I kept hearing you can’t use a cool looking custom Bagger the same way you can use a standard H-D. They are just a bar hoppers with bags. Where’s the luggage rack or trunk? The engine is too big. The rear tire is too wide. It’s too pretty. The criticism goes on. That’s why the Redneck Engineering Crew set out to bust the myth.
Let's build one of our Redneck stock big block Undressers, ride it 2200 miles to Bonneville, compete in the “Run what ya brung” class at the Speed Trials by Bub, and ride it 2200 miles back home! So we did!
The build was started just two weeks before the September 2007 Bubs Bonneville meet, so we had a lot to get ready, quick. We decided to go with our newest engine option a JIMS, 120-inch Twin Cam B, mated to a Baker RSD 6-speed transmission. It was important that this bike be an exact example of a bike we could deliver it to a customer, not a specially built racing machine. We left the stock highway gearing in place even though we thought it would hinder our performance on the track. It was mildly High Performance by nature but needed to survive the trip. JIMS has a report of one of their 120-inch engines traveling over the 70,000-mile mark without a problem!
The ride: Because the saddlebags are so deep and open, I was able to pack a weeks worth of clothing in one side and my rain and cold weather gear in the other. I mounted my GPS and Radar detector on the handlebars and took off. This bike rides like a dream. The internally balanced engine and overdrive tranny were happy with any speed I chose to hold, and the long wheelbase smoothed out the bumps. It handled the mountain passes with ease.
I encountered just about every kind of weather except snow and the fairing provided great coverage. This was the most stable bike I have ever ridden, next to and behind Tractor-trailer rigs. I mean it was rock solid! It is better than any of my past baggers; Electra-Glide, Road Glide, Road King, FXRP, Aprillia, Honda ST1300 or BMW K1200GT. It was amazing. Mechanical woes uneventful from Liberty South Carolina to Wendover, Utah. Every thing worked as it should.
The race: Bonneville is 4500 ft above sea level, so we were guessing on carb jetting, so I stopped at Salt Lake City H-D for a dyno tune and fluid change before I headed out to Bonneville. They tuned the JIMS monster to 117HP and 120ft/lbs torque, respectable for a street-performance engine. With no prior Bonneville experience myself, but the fortune to have talked to several others who rode the blistering salt, I knew not to get my hopes up. We never set out to break a record, as this was more about the cross-country ride than the race, but I didn’t want to get embarrassed either.
The salt is severely different than the street, in particular this year's conditions were poor. I was timed over a mile average, so you have to keep it screwed on for a long time. We set a goal of 120mph, and I secretly hoped for 125. The weather was windy and rainy when I arrived, and the salt wet and slippery, it didn’t look good. The next morning was a different story. It cleared off and a light side wind helped dry the track. The other racers clued me in that it was still quite slick and speeds where down.
I didn’t know what to expect from our 300mm back tire on a slippery surface, so far it was fine in rain and hail. I wasn’t sure whether to blast across the track in 4th or 5th gear and decided to run it in 5th. I accelerated slowly and rolled it on in 5th. I exceeded available traction as I approached the timed section of the course and started fishtailing relentlessly, but keep it screwed on as it started to bounce against the rev-limiter.
I guess it was able to pull 5th gear okay. I rolled to the timing booth and picked up my slip: 132.253 mph average, after a back-up pass. It was damn impressive considering traction was limited. Fifth gear on the dyno at the rev-limiter indicated 152mph, so we faced considerable wheel-slippage. I tried the next run in sixth, but I got going so fast it compounded the traction problem to the point I backed out of the throttle and recorded a 125 mph. With better conditions everyone would run faster, but we were plenty happy. Experienced 200 club bikes couldn't make passes due to salt conditions.
Ride home: 2200 miles in two days-need I say more. Six day round trip, including dyno and salt flats racing and back to work. I guess you can cross-country on a sharp custom Softail Bagger if you want too.
Future: Now we're hooked. We will be back on the salt next year more prepared to race–stay tuned.
JIMS 120” Twin Cam “B” engine
51mm CV carb
Hi-flow Screamin Eagle K&N air filter
BUB Stubbies 2 1/8” exhaust
Baker RSD 6 speed overdrive Trans
Crane ignition
BDL 3” open belt drive
65-tooth rear belt pulley
300 Avon tire
