HB: You have two patents, we understand. And you created the wheelie bar. Is that one of your patents?RP: I wasn't the first guy; I was one of the first guys. We had conversations for a few months about how we needed something to hold the frontend down. As we tried to go quicker, the acceleration got to the point where the frontend just wouldn't stay down. If you could spin the tire just right, and you could bring the clutch in just right, and you could make the pass with the front tire just 4 or 6 inches off the ground about halfway down the track, and then you could set the front wheel down, it was a successful run. The problem was that you weren't consistent. If the conditions were right, you could make a good run. And then the next run you had to shut the thing off because it was trying to wheelie over backward. We had some pretty scary moments where it would get up pretty high. A couple of guys wrecked like that. So we came up with something to hold the frontend down. And so there were three or four of us who came up with ideas. One guy used leaf springs like from cars. I built one out of tubing, and it was much lighter and did the job. Wheelie bars of that time-we made them about 3 or 4 feet long, for fear that if we made them too long, they'd act like a wheel out there and make the bike mishandle. Well, soon we realized that the longer we made them, the better they worked.
So I was one of the first guys to make it work successfully, [but] I don't claim to be the inventor. I claim to be the guy who developed it and got it working the best.
HB: What about this patented racing transmission? We understand you have several patents.RP: Yeah, I do. The transmission, I have a patent on it. I have copyright papers on the specific design. It's a two-speed setup where it stays in mesh all the time. It's more like an automotive automatic transmission. I built a number of units like that, and then afterward some other people started building them. You know, when you have patents, a guy has to only change a few things, and then your patent's not valid. But mine has probably been one of the most successful ones.
HB: So you have engineering patents, you've drag-raced for more than 30 years. You're in two Halls of Fame. You have one of the country's largest Harley-Davidson dealerships. And [last October] the city of Raleigh honored you with a motorcycle rally with your name on it. Tell us about that.RP: Well, I've been in the Raleigh area ever since I've been in business-since August 1973. We have a lot of charity rides, special events [in the dealership], and a lot of things that help the unfortunate-sometimes two or thee times a month, and most everything is for charity. We have the only Harley Owners Group that auctions a motorcycle every year, and the proceeds go to the different charities. It's a great honor. It's really special for us for that they're doing that in my name.
HB: It's been an extreme pleasure talking with you. Is there anything else you want to add?RP: To leave it, I really want to include as much as I can about Samson. They really have done a lot for me, and they're real excited-Nick Trumbo and his wife, and Kenny Price, the owner, his daughter, Rachel. All of those people-I've done business with them, and they're such nice people. The support they've given us says something special to me.