Silver Bird (streamliner)

Silver Bird was a motorcycle land-speed record setting streamliner motorcycle. It was powered by two motors delivering 240 horsepower (180 kW).^[1] It was the first motorcycle to set a speed record over 300 miles per hour (480 km/h), when ridden by Don Vesco at the Bonneville Speedway in 1975.^[2][3]

Silver Bird

Don Vesco with Silver Bird at Bonneville Speedway
Manufacturer	Don Vesco
Predecessor	"Big Red" streamliner
Successor	"Lightning Bolt" streamliner
Class	Streamliner
Engine	2× Yamaha Inline-4 694.9 cc (42.41 cu in) reed-valve two-stroke, 1,389.8 cc (84.81 cu in) total displacement
Bore / stroke	64 mm × 54 mm (2.52 in × 2.13 in)
Top speed	303.812 mph (488.938 km/h)[1]
Power	240 hp (180 kW)
Dimensions	L: 21 ft (6.4 m) H: 32 in (810 mm)
Weight	900 lb (410 kg) (wet)

Construction

Silver Bird c. 1974 with shorter stabilizing fin than on the 1975 record setting run

The motorcycle was built by Don Vesco and sponsored by Yamaha.^[4] It had two four-cylinder, 694.9 cc reed-valve two-stroke engines from the Yamaha TZ750 racebike.^[1]

Specifications

• Displacement: 1,389.8 cc total
• Engine bore and stroke: 64mm×54mm^[5][6]
• Dimensions: 21 feet long, 32 inches high^[7]
• Weight: c. 900 pounds (410 kg)^[8]