14 replies to this topic

[chrisj]

I'm about 5 years too young to remember mid-50's racing, so of course I consider it a "golden age". I love the look of those fantastic, streamlined dustbin bikes, especially the Mondial. I've read they were outlawed on the grounds of safety, but were there actually incidents caused by that type of fairing, or were authorities just worried about what could happen if the practice continued?

[Paul Collins]

Before my time but wasnt it to do with them causing instability in cross winds?

[Russell Burrows]

Yes, I've never been clear about the supposed dangers of the design. I can vaguely recall some riders being quoted as worrying about bikes becoming unstable in crosswinds, at least I think I can. I wonder if it was political to some extent in that not all factories had access to a wind tunnel and all the mularkey involved with aerodynamic design ? I can't say I recall reading about fatalities or even crashes that were attributable to the design, whereas scores of blokes were killed and maimed after two stroke motors seized and we heard not a peep out of the FIM on this.

Edited by Russell Burrows, 03 May 2013 - 15:27.

[chrisj]

I think it was Surtees? who mentioned that they had removed the fairing one year at the Isle of Man TT because of winds up on the mountain, but he was beaten by someone who's team had left them on, so there were concerns by riders.

[paulhooft]

Yes they really where very spectaculair.
But they may have been a little impractical to service too,
A pity that they banned, as they looked great.
Paul.

I think it was Surtees? who mentioned that they had removed the fairing one year at the Isle of Man TT because of winds up on the mountain, but he was beaten by someone who's team had left them on, so there were concerns by riders.

[fastfitter]

Too young to have seen them myself too (not often I get to say that now) but I always understood it was due to crosswinds.

Having been blown onto the hard shoulder of the A1 twice last week on my RF900 I can appreciate the concern

[serafini]

I think it was Surtees? who mentioned that they had removed the fairing one year at the Isle of Man TT because of winds up on the mountain, but he was beaten by someone who's team had left them on, so there were concerns by riders.

1957. Surtees and MV were concerned about winds so he raced without his dustbin. The "someone" whose Gilera was dustbin faired was of course Bob McIntyre, one of the greatest masters of the Mountain course.

[ancient]

Re dustbin streamlining.iI had one on my 350 Norton at the north west 200 in 1957.made by spud,forget his name.it was made in two halves.was well rounded at the sides easy to fit and remove. loved it 130mph was passed by Sammy miller on the nsu sportmax(he knew where he was going)sat behind him at the same speed .Then I could see just how much we were leaning into the wind and when we passed a building they would come back up.havent a clue why they were banned never found any problem with them.probably the same people who came up with global warming.

[Paul Collins]

Re dustbin streamlining.iI had one on my 350 Norton at the north west 200 in 1957.made by spud,forget his name.it was made in two halves.was well rounded at the sides easy to fit and remove. loved it 130mph was passed by Sammy miller on the nsu sportmax(he knew where he was going)sat behind him at the same speed .Then I could see just how much we were leaning into the wind and when we passed a building they would come back up.havent a clue why they were banned never found any problem with them.probably the same people who came up with global warming.

Your description of leaning into the wind reminded me of windy days at Snetterton when I used to see the same thing down the back Straight, you never realised how much you were leaning into the wind until you saw others in front!!

[fil2.8]

Re dustbin streamlining.iI had one on my 350 Norton at the north west 200 in 1957.made by spud,forget his name.it was made in two halves.was well rounded at the sides easy to fit and remove. loved it 130mph was passed by Sammy miller on the nsu sportmax(he knew where he was going)sat behind him at the same speed .Then I could see just how much we were leaning into the wind and when we passed a building they would come back up.havent a clue why they were banned never found any problem with them.probably the same people who came up with global warming.

I had one , a DBD dustbin , IIRC , on my first road bike , a 1960 Aerial Arrow , YUW 505 , in 1962 , can't remember if it made much difference , won't have known , anyway ................

[omobono]

I may be wrong but I think that some of the "Home made" Dustbins were regarded as dangerous. Moto Guzzi had the advantage of a wind tunnel. Don't know how Gilera, Mondial, MV etc designed theirs.

[greg1953]

It would be interesting to see how fast in a straght line the Moto GP bikes would be with a dustbin fitted. I remember reading about a WW2 experiment where to cut costs a Spitfire had split peas glued over the heads of the flush fitting rivets and it was 20mph slower.
Aerodynamics makes a hell of a difference at those speeds.
Just wondering,
Greg

[Tonka]

It would be interesting to see how fast in a straght line the Moto GP bikes would be with a dustbin fitted. I remember reading about a WW2 experiment where to cut costs a Spitfire had split peas glued over the heads of the flush fitting rivets and it was 20mph slower.
Aerodynamics makes a hell of a difference at those speeds.

If you've got £500 you find out yourself !

http://www.airtech-s...ingsdustbin.htm

Surprisingly, dustbin fairings are still being made in the US.

[tonyed]

Re dustbin streamlining.iI had one on my 350 Norton at the north west 200 in 1957.made by spud,forget his name.it was made in two halves.was well rounded at the sides easy to fit and remove. loved it 130mph was passed by Sammy miller on the nsu sportmax(he knew where he was going)sat behind him at the same speed .Then I could see just how much we were leaning into the wind and when we passed a building they would come back up.havent a clue why they were banned never found any problem with them.probably the same people who came up with global warming.

I found that every Tuesday the local authority 'binmen' would come round and empty mine. Cost a bloody fortune in replacement Manx Nortons.

Edited by tonyed, 08 May 2013 - 11:14.

[fil2.8]

I found that every Tuesday the local authority 'binmen' would come round and empty mine. Cost a bloody fortune in replacement Manx Nortons.