Don’t be fooled by the appearance of the Speedway Bike. It’s more than just a mountain bike with an engine. It’s engine is equivalent to a 1200 cc crotch rocket engine in a mountain bike frame, 4-stroke, 4-valve engine that runs on nitro methanol. This allows the engine to run at a higher compression, producing more horsepower. The average car has a maximum 8,000 revs where as an ice speedway bike has a maximum 14,000 revs. It has 1600 razor-sharp steel studs on its tires added for traction and if that’s not enough – there aren’t any brakes. Four laps on a speedway bike compares to 10 minutes on a motocross bike. The power (90 horse power at the back wheel) to weight ratio (the bikes weigh only 180 pounds) is something that cannot be explained. Each rider gears his bike differently with 60 to 80 toothed sprockets, which are nearly the size of the wheel itself.

 

Just wait until you see these machines in action! There will be a total of twenty to twenty-five races. The amount of races will vary from city to city depending on how many local riders participate. Ice Racing consists of heats where riders earn points to qualify for the Main (final race) Qualifying. Heats consist of four riders racing handlebar-to-handlebar for four laps. The Main Event consists of six riders for six laps.

 

Many ask “Why so little laps?” This is done for many reasons. Anyone that has ever ridden a speedway bike immediately understands and would never raise that question however, as a spectator it is a common question. The best way to explain: Why does a Dragster Bike only go a quarter mile instead of a mile? Answer: The engine would blow and the rider would not have enough strength and endurance to control the bike. Another reason is there simply isn’t enough ice. The grip of the steel studded tires would soon hit concrete causing the bike to gain too much traction and head straight to the wall!