550 horsespower, 157 mph after 220 yards

When we saw the results from round six of the 2006 AMA Prostar Drag Racing Champs held at the weekend, we just had to mention them. Not that there’s anything technologically groundbreaking going on, just our continued amazement at what’s possible given a ten year-old engine, a turbocharger and a spot of engenuity. The Honda CBR 1100 XX started production in 1997 as the fastest street bike available at that time, and it still sells new for less than a Honda Jazz, despite the fact it produces 164 horsepower, will touch 180 mph on a long straight road with a tail wind, and cuts a quarter mile in 10.3 seconds. On the weekend, riding a modified CBR1100XX, Kent Stotz equalled the Pro Street ET record of 7.33 ET and set an official 1/8-mile top speed class record of 157.90 mph. For the jargon uninitiated, that means he was travelling at 157 mph after just 220 yards. How much power does the bike produce from its 1137 cc motor? More than 550-plus horsepower.

Stotz was enthusiastic about the performance of his turbocharged, 550-plus horsepower Honda Rider’s Club of America-sponsored Honda but is actually looking forward to next year. “It’s no secret that we are developing the Honda CBR1000RR to win this class in 2007.”

Stotz Racing is at the forefront of street tire motorcycle drag racing in America. Formed by renowned motorcycle drag racer Kent Stotz in 1995, Stotz Racing earned AMA Prostar Street Bike Shootout titles in 1995, 1998, 2001 and 2002. In 2004, Stotz Racing’s turbocharged Honda CBR1100XX became the first Street Bike to set the 200 mph record (7.25 seconds at 200.49 mph). Stotz currently holds the ET record in the Pro Street class at 7.335 seconds. Sponsored by the Honda Rider’s Club of America, Stotz Racing is also the record holder of the AMA Prostar Horsepower Challenge in the Import V-Twin Cruiser Open class on a Honda VTX1800.