STORY AND PHOTOS BY WARNER RILEY

After a successful multiyear run of top speed racing at Maxton, North Carolina, the East Coast Timing Association (ECTA) relocated its operations for the 2012 season to an airport near Wilmington, Ohio, located Southeast of Dayton. The new facility is similar to Maxton in that it features a one-mile paved section in which to achieve your motorcycle’s top speed. The differences are that the track is straight (no slight curve near the start) and it’s much smoother than Maxton. I feel Wilmington is a big improvement over Maxton, and is a better place to do high speed runs. On June 2nd and 3rd, I traveled to the ECTA Wilmington speed trials in the company of Jeff Bailey and Gene Dlask from S&S Cycle with the goal being to assist Jeff in running his 1999 80-cubic-inch Buell.

(Editor’s Note: Tuner Mike Witt, IW’s Shop Time author and wrench from Chicago H-D, assisted in the Buell’s build and dyno testing. Mike travels with the team to Bonneville and will report on that event next time, putting our regular Shop Time story on hiatus till January.)

By the end of the weekend Jeff’s bike set three records and went as fast as 147.919 mph. We all thought the bike could have gone even faster (we really wanted a 150 mph run) but it was not to be. When the meet was delayed due to a rider running off the end of the track, we were unable to resolve a minor jetting issue in the remaining time available. We had the gearing worked out, but needed another run or two to really get the jetting just right. Here is a list of our runs and the changes that were made:

1.) 109.388 mph with a 74 main jet
and a 48-tooth rear sprocket.
The lack of airflow into the fuel tank (from
the inspector’s tape) caused the motor to
quit running part way through the run.
2.) 141.506 mph with a 74 main jet
and a 48-tooth rear sprocket.
3.) 143.527 mph with a 72 main jet
and a 48-tooth rear sprocket.
4.) 145.474 mph with a 74 main jet
and a 48-tooth rear sprocket.
5.) 144.161 mph with a 76 main jet
and a 46-tooth rear sprocket.
6.) 147.919 mph with a 74 main jet
and a 47-tooth rear sprocket.

Here is what Jeff Bailey had to say about how he approached the task of riding at speed: “I try to ride aggressively from the start. I do not launch like you would at the drag strip, more like aggressive street riding. It is important to fully rev out each gear to keep the rpm from dropping too far down the power curve when the shift is made. After that it’s all about making myself as small as possible on the bike and squeezing the bike with my knees, feet, elbows and chin. I have tried playing around with moving forward and back as well as rising up off of the seat. I have not been able to find a better position than just lifting off the seat a couple of inches.”

I would have to agree one hundred percent with Jeff’s comments. I always tried to ride “like I was paint” when I was doing top speed running at Bonneville. As this story was written, everyone was working on getting ready for Bonneville. The BUB Speed Trials run from August 25th through the 31st and Jeff was working hard to have a different bike, his 160 cubic inch S&S V-Twin, ready for the salt. Jeff will be in the record books—or not—by the time you read this. Warner Riley knows a thing or two about high-speed racing. He became a member of the Bonneville 200 MPH Club in 1971. He also worked on the Denis Manning/Harley-Davidson streamliner that Cal Rayborn rode to a land speed record of 265 MPH in 1970. In his racing career, Warner set a total of 24 records and clocked a best-ever speed of 212 mph—all on an Ironhead Sportster.

Specifications
● S&S Superstock 35⁄8” bore cases
with matching S&S cylinders,
35⁄8+.040” bore with stock 313⁄16”
stroke (1318cc/80.4”)
● Andrews V80 cams
Compression ratio: 11.3 to 1
● S&S Superstock heads with S&S
roller rocker arms
● S&S G carburetor with tear drop air
cleaner
● Stock Buell headpipe with handmade
megaphone muffler
● Stock H-D 5-speed trans with Baker
reverse pattern shift drum
● 38⁄56 primary (1.47 ratio)
● Primo heavy clutch spring with Alto
Carbonite plates
● 1999 Buell XL chassis with 4” extended
swingarm, stiffer front fork
springs and Custom Works rear shock
● Handmade low profile fuel tank
● EBC front brake rotor and pads
● Buell RR1000 custom front fender
from Tom “Santa Claus” Anderson
● Vortex clip-on handlebars

Jeff back at S&S doing dyno runs on Jim Fischer’s new 1650 cc Bonnevilleway. Quite a ride on pavement!

Jeff’s all-alloy S&S Cycle Sportster/Buell 4 cam displaces 1318 cc and runs in the open gas 1350 cc class. At 6800 rpm, it makes 104 HP at the rear wheel.

Posted by Sam Kanish