The new-for-2017 Harley-Davidson Street Rod made its debut just a few months ago (see our First Ride Review HERE) as the Motor Company's sporty new middleweight standard, but this weekend the Rod steps up in class to race against the heavyweights in NHRA's Pro Stock Motorcycle class at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Elglishtown, NJ.
The Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines drag racing team has outfitted their drag bikes with all-new Street Rod-inspired bodywork for its quarter-mile assault at the NHRA Summer Nationals this weekend.
The new Street Rod competition bodywork was designed at the Harley-Davidson Design Studio in Milwaukee in collaboration with Vance & Hines Motorsport and was wind-tunnel tested in Indianapolis during its development. The new bodywork will be wrapped around an all-new chassis that team riders Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec will both be racing for the first time at Englishtown.
“We wanted to create a new body that would not only be competitive on the track but also embody the personality of the production Street Rod, which we think is a great tie in because they are both motorcycles with dynamic performance deeply rooted in their DNA,” said Brad Richards, Harley-Davidson Vice President of Styling & Design. “We particularly love the design of the fairing and the bobbed tail section because they truly identify the motorcycle. Whether it’s the race bike or the production bike, from 200 feet away you know it’s a Street Rod.”
The new Street Rod competition bodywork was designed at the Harley-Davidson Design Studio in Milwaukee in collaboration with Vance & Hines Motorsport and was wind-tunnel tested in Indianapolis during its development.
“When I was looking at the calendar and figured the debut would probably fall into Englishtown, it made me excited,” said Krawiec. “It’s exciting moving onto a new platform and going into a completely different motorcycle line. This bike is kind of their wave of the future and to be a part of that is pretty cool. We’re transitioning to a new model after racing with the V-Rod since 2002, and we feel good about bringing out into competition.”
The Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines team will campaign the new Street Rod drag bikes for the remainder of the 2017 NHRA Mello Yellow Drag Racing Series. Krawiec, a three-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion (2009, 2011-12) currently leads the series. Hines, a five-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion (2004-06, 2014-15) is third in the current season standings.
