Land Speed Racing

From Teknikka Library

Overview

Bonneville Salt Flats

FIM Timing

Short distance records are made over two runs, the speed is calculated by using the average mean speed recorded over the two consecutive runs. The number of attempts is not limited but the time between the start and finish of a complete attempt must not be more than two hours.

Long distance attempts require that times are recorded for each lap. These records are expressed in times and period records in distances. (These are examples directly from page 17 of the 2009 FIM rulebook:)

Example: On a closed circuit of 3 km in length, the 1000 km record is being attempted. In this attempt, 333.333 laps must be run (1000:3). Therefore, the rider must complete at least 334 laps. The time taken for 1000 km is then calculated by adding the time taken over 333 laps to 0.333 of the time taken over the 334th lap.

For a period record (1, 6, 12 and 24 hours), the result will be expressed as a distance covered in the time imposed. This distance will be calculated by adding the total distance covered when the motorcycle crosses the finish line for the last time (before the timing is stopped) to the remaining fraction of the lap which will make up the total time.

Example: On a circuit 3 km in length, a rider is attempting to beat the 6 hour record. He has covered 300 laps of the circuit in 5 hours, 59 minutes and 7 seconds. He is therefore 53 seconds short of 6 hours. He must cover one more lap of the circuit. This lap takes him 72 seconds. The distance covered during these remaining 53 seconds is calculated on this last lap.

Result: In 6 hours he has covered 300 x 3 km + 53/72nds of 3 km (one lap). This gives a total of 902.208 km. In this example, the remaining 53 seconds are expressed as a fraction of 72.

Time is kept by one or more automatic chronometers certified by an official National Observatory or Institute of Horology with a precision of 1/1000th of a second. However, in the case of record attempts above 1000 km/h, instantaneous measurements may be taken with a chronometer accurate to 1/10,000th of a second.

For an attempt to count, wind speed in the direction of the attempt cannot exceed 5 m/s (11mph) during the run.

FIM Motorcycle Categories

For the purpose of land speed racing, motorcycles are organized according to a number of categories and sub categories. The specific place that a bike belongs to is abbreviated near the number plate. This article is meant to give a general understanding of motorcycle land speed racing. A link to the FIM rule book can be found at the end of this article for more detail.

Figuring out where your bike belongs can be confusing. Luckily, the people with BUB Speed Trials have made a flow chart to help you out.

FIM Class Flow Chart by BUB

AMA to FIM Conversion Chart by BUB

FIM Motorcycle Divisions:

A: Non-streamlined - The rider is always visible

B: Partially Streamlined - The rider is visible from the sides and from the top (except for hands.) The wheels must have at least 180° visible.

C: Streamlined - The rider is completely enclosed in the motorcycle

FIM Motorcycle Categories:

I: Propelled by one wheel

II: Propelled by two wheels

III: Propelled by one or more wheels or tracks, but not covered in cat. I or II.

IV: Not propelled by wheels contacting the ground.

FIM Motorcycle Groups:

A1: Solo Motorcycles

A2: Scooters - A scooter is defined as having the crankcase and swingarm constructed into a single rigid assembly.

A3: Automatic 50cc - 50cc with an automatic transmission

B1: Motorcycle with a Permanent Side Car - Makes 2 tracks, one from the motorcycle and one from the side car.

B2: Motorcycle with a Permanent Side Car - Makes 2 or 3 tracks, of which the center of the two tracks from the motorcycle are no more than 74mm apart.

B3: Cycle Cars - Makes three tracks with two wheels aligned in a horizontal plane on either the front or rear of the vehicle. May be controlled by either handlebars with a minimum length of 500mm or a wheel with a minimum diameter of 200mm.

C: Special 2 wheel motorcycles

D: Special 3 wheel motorcycles

E: Snowmobiles

F: Sprinters and Drag Bikes

G: Quad Racers 2 driven wheels

H: Quad Racers 4 driven wheels

I:

J: Electric

Y: Specials

FIM Motorcycle Types:

Within Division A & B:

I: Naturally aspirated, internal combustion, spark ignition