World Wheelie Competition 2017

[Kid Kearsley]

The Wheelie competition is a funny one, one weekend a year, one chance, one dream. 

The dream? Entering a marker in top gear on Elvingtons runway Two Six on the back wheel at speeds of well over 100+mph, keeping the wheel off the floor whilst accelerating close to 200mph and finally landing back to earth a measured Kilometre later. Hoping the speeds are somewhere near the the Top Ten (ok top twenty). 

This event attracts competitors from all around the world, notably Holland, America Ireland and France. 

Top Speed Tuesdays are available for practice sessions but even if the world Wheelie record that currently stands at 214mph by Egbert Van Popta on his Turbo Charged Hayabusa is beaten... it doesn't count. TST practice days are almost considered cheating by some competitors as most just turn up for one weekend a year to prove their worth. 

I have been neglecting my wheelie duties since my engine blew up in October 2016 at 200mph. Since then I have rebuilt the engine and done some quarter mile racing and plenty of road miles. So I have had zero practice since last year with regards to wheelie so it's Shit or Bust, just how we like it. 

With the Wheelie Comp some three weeks away it's time to start getting the bike race ready.

So out with the drag swingarm and back to the short Gsxr 750 K swingarm that gives me a wheelbase of 55" 

A quick test run soon makes you remember how easily a 300bhp 55" wheelbased turbocharged gsxr11 can stand up on its back wheel. After a few arse clentching skyward moments on my personal test track it's straight back to base for a look over.

Leaking oil from the base gasket, blown gasket on the mailfold and witness marks of the turbo on the tyre from a few heavy landings.

Rocker cover off for a retorque of the cylinder head and valve clearances were the first port of call today. 

Luckily I now have professional tech support from my travelling circus. 

Test fire shows no oil now seeping from the base gasket, this engine is forever trying to rip itself apart, just keep clamping down the head. You will go to the ball.

Over the next few evenings as and when time allows I shall make the appropriate changes to having the bike race ready. Fork height change, turbo gasket, full exhaust fitment, bodywork change, remove quick shifter etc etc, plenty of things to keep me busy, or Jess busy. 

I shall document on this thread during the build up and post my results as I go. 

Tick Tock

Edited July 30, 2017 by Kid Kearsley

[no class]

what speed / gear do you start being timed at?

[Kid Kearsley]

Just clicked into top gear, eyes on the prize not the speedo but it's gotta be over 120mph I'd of thought

[Kid Kearsley]

@no class there is only a speed trap at the finish line, the entry speed or time taken between the start of the measured kilo and the end of the kilo are not measured. It's pure balls out top speed through the finish line that takes the trophy. 

[no class]

....so haul as much ass as your machine can muster as you are in the crouch....raise up your torso and yank on the bars as your body becomes a sail.......and keep the front wheel aloft through the traps .......sounds like fun to me.

[Kid Kearsley]

You missed out... keep the wheel in the air for a kilometre... then go through the traps. Doesn't sound like far but it is. 

[Swirl]

which weekend is it Kid

[Rene EFE]

11 hours ago, Kid Kearsley said:

Hero 

[bluedog59]

Jeez, you're looking younger every day. Hats off to you for doing it, it takes big balls to be doing that speed on one wheel.

I shy away from high speed ones now after the last 3 figure one went pear shaped on landing. I've had a case of testicular shrinkage since then.... and finding I don't bounce well as I get older.

[Kid Kearsley]

19th/20th August @Swirl 

[Kid Kearsley]

@bluedog59 Iv had a few of those... all above 150 I would say  

[Swirl]

2 minutes ago, Kid Kearsley said:

19th/20th August @Swirl 

Ah I'm away already

[Dezza]

Looks like after that bottom pic was taken you may have needed a spare set of leathers/change of undercrackers. Good luck in the contest

[Leblowski]

Have fun and stay safe mate !! Say hi to everyone from me.

[Kid Kearsley]

23 hours ago, Leblowski said:

Have fun and stay safe mate !! Say hi to everyone from me.

Not going to be the same without you! 

[Leblowski]

59 minutes ago, Kid Kearsley said:

Not going to be the same without you! 

Team Banana is counting on you @t Spa 2018 so see you there

But indeed it's a bit strange me not coming to Elvington i have spend loads of weekends there the last decade !

I will come over in the future but if i come i want to ride myself but first i want to get the hang of trackriding wich i am infected with now.

 

[Kid Kearsley]

So I knew my gasket needed replacing on my headers to exhaust housing. Easy enough job. 

Bike on lift 

 

headers off, yep gaskets mullered, no problem, gets new gasket. 

The the mother of all F@#Ks was found 

 

So at 7:30pm I left for FBM HQ, arrived at 10PM, yep it's fucked. 

Awwiting a costing report from Universal Turbos this afternoon. 

Iv already been looking at 0% credit cards put it that way, as a guide..

 

you get the idea 

Shit or Bust. Just how we like it. 8 days to go! 

[Swirl]

Least it was found before it imploded on itself at 200mph on the back wheel

[vizman]

buy it.....BUY IT NOW

[Kid Kearsley]

Bought.... Lucky i know how to survive on beans n cardboard. should be overnighted to FBM

[Kid Kearsley]

Still loads to be getting on with whilst next months rent money... I mean my turbo core is posted out to me. 

[Arttu]

10 hours ago, Kid Kearsley said:

The the mother of all F@#Ks was found 

 

So at 7:30pm I left for FBM HQ, arrived at 10PM, yep it's fucked. 

Awwiting a costing report from Universal Turbos this afternoon. 

 

Oops! That's a ball bearing Garrett, right? Any idea why it has given up? I have understood they should last almost forever if treated correctly.

[Swirl]

13 minutes ago, Arttu said:

Oops! That's a ball bearing Garrett, right? Any idea why it has given up? I have understood they should last almost forever if treated correctly.

Hahaha if treated correctly like that

[Kid Kearsley]

@Arttu

we have found debris in the oil so I don't think that has helped, it had been getting worse and worse over the last year. Iv not changed the oil in quite some time, admitidly due to laziness. Iv also been giving the motor a hard time recently when I put a long swingarm on and thought it funny to go limiter bashing whilst smoking the rear tyre in every gear- everywhere possible. My bad. It was a used item when fitted to my bike 2 years ago and it has had a hard life during my ownership. 

[Arttu]

8 hours ago, Kid Kearsley said:

@Arttu

we have found debris in the oil so I don't think that has helped, it had been getting worse and worse over the last year. Iv not changed the oil in quite some time, admitidly due to laziness. Iv also been giving the motor a hard time recently when I put a long swingarm on and thought it funny to go limiter bashing whilst smoking the rear tyre in every gear- everywhere possible. My bad. It was a used item when fitted to my bike 2 years ago and it has had a hard life during my ownership. 

Yep, unknown age and possible dirt in oil explain a lot. And continuous limiter bashing probably doesn't help either

I was just thinking that maybe you have some underlying problem that caused the bearing failure. So it would be a good idea to rule out anything like that before throwing in new CHRA.

As far as I have understood one weak spot in these ball bearing Garretts is plastic ball cage. If it gets overheated the bearings will be gone quickly. Key thing to prevent this is to ensure adequate oil flow. And not shut of the engine right after running the turbo glowing red.