Table of contents
- Destroyer Cup in Hoskovice / CZ And then ..
- begin!
- Screamin ‘Eagle V-Rod Destroyer
- Interview with Werner Bruckle, dragster man from the very beginning
- The dragster scene in Germany
- The dragster scene in Germany
Jahn
motorcycles
Destroyer Cup in Hoskovice / CZ
Destroyer Cup in Hoskovice / CZ
And then ..
…everything goes very quickly. If you are leading, the quarter mile is a real kick. If you follow it, torture. Stories from the drag strip.
Stefan Kaschel
08/17/2006
What shoud that? One can ask that very seriously. Why the whole thing? Even speed freaks and open-minded occasional offenders like the author have to be critical in view of the facts. Why in the world should you go straight ahead for a good 400 meters from a standing start, deliberately tampering with tires, clutch and whatever else? What can drive you to do this? A beautiful woman, a cold beer? Puff cake. After the quarter mile there is nothing more than another piece of desolate, paved runway. And ?? if it gets really bad? even the opponent.
Nevertheless, there are contemporaries who celebrate exactly this procedure over and over again with enthusiasm. So the answer has to be rooted somewhere deep in human nature. Why? To fathom this mystery, a flashback to the nursery helps. Motorcycle quartet game, Kawasaki Z 900 and Munch Mammut. “Zero to one hundred in 4.6 seconds, stabs!” “5.0.” Bang, bang, done. Nice for the winner, short and very painful for the loser. That is exactly what we needed. And still need it today. At least the male part of the population. Be better than others. More quickly. The eternal duel.
The hunt over the quarter mile: in this light, do not consider an idiotic, material-killing waste of resources, but the civilian variant of satisfying a basic human need. Short and painless, without dead ?? and therefore a thoroughly conclusive event, especially for advocates of pure reason. Motorsport in a nutshell? if you think carefully. Why romp around in circles for hours when we can have the whole thing here and now right away. Practically in real time. Start finish ?? finished. In between: open the gas, close the gas. And full. After ten seconds we will know. Or after seven. It’s that simple. In theory. If it were that easy. Less than ten seconds at 400 meters? even with hardened dynamics that is a brutal figure. Forever abstract for friends of the well-groomed stalks. Times of 9.5 seconds are a formula that turns the Harley Destroyer Cup, which was announced for the first time this year, into an honest, relentless quarter-mile battle. Ride out with the world’s first series dragster. A device that deserves this name. V-Rod base, powerful Screaming-Eagle-Punch from 1300 cm3 displacement and a lot of selected factory parts, beautiful to look at with an incredibly long wheelie bar and arm-thick manifolds.
The time for aesthetes ends when the engine is running. No more romance. Instead, a huge bang. The earth trembles, the Destroyer lives, roars infernally. There it is, this awe that always grabs you when large-volume internal combustion engines ventilate undamped. The hot breath of a wild animal. It is getting serious. Immediately. No training, no set-up runs, no mercy. It applies from the first meter. Four qualifying times, the best running time decides on the position in the shootout. Then hand to hand, like in a good western. And one more thing in common: if you pull faster, you win. With almost 100 percent reliability.
The start. The decisive factor already in qualifying. Especially in a direct duel. It’s always the start. The start decides everything. And it starts with the minutes before. When they are woven together, the fleeting threads of tension from the deafening V2 noise, the short bursts of gas, the appraising gaze of the opponent and the ideal chronology of the decisive tenth of a second, thought through a hundred times. A thick, all-numbing carpet. Tombstone, OK Corral before the shootout. Is the starting speed correct? Isn’t it too high for the rear tire, which has to conjure up the enormous thrust hard along the slip limit on the asphalt? Is the throttle hand loose?!? Stop, no half measures! With yellow out with the clutch. In one fell swoop, it takes care of the rest of its own accord. But not too early. Just don’t drive a red light. Burn very cool and late, otherwise you have to wait too long for the opponent. And not hectic on the grid. Easy, confident. Make sure you are standing straight. Is the thumb switch within easy reach? If you don’t hit him right away at the crucial moment, you’re practically starting with an empty magazine. Jamming, jerky, brutal in the limiter. The V2 should have been boiling long ago, the thigh definitely does. Oh damn why is it taking…
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If you want, you can also scream. Nobody hears it anyway.
The starter waves. Roll forward through the burnout puddle. Then back again. Steffen, my mechanic, blows the front tire dry before the concentrated anger of 165 hp breaks over the slick. After all, the narrow wheel has to hold the load while burning. Third gear, full throttle. Clutch out. burnout.
Burnout. Loud and long. Longer. Sitting down, of course. Until Steffen gives his thumb up. Let the brakes come off very easily, burn out of the water-rubber mixture. Just don’t leave the soup on the back wheel, then you can go ice skating straight away. Is that enough? Is the skin up to temperature? Steffen nods, pushes in the first one, steps back. From now on, even hermits would feel lonely. Two men, one goal. Be faster. Now just don’t rush. Very slowly to the traffic light. Stage one, the top white bulbs light up. With the opposite too. He’s serious, rolls completely into the starting position. Twice white. Now it’s the same. A little further forward. Concentrate, you played everything through a dozen times! Another centimeter ahead. When will the stupid white finally come? Now White. Full throttle, governor, two engines in anarchic turmoil. Yellow! Release the clutch, go, quickly the second. Damn it, wrong, I have to correct it. Too slow, too cross, damn it, too far back. How come The cart has to be on course. Third.
Past. It’s over. Rien ne va plus, nothing works anymore. Even if I’m not even half the distance behind me, I keep rushing towards the goal with a roar. It’s over. Although Werner, the old warrior, said beforehand that you should never give up, anything could still happen. I know deep down: It’s over. Fourth, fifth, goal, gas off. A three-quarter length residue. Two tenths, maybe three. An eternity in this fast-paced world.
This defeat runs deep and it hurts. But it doesn’t kill. Like a bullet in muscle meat. That heals, it’s all just a matter of time. Pack up, go home. Wipe your mouth, carry on. Ideally with the dominant question: How did this happen? Did he just react faster? Was my starting speed too high? Or too low? It could have been translated differently. Or my air pressure was too high. Or maybe too low. And what about the clutch? Is it moving in too slowly? Or too fast. Or too aggressive. Who knows. Anyway, I can’t explain it to myself after the few runs. My god, I am a beginner. And let me go to a duel with Wyatt Earp. Or was it Doc Holliday? Still: I want to know. For next time. And practice diligently. Then I’ll move faster.
Screamin ‘Eagle V-Rod Destroyer
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You mom, where is the parking light??
1710 millimeters wheelbase, over 3.30 meters in length with wheelie bar, fat rear tires, 165 hp and a good 131 Newton meters of torque? With these key data, the Destroyer is well prepared for starting from a standing start, despite its not exactly modest 249 kilograms empty weight. Almost more important than pure performance, however, is the lock-up clutch, in which the increasing centrifugal force automatically engages the clutch by means of variable weights, thus relieving the driver of the most difficult part of the job. However, the perfect setting for the respective conditions (outside temperature, grip, gear ratio, starting speed, etc.) is a science in itself. As is the choice of the variable starting speed by means of the rotary control itself. On the other hand, switching is very simple at the push of a button and compressed air ?? if you have adapted the switching point perfectly to the external circumstances and the engine characteristics. So
equipped, the Destroyer even runs a mediocre run, as shown in the diagrams, its lead over a fully accelerated run Yamaha R1 out in the first few meters or in the first few seconds. It is already after 50 meters and around 2.8 seconds to 111 km / h, the R1 only passes there after 3.6 seconds at a good 109 km / h. At 100 meters, the time gap is still 0.8 seconds, and the Yamaha only starts to catch up after a good six seconds. Then the gap is almost 38 meters.
Data:
Engine: liquid-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 60-degree V-engine, two overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, fuel injection, Ø 58 mm, bore x stroke 105 x 75 mm, displacement 1300 cm3, compression 14.0: 1, Output 123 kW (165 hp) at 9700 rpm, max.torque 131.3 Newton meters at 7600 rpm.
Power transmission: primary drive via straight toothed gears, hydraulically assisted multi-stage lock-up clutch, electro-pneumatic five-speed gearbox, secondary drive via chain.
Chassis: double-loop tubular steel frame with bolted beams, steering head angle 66 degrees, caster 89 mm, rim size front 1.85 x 18, rear 6.00 x 18, front tires 23.5 x 4.4, rear 25 x 7.0-18 , Tire pressures front 2.8 to 3.0, rear 0.9 to 1.1 bar.
Dimensions and weights: curb weight 249 kilograms, length (with wheelie bar) 3356 mm, wheelbase 1710 mm.
Price: around 30,000 euros
Interview with Werner Bruckle, dragster man from the very beginning
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Werner Bruckle in conversation with MOTORRAD.
Formerly on the road with a competition bike with 467 hp, today in the Destroyer Cup with 165 hp. Is not that boring?
No not at all. If only because they all compete with identical equipment. This is rather rare in the dragster world and makes things really exciting.
How do you assess the state of the art??
Good. At least when it comes to the things you need on the quarter mile. Lock-up racing clutch, air-shift gearbox, launch box ?? everything is available practically out of the box. This makes the sport manageable from the start, even for people who are not yet very familiar with this profession.
Does that mean that everyone can be quick right away?
At least beginners can ride with it right from the start. In order to be really fast in the end, it takes a lot of meticulous fine work, as always in dragster sport. And a lot of experience. That’s why the really fast in this business are usually old sacks. (laughs)
What does that mean: meticulous precision work, a lot of experience?
Well, even if everyone in the Destroyer Cup has the same base and the technical corset is very tight, it is important to limit the possibilities ?? that one or the other would certainly want a little wider? fully exploited. Which starting speed do I choose on which asphalt and at which tire pressure? At what speed do I shift. Which translation? First of all, these are the same unknowns for everyone involved. And because everything happens in fractions of a second, you won’t get any further in the long run without reliable data recording. At least not in a sport where a tenth of a second can be a world. But that’s exactly what makes it so attractive.
A small example from the sewing box?
In drag racing, there is a lot of talk about response time. From the driver’s, mind you. But the motorcycle also needs time to react. Not much, but enough to make the difference between victory and defeat. There is also room for fine tuning here.
The dragster scene in Germany
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Still a minority sport in this country.
What attracts several hundred thousand people in the USA is an absolute minority program in Germany. The Scandinavian, Dutch or English dragster scene, for example, is far more attractive and also has better quality with very fast drivers and top material. But there is an event in Germany, the NitrolympX, where everything that has rank and name in Europe celebrates a huge dragster party that is well worth seeing. This year the Destroyer Cup will also take place there. If you don’t just want to watch, but also want to get involved, you can get into the saddle a week in advance. On the weekend of the publication of this MOTORRAD edition, everyone can try their hand at the quarter mile at the “Public Race Days” in the Motodrom in Baden. For everyone who then wants to assess their performance in comparison with the professionals or just as an overview for the innocent, here are the individual drag race classes:
Public Race Bike / Street Twin: everything that is permitted on public roads, from six to one cylinder. A valid driver’s license and registration are mandatory, all modifications must be registered. Nitrous oxide systems are prohibited. Times: 10.2 to 11.5 seconds.
Modified Twin: significantly more modifications to the engine / chassis allowed as above. Super Twin Topgas: This is where the dragster world really starts. Powerful V-Twins with a displacement of up to 2.6 liters and wide slicks. Commercial fuel is still being used. Still: low 8 times. Around 20 German drivers.
Super Street Bike: four-cylinder fueled by nitrous oxide and turbochargers, partially drilled out and extensively modified. Long swings allowed, wheelie bars and slicks prohibited. Top speed beyond 300 km / h, times between 7.7 and ten seconds. About twelve German pilots.
Pro Stock Bike: Turbo, Nitro, Compressor, nitrous oxide ?? everything forbidden. Conventional tuning allowed without restriction. Just like slicks and wheelie bars. Around 300 hp, low 7 times. No German driver.
Super Twin Top Fuel: up to 900 hp from almost three liters of displacement, nitromethane, everything that works. Times around 6.5 seconds, top speed 340 km / h. Two German drivers.
Top Fuel Bike: the absolute premier class with four cylinders and screw compressors. Consumption per run between eleven and 14 liters of nitromethane, around 1000 hp, low 6 times, top speed over 360 km / h. Not a single German driver.
The dragster scene in Germany
What attracts several hundred thousand people in the USA is an absolute minority program in Germany. For example, the Scandinavian, Dutch or English dragster scene is far more attractive and has a better quality set with very fast drivers and top material. But there is an event in Germany, the NitrolympX (August 25th to 27th in Hockenheim), where everything that has rank and name in Europe celebrates a huge dragster party that is well worth seeing (www.dragster.de). This year the Destroyer Cup will also take place there. If you don’t just want to watch, but also want to get involved, you can get into the saddle a week in advance. On the weekend of the publication of this MOTORRAD issue (August 19/20), everyone can try their hand at the quarter mile at the “Public race days” (www.thunder-drome.de) in the Motodrom in Baden. For everyone who then wants to assess their performance in comparison with the professionals or just as an overview for the innocent, here are the individual drag race classes:
Public Race Bike / Street Twin: everything that is permitted on public roads, from six to one cylinder. A valid driver’s license and registration are mandatory, all modifications must be registered. Nitrous oxide systems are prohibited. Times: 10.2 to 11.5 seconds.
Modified Twin: significantly more modifications to the engine / chassis allowed as above.
Super Twin Topgas: This is where the dragster world really starts. Powerful V-Twins with a displacement of up to 2.6 liters and wide slicks. Commercial fuel is still being used. Still: low 8 times. Around 20 German drivers.
Super Street Bike: four-cylinder fueled by nitrous oxide and turbochargers, partially drilled out and extensively modified. Long swings allowed, wheelie bars and slicks prohibited. Top speed beyond 300 km / h, times between 7.7 and ten seconds. About twelve German pilots.
Pro Stock Bike: Turbo, Nitro, Compressor, nitrous oxide ?? everything forbidden. Conventional tuning allowed without restriction. Just like slicks and wheelie bars. Around 300 hp, low 7 times. No German driver.
Super Twin Top Fuel: up to 900 hp from almost three liters of displacement, nitromethane, everything that works. Times around 6.5 seconds, top speed 340 km / h. Two German drivers.
Top Fuel Bike: the absolute premier class with four cylinders and screw compressors. Consumption per run between eleven and 14 liters of nitromethane, around 1000 hp, low 6 times, top speed over 360 km / h. Not a single German driver.
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