BREAKING

Feature Bikes

Bonne Belle

Article By: Paul Wideman

Photos By:Bart Mitchell

Originally Published In The December 2012 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine

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If you’ve been around the American motorcycling community for very long, you’ve undoubtedly heard tales of the Bonneville Salt Flats. Maybe you’ve seen the documentary on the famous New Zealander, Burt Munro: Offerings to the Gods of Speed. Perhaps you’ve read stories of the fabled salt in various magazines over the years. All of the accounts you’ve read, heard, or watched, combined, cannot bring to you the actual zeal and intensity as hearing one of the racers tell the story about their first foray into salt racing. The Bonneville Salt is the perfect place for these brave gearheads to test their skills, talent, guts, and often times their determination. Bandit has been involved in salt racing since the ‘70s when he introduced Bob George, the man who taught him how to rebuild engines, to Joe Teresi. He would build a dual- Shovel streamliner and from that point on, Jammer supported Bob. In 1990, the then Easyriders’ streamliner set the motorcycle world land speed record of 321 m.p.h. They held onto that record until 2006 when Bandit was b a c k on the salt with their 120-inch Berry Wardlaw Panhead, The Salt Shaker, and set another record. In 2007, they returned with the Assalt Weapan, and set another record at 157 m.p.h., calling it the “World’s Fastest Panhead.”

Such is the story of the 5-Ball Racing Team. 5-Ball is the name of the team that Keith “Bandit” Ball of Bikernet fame assembled to help him achieve his need for speed. Over the six long years it took to get their Magnum 45 racer, the Bonne Belle, to the salt, the team has changed and evolved, but the major players included: Bandit, Tobey Harden, and Lee Clemens. Now many others chipped in parts, such as Dale Walksler with the K model heads (and tons of advice), and others lent a hand with the finishing touches, like the paint supplied by Chris Morrison. There was also a far reaching support crew that tackled obstacles and tasks including, but not limited to, the Bonne Belle. Huge thanks to Nicole, Richard, Jeremiah, George the Wild Brush, and Dr. Willie for all of the errands they ran, parts supplied, and last minute alterations perfectly performed.

As parts built up over the years leading up to the 2012 BUB Speed Trials, Bandit knew the man to build the motor and assemble the right parts was Lee Clemens of Departure Bike Works in Richmond, VA. Lee has been around racing for decades, running a DBW drag team for over 25 years, and he and his crew know engine work. Seriously, anything from a sweet old ‘45, to a perfectly running Knuck, to a fire breathing Evo, the DBW crew knows it, and has done it. So Bandit had the engine part covered. Still, a few minor questions swirled around the specifics of their combinations, but after some phone calls and then some more phone calls, all the right answers filtered in, and Lee and the DBW crew had a beautiful motor running on the stand. The only bad part, well, one bad part, is that Departure is in Virginia, and the Belle was in S o u t h e r n California. To make it just a little worse, the motor was finished just a month before the BUB meet. A plan was made to relay the motor to Sturgis, where a friend of Bandit’s would receive it and bring it back to Bandit’s hideout. At this point, things were hitting critical mass for the 5-Ball crew. Not only was the engine thousands of miles away, the frame had to be altered to accept the five speed transmission, and the BDL primary had to be altered to accept the Timken left side case and mate to the aforementioned five speed. It all had to be offset properly without a correct mock-up engine. Again, through many phone calls and painstaking measurements, Bandit had the frame setup to what he knew to be the right specs; he hoped. On top of the usual last minute bike build stuff, such as finding cables, adjusting sheet metal for proper fitment, etc, the crew also realized they are indeed a race team, and a race team needs a proper race rig. So the scramble was on, which is an entire story unto itself.

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Less than a week before their scheduled departure for Bonneville, the motor finally arrived. As the team slid the engine into its new home, anticipation gave way to sighs of relief, as B a n d i t ’ s many calculations paid off, and the engine was locked into place. A top motor mount was needed, as were exhaust pipes. Tobey, the resident certified welder, dug in and knocked out the pipes using D&D components. Dr. Willie fashioned the top motor mount, upgraded a heli-coil in one of the heads, and repaired a fitting in the oil pump. As progress was being made, Bandit saw the team take a few steps back, as his head was on the bridgeport table, and the cam cover sat on the lift. Did we mention that through all of this Bikernet remained a full tilt Web publication? After another headache or two, the crew had their race rig stickered up, their new Kendon two-bike trailer loaded, and the as-yet-unfired Bonne Belle strapped down. Leaving a day later than expected, the crew settled in for a 684 mile haul to Wendover. Upon arrival and registration, the crew began tying up the last few loose ends, and Bandit drove to Salt Lake to pick up Lee from the airport. Shortly after Lee’s arrival on the salt, the Belle fired right up and settled into a sweet idle. In the course of finishing the bike, the magneto had been removed, and due to Lee machining the flywheel and subsequent lack of timing marks, Lee had to retime the engine, relying only on his years of experience. Shortly thereafter, Tobey was making breaking runs, with the 5-Ball crew making adjustments and tweaks between. After a day or so, Tobey finally made his way to the line. Since the engine was still brand new, Bandit asked him to just let it breathe a little and feel it out.

The first pass was made at 66.5 m.p.h. Not bad for an engine that had only an hour or two total run time. After discovering some problematic reversion around the carb, the team fabbed up a quick back pressure tuner for the pipes, consisting of a bolt with a washer welded to the end of it. This would allow the team to rotate the washer and adjust for more or less backpressure, thus helping combustion within the Flathead’s chambers. A second pass ended in another 66 m.p.h. ticket, but the bike only made it to second gear. Bandit knew his gearing may have been a little too industrious, and it seems this was the case. Suddenly, 5-Ball’s week on the salt was over. Back home they headed, talking about the incredible events they shared, t h e beautiful bike they built, the gearing changes for next year, and of course the mess the shop would be when they reached their destination. It was all worth it, and worth doing again. As a matter of fact, I’m sure you can see the team at next year’s trials. They are already making their plans and implementing improvements. See you there!
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Bonne Belle Tech Sheet

Owner: Keith “Bandit” Ball

City: Wilmington Ghetto, CA.

Fabrication By: Bandit

Year: 1940

Model: WLD

Value: To The Moon

Time: 6 Years

ENGINE

Year: 1940

Model: WLD Flathead

Builder: Departure Bike Works

Ignition: Morris Magneto

Displacement: 45CI

Pistons: Ross

Heads: K-Model

Cam(s): WR

Carb: 42mm Mikuni

Air Cleaner: Fantasy in Iron

Exhaust: Handmade w/ D&D Pieces

Primary: Enclosed BDL

TRANSMISSION

Year: 1988

Make: HD

Shifting: 5 Speed w/ JIMS’ Sprocket

FRAME

Year: 2009

Make: Paughco

Rake: 35 Degrees

Stretch: Plenty Out Front and To The Rear

FRONT END

Type: Glide

Builder: H-D

Extension: None

Triple Trees: Cast Aluminum w/ CCE Dogbone Risers

WHEELS

Front Wheel: PM

Size: 19”

Tire: Avon

Brakes: None

Rear Wheel: PM

Size: 18”

Tire: Avon

Brakes: PM W/ Yamaha Master Cylinder

PAINT

Painter: Chris Morrison

Type: Powder and House of Kolor

Color: Silver Metallic w/ 5-Ball Orange

Molding: Chris Morrison

Chroming: Not Much

ACCESSORIES

Bars: Bandit 7/8”

Risers: Custom Cycle Engineering

Hand Controls: Biker’s Choice

Gas Tank(s): Spitfire Motorcycles – Paul Cavallo

Front Fender: Bare Knuckle

Rear Fender: Sliced Bare Knuckle

Seat: Berry Wardlaw

Foot Controls: Yamaha

Oil Tank: Kutoms, Inc

Taillight: None

Fairing: Envy Cycle

Photographer: Bart Mitchell

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