Speed Read, July 4 2021
It’s all about nostalgia this week, with a special Brough Superior SS100, a new exhibition at the Petersen Automotive Museum, and a…
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.
Build. Train. Race.: Three killer Royal Enfield race bikes
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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The Contender: Triumph Limoges’ Speed Twin flat tracker
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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Circuit breaker: An Italian electric board tracker build
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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Speed Read, 9 May 2021
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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Tokyo Drifter: A Yamaha XV750 street tracker from Japan
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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Dream Team: An eye-popping Ducati Scrambler flat tracker
Paint is the last thing that happens on a custom job, but it’s the first thing that people notice. And the livery…
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Speed Read, 28 March 2021
The next phase of Triumph’s electric motorcycle project broke cover this week. Plus we look at a tasty Yamaha RD400 restomod, and…
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Tool Time: A Yamaha SR500 built by a machine tool company
There’s nothing unusual about building a custom motorcycle with the primary purpose of taking it to a show. But what if the…
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Speed Read, 7 March 2021
We’re heavy on Bavaria this week, with a blacked-out BMW R18 from Harley specialist MB Cycles and a flat track-inspired R100 from…
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Triple Trouble: Krautmotors’ Kawasaki H1 flat tracker
The mythical Kawasaki H1 Mach III needs little introduction. The triple-cylinder 500 cc two-stroke made a splash when it hit the market…
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HooliGhana: A Super Hooligan racer builds a KTM drift bike
It’s been a challenging year for most people. But the restrictions that have come from the worldwide pandemic have sparked new forms…
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