Motorcycle Racing and Riding

All photos are from the Web sites listed below. Permission was given by Laura Klock.

Written 2009-09-26, re-edited 2009-11-06

World’s Fastest Bagger (WFB) is one of Laura Klock’s Web sites. Brian and Laura are from Klock Werks Kustom Cycles, but the WFB site is dedicated to the family’s Bonneville Salt Flats runs.  WFB also refers to the bagger that Brian built for those runs.

WFB shows sweet bikes making Bonneville runs, and these riders are women: as-in Mom, daughters, and friends. Now that’s mega-cool. The Web site’s images (and the images at other family Web sites) will make you want to learn more about the story behind each one.

The images at these site made me wonder things such as:

• Didn’t I read about this family in the AMA’s American Motorcyclist magazine March 2009 “Everyday Racers” article? The answer to this one is: yes.
• Is the YouTube video below essentially the same as the “Everyday Racers” article? The answer to this one is: yes.
• Who rides on the racing team?
  • Mother Laura “God gave me fast angels”
  • Daughter Erika (18)
  • Daughter Karlee (15)
  • Michelle Mielke, who is the wife of
    Klock Werks service manager, Joe
    Mielke.
• Who’s awesome Buell Blast is that?
  • Karlee’s
• Who else uses Buell Blasts for land speed records? (See photo from Joe Milke below)
• Who’s awesome V-Rod bagger is that?
• What are those people doing?
• Should I try the run-what-you-brung class for fun?
• Should my wife?

Here are the Klock family, and friends, Web sites that I am aware of:

• Movie (other than the one below) at: http://www.worldsfastestbagger.com/Worlds_Fastest_Bagger/Movie.html
• http://www.worldsfastestbagger.com/
• http://www.kustomcycles.com/
• http://www.kustombaggers.com/
• http://www.lauraklock.com/
• http://klockiwi.blogspot.com/

http://bigjoe.smugmug.com/photos/638217377_SvNiC-O.jpg

Most Beautiful Buell Image #1; Free for use on the Web with two conditions. (1) You link the photo to http://dangerismymiddlename.com and (2) you put this caption on the photo.

Please see: a note about “press releases, news releases, and public service announcements”. Thank you.

Eric Buell has announced the discontinuation of Buell Motorcycles this morning.  This is after winning their first AMA Championship, giving even many non-Buell-riders a sense of pride in the company.

“May you ride-with-pride into the future, and may your roads ahead be as adventuresome and rewarding as mine have been for the last 26 years.” Eric Buell

Please read the Press Release and FAQ, and watch Eric Buell’s video, below. Eric Buell’s announcement video is also available here.

BUELL OFFICIALS THANK CUSTOMERS, DEALERS AND EMPLOYEES FOR UNFORGETTABLE RIDE

EAST TROY, Wis. — (Thursday, October 15, 2009) Buell Motorcycle Company officials thanked the company’s customers, employees and dealers for an unforgettable ride, following today’s announcement by Harley-Davidson, Inc. that it will discontinue the Buell® product line as part of Harley-Davidson’s go-forward business strategy. The new long-term strategy aims to drive Company growth through a focus of efforts and resources on the Harley-Davidson® brand.

“I want to personally thank all our past and present Buell employees, dealers and suppliers for their efforts. I also want to thank Buell motorcycle owners for their support and passion for the brand,” said Buell Motorcycle Company President Jon Flickinger.

Flickinger said a limited number of new Buell motorcycles remain available for sale through authorized dealerships and production will wind down by October 30. He also stressed that Harley-Davidson will provide replacement parts and service through dealerships and that warranty coverage will continue as normal for Buell motorcycles.

“I will always be proud of what we have accomplished. It is a testimony to what a small group of passionate and inspired people can do, and with brilliant innovations, we’ve produced some of the best-handling bikes of all time,” said Buell Chairman and Chief Technical Officer Erik Buell. “I personally look forward to exploring how I can continue to work with Harley-Davidson to bring advanced product technology to riders.

“I have also had the great fortune to meet and get to know many Buell riders over the years, and they are an amazing and interesting group of free thinkers,” Buell said. “May you ride with pride into the future. And may your roads ahead be as adventuresome and rewarding as mine have been for the last 26 years.”

A wholly owned subsidiary of Harley-Davidson, Inc. since 1998, Buell Motorcycle Company was founded in 1983 by Erik Buell and produced more than 135,000 motorcycles. Over the past 26 years, Buell motorcycles won numerous design accolades and awards, and countless races and championships around the world, including the AMA Pro Daytona SportBike championship in 2009.

Copy of the BUELL CUSTOMER FAQ

Why is Harley-Davidson discontinuing Buell after the recent new product introductions, racing success and new brand efforts?
The Company made the decision to discontinue the Buell product line as part of its strategy to focus on growth through the Harley-Davidson brand.

What will happen to the Buell motorcycles currently in dealer inventory?
Buell dealers will sell remaining motorcycle inventories. There will be no more Buell motorcycles produced.

Why should I buy a new Buell when you are discontinuing production?
The innovative features and overall quality of Buell motorcycles provide an outstanding ownership experience. The Company may be discontinuing the production of Buell motorcycles, but they are extremely exciting motorcycles to ride and own. The Company will continue to provide normal warranties on new motorcycles and provide parts and service support. Buell motorcycles offer an overall value proposition that is very compelling.

How good of a deal can I get on a new Buell?
See your local Buell dealer for his remaining available inventory and prices.

Will I be able to get financing for a new Buell?
HDFS will continue to finance Buell motorcycles. Please see your dealer for details.

How will I get my Buell serviced? Will you honor my warranty?
Authorized Buell Service Providers will provide warranty, service and repair work. And Harley-Davidson expects to be providing replacement parts and service for as many years as required market by market. Of course we will honor all of our warranties.

What about Buell racing and privateer Buell race teams? Will there be contingency programs like they have had in the past?
Buell will continue to supply parts to dealers to support racers who want to go racing next season. However, the racing support program and contingency will be discontinued.

Are any of the brand’s models going to be available as Harley-Davidson models?
Harley-Davidson has no plans to produce Buell motorcycles as Harley-Davidson products.

Will Harley-Davidson be using any Buell designs or incorporating Buell technology into the H-D product line?
Buell has introduced many advancements in motorcycle design and technology over the years. Harley-Davidson will continue to benefit from that knowledge going forward and it’s possible that some of this technology will find its way into a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

For other questions related to Harley-Davidson or Buell, please see your local dealer.

Most Beautiful Buell Image #2; Free for use on the Web with two conditions. (1) You link the photo to http://dangerismymiddlename.com and (2) you put this caption on the photo.

From http://twitter.com/buellsportbikes

A Buell 1125CR with nitrous ridden by Serge Pinet (Dealer principal) won the last race and the 2009 French Dragster Championship in the Super Street Category this past weekend. Along with the French Road Rally, this is the second national championship win this year for Buell in France.

Motorcycle land-speed records fall at Bonneville

Please see: a note about “press releases, news releases, and public service announcements”. Thank you.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Pending ratification by AMA Racing and the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme), Chris Carr is once again the fastest man in the world on two wheels, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports.

The seven-time AMA Grand National Champion, riding the Denis Manning-built No. 7 streamliner, recaptured the provisional outright world and national land-speed records on Thursday, Sept. 24. Carr’s two-pass average of 367.382 mph in the measured mile was set at the AMA-sanctioned Land Speed Shootout at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

The previous record was 360.913, set by rider Rocky Robinson and builder Mike Akatiff in 2008.

“It was a lot of work. This time was hard,” Manning said. “We blew up stuff, we got blown off course. It was tough. The thing was, every time we made a run, some part of the run was phenomenal, so we knew we were near. For these runs, we made an eighth-inch change to the aerodynamics and it made all the difference. The data was telling me that the nose was trying to dive, so we raised it up, and it worked.”

Carr said that the record run was relatively smooth.

“We had the drama on the out-run,” Carr said. “We about cleaned out the side of the course on the run out with the wind blowing, but the run back was great. It actually started to slow down for me. It was not nearly as hectic as 347 (mph) was a couple years ago.”

This is the second time Carr has held the record as a rider, and the third time for Manning as a builder. Carr first set the outright land-speed record in 2006. Manning also set the land-speed record in 1970.

“The outright land-speed record is one of the most coveted numbers in motorcycle competition,” said AMA Director of Racing Joe Bromley. “This is a number that all motorcyclists, competitors or not, can relate to. Every time this record is set, it’s a historic moment for racing. The engineering that Denis Manning and his team invest in this endeavor, and the emotional fortitude and physical skill that Chris Carr brings to the table, are impressive. The AMA congratulates them on this accomplishment.”

The meet where Carr and Manning set the new record came near the end of the season for running on the Bonneville Salt Flats, which most of the year are too wet for competition.

Earlier in the season, Aug. 30-Sept. 3, provisional records in a number of classes were also set at the International Speed Trials by BUB, and they are waiting ratification by AMA Racing. The AMA-sanctioned event, which Manning promotes, is the premier national meet for amateur land-speed racers to attempt land-speed records in classes ranging from 50cc scooters to supercharged sportbikes.

For more information on land-speed racing, see SpeedTrialsByBUB.com. Full results will be available at AMARacing.com once they are ratified.

About the American Motorcyclist Association
Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world’s largest motorcycling organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists’ interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations, and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. AMA members receive money-saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. Through its Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations.

Please see: a note about “press releases, news releases, and public service announcements”. Thank you.

Posted September 15, 2009

The International Speed Trials by BUB, where AMA national and FIM world motorcycle land-speed records are targeted every year, produced several records despite less than ideal conditions on the salt on Aug. 30-Sept. at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

However, one of those was not the outright FIM world record, which stands at 360.913 mph and was set by rider Rocky Robinson and builder Mike Akatiff in 2008.

Rider Chris Carr gave it a shot, however, in the Denis Manning-built No. 7 streamliner. Unfortunately, a mechanical breakdown at the end of Carr’s first run — the exhaust broke, igniting a portion of the fuselage — ended the former AMA Flat Track Champion’s hopes.

“As you’re well aware, I name all my motorbikes,” said Manning. “I call this one ‘7’ because It’s my seventh bike, but I should have named it ‘if,’ as in, ‘If it doesn’t rain, if the wind doesn’t blow or if it doesn’t catch fire, we’ll set the record.’”

Records that were set — although not yet certified by AMA Racing — included Leslie Porterfield’s top national time in the APS BF 1350 class. Porterfield, the fastest woman on two wheels, added a few miles per hour to her two-run average, going just over 234 mph through the measured mile.

Mission Motors product manager and test rider Jeremy Cleland also claimed an unofficial record in the class for electric motorcycles. Cleland had a two-way average of about 150 mph.

For more information, see SpeedTrialsByBUB.com. Full results will be available at AMARacing.com once they are ratified.

Please see: a note about “press releases, news releases, and public service announcements”. Thank you.

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15 — Mission Motors, a San Francisco based company redefining the world of performance motorcycles, announced today that its zero-emissions Mission One electric superbike has claimed the national AMA top speed record for an electric motorcycle, achieving a record 150.059 mph two-pass average run sustained for one mile at Bonneville Speedway on September 1st, 2009. Lead up to runs for the record saw one-way speeds across the mile stretch at 161mph.

The record-breaking top speed was achieved at the annual BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials at the Bonneville Speedway, approximately 90 miles west of Salt Lake City, UT. This event offers world and national record setting opportunities to top contenders in many classes. The Mission One achieved a top speed higher than 70% of the gasoline powered entrants.

“I give the credit for this achievement to our extraordinary engineering team. We set this record on our first visit to the Bonneville Salt Flats on poor salt conditions and in high cross-winds. And to set it with our production prototype vehicle, not a custom Bonneville bike is truly amazing,” said Edward West, Mission Motors Founder and President. “We’ve all known what was possible for the Mission One for some time, and to set this record is very gratifying. It’s a watershed moment for electric vehicles and further proof that the era of the electric superbike has begun. Electric is no longer the future of high-performance motorcycling; it is the present.”

Since returning from the TTXGP, Mission Motors’ engineering team has been working hard to improve the Mission One, resulting in this performance milestone. Its top speed puts the Mission One into a category all alone: the world’s fastest street-legal pure-electric motorcycle, and adds to the list of firsts that the young company has already achieved.

“The Mission One is just an incredible motorcycle,” said Jeremy Cleland, the AMA and AFM racer who shares duties as both Product Manager and Test Rider at Mission Motors. “This is a bike that can rip up the track at Infineon Raceway, do power wheelies at 80 mph, and then come out here to Bonneville and dismantle the prior electric world speed record. It pulls hard all the way from 0 on up to 161mph, all in one gear, with incredible torque. It’s a riding experience like no other. The important thing to understand is this is not a one-off race vehicle, this is a production prototype. It is the same bike that we raced at the Isle of Man and features the same powertrain that we will be delivering to our customers in 2010.”

Mission Motors has targeted high performance and iconic design in the development of its first vehicle, the Mission One. With a top speed of over 150 mph, a 150-mile range and unparalleled access to torque, the Mission One surpasses the performance of other production electric motorcycles and rivals gas-powered incumbents. The Mission One’s design, created by Yves Behar and fuseproject, blends traditional racing elements with a modern pioneering sensibility. The motorcycles are produced in San Francisco, CA with a radical commitment to environmental sustainability.

The company is selling 300 Mission One electric motorcycles in the 2010 model year, with the first 50 Premier Limited Edition models available for reservation now.

About Mission Motors
Mission Motors is building the fastest production electric motorcycle in the world. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company combines innovative technology, iconic design, and superb performance with the freedom of a zero emissions riding experience. Mission’s elite team of engineers is creating the first motorcycle company built on the innovative spirit of the Silicon Valley. The concept is simple: Redefine the world of performance motorcycles. For more information on Mission Motors, visit www.ridemission.com

Craig Jones from the UK setting a world ice speed record on a nitrous oxide injected providing an estimated extra 50bhp, the white Buell® 1125R™ injected Buell in Sweden

motorcycle reaches speed of 238Km/h on frozen lake

A note about “press releases”.

Lake Dellen, Sweden — (Wednesday, May 27, 2009) Extreme temperatures, extreme bike, extreme speed – Buell’s resident UK stunt rider Craig Jones has just set a world record in Sweden where he braved subzero temperatures to push the 1125R™ to become the fastest bike on ice.

After a short test period and several practices, Craig’s modified Buell® 1125R™ sportbike reached the phenomenal speed of 238Km/h on a frozen Lake Dellen, with only a few centimetres of ice separating him from the icy water.

The hazardous conditions meant the addition of some custom equipment, and the bike used for the attempt boasted some mammoth modifications.

Complete with nitrous oxide injection providing an estimated extra 50bhp, the white Buell® 1125R™ reached top speed on a 1.1km run. The tyres were specially adapted with protruding spikes (20mm on rear and 15mm on front) designed to increase grip on the perilous surface.

Undeterred by the risks associated with the attempt, Craig said: “I firmly believe that your head is the biggest limiting factor in pushing to the edge. The less you think about the risks, the further you can push yourself. So I kept it simple. I just put the bike into gear, tucked down and went as fast as I could.”

Craig’s daredevil attitude mirrors that of Buell founder, Erik Buell whose dream was to build the ultimate American sportbike. Buell began his career with Harley-Davidson in 1979 when he joined the Company as a Junior Test Engineer immediately following his graduation. Since then he has become a forerunner in motorcycle innovation, taking sports bikes to the next level.

About Craig Jones:
Born in Birmingham England, Craig Jones currently holds three world records: two man front wheel stoppie on a Buell® XB12R™ motorcycle set at a distance of 305 metres from a terminal speed 120mph (192kmh); front wheel stoppie on a Buell® XB9S™ motorcycle set at a distance of 225 metres from a terminal speed of 119mph (190kmh) and front wheel stoppie on a Buell® XB12R™ motorcycle set a distance of 266 metres from a terminal speed of 130mph (208kmh).