When Larry talks about helping other racers, he does that to an extent that is phenomenal. I have been the recipient of much help from him. He has answered every question I have ever had and he has always taken time to talk even though he is busy. A person can't ask for a better friend.
He's a great guy I met last year. His brother Steve is a great guy also. He is a phenomenal racer and is just a super awesome guy. Keep rolling and be safe my friend! It couldn't happen to a nicer guy! Cheers Brother! 👍
Thanks Jack and Larry for a truly interesting video. I also loved the engine breakdown video last summer. My top item on my bucket list is a weekend at the racetrack watching the Spider-Man run 5.40's @ 270mph. I wonder if there is a new 4 valve head in Larry's future? Just saying ........
I really appreciate you saying that. Thank you very much for watching. Which job on this team could you see yourself doing? Also, please also give this video a share! Thanks a lot!
@@cycledrag Lol... Yours!.. but don't laugh. I think you are awesome and also I'd try Spiderman's job. Sharing now and leaving a like so youtube will show more fans
I ran a top fuel Bike back in the early 80's. I believe I was the 9th guy to do 200mph on a bike at OCIR. I was also very low buck racer and when Nitro went from under $10 per gallon to over $40 that was the end for me.
What is the engine that is being used? I KNOW it’s extremely modified, but where is that engine originally from? Looks like an old engine to me but I also imagine it’s actually just a billet block based on some engine that was once cast for some old Kawasaki / Suzuki?? Also what is the [actual] displacement? The clutch sounds like it works almost exactly like the top fuel rail cars? [with that big RPM drop in the middle of the run]
@@cycledragNo I haven't seen him race but I would love to see Larry in Australia....just to do a demo run, or at worse...race Matho? The guy is so far ahead... I'm speechless. Cheers.
What a superb piece of Motorsport journalism - high praise to you all , I started to watch this and was totally mesmerized and hooked both by the depth of information that was discussed and the detail shown in the footage - a refreshing change from the 45 minute programs on TV that doesn't do justice to the hard work , dedication and cost involved in (any) Motorsport - and as Larry McBride said , it's all relative to your means and support - thanks guys , superb, just superb
Nitromethane is a cruel mistress, in the fuel ranks two or four wheeled ranks. There's no room in the crew for egos, since your riders life depends on you doing your job right. Everytime. Kudos to the McBride crew.
Amen to that. Thank you very much for watching. Which job on this team could you see yourself doing? Also, please also give this video a share! Thanks a lot!
Used to drag race, a doorslammer. Been following the sport, two and four wheel, since 1966 and packed it in 1995. Retired now, too old and out-of-shape to risk a massive coronary. But, I still love the sport. LOL!
Larry is the guy you go to for the right stuff. For me in 1958 it was Vic Hubbard's in Hayward and we went every Thursday night , Millers custom and speed in Oakland, brothers that were very helpful in my young life toward racing and home building. I built fuel engines in a two car garage on the floor getting parts from Millers and Hubbard's, I was a teen ager looking for info and worked at the time for General Motors in Oakland on 73 Ave. I had 3 Stromberg 48's on an Edelbrock 3 carb manifold matched to the ports on a 3/8x3/8 296 CI flathead as my first race engine. What I learned back in those days went with me in my life to date. I learned to weld in High school, gas and arc, wire feed came much later. I was in a club called " Shamrocks" in Alameda Calif. where i was born in 1939 and raised in the Hot Rod revolution with the safety safari back in the 50's setting up strips across the nation with the NHRA and Wally. Vacaville, Half Moon bay, Lodi, and Sacramento were my strips close to me and I loved it. You could buy a 34 ford coupe running for $10.00, build a race engine for $150.00 and pedal to the metal !!!!
Thank you for giving us an in-depth look at Larry's team and the cost of running a top fuel motorcycle. It was interesting to hear Larry talk about the companies that supply his team with parts. Larry's bike is like a rolling billboard for companies who want to get exposure. What better way to advertise your company than on a 268 mph missile?
that's what you would call a polished team. I used to show up with my fuel bike and one helper, we were very young men trying to figure out how to use Nitro after running an Alky bike. Romeo Palamedies use to mix my fuel ands end me off, He was also in Oakland Calif. He ran a dragster called The Iron Boot, sat on top of the diff, not slingshot style that came later.
I have a feeling that Larry's brother is by himself in life and the bike is his world, he does a find job. I hope I'm wrong because everybody needs some one to Love besides the hard stuff in your hands and your mind, being 84 I really know what I'm talking about.
I remember one time Elmer Trett came to Muncie, Indiana and I was talking to him and I was up close at the starting line and he went to start the bike and hydraulic the motor. I don’t know what caused it, but he looked over to me and said that that was an over $2000 Mistake. This was many years ago.
Larry your awesome a great role model and rider What a team Spending lots of cash helps but your crew innovation and professionalism are what makes you #1 in my book
wow there's a whole lot of work for the team members to keep this motorcycle going safely down the track and see if the guy's life amazing what all goes into this and all the time all the expense wow I never knew that this is very interesting video these are dedicated men to this guy and go the fastest he can go and set world records Awesome totally awesome
Thanks Jack. That was one of best looks at motorcycle drag racing I've ever seen. Did you ask him about the welds on that frame? Are they routinely X-Rayed for cracks? A deeper discussion of the motor would have been good - the ccs - it's a 1400cc Kawasaki isn't it? What about the con-rods and pistons and crankshaft? Are they all custom built? What compression does he run - it's low for nitro isn't it? What's the methanol to nitro ratio - is it 15% nitro ? What's the supercharger pressure in atmospheres? How fast does it spin? What's the maximum speed those tryes are rated for?
@@cycledrag - thanks Jack - no - I'm in Melbourne Australia so I haven't seen Larry live. I hope he makes it down under one day. Please ask him about all those other technical questions too.
Yes Larry was at the track Bike week 1992 . We were racing a progas shovelhead on a Truide/Osborne frame with a 8" slick. 9.33 at 124mph. Larry pull out his brand-new Spiderman Bike. It was amazing. He made a half pull and ran a low 7sec pass. None of us Harley Racers had seen anything that fast. The next year Jim McClure pulled out the Judge with those 4 valve heads. I want to say he was running 7.10. Those were the days of Jim McClure, Bill Furr, Mancusoe , Bob Spina, Larry Drums, and Ray Price. We had the time of our lives racing those days with the AHDRA...Cant leave without mentioning Tony Mattiolli He was great racer who like many raced all the classes. He was alway there to help new racers get down the track, the best they could. With what they had.
Its expensive, no doubt, but that is why they get Sponsors, who bring up the cash to run the team.. and the sponsors get to have their business name plastered on the bike, or car or whatever is being sponsored.. and often they will put their logos on the helmets as well.. and also apparel..
The flame front is where the rubber STARTS to hitting the road. INDEXING the plugs allows the flame front to progress in the proper direction, EXTREMELY detrimental if not correct.
I know guys don't love each other. But everytime chucky said dad. It made my heart feel happy. I love father and son working together especially if there on the same team 💖😊
Thank you!! Fascinating video. Larry is truly the epitome of class. It's incredible how he anticipates what the bike is going to do and corrects before it happens. I hope to be able to see this beast in person before I die. Jaw dropping cool.
Yes, mixed with alcohol. Thank you very much for watching. Which job on this team could you see yourself doing? Also, please also give this video a share! Thanks a lot!
@@nickhale117 Thank you very much for watching. Which job on this team could you see yourself doing? Also, please also give this video a share! Thanks a lot!
So it takes nearly one hour not to tell us what it costs. That was one hour of my life wasted. I know it is expensive, but what you dont tell us is how much the sponsors actually put into the program. Larry and his brother obviously rely upon the sponsorship money to survive, and to pay the team, but it does not mean that someone cannot do it without sponsors. A good friend of mine did very well in European Top Fuel without sponsors, just relying on good friends and hard work. Yes, it cost him a lot of money, but how much do some people spend on exotic holidays ?
John did you watch on mute? We clearly break down the cost per pass in the first three minutes. You then get the value of the motorcycle and everything associated it with it in the balance. The financial details of private deals are between the racer and the sponsor. Please watch this again with the sound on.
He told you how much it costs..$250,000/300,000 for the bike and & 5000.00 every time the bike goes down the track. Whether it's a test run or a all out race...pay attention to what they say. And get out your calculator!
