jacobhawkins Posted September 8, 2017 Report Share Posted September 8, 2017 So my neighbor is a mechanic and likes to go fast. He wants to build a bike to get a record at the Ohio Mile race and I want to ride it. We are looking to build a bike 350-650cc. This is just a flat out top speed thing, no corners, don't need a good reaction time etc, just get up to speed and hang on. There really aren't any limits on what can be done, they'll put us in a class no matter what mods. My question would be, does anyone have a suggestion for a bike to start with or things to stay away from? This is a fun project, don't want to spend zillions, but we all know how racing anything goes... He likes the idea of an older bike, single or twin. I don't care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpoppa Posted September 8, 2017 Report Share Posted September 8, 2017 Put a turbo on a zx6r? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorset Posted September 8, 2017 Report Share Posted September 8, 2017 don't want to be a wet blanket, but the ohio mile is currently dead. wilmington declined to renew the relationship at the airport, and the ECTA is still looking for another strip. last i heard there was a dim possibility of getting wilmington back. people here have been going to loring, maine instead. they raced there last weekend. https://www.flickr.com/photos/101319891@N08/sets/72157667980099782/with/26321517534/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted September 8, 2017 Report Share Posted September 8, 2017 I think your budget dictates what you buy... I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, but my initial thoughts are: - fairings/aero will matter a lot on a top-speed run. - cutting off unnecessary weight will help you overcome the acceleration loss of shorter gearing - be prepared to buy or machine custom sprockets to achieve said shorter gearing - did I mention aero will matter a LOT? I would bet you spend more money there than you probably anticipate. Charlie V who owns Pit-Bull is a salt-flats top speed guy. I believe he's surpassed 200 mph. I know that was a goal of his for a while. I'm sure you can find his email address on the WERA board or their public website. https://www.pit-bull.com/about-pit-bull-products Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted September 8, 2017 Report Share Posted September 8, 2017 (edited) Maxton was the primary home to ECTA's LSR racing until around 2010? 2011? Wilmington was booming as soon as it started up, but not sure where they're going to end up next. There's some talk about staying at Wilmington, but haven't seen or heard anything concrete about that. Texas hosted LSR as well, but that's under another sanction I believe, and if you're going THAT far.....may as well head to Bonneville? Good luck on the build, I really dont know all of the class rules but they should be available on their website - that would clue you in to the best platform to compete with. I'm sure they will eventually find a new place to host events on this side of the States.....just a matter of when/where Edited September 8, 2017 by Hellmutt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorset Posted September 8, 2017 Report Share Posted September 8, 2017 bonneville is kind of iffy these days. not enough salt left to run every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobhawkins Posted September 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2017 I guess what ideas I'm looking for are related to starting motors or frames. I know aero will matter, but if we can't build a motor that will handle more power, it won't matter. A turbo is a good idea. Ya think a zx6 is a decent motor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpoppa Posted September 8, 2017 Report Share Posted September 8, 2017 2 minutes ago, jacobhawkins said: Ya think a zx6 is a decent motor? Sure. What bike currently has the record? That might be a great place to start. Add power, shave weight, & improve the aero as much as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobhawkins Posted September 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2017 3 hours ago, Tpoppa said: Sure. What bike currently has the record? That might be a great place to start. Add power, shave weight, & improve the aero as much as possible. They don't say what bike, just give a speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorset Posted September 8, 2017 Report Share Posted September 8, 2017 you need to get hold of a rule book, because whatever you build will be judged against the rules of the class you get put in. if you build a great machine but just happen to choose a configuration that puts you in the bottom of the next higher speed class, you'll have fun but you won't be competitive. here's what i mean. i race a 1965 triumph bonneville at the ohio mile and at loring, in maine, M/PG 650/4. that means naked bike, modified production frame, no more than 650 cc, pushrod valves, 4-stroke gasoline. i run against other 650 pushrod gasoline bikes only. it's competitive in that class. but my machine is 649cc, bone stock. if i bore it 0.040 over, the motor is over 650cc, not much , but over. so if i bore it, even just to clean up the cylinders, i'll have to race against the 750s, and they'll clean my clock. i knew that when i built it, so i started with new cylinders to stay in the 650 class. th ekey is to build the absolutely fastest machine you can, while staying inside the rules for the slowest class you can enter it in. i can do 128 mph with mine right now, against the world record of 133. my machine is still in development, and i'm looking for 134 this spring. you'll have the choice of naked, partial streamlined, streamlined, gasoline, fuel, stock, modified, altered, and so on. you can get into anything-- i've seen 240+ mph hayabusas waiting in line alongside 50cc nitrous injected sidecars that topped out at 46 mph. the odd stuff is the most interesting, and you'll see it all. get a copy of the rules from tonya turk, at ECTAmembership@hotmail.com, or let me know your address and i'll send you a copy of one of mine from last year--they don't change much from year to year, and you'll be able to see what sort of machine interests you. but you can race absolutely anything you're interested in riding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorset Posted September 8, 2017 Report Share Posted September 8, 2017 and another thing . . . lol you don't need to build anything special to get started. the production class is just that, production-- you aren't allowed to change anything that shows. tune up whatever you like to ride and race it, and while you're there look at what everybody else is running and decide how fast you want to spend. life is short. race now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motocat12 Posted September 9, 2017 Report Share Posted September 9, 2017 busa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobhawkins Posted September 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2017 22 hours ago, dorset said: you need to get hold of a rule book, because whatever you build will be judged against the rules of the class you get put in. if you build a great machine but just happen to choose a configuration that puts you in the bottom of the next higher speed class, you'll have fun but you won't be competitive. here's what i mean. i race a 1965 triumph bonneville at the ohio mile and at loring, in maine, M/PG 650/4. that means naked bike, modified production frame, no more than 650 cc, pushrod valves, 4-stroke gasoline. i run against other 650 pushrod gasoline bikes only. it's competitive in that class. but my machine is 649cc, bone stock. if i bore it 0.040 over, the motor is over 650cc, not much , but over. so if i bore it, even just to clean up the cylinders, i'll have to race against the 750s, and they'll clean my clock. i knew that when i built it, so i started with new cylinders to stay in the 650 class. th ekey is to build the absolutely fastest machine you can, while staying inside the rules for the slowest class you can enter it in. i can do 128 mph with mine right now, against the world record of 133. my machine is still in development, and i'm looking for 134 this spring. you'll have the choice of naked, partial streamlined, streamlined, gasoline, fuel, stock, modified, altered, and so on. you can get into anything-- i've seen 240+ mph hayabusas waiting in line alongside 50cc nitrous injected sidecars that topped out at 46 mph. the odd stuff is the most interesting, and you'll see it all. get a copy of the rules from tonya turk, at ECTAmembership@hotmail.com, or let me know your address and i'll send you a copy of one of mine from last year--they don't change much from year to year, and you'll be able to see what sort of machine interests you. but you can race absolutely anything you're interested in riding. Sounds like you've got some experience! I'll send Tonya an email about the rules book and if she doesn't get back, I'll let you know. 128 in a stock Bonneville!? Nice job! When I have questions, hope you don't mind if I bug you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorset Posted September 9, 2017 Report Share Posted September 9, 2017 tonya runs the show, and she'll be able to answer any general questions. if you want to just go all-out stupid fast, motocat is right, the busas will do it. but it's pretty rarified and pretty expensive to play up there. the busas do 240 or so, and the big harleys do 200. or just go nuts: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorset Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 the ECTA has arranged to use the international airport in blytheville, arkansas, for 2018. 11,600 feet. first meet 20-22 april. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfeman28 Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 Good news. Bad that it's in Arkansas, but I suppose we shouldn't complain, at least its closer than Bonneville . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimTheAzn Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 Why limit yourself on the CC's? 650 in a straight line thats no fun. Get yo self a 1k. Like an 05 gsxr 1k and slap a turbo on that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorset Posted November 1, 2017 Report Share Posted November 1, 2017 lol you'd be surprised how much fun 650 can be when you're flat out on a chassis built 50 years ago with the motor screaming at 50 percent over its design limits. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted November 1, 2017 Report Share Posted November 1, 2017 Yep. Plus it's like any other form of racing - the rules book is what makes it competitive. Otherwise it would be a competition to see who could spend the most money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorset Posted November 2, 2017 Report Share Posted November 2, 2017 seriously, though, tim has a point. it really is all straight-line stuff, completely. the attraction of that is that it's an entire mile, or better, of straight line-- at bonneville you have three miles. it seems to last forever. you aim at a horizon you can barely see, open it up all the way, and then hold it wide open, all the way. if you back off, you lose. if you miss a shift, you lose. if you raise your head or stick your elbows out, you lose. the focus on perfection is intense. how often do you get to take your track bike out, open it up, and keep it there? no turns, no braking, just top end all the way? the motorcycle record at loring is 311 mph. i'm interested in road racing, which is why i'm here listening to you guys, but i'm hooked on that straight line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorset Posted November 2, 2017 Report Share Posted November 2, 2017 lol, maybe it wouldn't seem like forever if i rode a faster bike. https://bangordailynews.com/2011/07/17/sports/warner-sets-world-speed-record-at-loring/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 I have never ridden on salt, but per Jason Britton, he went out with a rented GSX-R 750(i think) and had trouble getting above 140. It's not just about holding it WOT. Traction management and keeping the bike straight on a loose surface is harder than it sounds over 100 mph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jester_ Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 You would be surprised what some of the straight lengths are at a road course. Road Atlanta is about a mile long, vir isnt super long but you are already going at a good clip when you enter it. Even summit point and mid ohio are pretty fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorset Posted November 4, 2017 Report Share Posted November 4, 2017 i didn't know that. i thought the track designers on a road race course would drag you down sooner. i'm learning. the old bonneville-style salt races have a couple of miles to build speed and then a full measured mile between the lights, but bonneville doesn't have as much salt as it used to. nobody has that much space on the B52 runways at all so you generally have a mile (or 1.5) to build speed and then 132 feet between the lights for timing. if you have a hot bike that will hold together for repeated runs at a full mile WFO, then you ought to think about LSR. maybe one difference is that you can still be going wide open at the end of the mile, because you have a half mile to a mile of straight line to slow down in after the lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorset Posted November 4, 2017 Report Share Posted November 4, 2017 maybe this is interesting? ^^^ this is a guy from wooster who was at bonneville this last season, still working out issues, and not as fast as he wants yet. the other guy with the blue and gold streamliner has the current absolute record for these 60-year old machines at 175 mph on nitromethane. ignore the pretentious music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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