• Motorcycle drag racing provides thrills for riders and spectators.red motorcycle image by Crisps85 from Fotolia.com
  
  Motorcycle drag racing is a popular sport for bike enthusiasts to watch or participate in. AMA Dragbike Series rules give amateur and professional riders the opportunity to compete against each other in settings which promote competition and an equal opportunity to win. Although the series suspended its professional operations in July 2010, the American Motorcyclist Association is continuing to use the rules for regional events.
  
  

Racing Basics

• At an AMA Dragbike race, riders on similar classes of bikes compete against each other in a "knockout" format to determine an eventual event winner. Brackets are set based on qualifying runs and feature two riders racing against each other on either a one-quarter mile or one-eighth mile straight track. The racer who reaches the finish line advances to the next round while the loser is done.
  
  Riders line up at the start line and "stage" their bikes until they are evenly matched at the starting line. A series of lights called the "Christmas Tree" signifies when a race will begin. A green light means that the rider can go; crossing the start line before the green light is an automatic disqualification. Riders must stay within their lane during a run; crossing into another line is also an automatic disqualification.
  
  

Racing Classes

• In order to ensure level competition, races are held within various classes. Each class of competition has its own set of specifications for features of the motorcycle including the engine size, chassis specifications and tire width. For example, the fastest form of AMA Dragbike racing is the Top Fuel Division, and these bikes can have two motors with supercharged engines having a maximum displacement of up to 1,700 cubic centimeters. Motorcycles in the Funnybike Class can have inline engines with a maximum total displacement of 2,000 cubic centimeters.
  
  The minimum weight of the motorcycle and rider is also measured in some classes. Top Fuel bikes can weigh 550 to 685 pounds depending on the type of motor used. However, there is no minimum weight limit in divisions such as Pro Street and Real Street.
  
  

Setting Records

• Records are kept for both the top speed reached at the end of the track and the total elapsed time (ET) to make a pass down the track. In order for a record to be officially recognized by the AMA, the rider will have to complete another run at the same event that is within one percent of the mark. This would mean that a new ET record of 7.5 seconds would have to be "backed up" with another run of at least 7.575 seconds in order to be an official record. Similarly, a rider setting a new record of 200 miles per hour would have to back up that run with a second run of at least 198 miles per hour.