nitro in funnybike class!!!!

Originally posted by tbski101 so I have a simple question, why did Mr Price want to come race funny bike in the first place? I think that we are missing something with all this. I dont think that Mr Price is a man that would go into this with out a plan or reason do you? I think that theres a whole lot more to all of this than just HD in funny bike. it might just be its getting to the point that you join forces or die.

Edited by Marc Powe - 20 August 2009 at 4:49pm

I'll admit it

Originally posted by tbski101 yea if the fuelers had to pay there own way they would be dead. they are more of a booked in show than a class. I was thinking more of drag bike racing in general when I said join forces or die. I dont think that any bike organization is just rolling in the cash right now do you? I hate to say this but marc you starting to get as closed minded as the pro mod guys. I lost out on both  pro star and semdra when they killed turbos but even I can see that they have to work together or they are dead, lighten up man.

Edited by Marc Powe - 20 August 2009 at 5:36pm

Originally posted by tbski101 yea if the fuelers had to pay there own way they would be dead. they are more of a booked in show than a class. I was thinking more of drag bike racing in general when I said join forces or die. I dont think that any bike organization is just rolling in the cash right now do you? I hate to say this but marc you starting to get as closed minded as the pro mod guys. I lost out on both  pro star and semdra when they killed turbos but even I can see that they have to work together or they are dead, lighten up man.

I don't see how marc is closed minded if he speaks on trying to come to a happy medium between the two classes of bikes.  as I have stated a while back, bring the fuelers in on there own, and we would not be having such a lengthy thread. I do love motorcycle racing but times are changing and you have to either keep up or get run over.  I thought pro-mod meant proffesionals with no-modified limit to a  certain set of rules to govern fair competition within the class, sso why are turbos elimanated and deemed an unfair advantage?

You obviously are picking and choosing what post you want to read.  I am in agreement that they should run together that is NOT the issue here.  The issue is parity. 

Edited by Marc Powe - 20 August 2009 at 7:50pm

Originally posted by funny1 Originally posted by riceburner I remember an old quote "Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind" Meaning - think outside the existing box, I aint scared of no nitro harley, I just need some money, AND I can do it with existing showroom technology. s.r.     Originally posted by riceburner How about 1/4 mile, accept that the others may have the ability to go quicker, then step up your own programs through existing rules and regulations, then whoop em.  Its called racing. I know its simplistic, but at the same time it is realistic. s.r. If you dont have the money to do it yourself how can you encourage others to spend,spend,spend?

Edited by riceburner - 20 August 2009 at 8:49pm

Having read the entire thread, I've learned quite a bit about this class I intend to run in.  A lot of politics, a lot of combination ideas, etc.  Even so, I am still throwing money at my gas-nitrous-turbo funnybike.  Why?  Because I like the class, the technology, and the challenge!  It has been said that the HD's were off on their own, and spent the money to turn their grenades into high horsepower machines.  The problem seems that this didn't happen in front of the metric bikes, at our events.  So there was no real "warning".  At the time they were developing those impressive machines, it seems we weren't watching or worried because, at the time, there didn't appear to be any plans to have them come over to our events.  If they had been coming to our funnybike events, we would have seen their progress and been able to start to GRADUALLY upgrade and plan ours, over time.  Well, this didn't happen.  Everywhere I've raced, we looked at the rulebook and decided what to do, within the rules.  Even though I'll be "quacking" the loudest, when I show up at a race with my present rig, you can bet your back-side I'll be learning off of whoever I can, and gaining very valuable seat time, and oh, yeah......ENJOYING MYSELF RACING IN THE SECOND FASTEST CLASS OF DRAGBIKE RACING!!!  Maybe I'm just stupid that way, but I know its going to take time and money to be a hitter in funnybike.  I personally think that any type of sanction on any particular type of bike will be the death rattle of funnybike.  By definition, its a "run what ya brung" class, limited only by a set of rules designed mostly to differentiate it from the fastest class, and as I said before, the stepping stone to that class!  Do you think it would work to have Pro Mod (sit up) guys transitioning straight to Top Fuel (lay down) and all the differences that entails?  Talk about a steep learning curve!  Right now, the HD's appear to be filling the spirit of the funnybike rules better than the metric bikes are, IF they all come and race with us.  What I see is funnybike trying to stay alive by attracting some HD's to help fill the field, and what happens?  One or two of their heavy hitters show up!  Why?  Because they saw they would have most or all of us covered!   Here's the deal:  What one of us WOULDN'T have done the same thing?  What those of us who don't want to, or can't spend the money to run with the BEST of them, need to see past is this:  We have been given the "shot in the arm" that funnybike needs to reestablish itself as a viable, respected class in its own right.  The gauntlet has been thrown down!  Can you imagine how fast the HD's go back to the ADRL when one or two Puma or other "new-age" metric combinations start showing up and strapping 6.0's and 5.9's on them?  The shoe will simply be on the other foot, won't it?  Then will these new-agers be willing to accept some type of handicap to allow the HD's to be competitive?  See, if we go that way, it won't stop.  I really feel it will only stagnate the class completely.  As for me, I plan on making my 'get acquainted' passes at a bunch of local tracks, trying to generate more interest in AMA-Dragbike and the funnybike class in particular, while getting the afore-mentioned seat time.  It won't help the situation at this moment, but could help a little in the long run, especially if all of us who like the class, do our parts to be good ambassadors to it.  And yes, I see a lot of that here!  But I also see the potential for harm if we don't think about it long and hard.  That is what threads like this are for!!!  But in the end, funnybike does need to evolve.  Yes, that will take money that some don't have to put into it to run at the front, but like it was said a few posts back, you don't see all those "also-rans" in Pro Mod jumping ship because they can't win every weekend!  They keep showing up!  So there must be another reason why funnybike is low on bike counts.  I personally think its because funnybike resides in a very precarious "place".  Pro Mod is accessible to a lot of bike racers due to the level of technology required not being all that high.  You build as bullet-proof of a combo as you can, throw a good, well massaged head on it, and spray the hell out of it!  Get it to hook, and you're in the field.  Yes, I know there's more to it than that, but that's really it for the sake of this argument.  Now funnybike, with its turbos and bigger tire, and semi-laydown frames, multiple fuel/boost tuneups, boost maps, compressor and turbine housing choices, compressor and turbine wheel choices, etc, etc.  That sounds like an awful lot to move up to for a lot of racers.  So they just spray the sh*t out of it and go have fun, even though the vast majority are field fillers and know it.  I think they still show up because they just like to race that much in a very fast field that has a combination they can more easily understand and tune.  Not to say its beyond them.  I think a lot of them might see funnybike as too much to learn, do and spend, to go just a little faster.  Even though I don't agree with how it came about, it would seem that Pro Mod made the right choice for them.  Like people have said here:  Look at the bike counts.

So Marc, even though it might not sound like it, I totally agree with your argument, I just wonder whether its what's best for funnybike, in this present day, okay?  What I really hope happens is, someone reading all these posts, with all these ideas, and suggestions, suddenly gets a giant brain-fart and comes up with an excellent, not before seen, idea!!  It comes under the "two heads are better than one" rule!!  Right?  And surely AMA-Dragbike tracks issues like this thread??  Or should one of us who knows the folks at the top, clue them in on this thread so they can see the drive to survive, and the sentiments surrounding this class?

Back in my bunker, hatch battened down tight....................INCOMING!!!!!


Edited by dragracer808 - 21 August 2009 at 1:07am

Ah, more feedback from one of the "biggies"!  I just love gettin' set straight!  Its so humbling!  LOL!  Seriously, I'm learning every day about a class I care a lot about!  I just hope that throwing in my opinions here and there will be of some small help to the "hitters" and flag-bearers of this class.  As I have seen here, opinions of racers like myself are causing the more experienced racers to respond in an attempt to make sure the facts come out as "unmolested" as possible.  I am personally finding this info invaluable to me, and the decisions I will make on how to improve my combo over the next few years.

A perfect example is Hahn Jr.'s response to my post.  Sir, my comment about PM was pointed more to the fact that at least their decision didn't damage or kill their class.  Several posts, including yours, I believe, expressed concern about ANY limitations other than the current rules, could have a very negative effect on FB.  I.E.: The HD's not showing up to play, and continued low FB entries, possibly causing the class to be eliminated.  I could have probably said that better.  After more input and thinking about it some more, if PM hadn't run off the turbos in their class, then there could've been more turbo-knowledgeable PM racers to move up to FB??  I'm trying to find out exactly why FB is so unpopulated.  Could it be that there's just not that many racers willing to spend that much to be competitive in FB?  Is there a "wall" at the PM level past which a lot of racers feel it just isn't worth it??  In terms of money and/or technicality?  I'm sure more experienced racers than me have considered this.  I wonder if its really a money issue, because I've seen some awfully NICE PM's!  And not just one or two!

I was at Indy, and was nosing around Keith and Roger's pit, and saw "the run".  And so I have already seen, first-hand, the issue being discussed here.  I just hope something gets done about it before people start getting mad and deciding not to run FB.  Of course, if they did, then I'd be all alone out there..............!  LOL!  Might actually win a round!

I do not run funny bike but hope the current/active competitors that "do" can find a fair solution to make the class as active and vibrant as the pro mod class currently is enjoying at every sanctioned event put on.

there is a post or 2 missing-------hmmm