Victor Boocock and his 1914 HD are at it again !!

[10E]

Cory
I've got some photos to go along with the chatter. I think you helped Joe with his photos, any chance you can help me.
Thanks
Victor

[c.o.]

Most definitely. Check your messages.

[Skirted]

Congratulations Victor on the successful trip. Looking forward to the pics and more details on the route, keeping supplied in gas, weather, how you dealt with fatigue, etc. This is very inspiring indeed. Been through some of those those parts in a car and can only imagine what it would be like at a smell the roses slower pace on a bike let alone a 1914.

[10E]

Hello
Thanks Jason. Some things are difficult to explain and others very easy. The route, is Hwy 50, out the front door of the motel and basically you stay on it until about 100 miles from home. Highway 50 actually ends in San Francisco at the Seal Point area,I believe, and is at that point the western end of the Lincoln Highway. There are a couple of places of 100 miles plus with no gas stations and could be further if a station is out of gas, so I have an extra 2 gall. tank on the rear luggage rack that is plumbed (now) into the carb. and into the front 2 and1/4 gall tanks. The bike gets about 35/40 mpg about 150 miles max range.
Only once once was I on the last gallon, boy did I baby it. I was out in the middle of Utah, not a lot of people about.
The bike looks fairly stock to the a typical eye. But due to hard to get parts and trying to get a little more whumph out of it for the big hills the experts will see all the little exterior changes. The motor has Corilla Rods ( couldn't find 14 ones) and aluminum coated skirts with special glaze on the piston tops.
A little later cam and reversed ratio inlet rocker arms help to give it, all be it a little, more power. It cruises at 50mph were there is the least amount of vibration and the seem quite happy at that speed. It is also pretty much at max rpm with the overall gearing being 3.07-1.
I would love to be able to pull another tooth to give the motor a break but it's just doesn't work, any head wind is an automatic 3/4 mph loss ( it's down on the tank at that point if you want to make headway throughout the day. At a gas stop a Semi- truck driver came up to me with a smile on his face and said "you passed me twice on the long uphill pull but I got you on the downhill. I think I was going 35mph both time I passed him.
The bike needs to be kept upright as it's a bit of a flexy flyer and it wouldn't take much to get in a tank slapper. 50mph is plenty fast enough.
The irony is that at 50 mph the world is totally different, In the huge scenery of the West it almost feel like you could step off the bike and run along side. You get much more time to look at a scene and take them in than at 80 mph.
I don't feel fatigue very much when I'm riding, I averaged about 430 miles per day, up at 4am and off at sunrise 6.15am or little sooner and finish at 5/6pm
Lunch on the run and stop for about 4 10min gas stops. Warning Don't peel your banana ( that the banana fruit)
too much at 50mph, you will loose it, as i did, once only.
I feel fatigue when I have to work on the bike, I'm not the best mechanic, I just get by.
I put drop center rims and modern tires on the bike after my little incident in Cleveland on the 2012 Cannonball Run. The tire made the approx 1,750 miles with half the thread left, nice. I should have changed the primary chain in Ely Nv. Bad boy.

The hard part. A lot of people wonder about the way I do these runs, I'm not sure myself, all I know is that I love the riding, the scenery, and perhaps most important, not knowing whats around the next corner.
I must add that whilst you might think you are there on your own and at the mercy or whoever, you are not it is my experience that the majority of the people are just waiting to help should you have trouble and a lot of times when you are not having trouble, makes you have faith in your fellow man.
Photos to come when I get my act together.
Tomorrow we are going on the Pete Young 100mile Rigid Ride, from the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean via the back roads. Great.

[Jerry Wieland]

The hard part. A lot of people wonder about the way I do these runs, I'm not sure myself, all I know is that I love the riding, the scenery, and perhaps most important, not knowing whats around the next corner.
I must add that whilst you might think you are there on your own and at the mercy or whoever, you are not it is my experience that the majority of the people are just waiting to help should you have trouble and a lot of times when you are not having trouble, makes you have faith in your fellow man.

Victor. This is so true. Faith in my fellow Americans was restored when I saw how eager everybody was to help when there was a problem. People went way beyond expectations and wanted nothing for their efforts. It was refreshing to say the least.

Cannot wait for your pictures.
Jerry

[Tom Lovejoy]

Really enjoying this read, thanks Victor keep it coming!

[Slojo]

Victor

"" It is also pretty much at max rpm with the overall gearing being 3.07-1.""

My 14 geared to 3.9-1 runs 40mph at idle are you sure you are geared 3.07?

What a great ride thank you for the inspiration.

joe

[10E]

Joe.
Thanks for the compliment. Brain fade on the gearing. Gearing is -- (35 X44) divided by (14 X27) = 4.074 not 3.074
Somebody clocked me at 55mph today, that it for my motor.
Had trouble with the motor on todays "Rigid Ride" had to put it on the truck after 70 miles. Need a good tune up.
More to come.

[c.o.]

Wyatt Earp


Victor with traveling buddy. Dodge City


An Indian on a Harley. Boot Hill Museum Dodge City

[c.o.]

Victor even thought to take some moving picture footage!!!

[Jerry Wieland]

Here is Victors' bike being unloaded at the start of the 2012 Cannonball. Dave Kafton in black, I think Mark Wiebens in red, myself in the orange and of course Victor with his back to the camera.

[fillibuster]

Joe.
Thanks for the compliment. Brain fade on the gearing. Gearing is -- (35 X44) divided by (14 X27) = 4.074 not 3.074
Somebody clocked me at 55mph today, that it for my motor.
Had trouble with the motor on todays "Rigid Ride" had to put it on the truck after 70 miles. Need a good tune up.
More to come.

Hi Victor! I'm all kinds of jealous! Hope my back is good for that kind of fun at 70!

Your math, please (I work with this stuff often). Are you saying your first reduction is 14 to 27 (sprocket teeth) and second is 35 to 44? Or otherwise?
Either way, I get 2.40 ... The first ratio is a dividend of the two sprockets, and the second ratio (likewise) is multiplied times the first.
44 is divided by 35 (= 1.25), then 27 is divided by 14 (= 1.92). The two ratio's are multiplied times eachother to = 2.40 ..... Are you certain your motor sprocket is 35 teeth? or is that your secondary driver, to the wheel, I mean?
Next, what is your rear tire diameter? This must be multiplied by 3.14 (pi) to get circumference. A mile (5280 feet) divided by that circumference would equal number of revolutions per mile. You would then multiply your net ratio (the 2.40, or your #s 4.074, or Joe's 3.074) times the number of revolutions of the wheel to get the number of engine revolutions per mile.
At this point you can know what your engine rpm would be at 60 mph. To know engine rpm at 50, multiply your known-at-60 rpm by 50/60 (=.83).

EXAMPLE: suggesting your motor sprocket is 24 teeth, first driven sprocket is 36, your first ratio is (36 div 24) equals 1.5
suggesting your second ratio is (14 on "trans" output, 27 on rear wheel, resulting in..) ........................... 1.92
your reduction gearing is a combined ratio of 2.88 ...... engine rev's per wheel rev's

suggesting your rear tire diameter is 30", (divide by 12 to get feet, =2.5'), times pi 3.14, your tire circumference = 7.85' , divided into 5280 = 672 revolutions per mile.
multiplied by your combined ratio of 2.88 equals ....... 1937 revs per mile.
given that 60mph = 1 mile per minute (60miles div by 60 minutes) your revs per minute at 60 mph = 1937

A 28" tire (7.32' circ) into 5280 = 721 revs, times Joe's ratio of 3.074 would equal 2217
Joe's ratio with 30" dia tire (5280 div by 7.85) = 672 r/mi, x 3.074 = 2067

Your ratio of 4.074, with 28" dia tire ( 5280 div by 7.32) = 721 revs/mile x 4.074 = 2937 rpm
Your ratio at 30" tire (7.85, into 5280 =672 revs/mi) times 4.074 = 2737 rpm.

A tape measure for the dia, and a pencil to count the teeth, paper to write on, and we'll do this "old school",

[10E]

Fillibuster
No need to be be jealous, if you can, get out there and ride, even if it's short distances.
I think a back rest might be in order for those who suffer. Have thought about it but too lazy to do it.
I believe I did similar calculations when Joe was doing his 14 build for the Cannonball ! (it's on the forum on Joe's 2010 blog, somewhere) including rpm, mph etc.
If you look at the HD dynamometer for 1915, it shows the 14 motor performance and I believe my calculations came close to HD. At approx. 2400rpm I was going 50 mph give or take, very interesting.
You may be correct with your calculations but if you look at Joe's ration versus mine they are fairly close and keep in mind Joe's motor is larger has very sophisticated insides compared to mine which enables it to pull the taller gear.
I think you may have the clutch and c/s sprockets in the formula, backwards---maybe?
I'm looking at the HD Service Department Bulletin Manuel. The 1915 standard ratios are 4.10 and vary from 4.50 to the 4.10 according to the road and side car conditions, so I think we are pretty close with the 4.074.
In the end I have to gear the bike in order to get over the hills (mountains) and yet give me a cruising speed that get me to my destination without totally destroying the motor and the rest of it's moving parts in the process.
It's a fine line as any single speeder will tell you and even some gear box riders,getting the correct ratio for the riding conditions.
I have more stories. Joe will chirp in with correct skinny----Joe!
Please correct any miscalculations I make, I appreciate it.
All the best
Victor

[c.o.]

Cool pic Jerry!

This vid would have been up last night but there were technical difficulties.

[fillibuster]

Great stuff, that video! Best-watched over 2nd cup of coffee early a.m.!
I need 6 details to calculate your rpm correctly, within small margin of error:
engine (driver) sprocket # of teeth
driven sprocket # of teeth
output sprocket # of teeth
wheel sprocket # of teeth
rear tire diameter, or circumference
# of seconds to do the mile, at speed, should be on a flat, using mile markers such as on the interstates. An escort's speedo report will do as well, if you trust the report!

An incorrect report on # of teeth would yield far greater error than an inch or two on the circumference. Circumference is best measured with a tape spool that has a flat tape, such as in a cheap 50' tape. You would secure the end and every 10 inches or so to the tire until full revolution is done.