urbandrag
Parking Attendant
Posts: 28
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posted January 30, 2003 06:47 AM
AMA/Prostar and Bikerboyz
ORGANIZATION PREPARES AS MOVIE STIRS INTEREST IN STREET RACING
BikerBoyz movie highlights motorcycle street racing culture and hits the screens this week
Organization has programs that help riders get on the strip and off the streets.
The new movie "BikerBoyz," a Dreamworks picture starring Lawrence Fishburne, hits the screens on January 31. It highlights the excitement and danger surrounding a group of white-collar urban professionals who work by day, yet hit the streets on their motorcycles at night for big money races.
"Sure, it's a lot of excitement and I'd be lying to you if I said I never street raced," says AMA/Prostar marketing and communications director and fellow rider Jim Cara. "I never did it to the extent of the BikerBoyz characters, but I can assure you that even they are lightweights compared to what goes on every night in any urban city." Cara is the director of marketing for AMA/Prostar, which has grown from 1989 to now as the largest governing body of motorcycle drag racing in the U.S. Motorcycle drag racing has evolved from the streetlight to streetlight scenes that cause a stir in the picture to a professionally controlled environment with education, training, and promotional initiatives.
AMA/Prostar is the drag racing sanctioning body of the American Motorcyclist Association, a 270,000-member organization with an unparalleled history of pursuing, protecting, and promoting the interests of the world's largest and most dedicated group of motorcycle enthusiasts. Prostar itself has brought thousands of these riders to the drag strip, and in doing so has shown them that there is a place for this kind of activity, as well a group of people like themselves they can learn from and grow with.
The bike that Fishburne's character rides in the film, a 1999 Suzuki Hayabusa, was the fastest production vehicle anyone could ever buy. It had a top speed, and power so incredible that you will not get a set of honest specifications, no matter where you search. Still, anyone with a license and enough money could go out and buy one. For much less than the price of a new car, someone who has never before been on a motorcycle could head to a local dealer and pick up this daily rider bike that is capable of incredible speeds. These bikes have the ability to run the quarter mile in less than 9 seconds, that's unheard of in the automobile world without a tremendous investment in custom fabrication and power, rendering it impossible to handle daily driving.
The Hayabusa caused so much of a stir that in 2000, the United States and the foreign manufacturers agreed to speed restrict any new motorcycles that would enter the country so that they would cap out at 185 mph. Although limited in top speed, bikes such as the Kawasaki ZX12 and the Suzuki Hayabusa can still run the quarter mile in less than 9 seconds with speeds reaching 150mph.
This kind of velocity in the right hands makes these bikes serious contenders for the drag racing world, in the wrong hands these bikes spell trouble. We have all seen it; a reckless rider takes off from a stoplight with no regard for oncoming traffic or without paying attention to the surroundings or drivers around them. In the best case scenario, he may end up with just a violation. In the worst case; bad news delivered to family or loved ones.
"We do all we can to get these riders off the street. We even have convinced some of the champion riders to join in with us," Cara adds. He is talking about the drag racing school offered by six-time world champion Rickey Gadson, who, incidentally, served as a rider and technical advisor for the film. "Gadson a great role model, who grew up in that culture and is now one of the leaders in motorcycle safety and awareness. Riders look up to Rickey because not only is he a winner, but has won a lot of sponsor money and built a fantastic lifestyle from doing it the right way." Riders can sign up for classes with Gadson, where he educates them in safety, control, and racing techniques in the classroom and on the track.
AMA/Prostar has a 9 race series that runs from February through November where major sponsors such as Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Honda offer nearly two million dollars in award money and contingency payouts to racers in many different categories.
AMA/Prostar race events offer categories for everyone, from the average guy on the street to Larry "Spiderman" McBride's Top Fuel Nitro burning machine that runs the quarter mile in 5 seconds at 240 mph. For someone like Lawrence Fishburne's character "Smoke," AMA/Prostar has a category that pushes the limits of street legal machines. Streetbike Shootout category champion Kent Stotz rides a street legal Honda machine that approaches the 200mph bracket in the 1320 ft distance of the quarter mile. This is equal to the stoplight-to-stoplight sequences depicted in the film. If you were calculating, Stotz's machine would run about 350 miles in the time you watched the film.
In the sport of drag racing, no changes are required to compete in entry level classes. In other sports like road racing that use similar sport bike models, numerous change have to be made to the motorcycle, like removal of mirror, headlights, turn indicators, etc. Add this to safety wiring most parts and bolts, and you've essentially changed each bike from a street bike to a race bike. In drag racing a rider can ride in off the street, race, and return home on the same bike.
"We are looking forward to the release of BikerBoyz and see it as a way to reach new riders, promote safety, and hopefully save lives. Our circle of riders and members is so large that hopefully some will meet these newcomers on the street and welcome them into what we do." Cara says. "If they are out there, they will find us or someone will bring them in. That's what happened to me. "I have a great circle of friends, I'm working in the motorcycle racing business, and most of all, I'm alive." I can't ask for much more, and I have AMA/Prostar to thank.
With a large network of organized events, a training partnership with drag racing schools, a points program, and lots of money available for cash and awards, Prostar has been helping get these racers off the street since 1989. Prostar President and CEO Keith Kizer has a long heritage in professional motorcycle racing. He knows all too well the benefits a professional organization can do to create a safe atmosphere for these riders to enjoy the power these bikes are capable of.
"Although the BikerBoyz movie will bring a lot of attention to the urban culture street scene, and the sport of drag racing, we at AMA/Prostar certainly do not condone street racing, or the use of riding a motorcycle without a helmet and proper apparel. " says AMA/Prostar president Keith.S Kizer. "As Jim has indicated, we provide a safe environment for high performance motorcycles."
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Diego.
bigbikeworld.com ZX-11 dragbikes forum moderator!
GPz 750 turbo / ZX-11r
www.streetfighters.com.ar
   
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your car is slow
Needs a job
Fuck Nitrous...Got Boost?
Posts: 4089
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posted January 30, 2003 06:52 AM
wow...a zx12 and busa can run the 1/4 in under 9 seconds stock?
I need to go trade for a stock one :/
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Do not taunt happy fun ball!
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kawachan
Pro
Posts: 1031
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posted January 30, 2003 07:32 AM
Me too!! I've spent all that money and I'm stuck at 9.14 and only 152 right now!! Somebody ripped me off......hehe
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RED NINJAS RULE!!
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DR JOE
Expert Class
Posts: 352
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posted January 30, 2003 10:48 AM
They didn't tell you that's with a 12 year old kid that weights 76 pounds...
Thats how you do it....HAHAHAHAHA
It all starts tomorrow....Can't wait.
We have a bunch of us going to the 7:00 show and yes were ready for the Dirt Drags... A new ProStar event.......
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DR JOE
Expert Class
Posts: 352
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posted January 31, 2003 09:40 AM
Hey they are giving Motorcycle club private screening...
You can have the thearter to your self, just check with the place near you...
I found out on my local thearters web site...
DR JOE
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