Castrol Rocket
The Castrol Rocket is a specially for obtaining the motorcycle speed record -built motorcycle , with the through triumph again prepares for the first time in decades a work to provide the fastest two-wheeler. The vehicle was developed by Castrol , Hot Rod Conspiracy ( wheel suspension ), Carpenter Racing ( engine tuning ) and Triumph North America. The first driving attempts in 2013 on the Bonneville Salt Flats were affected by adverse weather conditions. The driver was Jason Di Salvo .
Development and testing
Bob Carpenter, himself a racer with drag bikes of the “Pro Stock Motorcycle” class, was responsible for building the engines that come from the Triumph Rocket III . It reduced the piston stroke used and connecting rods made of titanium . The overall design and construction of the vehicle was up to Matt Markstaller, a mechanical engineer familiar with Bonneville since the early 1980s. The time pressure was considerable, as it took only a year from the crucial conversation to the first roll on the salt lake. Since the Castrol Rocket is supposed to reach almost 700 km / h with a relatively short run-up, special attention was paid to traction . Tests to optimize driving stability were carried out in the wind tunnel . Nevertheless, rider Di Salvo first experienced the phenomenon known as “fish dance” swaying at low speeds and had problems following a straight line with the motorcycle.
Tom Burkland, who drove an automobile faster than 400 mph on the salt lake , has been appointed by the FIM as technical inspector for record motorcycles with closed cockpits. He felt the Castrol Rocket was a well-made machine, but saw potential problems with the engine cooling. The throttle twistgrips also aroused his amazement, but they are definitely desired by the driver Di Salvo.
Those involved consider the project to run for several years. In order to reach the goal, an optimal surface quality of the slope and good weather conditions are required at the same time. After heavy rains in 2014 made a record attempt, accompanied by the FIM, impossible, the team intended to compete again in 2015 at the same location. Guy Martin had been announced as the new driver, but his injuries sustained in an accident at the Ulster Grand Prix made it necessary to postpone all further actions to 2016.
Martin actually managed to reach an average speed of 441 km / h in 2016 - making the machine the fastest Triumph ever built - but an accident with damage to the team's vehicle, now known as the Infor Rocket , ended the mission for the time being.
Technical specifications
General data
| Dimensions L × W × H: | 7772 × 609 × 914 mm |
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engine
| Type: | 2 Triumph Rocket III turbocharged engines |
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| Working method: | Four-stroke Otto |
| Cylinder: | 3 / row, water-cooled |
| Displacement: | 1485 cm³ per engine |
| Power: | together approx. 1000 hp at 9000 rpm |
Power transmission
| Drive: | Cardan drive on the rear wheel |
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landing gear
| Frame: | Monocoque made of carbon / Kevlar fiber reinforced plastic |
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| Brakes: | C / C rear disc brake , brake screens for high and low speeds |
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Louise Ann Noeth. Resurrecting Triumph's Glory Out on the Salt , The New York Times, September 13, 2013
- ↑ Internet site “castrolrocket.com” - “History” section ( Memento of the original from September 21, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Charles Fleming: Triumph-powered Castrol Rocket attempts Bonneville land-speed record , Los Angeles Times, August 30, 2013
- ↑ Evans Brasfield: Rain Forces Triumph Castrol Rocket Team To Look To Bonneville 2015 , website "blog.motorcycle.com" (accessed October 19, 2014)
- ↑ Guy Martin breaks Triumph speed record in Bonneville , website "theengineer.co.uk" (accessed October 12, 2016)
- ↑ Crash brings end to Guy Martin's record hopes , website "motorcyclenews.com" (accessed October 12, 2016)
