Heading out to the salt flats, THANKS a ton

[Roger]

traction

Thats why the vw bug goes so good in the snow engine in the back and narrow tires the heat in them things were not the greatest but they were alot of fun. back in the day. right scotty?

 

[NancysToy]

Thats why the vw bug goes so good in the snow engine in the back and narrow tires the heat in them things were not the greatest but they were alot of fun. back in the day. right scotty?

But darned cold with nothing but a manifold heater...and the gasoline heaters would kill you with their fumes! I used to deliver pizza in a VW in the winter when I was in high school.

 

[bone crusher]

This is a complex issue. Take from a driver from Michigan that in general, the correct pressure in a tire is the best in snow/wet. A smaller contact patch may make for 10% higher pressure on the ground, but it is more often that the friction of the size of the contact patch is more important. For snow, it is actually the amount of tread area (edges) that can "bite" the snow. While it is true that too wide a tire will have poor traction in wet weather or snow, it is also true for too narrow a tire. Tread style, driving methods, weight over the drive wheels, and smooth application of torque are far more important than any small change in tire size, anyway, as is the use of radial tires rather than bias ply tires. Bottom line, use a tire that is sized for the vehicle, then pick a tire pressure and stay with it despite changing weather conditions. Just some practical advice from a northern boy.

Gotcha and thank you...I agree....proper tires for vehicle is of utmost importance...

 

[Tom in NM]

Some results finally posted.

I have been watching the USFRA website for info on Seth's speed attempts on the Salt Flats. This morning I see they have finally posted the results from Friday, but no pictures, yet. http://www.saltflats.com/130%20club09_18_09.htm

It looks like Seth got in 3 runs on Friday.

UTAH SALT FLATS RACING ASSOCIATION
130 CLUB 23rd WORLD OF SPEED
9/18/2009

CAR..............DRIVER................SPEED.........1/2 MILE........130 TRAP
T6772.....SETH OSBURNSEN........73.37118.....103.43059.....111.66352
T6772.....OSBURNSEN, SETH T....77.15482......103.2865......111.33147
T6772.....OSBURNSEN, SETH T....78.13516......103.11407....111.82303

They have not posted Saturday and they are still racing today - and it appears the weather is still holding.

I am looking forward to hear what Seth has to tell and I hope he got to do some runs on Saturday.

Check in soon Seth, and have a safe trip home.

Tom

 

[dltang]

I have been watching the USFRA website for info on Seth's speed attempts on the Salt Flats. This morning I see they have finally posted the results from Friday, but no pictures, yet. http://www.saltflats.com/130%20club09_18_09.htm

It looks like Seth got in 3 runs on Friday.

UTAH SALT FLATS RACING ASSOCIATION
130 CLUB 23rd WORLD OF SPEED
9/18/2009

CAR..............DRIVER................SPEED.........1/2 MILE........130 TRAP
T6772.....SETH OSBURNSEN........73.37118.....103.43059.....111.66352
T6772.....OSBURNSEN, SETH T....77.15482......103.2865......111.33147
T6772.....OSBURNSEN, SETH T....78.13516......103.11407....111.82303

They have not posted Saturday and they are still racing today - and it appears the weather is still holding.

I am looking forward to hear what Seth has to tell and I hope he got to do some runs on Saturday.

Check in soon Seth, and have a safe trip home.

Tom

Tom,
Can you interpret these results for me please. The only one I think I understand is that is how fast he was going at the half mile? Is that correct. So is the first mph for the 1/4 mile? What is 130 Trap? How do his scores compare with other vehicle scores? Thanks for any help.

 

[Tom in NM]

Tom,
Can you interpret these results for me please. The only one I think I understand is that is how fast he was going at the half mile? Is that correct. So is the first mph for the 1/4 mile? What is 130 Trap? How do his scores compare with other vehicle scores? Thanks for any help.

A little. First, take a look at the 130 MPH Club rules page; http://www.saltflats.com/I30%20Club.html . I think the 130 Trap is any of the (many) speed sensors along the track that record a speed of at least 130 MPH. :dontknow:

As far as the other vehicles go, this link will take you to all the results from Friday; http://www.saltflats.com/130 club09_18_09.htm . To bad they don't have what the vehicle was, just its track #.

They are not "great" at explaining things and I am no Salt Flats veteran, maybe Scotty or Doc can illuminate.

Tom

 

[NancysToy]

There are photocells at various places along the course. This is a short course run. The 130 trap is at the measured mile. Not sure of USFRA procedures, and whether or not they have a running start before the measured mile. From the speeds at the first trap (1/4 mile?), it does not look like it. More like Maxton, with a standing start and speed measured at the mile marker, after a standing start at the beginning of the mile. Faster vehicles run a longer course, with a long run up, a long timed section, and a long shut down. I suspect Seth may be disappointed, but it is harder to get very high speeds at this 4,320 ft. altitude. I think 111 is very respectable.

 

[SethO]

There are photocells at various places along the course. This is a short course run. The 130 trap is at the measured mile. Not sure of USFRA procedures, and whether or not they have a running start before the measured mile. From the speeds at the first trap (1/4 mile?), it does not look like it. More like Maxton, with a standing start and speed measured at the mile marker, after a standing start at the beginning of the mile. Faster vehicles run a longer course, with a long run up, a long timed section, and a long shut down. I suspect Seth may be disappointed, but it is harder to get very high speeds at this 4,320 ft. altitude. I think 111 is very respectable.

it is ass, slow, this event was poorly ran, 8 hours for 2 runs in my leather death suit was redickulous, and seeing it was on the short course, 1.5 miles, you get a standing mile run at the traps and the two speed sensors read your speed, it did not count for anything so it was for "fun" which pissed me off because the lady I talked to on the phone told me different.

the first day right before the drivers meeting I had a bowel issue, and it was bad, the crew I had with was NOT racers and were more of a hinderince that a asset. It was so bad that I got my crap in my hair, if you are handicrapped you know how Fustrating this is, thank god I did not have my leathers on yet.

I had to leave on friday after my third run because I had to work on saturday, it was 22 hours straight back in the car with 4 year old girl whose mom enables the crap out of her.

It was a real disappointment not get more out of the spyder but that what it will do, I am going to either race with the buds or go during speed week (buds is just bikes and backed by the AMA who will NOT let the spyder run because it is not a bike or a side car WTF) I am also open to see what my choices are to get it going faster, a few I thought up were

a turbo in the boot,

a real aprillia motor but I do not know how the SE clutch will bolt up to this,

hotter cams and pistons for the stock motor

finding a junked spyder and putting a zx14 motor in it and just using it for drags and speed crap like this, I would also have to mod the drive train I think.

thanks again to everyone who helped out, and to tom for keeping people updated, I will have some pics on here soon. I should said that the guy on the spyder from OK came and talked to me in the pits (just after I crapped my pants) sorry about not talking to you more, I was a little off trying to get out of there before it got worse.

 

[SethO]

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKlWGE0tD-4"]YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.[/nomedia]


I was having trouble with the speed up of the vid, I got that right but the music is F'ed up, with the video was better but with the bright ground it didn't show up very well.

 

[Tom in NM]

A great adventure

Seth, I figured you would be disappointed by your speeds when I saw them, but, as a first run at the Salt Flats, you gained a ton of experience and now have done something few ever do. Congratulations. You also earned my respect and admiration. It was quite an achievement, even more so with all the figurative and literal crap you had to put up with.

As far as the speed and modifications, my thoughts are that your Spyder is faster than that. There are main 3 things that I can think of that are different from your other racing experiences.

The biggest is probably the Salt Flats themselves. Maybe different tires (especially the rear) would have got you the MPH you were expecting. It would have been interesting to see what kind of rooster-tail you were throwing behind you, if any. In general, the bigger it was, the more lost energy and MPH you would get.

The other two differences would be the altitude and your gas. I live at over 5K and know having less oxygen makes a difference in the human body. Given fuel injection technology, not so much on Spyders, but still could be a factor. Maybe a small O2 canister (if allowed) bleeding into the air intake would help.

I am also not sure if Utah is like New Mexico, all of our gas has Ethanol in it, which makes a difference. 3wheeldemon is truly an expert on gasoline and maybe he will chime in with his thoughts on this. Maybe next time, bring your own gas.

From the video (which was great) it looked like you were running with the stock BRP windshield - over 100, being able to tuck down under a aerodynamic racing shield would probably also help a little as would taking off the fenders.

Some of the stuff is probably not allowed, but just some things to consider. I am not a gear-head like you, so I have nothing of value to add on the other changes you are considering.

Anyway, I cannot thank you enough for sharing this incredible experience.

Ride as safe as you can,
Tom

 

[Firefly]

There are photocells at various places along the course. This is a short course run. The 130 trap is at the measured mile. Not sure of USFRA procedures, and whether or not they have a running start before the measured mile. From the speeds at the first trap (1/4 mile?), it does not look like it. More like Maxton, with a standing start and speed measured at the mile marker, after a standing start at the beginning of the mile. Faster vehicles run a longer course, with a long run up, a long timed section, and a long shut down. I suspect Seth may be disappointed, but it is harder to get very high speeds at this 4,320 ft. altitude. I think 111 is very respectable.

So the altitude is the main reason that a bike that will otherwise hit 130+ would only go 111 ?

Could some re-tuning take care of that?

The fastest I've had my Spyder was 130 according to the Spyder---- checked my GPS and it shows my fastest speed achieved at 124 --- which I knew would be more accurate than the Spyder reads.

 

[NancysToy]

So the altitude is the main reason that a bike that will otherwise hit 130+ would only go 111 ?

Could some re-tuning take care of that?

The fastest I've had my Spyder was 130 according to the Spyder---- checked my GPS and it shows my fastest speed achieved at 124 --- which I knew would be more accurate than the Spyder reads.

The altitude at Bonneville is a big reason for slower speeds, especially on a stock vehicle. Normally, re-tuning can help correct some of this, but there are severe limits. Another (and often better) solution is supercharging. You only have so much air to work with at that altitude, so you can only shove so much fuel through the motor unless you add a supercharger. An additional solution is nitromethane fuels, which contain their own oxygen, so aren't as limited by the lack of available air to provide oxygen for combustion. Of course you can always supercharge plus run nitro...my favorite combination! Blown nitro motors rock!

 

[Firefly]

The altitude at Bonneville is a big reason for slower speeds, especially on a stock vehicle. Normally, re-tuning can help correct some of this, but there are severe limits. Another (and often better) solution is supercharging. You only have so much air to work with at that altitude, so you can only shove so much fuel through the motor unless you add a supercharger. An additional solution is nitromethane fuels, which contain their own oxygen, so aren't as limited by the lack of available air to provide oxygen for combustion. Of course you can always supercharge plus run nitro...my favorite combination! Blown nitro motors rock!

I can see you drooling all over your keyboard! .

Thanks for the info--- makes perfect sense.

Still waiting to see if that one company gets a SC or TC for the Spyder---- would really like that!

 

[SethO]

yeah, weight to power ratio is the ass on this, I did learn a ton out there, thanks again tom for the help.

i have hit about 124ish at best while the speedo says 130. studybaker bob ran my spyder and said it was a big jump from his stock sm 5 with the cam am touring windshield. I have not rode another spyder to compare mine to others because of the handicrappness.

I would like to put a turbo in the boot but I use it for the extra stuff you need being handicrapped. I have also got another contact with a racer up here that may be able to help me more with getting more out of the engine.

In my humble "go fast" guess I feel it needs about 140-50 hp to get what I need out of it.

I killed my Ipod last week riding in the rain have been "testing" NMN exhaust and I can honestly say there is no way I can run without tunes. I go faster without them, boredom gets to me and I have to push to say awake, I will I get a extra 10mphish with the penskie shocks, you have to setup differently and the TCS either works against you or doesn't work at all, inconsistanty is F'ing me.