July 25th, 2016
The "Fastest Man on Two Wheels" Sam Wheeler died from injuries last night sustained in an horrific crash while testing at Bonneville earlier in the day.
It's a real sad day for all of us that knew him and worked with him. While he might have not been known to many people out there, within the sport though, there is huge sense of loss for we have lost a truly great man who's innovations and accomplishments were admired by many, and matched by very few.
Every so often we get a chance to work with someone who sets the bar higher than anyone else in their pursuit of their dreams. Sam's dream was to be the first man to go 400 mph on two wheels.
After meeting the him a few years back thanks to Sam's lifelong friend Hardy Allen, we were excited to help Sam with his dream too.
After meeting the him a few years back thanks to Sam's lifelong friend Hardy Allen, we were excited to help Sam with his dream too.
Upon meeting the man, you would never guess that this nice, old guy was braver than most anyone you have ever met. But you might guess he was a pretty smart guy and you would have been kind of close.
He was in fact a highly intelligent engineer and gifted craftsman. Every detail on his motorcycle was custom made, immaculate, and extremely well thought out. For those who got a chance to see it up close, they were lucky to be able to marvel at his ingenuity.
The man above is studying the mechanism Sam devised to open his twin flap air brake, that when opened would not only serve to slow the bike down, but would also release the drag chute as well.
While closed, it served as part of his aerodynamically sleek tail fin section, and cleverly concealing and containing the drag chute within.
The man above is studying the mechanism Sam devised to open his twin flap air brake, that when opened would not only serve to slow the bike down, but would also release the drag chute as well.
While closed, it served as part of his aerodynamically sleek tail fin section, and cleverly concealing and containing the drag chute within.
Sam was very protective of his bike. He didn't want or really need anyone's help although he had many people offering their help. The way Sam looked at it, it was his butt that was literally on the line and it was very difficult for him to trust someone else to help him.
So quietly by himself, for many years after hours at his work in a small side room with no air-conditioning, Sam dreamed and built his state of the art machine.
So quietly by himself, for many years after hours at his work in a small side room with no air-conditioning, Sam dreamed and built his state of the art machine.
When we met, Sam was well into the design and build of his next bike to break the 400 mph barrier. He knew that to go that fast, he had to make some radical changes from his old bike.
First to go was the ZX11 engine, which he wanted to replace with a Vance & Hines custom built Heyabusa motorcycle engine with about 500 horsepower! But the Heyabusa's stock 6 speed gearbox wasn't designed to go 400 mph, so Sam knew he had to find a way to get more speeds.
So with the urging of Hardy and famed dragbike racer and turbo expert Terry Kizer (Mr. Turbo), Sam turned to us for help with his gearbox idea. Sam wanted a two speed gear driven gearbox to take the drive from the Heyabusa back to a belt drive system to drive the rear wheel.
Below is the final layout that we drew for him before setting out to make the gearbox for him.
First to go was the ZX11 engine, which he wanted to replace with a Vance & Hines custom built Heyabusa motorcycle engine with about 500 horsepower! But the Heyabusa's stock 6 speed gearbox wasn't designed to go 400 mph, so Sam knew he had to find a way to get more speeds.
So with the urging of Hardy and famed dragbike racer and turbo expert Terry Kizer (Mr. Turbo), Sam turned to us for help with his gearbox idea. Sam wanted a two speed gear driven gearbox to take the drive from the Heyabusa back to a belt drive system to drive the rear wheel.
Below is the final layout that we drew for him before setting out to make the gearbox for him.
We had a few novel ideas of our own gearbox and together we designed the drivetrain for Sam's unique motorcycle. For us it was one of those rare experiences where we had the design freedom to do what we needed to do for the gearbox while at the same time we were able to help influence his design of the rest of the drivetrain down to the wheel eccentrics.
After we delivered the gearbox, Sam was so impressed with our workmanship that we ended up machining many of the drive line parts too. We were happy and honored to do so.
Below it the engine and two speed gearbox right behind. Once of Sam's requirements was that he wanted to be able to remove the whole gearbox from the bike without taking apart anything else on the bike. Drop six bolts and it slides right off.
After we delivered the gearbox, Sam was so impressed with our workmanship that we ended up machining many of the drive line parts too. We were happy and honored to do so.
Below it the engine and two speed gearbox right behind. Once of Sam's requirements was that he wanted to be able to remove the whole gearbox from the bike without taking apart anything else on the bike. Drop six bolts and it slides right off.
Obviously there were many amazing details to this bike that deserves attention, but we must respectfully remain tight lipped about them as he wanted. It is a great shame that after all his hard work, Sam died trying to realized his dream of breaking the 400 mph barrier, and reinstating his name at the top of the record books for a 4th time.
For those who object to us calling him the "Fastest Man on Two wheels", well officially they are right, he isn't. Another bike Ack Attack holds the World Record at 376 mph. But technically Sam made a pass at 393 mph that isn't in the "official record books" because he set that time at a car meet and not a sanctioned bike meet.
To us and many others, we feel that he was robbed of a title that he deservedly should own. So in his honor we did and still do refer to Sam Wheeler as the "Fastest Man on Two Wheels".
Godspeed Sam
For those who object to us calling him the "Fastest Man on Two wheels", well officially they are right, he isn't. Another bike Ack Attack holds the World Record at 376 mph. But technically Sam made a pass at 393 mph that isn't in the "official record books" because he set that time at a car meet and not a sanctioned bike meet.
To us and many others, we feel that he was robbed of a title that he deservedly should own. So in his honor we did and still do refer to Sam Wheeler as the "Fastest Man on Two Wheels".
Godspeed Sam
Check out Sam's personal website at www.steamliner.com for more details about the building of his bike.
