Nitro bikes use nitromethane as fuel and can reach speeds of up to 230 mph in less than six seconds. The body is designed to withstand extreme speeds, and steering is done with the body. Riders experience five G’s of force and require training and experience. The race is won based on time, including reaction time.
Nitro bikes are motorcycles that have been used for drag racing since the 1980s. Also known as Pro-Stock and Top Fuel motorcycles, they use nitromethane as fuel instead of gasoline. They are second only to Top Fuel race cars in speed, and can hit 230 miles per hour (370.15 kph) in less than six seconds.
Nitromethane, or nitro, is produced especially for drag racing, but it is also used to fuel rockets and model airplanes. It is the result of a chemical reaction between propane and nitric acid. Nitromethane’s high oxygen content allows it to burn with less atmospheric oxygen than gasoline. However, drag racers should be careful, as nitromethane is highly explosive. Engine explosions have been known to occur if a nitro bike is not handled properly.
The body of a nitro bike is built to withstand extreme speeds. The front tire looks normal for a motorcycle. The rear tire, however, is an oversized square tire framed by a wheel bar that extends 130 inches (330.2 cm) behind it. The front tire lifts off the ground as the bike begins to accelerate. Wheel bars prevent the bike from tipping over when the front of the bike is in the air.
With a 1,000 horsepower engine, a nitro bike can reach 160 kilometers per hour (160 km) in 1 second. Riders experience five G’s of force as the bike accelerates. A nitro bike can complete a 1/4 mile (402 meter) race track in six seconds.
When riding the bike, a cyclist appears as if he is lying on his stomach with his legs extended behind him. Since the nitro bike is designed to race only in a straight line, steering is done with the body to move the bike left or right. Training and experience are required to ride one of these bikes. Gravitational forces alone can cause vomiting and loss of consciousness.
Before the start of the race, a driver “burns” his rear tire. To burn, he spins his rear tire in a puddle of water to heat up the rubber and increase the tire’s traction on the track. The rider then lines up, or stages, his nitro bike on the starting line. A starting device known as a Christmas tree light sits between the rails and counts down to green. When the green light comes on, the drivers accelerate, and the first to cross the finish line is the winner.
Time is the only real indicator of performance in an endurance race, but race tracks often keep records for reaction times, speed, and elapsed time. Reaction time is the time it takes for a cyclist to accelerate when the light turns green. It is entirely possible for a nitro rider to have the fastest speed and elapsed time, but he loses the race because he had a slow reaction time.
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