Max Bubeck on his Chout - link to an interview with Max
Fastest unstreamlined Indian - ever!
Monday, 14 March 2011
Bustin' Loose
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Another classic Bubeck Chout picture
This time courtesy of Jerry Hatfield's excellent American Racing Motorcycles, which I fiinally managed to get my hands on!
"Indian speed was convincingly demonstrated at the June 27th 1948 Rosamond Dry Lake California Speed Trials. The builder-rider team of Frank Chase and Max Bubeck won top honours with their special 'Chout', a combination of a Chief engine and a 101 Scout frame. The Chout was equipped with telescopic forks built by the Vard accessory firm. Skinny tyres were used, an 18x4.00 rear and a 19x3.20 front. Twin Schleber carburetors fed methanol to the motor which had special cams designed by 'Pop' Shunk. This was a four lobe cam setup instead of the normal two lobe and the lobes were 1/" wide instead of 1/2" wide. To reduce drag only the high gear ratio was installed, there being no gears internal to the transmission case. The bike's 2.6:1 gearing gave 4600 rpm at 135mph. The engine produced 65 hp at 4400 rpm at the rear whee', as measured on Frank Christians dynamometer. The toughest competition for the Chout was Bus Schaller's OHV Harley Davidson; but the Chout emerged victorious at 135.58 mph. Bubeck's ride thus became an interesting entry into Indian's rich folklore, for his speed was the highest ever to be officially recognised for an unstreamlined Indian."
"Indian speed was convincingly demonstrated at the June 27th 1948 Rosamond Dry Lake California Speed Trials. The builder-rider team of Frank Chase and Max Bubeck won top honours with their special 'Chout', a combination of a Chief engine and a 101 Scout frame. The Chout was equipped with telescopic forks built by the Vard accessory firm. Skinny tyres were used, an 18x4.00 rear and a 19x3.20 front. Twin Schleber carburetors fed methanol to the motor which had special cams designed by 'Pop' Shunk. This was a four lobe cam setup instead of the normal two lobe and the lobes were 1/" wide instead of 1/2" wide. To reduce drag only the high gear ratio was installed, there being no gears internal to the transmission case. The bike's 2.6:1 gearing gave 4600 rpm at 135mph. The engine produced 65 hp at 4400 rpm at the rear whee', as measured on Frank Christians dynamometer. The toughest competition for the Chout was Bus Schaller's OHV Harley Davidson; but the Chout emerged victorious at 135.58 mph. Bubeck's ride thus became an interesting entry into Indian's rich folklore, for his speed was the highest ever to be officially recognised for an unstreamlined Indian."
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