| Author | Message | ||
     Isiahstites |
No problem Rasta, I have considered cutting them as you suggested, I am just trying to finish all of the small important stuff prior to stuff that it not going to effect the performance much. 46champ - Yep, It came from Aaron, they fill that my motor should be making a few more ponies than it is so the pipe was the first obvious thing that is different from there motors. I couldn't run mine straight back like they do without burning my leg off so I went a different route. Scott | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Scott, it has been a hoot following your progress. Many talk the talk but few like you actually do some real "walking". I like your exhaust, if Aaron made the suggestion, it's probably going to work well. One note on the exhaust outlet, I'm betting you are going to need to enlarge the hole in the faring. When you fire that beast up I'll bet that the pipes are going to move around more than a little bit. You may even want to make a stainless plate for the front and back of the fairing and rivet it in place. Maybe an inch wide all the way around. It might save your fiberglass if the fairing and header move around at speed. Plus it would look cool! You are doing fantastic work, I can't wait to hear how it does for you on the salt. Which event do you plan on attending? Brad | ||
| Isiahstites |
Brad thanks for the comments and the advice! If you look in the pictures I have some red marker around the exhaust hole to enlarge it some more. I also am going to run the first couple of events unpainted so I can make any modifications to the fairing or anything else prior to make everything semi-permanent. I was thinking the same thing the other day about the stainless pieces around the exhaust. I actually got the idea from the host ths show "Trucks". I plan on attending six El Mirage events and hopefully the October Bonneville meet. My wife is 6 months pregnant and the baby is do a week before Speedweek, so that event is out for me this year. Scott | ||
| Hexangler |
Keep up the good work! I am thinking that you will have cracking around the three main fairing mounts. Maybe a couple of Aluminum flanges (large washers) epoxied to the inside and out of the fairing shell--then bolt through sandwich (flange, fairing, flange). Hex | ||
| Isiahstites |
If you were here to see and feel it in person I have a feeling you would feel differently. When I am completely done with the bike all of the mounting locations are going to get a few extra layers of glass to beef them up. The fairing is on there quite well and with the belly pan attaching the front to the rear the fairings are very solid. Scott | ||
| Isiahstites |
I took the primary apart today with the intentions of getting it back together before the days end after I installed the stator and rotor. Well that didn't happen, I was missing the four screws that hold the stator in place and one screw that holds the rotor to the sprocket. I also found out that the housing on the clutch cable at the primary was broke. So a trip to the mc shop was needed.  While I was at the mc shop I bought this as I did not want to run the velocity stack. This air filter and back plate are made just for the Super D carb and have a extra wide filter.    After I got back from the two mc shops I started to put everything back together. After I was finished installing the stator, rotor, front and rear sprockets I decided to roll the motor over by hand to make sure everything worked as it was supposed to............grinding is not good!! I broke one of the magnets away from the rotor due to a loose alan socket the rotor picked up. DAMN IT!! So after to some research I found others have used JB Weld to re-attach the magnet with no problems. Now the primary will have to be finished in the morning.  I also got the speedometer re-mounted so it can be easily read while riding.  | ||
| Isiahstites |
It has been extremely busy week for me, my dam job gets in the way of me finishing what is really important! I got the primary all back together and the new clutch cable installed.  The regulator is mounted.  New chain and new sprocket installed.  I shortened the handlebars to give me the proper clearances I need in the fairing.  The exhaust has been cut flush to match the contour of the fairing.  Kickstand   Bike has been disassembled and painted.   Well the first hell week is over and it is time for the second one. I need to re-assemble everything and get everything working. It is going to come down to the wire. My new leathers are suppose to be done Wednesday and I have a fitting on Thursday, I hope they fit. I am glad I got and early start this year. | ||
| Isiahstites |
Today I surprised myself and was able to get a lot of the bike put back together, it is about 90% back together and it took me around 6 hours to get to this point. Tomorrow, if all goes well I will finish up the rest and wire the bike and start working out any possible problems. Scott   | ||
| Isiahstites |
Ok, here are a few pics of the bike finished as far as building is concerned. The bike is wired and everything is working. All I need to do now is some fine tuning, safety wire and some minor bodywork.    And here is a video of the bike running. I rode it last night at I was impressed with the power the motor had. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmTuN64B74Y Enjoy, Scott | ||
| Road_thing |
Looks and sounds great, Scott! Good luck at the races! rt | ||
| Rasta_dog |
Man, that thing is going to burn up the salt. The exhaust looks awesome, too!  | ||
| Isiahstites |
Thanks guys! | ||
| Isiahstites |
Racing tomorrow and Sunday!!       | ||
| 46champ |
Scott your bike is so cool. You get so much done, do you even have a day job? | ||
| Buelliedan |
I think he never sleeps! | ||
| Rick_a |
That is one wicked looking machine. | ||
| Blake |
Scott, Do the class rules allow the tail section to extend aft of the rear tire? | ||
| Isiahstites |
46Champ - Thanks! Yes I have a 44 hour a week day job and a very pregnant(understanding) wife and a couple of dogs to take care of, there isn;t enough time in a day to do it all but it gets done. Buelliedan - I sleep just not a whole lot. Rick - Thank you Blake - The APS Rules state that you can have 8" of overhang. Thanks for the support guys. Scott | ||
| Isiahstites |
While at the track this weekend I had a friend who was updating some friends on another forum as to my progress, so instead of me writing something I have copied what he has written as he can write/tell a story much than I. Here is what he wrote: UPDATE NO. 1 -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Scotty just called at 1:30PM, PST. On the first run of the "new" Bonneville Buell, all was well, pulling clean & strong, handling perfectly. At the normal shift point, 7300 RPM in 3th gear the bike would not shift to 4th. He kept trying to make the shift but in so doing he lost several hundred RPM. He finally got it into 4th but it bogged a bit from the dropped RPM. Scott nursed it back up to the the shift point but it would not shift to 5th, even after several tries. He "ran out of track" and was timed at 148 MPH in 4th ! The record for his class is a fast 178 MPH. His gearing calculator shows the bike *could* run 177 MPH at 7300 RPM in 5th (top) gear. The rev-limiter hits at 7500 RPM, so...if he gets the shifting problem straightened out, he could top the 178 MPH record by several MPH. Unlike Bonneville where you have to average two opposite direction speeds and exceed the old record to set a new one, at El Mirage you only have to exceed the old record in a single, one-way run. So, if the shifting can be corrected, a new record is definitely do-able and could happen.. *Could* being the operative word. No Land Speed Racer worth his salt says what he is going to do, only what he has done ! But it is very encouraging and Scott is really pretty happy. He is going to check all the obvious things like boot or shift lever interference and will try pre-loading the shifter as a way to possibly help. He may/may not attempt a shift mechanism repair at the track. It is 105 F. at the track and he ran just after noon, meaning the air was very "thin". A bit cooler for a later run today will be a plus, and the jetting should still be good. Tech inspection went great and the Bonneville Buell performed flawlessly, save the recalcitrant shifter. He found a little engine oil in the belly pan after the run and will be chasing that but it is not significant. He is really impressed with the performance of the motor and how stable the bike is...both signs of a well built racer ! More later...wish him luck ! EDIT: I forgot to mention, last year's best speed of the (brand new) Bonneville Buell was 128 MPH in 5th gear. Great progress ! UPDATE NO. 2 -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Scott called with today's last update. Best case scenarios for the shifter & oil puking problems. Both turned out to be "new racer" teething problems that require a bit of fettling. A heim joint on the shift linkage was rubbing inside the fairing preventing the 4-5 shift. It sounds like he'll do a "trackside fix" that will get the job done but require some TLC when he gets it home. "Inelegant but effective" for now. The oil is normal for a "breathed on" HD motor turning 7300-7500 RPM for extended periods. A jerry-rigged catch bottle and a little hose will fix that. The bad news is he won't get to make another pass today. The good news he is near the start of the line for a pass tomorrow morning. The other good news is why... He gave up his slot for a run today to help another racer fix a problem and get in his "rookie run". It was obvious that Scott has the smarts, skills & balls to build and race this bike in Land Speed Racing. Now it is obvious that he also has the heart of a true racer. Good luck tomorrow man... UPDATE NO. 3 -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Scott got in another pass this morning at 9:00AM PST. No record (yet) but things are progressing. He was still experiencing shifter problems although it was better. He "missed" the 2-3 shift which cost him time (track length) and speed (power); until he could shift on up, 2-3, 3-4 & 4-5. His trap speed was 168 MPH in 5th (against the 178 record), with the engine still pulling & accelerating. In other-words, he "ran out of track", well before he ran out of power, gearing, or "aero". Very encouraging. Unlike Bonneville, El Mirage is much shorter and doesn't allow room for missed shifts, etc. Temp was 85 F. and air density was 5,180 ft. Anyone know the 'mean sea level' at El Mirage ? He said he *may* get in one more run and will update us if so. If you see no more updates, that's "all she wrote" for this meet. In my opinion he has had a very successful meet. Only a couple of minor problems with the "new" bike, and the potential more more speed was proven. Way to go Scotty ! As you can see my friend is an excellent writer! I could of made a few more passes today after my morning pass, however I just didn't feel right about getting back on the bike again until I had gone through it again to make sure everything was tight and in good working order, so next month we will be gunning for the 170 and 175 mark! Here are few pics to start, I will post more in the next few days. Scott It was really hot!! WATER!!!  We are off!  Here is me and my pregnant Umbrella Girl/ Crew Chief!  | ||
| Bigdaddy |
Great story --here's to next month! | ||
| Isiahstites |
Ok guys a lot has happened since my last post. Some members of other forums found out that I wan't going to make it to Bonneville due to my wife's layoff and pregnancy so they decided to help. Members started sending money and I AM NOW GOING TO BONNEVILLE!! Here are the threads from two different forums. http://xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/showthread.php? t=222397 http://www.motorcyclistcafe.com/forums/showthread. php?t=5200 As far as work has gone on the bike I am getting very close to having everything replaced that needed replaced or re-done or installed the way I wanted. Since being back from El Mirage and leaving early on a gut feeling that two runs were plenty until I had time to go through the bike. I found the intake manifold had loosened up, along with the top motor mount. I took the rear rocker cover and tightened it down as I had a small leak. I replaced my old rectifier with a new one.The seat pan was not mounted to my liking so I changed it and am much happier. I adjusted my shift lever so I would have more leverage when shifting to eliminate any mis-shifts. I cleaned and re-lubed the drive chain. I also went through the entire bike and checked for any cracks in the chassis or any additional loose bolts. I wires in a new kill switch.  I installed this catch can that was donated by a forum (Rotten Ralph)member.   I made a new mount for my new steering damper and installed the new damper.  Well I got the cart in front of the horse and after the damper was installed I could not get my gas tank back in so I had to adapt and over come. I modified the mount so my gas tank would go back in and mounted the damper to the bottom of the triple tree instead of the top.  I have new tires that will be here in a few days at which point I will replace the wheel bearings and the rear sprocket down one tooth. The next race is Sunday and I feel really good about the bike and it's potential! All of these new parts and the trip to Bonneville this year is because of all of the help I received from good people. I am truly humbled and grateful for their kindness! Scott (Message edited by isiahstites on June 17, 2008) | ||
| Charlies_s1 |
Hope to see ya on the salt Scott, Chuck. | ||
| Isiahstites |
Came home to some new tires yesterday! I always enjoy waiting on parts.......I am always anxious to see if something has shown up. Sometimes I feel like it is my Xmas all year round. Tires are now mounted and balanced!  Before I did the tires I replaced the wheel bearings front and rear. I found the front left bearing was ready to fail. It is hard to see in the picture, but part of the bearing that rides between and separates the balls has broke and moved one of the balls slightly. I am glad I went with my instincts at the last race and passed on making any extra runs, this could of been ugly!!! Old bearing is on the left and the new one is on the right. Look at the part where the two bearings are closest, that is the part that has started to fail.  New bearings being pressed in........  The bike will be ready to go tomorrow evening after I put the wheels back on and finish up a few minor things. Leaving Saturday morning for tech and racing on Sunday!! My goal for this bike all along has been 175 and I hope to achieve that goal on Sunday. Scott | ||
| Kilroy |
Good luck Scott and let us know how you do (as I am sure you will). I have really enjoyed following your progress in this thread. | ||
| Aeholton |
Good luck Scott! Go Buell! This has been an excellent read. Hope to see your next post declaring that 175 has been achieved. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Scott, this has really been a great tale. Thanks so much for taking all of along on your so cool adventure! One trick I heard about from some of the real go fast boys regarding bearings. Ceramic is the way to go. Expensive as hell but worth a couple MPH on the top end. I know Aaron ran ceramic bearings on the big bike, maybe Firreman Jim will chime in. He may be running them too. Go get um this weekend!! Brad | ||
| Isiahstites |
Bluzm2, I fully agree with the ceramic bearing idea, however this shoestring budget is not going to allow for them. I think it would cost me around $800 to do both wheels. Loading the trailer right now. Scott | ||
| Isiahstites |
I made it back from El Mirage last night after some fun with the trailer. See pic below! While there I made a pass of 167 and some change......it was only .200 off of last meets pass. The new tires, bearings and damper made the bike handle much better, she was as straight as an arrow! The bike was geared about 4 mph faster this month due to an increase in tire size. Couple this with my 7200 rpm at the traps and I should of been in the mid 170's.........wheel spin killed us!! Also had some shifting problems again from 4th-5th......after three clutch pulls I finally got it..........this cost me a lot of ground and I am sure xx mph at the traps. My next project for the bike is more support in the front fairing, playback tach w. shift light and eventually an air shifter. These things will help across the board. So as we stand I am still short of the 170 mark. With a smooth complete pass with no errors I believe I can get into the range, I will them tune from there, but until then I am making sure everything is functional on the bike and not getting aggressive with the motor and the tune.  Cool picture  Here is the fun I had on the way home from El Mirage.  Hope you guys like this picture, I have an 8x10 coming. Check out all of his other photos......lots of LSR stuff. http://76.169.115.204/racing/SCTA/080622%20El%20Mi rage/pages/080622087.html | ||
| Hutch |
Scott it was nice to see the bike and meet you imperson. I did not hear your speed after your run, but your pass was real impressive. Daryl. | ||
| Isiahstites |
Hutch, It was nice to meet you as well! Sorry, I had to leave so quickly. I wish I could hear what the bike sounded like on a run. I believe it was you that mentioned you had some air shifter parts that maybe you were willing to part with. If so please let me know so we can chat more. Scott |
