MB: This is where you got the idea that your air-cooled Harley, with its narrower engine, could compete with the higher horsepower Hayabusas that had to run the wide radiators?

Team B: yes, and we just had a conference with the the other day, Mark, and what they’re going to work on for us this year is our plenum design. One of the problems that we’ve had is fuel distribution to the cylinders, especially to the front cylinder. I have great faith in their results; they certainly helped us with the fairing. This year we have a five student team working on the plenum. We might go to a single injector if they suggest it. Our plenum was pretty much just garage designed; we had nothing to go by. Our plenum favors the rear cylinder as compared to the front.

We feel very strongly that once that particular problem is resolved we hsould have a very reliable motor makin in excess of 300 horsepower—time and time again. This particular S&S motor is a very robust motor. We’ve had no problems with the bottom end ofthis scooter. It is designed to handle over 600 horsepower. On our 225 mph run last year, we think it was only making about 250 horsepower.

MB: So overall, your goal was setting a land speed record, which you did last year right off the trailer. What are you shooting for now?

Team B: Johnny is 60 years old. The guy racing this motorbike is a 60 year-old man. He’s got more times down the salt than anyone I know. He’s been racing at Bonneville for 30 years. (In the background, “His first bike ran on steam.”) Hell, I’m 59 (Dave) and Bob is 55. This is our swan song, pal. This is something that is very important for all of us. The whole deal here is to take this bike and when we are old farts sitting around talking, we can say that we did it. We have our aspirations; we’re 25 mph off doing 250 mph. Power is not a problem, based on what the guys at the college told us. The biggest problem we had was traction. We did not have enough downforce to plant the bike. Something that is unique about the Harley-style motor is the power pulse. The Japanese bikes (when they finally come up on boost), they spin, they burn the tires off. This old twin just steadily puts the power down. We just need a little more help with the downforce.

MB: This will be my first new engineering column; I’m trying to find people who are at the edge of performance and design and let our readers hear from them directly.

Team B: In other words, you’re looking for some more crazy people to write about. Is that what you’re doing?

MB: Well, I guess so.

Team B: One more thing, wihle I’ve got the opportunity, we’d like to thank you for all the help that you’ve given us, the financing and the support. You were the first person that had any faith in us at all. We’d all like to tell you thank you very much (Barnett Harley-Davidson was one of Boarzilla’s first sponsors).