Bonneville 2012 or Bust

[redyaris]

Aerohead
I suspect those are 1000cc sport bikes with close to 200hp, the modern version of my CBR600 get 125bhp and without some aero improvements would be hard pressed to go much past 160mph. they also have a Cd in the nabourhood of 0.7 or more. and in the crouched riding position would have a Frontal area around 6 sq ft.
In my youth I would consider that 186 mph as high performance, now a days unless it can also get close to 100 mpg at 70 mph on the interstate it just doesn't cut it.

[JethroBodine]

Mech- Those are what we call "Show Room" quality engine compartments up here. The one I got is more like "all right" or "OK". The car itself would be saveable if I didn't already have TMFP( Too Many Projects).

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by redyaris

Aerohead
I suspect those are 1000cc sport bikes with close to 200hp, the modern version of my CBR600 get 125bhp and without some aero improvements would be hard pressed to go much past 160mph. they also have a Cd in the nabourhood of 0.7 or more. and in the crouched riding position would have a Frontal area around 6 sq ft.
In my youth I would consider that 186 mph as high performance, now a days unless it can also get close to 100 mpg at 70 mph on the interstate it just doesn't cut it.

It will be interesting to see what the Vetteresque aero mods do to the Honda.
Really looking forward to all of it.

[redyaris]

Hope to see you at Bonneville in September, when "cheap talk" hits the salt.

[JethroBodine]

Progress
Just swapped the 5th gear in my transmission and made the run from my work to my house. Previously, with the stock .89 5th gear, 2500rpm=50mph and on level ground with present snow tires, DWL got around 1.3gph(still 50mph). With the new .75 gear, 2500rpm=60mph, and 1.0gph(at 50mph). I wanted to get this done in time to work out any bugs before an upcoming 600+mile trip and to get it ready for the diesel swap.

[drmiller100]

bonneville is a blast. HIGHLY recommended for anyone interested in cars.
We have always gone during the first weekend of August, but if a bunch of folks will be back, I'll go back.
I think it would be a blast to do a MPG competition there on the salt. Fair warning - the salt is different then asphalt, and the salt for sure changes year to year.
As for camping, they never run out of room. There is like 20 square miles of space to camp out in. Most of us just sleep under the stars, or possibly a tent. It never rains there, it never gets cold in the summer.
You probably want to get off the salt with a folding cot or something though.
The gas station down the road has showers you can use - highly recommended.

Also, use lots of sunburn lotion on every spot. Even up your short legs - sun reflects off the salt and burns interesting places.
doug

[JethroBodine]

The more the merrier. It will be good to have some experienced Salty Dogs there with us virgins.

As to the mpg race, mostly it will be on the trip there and home again. My trip will be about 5000 miles round trip, and in conjunction with bennelson's "Not1drop" event, I'll be trying to use only biodiesel and Veggie oil for the whole trip.

I've looked at Google maps and there isn't really a "loop", as such, that isn't HUGE. Know of any that aren't on the maps?

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by JethroBodine

Progress
Just swapped the 5th gear in my transmission and made the run from my work to my house. Previously, with the stock .89 5th gear, 2500rpm=50mph and on level ground with present snow tires, DWL got around 1.3gph(still 50mph). With the new .75 gear, 2500rpm=60mph, and 1.0gph(at 50mph). I wanted to get this done in time to work out any bugs before an upcoming 600+mile trip and to get it ready for the diesel swap.

This is such a cool mod. I plan something similar, swapping for a taller final driven gear. Very nice. I really want to make the Bonneville trip too. I'll keep it in mind and follow this thread. Useful anticipation to inspire modding activity between now and then.

[JethroBodine]

For the VW trannies, I already have the desirable final drive, but the wrong 5th(until now). For the full swap, I could change the third and fourth from the diesel's trans, or like you're planning, swap the gasser final drive into the diesel tranny, but I think I can do better keeping my 1-4 shifts where they are when I'm not on the highway, and having the long legs when I am on the highway.

I hope you do come. Trips like this take a LOT of planning and preparation, and I think I might have just enough time to get everything, including myself, ready for this by September.

[redyaris]

I am working on my 1997 Aerostar AWD Minivan replacing the transmission so that I can haul the Honda CBR600 to a friends place where it will be converted into a ...real Motorcycle... I am going to see what I can do without any compound curves, on the full dustbin fairing and full boat tail. I have used the Aerodynamic & rolling resistance, power & MPG calculator to estimat what the performance will be, this calculater seems to yeald lower horse power estimats than the other one I found on the web. The MPG estimate says I will need 4.31 hp, and should get 152.58 mpg or 1.54 L/100 km at 70 mph [Cd 0.3, Area 5 sq ft, wt 550lbs] ??? we shall see. I suspect I will not be able to run the engine slow enough to only develope 4.3 hp at 70 mph. If my Suzuki GS500 is anything to go by I will be hard pressed to run below 3000rpm in top gear [6th gear] on the high way. The calculator estimates that I could get 99.8 mpg at 90 mph! requirering only 8.5 hp!