dWRENCHED SPECIAL -UPDATED 27.08.2012

A while ago I posted this second picture from above as a preview for one of the coolest dWRENCHED articles. This one. If you have a shitty memory (like mine) ...don't sweat it. The time has come...

dWRENCHED is proud to announce that we teamed up with a really crazy UK Racing Team to follow, trace and hijack their 2012 BONNEVILLE ADVENTURES...Hurrayyyyyyyyyy !!!

Let's start with a proper beginning, shall we ?

''Imagine a place so flat you seem to see the curvature of the planet, so barren not even the simplest life forms can exist. Imagine the passing thunder of strange vehicles hurtling by on a vast dazzling white plain. This is not an alien world far from earth; it is Utah's famous Bonneville Salt Flats.

     The Bonneville Salt Flats is one of the most unique natural features in Utah. Stretching over 30,000 acres, the Bonneville Salt Flats is a fragile resource administered by the Bureau of Land Management. It is located along I-80 near the Utah-Nevada border. Wendover is the closest city.'' ( Utah.com )

     I will never forget the first time when I found out about Bonneville... So long ago, I received a books catalogue from Motorbooks. There were a few books treating this ''Salt thing'' ... The pics were so freaking small (d'oh) of the books covers showing some hot rods and lakers on the salt. But the idea of riding a car or a motorcycle to its very maximum potential, or better yet, to your own maximum potential...that was fuckin RAD. Since then, I came across several articles, pictures (and the list goes on ) regarding Bonneville and it's speed freaks. It's there...in my head. Someday...
Moving on... 

''Motorcyclists that race on the salt are not content to travel to Daytona for Bike Week to sit around and watch the bikes go by, land speed records and running flat out on the salt gets their adrenaline running. 
     They spend their time and resources in perfecting their racing motorcycle to break the current land speed record for the category and classification they are running in. Engines size doesn't keep them down either as there are classes for racing motorcycles on the Bonneville Salt Flats ranging from 50cc all the way up to 3000cc.''   ( Bonneville Racing )

It's time to find out more about Dave Friend, one of the dWRENCHED pilots, about this Salt Passion, need for speed and adrenaline. ENJOY !

dWRENCHED:  Please introduce yourself for our readers.  
Dave Friend: My name is Dave Friend. I'm 53 years old & I work for a motorcycle accident repair company in the UK.

Dave...

dW: Since when are you into motorcycles ? Do you still remember you first two-wheeler, what was it?

DAVE: I got into bikes as a kid. I was probably 9-10 years old. I saw a picture in a book about fast cars & bikes, of the Legendary Rollie Free. 

     He was at Bonneville Salt Flats on the Edgar Vincent laying flat out in just a bathing cap. Swim trunks & plimsolls he run 150.313mph like that to take the record & it has become one of the most iconic bike photos ever. That was it! I remember thinking WOW... that just looks so exciting I want to do that. I made a promise to myself that one day I too would race at Bonneville Salt Flats. Where the worlds fastest bikes & cars raced. A small boys dream. 

 

Rollie Free...

     I remember my first ride on a bike I was 10 yrs old it was on the back of a BSA Bantam 125 and belonged to a friends elder brother. He took me around a huge field near where we lived. I even got him to show me how to work all the controls, but it took a few more weeks of pestering him till he let me ride it. Oh wow what a feeling of speed and freedom !!! Something just clicked and I have been riding ever since !
     My first bike was what was called a Welbike it was made for the English Paratroopers to use in WW2. I was around 11 years old when I got it. I had to hide it in the woods near home so my parents didn't know hahahaa... 

Google find of an Welbike

dW: Tell me about your motorcycling history.
DAVE: Well as I said started around 9-10 yrs old, then had the Welbike. Then I had various wrecks that my friends and I rode around the big field. When I was about 15 I had saved enough money to buy a 1960's something 250 Honda CB72. It was running and I rode it illegally on the road it never broke down. I sold it to my friends brother who gave me my first ride on a motorbike.
     I left school at 16 and had another Honda, this time a Honda SS50 all legal. I popped the motor flat out and crashed it as the engine oil had got on the rear tyre. It was beyond repair, That hurt...my first road crash. That was the year I first went to Santa Pod Raceway to see my first drag racing event. Again, the speed bug bit hard ! Loved all the noise, smells and the incredible engineering. 
     Then came a Triumph T100 500cc Daytona. It was a bit of a wreck but it was all up and running so rode that around on the roads for a few months illegally, again. Then I sold that to another friends brother who rebuilt and painted it. He sold it for a handsome profit too hahaha.

     Back then in the UK you could ride a 250cc bike on learner plates, not like now all restricted etc. Then I got a Yamaha DT175 that was a really fun bike, I passed my bike test on that so now I could ride big bikes legally haaahaa ! The DT was stolen in the winter so what do I get next?
Well yet another Honda. This time a 1978 CB750F2, I really wanted a Kawasaki Z1 but just could'nt afford one. After the Honda I had a few more bikes.
     A Triumph T140 Bonneville that I semi flat tracked, Yamaha XS650 I bored it out to 720 using Triumph T140 pistons. Then a few more bikes before I managed to buy a Kawasaki Z900A4.
     I had an accident and had to sell it, I had a few more bikes over the next few years including a HD Sportster 1000 Iron Head that also got stolen. Then in 1987 I had saved up some money and was looking for another Kawasaki. This time I wanted a Z1, ZIA or B model. I saw an advert in Motor Cycle News the UK's biggest weekly news paper at the time, selling a Kawasaki Z900. Long story short the bike was in Scotland that was 650miles away. But fuck it me and a friend drove up and I bought it. Was actually a Z1B. We took it appart, put it all in the back off my car and in the boot then drove back home.
The seller actually ended up becoming a really good friend, but sadly was killed a couple of years later.
     I rebuilt the bike then stomped around on that for a year before it got stripped down and built into a lowrider chop (see picture) and I started drag racing it. In 1989 I run this bike for around 5 years it was my road and drag race bike.

      It ended up as a 1260cc on nitrous oxide fully street legal it run regular 9.90 secs. @ 150 mph and won many races in the ACU Championships & Streetbike Series here in the UK, I also rode it to France, as well as riding up to Scotland to see my friend again. This bike was one of the original streetfighters in the UK, before every bike had a polished frame, fairing removed, Renthal handlebars and no imagination.
  
     Another accident, this time it stopped me riding for a while and stopped me riding dragbikes permanetely. But I crewchiefed for a couple of years on a prostock drag bike team, before teaming up in 1995 with my long term racing partner and best friend, Gary Jones. We have sucessfully raced in Superstreet Bike, Competition Bike and finally Funnybike classes.

On the road I run a mildly tweaked 02 HD Nightrain, which makes a solid 100ft lb of torque and is real easy to run around on. I went to see some friends of mine for a cup of tea and a chat recently. And ended up buying his 1974 Kawasaki Z1A 900. It was in my friends barn, he is bit of a hoarder and just wanted to have some more space so it's now in my garage, waiting to be tidied up and repainted. After I get back from Bonneville to smoke around on.

dW : When was the fist time when you heard about the Salt Lakes Races?  
DAVE: I first found out about ''the Salt'' as I said earlier when I was 9/10 yrs old. Back then there was no real coverage of it over here in the UK. 
     I used to go to the local newsagents and have a look in car magazines. But I could not get any American car mags where I lived and I knew they covered the Salt Meets. Not like now, where we have the internet, which by the way is a fabulous UK invention and you can find pretty much anything and everything you want!



dW:  What made you decide that you should race there ? Since when do you do it ?
DAVE:  As I said,  my dream of one day I would get to the salt. Myself and a couple of friends were going to go in 2007, but one of them was diagnosed with terminal cancer so we called it off.
     Then in 2009 I finally got there with Oz as his crewchief and PJ with us as crew. Oz hurt his back while we was loading the bike up after a run, he wanted to see the bike run on the salt again and gave us both the chance to ride the bike and get our SCTA licences, what a very very generous man!
     Finally, after all the years my childhood dream had come true. I had done it. I had raced at Bonneville and it was incredibly emotional for me! I just wish both my parents were alive to know I had finally done it...

 Oz and his bike in the previous racing season:

dW: What drives you to keep on racing to ''the Lakes''? Is the ''salt fever'' like a sweet sickness ? How is the rest of your families holding up with the idea ?
DAVE: What drives me is that I can race again. I have damaged my back and cannot take the G forces of a dragbike launching off the line, that's why I had to stop drag racing. But on the salt you just drive off the start line like you are going down the shop to buy a newspaper, so I don't have a problem with the start.
     Also it's about me and the clock there is no pressure to try and beat another person beside you. Also, it's about your tuning and riding skills as we are 5-6000 ft above sea level and it's real hot 90+F this reduces your sea level power by approximately 20%. So you need to get the most out of your bike as a whole.
     The salt is not smooth it has ruts in it from the cars, hard patches and soft patches. So you try to read the salt in front of you, to get the best out of the course, as well as pushing your own personal limits.
Then when you are through the traps and slowing down, getting ready to turn off course, you realise how rough the salt is as you ride over the ripples. You stop and wait for the crew to come and pick you up...it is perfectly quite. You look around through the heat haze back to the start lines a you can see all three courses. You hear a very faint engine noise, then you see a speck in the distance getting bigger and the engine getting louder, then you see (in my case) a bike come into view.
     The rider is crouched down trying to make themselves as small as possible behind the fairing, the engine is screaming through the revs as they hook another gear... the revs rise as the rear tyre spins up throwing a rooster tail of salt up behind the bike, the rider feathers the throttle to try and get the tire to hook up and drive. The hairs on the back of my neck standing up as the rider passes by me on the short course which was 5 miles long, as I think that was me... just a couple of minutes ago, out there all alone chasing your dream.

     It's the only place on the planet that you can run a bike flat out for 3+ miles. What a fuckin rush!!! You just want to keep doing it, so yeah it's an addiction for sure!
     I can't really put it into words or explain it, but when you are there its just stunning. It really takes your breath away. I think about all the history... past and present. You look around in the pits and see everyone with their cars and bikes all with one focus... TO GO FAST just like all the racers of yesteryear!!!

     My girlfriend Jacs, is so so supportive of my addiction haahaha... Fortunately, she is a proper little petrol head and gets the right screamers if we can't get out on the Nightrain haahaa.
     When I was building the salt bike I was averaging between 70-80 hrs per week including my day job. Jacs would come over to the workshop to help out, but she also told me when I needed to stop and have a day off. This went on for the best part of 9 months and not once did Jacs have a whinge or whine about all the time spent on the bike. She is a great girlfriend and I'm very lucky that she shares my addiction.

dW:  Dave, how did you met and teamed up with Oz and PJ ?
DAVE:  I met Oz after I saw a post on the Landracing.com forum in 2008, asking a question about nitrous oxide. I saw he was from the UK so I emailed him giving him a few pointers about the nitrous.
      I also told him I was going to go to the salt in 09, we swapped phone numbers.. Sounds like a date going on here doesn't it? hahahaa. He lives about a 120mls from me but we met up to have a chat. We also went to see a race team in the UK that Oz had heard of. They hold a production class record on a Kawasaki KR1 and they gave us a good idea of what to expect when you race at the Salt. So over the next few months of emails and phone calls, Oz asked If I would like to go to the salt with him and his wife Beks and help look after the bike.
Well do bears shit in the woods....???

     I met PJ after I put some parts up for sale on a website. He contacted me and bought them. I told him I was away racing that weekend at Santa Pod, he told me he was going there to watch so we met up at the race track. That was the start of our friendship. It was about 5 years ago, the mans a proper petrol head and solid guy loves a good party like we all do.
     Then when Oz invited me to go to the salt with him I asked if PJ could come to as we needed some extra crew, the rest as they say is history!


dW: In your previous trips to the Salts, any particular funny/ scary / worth mentioning story ?
DAVE: In 2009 me and PJ were driving to Bonneville in a pair of winnebagos in what turned out to be a 2500mile round trip... Actually make that a race hahahaa, we were both running at around 80mph on a very open part of I80 when a huge gust of wind caught both the winnes blowing us across a couple of lanes nearly into the reservation as we were both crossed up trying to straighten them out. That got our attention for sure.
     I'am not allowed into any liquor store in the USA on my own. Only under the supervision of Oz, PJ, or Lee, our teams crewchief. This came about after a trip to the Budget Discount Liquor Store in Wendover for some light refreshment. Unfortunately I bought a case of NON ALCOHOLIC Budweiser!!!! In my defence they was nothing to state this on the cans, so the boys called me "Buzz Lightbeer" to sobriety and beyond !!!

dW: Let's talk a bit about the bikes you will ride this season.
DAVE: The bike me and PJ are riding this year is a 1981 Suzuki GSX750 framed GSX1327cc. 
     Its a hybrid engine using a 1983 Suzuki GSX1150EFE bottom end and 1982 GSX1100ET cylinderhead. As they have more material in them for porting although this head has had the ports welded and reangled for better flow & it also allows us to use bigger carbs.

 

dW: From what I've heard BBC is shooting a documentary about the 6 UK teams that will attend the event...? Please tell me more.

DAVE:  Yeah, the BBC are doing two 1hour documentaries. I have no idea how they got involved but its ok, they rolled in after we were all well into our builds. 

     We never had them in our plans so I'm not that bothered to be honest. It ain't about filming it's about racing!!! Also they have to show us the documentaries before they are for public screening, so if it makes us look foolish or badly represented we will not allow it to be viewed, as they have to have us sign legal paperwork to do so. So long as they don't get in the way they will be fine, as we are all on our own schedules so they will be filming on the fly. 

     They gave us a load of bull about with them being involved we would get sponsorship. They must think we are fools to believe this. I've been racing far to long to fall for that bullshit. Myself and PJ have both brought a lot of sponsors to the team long before they turned up haahaa. 

dW:  In which category will you race ? 

DAVE:  Our bike is running in the Special Construction A-F fuel class as is Oz's it's the class where you are not allowed any form of streamlining. So it's a naked bike, you're not even allowed to have leathers with a speed hump on the back . 

     This is a class which is pretty open to one off modifications etc but you have to build it to the SCTA rulebook specifications. But it's a good class as you can use any fuel you like, methanol (alcohol) nitro, nitrous oxide.  

''For a quick run-down of the various classifications refer to the following:

Note: Motorcycle classes are listed in order of displacement, frame type and engine type.''

A) Designation Frame Class

 

B) Designation Engine Class

 

C) Engine Displacement Classes: Engine Classes are shown in cubic centimeters, i.e., 50, 100, 125, 175, 250, 350, 500, 650, 750, 1000, 1350, 1650, 2000 and 3000 where permitted and 3001 and above where permitted.

D) Permitted Classes and Engines:

 Classification and charts by Bonneville Racing.com

dW: Tell me more about your racing staff.

DAVE: Our crew is made up of crewchief Lee Worvell who is also Oz's crewchief. My girlfriend Jackie and AJ, yep he is PJ's brother. 

     We are all nice and comfortable with how we all work together. With the pits 6 miles from the start line, it's good that everyone checks and double checks we have everything we need to make the run. As we are in a queue of racers so to have to pull over because we have forgot something is not what we want to happen.

dW: Your previous years performances ? What do you guys expect from this 2012 session ?

DAVE: We all rode Oz's bike in 09 and all got our category D licence which is up to 149mph.
We were all going for the C licence, when with Oz on the bike, the nitrous system suffered a unrepairable mechanical failure. That meant we could not use the gas to gain the next licence speed.
     So this year we are going for the Category C 150-174mph & Category B 175-199mph. Remember we have no fairing to hide behind, so its all about tucking in as best as possible & being able to hold on as well!
     I think we will be able to get both licences, but you never know what can happen. After all the bike is getting such a beasting on what is called "The great white dyno" just to survive a week of racing is a massive achievement.
     The racing starts at 7am and finishes at 7pm everyday for a 7 days, all you do is get in the queue to race and by the end of the week with all the retirements and people leaving you get more runs down the salt. So if the bike survives which it should, it's a great achievement!
     Remember the salt is not a smooth surface like tarmac, so it really does beat the whole bike. Every component is getting punished to it's limit. So we have tried to make all the components capable of surviving this enviroment. Moto GP has to survive 7 days not 50minutes of racing!

dW: When and from where did you heard about dWRENCHED ?
DAVE: How did I find out about dWRENCHED... I was just surfin the net lookin around for custom bikes/rods and it popped up! I check it out everyday to see what G has posted up. (dW: Ahhhh, that's so sweet! hahaha)

dw: What do you like best on dW, anything as long as it involves chicks ? Hahahaha 

DAVE: What I like about dWRENCHED is the diversity of material George puts up on the site. All my friends are now checking it out and they all have the same opinion. 

     That it is the diversity that makes it interesting. I will tell anyone I talk to that they need to check out the site. Personally maybe George can post some more pics of girls without tattoos, as they are just as intriguing as tattoed ones :)

dW: Lol...

dW: Any thoughts or wishes before the storm ?
DAVE: My thoughts before the storm...  It's racing on sacred and hallowed ground. Following in the tracks of all the great speed demons both bike and car...    And all the racers both men and women who like us are just there for one thing... the need to go fast... REAL FAST!dWRENCHED is honored to follow these heroes to The Holy Land Of the Speed. Is the first time when dWRENCHED gets involved in something this BIG. And cool. So cool. So bloody cool!!! - like the britts use to say it hahaha.

So stay tunned for updates, pics, videos and other crazy stories that could and will fly your way via dWRENCHED.com !

I myself can't wait to see the ''on board'' videos ... OOOoooops I think I already said too much ! Best of luck to my UK favorites. Keep the casualties to the mininum and the thrills to the MAXIMUM !
DAVE: Final thoughts... Yeah, follow your dreams and never give up, make them happen, ok ?!

     I remember when PJ and I first stood on the salt we were just speechless and I mean speechless.
We just stood and took it all in... The whole place is amazing we didn't say a single word for must have been 10 minutes, truely. To me it was very emotional to final achieve my childhood dream.

    Found this a while back it was written by T.E.Laurence or Laurence of Arabia. He was a biker having owned several Brough Superiors and he died riding one.''All men dream, but not equally.
Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the morning to find that it was vanity.
But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.''

GODSPEED MY FRIENDS, GODSPEEDS !

Aaaaand it's ON !!! Bonneville SPEED WEEK it's in full throttle from 11 August to 17 of August !

Will try to update this section as my friends send me the updates... Woooohooooooooo.... 

UPDATE 14.08.2012

A few hours ago, Laura Conforti released a really cool set pictures of Dave and the bike at the Salts today. Check it out :

Superb pictures... Thank you very very much Laura Conforti !!! Can't wait to talk to Dave...

PS :  Check out the forks...dWRENCHED REPRESENT BABY . oooOH YEAH !!!


UPDATE 15.08.2012 

    Dave, via his Facebook : 

Yesterday : 

    ''Been a mad start to Speedweek, bike checked ok. Oz has been poorly but thankfully is now on the mend , I got busted for speeding & I nearly crashed the bike at 140 when I hit the rough shut down area. ''

     ''Forgot to say bike has run up to 157 so far at adjusted altitude of 7200ft lots more to come out of it yet, hoping to get up to 185 motor only with a gearing change, then start putting a small percentage of nitrous into it.
The salt is starting to get better as it rained on Friday, made for some made slides in the van on the wet salt.''

10 hours ago :

     ''Got my next Bonneville licence today real smooth ride, my best speed to date is 157mph run in 92 degrees heat, so hot I nearly burst into flames.
Changed the gearing as it has run out on the gearing we have on it now, aiming for 180's tomorrow if it pulls that, I will start putting some nitrous in on top, gotta feed the greed.''

 
UPDATE 23.08.2012  
On Monday, Dave posted this on his personal Facebook :

      ''Well the racing is over now & on what turned out to be the last run of the bike, I had the engine seize at 154mph, kept it on its wheels but it certainly got my attention!!

      The adrenaline has now subsided & all the teams are all absolutely shattered but we knew this would happen. It was a hard hard week for all of the teams as we all tried to overcome the problems that we encountered which included mechanical damage, physical damage & theft of equipment. 

     Unfortunately Oz has been unable to race due to a medical issue, 3 years hard work & massive expense to get just one run down the salt, devastating for all of OZCO Racing. He flies home tomorrow, then its straight to the hospital for him, we all wish him the best. Really hope it can be sorted out once and for all. 

Same goes for Frog who was lucky not to loose a finger, hope it heals quick mate. Had a terrific photo shoot on the salt done by Chris Harrington, top professional motorsport photographer, he is an old friend of Oz's. He drove over a 1000miles to meet up with us, what a lovely fella he is too. 

      It was an emotional time for all of Team Paige who on a run on their bike, let the ashes of their late friend Mike Paige scatter blow onto the salt in a fitting tribute to the man. Well done to all the boys and girls for such a fine achievement. 

     Left Bonneville on Saturday and drove to Vegas with Chris, 300ish miles not to far but hot, real hot 100+ degrees. Stopped at the Circus Circus hotel in Vegas big comfy bed and a great shower. Left Sunday morning thinking 4hr drive to LA but it was more like 61/2hrs, again real hot average 98degrees and endless traffic snarl ups. We finally rolled in to our hotel around 7pm. Up at a late 8am today, arrived at the shipping company and packed both bikes and  all equipment up for their return journey home. 

     Jacs and I had a nice lunch and are now just taking it easy, as we will for the rest of the week with some retail therapy etc. until we fly home on Friday. 

     Big thanks to all the other 5 teams who made up "Team Little Britain" for a great time, safe journeys home for all of you. ''  

Can't wait to get in contact with Dave and talk a bit more about this 2012 SPEEDWEEK @ Bonneville and other interesting stuff !

UPDATE 27.08.2012 

 On 20th of August, Dave was saying : 

     ''Well the racing is over now & on what turned out to be the last run of the bike, I had the engine seize at 154mph, kept it on its wheels but it certainly got my attention!!

     The adrenaline has now subsided & all the teams are all absolutely shattered but we knew this would happen. It was a hard hard week for all of the teams as we all tried to overcome the problems that we encountered which included mechanical damage, physical damage & theft of equipment.
Unfortunately, Oz has been unable to race due to a medical issue, 3 years hard work & massive expense to get just one run down the salt, devastating for all of OZCO Racing he flies home tomorrow, then its straight to the hospital for him, we all wish him the best and really hope it can be sorted out once and for all.
Same goes for Frog who was lucky not to loose a finger, hope it heals quick mate.

     Had a terrific photo shoot on the salt done by Chris Harrington, top professional motorsport photographer, he is an old friend of Oz's and he drove over a 1000miles to meet up with us, what a lovely fella he is too.

     It was an emotional time for all of Team Paige who on a run on their bike, let the ashes of their late friend Mike Paige scatter and blow onto the salt in a fitting tribute to the man. Well done to all the boys and girls for such a fine achievement.

     Left Bonneville on Saturday & drove to Vegas with Chris, 300ish miles not to far but hot, real hot 100+ degrees.
Stopped at the Circus Circus hotel in Vegas big comfy bed and a great shower, left Sunday morning thinking 4hr drive to LA but it was more like 61/2hrs, again real hot average 98degrees & endless traffic snarl ups we finally rolled in to our hotel around 7pm.
     Up at a late 8am today, arrived at the shipping company & packed both bikes & all equipment up for their return journey home.
Jacs and I had a nice lunch & are now just taking it easy, as we will for the rest of the week with some retail therapy etc. until we fly home on Friday.

     Big thanks to all the other 5 teams who made up "Team Little Britain" for a great time, safe journeys home for all of you. ''

"My job is done"

"Resting after a hard week"

"The Team"  L to R.  Kit, Me, Jac's, PJ, AJ.''

 "Me & my girl Jac's" 

''Me & PJ''

Photo credit : Jim Mcgregor


     The Speedweek is now over but that doesn't mean that we rapped it up for this year. Soon, very soon, I'll chat with Dave about what this week meant for him and his crew. About speed, passion...you know...stuff like that. 

     Dave sent me the pics above just a few hours ago. And I must say...I got pretty emotional. Besides the fact that the pictures are fuckin awesome (oopsie !) , to see those dWRENCHED stickers on the bike really does it for me. I can't even believe that dW got so far and holy shit !!! At the Bonneville Salt Flats . On the ''holy land'' like Burt used to say. Burt who ?! Go shoot yourself ! Soon to be updated...