Super-cool Flat Tracker inspired by a race legend
Motorcycle competition in the US during the 19070s and early 80s was dominated by a type of racing much less familiar to us on this side of the Atlantic.
At first glance, flat-track racing looks like speedway, with most events taking place on oval dirt tacks.
However the crucial difference is that the bikes used for flat-track have front and rear suspension – and rear brakes, allowing for a completely different cornering technique compared to speedway.
The Flat Track Series, sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association, covered five disciplines including the mile, the half-mile, short track (typically a quarter-mile), the TT Steeplechase (an irregular shaped course, with a jump) and the road race (actually not on roads, but on purpose-built tacks such as the Daytona 200).
The style of riding – sliding the rear wheel round corners, nowadays known as drifting – meant that a number of US flat-track racers went on to international success in the MotoGP world, including Kenny Roberts, Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey.
The advent of traction control, which limited rear-wheel sliding later reduced the advantage the flat trackers had enjoyed.
All of which brings us to a quiet market town in Cambridgeshire.
How so?
Well, Huntingdon is the home of the Herald Motor Company, creator of unique 125cc and 250cc motorcycles, the latest custom version of which is called the Flat Tracker.
I am happy to say, the firm has come on leaps and bounds since I first tested it’s original and excellent Classic 125 in 2014.
The line-up now includes a Classic 250 and a Cafe Racer 250 – featuring a four-stroke single-cylinder air-cooled motor.
The bikes are built in China and then upgraded for the British market.
And, more recently, Herald has been producing custom versions based on the 250.
The firm will also create customs with input from customers.
The Flat Tracker certainly looks the part.
The yellow-and-black colour scheme is based on a flat tracker that Ducati made for Australian former World Superbike champion and MotoGP star Troy Bayliss when he was racing for them.
The bike bears his signature and his race number.
It is also reminiscent of Yamaha’s US racing livery.
HMC’s senior engineer Martin Carter told Mirror Motorcycling: “We wanted to demonstrate that you don’t have to spend a fortune to build a custom bike.”
As to the inspiration taken from the Bayliss machine , Martin says simply: I just liked the look of it.”
The bike is pared down and minimalist – no front mudguard, no mirrors.
Like HMC’s other customs, upgrades include SBS brake pads, NGK spark plugs, a HiFlow filter and Venhill braided lines.
The front brake cylinder is taken from a Herald scooter and there’s a quick-action throttle and footpegs from a motocross bike.
The wide, upswept bars are custom made and the lovely seat is from the Redmax Speed Shop.
I loved the Flat Tracker.
The aesthetics and jumping on board took me straight back to my youth when I used to go to watch dirt-track racing on a Sunday afternoon.
Making 21bhp, it’s not going to blow your socks off, but that is irrelevant.
It’s an absolute joy to ride – light (130kg), agile and responsive.
It handles surprisingly well and braking, with front and rear single discs, is more than adequate – I just kept wanting to put my boot on the floor every time I went round a bend.
This is old-skool riding at it’s best – simple and fun.
And the sound from that 250 single, especially the pop when you close the throttle - magic.