FlatNine: A BMW R nineT tracker from VTR
With five different models in the range, there’s a BMW R nineT to suit most tastes—from the cafe-styled Racer to the classic…
Read more »Flat Track
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.
In Too Deep: A KTM Supermoto flat tracker by Hombrese
Customizing your own bike is a one-way ticket down a very deep rabbit hole. Make just one change, and soon you’ll have…
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Ice Blue Racer: A Fantic Caballero destined for flat tracks
If you live outside Europe, one of the most interesting bikes you can’t buy is the Fantic Caballero Flat Track 500. The…
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Flat Out: Jillian Deschenes’ Royal Enfield flat tracker
Minnesota native Jillian Deschenes is not a pro custom motorcycle builder: from Monday to Friday, she’s a hospice nurse in the suburbs…
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A KTM 450 flat tracker built for a Dakar Rally racer
If you’re a custom builder, one of the most difficult briefs is for a race bike. No matter the genre or discipline…
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Custom Bikes Of The Week: 23 February, 2020
A classic Triumph flat tracker from the race director of the Wheels & Waves festival, a Virago influenced by 90s Japanese import…
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Built Under Pressure: HardNine’s Harley XLCR tracker
Building a custom bike is often beset with difficulties: there can be unreasonable client demands, unforeseen technical issues, cashflow problems, and in…
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El Trasplante: A Yamaha XT 600 with Bultaco bodywork
Lots of people build a bike with the sole purpose of thrashing it. But it’s usually a ‘beater,’ with very little time…
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Out of the blue: A Triumph Trackmaster hiding in Germany
In a world where everyone is screaming for attention, Heinz Lange is an enigma. He has no catchy workshop name, no website…
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‘Twins FT’: A Royal Enfield x Harris flat tracker
Four years ago Eicher Motors, the owner of Royal Enfield, bought the famous British company Harris Performance. Since the 1970s, Harris has…
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Hasty Flaming Buffalo! An Indian Scout from Luuc Muis
When Indian delivered a new Scout Bobber to young Dutch designer Luuc Muis, there was a catch: he had just 20 weeks…
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Quiet Riot: A Zero FX flat tracker built by a clay sculptor
Truly great motorcycle design requires a human touch. That’s why, in a world of digital design and 3D rendering, traditional crafts are…
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