Old Motorcycle Records.

[tomsmith]

I was wrong about the rider of the Brute.  Originally Louis Castro rode the Brute.  About 1952 or maybe later, Jim Hunter took over.  At least I think so.  The motor was put in a streamliner around 1954, which was not successful due to lack of stability or something.  A few years later, Bud Hood and CB Clausen (the owners) broke up - I heard one of them went to Mexico and bought or ran a hotel.  How about that for nebulous information.

[tomsmith]

I forgot to mention that the Marty Dickerson Vincent was running gas class.  Marty has the fastest gas Vincent ever run at Bonneville.  Henry Bernal, Bud Hare, the Brute, Jim Hunter and Tom Smith ran fuel (about 30% nitro then).  I don't know what anyone else ran.  Joe Simpson's Fuel Vincent had problems, so didn't get a good run in, as well as Jack Dale (Harley 45), Sandy McGregor (61cu in & 74cu in Harley).  Rich Richards did 129.76 2-ways early on (500cc Triumph), only to be beaten by Bud Hare's 500cc Triumph.

[JackD]

It is a shame those records are treated as forgotten but not gone.
They deserve better.

[sabat]

Old thread resurrection. I searched the word "history" on the site and have been reading for a couple hours.

It started with a trivia question - what's the oldest record in the SCTA book? I think it's the 1956 NSU record, but I haven't looked at every value. Anyone know?

[754]

Dickerson ran at Bub in 07 or 08

The Curtis sppeed is quite awesome, an interesting story, that certainly sounds possible.

What you had said is the first I had heard of it being an engine out of something else!

Just before I posted this, I held in my hands an original card of Curtiss on his bike!

It says this at the top,

World Record - Ormond Beach, Fla.
1 mile - 26 2/5 seconds.
8 cylinder, 40 hp. Motor Cycle.
Built by the Curtiss Manufacturing Company, Hammondsport, N.Y.


I got that card on ebay , a few years back, and also (not the same time) a letter written by a Roland Free,  Indian Agent, on his company letterhead, I think that was 1930 ish..

Interesting stuff, this topic..

[nefareous]

Curtiss eight at the museum..

[754]

That motor was just YEARS ahead of everything else at that time...

[tomsmith]

I read many years ago that Curtis used one of his Zeppelin motors in his bike, which was why it was a big V8.  Also, I read that his record was not recognized due to the timing being done by spectators.  He broke something and was unable to make more runs.  This is all speculation on my part, but he was clearly the fastest motor vehicle in the world for many years.  Too bad it wasn't recognized as being official.  Just imagine what a dangerous run it was with the tires of the day.

[1194]

Interesting sideline.......that 250c.c. record that Walter Villa set back in July 1977 at Spa (129.71) on a
twin-cyl. two-stroke Harley-Davidson (italian made) was in a chassis made by Bakker Frames....
Not much Harley on that bike..................................

The bike is now in the Barber Museum in Birmingham, Alabama...................................................

[fredvance]

Wasn't that an Aeramacchi(sp) motor?

[1194]

Yes, it was...........however, it was not the 4-stroke motor that was most common and sold  as a club racer and street bike................it was a 2-stroke twin, a lot like the Yam...........................
One of their race models had twin front disc brake that was geared so the discs ran backwards in relation to the wheel,  the thought was it provided better braking......don't know if it did.

[754]

I think we need T-Shirts with the Curtiss bike on them, and the caption:
 Building V-8 2 Wheelers since 1913!.....

[Seldom Seen Slim]

I get our t-shirts -- for Salt Talks and landracing.com and etc... -- from Darryl at C3Deep in Alabama.  He makes 'em for racers.  Get in touch this way:  c3deep@centurytel.net

Called your bluff!

[Stainless1]

I'll take one... XL put me on the list Bak....  oops, sorry, that guy is a 1cc short of a Victor to be Bak... Numbers for names too futuristic .... I'll still take a shirt 

[interested bystander]

I beleve Aermacchi built better sewing machines than they did motorbikes.

The subject of this topic brings one full circle, since the "detached" Triumphs were the butt-kickers of early Salt Flats and Dry Lakes furrin' bike competition. Along of course, with the Vincent- HRDs.

But since it's no longer 1949, they're vintage.

Like good wine.

Original poster- GO FOR IT.