Sam Wheeler, 70, of Arcadia, California, seeks to break the motorcycle land-speed record this summer with a run of 400 mph (or more) at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. His vehicle: the Parts Unlimited/E-Z Hook streamliner, which is powered by a turbocharged 1300cc Suzuki Hayabusa engine built by Vance & Hines.
The four-cylinder powerplant, expected to make 500 or 600 horsepower, mounts in a chassis with a new center section and transmission, plus a toothed belt drive, new wheels, and a 450-mph-rated tire from Goodyear.
In this video, produced by Ignition3, we see the streamliner in action on the Vance & Hines dyno in Santa Fe Springs, California, where the new engine and drive system were tested. Sure, the video is a tad commercial in flavor, but it’s a behind-the-scenes look we typically wouldn’t get elsewhere, so enjoy.
By the way, the current motorcycle land-speed record is 376 mph. The fastest Wheeler has gone at Bonneville is 355 mph in 2006. He has been pursuing the motorcycle land-speed record for 50 years.
Parts Unlimited/E-Z Hook streamliner.
Sam Wheeler and the streamliner's shell.
Streamliner frame.
Rear swingarm in progress - view #1
Rear swingarm in progress - view #2
Rear wheel.
Instruments and gauges.
Turbocharged 1300cc Hayabusa engine - view #1
Turbocharged 1300cc Hayabusa engine - view #2
Beautifully machined aluminum shows the hand-crafted nature of Sam Wheeler's streamliner.
Belt final drive needs to transmit gobs of power and is fortified with carbon fiber. That Goodyear is speed-rated at 450 mph!
On the lift.
Parts Unlimited CEO Fred Fox and Sam Wheeler.
World Champion Eddie Krawiec.
Terry Vance and Sam Wheeler.
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