Posting from across the Pond

Paso, my friend from the other side of the Motorcycle Dray Racing Fast World. Good to see you make a visit to Mr. Powe's Thread, hope there are many to come

Other Talents

Just wanted every one to know, especially Puppet. I had other talents, I wasn't always a Motorcycle Drag Racer. You can tell how long ago that was by the picture.

I would have post a Bike Picture with this but couldn't find one that old to fit.

Another Comment

I was featured at Laidlaw's Harley Davidson for the Pomona pre-race party and I watch every race on TV that shows the Pro Stock Motorcycles. I've talked to the people that only watch them on TV and I have come to the conclusion that what every one wants to see is a Girl Winning. All the guys that ride have there fan clubs most are guys that ride now in the weekly drags across the country, but I hate to say it, girls are what most want to see. I myself root for Peggie, Pro Stock Motorcycle and Ashley in Funny car. And I try to catch every race that has Diana. I do believe that some of the girls need someone to help them with what to say, complaing does not look good on TV.
Just another Comment From,

Just a comment

The Cosmetics of Motorcycle Drag Racing in the Top Ranks is way out of proportion, and it probably needs to be for a prestige point alone. Some of those rigs that are used for hauling the Motorcycle around are big enough for a Funny Car. I’m sure they cost in the many Thousands. I don’t believe it’s necessary for the pit crew and rig for a Motorcycle needs to look like a Schumacher’s set up, it if does that’s a shame. Steve Gibb’s (NHRA) mention to me a year ago that Drag Racing had went from Fun to spending a lot of Money just to compete, shame that progress has turned it to such a thing. But that’s the way every thing is today, fifty dollars used to get you four or five bags of groceries now you are lucky if you get one full bag.
Just a comment,

King Rat with Fairing

Early years with my second Tour/Tow Truck and the First Eight Second Motorcycle with Fairing.

200 Doubtful

Yeah, you're probably right. There was a few things that I did that others weren't doing and maybe not 200 but I still think I could have come close. I did go 187 and 188. Don't forget I was running an eight inch tire and the one thing that I found out "then" that four to eight pounds of air was wrong for tire, launch and especially in the top end. I ran 26 lbs of air, the main reason I did that was less tire growth in the top end which meant less tire spin. I started running 26 lbs of air when the first M&H tires came out, Joe Pisano of Venolia Pistons and I came to that air pressure sitting in his office one day. He was a very smart guy and we use to do a lot of bench racing together when I would go in to pick up pistons. Also the tire didn't get on the sides of the tire off the starting line as easy which in my view was the start of shake due to the fact the center caved in and it started to ride on the edges, more pressure stopped that. My tire left the same kind of mark off the starting line as the Top Fuel Cars, they were running the slider I was running. Some of the guys that ran that clutch in the beginning ran a two plate, I ran a three plate and the trans that most bike guys were running was a 45 percent mine was a 35. When I first built my own slider it was made to only take the slip out of the top end, the first time I ran it the Double went faster, my trouble when I went to the slider I lost that part of the clutch that's why the clutch of today, WOW. As far as riding the wheelie bar, I pretty much did that with control lift with throttle. You talk about controlling the bike when it gets on the wheelie bars by using your feet, I also used that to help (combined with throttle control) to control front wheel lift. I'm sure if I had continued to race and as time went by I would have went to wheelie bars, I'm no fool when it comes to that decision. But I still would have done everything I could to not ride the wheelie bar on a run. I watched the bikes at Vegas and I think it is a risk that I personally wouldn't want to have.
That's a lot of crap coming out of my mouth, but that's the way I seen and did it "then". (And some other things).

Manufactures

I whole heartily agree, all Manufactures are pretty much in the same mode when it come to Stock Street Motorcycles or Automotive sales. That hasn't change in all of Drag Racing History. That's how they make there profit off of Drag Racing. Which by the way is free advertisement for there industry. It would be a great Idea to get the Motorcycle Manufactures to start putting up a good size purse for the street bikes especially if they could care less about how they do it.