Ray Price
1993, Industry
Those who were developing a strong, all motorcycle drag racing program in the east, would see great potential in a smiling young man from North Carolina: Ray Price. They witnessed the 4-cylinder Super Bikes blast upon the scene, dusting off the domain that had been the reserve of the Harleys. The young Carolinian stood out in the sea of rising suns, racing a 1966 stock displacement gas Sportster to records and National Championships, against great odds.
Two men named Harris and Strong, took Ray aside at the Atco, New Jersey track and presented him with their idea of a stock appearing Harley-Davidson, with a large rear tire in the mold of a "Funny Car" that would run nitro and humble the 4-cylinder machines in match races. Years earlier Ray had begun to use Bart Markel's discarded road race slicks. Amid comments "They won't work!", Ray used tire technology to make his small Sportster the Street Modified Champion.
The slick led to Ray being one of the first persons to use a wheelie bar, as the increased traction lifted his bike off the line. The rigid wheelie bar led the way for Ray to use larger and larger rear tires. The large rear tire coupled to the stock bike was the key to the style of the first exhibition bike, THE FUNNY BIKE.
The diminutive machine with the explosive sound of the nitro fuel was an instant success as an exhibition bike. Wanting a more professional name than "Funny Bike", which like the Funny Car name was one derived from spectators. The Ray Price machine began the Pro Fuel class and competed in Super Eliminator. The bike, as a Pro Fuel Machine featured fuel injection, 2-speed automatic transmission and was in a 64 inch wheel base frame.
The most significant part to be developed by Ray Price, as he built the Funny Bike, was the 2-speed transmission. Ray, with the help of John Gregory, developed his own 2-speed automatic transmission. It was lightweight and easily hidden in the stock Sportster cases. A testament to this transmission; it became the standard for the motorcycle drag racing industry.
The first bike to run over 200 MPH in a quarter mile used a Ray Price 2-speed transmission. The bike was a short wheel-based 64" Sportster with an extra large rear tire and fake shocks. The "Funny Bike" became a tremendous crowd pleaser.
Wally Parks, president of the NHRA, at a meeting to determine the motorcycles classes that would be invited to take part in selected NHRA National events throughout the U.S., asked Ray for his input. Parks accepted Ray's suggestion that the "Funny Bike" class be included and compete under that name.
Price's accomplishments had caught the attention of Dick O'Brien, head of the racing department at Harley-Davidson. Ray became the first drag racer to be sponsored by the factory. The extraordinary amount of power his machine generated led Ray to develop several types of bottom ends that would handle the output. It is in use today in the EVO engines.
A measure of Ray Price's popularity can be seen in his final appearance at the NHRA National. Ray, who was supported primarily by his Performance Cycle Shop in Raleigh, North Carolina, was in the process of becoming the Raleigh Harley dealer in 1981. The event was the Spring Nationals held at the super facility at Maple Grove, Pennsylvania. Over 30 Funny Bikes were on hand trying to make the 16 bike field. Their performance level was already reaching that of the Top Fuel Machines. Ray was attempting to be the only Harley-Davidson in the field. On this evening, 23,000 people waited to see if Ray could get his little bike into the field. They chanted "Ray! Ray!" collectively trying to give him the added power to qualify the bike that had invented the class.
That was the last time Ray competed professionally as he turned his attention to having an excellent Harley-Davidson shop. It was his intention to return to drag racing, but he was always involved with giving back to motorcycling much of the fun he had over the years. He put the same kind of inventiveness, commitment to excellence, and drive that took him to national wins, towards the Carolina Dealers Association events, his customers and supporting drag races as well as drag events.
The Funny Bike class that he invented evolved into the premiere class in the IDBA. The machines are among the quickest and fastest motorcycles in the world with ET's in the 6:80's and speeds over 210 MPH.
The friendly nature and competitive spirit of Ray Price has always made him a favorite with the spectators, and it holds true today.
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