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steam land speed record for cars & bikes
Posted by: jim reed (IP Logged)
Date: May 13, 2003 10:56AM
<HTML>Asking for an opinion from the steam community. Should LSR record for steam cars & bikes be limited to wheel driven vehicles or would a steam rocket thrust powered vehicle be considered legitimate? I am trying to get a clearification from the LSR sanctioning body. Currently they consider steam powered vehicles under the general heading of Omega class power plants (powerplants operating using a cycle other than Otto). This class covers electric, steam and thrust power plants. Another fellow is building a steam rocket bike. I have been working on a steam engine bike using a single acting flash unit driving the rear wheel. Obviously I have no chance against a rocket. I also know of a steam rocket powered kart capable of over 250 mph. If this is considered legal the British Steam Car Challenge would have an extremely hard if not impossible time beating such a speed.
My hope is to convince them to have classes for wheel driven and thrust driven steam vehicles. Barring that I hope they would disallow thrust steam vehicles as they have no practical application to everyday transportation. My interest in LSR and steam is to draw attention to steam in a way the general public can relate to, ie speed, and in so doing increase the general awareness of steam power and it's serious consideration as a power source for transportation in the 21st century.
Rgeards, Jim</HTML>
My hope is to convince them to have classes for wheel driven and thrust driven steam vehicles. Barring that I hope they would disallow thrust steam vehicles as they have no practical application to everyday transportation. My interest in LSR and steam is to draw attention to steam in a way the general public can relate to, ie speed, and in so doing increase the general awareness of steam power and it's serious consideration as a power source for transportation in the 21st century.
Rgeards, Jim</HTML>
Re: steam land speed record for cars & bikes
Posted by: Jim Crank (IP Logged)
Date: May 13, 2003 01:29PM
<HTML>Jim,
A jet car or bike, whether steam propelled or jet/rocket engined, has no relationship to the automobile. As to the present jet powered land speed records, why not just borrow an F-16 and taxi it fast, what's the difference?
As far as I am concerned, being the builder of the steam car that holds the world's record to date, the vehicle should only be wheel driven by either an engine or a turbine, not some jet.
I wouldn't worry too much about the so called British Challenge, First they have to build the car, then they have to make it work. If the information they put out is accurate, and not some smoke screen, they have built in problems that they haven't even begun to address. First do it, then brag about it.
Who is this LSR sanctioning body, some other self promoted bunch of politicians? Or is it the sanctioning fee that gets them into this business?
Jim Crank</HTML>
A jet car or bike, whether steam propelled or jet/rocket engined, has no relationship to the automobile. As to the present jet powered land speed records, why not just borrow an F-16 and taxi it fast, what's the difference?
As far as I am concerned, being the builder of the steam car that holds the world's record to date, the vehicle should only be wheel driven by either an engine or a turbine, not some jet.
I wouldn't worry too much about the so called British Challenge, First they have to build the car, then they have to make it work. If the information they put out is accurate, and not some smoke screen, they have built in problems that they haven't even begun to address. First do it, then brag about it.
Who is this LSR sanctioning body, some other self promoted bunch of politicians? Or is it the sanctioning fee that gets them into this business?
Jim Crank</HTML>
Re: steam land speed record for cars & bikes
Posted by: jim reed (IP Logged)
Date: May 13, 2003 03:10PM
<HTML>Jim: The sanctioning body is the SCTA/BNI(Southern California Timing Association/Bonniville Nationals Inc.) for the flying mile and the ECTA (East Coast Timing Association) for the standing mile. ECTA uses essentially the same rules as the SCTA. The SCTA/BNI is who you you set your record with, correct?
I agree with you on the Brits. I think they have gone out of their way to make things complicated. They need to take a lesson from the likes of Al Teague, the late Don Vesco, Nolan White etc. regarding their rolling chassis and aerodynamics.
My interest is strickly in the direction of a conventional bike with steam power. Not a motorcycle streamliner (aka a two wheeled car). I have neither time or money to build a car. I have a hard enough time finding space in my schedule and money in my pocket for a simple basic steam motorcycle.
What is your opinion of steam turbines vs piston engines for steam LSR record work? As I understand small turbines require a larger volume of steam per hour. A local guy has been trying to convince me to use a converted gas turbine jet engine starter with gearbox for my bike idea. I have already started building a uniflow twin cylinder engine (125cc per cyl)
based upon the Smith 175 cc Montesa motorcycle conversion done some years ago. His idea seems like the "long way around the barn". Not being a steam expert your opinion would be appreciated.
Thanks for your input. Coming from the current record holder, it is definitely a plus.
Regards, Jim Reed</HTML>
I agree with you on the Brits. I think they have gone out of their way to make things complicated. They need to take a lesson from the likes of Al Teague, the late Don Vesco, Nolan White etc. regarding their rolling chassis and aerodynamics.
My interest is strickly in the direction of a conventional bike with steam power. Not a motorcycle streamliner (aka a two wheeled car). I have neither time or money to build a car. I have a hard enough time finding space in my schedule and money in my pocket for a simple basic steam motorcycle.
What is your opinion of steam turbines vs piston engines for steam LSR record work? As I understand small turbines require a larger volume of steam per hour. A local guy has been trying to convince me to use a converted gas turbine jet engine starter with gearbox for my bike idea. I have already started building a uniflow twin cylinder engine (125cc per cyl)
based upon the Smith 175 cc Montesa motorcycle conversion done some years ago. His idea seems like the "long way around the barn". Not being a steam expert your opinion would be appreciated.
Thanks for your input. Coming from the current record holder, it is definitely a plus.
Regards, Jim Reed</HTML>
Re: steam land speed record for cars & bikes
Posted by: George Nutz (IP Logged)
Date: May 13, 2003 06:54PM
<HTML>Jim,
Do you have any idea as to what the current steam bike record is? Is your 125cc/cylinder single acting or double acting? If DA it is 30 cubes and that may not get you very far unless very high pressure. I agree(usually do) with Jim) but the thought of the easiest way to set a auto record would be to take the great Engineer Truax's steam rocket thruster that Evil Knievl used to go across the gorge albeit that the chute came out very early on. No boiler needed, just a very high pressure water container heated from outside and then WOOSH.
Not good for a damn for anything else but a record setter it would be---Truax is/was a truly great aerospace engineer and did it all. Damn rocket cars, they make a mockery of the tremendous complexity and balance required to drive thru the wheels. But it would set a record!
George</HTML>
Do you have any idea as to what the current steam bike record is? Is your 125cc/cylinder single acting or double acting? If DA it is 30 cubes and that may not get you very far unless very high pressure. I agree(usually do) with Jim) but the thought of the easiest way to set a auto record would be to take the great Engineer Truax's steam rocket thruster that Evil Knievl used to go across the gorge albeit that the chute came out very early on. No boiler needed, just a very high pressure water container heated from outside and then WOOSH.
Not good for a damn for anything else but a record setter it would be---Truax is/was a truly great aerospace engineer and did it all. Damn rocket cars, they make a mockery of the tremendous complexity and balance required to drive thru the wheels. But it would set a record!
George</HTML>
Re: steam land speed record for cars & bikes
Posted by: Jim Crank (IP Logged)
Date: May 13, 2003 07:51PM
<HTML>Jim,
Yes, it was SCTA that timed Bob's run. That was at one of the usual August Bonneville meets. It screamed, roared and screeched like a jet engine; but the biggest disappointment was no huge plume of steam out the back. It was still superheated.
The Brits are a splendid example of people who think they can build a steam car that works; but never saw one, never lived with one, have no practical knowledge of steam cars whatsoever, and don't thoroughly know the history and technology of the steamer, and why things work the way they do. Love to splatter theories around, as do lots of steam car enthusiasts today, with no solid knowedge of the things and not enough money or talent to ever build one. I get at least ten phone calls every month along this line, that is why I hide behind an answering machine!!
Turbines work well when they are running at their design speed. Below that, like starting the car from rest, they have the efficiency of a one inch hole in the main steam line. With a monotube, it goes whoosh out the exhaust, the car won't move and now you sit with no pressure and an overheated boiler.
My turbine was from the Lear bus project, ran at 85,000 rpm, and was fed by a special Lear steam generator that put out 5500 lbs/hr at 1200 psi and 1100°F, burning 56 gph of jet fuel in a four nozzle cyclone firebox.
A reciprocating at least has some efficiency when starting and won't drain the boiler dry on the first attempt. We push started my car up to 45 mph before opening the throttle. And that was with a way oversized water pump, with a variable epeed drive to run it at 3-1 when starting up.
A gas turbine is designed to run on hot air, like many steam people, and would be no good at all as a high pressure steam turbine for a vehicle.
Such turbines are designed for high mass flow and a modest pressure drop. Steam turbines are exactly the opposite, modest mass flow in cfm; but high pressure drop across each stage.
My best advice is a reciprocating engine big enough to do the job, as light as possible and that would only hold together long enough to set the record.
Just don't get hurt with this project, and don't go broke trying to prove a point. Have fun with it.
Jim</HTML>
Yes, it was SCTA that timed Bob's run. That was at one of the usual August Bonneville meets. It screamed, roared and screeched like a jet engine; but the biggest disappointment was no huge plume of steam out the back. It was still superheated.
The Brits are a splendid example of people who think they can build a steam car that works; but never saw one, never lived with one, have no practical knowledge of steam cars whatsoever, and don't thoroughly know the history and technology of the steamer, and why things work the way they do. Love to splatter theories around, as do lots of steam car enthusiasts today, with no solid knowedge of the things and not enough money or talent to ever build one. I get at least ten phone calls every month along this line, that is why I hide behind an answering machine!!
Turbines work well when they are running at their design speed. Below that, like starting the car from rest, they have the efficiency of a one inch hole in the main steam line. With a monotube, it goes whoosh out the exhaust, the car won't move and now you sit with no pressure and an overheated boiler.
My turbine was from the Lear bus project, ran at 85,000 rpm, and was fed by a special Lear steam generator that put out 5500 lbs/hr at 1200 psi and 1100°F, burning 56 gph of jet fuel in a four nozzle cyclone firebox.
A reciprocating at least has some efficiency when starting and won't drain the boiler dry on the first attempt. We push started my car up to 45 mph before opening the throttle. And that was with a way oversized water pump, with a variable epeed drive to run it at 3-1 when starting up.
A gas turbine is designed to run on hot air, like many steam people, and would be no good at all as a high pressure steam turbine for a vehicle.
Such turbines are designed for high mass flow and a modest pressure drop. Steam turbines are exactly the opposite, modest mass flow in cfm; but high pressure drop across each stage.
My best advice is a reciprocating engine big enough to do the job, as light as possible and that would only hold together long enough to set the record.
Just don't get hurt with this project, and don't go broke trying to prove a point. Have fun with it.
Jim</HTML>
Re: steam land speed record for cars & bikes
Posted by: Jim Crank (IP Logged)
Date: May 13, 2003 07:54PM
<HTML>Jim & George,
OK, why not run H2O2 through a catalyst bed, like the fuel pump on the V-2, and run that into a special turbine. Short run; but loads of power.
Jim</HTML>
OK, why not run H2O2 through a catalyst bed, like the fuel pump on the V-2, and run that into a special turbine. Short run; but loads of power.
Jim</HTML>
Re: steam land speed record for cars & bikes
Posted by: jim reed (IP Logged)
Date: May 14, 2003 02:09PM
<HTML>Thanks for the follow up. There currently is no established record for motorcycles. The only documented steambike speed I know of was Roper's 2 min. mile back in 1896. I won't run for a record unless I can at least go 100-120 mph. I'm sure there are existing steam bikes that could go that fast. The rolling chassis is a partially streamlined bike much like my current Yamaha TZ-350 GP roadracer I use for record running but using a Triumph 500 frame, raked and lowered. The TZs gone 163 at Daytona. Factory TZ 350s went 175 mph at Spa Belgium in the early 80's before the class was dropped from the World Championship. Trying to duplicate for ECTA and SCTA for the standing and flying mile. Bonneville is tough due to altitude and Maxton, NC is tough due to only having one mile from a standing start. At 350cc it develops 72 rear wheel horsepower, 80 at the crank and gas. Factory bikes purportedly developed 85 hp.
I am shooting for a drag coefficient of .25-.30 with a frontal area of 4.5 sq ft.. for the steamer.
Regards, Jim</HTML>
I am shooting for a drag coefficient of .25-.30 with a frontal area of 4.5 sq ft.. for the steamer.
Regards, Jim</HTML>
Re: steam land speed record for cars & bikes
Posted by: Terry Williams (IP Logged)
Date: May 15, 2003 01:42AM
<HTML>Jim Reed said"The only documented steambike speed I know of was Roper's 2 min. mile back in 1896. I won't run for a record unless I can at least go 100-120 mph. I'm sure there are existing steam bikes that could go that fast."
I'm not so sure of that, Jim.</HTML>
I'm not so sure of that, Jim.</HTML>
Re: steam land speed record for cars & bikes
Posted by: David K Nergaard (IP Logged)
Date: May 15, 2003 11:25AM
<HTML>I agree with Terry. I have never heard of one that could exceed 60 mph. Nor have I seen one I would consider safe any where near even that speed!</HTML>
Re: steam -pacer-race- bikes
Posted by: C Benson (IP Logged)
Date: May 15, 2003 11:50AM
<HTML>Another piece of history to look at,,,Both Locomobile and Stanley made steam ''pacers'',a steam bike for pacing the cycle racing of the day,, [dont forget Charles Metz an Fred Mariott were both competition riders]] ,,The Loco had 2 boilers,/cause they didnt use superheat,an steam consumtion was way up,,,,the engines were off to one side a bit ,,counter'd by the watertank on the other side,,,,,14'' boiler I assume,,,and Mason eng' for Loco,,,an' #1 Stanley for the Stanley of course,,,,BOTH these engines are to be found/an had,,,easier than most other auto related stuff,,,,I have passed up several in the last 3 years,,,Those early boilers were the lo pressure jobs,,lt wt,, shell ,040 copper 2 layers of wire,,,,, DOES someone know the pressures of these?? How much more was the hoop bound Stranley boiler good for as opposed to the Loco's rivitted construction,,,XXXXX Leo Reagan's Loco would top out about 48mph,[Lakeville Ct., 1955]] ,,so same eng' in bike should go,,,,,70??,,,I havent had my coffee yet so dont assume theres any GOOD intellegence around here yet this mornin, an' George has the ability with numbers that I only dream of,,,,,Just thot the idea of amother carefully done replica could be fun,,, if [an only] if well done ,,and fill another void in steam history,,,, Even if its contrary to the Stanley Museums quest for purity at the expense of having fun an raisin hell !! Cheers,,Ben in Maine,,,///ps we just traded snow furries for black flies,,,but here on the hill,,, they cant fly that high,,cb</HTML>
Re: steam land speed record for cars & bikes
Posted by: George Nutz (IP Logged)
Date: May 15, 2003 05:02PM
<HTML>Dave,
Our friend Hal, formerly chief steam engineer at Skinner, has a very powerful- in- thrust steam motorcycle. I understand it accelerates very quickly but have no idea of its temporary top speed. Think it uses a 10HP Stanley engine, you would know more about this motorcycle than I. How fast do you think it would go in a spurt?</HTML>
Our friend Hal, formerly chief steam engineer at Skinner, has a very powerful- in- thrust steam motorcycle. I understand it accelerates very quickly but have no idea of its temporary top speed. Think it uses a 10HP Stanley engine, you would know more about this motorcycle than I. How fast do you think it would go in a spurt?</HTML>
Re: steam land speed record for cars & bikes
Posted by: jim reed (IP Logged)
Date: May 16, 2003 12:00AM
<HTML>What about the twin cyl steam bike that Davil Sarlin restored some years back. It had a single acting twin cyl engine. I think it was built in the 20-30s. Can't remember the builders name. It was reported to have gone 100. The Smith Montesa conversion is reported to have gone 65mph. Are these stories just bench racer hyperbole? How fast were the Locomobile pacer motorcycles they advertised in their cataloge? Jim</HTML>
Re: steam land speed record for cars & bikes
Posted by: David K Nergaard (IP Logged)
Date: May 17, 2003 11:38AM
<HTML>Hal Fuller's machine, which he still has, used a very early, chain drive Stanley engine. Thus, it was probably 6 hp. Hal and the friend who built it never got the burner to work more than a few minutes without backfiring, so the beast was used for drag racing. I have heard it was spectacular off the mark, but have no idea what it did for the 1/4 mile. Guess I'll have to ask him.</HTML>
Re: steam// bikes//engines
Posted by: C Benson (IP Logged)
Date: May 17, 2003 05:51PM
<HTML>Hi ,,This engine David speaks of is the #1 engine,,,,2 1/4 X 3 1/2 B & S,,,the same as a Loco's Mason engine,,but w/ some refinements,,,,not major,,This early Stanley engine seems to have been rated from 4 HP to 6 1/2 and all in between !! depending on pressure an' superheat,,,,Eventually we may be able to coordinate these ratings against advances in pressure etc,,,and better yet get a idea of year into the chart,,,Dont't forget these early bilers were COPPER,, NOT steel,, Kinda like a shrink wrapped ball of yarn ,,,only inside out,,,When ya run 'em dry the bands on the ends revolve,,,the wire comes loose,,,,I still recall Don Jones dad's VIVID description to me when none of this made any sense at all,,,An' how in the world can a water guage have a string on it,,,hohoho.,,,The word biler is as Garge Whitney called em ,,refer to Bacon's Steam Car Pioneers book,,,Whitney apprenticed for G Roper around 1880,,and shared a shop in E Boston w/Roper til Roper died in 1896 [ 2 June] Cheers Ben</HTML>
Re: steam// bikes//engines
Posted by: jim reed (IP Logged)
Date: May 17, 2003 08:56PM
<HTML>A Loco/Mason/Stanley type 1 was the engine I first considered using. I picked one up some years ago. After much comment from steam buffs around here I sold it about a year ago. They all claimed it was too fragile for what i had in mind. It was almost identical to the Whitney designed bronze Mason engine except that the crosshead was improved and the engine was cast iron. I regret selling it. I am now building a twin cyl uniflow with a bash valve to start with. I would also like later to experiment with a cam operated poppet type inlet valve.
I have a set of plans for Bob Kirtley's World's Record holding tethered steam hydroplane. It uses a 30cc uniflow engine with poppet valve and a flash generator made from 30 ft. of 1/4" 22 ga. 316 seamless annealed ss tubing. The engine has been dyno tested at 6hp at 15,000 rpm according to published reports. He held the record at 107.9 mph in Oct. 1989. I have in mind to essentially replicate his design with a pair of 125cc cylinders and two corespondingly larger flash generators. Power will be connected via a pair of hydraulic axle slipper clutches as used in enduro laydown kart racing. They are capable of dealing with 40-50 hp each. Kirtley used a bash valve in his earlier record boats but went to the poppet due to the it's superior timing capabilities. His engine starts admitting steam at 7 deg. BTDC until 47 deg. ATDC. then 102 deg. of expansion, 102 deg. of exhaust and 123 deg. of compression. The flash generator is fired by triple blowlamps using white gas.
jim reed</HTML>
I have a set of plans for Bob Kirtley's World's Record holding tethered steam hydroplane. It uses a 30cc uniflow engine with poppet valve and a flash generator made from 30 ft. of 1/4" 22 ga. 316 seamless annealed ss tubing. The engine has been dyno tested at 6hp at 15,000 rpm according to published reports. He held the record at 107.9 mph in Oct. 1989. I have in mind to essentially replicate his design with a pair of 125cc cylinders and two corespondingly larger flash generators. Power will be connected via a pair of hydraulic axle slipper clutches as used in enduro laydown kart racing. They are capable of dealing with 40-50 hp each. Kirtley used a bash valve in his earlier record boats but went to the poppet due to the it's superior timing capabilities. His engine starts admitting steam at 7 deg. BTDC until 47 deg. ATDC. then 102 deg. of expansion, 102 deg. of exhaust and 123 deg. of compression. The flash generator is fired by triple blowlamps using white gas.
jim reed</HTML>
Re: steam// bikes//engines
Posted by: Roland Evans (IP Logged)
Date: May 18, 2003 08:31AM
<HTML>Jim
You better check those planes. There is only 360 degrees in the rotation. You can’t over lap compression and admitting. Compression would be 102 as well.</HTML>
You better check those planes. There is only 360 degrees in the rotation. You can’t over lap compression and admitting. Compression would be 102 as well.</HTML>
Re: steam// bikes//engines
Posted by: jim reed (IP Logged)
Date: May 18, 2003 01:22PM
<HTML>Correct. My typings skills leave a bit to be desired. Thanks for the observation the plans. Jim</HTML>
Re: steam// bikes//engines
Posted by: Terry Williams (IP Logged)
Date: May 18, 2003 01:56PM
<HTML>
">jim reed</a> wrote:
>
> A Loco/Mason/Stanley type 1 was the engine I first
> considered using. I picked one up some years ago. After much
> comment from steam buffs around here I sold it about a year
> ago. They all claimed it was too fragile for what i had in
> mind. It was almost identical to the Whitney designed bronze
> Mason engine except that the crosshead was improved and the
> engine was cast iron. I regret selling it. I am now building
> a twin cyl uniflow with a bash valve to start with. I would
> also like later to experiment with a cam operated poppet type
> inlet valve.
>
> I have a set of plans for Bob Kirtley's World's Record
> holding tethered steam hydroplane. It uses a 30cc uniflow
> engine with poppet valve and a flash generator made from 30
> ft. of 1/4" 22 ga. 316 seamless annealed ss tubing. The
> engine has been dyno tested at 6hp at 15,000 rpm according to
> published reports. He held the record at 107.9 mph in Oct.
> 1989. I have in mind to essentially replicate his design with
> a pair of 125cc cylinders and two corespondingly larger flash
> generators. Power will be connected via a pair of hydraulic
> axle slipper clutches as used in enduro laydown kart racing.
> They are capable of dealing with 40-50 hp each. Kirtley used
> a bash valve in his earlier record boats but went to the
> poppet due to the it's superior timing capabilities. His
> engine starts admitting steam at 7 deg. BTDC until 47 deg.
> ATDC. then 102 deg. of expansion, 102 deg. of exhaust and 123
> deg. of compression. The flash generator is fired by triple
> blowlamps using white gas.
>
> jim reed
I think that is an excellent place to start. Kirltley used a tangential cam which can be readily improved upon. I used cycloidal valve motion on my outboard, it's simple to calculate and it works quite well with the stiff valve train such as you are thinking of. Let me know if I can help.</HTML>
">jim reed</a> wrote:
>
> A Loco/Mason/Stanley type 1 was the engine I first
> considered using. I picked one up some years ago. After much
> comment from steam buffs around here I sold it about a year
> ago. They all claimed it was too fragile for what i had in
> mind. It was almost identical to the Whitney designed bronze
> Mason engine except that the crosshead was improved and the
> engine was cast iron. I regret selling it. I am now building
> a twin cyl uniflow with a bash valve to start with. I would
> also like later to experiment with a cam operated poppet type
> inlet valve.
>
> I have a set of plans for Bob Kirtley's World's Record
> holding tethered steam hydroplane. It uses a 30cc uniflow
> engine with poppet valve and a flash generator made from 30
> ft. of 1/4" 22 ga. 316 seamless annealed ss tubing. The
> engine has been dyno tested at 6hp at 15,000 rpm according to
> published reports. He held the record at 107.9 mph in Oct.
> 1989. I have in mind to essentially replicate his design with
> a pair of 125cc cylinders and two corespondingly larger flash
> generators. Power will be connected via a pair of hydraulic
> axle slipper clutches as used in enduro laydown kart racing.
> They are capable of dealing with 40-50 hp each. Kirtley used
> a bash valve in his earlier record boats but went to the
> poppet due to the it's superior timing capabilities. His
> engine starts admitting steam at 7 deg. BTDC until 47 deg.
> ATDC. then 102 deg. of expansion, 102 deg. of exhaust and 123
> deg. of compression. The flash generator is fired by triple
> blowlamps using white gas.
>
> jim reed
I think that is an excellent place to start. Kirltley used a tangential cam which can be readily improved upon. I used cycloidal valve motion on my outboard, it's simple to calculate and it works quite well with the stiff valve train such as you are thinking of. Let me know if I can help.</HTML>
Re: steam// bikes//engines
Posted by: David K Nergaard (IP Logged)
Date: May 21, 2003 10:59AM
<HTML>I had a 'phone call with Hal about his bike. It uses an early Stanley engine with the four bar frame, NOT a Penny or Mason. He doesn't know whether the chain wheel is original or a modification. He thinks it is about 2 1/2 X 3 1/2, which would be a type 1.
The bike will do well over 60 mph., and is fairly stable at that speed, but Hal never had the nerve to push it higher. He has doubts about the strength of the home made welded tube frame of the machine. Also, the saddle, being mounted above the boiler, is so high he can not touch the ground with his feet while seated, but must be prepared to jump free when stopping while simultaneously contriving to keep the machine from falling over!
The burner has never been cured of its backfiring, so only relatively short runs are possible.</HTML>
The bike will do well over 60 mph., and is fairly stable at that speed, but Hal never had the nerve to push it higher. He has doubts about the strength of the home made welded tube frame of the machine. Also, the saddle, being mounted above the boiler, is so high he can not touch the ground with his feet while seated, but must be prepared to jump free when stopping while simultaneously contriving to keep the machine from falling over!
The burner has never been cured of its backfiring, so only relatively short runs are possible.</HTML>
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