Several types of motorcycles can be called ‘trackers.’ The original is the board tracker, named after the machines that raced on board tracks in the USA in the 1910s and 1920s.
In the 1930s, as the board tracks faded away, flat track racers appeared: street bikes modified to race on dirt or clay ovals. Past icons include the Harley-Davidson XR-750, but others include flat trackers from BSA, Norton and Triumph. This style is still popular today, with interest spurred by an intense rivalry between Harley-Davidson and Indian.
Flat track motorcycles (or dirt trackers, as they are sometimes known) do not have front brakes, but the slimmed-down style has been copied by builders of ‘street tracker’ customs.
Alex Winkler wears many hats. By day he’s an industrial mechanic—but by night, he puts those skills to work in his home garage, restoring and rebuilding vintage bikes. When the weekend rolls around, Alex wheels his creations out of the garage and goes racing. While we can all appreciate a no-expense-spared showroom build, there’s something…
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If you fancy yourself a romantic, consider this: have you ever built a custom motorcycle for your significant other? Uwe Kostrewa has, and it’s an absolute peach. We all know Uwe as the guy behind Hombrese Bikes in Cologne, Germany. His style is distinct; if it’s a flat tracker or scrambler with a charming retro…
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We’re shaking things up this week, by dropping our weekly round-up on a Saturday. Feast your eyes on a mean XJR1300 from Romania, a zesty Dominator flat tracker from Germany, and a short film featuring Untitled’s Zero XP. But first, a look at Switch’s final, production-ready eScrambler electric bike.
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Many vintage motorcycles that get restored often end up as showpieces—ridden seldom, if at all, for fear that something might break. But if you had a bonafide classic Triumph Trackmaster in your garage, could you really leave it parked? Gareth Howes says “no.” He’s the owner of this 1970 Triumph Trackmaster, and believes bikes should…
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Flat track racing covers a whole spectrum of participation levels—from pro leagues to grassroots ‘run what ya brung’ events. And that’s great…
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If pushed to pick a golden age for flat track, most folks would suggest the late 60s to the early 70s. It…
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There are a handful of classics out there that look amazingly ‘right.’ In that category, we’d put machines like the Norton Manx,…
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Uwe Ehinger describes himself as a ‘motorcycle archaeologist,’ and the description is apt. He knows where to find the most obscure parts,…
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It’s all about nostalgia this week, with a special Brough Superior SS100, a new exhibition at the Petersen Automotive Museum, and a…
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We love Royal Enfield North America’s Build. Train. Race. program for two reasons: it shines the spotlight on women in motorcycling, and…
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Triumph France is about to throw the wraps off a new custom build-off contest for dealers, and we’ve got a sneak peek…
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One of the raddest things about electric motorcycles is their ability to spark imagination. The possibilities are endless when you’re piecing together…
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