From HotBike, Summer 1971,
Volume 1, No. 1
Joe Smith and Son racing team
pose proudly with the world's quickest drag bike. Joe does the
riding, Gene helps his dad with much of the work between rounds.
Maintaining a fuel bike while racing on tour becomes a full
time familyproject, but end result is new world E.T. record!
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| THE NINE SECOND barrier is history!
Joe Smith of West Covina, Califomia, opened a new era of motorcycle
drag racing at Bakers- field this year with a stunning 8.97-167.28
to be- come the first man in history to ride a motorcycle through
the quarter-mile in less than nine seconds. The heart of Joe's machine
is a late model Harley shovelhead displacing 108 cubic inches with
S&S flywheels and Burkhardt barrels. |
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Joe did the head and valve modifications
of his motor and chose a Leinweber cam to complete the valve train.
An S&S carb meters the nitro to Venolia forged pistons, spark is
by a Joe Hunt magneto and Gary Hooker fabricated the chromed headers.
The lower end is built and maintained by Bill Cobb, the shop foreman
at Laidlaws Harley-Davidson, where Joe works as parts manager.
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| Joe says that Bob Laidlaws' enthusiastic
sponsorship is responsible for much of the bike's good fortune at
the races. The separate transmission has been reduced to a high
gear only unit. Diamond chain transfers the horsepower to the rear
wheel. Paul Burkhardt built the right side cover. Smith designed
and built the fueler frame of chrome-moly tubing, making 70-inch
wheelbase including the Ceriani forks. The front wheel is a light
alloy rim laced to a Harley Rapido brake and mounts a shaved and
trued 2.75 x 19 Avon tire. A wheel shroud is installed to give Joe
every last bit of advantage at the starting line without red-lighting.
Lead weights bolted to the forks reduce the possibility of wheelstands.
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Short drag bars carry the controls
and kill button, while fork brace and a steering damper help to
eliminate any undesirable handling problems at speed. Fuel is carried
in twin tanks strapped to the upper frame rail with large Neoprene
lines to route the mixture to the S&S carb. The rocker covers have
been opened up to provide access for hand oiling; there are no oil
lines to the heads from the cases. The rear wheel assembly is a
Triumph unit mounting an M&H slick, size 4.00 x 18. The rear brake
is actuated by a simple foot lever attached to the hub. Engine and
rear wheel sprockets are changed as needed to match strip conditions.
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