Sam Wheeler's Race to 400mph Development Continues – Video

Evans Brasfield
by Evans Brasfield

To people who follow motorcycle land speed racing, Sam Wheeler is a household name. In almost 50 years of racing on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Wheeler has built the reputation as one of the premier streamliner builders and pilots in the world. Unlike other constructors going for the wheel-driven two-wheeled land speed record, Wheeler has previously foregone the brute horsepower approach to generating speed. Instead, he has worked with CalTech Master’s students to develop the slipperiest streamliner on the salt.

Proof of his concept almost came in 2006, when he crossed through the timing lights at 355 mph. Unfortunately, a blown front tire and subsequent crash prevented him from making a backup run to secure the record. Now, with more money behind the EZ Hook streamliner effort, thanks to Parts Unlimited, Wheeler’s “Race to 400mph” is combining big horsepower in the form of a Vance &Hines-built Hayabusa engine with his low drag coefficient.

This several years long process has progressed to the point that Wheeler is dyno testing his custom built engine and drivetrain in the chassis. Because of the size of the streamliner the Dynojet dyno had to be modified to accommodate the liner. This video, part six of the series, shows the beast being shaken down in the controlled environment of the dyno room rather than in the variable conditions of the salt.

Longtime MO readers may recognize former staffer, Todd Canavan, in the video.

You can find the other five videos here:
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5

Evans Brasfield
Evans Brasfield

Like most of the best happenings in his life, Evans stumbled into his motojournalism career. While on his way to a planned life in academia, he applied for a job at a motorcycle magazine, thinking he’d get the opportunity to write some freelance articles. Instead, he was offered a full-time job in which he discovered he could actually get paid to ride other people’s motorcycles – and he’s never looked back. Over the 25 years he’s been in the motorcycle industry, Evans has written two books, 101 Sportbike Performance Projects and How to Modify Your Metric Cruiser, and has ridden just about every production motorcycle manufactured. Evans has a deep love of motorcycles and believes they are a force for good in the world.

More by Evans Brasfield

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