We finally managed to pull ourselves away from the salt and head back to Milwaukee. At least until next year! This year the BUB Speed Trials had a strong two-stroke presence. Everything from the W’sFDB to modern RS & TZ road bikes, classic RD’s, an ancient Yankee and even a CR500 powered ironing board. The W’sFDB saw just a nick over one twenty on the great white dyno. While the bike has gone faster, this is a new Bonneville best for us.
Ever notice how everything seems to fit better the first time you pack the van.
The midweek salt conditions were epic. When you are powered by a smooth running big bore and spinning on killer wheel bearings, there is nothing in the world like a top gear, wide open run across pool table smooth salt. (Wait till you see the video!) We are frequently told that the bike also sounds amazing on the pipe and we totally agree. By Thursday, however, things had really dried out and there was noticeable wheel spin at WFO. In both third and fourth gear!
The salt flat weather is crazy like nothing else! We saw monster thunderstorms charge toward us and then pound the mountains while skirting around. We were staying dry, but Thursday’s RAD graph looks like a big capital letter Q drawn by a third grader practicing their cursive handwriting. The Digatron really helped us figure out what the old timers seemed to be recognizing. We couldn’t quite get ahead of the curve, but at least we knew what we were chasing.
Mark and the World’sFastest Dirt Bike in 2010.
It doesn’t seem to matter if we are at a race or a Flying J parking lot, everyone that sees the W’sFDB has a KX500 story. At least half involve public humiliation and a few end in maiming, but the vast majority focus on winning! The latest was told while we were checking out of the motel in Utah. Hartmut Weidelich, one of the drivers for Lambky’s twin engine Vincent streamliner , originally started racing off-road sidecars in Germany. Even though he enjoys his work restoring and upgrading classic four stroke Brit bikes, Hartmut likes winning more. He explained that after running a couple of seasons powered by a heavy four stroke he fit a KX500 motor into their race hack and really started to win!
The BUB event is truly an international event and after a week of racing, Hartmut and Mark leave for home. One to Milwaukee and the other to Germany.
Included is a scanned copy of the article that was in the event program. A more detailed report and some action shots will follow as soon as the AMA publishes final results. I will also pass on a head’s up when the 2010 videos are posted. So as of today, there is a new 120.442 m.p.h. Bonneville time slip pinned on the board next to the 125.854 from Maxton. Remember if you can’t catch um, you can’t stop um!
This is a team effort and more about us can be found at www.wolbrinkrace.com. Thanks for helping us have fun on the salt…Spectro Oils, KX5 Power by Stewart, Cardboard Robot, Worldwide Bearings, Clarke Manufacturing, DeCal Works, Iris Moto Chains, Maier USA, Digatron, VP Racing Fuels, Glenn Curtiss Motorsportss, Independent Environmental, and Good Armstrong Training.
