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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.
 
#245 ·
Likewise, I totally agree!....As a young pup who loved American and British bikes, (are there any other kind) I idolized most of you riders and builders. Sad to say magazine articles were as close as I got, but at least you people were more accessible in those days, like I could even get through to the H-D race Dept by phone to ask questions. Also, people like Warner Riley, Jerry Branch and Jim Leinweber were just a call away and were always more than willing to spend time contributing to my education. I still talk with Jim every chance I get. Thanks to all you guys for giving us a peek into what we could only dream about doing.

GW
 
#246 ·
Glorydays,

That was 31 years ago but I believe the Magnacharger on my bike was overdriven 30%. The first Magnacharger I saw was on Russ Collin's single Honda in about '73 at Bowling Green. It was the best sounding T/F Bike I had ever heard but he couldn't get it down the track. A couple years later Ron Teson got his bike (just like Collin's bike and out of RC Engineering) working and changed Top Fuel to the present.


Joe,

Yes, the Atchinson, Topeka & Sante Fe has been a coffee table for the last 34 years.


Regulator, snowie65, Lucky59,

Thanks for taking the time to let us know you enjoy our memories.
 
#248 ·
Glorydays,

That was 31 years ago but I believe the Magnacharger on my bike was overdriven 30%. The first Magnacharger I saw was on Russ Collin's single Honda in about '73 at Bowling Green. It was the best sounding T/F Bike I had ever heard but he couldn't get it down the track. A couple years later Ron Teson got his bike (just like Collin's bike and out of RC Engineering) working and changed Top Fuel to the present.

Joe,

Yes, the Atchinson, Topeka & Sante Fe has been a coffee table for the last 34 years.

Regulator, snowie65, Lucky59,

Thanks for taking the time to let us know you enjoy our memories.
Frank, thank you, and the others also. I'm stuck on every word!

Never drag raced professionally, but when I was 11/12 my dad got me a thoroughbred mare from the stockyards that had killed one man and seriously injured another. I guess she was two days away from being turned into dog food when we got her. My dad said she was trouble but I had to have her and clocked her at 42 alongside a studebaker with me riding. I guess she would go nuts and flip over if you put a sadddle on her, that's what got her to the stock yard. Anyway we became one and I only rode her bare back, it was amazing beyond belief. She died one night when I ran her into a fence post after dark. So it goes....

Thanks again...GW
 
#247 · (Edited)
Since it has been awhile since I posted a picture of an AMERICAN Top Fuel Bike I raced here you go. You can see the Elmer Trett double Harley just as I bought it from him and then how it looked after it became "The Freight Train". I raced it a full season as it was when I bought it. It was "Elmer's Old Bike" that year so I tried to give it my idenity. I planned to ride it a couple years and hire a rider. By then it would not be identified with a rider but be a "machine".

Today it is probably better known as a machine although the "geezers" still call it "Elmer's old bike".
 

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#249 ·
I have just posted a clip on youtube that I filmed in 1981 of John Hobbs riding his twin-engined blown Weslake. John was the top British racer, but this was 2 years after he retired from riding the bike full time, and it was his first pass of the year. He did not look very rusty!

 
#251 · (Edited)
1979 - MY YEAR RACING TOP FUEL MOTORCYCLES PART 4

My next booking was a week after the Shuffletown appearance, a match race Frog Thacker had arranged at Old Dominion Dragstrip in Manassas Virginia. Thacker was the guy who had made the first passes on my bike at Gainesville 6 months earlier. He was a hired gun and was riding for Virgil Naff, a pioneer Bowling Green T/F racer who had hung up his helmet a couple years earlier. Naff's bike was almost identical to mine, a blown & injected nitro I-4. Danny Johnson was to be Thacker's opponent but did not have his new bike finished. I was really shocked when Frog called me knowing I had only made a few passes on it. But he didn't think like most people. He was one fearless dude. I was told he had once worked as a steelworker on skyscrapers.

The plan was to leave Charlotte at 6pm on Saturday evening with my crew chief Frank Norris and drive the 5 hours to Richmond, an hour from the track, and spend the night there. I had purchased a Dodge Maxi-Van to haul the bike to the races. In 1979 vans were the vehicle of choice for many motorcycle racers. You could remove the bench seat behind the two front bucket seats, turn it sideways, and have room for a large race bike....and a large tool box. Enclosed trailers were rare back then. Touring pros like Joe Smith had them. My van was just 4 years old but had over 100,000 miles road miles on it. It still looked about new and ran and drove great. It was just what I needed.

We departed Charlotte on time and started the trip with me driving. We talked for awhile about the race and Frank leaned back against his seat. I tuned in to the pop music station and a new song I liked very much was playing. I had been hearing it while we were listening to the radio in Frank's shop. This was the era of disco and this was ....well different. It was not disco but was very catchy. It started out with an electric piano and the lead singer, who had a high voice, singing "When I was young it seemed that life was so wonderful, a miracle, it was beautiful, magical". That was me living out my magical fantasy of being a T/F Motorcycle racer. I finally found out the singer. It was Supertramp's "The Logical Song" which became one of the year's biggest hits. The trip went quickly and we decided to drive past Richmond to stop.

When I woke up the next morning it was raining. Gulfport again. Shit. The morning news wasn't encouraging about the day. We ate breakfast and headed for the track. About five miles up the interstate "all hell broke loose" under the van. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the driveshaft turning wildly and sliding like a snake. I pulled over and ran to get it out of the highway. I had a CB radio so I called the Virginia Highway Patrol. Soon a patrolman arrived and I got out of my van as he was getting out of his patrol car. As he walked by my van he looked in the windows and saw the bike. The first words out of his mouth were "have you got a radar detector". You see they were illegal in Virginia and if you were caught with one you were fined a stiff penalty or arrested. I told him I didn't but he still searched my van..even the toolbox. He could have been looking for drugs too I guess. He called a rollback and it was an hour before we got to his service station. He could not repair my van until the next day because the parts stores were closed on Sundays. I told him I was booked for a race in Manassas and he quoted me a price of delivering my van there but he could not stay so I would pay him twice. It was all moot...it was still raining. I called Thacker to tell him what was going on and that if it cleared up I would get there. It never did that day. Frank Norris caught a Greyhound bus (the station was 1 block away) home and I stayed until Monday to get the repairs done and started home. Our match race was rescheduled for the next weekend.
 

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#252 · (Edited)
I mentioned in an earlier post we will try to compile a list of all MULTI-engine Fuel Drag Bikes from the past. Let's start with the British manufacturers. I know I can't recall them all so the ones I have missed please add to this list. I will try to record the builder owner(s) rider(s) and the era built.

"Dubble Trubble" Triumph----Bud Hare/Bill Koch early '50s
"Two Timer" Triumph---Dick Rios Late '50s
"Perry & Scott" Triumph---Early '60s
"The Cannibal" Triumph---Bob Leppan Early '60s
"Don Hyland" Triumph---Early '60s
"The Deuce of Spades" Triumph---Dwain Taylor/Billy Denby Early '60s
"Boris Murray" Triumph---Mid '60s
"Sonny Routt" Triumph---Larry Welch/Bob Mauriello/Warren Affleck Early '60s
"Bob Chantland" Triumph---Late '60s
"The Hogslayer" Norton---T.C. Christenson Late '60s
"Carl Ahlfeldt" BSA ----Late 60s
"Dennis Norman" Triumph (UK)--Late '60s
"Two Faced" Triumph (UK)---Peter Williams Late '60s
"Pegasus" Norton (UK)---Ian Messenger '70s
"Olympus II" Triumph (UK)---John Hobbs '70s
"Double Dutch" Triumph (UK)---Ton Pels '70s
"Triclops" Norton Triple Engine--Alan Mavor/Duke McDonald/ TC Christenson Late '70s
Some of these bikes are pictured on this thread. There are some pictured on this thread I can't identify.

I will continue to update this list by editing it with your help. I believe T.C. was the last to throw in the towel. I also believe he was the only multi-engine British Fuel Bike racer to record a 7 second 1/4 mile run. As always, if I am wrong I want to be corrected for history's sake.

Next: A list of the multi-engine Harleys.
 
#254 ·
I mentioned in an earlier post we will try to compile a list of all multi-engine Fuel Drag Bikes from the past. Let's start with the British manufacturers. I know I can't recall them all so the ones I have missed please add to this list. I will try to record the builder owner(s) rider(s) and the era built.

"Dubble Trubble" Triumph----Bud Hare/Bill Koch early 50s
"Two Timer" Triumph---Dick Rios Late 50s
"Perry & Scott" Triumph---Early 60s
"The Cannibal" Triumph---Bob Leppan Early 60s
"Boris Murray" Triumph---Late 60s
"Sonny Routt" Triumph---Larry Welch/Bob Mauriello Late 60s
"Bob Chantland" Triumph---Late 60s
"The Hogslayer" Norton---T.C. Christenson Late 60s
Carl Ahlfeldt BSA Late 60s

Some of these bikes are pictured on this thread. There are some pictured on this thread I can't identify.
One addition comes to mind Frank.

Don Hyland raced a double Triumph back in 1964. As a youngster in England when it visited, I remember the big STP sticker on the crankcase - and wondering what on earth that was for!
 
#253 ·
I built a Double Triumph in the mid 50's...A Friend had two 30/50 Triumphs and ask if I could use the two bike's and build a bike like Double Trouble...

I cut the two Bikes apart and with some extra tubing, hack saw, files and a welding torch I built a Double Triumph... I've tried to find some record of it but no luck, it was a Gas Bike and it only ran a couple passes at the Old Colton Drag Strip on a Saturday night, it ran a best of 118 MPH...it was on the ill handling side, is that any surprise...
 
#255 ·
Frank,
The Routt Triumph was owned and built by Sonny Routt and built and rode by larry "Rocket "Welch , Hyattsville , MD during its career as a Fuel Champ in 70's. Later in 73 or 76, Bob Mauriello from North new jersey ran a Sportster in B/Fuel while Larry fielded a fuel sporty and also drove the Routt Triumph at the same meets.
Ironwigwam
1957 S/VG
 
#260 · (Edited)
Thanks Keith. I have added Don Hyland to the list.

ironwigwam, I am not sure what year Welch stepped away from the Routt double but I believe it was '73 or '74. There were times he did ride the double and his Harley at the same race. But once Mauriello started riding the double in '74 or so he rode it until Routt retired it I believe, in '76 or so.

Nottso, I don't recall Boris Murray's bike being refered to as "Twin T". Maybe he can clear that up for us.

speedyjones, thanks.

Joe, I remember the Venolia ads back when the magazines were printed. The ad mentioned "the old pro" and "what hasn't he won?" There were other products you endorsed too I believe including Joe Hunt Vertex Magnetos. You were quite the spokesman! And quite the T-shirt model selector too.
 
#261 ·
Frank,
Like I said, I could easily be mistaken. I saw it in print somewhere, but only once. I can't remember if it was on a race promotion flier, in a magazine, or what; although for some reason I want to think it was on a bubblegum card. Whatever it was, it showed the bike and was captioned "Boris Murray's Twin T Triumph." Maybe it was a misprint?

Did you ever know a guy out of Memphis by the name of Glen Kerr (sp?)? He ran a Triumph on nitro, but my memories are very vague. My dad's shop was one of his sponsors.
 
#262 ·
Quote from Nottso...

Did you ever know a guy out of Memphis by the name of Glen Kerr (sp?)? He ran a Triumph on nitro, but my memories are very vague. My dad's shop was one of his sponsors.




Glen Kerr at the back of the van, on the ground left to right Gordon Kateley, Boris Murray...Standing left to right, Bob Chantland smiling, Dave Campos, Carolyn Kerr, Leo Payne, Joan Campos, JoAnn Campos, Pat Smith, Boris's wife Helen, and Boris's son Scott....

Granddaddy Joe taking picture...
 
#807 · (Edited)
Quote from Nottso...

Did you ever know a guy out of Memphis by the name of Glen Kerr (sp?)? He ran a Triumph on nitro, but my memories are very vague. My dad's shop was one of his sponsors.



Glen Kerr at the back of the van, on the ground left to right Gordon Kateley, Boris Murray...Standing left to right, Bob Chantland smiling, Dave Campos, Carolyn Kerr, Leo Payne, Joan Campos, JoAnn Campos, Pat Smith, Boris's wife Helen, and Boris's son Scott....

Granddaddy Joe taking picture...
Glenn Kerr is my Uncle - as a kid I got to run around the pits with him and annoy him in his shop. Those were some of my most memorable years. My first ride on a motorcycle was on the back of one of his Triumphs through Little Rock, AR and I remember it today as if it were yesterday, it's been in my blood ever since. After a car accident in Memphis back in the early 70's he salvaged Dubble Trubble and built a single engine top fuel dragster. He took it to Bowling Green and I only recall 2 runs but there may have been 3. The first run he smoked the clutch all the way down the strip and the second run he pulled the front wheel every time he shifted, as far as I know he never raced again. He built a Triumph flat tracker and had a local boy by the name of Ray Johnson ride it at the Benton Speedway in Arkansas - I only remember 2 times he did not come in 1st place by a lap or so, once he came in 2nd after running the last lap on a flat tire and another 2nd when the battery went dead. He also built and supported bikes for his son Albert Kerr who dominated the 80cc class at Benton, then the 125cc class and on to the 250cc class where he and Freddy Spencer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Spencer) use to swap out on 1st place runs and get into the occasional fist fight over it. Those were also the days when John John Kozinski (http://www.john-kocinski.com/english/menueng.html ) was just starting his racing career at age 4, had to hold him up to start the race and catch him at the end cause he was so short he couldn't touch the ground. My Uncle Glen now lives near Monroe, LA and is modifying an occasional quad sand dragger but for the most part has retired. He and Caroline are still kicking it and she has been running her own successful business for years now. Albert went on to be a doctor and has a private practice in Monroe, LA. Here are a couple of Pic's of Glen Kerr on Dubble Trubble taken by his brother Bill Kerr.

 
#265 ·
Thanks BobbErik,

Those photos show in great detail how many of that era's Drag Bikes were built 40-50 years ago. The shifter has been moved to the right rear foot peg and the rear brake is operated directly from the brake. That looks crude in today's standard but was nice engineering for the time. I love it!
 
#266 ·
Thanks BobbErik,

Those photos show in great detail how many of that era's Drag Bikes were built 40-50 years ago. The shifter has been moved to the right rear foot peg and the rear brake is operated directly from the brake. That looks crude in today's standard but was nice engineering for the time. I love it!
I love it as well, as I stared at this thing I imagined how the guys raced it back in the day. A lot of skill and of course balls no doubt. But safe is boring, with adrenaline coursing through your veins, it's always good to hop scotch the thin line of life and death to appreciate the feeling of being alive.
 
#268 ·
1979 - My Year Racing Top Fuel Motorcycles Part 5

The week had passed quickly and it was time to travel again to Old Dominion Drag Strip in Manassas Virginia to race Frog Thacker on Virgil Naff's Fuel Bike. This time Frank Norris and I decided to leave our homes at 6am on Sunday morning and drive straight to the track. We should get there around noon and have plenty of time before our first round at 3:00. We would race again at 4:00 and 5:00. The weather forecast was 0% chance of rain so that was one worry out of the way. I was still a little uneasy because it would be my first passes beside another race bike. As if that was not enough Thacker made things worse by telling me that I may not be able to react fast enough to getting out of shape to prevent crashing. I believe he had two reasons for telling me that. One was to make me aware of the possibility and also protect himself. He knew I had not made a pass on it except single runs.

Manassas was a very narrow track just like Shuffletown Dragway in Charlotte so there was not much room to try to correct if it did not want to go straight. His warning kind of syched me out. I didn't know if I could react to a bad situation fast enough and I sure did not want to cause both of us to crash. It was unnerving. I walked out to the starting line and made a couple passes in my mind. Believe it or not it did help me. I knew I had stayed in my lane in Charlotte and it was much like Old Dominion.

It was nearing 3:00 so we were called out for our first run. I tried to keep from worrying but it was my first time racing another bike. It is not as easy as making single runs. Mr. ice veins Thacker was not showing any concern as we were plugging our starters in. He thumped his cigarette away and said one more time "be careful. You will do fine". We fired and did our burnouts at the same time. My heart was pounding and my legs shaking. It was the first time I had been beside another Fuel Bike in 10 years. As Frank was pushing me back I looked over and Virgil was pushing Frog back. Then I was shocked to see right in front of me one of my heros. It was Sonny Routt and I had not seen him in several years. He had just got to the track but had retired from racing. He did not know me other than "the guy who bought the Danny Johnson bike. He knew Frog and Virgil very well but I was the one he kept looking at as I eased into the clocks. He looked me in the eyes with a big smile and gave me a thumb's up as he walked behind me. I can not tell you how much good it did for me. I pre-staged and waited for Frog to pre-stage. We both lit the stage bulbs at almost the same instant. I was a nervous wreck not knowing what was going to happen. The yellow bulb lit and Frog jumped out to a 2 bike lead on me. Then he started smoking the slick and I pulled up with him but lost traction too and started smoking my slick. We were both on and off the throttle trying to gain traction but really put out a lot of tire smoke. It was a close race but Frog crossed the finish line first. I was disappointed my first match race was not better but the spectators liked it.

When I got back to my pit space Sonny was there. I was a little ashamed I had done so bad. He shook my hand and said "I don't know you but that was as professional a run as I have seen". I could not believe what he was saying. I thought it stunk. It sure did my ego some good and made the next two runs much easier. I had been out of control on the track and was able to think fast enough to correct it. I was not as concerned when I made the final two runs. I took one win and Frog took the other.

On the drive home I was feeling confident my first National Event at Memphis was one I would be prepared for.
 

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#270 ·
Frank...
This is a good topic you have drawn together here. Some of the names I have heard before. Don't forget to put "Grandma" on the list too...She was a fuel burner also.... She was the only fuel bike I ever rode. I think if Dwain had stayed in the racing game I may have been one of the pilots for her.... Jim Thorne and I had both made practice runs with her...Jim passed away this past May. When Dwain opened the shop in Tallahasee, Jim moved down there to run that shop...That was in 1966. Most all of the shop guys are gone. All that are left are..... Myself, Billy Denby, Dwain, and Joe Marshall, who now lives in Piedmont Alabama.
 
#272 ·
Dusty,

The list I was refering to on post 297 is for multi-engine British Fuel Bikes. "The Deuce" has been added.
Hey Frank, I have a whole load of multi-engined British bikes to add to the list, but I suspect you are looking for American builds!
It the criteria is that they needed to race in the US, then Dennis Norman's double Triumph would qualify, as he came to Indy in 1970, where he qualified for the top eliminator.
 
#275 · (Edited)
I'm sure you're right Keith, it was so long ago I don't remember...One thing to notice about this picture...this bike was build with today's modern idea, take note of how far forward the Engine is from the rear tire...it looks like it was built with today's tech knowledge of trying to keep the front end on the ground and letting the great power of the engines and slider clutches do their job...

As far as the Twin Triumph you are talking about, is this it...



 
#277 ·


As far as the Twin Triumph you are talking about, is this it...



Yes Joe, that is indeed the bike of Dennis 'Stormin' Norman. He was, and still is, one of the sport's real characters. Prior to this bike he ran a supercharged Ariel Square 4.
The double Triumph was followed by a double Norton, which was not as successful. He used a pair of brand new Norton motors - but unfortunately the oilways had not been drilled in the heads!

Frank, I will think about the British doubles. In earlier times a lot of racers did not use very high nitro loads - especially on the blown engines.
 
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