Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125825
Page 30 September 11, 1973 Bonneville Continued from page 7 interest from the press. This year there are only two other streamliners besides the three machines of Vesco, Wirges and Manning"Murrayentered. The first is the several-year-old, twin-engined Triumph liner belonging to George Conboy. Geroge only gets in a couple of runs before he goes home, but has his kicks and doesn't crash. The other 'liner that appears is the most unorthodox liner to show up in years. Called the Swift 300, it departs from normal design by sitting 11 % inches off the ground. The builders, Jim Monague and Ed Rannberg of Eyeball Engineering in Fontana, California, state that the reason for the strange design has to do with the "center of pressure." They don't know if it will work, but they state that its the way to go faster ·than the other liners by not copying them. The liner is set up for two turbo-charged Kawasaki threes and has a single 500 three installed for its shakedown runs. The builders are really smart; they have figures how to survive 'even if the liner crashes. What they do is get someone else to drive it - me. Now I've always kind of thought I'd like to drive one of those things, but I didn't realize what I was getting into. You have to really "think small" just to get yourself positioned in a 'liner. l.make a couple of shakedown runs and don't crash and the builders figure they've found a driver. And I've found a way to expand my eyeballs. The liners didn't post the most fantastic speeds of the event, however. This honor went to the relatively new motorcycle manufaquring firm of Bombardier with their Can-Am cycles. Robert Barker, who does R&D for the Can-Am, brought one of the most carefully thought-out 125's ever seen at the flats. The little single-cylinder bike He went 138 MPH. Note the counter sprocket. had a fairing the likes of which has never been seen on a motorcycle. Going strictly by the rule book, the designers ignored what hacfbeen past practice for racing bikes and came up with a really slick machine. The bike even sported disc wheels, and if you don't think it was worth it, look at the record they posted:· a two"way average of 136.537 with what is basically a motocross machine! . Another record that boggles the mind is that of Al~n Abbott. Alan isn't jnto motorcycles all that much and neglected to pu t an engine in his bicycle. After quite a bit of training, he came away with a World's Land Speed Record for pedal bicycles of 138.8 MPH. Over half of the motorcycles entred didn't reach this speed! What interested most of the bikers at the meet was his 2111-tooth counter-shaft sprocket_ The Silver Anniversary of the Bonneville Nationals is history. A full report of the land speed record attempts that followed tire event will be reported as soon as they are completed. But, reading about Bonneville is not what its all about. Be with us there next year and you'l know what I mean. • New World Speed Records Production ClasSQs: P-125 Mark Lingua, Burbank, Ca. 77.311 .•. P·250 Dennis Robertwn. Burlev, Id. 89,472 ..•.. P·350 Richard Powell, Aochester, N.Y. 105.315, P-600 Ellis Lehmtutrg, Lehi, Ut. 118.909 . p·750 Pat Siddall, livonia, Mich. 132.081 ..•. P-1000 Bruce Flanders, Pasadena, Ca. 141.733 . H-O ........ Yam .. Kaw .. Kaw .K_ . ..... Kaw Modified Classes: A.A,F-50 Darrel Packard, Loma Linda, ca. 80.949 . MPS-c·1QO Mark Ling~. Burbank, ca. 94.826.... A·AF·1QO Doral Eckhardt, Bellflower. ca. 91.666 ... Hon .. H·D . . H·D , .Suz MPS-AG.125 JoJrf185 Dilunl, London, Orltario 100.310 Yam APS·AG·125 Roberl Barker, Valcourt, Quebec 128.629 Can·Am y"m MPS·Af-125 Sharon Vickery, Denver. Co. 113.637 Aps·Af·125 Robert Barker, Valcourt. Quebec 136.537 Can·Am . Yam M-Af-125 Dale Ebersole, Denver, Co. 110.429.... Yam M·AG-t25 James Daunt, London, Ontario 93.823 M·AG·250 Brian Eriksen, New Foundlllnd, N.J. 99.214 Sui But M·AG-350 Tom Poster. Towaco,NJ.116.599 MPS-AG06S0 Dale Alexander, Simi Vallev, Ca. 144.S31 Hon . . Hon MPS.c·750 Dale Alexanchll', Simi Vallev, Ca. 156.999 . Hon MPS-AF-750 Dale Alexander, Simi Vallev, Ca. 155.006 M.c-750 Dale Alexander, Simi Valley, Ca. 145.616. . Hon . Tri M-AG·1000 Garv Wilson, DaHas, Tx. 145.102 ..... M.c·1000 Dale Alexander, Siml Vallev, Ca. 155.071 Kaw Mps·AF·1000 Dale Alexander, Simi Vallev, Ca. 162.842 Kaw Kaw MPS-C-1000 Dille Alexander, Simi Valley. Ca. 160.838 MPS-AG·1000 Dave Cantwell, Fort Worth, Tx. 156.226 Tri .. H-D MP$·AG·1250 Gerald WVSO!lll, Miami, Fl. 166.708.. MP$·AF·1250 Howard Allen, Monrovia, Ca. 185.883 . . ... H·O M-Af-2000 Warner Rilev, Skokie, II. 188.391 •• H·D M-AG·2000 Warner Riley. Skokie, II. 163.562 H·D . H·D A·AG-3000 Thom81 Elrod, 5augBrtill1, N.Y. 175.502 . Experimental Class: 48 Volts Mike Corbin, Somerville, Conn. 101.470 .. Corbin-GenlrV 36 Volts, Jack Wilson, Rockville, Conn. 95.228 ..... Corbin Gentrv 1St AGAIN! DIAMOND. - .SUl Mps·AG-60 Tracy Walsh, Jr., Dallas, TK, 76.720 MAG·1()() Thomas Conway, Orovillo. Ca. 94.82S .