Old bike sets new record

WENDOVER, Utah - Kimball, Wis., native Gary Ilminen cranked up his 40-year-old Honda motorcycle in a record run here at the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials near the end of August.

The American Motorcyclist Association Grand National Championships for amateur motorcycle land speed racing are held annually.

"Setting a speed record there means gaining recognition as the national speed record-holder and being awarded an AMA Grand National Championship Number 1 racing plate for the classification," Ilminen said.

"I've competed in motorcycle speed trials at Bonneville three times before, but only three of the four competitions were run with a fairly serious eye on setting a national record," Ilminen said.

"In my first outing there in 2009, I competed on a 1984 Honda V30 (500cc) Magna, which I had restored from non-running condition and went out just to see if it could go over 100 mph," he said.

He did even better than that, at 104.536 mph., but missed setting a new record in the 500cc production class by 7.5 mph.

In 2010, he went back to Bonneville with a 1974 Honda CB350F (four-cylinder) to run in the 350cc production class, establishing a record that was broken three days later in the same meet, by a "much faster" 350 Yamaha.

In 2012, he went back to Bonneville with the 1984 Honda V30 Magna to give the 500 cc production class another shot, but only got one warm-up run in at a little over 95 mph before bad weather set in.

This year, the AMA created a new Production Classic division, so Ilminen took the 1974 Honda CB350F back to Bonneville. Requirements of the class are that the bike be at least 35 years old and in stock, non-modified condition.

"On Tuesday, Aug. 26, after losing some track time to high winds and rainy conditions on the previous day, the weather was perfect, with calm, sunny and cool conditions on the salt," Ilminen said.

Around 10:30 a.m., he was cleared to make a run and "the old Honda delivered an 80.209 mph down run over the measured mile. That qualified me to make the return run that establishes a potential new speed record," he said.

The speed on the return run was 79.994 mph, establishing the new 350 cc Production Classic division record at 80.102 mph, the combined average of the two runs, made in opposite directions.

"While 80.101 mph may not seem very fast in the context of today's 200-horsepower superbikes, for a 40-year-old bike of only 21 cubic inch displacement, it really isn't too bad," he said.

He said the bikes run slower there than in other locations of the country.

The final step in the process is for results to be certified by the AMA for national record status. Since there are no other AMA Grand National Speed Trials until next year, Ilminen's record should stand for awhile.

-Ralph Ansami