphin III at Bonneville - today you can buy it.

But I know a lot of good sit on bikers who never found out to drive a sit in streamliner.

I talked to this sit in bikers - and there was always the same opinion - you can handle a sit in streamliner only than if you can feel in advance what the bike is doing in the next moment to react before the bike react....sorry, my English is too short to explain it in a other way, but I hope it could be understand.

A pioneer of the sit in streamliner - the late H. P. Mueller - he runs the NSU Baumm streamliner in 1956 (and before) said to me - driving the Baumm was only possible, when he stopped to use all his expierence from the sit on bike.
Mueller was a world champion on four and two wheels - so he was a real racer.

Honestly, I was very surprised how fast Carr got the BUB streamliner under control - by the way - the BUB is a very good "copy" of the Kreidler cigar.......and this was a sit on streamliner - the 50 cc engine was under his chest and the chain drive between his legs.......

[PorkPie]

Some streamliner - more a short historie from the beginnings.

"The First 1" shows the very first sit in streamliner, left, from 1938.....on the right is the very first successful sit in streamliner - the Baumm I

[PorkPie]

More Streamliner

A view into the leg room of the Baumm I from 1951  (The First 2) and the shape from the 1955/56 Baumm (NSU Baumm) - both was the same technical design.

[PorkPie]

Oops - more streamliner - the inside attachment works not - here again

[PorkPie]

Sit on Streamliner - at first the NSU Delphin

[PorkPie]

More from the Delphin

[PorkPie]

And here the Kreidler Cigar

[RidgeRunner]

Flyboy,

     Normally to go right on a bike you gently push left bar/pull back on right bar while going into a lean to the right.  Starting the same turn faster can be done by countersteering, a quick twitch of the left bar BACK/right bar FORWARD which will drop the bike into a right lean VERY QUICK.  Left turns the same just reverse the directions. You've probabley already done it without realizing what the name for it was.  Practice CAREFULLY at slow speed on an open smooth surface with no traffic, dosn't take much twitch to initiate the turn, too much and you can be down before you know it.  Yup, got my basics DOWN out in the hayfield.  Very usefull manuver to have for use to avoid an accident on the street.

     I haven't had any personal liner experience, following are observations, opinions, and from memory.

     I do remember Cal Rayborn being quoted  saying as he went through different speed "zones" he had to steer to each "zone", some left to go right and some left to go left.  Could have been related to that liner's individual CG,CP,aero etc.  His position was about as reclined as possible, more than most of todays liners.

     Money can't buy the time and experience needed, good as he was even Vesco spent time other than vertical in "development".  Remember watching the Honda Hawk slide by in the early '70's, don't remember them ever really getting dialed in.

     GIVEN the OPPERTUNITY the really good riders/drivers will rise to the top at any venue anywhere, always have always will.  Vesco, Surtees, Hailwood, Foyt, Gurney, Mann, Roberts are just a few from the past that come quickly to mind.  Am sure that Chris, Rocky, and Sam could do just as well on 240-250+ sit ons as would Joe, John, Jon, Lee, Rich, Scott could in liners if they have the inclination/oppertunity.  probably have left out many worthy names, it is never intentional from me.  I regard all competitors on the course as winners, they are out there runnin' while I'm just watchin'

[Glen]

hawkwind
At one time SCTA/BNI had a 3 wheel class for motor cycles, only had a few that run for a couple of years and then they all lost interest. All had two rear driver wheels. They decided to play in the desert insted and the class went away.
Glen

[Sumner]

In conclusion, I don't want those that have gone over 240 mph on a sit-on bike to feel neglected. Although the steamliners are exciting and more of a refined piece of technological art, my admiration goes to the drivers of those record setting sit-on bikes.

Get in a streamliner once and think about getting it down the course on two wheels and I think your admiration might also include those who can accomplish that.

I can get on any sit on bike any day of the week and at least make it up to 100.  I think getting a streamliner to 100 isn't going to happen any day of the week with about almost anyone

c ya,

Sum

[Nortonist 592]

People,  Hawkwind is pulling your chain.  That or he is clueless.  Anybody who sticks a photo of Stanley Woods on the Norton Kneeler in the midst of a bunch of three wheelers and talks about 300 mphis pulling your chain.

[PorkPie]

Flyboy,

     Normally to go right on a bike you gently push left bar/pull back on right bar while going into a lean to the right.  Starting the same turn faster can be done by countersteering, a quick twitch of the left bar BACK/right bar FORWARD which will drop the bike into a right lean VERY QUICK.  Left turns the same just reverse the directions. You've probabley already done it without realizing what the name for it was.  Practice CAREFULLY at slow speed on an open smooth surface with no traffic, dosn't take much twitch to initiate the turn, too much and you can be down before you know it.  Yup, got my basics DOWN out in the hayfield.  Very usefull manuver to have for use to avoid an accident on the street.

Thanks to explain this, I think I would had a hard time to explain in my "English"

[JackD]

With the fastest vehicles, both cars and bikes seeking other time and places to run besides Speedweek, how much longer can they continue to call themselves "The World's Fastest Speed Trials" ?

"Failed as designed or designed to fail ?"

[Flaircraft]

Interestingly enough, here in WA state, part of the legal definition of a motorcycle is that the operator sits astride the engine.  I discovered this when I was looking into making a sit-down, rear-engine "motorcycle" for street use.