Thread: 1/4 Mile; '32 Ford versus a Harley???

Tweet

......I know this is an impossible question to answer exactly but would just like a guess; As I've mentioned I'm having a '32 Ford 3 window built {around 2700 pounds with me in it}, fiberglass, small block w/ 450 Hp & 495 Tq, Turbo 400 trans, 9" rear, 12" wide drag radials. I know NOTHING about motorcycles & a guy I know says that his harley will beat my '32 in the 1/8 mile {legal track race}. I've heard it's a really fast bike, one of the fastest around they say, but I know nothing about motorcycles {it is a street bike}. As an example what does a stock Harley turn in the 1/8 mile??? And I really don't know much about 1/8 mile car races/times either. I'm thinking my '32 should be somewhere in the high 11's in the 1/4. Is this realistic??? And motorcycles are quicker out of the hole, this I know.... Can he beat me??? If so, I'll just put nitrous on. Do I need the nitrous??? Thanks a bunch everyone.... Bill

well i dunno? there was a v-rod here ran 12's with an aftermarket pipe was all lol <of course jap bikes run 10's and 9's easy though>

Bill,
it all depends on the bike. building a harley is like building a car (endless possibilities). if its the fastest around i might think twice about messing with him. my brother in law own a harley shop abd there are some crazy fast bikes that come through there. stock harleys arnt that fast except the vrod and the buell...

Harmon

Originally Posted by gassersrule_196

well i dunno? there was a v-rod here ran 12's with an aftermarket pipe was all lol <of course jap bikes run 10's and 9's easy though>

.....Thanks gassersrule, 12's and all he had was an aftermarket pipe??? I'd better ask some quetions.... And if he brings his brothers jap bike I'll run like hell the other way... Bill

Chevyboy, Thanks... v-rod & buell??? I'll find out... It seems as if I remember years ago that Harleys weren't that fast. But then I don't know anything about bikes... hummm, Crazy fast??? that doens't look good for me... Thanks again Bill

Bill,
youll never know til you run em, you win some you lose some.. the only thing that i ever had that would beat a jap bike was a gas powered R/C car and that was only in 60' turning 20,000rpm
so good luck with you car

Harmon

well to ky knowledge it was jsut a pipe didnt look like any heads most likely had the screamin eage carb kit, air cleaner cause the pipes were screamin eagles but u cant tell unless u dig into it. unless the guy your racing has the new "v-rod destroyer" ir runs 9's and 8's stock! im sure it will be a good race. heck all drag races are fun.

Id say the bike has better odds,most cases, the bike weights 1/4 what your car does, but if its for fun see what happens

Actually a bike has a hard time gettin outa the hole ,front end rise and no traction,and in a 1/8 mile has less time to make that up.A well set up car with slicks or good wide tires will pull em off the line every time.A bike needs rpms to produce power and in the 1/8 there is less time to do that.Unless the bike is set up to launch and rap fast,the 1/8 will not be his friend.Bike guys get a little scared of going all the way over,soo they take a little easy on the launch and use there light weight to make up that time.Ricers like nuthin better than to beat a bike .Goto ,streetfire.com, videos and look at all the 300 to 500 hp hyabusas gettin spanked by rice.

Against a stock Harley you might stand a chance of winning. But you may be right about running away if he brings a jap bike. I had a 1972 Kawasaki 500 two stroke three cyclinder that would easy run 12's in the guarter and a 1973Kawasaki Z-1 903 cc that would walk the 500 as if it was stuck in 3rd gear. High 9's were not unusual. Sold the Z-1 to buy a '75 Gold Wing and have always regretted it. Gold Wing is a terrific bike, but the Z-1 was a swelt powerhouse. Still have the Gold Wing and it is still a terrific bike, just not a Z.

Sounds like a fun race. Reaction time wins a lot of races against faster cars. Make the Harley play catch-up....

mopar 34, my dad used to have a 73 z-1 they sure do have there own unique sound!.,,they are definatley some cool bikes. he also used to have the H2 750 triple 3 cylinder 2 stroke it was wild couldnt keep the front tire down if ya had to!

if its a softail stock they run 13.50s,it takes about 150hp to make one of them run in the low to mid 11,s and they are far and few between.

......Thanks everyone ;0.... well 150 HP sounds like a lot to get out of a HD. I'm not that familar with bikes but aren't the HD's like 80 - 100 HP stock??? And 60 HP for the really old ones??? Ah but it looks like I'd better come up with some pre-fabbed excusses to not run if he shows up with a Kamasaki!!!! 10 or 9's??? Woooa..... Bill

my neighbor was running his kick start shovelhead stroker at the drags and was running 12.7s all summer. he finally broke it at the last meet tore the drive belt in half

depends on who did the work and what mods are on it , my 83' 90% stock xr1000 (with factory xr750 race cams ) will take on vettes ( except the Z06)without a problem ( other than keeping the front wheel down ) it also depends on the riders experiance , most guys don't now how to lean into it when they take off and get wheelie prone, or slip the heck out of the clutch (cooking it allowing it to slip) , a harley is a torque engine , it don't need alot of revs like a rice rocket . I had a 79 yamaha daytona that I had modded (ported , chambers, slidecarbs ) to keep up with guys on ninja's but they would out run me on power because I had to spin the motor up to 12g's to keep up ( sounds like a killer chainsaw and would hurt your ears ) .