Hey Mark, know what smells better than a load of nitro fumes? Nitro fumes and a crankcase full of bean oil!! Couldn't find any old Castrol R, so settled for Blendzall 4 stroke castor. It'll do!
Won't be at El Mirage. Photo opp there dosen't mean much since the bike never ran there. We have it entered in the bike show at El Camino College on the 19th. Spending the week before cleaning talcum powder out of the nooks and crannies isn't what we want to be doing. We will be taking the nitro jug to the show incase a fire up opportunity presents itself.
We entered the bike in the largest bike show on the west coast this weekend. I had no idea what to expect having never been to a bike show. It was quite an experience. 100's of restored bikes from the 1900's up to 1989. We were placed in the "on and off road competition" class. There were vintage road race bikes, and TT/scrambles bikes from the 50's and 60's in the class. The bikes were judged on a 100 point sheet. Ours was the only LSR/drag bike in the class. Our bike scored a second in class with 97.5 points. The first place bike was a '56 BSA Goldstar that scored 100 points. We were counted off for the powder coated frame, and non period correct hand grips. Yes, they are that fussy! The only depressing part of the weekend was when my brother decided to try on the 40 year old leathers he wore at Bonneville in 1969. The pants and jacket zipped right up, and fit fine. Made me feel great........NOT!
Dean ... I've been following this thread (here & on the JockeyJournal) since you started it ... it's a great thread ... with great stories ... and it's so cool that you & your brother Jack have restored the bike ... Congrats to both of you! ... and just because I thinks it's so darn cool, here's your video clip again: <object width="660" height="525"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6_4Wd0J5vvQ&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6_4Wd0J5vvQ&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="660" height="525"></embed></object>
After our success at the 34th annual El camino classic bike show in October, we decided to enter the Drag/Salt bike class at the GNRS. We were pleased to hear today the the bike has been accepted for the show. Stop by and say hi.
Jeeze keep up the good work and you will need a larger trophy case then the one you need now for all your and your brother's accomplishments.
We have been ask that question a lot since the restoration Doug. We never knew the weight. A couple weeks a go we finally got it on a scale. 103 pounds ready to fire. It is lighter than either one of us guessed.
I've been wondering if you were going to put it in the vintage racing building at the GNRS. I guess I picked the wrong year (2009) to come out. We wish you and Jack the best.
Its stories like this that make the HAMB the place to be. That has got to be one of the coolest stories ever, and to think that its still not over 40 years later, superb. The youtube clip is superb, we can only try to imagine the memories that came flooding back that day for both you and Jack.Pretty much everyone on here must be somewhat envious off your acheivements , hats off to the pair off you. Its hard to believe that the engine came from the humble little Honda commuter bike. Thanks for sharing this with us, and all the best with the bike in the future. Paul.
The video is awesome. Us old guys who rode a Honda 90 can really appreciate what it took to achieve those records. Best of luck with whatever you do with it. Keep on riding. Gary
Rich, I don't know if the stuff in the vintage building will be judged. We actually entered motorcycle class 13 for drag/salt competition bikes. We'll be in the motorcycle building. In keeping with our "Two Kids On the salt" theme we're thinking of displaying the bike on a bed of rock salt with a black line down the middle. Need some opinions here. Would that be cool, hokey, add to the bike, or distract?
Dean, when the hell you ever give a crap what others thought. You have been doing fine all these years with instinct. Hokey, sure, but go with it after all it's a show fer christ sake....
You and me both. Its sad that I when I call a friend up to brag about how nice a tig bead I laid down or how nice this fabbed part came out they don't care. But anyway-there are some of us out there! Awesome story!!! Man, that really inspires me. I want to go to the salt so bad, once I get my coupe done I'm driving there. I don't know if I'll run it, or if I can even run it, but i just want to be there. Thanks for sharing!
This shot was taken May 16th in Clovis, Ca, at the Dan Rouit Flat Track Museum's 19th annual open house. This pic represents a reunion, after 41 years, of two old salt veterans that were at Bonneville at the same time making history. To most of the crowd it was just a nice display, but to the few of us who were there 41 years ago, it was a magic moment. Burt is gone, and the WFI has made it's last entry in the history books, but the little Honda has one more chapter to write. We're coming back for our records!!
Dean Lowe ... Too Cool! ... that pic is priceless ... Hope to meet you (& your brother) on the salt this year.
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