Talk:Rollie Free

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An entry from Rollie Free appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know? column on 1 May 2006.

don't understand how lying prone would shift weight to the rear wheel; it would help equalize weight front-to-back. lying supine would shift weight rearward, tho i wouldn't try it, especially at speed.

[edit] Prone vs. supine

Here is a link to the picture referred to in the article: http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/newsphoto/RollieFree(2)9(1).jpg. I am a novice Wiki submitter, but I don't think the photo can be posted here without permission. But follow the link and all will be made clear. Free rode with his body supported over the rear half of the bike, legs sticking out back. His body mass was supported just slightly forward of the rear axle, thereby maximizing rear wheel traction. tx. pix is helpful. No problem. Fixed the link to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame museum

Agreed - pix is most helpful and one of the most historic in motorcycling history. But your correct - unless we have licence agreement, we can't use it. Such a pity, but that's the rules here and we need to follow them to ensure Wiki remains for the good of all. Rgds, --Trident13 06:02, 2 May 2006 (UTC)

I have added a better quality one from the Motorcycle Hall of Fame page under a fair use, historic photo rationale. --Cactus.man ✍ 14:54, 2 May 2006 (UTC)

Love the pix - excellent Cactus! Rgds, --Trident13 15:08, 3 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Does this record still stand today?

If not, maybe you should indicate when it was broken. Also, was it the land speed record for motorcycles only or for all vehicles? Cheers. — SteveRwanda 11:02, 2 May 2006 (UTC)

Motorcycles only; at the time, the overall land speed record was already around 400mph. And it doesn't still stand, apparently the current record is somewhere around 330+mph. FiggyBee 17:08, 2 May 2006 (UTC)

Correct - it doesn't stand today. That would be American Dave Campos who set the record on July 14th 1990 at Bonneville. Next I suppose you guys want a whole list of record holders? Seems I have the job here of writing pieces on daft people and their 2wheeled machines! Rgds, --Trident13 15:18, 3 May 2006 (UTC)

Plus, there are so many classes for both bikes and cars competing for speed records (e.g., displacement, aspiration, fuel, etc.) that only the overall record is easily documented, and such an article would be a pain to maintain.

[edit] World's fastest Indian?

Is it the story which "The world fastest indian" movie is inspired by?

No - that was New Zealander Burt Munro. Rgds, --Trident13 15:07, 3 May 2006 (UTC)