2006 Billings Hillclimb The 88th Annual Miller Lite Great American Hillclimb Championship Part 3

Some of these crashes are unique for dirt bikes, but that's what happens when you combine massive amounts of horsepower and traction.

In some cases, the heavy weight of these custom bikes can help get the riders over the hill, but when things go bad, they can maginfy the problems.

Many of these crashes are the result of the bikes hitting the cliffs and loading into them. The traction is changed by the heavy load on the rear tire and the change from dirt to rock. Riders that are not prepared for the massive change... well, they make for some great photos.

PART 3 OF 4

Dean Dahl runs into trouble.	These homemade bikes can weigh up to 350 pounds.
That kind of weight can be hard to handle,	and hard for the catchers to catch.
And if they do start to fall,	these custom bikes
can have sharp edges -	Not a comforting thought
at a moment like this.
Chad Muheim is gone	right as he hits the cliff face.
Once it hooked	the bike said,
"See ya!"
This cliff is 2/3 of the way up the hill.	Still, 24/112 in the 251cc-700cc unlimited class made it over.
This is not one of the 24.	Chuck Dubell III overcame this big wheelie and finished tenth.
Sometimes there are fewer riders in the 601cc rubber tire class because it's hard to build these bikes under the 66" requirement.	Nate Sayler's bike almost comes all the way back around.
This chute on the big bike hill	has a shorter cliff section,
but can still cause	big problems.
	Chad Lorenz' crash
wouldn't have been so bad	except for when
his hand got stuck	in the front wheel.
	Matthew Coleman
actually saved this.	He reached the top
on both of his runs.	This near-crash
only cost him	one second.
Tad Chenoweth	got close to the top
at 362 feet	on a 400 foot hill.
This final, tricky cliff	ended his chances
at reaching the top.	Davey Johnston
gets his custom CR500/Suzuki 1000cc twin	out of a huge swap,
but couldn't keep momentum...	wheelied...
and set it down, relatively gently, right after this photo was taken.