PREPARED TO GET LOST

CHASING THE SALT

Article by James R.J. May
Photos and Film by Harry Wallis, HW Media

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British motorcycle racer James R. J. May had a dream of breaking a land speed record on the infamous Bonneville Salt Flats, riding his classic 1962 Manx Norton. Inspired by legend Burt Munro, this short film ‘Chasing The Salt’ and his firsthand account tells the story of the months of preparation, the wild beauty of the Salt Flats, the record attempt and the ‘Curse Of The Salt’.

Some dreams don’t come easy.

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The immediate response from my Mother when I told her my plans to break a land speed record at The Bonneville Salt Flats, was a reaction fitting of a Mother, “You want to do what?” Like many of my ideas, she eventually came round to it once I’d managed to get my Father onboard.  

I was born into a motorcycling fuelled family and grew up around old motorcycles and the idea of speed. My Father being a skilled engineer and once a successful racer of Manx Nortons, achieved notable feats such as six finishes at the Isle of Man Manx Grand Prix races with a 4th place finish at the 1989 Manx Grand Prix. All on an original 500cc Manx Norton with an average speed of 96.59 mph. Over the years, my Father and I had many conversations about taking a Manx Norton out to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in the U.S to compete and attempt a land speed record on a Manx Norton. I always thought it to be a pipe dream and too much of a logistical nightmare.

One day in 2024, I started to plan it seriously which led me to discover The Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials (BMST) event held on the 24th-29th August, 2024. A motorcycle only speed trial similar to the infamous ‘Speedweek’. I decided that I would enter into the AMA National category at the BMST which would allow me to get official timed runs and an attempt to break a land speed record. After researching the BMST archived records, I discovered that the current record for the class that I would be entering into was 119 mph average speed over a 3 mile overall distance, consisting of a 1 mile run up and a 2 mile timed run of the course.

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Once I had made the decision to run at the BMST event, I booked and arranged accommodation, van hire, rider insurance, flights, visas, BMST event tickets and freight of the motorcycle to Salt Lake City and shipping. We arranged the freight of the Norton into Salt Lake City International Airport and shipping back via cargo ship to Southampton Port, England. As I got my head around the logistics of the trip, it started to form and the realization started to set in. As well as logistics, I needed to ensure that the motorbike and equipment complied with event regulations and that the documentation and Visas were in check.

I had reached out to many ex and current Bonneville Salt Flat racers who helped with the planning of the trip immensely and also helped with specifications and the necessary regulation changes to our Manx Norton. These changes included a kill switch which attached to my leathers in case of a fall, a fully enclosed chain guard and fire retardant fuel pipe sleeves. I also reached out to salt flat racers to help me understand the surface, which was best described to me as “like riding on packed dirt”. This explanation sowed a seed of doubt in my mind as to how far my mind would push the tyres. Like other forms of motorcycle racing, you are often not only battling your fellow competitors, you are also battling with your limitations that your mind sets out for you.

Like many people who have competed on the salt flats on a motorcycle, my inspiration to compete at Bonneville was largely due to Burt Munro and his story and achievements at Bonneville on his Indian Scout. In this world there are so many people willing to say how something cannot be done or that it’s too risky. Then there are people like Munro who stick two fingers up and do it anyway, despite the risks or doubts. If you have a desire to achieve something and there is a good enough reason for why you are doing it, then you will eventually find the way to achieve it, or at least attempt to achieve it. This kind of thinking and inspiration ultimately led me to enter the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials in the first place. The pursuit of speed and adventure on two wheels.

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“YOU CAN LIVE MORE IN FIVE MINUTES ON A MOTORCYCLE AT SOME OF THESE EVENTS, THAN SOME PEOPLE DO IN A LIFETIME”

BURT MUNRO

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We knew that our Manx Norton was capable of reaching 130 mph on tarmac, but we were unsure what effect the surface and the altitude would have on the top speed. However, after doing some research, we came across Don Vesco’s venture to the Bonneville Salt Flats on his standard 500cc Manx Norton with a fairing, achieving top speed of 126.93 mph in the early 1960’s with no tuning. This gave us a good indication of what is possible on a very similar motorcycle.

We landed at Salt Lake City International Airport on the 22nd August in the afternoon. We collected a campervan and motorcycle trailer in Salt Lake City. We then returned to the airport to clear the Manx Norton from customs. We discovered that the bike was not in Salt Lake City as planned, it had in fact been flown to Las Vegas for whatever reason. After making some phone calls, we discovered that it was scheduled to arrive on a lorry into Salt Lake City International Airport on Monday. The event was scheduled to start on Sunday, Feeling frustrated, we left and drove to our motel in Wendover, Utah.

We attended the event with no motorcycle and spent most of the time soaking up as much information as possible about the event and procedures. The racers and event organisers greeted us with open arms and were eager to see the Norton arrive on the Salt. We were able to get my race gear scrutineered and attend the novice riders orientation, led by the organisers who talked about the procedures and rules at the BMST event. We drove parts of the course and the service roads to the pre stage areas, where riders line up before making their speed runs. Feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of information, we decided to watch as many speed runs as possible to learn as much as we could while our bike was stalled in Las Vegas.

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Monday came round and as soon as we were able to, we drove to Salt Lake City International Airport, cleared the bike and disassembled the crate. We were finally reunited with our beloved Norton. Fueled with joy and relief, we loaded the bike on the trailer and made our way back to Bonneville to try and make it back in time to possibly get one run in on course. Unfortunately we didn’t make it back in time, but we were ready and the bike had finally turned a wheel on the salt, which to us felt like a victory.

The following morning, competitors were invited to open the courses at 7am. Good wind speeds, good surface conditions and temperatures around 30°C, ideal conditions. I clambered into my racing gear. After all the toil to get the bike to the Salt Flats, this was what it all came down to, a timed run on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

We attempted to bump start the bike in the paddock but it wouldn’t fire up. After our fifth attempt and starting to feel a little wheezy. We swapped the plug out and had another attempt. Splutters and the big English single roared and filled the paddock with the Norton’s sharp exhaust notes and overruns from the open megaphone. We headed to the pre stage area, running the Norton alongside my Father in our support vehicle was a wonderful experience and the first experience riding on the Salt. The initial feelings from the Norton and the feedback from the surface was good and filled me with confidence. We arrived at pre stage to join the back of a long queue and awaited our call and the green flag to be waved to start our speed run.

I was asked to fire up and get ready for my run, lucky for us there was an electric starter roller at the pre stage area which we used to get the Manx Norton started, opposed to bump starting it in the sweltering heat. We started up and made sure to allow enough warm up time for the engine, routinely checking the temperature. With the green flag waved, I pulled away, slowly bringing the revs up to 7,000 revs, I aligned the Norton and set off on the 1 mile run up to the start of the 2 mile timed section of the course. 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear, engine pulling well, speed picking up nicely. Into 4th gear, keeping the revs at around 7,000. Then the revs suddenly decreased rapidly, downshifted to 3rd gear and more throttle, revs still decreased to below 3,000 revs. The engine seized. Clutch pulled in, throttle closed off and coasted off course to the left towards the mountains. I feared the worst. While pondering with my thoughts and concerns, I awaited my support crew to arrive and collect us.

We loaded the wounded Norton onto the trailer and took it back to the pits. We attempted to pull the bike back on compression with no luck. We immediately got the tools out and started to dismantle the engine on the salt. With the cambox and head removed, we inspected the exposed piston and barrel, which were in good condition and there was visible evidence that the engine was running at a good mixture level. Our worst fears quickly became reality, with the piston and barrel intact, this meant that the damage was in the bottom of the engine at the crank. Without a spare engine or crank, we had to retire the Manx Norton from further land speed runs. From visual inspection we could only conclude that the engine was being starved of oil, potentially caused by a failed oil pump not producing enough oil pressure.

Many competitors referred to the “curse of the salt”. We certainly felt cursed on this trip, but despite the challenges and unfortunate luck, Bonneville certainly didn’t disappoint. It was everything I had hoped it would be and much more. From the motel atmosphere, the camaraderie, the unique and friendly characters, to the wild and wonderful machines competing on the unforgiving Salt Flats. Bonneville has a special place in my heart and we hope to return with the Manx Norton in 2026.

Follow James’s Adventures Here >

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SAVE THE SALT NOTICE

The thickness of the natural salt surface at Bonneville has been a concern of racers and environmentalists for decades. As a result of this, The Save The Salt Foundation was founded in 1989 by racers, community members and businesses. Save the Salt Foundation is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to protect the Bonneville Salt Flats and to promote its history and its motorsport legacy.

In 2011, a number of prominent organisations formed the ‘Save the Salt Coalition’. The Coalition is seeking to restore the Bonneville Salt Flats by working closely with government officials, mine operators and others. Salt is now being pumped back onto the Salt Flats every year and other additional replenishments are being pursued. To ensure future success, racing industries and land speed enthusiasts must work together to ensure more salt is returned to the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Find out more at savethesalt.org.