To make a long story short: I ended up bringing my '74 H2 to the land speed races up here in Loring, Maine (at the old SAC base.) I didn't install my "new" cylinders ported by Darren Abrams as I didn't have the carburetors yet (long story...) so I ran my lightly modded original bore engine with TC pipes, TM34's and Nev's ignition. The bike has had one of those small universal fairings on it for years which was attached at four different points to the frame. I've learned that holding >100 mph for sustained periods is pretty hard on an unfaired bike. A quick blast up through the gears is a lot different than sustained WFO so wind protection is helpful.
I've never raced this bike and quickly discovered a "weave" at about 110 mph or so. I rolled out and slowly accelerated again but the weave was still there. Discretion being the better part of valor, I decided I didn't want to try to "ride through it" (with possible disastrous consequences) so abandoned the first run, going through the lights at the one mile marker at about 100 mph and 70 at the 1.5 mile marker.
I took the small fairing off as I was certain it was causing the weave and I was right. The problem now is that it's damned difficult to hold on for long periods of time at higher speeds! (If you guys are thinking it's easy to maintain WFO at 125+ mph for a mile on an unfaired triple with stock footpegs and flat bars then I would suggest your speedometer is off!) I went easily through the one-mile lights at about 125 mph (still accelerating) but then heard detonation so rolled out and sat up for 90 mph at the 1.5 mile lights.
It was a pretty hot day but the spark plugs say I can afford to jet richer (I thought I was safe but wasn't I guess) so will try that tomorrow if I have time. I'm glad I had the chance to discover the fairing issue before increasing power levels as that would only have made it more frustrating. This bike needs rearsets/clubman bars (or a better fairing!) and feels like it would run 135 mph. My goal with the increased power is 150 but I will probably need to upgrade the clutch at that point also.
I had lots of comments from folks about having one "back in the day" and everyone was glad to see another old 2-stroke out and about. I'm on "event staff" up here so get to cut to the front of the line if/when I want to run (our only "perq") but I'm generally pretty busy so maintenance time is sparse. Working the event is a blast though and even if I run out of time to change jetting tomorrow and don't run again at least I know what I have to work on. I'm too tired to do anything tonight but will indeed try to get everything done tomorrow.
BTW, Bill Warner from Florida is up here trying to hit 300 mph in the standing start one-mile. It'll be all over the internet if he does it tomorrow but suffice it to say that we're all pulling for him
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