Need Help/70s Drag Racing History

Had a conversation last night about Drag Racing in the "old days" and I happened to mention a guy who was a top fuel regular that always rode the bike (Harley) on the rear wheel and wheelie bars. He steered with his butt and the front wheel never moved a mm. The two youngsters (under 50) just found it hard to believe that someone was regularly riding a 175mph bike competively on the rear wheel. I remember too many details to be making this up...I think! :shock: BUT my fellow conversants were firmly convinced that it didn't make sense that someone would do it other than for show. All I could say is "But they did!"

Does anyone remember who it was etc.? I've got until beer thirty to come up with something to throw in thier unwrinkled little faces! :lol:

So, You History Buffs...HELP!

Mike

Isn't it way past beer thirty :?:

Jean

Not until I answer the phone...

Less drag with the front wheel of the ground . Motorcycles steer by leaning .

Agedsmell, your post on unicycling HD is very interesting to me - as never heard of this feat but learned the Hard Way That The Rear Tire Rules The Roost! That is when I ride THE Gravel the front wheel is just to keep handle bars off the ground and to help slow down, but boy howdy its useless-dangerous to try to steer with it. Two ways to do this, one is spin rear enough you butt can aim the rear thrust and 2 let or make bike fall over the way you want to go and the front tire will automatically flip into straight steering - at speed but same as parking lot turning. The HD guy was kinda cheating though, because he had 2nd point of contact via the wheelie bar.

On pavement with good rear traction Ms tri-linked Peel could hook up power enough to lift front tire out of traction going into apexes leaned - which allowed sharper accelerating decreasing radius turning. A laid over sideways wheelie turn is what i call phase 3 turning, This is one reason I know Ms Peel can out G turn fat bicycle tire elites, because they can not hook up enough power on rear tire edge w/o slipping right out. They can only wheelie AFTER the apex, pashaw poor dangerous things, like closing gate after the cows escaped, Peel is is long gone but then. The main reason for traction control it fatso tires can't take the loads leaned and the raw engine is too peaky unpredicable in torque response.

More evidence on rear tire ruling the roost is the circus bicycle and parking lot motorcycle stunts where they unicycle in tight circles around a pretty gal standing still. That how it feels to race against elite fat tires to me on Peel, easy parking lot cones barely moving to zip around.

Tired web search for Harley wheelie steering but only found this...
http://www.kawiforums.com/stunters-corn ... eelie.html

Well it depends on how much your trying to turn. If your just changing lanes, first put on you blinker..safety first, then I steer with my legs by aplying preesure on the pegs. Changing lanes is easy. If your gonna go around a sharp corner you have to use pressure on the pegs and lean off the bike alot depending on the corner. I can go around some pretty sharp corners in a wheelie but I do not recommend anyone trying them. Once you start the corner in a wheelie you have to make it all the way through or you will run off the road if you set it down. Thats also staying in my lane and not crossing over in lines into the other lane. You better have wheelies on lock before you try corners.

yes thats a pretty dangerous. When I was trying to control 2nd gear sitdowns, which were pulling to one side constantly, alot of times I put the front down when the bike was steering and was leaned a little bit, and I must say it's not a good feeling - shakes, wobbles, tank slapper...
minytrker is offline

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