Raydog,
I did Bonneville for the first time this year at the Bub event. Let me share some of my experieince to give you some point of reference. I spent two years preparing for this - practice on a drag strip and three events at MAxton. Miticulas preparations - have always sailed through tech at all events - that means lots of prep - read and re-read the rule book. I am running a 2006 ZX14. Stock engine and anything you could possibly think of to make it go faster has been done - lowered, ceramic bearings, PC3, brock exhaust, MR10, Data acquisition including O2 sensor, no air cleaner, no screen in ram air inlet, racing wheels, speed shift, etc, etc.... My guess around 200HP at rear wheel - stock wheelbase. For comparison with a Busa my last pass at local drag strip I was running with a friend on a weel prepped Busa - piped and mapped, stretched and slammed, air box mod, etc. I believe he would dyno around 170HP. I am running tall gearing (18/38 - three gear pass in quarter) so I come out of the hole very soft (1.88 60) He ran 9.81 I ran 9.84. We were both identical speed at the eigth - 116.21 and at the quater he was at 141.15 and I was at 150.41. Track at around 1500 feet elevation - both of us are around 235 or 240 suited up. I only mention this for a performance comparison as I always view back end speed increase as the ultimate dyno.
I have run 192 at Maxton - a measured mile that you run out of track before you run out of engine. My first pass on the short course at Bonneville - a shake down run - was 180MPH which exceeded the 175MPH needed to qualify for the long course. I did 4 full throttle passes on the long course all between 184 and 187MPH. I was traction limited as the salt was quite slippery and it would break the back tire loose as I approached 185 - the rear end would wonder (go into a slide)and head took to shaking. This is with a proven rock solid high speed handler on rough concrete at Maxton. Ruts also would cause the bike to shutter and I had multiple times that I thought it was going down at that speed. Wind will also push you off line at times - giving an interesting perspective to the approaching flags that mark the course boundaries every quarter mile GPS showed a sine wave type speed variation between 184 and 187 - showing the effects of loss of traction. I believe that it was aerodynamic lift that would breach the traction threshold - I would stand on the pegs as it started to slide and either the dynamics would change or the center of gravity - but this would get it to settle down. I would generally be north of 180MPH by mile marker two - and from there it is one minute at WOT for the next three miles.
One of the main issues with Bonneville is the higher altitude - you will lose 15% to 18% of your power. Air is thinner and you have enough room to reach terminal velocity. Fuel injection was spot on - it only fluctuated .1 to .2% at tt this higher altitude (around 4000 feet).
It is a great experieince and alot of fun - but it was also quite disturbing - the antics at speed. You do need to practice and prepare - you need to know your bike inside out on solid ground in order to have the confidence to stay with it if things get squirrelly in this game.
Here is a link to a video my kids put together as a gift - it does show some of the fun you can have, especially if you are fortunate enough to have a family along for the journey.
Good luck and I wish you well in this endeavour.
Kevin
But it was very, very fun - it is extreme racing - I have done motocross when young - and probably 1,000 passes at the drag strip over the past 5 years and this was a good factor of 10 on the adrenilin pump as to any past reference..... but a great life experirienc.
