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with a 100 HP engine mounted in a frame with a full shell wrapped around the bike, which enabled him to clock a 163 MPH one·way run before poor weather halted his altempL Henne then returned with a 70 HP BMW to run 151.76 on the road near Tat in Hungary, which was followed by a 152.9 speed in 1934. In 1935 the OHV 750 clocked 159.0 MPH on the Frankfurt-Munich Autobahn. Eric Fernihough returned the chaIlenge in 1936 with his supercharged Brough Superior, which developed 120 HP and ran to a 163.82 record. The only streamlining was a tail piece and a small shield to deflect the blast of wind from the rider's head. BMW responded with another new this one the marque's 500cc bike - OHC road racing twin that developed 78 HP at 8000 RPM. A sleek shell covered the whole bike, which enabled Henne to get a superb 168.912 MPH record. This was the first successful use of a fuU shell on a bike, and from that point on, sheer power would be only part of the total formula in setting world speed marks. The science of aerodynamics was thus applied to motorbikes. F ernihough, however, was still operating on the "brute power" theory. He was successful, too, with a new 169.786 MPH record on the Gyon road in Hungary, where the monster J.A.P. engine was spinning at 7000 RPM. The record stood only a short while, however, since Pierro Taruffi came from Italy with a sleek streamlined 500cc Gilera-Rondine blown DOHC four to clock 170.265 MPH. The Gilera developed 90 HP and used water cooling. Henne then finished the year with a 173.69 MPH record that was destined to stand for 14 long years. The brave Fernighough made one more attempt, how"er, but this one cost him his life. With a full shell' around his big Brouglr he was doing over 180 MPH when he crashed in Hungary - thus ending the pre-war scene of speed. It was not until .1951 that the BMW mark was broken, and this time it was by the NSU concern, using a blown vertical twin 500cc model to clock 180.172 MPH. Wilhelm Herz was- the rider, and the pre-war road racer was developing 105 HP at 8000 RPM beneath a full shell. Next came a real shocker when the record went to a privateer in New Zealand. Russell Wright was his name, and he used an unsupercharged 1000cc Vincent to do 185.15 MPH. The classic twin had a full shell, and this was a remarkable achievement for a privateer over the big European factories. Meanwhile, in Germany, the NSU technicians were developing a radical new concept in stre.amlining with the Gustav Baumm projectile. The new design looked like a long cigar with the rider lying down, which enabled Baumm to clock 135 MPH with only a gasoline burning, unblown 125cc engine. The frontal area and air drag factors were both very low. This idea was ca tching o.n, and in America one Johnny Allen used this design to clock a 193.7 MPH mark with his fuel burning 650cc Triumph. NSU responded by bringing a whole galaxy of models to Bonneville in 1956, with Herz becoming the first to top 200 MPH with his 210.64 speed with the 500 and 189.5 on the 350. Both of these bikes used the full shell over the normal type frame, but a 125cc model did J50 MPH in the Baumm device. Allen responded with a 214.4 MPH record just a week later, and from that point on all contenders have used the Baumm developed design to set the speed marks. Bill Johnson came nex tin 1962 with his 224.57 MPH speed in a rig much the same as Allen's, but then along carne Bob Leppan in 1966 to clock 245.667 with a projectile that used two 650cc Triumph engines. In 1970 ~n American machine returned to the record book when Cal Rayborn did a cool 265.492 clocking with his 1500cc fuel burning Harley streamliner, which is where the record si ts today. In the past few years there have been some very capable con tenders built to gain back the record, but all have failed - often due to aerodynamic problems. The power is certainly there in some of these bikes to clock the long sought 300 MPH speed, but so far no one has been able to put it all together in a pair of runs. Bonneville is the only place outside of Lake Eire in Australia to record such speeds, so that the American legacy of speed on two wheels has only just begun. 300 MPH is just a question of time - time until someone gets a trouble-free run and time through those elec tronic clocks. # NATIONAL CHAMPION PIERRE DRSMAKERS TALKS ABOUT PENNZOIL "One of the most rewarding discoveries I've made since leaving Belgium, is Pennzoil 2-Stroke Motorcycle Oil. My job is riding motocrosS...to make a living at it I have to win. That's where Pennzoil comes in. I've finally found an oil that gives the lasting kind of engine protection it takes to be a strong finisher. Just being fast isn't enough, you've got to last. Try Pennzoil...it'li be the best discovery you ever made." Take a tip from Pierre Karsmakers, the 1973 AMA Open Class National Champion, ask your dealer for Pennzoil2-Stroke Motorcycle Oil. (pre-mix or injector use). This 125 NSU Baumm "cigar" went 150 MPH. The design _ The Honda HaWk, like many recent attempts, couldn't put two fast run together. radical in 1955. This H-D 250 held a record briefly. Harley still holds the absolute record; Cal Rayborn went 265. PENNZOIL COMPANY Oil City, Pennsylvania Western Headquarters: Los Angeles, California 9

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