RIP Sam Wheeler - 208 mph on a Norton

lcrken · Jul 27, 2016

We lost one of the good guys this week. Sam Wheeler died this Monday as a result of injuries from a crash while testing his streamliner at the Bonneville salt flats. Sam had run 208.747 mph at Bonneville back in 1970 with his 750 Norton powered liner, on gas. The engine made 65 rwhp on Axtell's dyno prior to the run. Sam depended on a tiny frontal area and good streamliner rather than brute power. Sam later switched to Japanese bike powered liners, and had run 355 mph a few years ago.

Sam was a great guy, and gave my friend and I a lot of really good advice and info when we were building our Norton powered liner. He will be missed.

Ken

gtsun · Jul 27, 2016

Wow, that's sad.. My late good friend Rich Papini gave me a book about stream liners that talked a lot about Sam..

Hortons Norton · Jul 27, 2016

I was able to meet him in 2006 while at Bonneville with my brother. Tim (my brother) was waiting to make a return run for a record when Sam went 355 mph, both of us were just blown away at the speed he could get with one engine and such a small streamliner. And if my memory serves me correct it was the fastest motorcycle run at that time. But a blown front tire ended his chance at a record and a return run, he was such a nice guy and I am glad I was able to meet him. RIP Sam. Prayers to his family.

lcrken · Jul 27, 2016

gtsun said:
Wow, that's sad.. My late good friend Rich Papini gave me a book about stream liners that talked a lot about Sam..

Was that Rich Papini-Chapla, or something like that? If so, I used to race with him at Willow Springs.

Ken

Holmeslice · Jul 28, 2016

lcrken said:
We lost one of the good guys this week. Sam Wheeler died this Monday as a result of injuries from a crash while testing his streamliner at the Bonneville salt flats. Sam had run 208.747 mph at Bonneville back in 1970 with his 750 Norton powered liner, on gas. The engine made 65 rwhp on Axtell's dyno prior to the run. Sam depended on a tiny frontal area and good streamliner rather than brute power. Sam later switched to Japanese bike powered liners, and had run 355 mph a few years ago.

Sam was a great guy, and gave my friend and I a lot of really good advice and info when we were building our Norton powered liner. He will be missed.

Ken

Very sad to hear this. I never met the man, but many friends always spoke highly of him.

Godspeed, racer.

comnoz · Jul 28, 2016

Godspeed Sam.

As Ken said -he was one of the good ones. Jim

acotrel · Jul 28, 2016

Sorry to hear this. The main thing is he died doing something he loved. The alternatives are never good, even living a life without the adrenalin rush is not fantastic.

jseng1 · Jul 28, 2016

This is a shock and a bummer. Sam was very helpful and easy to talk to.

Sam below with his streamliner that went 208mph in 1970 with a single engine Nort 750

L.E.N. · Jul 28, 2016

Wow, that is a beautiful little dart.
Lance

speirmoor · Jul 28, 2016

R.I.P Sam, Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

travelerjerry · Jul 29, 2016

Wasn't there toy model made after his Streamliner?

Danno · Jul 29, 2016

I had no idea he was that old. I remember reading about the 355-mph ZX12R-powered liner several years ago, but there were no pics of the pilot.

RIP

acotrel · Jul 30, 2016

I have often wondered about riding on the salt. A mate of mine has done it a few times at Lake Gairdner in South Australia. What bothers me is the potential to get the steering geometry slightly wrong for the application. The big tank-slapper might come from nowhere even if the bike feels great. My theory is that however fast you go, that is the speed you must be prepared to get off at.

cjandme · Jul 30, 2016

Unfortunately I never had the pleasure of meeting Sam, but it certainly seems he had a "need for speed", and from the looks of it (208 & 355 mph), he knew how to go fast! Godspeed, Sam.

Dances with Shrapnel · Aug 2, 2016

http://www.sportrider.com/rip-sam-wheeler-1943-2016?src=SOC&dom=fb#page-8

big d · Aug 2, 2016

Sam Wheeler was the best of the best. An incredible fabricator, designer and rider. His low key and thoughtful approach to racing and life is something we all should strive to imitate. I have been fortunate to meet and worked with many racing legends . Sam was the most humble, helpful and hard working of all. He was my friend and hero. When Sam saw the Norton Streamliner for the first time after restoration the tear is his eye was one of my most proudest time in my life. I will think of him many times for the rest of my life.
Keith Martin

photos of Norton streamliner.

https://bigdcycle.com/sam-wheeler-norto ... n-gallery/

lcrken · Aug 2, 2016

That was a nice restoration, Keith, not to mention the Gulf and Texas Ceegar liners you restored. You've rescued a lot of motorcycling history there. It's a long ways from AHRMA racing with you and Rob Tuluie back in the day to where you are now. Good to see you still going strong.

Ken Canaga
Left Coast Racing

RIP Sam Wheeler - 208 mph on a Norton

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