Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

The Cagiva era Morinis
dr j
Posts: 23
Joined: 07 Jun 2012 12:09
Location: Sharpsburg MD, USA
Location: Hagerstown MD USA

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by dr j »

Well, my Morini Dart 350 is now ready for the Bonneville Salt Flats. I still need to figure out video camera mounts but the bike is ready. Image
Image
As you can see I finished my paint job and graphics. Compare this to the pic above in Ohio last month. I used the windscreen generously donated by Tom to cutout an actual window for view in my tuck position. The tinted plastic is from a helmet faceshield. The handlebar mount to replace my cracked one also came from Tom. Thank you, Thank you. I installed a steering damper donated from my LSR friend Eric. It mounts to the left fork and then the body mounts to a bracket I made attached to the left upper crossbar bolt. So no holes drilled in frame.
By the way, my Moto Madcap logo is a parody of the Moto Parilla logo with their racing greyhound. My wife made a cartoon sketch of one of our Pyrenean Shepherds and added sunglasses. I will also be taking my Parilla 175 to Bonneville and I just fired up that engine today after three years.
I will try to update from Bonneville. Thanks again to all who have given their help on this adventure. This will just be phase one.
Jarl
1985 Morini 350 K2
1990 Morini Dart 350
Moto Madcap
Hagerstown Maryland USA
Bonneville Land Speed Racing: BUB 2012- four 350cc Modified Pushrod class records (best is 97.961mph)
and BUB2013-four 350cc Altered Pushrod class records (best is 98.319mph)
nickst4
Posts: 185
Joined: 31 Oct 2011 06:55
Location: Diss, Norfolk, UK
Location: Norfolk

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by nickst4 »

Very tasty, Jarl: I wish I was there to give you a push!

Take care and show those other pushrod bikes what a spot of Italian flair can do!

Nick, UK
smotorboy
Posts: 254
Joined: 04 Oct 2011 17:54
Location: costa mesa, ca usa

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by smotorboy »

Fantastic Look Dr. J !!!

First rate job,,,,I'll be following your adventure as best I can.......

Here is a shot from this past week at the Bonneville "Speedweek" event of a turbo-charged Buell 350cc bike that I'll be up against when I get there next year...

I think it went 116 mph with not very much of a fairing...Fast bike...

All the best from California,

Robert Smith
Gear Grinder
SCTA
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nickst4
Posts: 185
Joined: 31 Oct 2011 06:55
Location: Diss, Norfolk, UK
Location: Norfolk

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by nickst4 »

Did Buell ever market a 350 then, or was this a one-off with the Harley motor in a Buell twin chassis? The Harley single (can't remember its name; possibly Bolt?) never made it outside the US, I don't think. I like quirky singles.

Nick, UK

PS OK, done my homework a bit and now remember the Buell Blast; a neat-looking 500cc thing that Erik B famously crushed because he was embarassed by it not being macho enough! If it was like the Buell Ulysses-variant I rode once, it was an interesting chassis fitted with a dog-of-an-engine. As with all modern-day singles, it was doomed. Plenty of people here and in the US say that's what they'd really like (neat, light, good handling, good mileage,) but too few of 'em actually buy them.... :roll:
smotorboy
Posts: 254
Joined: 04 Oct 2011 17:54
Location: costa mesa, ca usa

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by smotorboy »

The Engine is most likely De-Stroked or Sleeved to get to 350cc or they are using a cylinder and crank from the 750cc "flat-track" factory racer...

As the single is based on the "Sportster" V-twin motor, there are plenty of aftermarket and factory hop-up parts available....

Not a bad way to go really, and the Buells hold most of the pushrod records right now...

I say most because the fastest bike on record is a Harley Sprint (AERMACCHI single) built by Tim Cryus. It has gone 122 mph without a supercharger or nitrous...

A really fast bike !

Our Morini's should be able to equal and then beat them, but it is not a "Given". It will take a real effort to do it...

Robert in California
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smotorboy
Posts: 254
Joined: 04 Oct 2011 17:54
Location: costa mesa, ca usa

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by smotorboy »

***CORRECTION** Buell Blast w/turbo not so fast after all.............

It seems the owner/rider of the Buell Blast had two bikes entered at Speedweek. The 350cc and a 750cc bike. The 750 went 116 mph not the 350....

After looking at the daily run logs from the event, the 350 made three runs and only made it through the 1/4 mile timing trap each time before turning off...

Best speed recorded was 54.3 mph,,, not too impressive to say the least...

Sorting out a turbo on a very small single (turbos like LOTS of exhaust pulses to work well) is not an easy matter, and is not for the faint of heart....

As an old racing crew-chief, I can sympathize with the issues he faces.....but my Roots Blown Morini will have no mercy on the Singles once it gets to the Salt...

Robert in California
SCTA Gear Grinders
MickeyMoto
Posts: 2415
Joined: 22 Nov 2008 17:41
Location: Even further oop North

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by MickeyMoto »

wow,

The Dart in red and white looks like a mini Ducati Paso - I can definitely see the likeness.

Good luck with the sprinting..
EVguru
Posts: 1528
Joined: 01 Aug 2006 11:13
Location: Luton
Contact:

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by EVguru »

MickeyMoto wrote:The Dart in red and white looks like a mini Ducati Paso - I can definitely see the likeness.
The Paso and Freccia C9 were both styled at the same time by Massimo Tamburini, the bodywork of the C9 then modified for the Dart. The radiator exit ducts were reversed, turning them into intake scoops for the aircooled engine.
Paul Compton
http://www.morini-mania.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/user/EVguru
smotorboy
Posts: 254
Joined: 04 Oct 2011 17:54
Location: costa mesa, ca usa

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by smotorboy »

Great Job at Bonneville Dr. J......

Looking through the run logs, the little Dart got up to about 96 mph and set a record I think....

Density altitude was running 6000+ feet above sea level which equates to at least a 20% power loss from running at sea level.....

Not bad at all for a stock motor at that altitude....

Robert in California
dr j
Posts: 23
Joined: 07 Jun 2012 12:09
Location: Sharpsburg MD, USA
Location: Hagerstown MD USA

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by dr j »

Hey guys, I am now over half way home on the 2100 mile one way drive from Bonneville salt flats. What a week!! Morini Dart 350 was flawless. Electric start easy everytime. It is supposed to be Sun-Thurs racing after tech inspection on Saturday. Made it through tech without a problem. I ran it first thing on Sunday morning on an Open record for Modified partial streamlined pushrod gas (350 MPS-PG). We did 90 mph on first run and then a return run of 91 mph. My 2 friends with Vintage BMW 250s and I were the first three records earned at this meet! It rained that afternoon and made the track a lake so no racing at all on Monday. Resumed on Tuesday but I ran my 1954 Parilla and got a record with that too. Then I chose to pull the head on the Parilla to get that record certified right away. For that they have to actually measure the bore and stroke. So Wednesday was the big day for the Morini Dart. I changed class to MPS PF (Fuel) but ran the same 100 octane track gas. This time we again ran 90 on qualifying run but the return run was 95 for about a 93 average. Another record. Now after the first pending record on Sunday I chose to not pull the head and instead had them seal the engine with fingernail polish so I could run it more. I kept it sealed after this second record. Then I pulled all the fairings off and changed to M-PG which had a record of 87.0mph set last yr on a Morini 3 1/2. I did I think 93 and then 97mph (going by memory here as the timing slips are in the trailer), for an avg of 95 and a third record. Then I again changed to the final class I was eligible for, M-PF. Then I had my best two runs of the meet at 97 and 98mph (with the return run measured at 99 for the kilometer, but 98 for the mile). Then we pulled into Impound and quickly pulled off the seat and tank and pulled the rear head. Yes this is right on the salt though we put up an EZ-UP awning and a ground cover. Measured in at 347.88cc I think. Quickly put it back together and got it sealed so I could run it on Thursday morning but not faster.
So I put the Morini into the record books in all 4 Modified non-turbo class records!! What a meet this was, as I also got a record with my Parilla and my Vintage BMW motorcycle buddies with their bikes in my trailer getting 3 records as well!!
Thanks again to all the people here on the forum who were instumental in helping. I now have lots of ideas for next time....
Jarl
1985 Morini 350 K2
1990 Morini Dart 350
Moto Madcap
Hagerstown Maryland USA
Bonneville Land Speed Racing: BUB 2012- four 350cc Modified Pushrod class records (best is 97.961mph)
and BUB2013-four 350cc Altered Pushrod class records (best is 98.319mph)
mantaray
Posts: 153
Joined: 07 Mar 2009 19:33
Contact:

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by mantaray »

Congaratulations ... ;-)
nickst4
Posts: 185
Joined: 31 Oct 2011 06:55
Location: Diss, Norfolk, UK
Location: Norfolk

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by nickst4 »

Well done Jarl!

It's a little confusing to me, but do I read it right you got the same or slightly faster speeds without the fairing?

Nick, UK
dr j
Posts: 23
Joined: 07 Jun 2012 12:09
Location: Sharpsburg MD, USA
Location: Hagerstown MD USA

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by dr j »

Nick,
Yes my experience so far shows that the fairings add nothing. The engine was getting stronger and stronger but at Bonneville it is at over 4000 ft elevation and usually hot, running in 88-100 F deg range but very low humidity. So during most of this meet the adjusted density altitude was around 6600 ft which is very little oxygen/cc of air. But the plugs looked great with a nice tan so my jetting was good.
Back to the fairings- In my studying of aerodynamics I feel that the windscreen helps a little but only because I can get down behind it. The side fairings help nothing as they direct air around the bike but not the rider so no help on turbulence.
Jarl
1985 Morini 350 K2
1990 Morini Dart 350
Moto Madcap
Hagerstown Maryland USA
Bonneville Land Speed Racing: BUB 2012- four 350cc Modified Pushrod class records (best is 97.961mph)
and BUB2013-four 350cc Altered Pushrod class records (best is 98.319mph)
nickst4
Posts: 185
Joined: 31 Oct 2011 06:55
Location: Diss, Norfolk, UK
Location: Norfolk

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by nickst4 »

dr j wrote:Nick,
Yes my experience so far shows that the fairings add nothing. >>>>> In my studying of aerodynamics I feel that the windscreen helps a little but only because I can get down behind it. The side fairings help nothing as they direct air around the bike but not the rider so no help on turbulence.
Interesting! Maybe it depends on the size of the rider. I've been delighted by the little capsule of peace (apart from the Gazelle exhaust!) that surrounds my Dart at speed. 80mph on that is totally serene, and is equivalent to no more than 60 on my frenetic 750 Monster even with a screen. Unfortunately, in my view (and that of contemporary road-testers) the Dart front brake really isn't up to that sort of speed potential, even in run-in fully-serviced condition. I shall certainly be looking into grafting a Brembo or Grimeca 4-pot on the front, even if it means stiffening the fork action a bit. Hopefully it wouldn't mean changing the m/cylinder too, 'cos that would be just as tricky. Better to use an undersize m/cylinder than an oversize one, I reckon...

Nick
dr j
Posts: 23
Joined: 07 Jun 2012 12:09
Location: Sharpsburg MD, USA
Location: Hagerstown MD USA

Re: Dart 350 for Bonneville Land Speed Racing

Post by dr j »

Well, here I go again!!
I leave next week for the BUB2013 event for Land Speed Racing at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah USA. I have again entered my 1990 Morini Dart 350 but this time in the Altered 350cc pushrod gas class. But it no longer looks like a Dart. All the body work is gone except the front fender and rear hugger. And I am now running a smaller custom fuel tank and clip ons. I went to Dyna coils also which helped the spark strength jump from 11mm to 19mm. Gauges and lights are gone too and replaced with a small dash TrailTech called Vapor. My girlfriend Rebecca will be the rider for the Morini initially. She set a record last year on a 1954 BMW R25/3 in vintage production 250cc.
Like last year I will also be taking my 1954 Parilla 175 which is entered in the vintage modified 175cc class.
I was hoping to put some Nitrous Oxide to the morini this year but with also jumping into Vintage roadracing a 1976 Honda CB400F in AHRMA events I was swamped by projects. And NOS demands attention to detail or you have holes in pistons fast rather than bikes that are fast. So maybe next time as they say.
I have posted an album on facebook of my Parilla and Dart build. I hope you enjoy them.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... fe8782b430
Let me know if the photos are not accessible.
Jarl
1985 Morini 350 K2
1990 Morini Dart 350
Moto Madcap
Hagerstown Maryland USA
Bonneville Land Speed Racing: BUB 2012- four 350cc Modified Pushrod class records (best is 97.961mph)
and BUB2013-four 350cc Altered Pushrod class records (best is 98.319mph)
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