AMA Record

There it is: a new AMA record for 500 cc pushrod fuel engines. While it is slower than the records we set on the 50 cc Aprilia last year (only slightly embarrassing), it is nevertheless a record. The cylinders are already back at LA Sleeve being reconfigured to create more compression. I'm looking forward to bumping this up considerably next year.

Starting Again

Once again, the engine for the Carbon Yeti is headed up to George Dean Racing Engines. It will need to be shimmed to account for the stretch in the GRP connecting rods. We're hoping it comes back ready to set records.

Meanwhile, Rod is considering advantages and disadvantages of fuel injection and carburetors for nitro methane. Both the Buell and the Aprilia will need reconfiguration before the next BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials.

Keep thinking, Butch. That's what you're good at.

Anti-Climax

And why haven't I posted results from the BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials?

They were underwhelming.

The record-setting Aprilia was barely a quarter mile down the course before the engine seized. The Carbon Yeti roared through three miles before it suddenly lost compression and quit.

Only the strange little V-twin 500 cc Buell chugged all the way down the course, and came back to set an AMA record. Which is not quite as impressive as it sounds, because it was an open class, so any time would have been a record. I'm almost ashamed to tell people that the Buell did just over 75 mph, slower than the Aprilia.

Okay, now the good news.

We did come away with new records; not every one who attended can say that. We suffered no major damage to any of the bikes. The fear that the Yeti had holed a piston was unfounded. The new aluminum rods had merely stretched to the point that the pistons were tapping the valves, and it shut down before any significant damage occurred.

So now, it's time to regroup and rebuild. Only eleven months to go!

Julianna and the V-twin 500 cc Buell

Ready to Roll

Made the lists, ran the errands, shopped last minute while Rob loaded the trailer. Hayabusa, Aprilia, parts, wheels, tools, gears, bicycles, fuel. What did we forget? Thirty-seven feet of trailer starts looking awfully small.

Typical of me before a trip, I can't sleep. Still up doing little chores. We'll hit the road early with Rob doing the lion's share of driving.

BUB and Bonneville or Bust!

Building the Buell

Randy Miller and Rob Williams assemble
the BBND Buell

Randy works best under pressure, and preparing so many Harleys for Sturgis has buried him under plenty, but now the benches at Speedwrench are cleared for Bonneville action.

Few bikes represent the spirit of the Salt Flats better than the BBND Buell. It began life as a 1200cc Lightning, but L.A. Sleeve reduced the cylinders to make it a 500cc twin. Custom pistons from JE Piston and redesigned heads from Ken Weber at 10-Litre Performance are being fitted with an XB1 crank.

Randy places the sleeved cylinder

It is, at least, a highly unusual motor. We don't expect to see Eric Buell rushing them into production, nor even many copycats on the Salt next year.

But if it does what we expect this year, we'll have it back in a different form in 2013, also.

Twelve days.

Triumph over Software

It would be so much easier if I knew what I'm doing.

The fuel injectors in the Hayabusa are more than three times the volume of those that delivered its nitro methane mixture in 2010, so it takes a whole new fuel map just to be able to run it well enough to start and run on a dyno.

"Boost by Smith" gives us a starting point, but Rob's strong suite is all mechanical. That left him looking at me to make the computer talk to the Busa.

What do I know about assigning com ports and finding .bin files?

Obviously not much, because it took me twelve hours to feel confident editing data and flashing them to the ECU. I didn't know what TPS and IAP stood for, much less how one fuel map differs from another.

But tonight the BBND Busa crackled to life on alcohol. Tomorrow we'll start it up on nitro methane, and with luck, it will be on the dyno this week.

It just seems wrong to have it depending on computers.

Nineteen days and counting.

Doldrums

The electronics of the Hayabusa are at Kinsler being mapped for nitro methane, the Aprilia is at HighGain Tuning having fuel injection installed and the Buell sits at Speedwrench waiting for the motor to be assembled. With thirty-three days until we pull out of the driveway, I'm getting itchy.

Rob keeps busy improving the trailer. Last year, it was loaded so lightly that it nearly bounced the Aprilia apart. Rob's solution: add shock absorbers. Apparently, there are no kits that fill his needs, so it's fabrication time again. It keeps him off the streets until the bikes are back in the garage.

Think salt rusts metal?

Wrong Bikes

Rob Williams on his H-D Road Glide

The Colorado weather is beautiful, if somewhat windy, and Rob and I have been out on our bikes, both with friends and just the two of us. It's lots of fun, but dang, things are standing still on the Bonneville bikes.

Of course, there's plenty of background work. Rob has been working on the electrics in the trailer and installing the little bike trailer in the big trailer. All know all this is necessary, but I wnat to see that Buell motor in a frame. I want to hear the growl of the nitro methane in the Hayabusa.

It's only three months away!
 I want to be ready for Bonneville!

Joining Glenn Vaad's race

Julianna, Rob and the Big Bad Nitro Daddy Aprilia recently appeared with Senate District 23 candidate Glenn Vaad. Glenn finds the small but efficient character of the 50cc Aprilia an apt parallel for his ideal of government.


We happily support Glenn and wish him the best in his quest to bring conservatism and fiscal restraint to the Colorado Legislature. 

Mapping the Aprilia

The first step on any map is to find "You Are Here."

That's what we did at Richard Bruckner's HighGain Tuning. Richard ran the BBND Aprilia on race gasoline on his DynoJet SD12 to establish a performance baseline. Once we know where we are, we can determine where we are going.

Although the bike has run well on gasoline, fuel starvation issues on alcohol have been difficult to overcome. By fuel injecting the motor, Richard believes performance will be improved with gas, and an alcohol/nitro methane/air mixture will be predictable from zero to top speed.

Rob and Richard load the Aprilia on the DynoJet

I am really eager to see how this evolves.

See you on the Salt

I spent the morning filling out entry forms for the 2012 BUB Speed Trials. At this time, we have four bikes entered: the Hayabusa on nitro methane, the Buell on gasoline, Randy Miller's nitrous oxide Buell, and the 40cc Aprilia which will run on both gasoline and an alcohol/nitro methane fuel mix.

We have exactly four months before opening day at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Lots of work to do.

More Power to the Aprilia

Carburation of the Aprilia has been an issue for Rob.

While little Pinocchio runs just fine on race gas, it seizes every time Rob runs it on alcohol. Regardless of the jet size, the carburetor can't deliver enough fuel to evenly cool the cylinder and piston. That has turned quite a few pistons into mantel pieces.

Enter Richard Bruckner of High Gain Tuning, who specializes in Aprilia bikes and scooters. Richard has the ability to build a fuel injector for the BBND Aprilia, thereby improving its fuel delivery and atomization throughout the range of performance.

We are excited about the prospect of working with High Gain Tuning as we look to breaking our own records in August.

                                                           www.highgaintuning.com

Just Add Air

Rob demonstrates the air movement through the can by adding compressed air at its base. Even with a small volume of air, enough of a vacuum is created at the holes to suspend a paper towel.









Mounted on the BBND Hayabusa, the vented exhausts will emit significantly cooler gases, while increasing the thrust generated at the end of the pipes.

Venting the Exhaust

Rob drills guide holes at the base of the cans

That's going to be extremely hot air being pushed out those Hayabusa pipes when they start venting nitro methane exhaust, so Rob is drilling holes to draw in cooler external air.

The actual exhaust pipe runs inside the cans to carry the hot gases from the engine. Just adding a dead air space between the pipe and the outside adds a layer of protection from the heat.

Each hole is three quarters of an inch in diameter

By opening vent holes, Rob is creating an active air exchange. As blazing hot exhaust rushes through the pipes, it will pull cooler air through the holes. That will lower the temperature of the exhaust, while creating extra force.

The area of the the holes is approximately equal to the area at the end of the can, making a vacuum that should make a dramatic effect. 

Blood Sacrifice

Every one of you has experienced it: the blood required to breathe life into machinery. Why did God give us knuckles if it wasn't to bust them on head bolts, removing spark plugs, or in this case, operating the band saw. Maybe Rob just felt he needed to infuse the Hayabusa with his own life blood. Too many vampire books.

Waking the Sleeping Giant

It has sat quietly for months as activity focused on the other bikes, but now it is time to breathe life into the Giant. The Aprilia is part of a long and noble history, the Buell is a marvel of engineering, but the Hayabusa will carry me into the 200MPH Club.

Over the weekend, Rob mounted the monster engine that George Dean built with GRP Connecting Rods and JE Pistons. This is a single purpose motor, built to take the power of nitro methane and turn it to speed.

Five months, and counting down.

Sleeving the Buell

 It doesn't get more revolutionary than this; or some may say, more weird.

The Buell has undergone displacement reduction surgery. The cylinders have been sleeved, the heads filled in and new pistons designed in order to create a stronger, better breathing race motor.

As a 500cc twin, the Big Bad Nitro Buell will move more air faster, running at increased rpm which we hope will translate to greater speed at the Salt Flats.

There is much work to be done as the engine comes together. Our thanks to Ken Weber at 10 Litre Performance, to L.A. Sleeve, and to JE Pistons for their support in the design and production of this one of a kind motor.

Okay, Butch, you thought it up. Now let's see how it comes together.

Aprilia Progress

Alcohol or gasoline: the Aprilia will be able to switch fuels with the switch of a carburetor. No changing jets and minimal adjustment. Rob and Steve at AF1 are currently looking at the feasibility of using forged 50 cc pistons from Wiseco Pistons, made in the USA.

Six months till the BUB Speed Trials

The Power Plant Arrives

The 'Busa motor arrives from George Dean Racing Engines

Out of the box ...

... and on to a lift

Rob has plenty to do, as George Dean has sent the Hayabusa's engine back.

It truly is a beast. It contains four JE Pistons specifically designed for nitro methane and GRP aluminum connecting rods that cushion the shock to the crankshaft.

Using a Web Cam Racing Camshaft, the nitro methane will be supplied through four 200 pound fuel injectors supplied by a Kinsler Fuel Injection system and fed by a massive Magnafuel pump, all of it run by a deep-cycling Optima Yellowtop Battery.

Linnea has sent out the invitation for the 2012 BUB Speed Trials, and Big Bad Nitro Daddy accepts.