MITCHELL, S.D.— While their original “WFB” (World’s Fastest Bagger) sat on display in Mitchell, South Dakota, Team Klock Werks set out on their annual pilgrimage to the salt. This year was to be a lesson in education and humble attitudes. The team had decided this past winter to sponsor the World’s Fastest Bagger Traveling Cup Award. The idea was to award the trophy at the Bub Motorcycle Speed Trials Event held August 30-September 3, 2009, to invite others to compete and to share the true spirit and camaraderie that is racing on the salt.
Team Klock Werks entered into racing in 2006 with the WFB they had built for Discovery Channel’s Biker Build Off series, hoping that more builders and companies would join them, as they felt it would only lead to better performance products for baggers. True to this vision Klock Werks’ now number one selling part, the patented FLARE Windshield, was born on the salt from a need for downforce to aid in stability. Safety and stability were so important to president of the company, Brian Klock, because his wife, Laura, is the pilot of the WFB. Since their maiden voyage in 2006, Laura has continued to pilot the WFB, each year improving upon her record as the team continued to learn. The krew has heard talk each year of teams coming out to share in the challenge of going fast on a bagger, a style of bike that is meant for comfortable highway cruising and wasn’t really intended for racing, but few have come. So, this year they decided to sponsor the WFB Traveling Cup Award and invite them out!
The idea of the award was presented to S&S, they signed up and offered $500 in S&S product to the winner. ProCharger also joined the effort and offered $500 towards the purchase of a ProCharger system. As the award sponsor, Klock Werks threw in $500 in product and a gift certificate for a Flare Windshield. Some guidelines were put in place to keep the competition fair. It is a “traveling” Cup with the name, team and speed of the winner from each year listed and will be passed on year to year. The winner did not have to set a record – just had to turn in their official timing slip with the contestant’s top speed for a one-way pass. Obviously, the bike the contestant was riding had to be a bagger since it is a bagger award, and this year the award was only offered at the Bub event.
Four teams arrived to participate in the race for the cup, each was built around different configurations, motors, and classes, but all shared a common bond with the challenges a bagger brings. Chris Rivas of Chris Rivas V-Twin out of Fresno, California, brought his 1999 FLTR with a 135 cubic inch motor that was built and tuned at Chris Rivas V-Twin with S&S sponsored flywheels, cylinders, heads, cams, transmission, clutch and carburetor.
Kevin Edgmon of High Country Harley-Davidson in Frederick, Colorado, ran a 2005 FLTRI with a Jim’s 131 and a 5-speed. Thomas T.R. Reiser of T-Man Performance in Kernersville, North Carolina, brought his 2006 FLH running a 98-inch motor with a Pro-Charger setup, his T-Man Stage IV Thumper Series top end with T-Man 662-1 Cams. T-Man, Klock Werks felt, was to be commended for running a batwing style fairing! And a best wishes and call out to Rob Hassey of RacePro, Inc. who was the pilot of the Rowdy Rooster race team Road King running an S&S 124. The team planned to add a batwing fairing to the Road King to compete after their initial pass. Unfortunately, Hassey crashed on his first pass and was unable to continue racing the rest of the week. We hear he’s doing fine and the bike is rehabilitating as well! Hope to see them next year!
The winner of the exclusive WFB Traveling Cup 2009 was…..Chris Rivas with his fastest one way pass of 166.645 mph! Rivas will retain the WFB Cup for one year. The rest of the times turned in were very respectable as well! Kevin Edgmon completed a pass at 151.622 mph, and T.R. Reiser had a personal best of 158.103 on his Batwing Fairing 2006 FLH.
Team Klock Werks admitted that it was a challenge to leave the WFB home and sit back and watch, but they were on hand to pay tribute to the award winner.
Laura stated, “It really meant a lot to me personally, to meet each rider and share stories, experiences, and the challenges we have each faced racing these touring bikes. We wanted to share what racing on the salt has meant to our families, and to our businesses. It’s so fun! We are truly blessed to have to opportunity and to be able to share it.”
Brian Klock adds, “It was fun to see them run and hear the reactions of pro drag racers, motor builders and rookies. Chris Rivas commented about the time difference between a drag run and a salt run – that was an interesting perspective. A true testament to the diversity of the salt. It is a special place for us and so many others.”
Klock Werks thanks all the participants that came to the Salt Flats and the co-sponsors of the WFB Traveling Cup – S&S and ProCharger. Start planning for next year as Rivas will try to defend the WFB Cup! Klock Werks invites you to visit www.worldsfastestbagger.com To see the full spectrum of what Brian Klock and the team at Klock Werks is capable of, as well as S&S and Pro-Charger, please visit www.kustombaggers.com KustomBaggers
S&S Cycle
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