World's Fastest Production TU250X!!!

So the TU isn't a speed demon, and it was never intended to be, but somewhere someone has probably asked the question.  To that end, my wife and I are planning to take our TU to Bonneville for Speed Week 2015! 

I use the word "Production" in the title of this article because that is the class we will be running in.  Production is the class with the least amount of modifications allowed, but it doesn't mean "stock".  There are a myriad of changes that can be made. 

On the street our personal TU has indicated 92 MPH but as I have mentioned in previous articles, the TU's speedo is quite optimistic so I suspect that is closer to 83 MPH.  To get that kind of speed out of the 18 HP TU you have to mind your frontal area tightly and I think that will be the key to getting the most out of her.

Now the record for her class (250 P-P) is 136 MPH and change.  That was set by a 2 stroke Kawasaki and I don't think the TU will get there, but I am hoping to get 110-120 MPH out of her.  To get there I plan on getting our frontal area as small as possible  through whatever adjustments are legal (waiting on current rulebook), tuning the engine to get every bit of power possible, and gearing her for 137+ MPH (yeah, don't have a chance, but why not be prepared).

Keep posted for more updates!!!

Economy Bike vs. Dream Bike

Now a dream bike is different for everyone, so this is how it stacks up for me. The contestants:

The Economy Bike - The Suzuki TU250X is the economy bike for this article. You can pick one up brand new for 4 grand, it gets 78 advertised MPG and is cheap to insure. In my case I don't even carry comprehensive on it as it is such an inexpensive bike.

The Dream Bike - A customized Harley Davidson 1200 Sportster will serve as the dream bike for this article. As she currently sits she cost about $13,500 and has been customized with new intake, exhaust, computer, seat, rear suspension, and handlebars. And in this case yes, she's fully insured.

So how do they stack up...

Price - TU250X - Well this is a no brainer, the TU is far cheaper than the Sportster even in it's unmodified form, let alone a custom one.

Fuel - TU250X - The TU gets a real life 60 MPG while the Sportster gets 40 MPG. Also, the TU will run on 87 octane while the Sporty wants 91. Another clear win for the TU.

Performance - Sportster - Even stock the Sportster makes 55 RWHP to the TU's 18 RWHP. My dream bike version is pumping out a verified 80 RWHP. And with a 220 lb rider (me) the Sporty is carrying a measly 9.5 lbs per HP while the TU has to haul around a portly 30 lbs per HP.

Handling - TU250X - This is actually damn near a wash, but the TU's light weight just makes her a little more flickable even though the Sporty's ultra-low center of gravity makes the 220 lb weight difference hard to notice. But I had to choose, and the TU has a slight edge.

Touring - Sportster - The Sporty is a hands down win here. On the open road, the TU struggles to maintain 75 MPH due to wind resistance while the Sportster will cruise at 80 without even trying. In safety, that is a clear win. The Sportster's only touring issue is it's miniscule fuel tank, 100 miles and you need to be near a fuel stop while the TU can do 180. Since the Sportster is a custom dream bike though, that issue will be solved with a modified touring bike tank. No matter though, the Sporty won on safe highway speed alone.

Comfort - Sportster - This is another easy one, Harley has a huge aftermarket and finding a comfortable seat was no issue at all. While the TU does have a decent driver seat, it's passenger seat is pure torture for long trips, not even an issue on the Sporty.

Appearance - Even - There is no loser here, the TU is designed to look like a vintage bike, the Sportster IS a vintage bike evolved over 60 years. They are both stunning.

Conclusion - Out of 7 criteria, they came out even. I bought the TU when I needed absolutely cheap transportation, and later when my financial situation changed I bought a motorcycle I had wanted since high school. What I have learned is that the TU is cheap thrills, it will do everything you ask of it, and for most things it is more than capable. I love my TU and I still ride it. The Sportster is living up to what I wanted. My personal Dream Bike Sportster is set up as a Cafe Racer with a touring seat and it will probably never stop evolving. It is the best bike I have ever ridden, and I can't get enough of it. So when I go into my garage, most days I do pick my Sportster, but I still get a cheap thrill everyone I do decide to twist the key on the TU. So is there a winner? Of course there is, me. I have two bikes that both can give me a fun time anytime I want.

Why all the hate???

I read an article today, and while it was extolling the virtues of dependability of the vintage Honda CB line of motorcycles, it just made me sad. So unlike all my other articles I have written to this point, this is really an editorial rather than a tech or fun article.

So why is it that one group of motorcyclists dislikes another? We have all seen it, and usually it is the Japanese bike vs. Harley bike war, or Japanese bike vs. Brit bike. I guess I just don't get it, I grew up loving British bikes, learned how to ride on Japanese bikes, and my current stable includes two Japanese bikes and my first Harley. I love them all, but there is definitely a divide.

So to the article's scenario... it took place at a Brit/Harley bike gathering in Britain. In the back of a pickup truck resided a poor old beat up  Honda CB250. Unfortunately it was there so that the rally attendees could go at it beating it with sledge hammers. But even that wasn't enough, after it's thrashing, the group fired the bike up (yes it still ran). Well, at that, they pinned the throttled wide open so it could blow itself up. Well, after several minutes of that, in a final middle finger to the group, the bike ran out of gas without blowing up.

Now I will bring up that the articles author did not appear to take part. So my question is, and I hope to hear from you on this, is why would we harbor so much dislike to a genre of cycles that we would want to kill the cycles.

Now I'll freely admit that I am probably more sentimental about cars and bikes than most. My old car and truck definitely have personalities that seem to transcend meer machines. But even if you don't have those feelings, being a cyclist in general is a little more bonding. A cyclist is a cyclist because they want to be, they are all to certain degrees enthusiasts. I would say that we all probably bond with our bikes, even the bad ones. Honda made scores of CB250's over the years, and one sacrifice won't be missed in the grand scheme of things, but at one time that old CB was new, and it probably introduced someone to motorcycling. I don't know about you, but I still love the old GS450 that taught me how to ride, and my TU250 is now teaching my fiancee to ride. These machines will forever be a part of me, and I hope they are never disrespected with a sledge hammer, they deserve better.

I know this is a sappy rant, but I had to write it. I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

If you are into more than just TU250's you can read this and other articles on my other blog EvilSportster.blogspot.com

Gear Review - Bobster Photochromic Sunglasses

Well, the quick review...  I couldn't be more dissatisfied with these glasses.  These are supposed to be the perfect sunglasses, darkening in the day and lightening at night.  So they are intended to fill the role of one pair of glasses for all occasions.  Do they darken in the sunlight, sure, but not near enough.  They are clear enough for nighttime riding, but I have quickly stopped using them when I will be daytime riding only.  Aside from the lenses they seem to be of sturdy construction yet they still feel cheap.  The frames are made of a fairly soft plastic which probably makes them more durable, but makes them feel like a cheap pair of childrens sunglasses.  They are thick frames too designed to keep the air out, however, I have not really noticed any less air than my plain aviator sunglasses.  And with them being so thick I don't like the way they look.  In the end, I will continue using these glasses for night riding but will revert to my aviator sunglasses for daytime riding.  The picture shows the maximum darkness I have observed in the lenses lookind directly towards the mid-day Arizona sun.  When not looking directly towards the sun they lighten. 

The Big Ego Booster...

     I love my TU, and I'll tell you why.  She's always fun to ride, get's great gas mileage, and is cheap to maintain.  But one of her best attributes is that she is small, light, and handles well.  What that adds up to is that when you ride her hard through the mountains and the 600 classers and open classers can't hang with you, that is a huge boost to the ego. 

     Now granted, it isn't all the bike.  The bike has the attributes needed to ride fast, and I myself like to push my limits further and further out.  But when you and your machine can keep the big bikes at bay throught the twisties, and even leave them behind when you get to that level, it makes for a huge ego boost when they catch up to you at the rest stop and realize that you are rolling on a 250.  :-)

     So enjoy that ego boost, just don't go challenging them at the traffic light.  ;-)

Gear Review - Bell Custom 500

     The Bell Custom 500 is a helmet designed to look and feel like the original Bell 500 helmet in an up to date safety package.  And it does just that.  It is a classic helmet shape and design that harkens back to 1954 when the original Bell 500 came out, and @ $99 for the cheapest colors it is a steal.  It comes in many sparkly colors as well as black, flat black, and custom painted models.  It also has a beautiful quilted lining.  The lining does not come out so you will have to wash it in the helmet.  I preferred the flat black and ordered one.  I was excited the second I pulled it out of the box.  The fit and finish were beautiful.  I tried it on and immediately there was a problem. 

     More with me than the helmet, but if you are like me you will notice it too.  My head appears to be longer front and rear in proportion to it's width.  A common problem for me with all hats, ballcaps, cowboy hats, etc.  This put a headache inducing pressure point right dead center on my forehead.  My first 20 mile ride I was feeling it at the end and was worried I would need to return it.  Luckily after a couple of days it started breaking in and I could feel the helmet releasing it's grip.  I have worn it daily and after the few short weeks I have had it, it seems to be breaking in nicely.

     Other than the initial break in I love how this helmet looks and feels.  It is light, doesn't fly when riding at high speeds, and doesn't get in you vision at all.  The only thing to watch out for are the 3 snaps (this is a model based on the original 500 so 3 snaps are all you get).  I noticed after installing my face shield and removing it that the snaps were loose.  So it is worth while just to tighten those up immediately out of the box. 

     This helmet really has that classic look, low price, and up to date safety standards to boot.  I believe it is a hands down winner!

Rides - Tortilla Flats (AZ SR88)

Road Type: Mountainous, curvy.

Road Condition: West of Tortilla Flats, asphalt is in poor condition, very choppy.  East of Tortilla Flats, asphalt in good condition reasonably smooth all of the way until it turns to dirt.

Best Time To Go: Sunrise.  Later and you will invariably get caught up in recreational boat traffic.

     This is one of my favorite rides if you live in the East Valley area of Phoenix, Az.  True, the road conditions west of Tortilla Flats are horrible.  Very choppy, but if you are like me this just presents a challenge to running fast.

     To get there take US60 out of Phoenix to Apache Junction and the Idaho Rd./SR88 exit.  I generally stop for fuel at the station immediately on the right.  Continue north up Idaho Rd. for 3 miles or so to the SR88 turn off.  From here just stay on SR88.  After 9 miles you will start hitting the twisties, and that is where the fun begins.

     As mentioned before, the road here is in very rough condition, so it is challenging to ride fast.  I find it a fun prelude to whats to come, but I have heard riders that are less than thrilled with the road conditions in this section.  None the less, the road is twisty and challenging.  This is the section that will be congested if you arrive too late.  I like to arrive before sunrise.  After sunrise you will have to watch for a lot of bicycle traffic, and while I respect their right to the road, I tend to find that they like to ride in the middle of the lane and don't always move if they hear you coming.  So be safe and aware of their traffic if you head up the road after sunrise.

     After 5 miles you will come to the first single lane bridge.  I refer to this one as the "Cheese Grater" as it is an open mesh bridge.  At this point you need to be extremely cautious.  I tend to ride up to this point at near the limits of my abilities, but once you hit this bridge it is time to take a break.  This is where all of the boat ramps and recreation areas are and you never know when someone will shoot out a side road.  Also, while the road has smoothed out a bit, it is also substantially dirty compared to the rest of the road with a lot of gravel in many of the corner entries.  I have had some moments in the braking zones here even at reduced speeds.

     After 4 miles you pass the local Tortilla Flats watering hole get what you came for.  The road here is smooth and curvy.  And since it basically goes from nowhere to nowhere, traffic is light.  You start immediately with some tight twists.  I love pounding the bike through here and flicking it back and forth.  The scenery is beautiful too if you have the time to look at it as you climb out of Tortilla Flats.  A little over a mile the road will straighten out and you will hit some high speed sweepers.  The speed limit is 45 here so watch out for Johnny Law if you decide to push it.  I haven't seen him yet, but other riders have informed me of his prescence.  After 2 more miles you will come to what I refer to as "The Block House".  It is a concrete structure on the west side of the road.  Here is where the final 2 miles, and the best part of the road starts.  There are some extremly tight corners here, and some nice full throttle rhythm sections as well.  If this is your first time you might want to familiarize yourself with the road as a few corners will draw you in and cause you to overdrive them.  Towards the end there is a swollen spot on the right side of the road where the bikers will congregate.  If there are some there I generally stop and talk, otherwise I usually make 3 laps between the end and "The Block House" and then pull off there and rest myself and my bike while I wait for others to arrive. 

     A great Arizona ride, I hope to see you out there.

Bonneville: Should You Ride Your Bike?

It all depends on you.  If you are the kind of person that wants to keep your bike looking showroom fresh, I would say no.  If you are like me and like keeping your bike clean and fresh, but don't mind your bike showing it's use, then you should consider it.  A bike is really the best tool to have at Bonneville.  The distances you travel to get from place to place is measured in miles, not feet.  Now, your bike will never be the same after Bonneville.  The salt gets everywhere, and you have to work hard to get it all off (and you probably wont).  My bike actually looked showroom fresh before it went, it doesn't now.  A few grains of salt got between the tank bag and the tank, so the tank has several scratches in it now.  Salty hand prints on the headlight nascelle appear to have caused permanent staining.  The exhaust system cooked the salt on it and it will never look the same.  The bike cleaned up well, but it will never have that showroom look again.  If you can handle that, then you may want to consider bringing your bike out.

Long Distance Touring, Is The TU The Right Tool For The Job?

ABSOLUTLY...  NOT!  Did you expect a different answer?  Much like using a phillips head screwdriver as a punch, it'll do the job, but it isn't designed for it.  I just finished an 1800 mile week on my TU, with two 14 hour 700 mile drives in that trip.  Did the TU complete the trip, yes she did, but this is where the power becomes an issue.  I had the bike loaded for camping out for a week which meant a tank bag, saddle bags, a military back pack, a tent, and a few other things strapped to the bike.  In order to keep pace at the 70 MPH I wanted I ended up spending nearly 80% of the 700 miles in a tuck.  Not the most comfortable way to travel.  Fortunately the power is the only real issue.  The foot pegs are in a reasonable position, and the driver saddle is actually really nice.  So, if it is all you have, the little TU can get the job done, but this is when an open classer is well worth having.  Whatever you have, enjoy the ride.

Bonneville: Baby, I'm Coming Home!!!

For me, Bonneville Speed Week 2011 was an expirience I'll never forget.  But everything must come to an end, and as the short course closed for 2011, I too will leave.  Thank you to all the fantastic drivers and crews who made my first Speed Week an event to remember.  If anyone that I met, or didn't meet would like to contact me I set up a special email address at Bonneville250cc.gmail.com

Bonneville: Lost In The 60's

How many of you remember the 60's?  I for one don't, being born in 1972, I missed them.  So my 1960's may be stylized a bit, maybe a lot.  I learned about 60's car and bike culture from movies like American Grafitti, Two Lane Blacktop, On Any Sunday (Motorcycle movie, not football of similar name), Grease 1 & 2, and various other movies and documentaries.  Bonneville makes a lot of my stylized version of the 60's true.  From the ingenuity involved by the low budget participants to the happy serious yet playful demeanor of everyone to the completly relaxed article. 

Living here for a week on a motorcycle is an expirience.  Some of it is rough, and some of it sublime.  What prompted this article was expiriencing one of those stylized 60's moments that I never considered I would ever feel.  One of my images are motorcyclists on the beach or desert, and they are just completly on their own without a care in the world, relaxed, cruising.  Having bought my first bike in 1991, I have never ridden any motorcycle anywhere that I wasn't on alert.  Even deserts seem congested now days.  And the salt was too.  Until today.  Most of the spectators had left after Sunday, and as the week continued on a lot of the racers are gone too. 

This Thursday morning I found myself for the first time in my stylized 1960's.  This morning as I made the 8 mile or so journey from the pits to the start of the short course you would have seen a rider without a care in the world.  Relaxing at a mild 20 to 25 MPH, cowboy hat strapped to my head, soda in my left hand, throttle in my right.  Looking around and taking it all in.  Nobody in the same square mile as me.  It was a great feeling that after 10's of thousands of motorcycling miles I just expirienced for the first time.

Bonneville Bikes: 4885 - 1971 BSA 250

Bike started life as a 1971 BSA B25 250cc motorcycle.  This is the 5th year that Max and team has brought the motorcycle out.  They got the record on their 2nd year, but the previous record holder came and took it back from them in their 3rd year.  Their luck this year hasn't been so good as they lost several days when they stuck a piston on their first run.  Grooved the cylinder but they got it up and running again.  They have done 93 MPH in the past but do not have a timed run this meet.

2nd Run:  On run 2 they had a good run, geared wrong but still pulled 88MPH on a 91MPH record.  The driver Max stated that it pulled well all the way through 3rd gear.  So running well scored cylinder and all.

3rd Run:  The bike sounds really healthy and appeared to leave well, but it looked like Max pulled off at the 2 mile mark.  Not a good sign.  I will try and get more information.

Well, I am sorry to report that Max did pull off due to another siezed piston.  That ends their Speed Week.  They do plan on coming again next year, and I will certainly be seeking them out.

Bonneville: Feel The Love

Bonneville Speed Week, the salt is covered in cool custom cars and interesting race cars as far as the eye can see.  Imagine my surprise when everyone seems to want to talk to me about my little Suzuki!!!  I have been stopped so many times I have lost count.  I just can't believe the attention she is getting with all of the other cool iron around.  As I sat lunch at McDonald's I watched as this family gathered around a cool '32 Ford Roadster to take pictures of themselves, but then they started taking pictures with my bike.  Everybody seems to love it.  Enjoy the ride!!!

Bonneville: Make sure you are checking back

All of the bike posts are being updated as results and information comes in.  So if you read about a bike yesterday you can be sure it has been updated since then.  None of the articles will be complete until racing ends on Friday night.

Bonneville: Xena On The Salt

Here are pictures of Xena looking all the part on the Bonneville Salt Flats.  So when I say Xena, I am talking about my Suzuki TU250X.  All of my vehicles have female names, and Xena got hers about a week after I bought her.  She joins the rest of the family...

Jackie: 1965 Ford F-100
Zed: 1975 Kawasaki Z-1B
Sam(antha): 1960 Ford Falcon

Bonneville: The Other Stuff

Oh yeah, they don't just run 250cc motorcycles at Bonneville.  :-)  Being a long time hot rodder I have found a lot of stuff here that interests me and have snapped a few photos of those rides as well.  There are also a few snaps of yours truly in there.

Bonneville: The Camp

Camping at Bonneville is a definate treat.  The people a personable, and you could (and probably will be) right next to a driver or crewman of a car.  The weather my first night, well lets just say weather has never scared me before.  I was sleeping in a tent, and there were lightning strikes all around me, pouring rain, and wind so violent it collapsed my tent down on top of me (poles and all still intact).  Sure when it stopped my tent popped itself up, and I was luckier than most, but for a couple hours it was probably the worst weather I have ever been in.  Left mud everywhere, and now there is a huge lake to cross to get into the speedway.  Fun on a bike, not.  :-)

Bonneville Bikes: 516 - 1952 Cushman Eagle

This will be the rookie run for driver David Harto.  This is a Cushman Eagle 315cc flathead so it gets some bonus and gets to run in the 250cc class.  Custom cam and valve work.  Ported and polished.  The old motor had a pitted cylinder but was cleaned up with the overbore.  Looking to break the record of 73MPH and on dyno test runs they were able to achieve 93MPH.

1st Run:  Took off slow then started moving, but stalled early on the course.  Although this is my first time at Bonneville I don't believe kick starting your bike on the live race course is the norm, but David did and continued on his merry way.  Found out from David that the bike was jetted way too rich.  They leaned the engine a bunch for pass 2.

2nd Run:  Made a clean pass.  42 MPH but had no power to pull high gear.  The difference between pass 1 and 2 was jetting.  They are now working on ignition timing for pass 3.

3rd Run:  Made another clean pass, no specifics as for time or speed yet, more to come.

Haven't seen the cushman guys in 2 days.  Never found them to get a final report on run 3.  Hope to see them here next year.

Bonneville Bikes: 948 - Partial Streamliner

Haven't found this bike in the pits yet but did see it heading to the startline.  It is a very nice looking black and silver partial streamliner.  More info and pictures to come when I locate it in the pits.

Bonneville: The Expirience

I am a life long NASCAR fan, and have been to the PIR race every year for the past decade +.  I am blown away by Bonneville.  Where as every other form of racing has been dominated by manufacturers and money, here is racing and hot rodding where there is room for everyone.  The car made of junk yard scraps next to the multi-million dollar streamliner.  And everyone has a chance to win.  I saw cars that came out of the gate looking like they'd be lucky to break 110 and go over 200, and I saw the multi-million dollar streamliner never be able to get the engine up to song and had to pull off at the half mile mark.  There are surprises everywhere.  I've had a dream of running my 1965 F-100 here powered by a vintage 352 FE engine, what do I find in the pits?  A 1963 F-100 powered by a 292 Y-Block.  Here at Bonneville there is room for everything and everyone.  It is a hot rodders heaven.  Due to financial constraints I do have to miss the NASCAR race @ PIR this year, but I am not really missing anything, am I.  :-)