Trap speed

In drag racing, trap speed is the speed measured as the bike passes through the timing 'trap' at the end of the strip, usually over the last few metres before the finish of a quarter-mile (about 402 m) or an eighth-mile run.

Elapsed time (ET) shows how quickly the bike covered the distance, which depends heavily on the launch and the rider. Trap speed depends more on the engine's power and the bike's weight and aerodynamics, so tuners use it to judge whether modifications have added power.

A run with a strong trap speed but a slow ET usually points to a poor launch, wheelspin or a wheelie at the start rather than a lack of power.