Bob George crossed our path at a time in the 1980s and ‘90s, when we were setting Bonneville and El Mirage 200 mph records with Suzukis, BMWs, and Harleys. “Bob George” wasn’t exactly a household name and we were unaware of his accomplishments. We ended up getting involved with seriously deranged character, who had a streamliner project whom, in turn, introduced us to Bob George. After we got rid of the relationship with this nut case, who worked for the US Postal system and lived in his Ford Van, we became friends with Bob George and found out about his history at Bonneville.
Above is pictured the record setting double-engine, nitro burning, Shovelhead powered, Jammer Liner…designed and built by Bob George. For years the project was run by Mil Blair and Bob, with Bob T. Bikernet Historian on the team. Business partners Mil Blair and Joe Teresi sort of took over Bob’s project. Mil went his way with Jammer Products and Joe Teresi split with the control of Easyriders Magazine. Bob George is third from the left. Bob ended up losing the liner and the recognition.
Years later, the same liner was re-skinned in aluminum and rebuilt by Joe Teresi, the boss of Paisano Publications. Tech honchos like Keith Ruxton and Micah McCloskey made it go. Dave Campos again was the pilot and 322 mph was the result. Even the boss of Bikernet, Bandit was on the team, as the Editor of Easyriders. It always remained Bob George’s design. The Easyriders streamline held the motorcycle world land speed record for 16 years until 2006, then the Ack Attack and Dennis Manning finally grabbed the record.
Bob George built another liner on his own dime, the “Millenium Falcon,” and we built the “robo-skids” for it and helped crew it during several trips to Bonneville, again with Dave Campos as the pilot. Dave ended up getting a 200 mph gas record with it in testing, and at one point, Don Vesco was to ride it but Don convinced Dave to stay with the project. Bob spent every penny he had on it and finally had to sell it. Streamliners are a fatal disease, financially.
Kent Riches (Airtech) ended up with the chassis and shell. We kept the actual Eagle cum Falcon doll that rode with Dave. It goes with us each year to Bonneville. Mike Geokan ended up with a 93-inch engine from the last stages of the project and put it in his famous (retired) Blue Bike.
Bob used to kick start his double-engine Shovelhead dragster and reel off 145 mph quarter miles…about 40 years ago.
This bike was fragile but serious. It really got Dave’s attention as he didn’t really wind it out and the wind was pulling the lightweight fiberglass apart on his record run.
Plywood bracing was added to keep the top of the windscreen from folding over at over 200 mph. Bob patented the water-cooled cylinders used on his doubles.
Bob “lost” the Double for many years, and when it was finally returned to him we ended up helping him restore it. Careful examination of it made us feel pretty stupid and made it clear you don’t adapt things for Bonneville…you build things for Bonneville. Bye, Bye Suzukis…back to pushrod dinosaurs. That’s why we are working on Mike Geokan’s Bonneville Bullett…another fatal disease.
We were to drive Bob and his ex wife Roberta Linn up to Bonneville in 2010 for Mike Cook’s Shoot Out Meet but Bob’s health had declined and he passed away in his rocking chair a few months later. We once asked Bob what the Double would run if it was brought up to modern specs…without hesitation he said “275mph”…think about it. It was a honor to work with him and know him.
Leo Hess has the “Double” these days. Leo also got bit big time by streamliners in a major crash in 2010. Salt addiction. Be warned.
–reprinted courtesy of RB Racing
Two old movies on the web site:
http://www.rbracing-rsr.com/cinema/bobgeorge1.mov
http://www.rbracing-rsr.com/cinema/bobgeorge2.mov
Bob was a class act. Not many know about him including his drag racing double. I was to take Bob and Roberta up to see Leo Hess run at the Mike Cook meet but they has some disagreement with Leo on safety concerns and I did not drive them up. Leo crashed big time. Bob died shortly thereafter….about three months later. Died in his rocking chair.
His Double is with Leo Hess…The last liner went to Kent Riches and Jack Dolan. Kent ended up with it. One of the last liner engines ended up in Mike Geokans #226 Blue Bike after Mike scattered his 104″ when a Carrillo Rod let go in the late ‘90s. Number 226 Blue bike is retired, but runs now with one of the 93-inch Evo Top end engines that never made it back to Bonneville as Bob ran out of funds.
Bob spent his inheritance rather quickly on the last liner after he retired as a pattern maker and sold his house near LAX to help pay for his brothers cancer treatments (died anyway). Bye bye money.
Lost track of Roberta..They were last in Hemet, CA.
I’m spending a bunch of $$ to update Mike Geokan’s new Bullett. Link to history below.
http://www.rbracing-rsr.com/bullett.htm
Using my Road Toad as a test bed with a 126 S&S SA B2 Turbo motor. The Bullett has a watercooled 139-inch. S&S is now finishing up on a second set of 139 parts for the second engine.
http://www.rbracing-rsr.com/126_roadtoad.html
Brother Speed Guys are a good bunch to work with. Known Mike for 28 years.
–Bob Behn
RB Racing
