Roy Williams with his 100cc pushrod motor world record attempting machine
2005 record- 48mph It all started after watching the movie, “The World’s Fastest Indian”. Before that, I had never considered racing a motorcycle at the Bonneville Salt Flats. I had a couple of small Hondas, so I started searching the record book for a suitable class. Neither was a good fit, but I found a record held by a 1966 Honda Touring 90 (C200) at only 48mph. The class was for 100cc production pushrod motorcycles, and the Honda C200 was about the only one that fit the rules. I started searching for a C200 and found one in Wisconsin for only $400. Of course it didn’t run and was a mess, but I could fix that.
2006 record-54 mph I completely rebuilt the bike to original condition except for an oversize higher compression piston from a Honda Super 90. After break-in, it ran pretty good at 50+ mph, but I was too late for Speed Week at the Salt Flats, so went to the Black Hills in SD (4400 ft, same as the Salt Flats) for a test. While there, the current record holder reset his record to 54 mph. I had more work to do. I named the bike Gopher 55.
2007 record-56mph I installed an oversize CB160 piston for more displacement (97cc) and higher compression (11-1). I prepped the bike to meet the safety regulations -- steering damper, ignition kill switch, tether kill switch, speed rated tires, etc. In August, we (my wife Kathy and me) loaded the bike into our mini- van and headed to Bonneville for Speed Week, a 1450 mile trip. We were one of the first bikes in line for inspection, but we ran into trouble. They didn’t like my steering damper set-up; not enough damping at the ends of the travel. Also, my new one-piece leather racing suit was rejected; the vents under the arm covered too much area. We were discouraged, but we left the track to try and fix the problems. We found a hot rod builder to help redo the steering damper and someone to patch and sew the racing suit. Two days later we returned to the Salt Flats and passed inspection. We were ready to run! The next day we got in line and finally reached the start line. The bike ran great through the first mile, but part way through the 2nd timed mile the clutch started slipping badly. Every time I used full throttle it slipped, so I limped through the timed mile at an average speed of 46mph. No record that year, but we learned a lot. Two days later the current record holder reset his record to 56 mph.
2008 record-61 mph We targeted the World Finals in October instead of Speed Week in August to give me more time to get ready. First, I fixed the clutch problem -- stronger springs and different oil. Then, Dick Snyder ported the head (20% more flow) and set-up the piston and head for 15-1 compression. Lastly, I installed a cam from Webcams with more lift. Unfortunately, before I could even test the new set-up, a team from Washington State reset the record to 61 mph with a Honda C200. But after working out the piston-to-head and cam-to-crankshaft interference issues, and sorting out the carb jetting, I ran 65 mph on I-394. We were ready! We left Minneapolis on Saturday, October 4 for the 2 ½ day drive to Bonneville. We arrived on Monday and went right to the course. But, it was under water! They were forced to cancel the event. So again, no record. But, we unloaded the bike, filled it with gas, and made a quick test run on the freeway. I hit 61 mph, so I know I was in the ballpark for the record. Maybe next year.
