Engineering:Silver Bird (streamliner)

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Silver Bird
A PB Vesco-Kawasaki05.jpg
Don Vesco with Silver Bird at Bonneville Speedway
ManufacturerDon Vesco
Predecessor"Big Red" streamliner
Successor"Lightning Bolt" streamliner
ClassStreamliner
EngineYamaha Inline-4 694.9 cc (42.41 cu in) reed-valve two-stroke, 1,389.8 cc (84.81 cu in) total displacement
Bore / stroke64 mm × 54 mm (2.52 in × 2.13 in)
Top speed303.812 mph (488.938 km/h)[1]
Power240 hp (180 kW)
DimensionsL: 21 ft (6.4 m)
H: 32 in (810 mm)
Weight900 lb (410 kg) (wet)

Silver Bird was a motorcycle land-speed record setting streamliner motorcycle. It was powered by two motors delivering 240 horsepower (180 kW).[1] It was the first motorcycle to set a speed record over 300 miles per hour (480 km/h), when ridden by Don Vesco at the Bonneville Speedway in 1975.[2][3]

Construction

Silver Bird c. 1974 with shorter stabilizing fin than on the 1975 record setting run

The motorcycle was built by Don Vesco and sponsored by Yamaha.[4] It had two four-cylinder, 694.9 cc reed-valve two-stroke engines from the Yamaha TZ750 racebike.[1]

Specifications

  • Displacement: 1,389.8 cc total
  • Engine bore and stroke: 64mm×54mm[5][6]
  • Dimensions: 21 feet long, 32 inches high[7]
  • Weight: c. 900 pounds (410 kg)[8]

References

Notes

Sources

Further reading

  • "Motorcycles - The Silver Bird - Don Vesco's 300-mph Yamaha streamliner", Hot Rod, December 1975 

External links