Malcolm
Thankk you very much. Now if some current photos would show up on the site
that to would be great.
Glen
----- Original Message -----
From: "Malcolm Pittwood" <MPittwood@compuserve.com>
To: "LSR List" <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, February 02, 2001 2:07 PM
Subject: Silver Streamline Motorcycle
> To all who asked about the very British Motorbike on chopper daves picture
> board.
>
> Thanks to Patrick Tison of the Speed Record Club I can tell you that it is
> the Excelsior JAP "Silver Comet" of Joe Wright prepared for him by Claude
> Temple. The target speed was 170 mph. The location is not Pendine but
> could be Monthlery in France where it was tested or the motorway in
Hungary
> where it ran for the World record in 1931. The bike had some of its
> streamlining removed before the attempt so it may well be Monthlery. (I
> may have to be corrected on that because there are no features that I can
> recognise in the background - it could even be publicity photos from
> Brooklands, Surrey, England).
>
> The engine was a supercharged V twin JAP motor 80mm x 99mm giving about
100
> hp at 5400 rpm. A 2 speed transmission was used. The supercharger was a
> 'Powerplus' unit giving 15 psi and fuel supplied by an AMAL carb. 27"
> wheels and a single rear brake were fitted to the tube frame. The
> streamlined "parrot beak" helmet worn by Joe was based on a design used
by
> Ernst Henne. A one way run of 163 mph (22nd October 1931) was not backed
> up as the blower seized and a piston was damaged. the bike was eventually
> repaired back in England but did not run again although plans had been
laid
> for an attempt in Ireland..
>
> The bike was in the Sammy Millar museum in the UK without its transmission
> according to Patrick.
>
> Joe Wright held the land speed record in 1930 at 150.736 mph, at a time
> when his main competitor was Ernst Henne, the BMW rider.
>
> Malcolm Pittwood, Derby, England.
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