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Vintage Fuel Drag Bikes

1M views 3K replies 270 participants last post by  JOHN HANSON 
#1 · (Edited)
This is a new thread I am starting dedicated to Nitro Fuel Drag Bikes. If you were involved with a Top Fuel or Junior Fuel Motorcycle team in the 50s, 60s, 70s and up to 1994 (25 years ago) we invite you to join in and share some of your memories. Or, if you didn't belong to a team but share our passion please join in too. There are other threads here on drag racing so let's keep this about "Nitro". My first fuel bike was an A/F Harley back in 1969. My last was the twin-engine Harley "Freight Train" that I retired in 1985. I will be sharing many fond and a few not so fond memories. This video was filmed in '83 and '84. The opening burnout was me and "The Freight Train" at the 1983 IHRA Spring Nationals in Bristol Tennesee. That was back when Top Fuel Motorcycles were occasionally invited to join in with the cars in a special T/F Motorcycle class. The rest of the video was filmed by my wife and is a little shakey at times but a treasure to me since it is the only film I have of my 21 year motorcycle drag racing career. For some of you it will be the first time you have seen a T/F Motorcycle started on rollers. I hope you enjoy.
 
#716 · (Edited)
OK Joe, do you think you were a target, and maybe treated differently by other racers because you were sponsored by the Harley factory?

My Drag Racing was a little different than most, I chose it to make a living, was determine to succeed and with help from my wife and kids it became possible. Because Laidlaw's Harley Davidson Dealership was Sponsoring me locally and they were number one dealer in the States it gave me a lot of pull with the Harley Davidson Motor Co. through Bob Laidlaw.

Luckly with help from Bob Laidlaw and monies promised from Match Races, a Race Itinerary with Boris Murray across the USA in 1970 and I was able to go on Tour.

After the First Eight Second run at the Gas & Fuel Championships in Formosa CA in March of 1971, I was ask by the NHRA if I would like to make Exhibitions at all the their NHRA National Events to introduce Fuel Motorcycles to NHRA Fans that had never seen a Fuel burning Bike. Of course Money for that had to be raise so I put together two Proposals in hard cover, one using the NHRA and needed Info about what races I would attend, plus a lot of clippings on myself from past racing , the amount of Spectators according to NHRA expected for each NHRA Event, a Itinerary of races to fill in between the Exhibitions, etc. to send to Harley.

At the same time I put together a Proposal using Harley with some added ideals of what to expect from them, a Itinerary of races to fill in between the Exhibitions, the race clipping etc, and send both at the same time by Mail.

I was lucky I got Contracts from both...

Along with this came a lot of Personal Appearance, Radio and TV interviews for both the NHRA and Harley Davidson.

In between all this work I signed on to do were the All Bike Events I attended, a few Match races through a booking Company add in all the TV I did for different All Bike races to advertise the weekend race and we were a busy Drag Racing Family.

With some of the racers, I was known as "NHRA's Baby Boy", I spent as much or more of my money and did without as much as anybody to get there. It took from 1955 to 1971 to make my mark.

Do you think I was a Target?
 
#719 ·
Couldn't resist altering the picture Joe. Thought you might like it.
And yes it was my original shot - the photo I mean - not the arrows!
Still interested in hearing how combative you and Russ really were. I have enjoyed hearing odd snippets about the mind games that were played.
 
#720 ·
As a follow up, did the rivalry with Russ get personal?

All Races with the Big Guys got Personal, talking about Beating someone, those guys were out to beat me, not just win...My job was trying not to get beat...

Russ and I had a Friendship in the pits, it was we hardly ever talked to each other and when we did it was as one Competitor to the other...Russ had his special following, they were like a Secret Society and I wasn't one of them...Only a few Harley guys were...

You'll find some stuff about Russ and me on the following page in my Forum...

http://www.phpbbplanet.com/granddad...postorder=asc&start=30&mforum=granddaddyjoesm
 
#723 ·
I was just wondering if any of you vintage fuel guys would like to show up at vintage drags Im having in stuebenville a long way I know, Can show up friday test and tune maybe cars that night, but sat and sunday just bikes
I would like to see some old dragbikes even if they dont run for putting in show, two other tracks will be there to see who shows up and maybe have other vintage bike events, thanks
www.steelvalleydragway.com
 
#730 · (Edited)
Two of the biggest names in Fuel Bike. Sonny Routt (L) and Russ Collins getting reaquainted at the '97 Reunion. Russ told Sonny and Larry Welch at a private gathering of racers there not open to the public that they were his heros and inspired him to join them. Routt retired in the mid '70s and Collins a decade later.
 
#733 ·
I would think it was intended to be a fuel bike. Most of his bikes were alcohol, so who knows. I just figured it kinda fit in here. If anyone thinks the bike or I belong elsewhere, let me know. My plans right now are to repaint and polish it to show. Then as the money comes, try to get it running.

Thanks Mike.:)
 
#738 ·
Yes, it is a 18x4 Avon. And I would like a new one, let me know when they come in. The bike had a larger tire, but they went smaller and offset the neck to balance the weight.

Also note: The 1/4 turn twist grip is from a dirt bike, it just works better with the cable that was on the bike. The screw head on the seat is the fuel cap. And the left foot peg (haven't found it yet) is a chunk of tube installed so I can sit on it and make engine noises. :D
 
#741 ·
Does anyone have a pre 2005 Kibblewhite catalog? In the catalog would be a pic of a Norton Atlas drag bike. I would like a copy of the pic. I am trying to identify an early Norton drag bike and am wondering if its the same bike. See my thread on helping me ID a Norton drag bike here on the JJ. Thanks.
 
#745 · (Edited)
Had a nice phone conversation with Boris Murray yesterday. It was the first time we have talked since the Bowling Green Reunion. He says he is doing fine. Here is one of my all time favorite action shots of Boris, taken at the '71 NHRA Winternationals. I remember how much in awe I was of him the first time I saw that picture in National Dragster and 40 years later I still am.
 
#751 ·
Great to hear that Boris is doing well Frank.
That picture is brilliant, and one I really wish was one of mine! That photo, and the one of him smoking the slick and pulling a wheelie are both iconic images.
What I want to know is - why is the TV cameraman facing the opposite direction?:(
 
#747 ·
Yags, Great picture of Larry Welch's Yetman framed Sportster. I would love to know the actual year.I have added it to my collection of Yetman pictures and it is an usual example of the breed. I raced a Yetman sportster on gas for years( the ex-Ward Wollard bike)and hold the honor of being the fastest Yetman on gas at 9.31 @140 MPH. While I don't think I have ever seen two that were exactly alike, I have never seen a Yetman with the same rear section bracing or the the top motor mount boxing plate on the right rather than left. There seem to have been a lot of variations in the rear bracing over the years as they they tried to stop the twist,but I had never seen that top motor mount treatment-a very unique example of the staple of early Sportster drag racing. I am currently building reproductions of the Yetman in two styles, one a correct repop and one with an improved rear section for nostalgia fuel racing. How many pictures of old Sportster drag bikes are there that aren't Yetman frames? Truly a milestone of dragbike speed equipment.
 
#749 ·
Thanks for the info Frank. I didn't realize 1970 was the first year for Bowling Green. Maybe he didn't take it at B.G.!?
That other bike in the pic looks like it has an Avon. Didn't everyone start running M&H's because of different compound choices? Wonder what year that was. Might help date the picture. Or.... I should just look at the original and see if there is a date on the back!

mrmom9r,
I'm a Yetman fan also. I have one that my dads friend raced on gas. The current motor is newer though, 1978.

Mike
 
#754 ·
You can tell the serious photographers - they catch the real action. I noticed the guy in the background missing the action.
Mind you, the distractions were enjoyable - especially some of the car back-up girls.
I love those action shots of Boris, and I still enjoy the memories of going to see him making the initial runs on the amazing Denco triple.
But as we have Joe's attention with all this talk, I thought to myself that he is definitely going to like the next picture I post - of some real hot pieces.
Coming soon.:D
 
#757 ·
There is film footage of Top Fuel Bikes at an NHRA event. It was on ABCs Wild World of Sports in the early 70s. Maybe someone can dig it up.
Good Luck, I was on Wide World of Sports four times, once in 74 with my new Double that won and broke all records, interviewed three other times...Was supposed to get film clips from all, even paid for two...never seen one from them people...

I'd sure like to see them if someone has any, I don't believe there were many Video Camera's around at that time...
 
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