After a strong opening day of racing at the 2021 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials (BMST), Day 2 brought with it some hard lessons and tough luck for FIM Land Speed World Records racers. Many attempts were made but no new records were set as teams continue to work through setup issues, mechanical tribulations, and lessons in speed.
Jim Cole took his turbo Hayabusa to speeds over 200 mph (321 km/h) today, and also learned something new about racing a motorcycle at those speeds. “We kept getting flat front tyres,” Cole said. “We ran 206 (331 km/h), stopped at the end of the course and the tyre’s completely flat. Went back to the pits, changed tyres, ran again, same thing. We researched a little around the pits, and with some help from some really smart people, we deduced that over 200 mph, the spring in the Schrader valve is getting depressed and deflating my tyre. So, we were able to put a Schrader valve in with a heavier spring and really good quality cap on it. The tyre’s now holding air and we’re back.”
Cole was extremely close to reaching the standing record of 209 mph (336 km/h) in the non-streamlined 1600cc turbo class. The Hayabusa rider was making a return run on a 208-mph run when the engine finally let go, ending Cole’s day in disappointment.
Another machine that fell victim to the Bonneville Speedway today was the Harley-Davidson Dyna of Jay Allen. The partially streamlined turbocharged 2000cc twin-cylinder motorcycle had an incredible run in the morning, qualifying on a record of 229 mph (368 km/h). Allen lined up for another run, again at over 220 mph, when things suddenly took a turn for the worse.
“We had something pretty catastrophic,” said Allen. “At 222 mph (357 km/h) I heard a bang and something hit me in the foot, like a sledgehammer, and that was the chunk of the primary cover. I consider myself very lucky to have gotten off the course and tell [the course workers] there’s parts on the course.
“But the ride was amazing… so exhilarating! I’m smiling and the bike broke, but it was just flying!” Allen added with a grin.
The salt wasn’t kind to anyone on Day 2, it seems. Hiro Koiso and Ralph Bohnhorst dealt with mechanical and tuning issues today while Erin Okonek finds herself in search of final drive modifications in order to tap into the peak power of her turbocharged Hayabusa. The bad luck is far worse for Takushi Chikakane of Japan, and his Super Minimum Challenge Honda Supercub-powered motorcycle. Without his mechanic able to make the trip from Japan (due to Covid restrictions), Chikakane finds himself facing mechanical issues that might prevent him from running at BMST at all.
Despite the misfortune and complications, spirits remain high on the Bonneville Salt Flats. The racers all know that pushing limits, problem solving, tuning, fabricating, cooperation and disappointment are all a part of FIM Land Speed World Records. As Jay Allen summed up with a smile, “You know what? Things break. I’m just glad to be out here living this life at Bonneville and haulin’ ass.”
Story and Photos by Jean Turner