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.
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 for the custom scene, because the looser the rules are, the more creative builders can get. Christian Reier get his kicks on this rowdy Ducati Monster flat tracker. The 2001-model 900 i.e. might…
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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 was a time when Harley was facing a tough challenge from Triumph, and the Japanese manufacturers were on the rise too. The racing was fierce and the bikes were good looking. This (almost)…
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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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This week’s custom motorcycles come in all shapes and sizes—from a pint-sized flat tracker, to a stylish BMW R18. Plus we take…
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Forty years ago, Yamaha made a brief foray into the flat track scene in the States with its XV750 race bike. Like…
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