Doug Lidgett, one of the motorcycle drag racers out of Calgary, races nitro Harleys. His bike was built in 2009 by Andy Beauchemin from Sherwood Park, Alberta who has been building and racing bikes for 22 years, says Lidgett.
In his second season with the bike, Lidgett campaigns the dragster all over western Canada and the U.S. He's raced in Saskatoon, Montana, Yorkton, Gimli, Man. this summer. "We kind of bring these bikes to tracks that don't get a chance to see these type of bikes," he points out.
He says he enjoys racing with the car guys. "It's a different group of people. It's a lot more fun, a lot less politics. It's been good, the races we've done already this year," he states.
His drag bike is powered by a Harley design pushrod V-twin engine. "As far as parts wise, there's nothing really Harley on it except for the look of it," Lidgett admits. The 150 cubic inch engine cranks out about 750 to 800 horsepower, he notes.
He's ridden as fast as 189 miles per hour in 7.60 seconds in a quarter mile. "These bikes have the potential on good tracks with good air to run over 200 miles an hour in the high six second passes all day long," he claims.
