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.

Certified

World's Fastest 50cc Motorcycle (nonstreamlined)

                                                             What else need I say?

Dyna-Mite!

The dyno comes together

The concept

Every well equipped garage should have a dynamometer, and now the Big Bad Nitro Daddy garage is no exception.

Rob thought it was too much work to load the Apilia up and take it to Speedwrench whenever we wanted to test it, and all he really needed is a comparison between pulls,nothing terribly sophisticated or precise. One wheel and tire, brake and gauges, weld together a frame and there we are.

Up and running (with the Buell in the bbackground)

It is perfect for the Aprilia, and will probable handle the Buell, but Randy will still be seeing us at Speedwrench when the Hayabusa goes back together.

And the Beat Goes on

It's mid-October, and already we're working hard toward 2012.

My job is finding Rob the money and products we'll need through sponsorship. Even though we won't be racing again until August, most sponsorship packages are awarded in October for the following year. I'm spending evenings filling out forms, trying to convince race-associated companies that Big Bad Nitro Daddy will be an asset.

Rob is working on the bikes, as always. We have plans going on with all three bikes. The Aprilia has the opportunity to push up the FIM record, and of course, we want to capture the AMA records. The Hayabusa is what it is; a nitro methane monster, Rob promises me motorcycles get more stable the faster they go. Counting on that.

The Buell is really looking fun. Rob is doing a lot of engineering, and we'll have to figure out what class the bike will run in. It seems like we have plenty of time, but deadlines must be met, and efforts must be focused.

Ten months and counting ...