This week is the BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials, the AMA/FIM certified land speed racing event on the Bonneville Salt Flats. This year the KillaJoule team has returned to the salt and is having great success, already setting a record and achieving a 213.190 miles/hr run. The KillaJoule is a full streamliner electric motorcycle with a "sidecar" of sorts. It was built by Eva Hakansson and Bill Dube of the KillaCycle racing team. The week is not done yet, and they're looking to make a full pair of runs today at over 200 miles/hr.
This speed is in the neighborhood of the Lightning Motorcycle and Chip Yates records from 2011. Lightning achieved a 215 miles/hr record, and Chip Yates set four records the fastest of which was just shy of 200 miles/hr. The thing is that the KillaJoule and the Lightning/Yates bikes are in different race classes. Where Lightning & Yates raced with regular motorcycles, the KillaJoule is a full streamliner.
This picture should help to understand the distinction.
Sunday they reported a brief rain storm that created a lake on the salt
Also on Sunday they had a shake-down run during which they hit 159 miles/hr on the first pass, which then broke their record from last year necessitating a second run. On the return pass they hit a 175 miles/hr average and exit speed over 180 miles/hr. For Monday they planned to fiddle with the gearing and shoot for speeds over 200 miles/hr.
For Monday the report was that the track was wet and slippery in the morning. Eva couldn't get the KillaJoule beyond 169 miles/hr. This beat their record from yesterday, earning them a shot at a second run, by which time the track dried up. The average over the return run was 213.190 miles/hr with exit speed close to 220 miles/hr.
This speed is in the neighborhood of the Lightning Motorcycle and Chip Yates records from 2011. Lightning achieved a 215 miles/hr record, and Chip Yates set four records the fastest of which was just shy of 200 miles/hr. The thing is that the KillaJoule and the Lightning/Yates bikes are in different race classes. Where Lightning & Yates raced with regular motorcycles, the KillaJoule is a full streamliner.
This picture should help to understand the distinction.
 |
| On
the Bonneville Salt flats with Bill Dube and Eva Haakansson and their
electric streamliner. Eva's first run was a new record so we are in
impound until the second run is made. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4062131484840&set=a.3790023442309.148319.1628798252&type=1&theater |
Sunday they reported a brief rain storm that created a lake on the salt
 |
| After
a brief rain storm this place turns into a lake. Team Killajoule has
gone a little higher with the gearing for tomorrow. The course should be
smoother and faster tomorrow, after this afternoons showers. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4063445197682&set=a.3790023442309.148319.1628798252&type=1&theater |
 |
| --- AMA record for KillaJoule at 167.851 mph --- Time slips from the runs on Sunday http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=427862950583632&set=a.134928633210400.12094.134690893234174&type=1&theater |
For Monday the report was that the track was wet and slippery in the morning. Eva couldn't get the KillaJoule beyond 169 miles/hr. This beat their record from yesterday, earning them a shot at a second run, by which time the track dried up. The average over the return run was 213.190 miles/hr with exit speed close to 220 miles/hr.
 |
| --- 213.190 MPH run! --- Track was smooth but really slippery this morning and I couldn't get KillaJoule up to more than 169 mph. This was still a new record, so we got a return run. At that point, the track had dried up and traction was great. Since I did my qualifying run on the short track (starting at mile 3 with a 2 mile run-up), I had to make the return on the short track. I run full throttle from start, and the bike just kept accelerating. The average over the flying mile was 213.190 mph. It was accelerating through the entire timed mile and the exit speed was probably close to 220 (my meter showed 201 mph entering and 211 exiting, but that is obviously not correct, it typically is correct so it must have been front wheel slip or the heat making the electronic speedo get out of calibration). We are making a new attempt tomorrow, this time starting from zero to get a 4.5 mile run-up. If the planets line up and luck is with us, we have a good chance for a record of over 200 mph. // Eva & Bill with our great team Mike, Kent, Alicia, Tim, Debbie and Lena Photo: Tim Eckert |
No comments:
Post a Comment