Photo: SoloMoto.es
You probably never imagined that motorcycles and spirits make a good team, but that’s before Ryan Montgomery, owner of the Montana-based Montgomery Distillery, came into the picture.
He spent many months repairing and modifying a non-running 1980 Yamaha XS650 he found ditched in a field and got it to run on vodka. Well, it actually runs on waste products from the vodka distillation process, but you get the idea.
Montgomery had never raced before and he definitely had no idea how to repair a bike – or what it would take to get it to run on vodka. But since he was in the process of making spirits, he was willing to put in the time and effort to find out, and in the process, he got to temporarily hold the record for speed at the Bonneville Salt Flats Speed Trials, NDTV Auto reports.
The process of modifying the bike to work on alternate fuel took place in Montgomery’s makeshift garage, with help from friends. This must have made their achievement all the more pleasing for them, even though their joy at setting the speed record was short-lived.
Distilling vodka creates “heads” that are too impure to drink and would normally be discarded. Montgomery had about 40 liters of them and used them to fuel his bike, which he named Sudden Wisdom, after the name of one of the drinks he makes at the distillery. He was hoping to get it to reach 98mph in the race, but was actually surprised to hit 113mph.
“The project was reportedly aided by sponsors who contributed $1,000, and the modifications to the bike cost around $ 5,000,” the report notes.
“The amateur race team entered the bike into the class for 1980 and older 750 cc modified bikes with alternate fuel. After setting the new record, the feat was surpassed by another entrant three days later, with a 1974 Honda CB750 bike hitting 143 mph.”
Montgomery had never raced before and he definitely had no idea how to repair a bike – or what it would take to get it to run on vodka. But since he was in the process of making spirits, he was willing to put in the time and effort to find out, and in the process, he got to temporarily hold the record for speed at the Bonneville Salt Flats Speed Trials, NDTV Auto reports.
The process of modifying the bike to work on alternate fuel took place in Montgomery’s makeshift garage, with help from friends. This must have made their achievement all the more pleasing for them, even though their joy at setting the speed record was short-lived.
Distilling vodka creates “heads” that are too impure to drink and would normally be discarded. Montgomery had about 40 liters of them and used them to fuel his bike, which he named Sudden Wisdom, after the name of one of the drinks he makes at the distillery. He was hoping to get it to reach 98mph in the race, but was actually surprised to hit 113mph.
“The project was reportedly aided by sponsors who contributed $1,000, and the modifications to the bike cost around $ 5,000,” the report notes.
“The amateur race team entered the bike into the class for 1980 and older 750 cc modified bikes with alternate fuel. After setting the new record, the feat was surpassed by another entrant three days later, with a 1974 Honda CB750 bike hitting 143 mph.”
Google News