Chuck Adam’s “Edgy One” Triumph Pre-Unit Drag Bike was a real head-turnin’ fuel-burner!

“Chuck Adams took full advantage of his ‘edge over the competition in building the ‘Edgy One,’ a very rapid 1/4-mile Triumph. His natural edge over the other speed boys is his experience. Chuck is 48 years old and has devoted a major portion of these years to building and racing all sorts of competition motorcycles. While 48 is far from being ‘old,’ it is quite a bit older than most of the other drag bike racers. Chuck took up drag racing in recent years as one of the few aspects of motorcycle competition that he had not explored.

His goal is, of course, superior performance and the route he took to reach that goal is increased piston displacement; an added 5 cubic inches. The big bore comes from barrels machined from steel and aluminum stock. The bore measure 2.976″. Sliding forcefully up and down, those large diameters are specially cast pistons by Jahns. They have offset wrist pins to reduce bearing and shaft load. 

As a fuel burner, the 45″ Triumph is subject to unusual wear and stress. To avoid damage to inserts and bearings, needle bearings have been fitted on the lower end. For highest volume RPM valves have been drilled and are hollow. Intake ports are 1 3/16″. Amal TT carbs are used. 

The “Edgy One” frame is Stock Triumph rigid, but front forks are from a Triumph Cub model. Real wheel is made-up of a Triumph hub with a Harley-Davidson rim carrying a 16″ Inglewood slick.

Providing mechanical assistance in the project is John Buckley. At every strip where the bike is entered,  Chuck and John are seen together up until it makes its run — then it’s Chuck all alone. Best performance to date is an elapsed time of 10.52 seconds. That’s flyin’!” ~1966 Cycle World magazine   

“Edgy One” Triumph motorcycle drag bike

“Edgy One” Triumph motorcycle drag bike

“Edgy One” Triumph drag bike owner-builder Chuck Adams with John Buckley

“Edgy One” Triumph drag bike owner-builder Chuck Adams

“I bought the bike from Chuck over 35 years ago and it stayed in storage until last year (2010) when I brought it out of my storage garage. Chuck had machined a 1000cc barrel for the bike with new forged true pistons. A lot of the engine parts Chuck had machined himself, the bike had evolved over a period of years from a real pristine street bike to a full-on Top Fueler. It is a beautiful example of an early style ’50s – ’60s Top Fuel bike, and it had also been a show bike for many years. It still wears the metal-flake blue paint job that Chuck had given it with “Edgy One” painted on the tanks. It is a great example of Hot Rod History, as I saw so many of these bikes run at Lions Drag strip in the ’60s. Clem Johnson, Borris Murray, Dick Rios, C.T.Christensen, Joe Smith, Russ Collins, so many other greats, it was a great period in those years with so many drag strips to run at.” 

~Daryl Plueger