Running deep into the single digits at the drag strip on four wheels is a feat, but doing it on two wheels is a totally electrifying experience. That’s especially the case when you’re riding a highly modified version of a production motorcycle without any wheelie bars. But it doesn’t even phase motorcycle drag racing star Joey Gladstone, who recently set a new record for wheelie bar-less bikes when he went a 6.50 at over 227 mph, becoming the quickest man on a bike without wheelie bars.
Gladstone is no stranger to going fast on a Suzuki Hayabusa and going rounds in either the MIRock series or the Manufacturers Cup. At the 2014 Mancup Finals at SGMP last weekend, Gladstone entered the always wild Pro Open class. The heads-up Pro Open class allows competitors to run virtually any power adder, all motor, or even 100% nitro if you’re running an injected setup, all with no minimum weight requirement. It’s essentially the popular Pro Street class on steroids, and with all of this mixed together, leads to two-wheel mayhem deep into the six-second zone with ultra-tight racing.
During qualifying, Gladstone nailed down the second spot with a 6.71 elapsed time with a booming speed of 224 mph. As eliminations progressed Gladstone just got quicker, running a 6.62 in round one on his boosted bike on his way to a series of low 6.50 passes, including a 6.55 and a 6.51. In the final Gladstone turned the bike up to kill and reset his own record from earlier in eliminations, running the magical 6.50 without the aid of wheelie bars.
Video credit: DragBike.com