Flat track action
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 751
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From: 500 miles south from Artic Circle
Flat track action
Here link to some old pictures, taken from flat track "open day" any bike will do....
http://www.nonamemc.fi/Kahinat05/index.htm
http://www.nonamemc.fi/Kahinat05/index.htm
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
Great shots Sepixlh! You say 'old shots'. How old are we talking about here?
I found every shot very interesting. It looks like most of the guys are getting around the track in pretty good order, considering it is anything but dry.
I assume that was in Finland?
There is certainly an interesting collection of equipment there! A lot of it I have never seen before, and some of it I think I have,..... but then I look again and am not so sure.
The 'red BSA' single with the rigid frame......... I know what an old BSA B-32, B-34, and DBD-34 BSA single looks like and I have owned and ridden many.
But this one looks like a B-33 lower end with a Harley Panhead and rocker cover on top of the cylinder. So I am puzzled just what this is? Am I seeing correctly, or has it been that many years since I last saw a BSA B-33?
I am really curious.
I assume some of the bikes with the springer front ends were running the track as well? The track looks to be a 3/8 mile or so. Looks shorter than a full half mile. I like the dude with the duct taped left boot! Ha-Ha, I know how he got that.
Many thanks again for the post........... pg
I found every shot very interesting. It looks like most of the guys are getting around the track in pretty good order, considering it is anything but dry.
I assume that was in Finland?
There is certainly an interesting collection of equipment there! A lot of it I have never seen before, and some of it I think I have,..... but then I look again and am not so sure.
The 'red BSA' single with the rigid frame......... I know what an old BSA B-32, B-34, and DBD-34 BSA single looks like and I have owned and ridden many.
But this one looks like a B-33 lower end with a Harley Panhead and rocker cover on top of the cylinder. So I am puzzled just what this is? Am I seeing correctly, or has it been that many years since I last saw a BSA B-33?
I am really curious.
I assume some of the bikes with the springer front ends were running the track as well? The track looks to be a 3/8 mile or so. Looks shorter than a full half mile. I like the dude with the duct taped left boot! Ha-Ha, I know how he got that.
Many thanks again for the post........... pg
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 751
Likes: 6
From: 500 miles south from Artic Circle
Pics are from year 2005, there is annual "open" dirt track race...
Pics from this years race from last weekend
http://www.auvo.kuvat.fi/kuvat/Motoc...nat_19.9.2009/
Amator video from last year race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je7txTdt8Yw
Pics from this years race from last weekend
http://www.auvo.kuvat.fi/kuvat/Motoc...nat_19.9.2009/
Amator video from last year race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je7txTdt8Yw
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
Thanks for the post Seppo! I loved it! The side car rigs are fantastic. Some have the car on the right and some on the left. Wonder which arrangement has the advantage?
In all my years of racing I have never seen one sidecar race...... ever.
Down in Australia they used to do a lot of sidecar racing from what I understand.
About half way through the You Tube video all of a sudden I see Speedway bikes appear. Those are fantastic machines. Weighing only about 275 lbs with 500cc engines, they can really get around a short track in a hurry.
I will say this..... you guys really have a great collection of equipment running the tracks. I wish we had the same here.......... pg
In all my years of racing I have never seen one sidecar race...... ever.
Down in Australia they used to do a lot of sidecar racing from what I understand.
About half way through the You Tube video all of a sudden I see Speedway bikes appear. Those are fantastic machines. Weighing only about 275 lbs with 500cc engines, they can really get around a short track in a hurry.
I will say this..... you guys really have a great collection of equipment running the tracks. I wish we had the same here.......... pg
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 751
Likes: 6
From: 500 miles south from Artic Circle
There is 3 differend "class" Speedway, Motocross, "Oldbangers" those sidecars were from motocross sidecar class bikes... MX? http://www.sidecarcross.com/
Last edited by sepixlh; Sep 22, 2009 at 12:13 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: texas
very cool pics.i noticed the duck tape shoe as well and it reminded me of my childhood haha. ok pinion how did he get that?
i cant beleive they are runnig some of those choppers around there as well.---looks like the kind ofplace i would like to live....except for that cold weather.
i cant beleive they are runnig some of those choppers around there as well.---looks like the kind ofplace i would like to live....except for that cold weather.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
very cool pics.i noticed the duck tape shoe as well and it reminded me of my childhood haha. ok pinion how did he get that?
i cant beleive they are runnig some of those choppers around there as well.---looks like the kind ofplace i would like to live....except for that cold weather.
i cant beleive they are runnig some of those choppers around there as well.---looks like the kind ofplace i would like to live....except for that cold weather.
OK, here is how I think he got that........
When riding an oval dirt track you need to be wearing what we always called a 'steel shoe' on the left foot.
This was a steel skid plate, flat on the bottom that allowed you to slide your foot as you made the corners in a broadslide. It acted like a third leg in a way.
I have seen skid shoes made out of a 1940 Ford bumper piece.
Since a steel shoe required some fancy workmanship to fabricate and welding was needed, a lot of guys never had them. They would use a boot with the heel removed, and various other ways.
A regular boot without a heel worked for a short time only and then the sole began to come apart. The natural fix was.........Duct tape!
Wrap the entire boot around with duct tape several times and it would hold it together for a surprising long time.
That is how I believe he got the duct tape.
Sepixlh's link lead me to some other links after I watched his.
There was a video called 'Harley Flat Track Racing' or something like that.
This was a short track (like 3/8 mile) and run at night. I do not know the location, but it had grand stands with lots of screaming spectators.
The race was beginning to start, but there were street bikes all over the track. Then it dawned on me that these were the racers
I had to watch the whole thing in dis-belief!
There must have been 12 to 15 bikes running and the leader going into the first turn was a Big Twin bagger burning all 3 headlights with his windshield and fiberglas saddlebags.
Every bike was burning bright headlights. At least the riders had helmets on, and that surprised me.
Back in 3rd place was a guy riding a modern Sportster. The amazing thing was the Sporty could not catch and pass the bagger. The bagger led the entire race, with the Sporty finally getting aroundthe 2nd place rider and the bagger on the last (or next to last) lap.
The Sporty rider came across for the checkered flag and rode around the track thumping his chest and raising his fist in the air! All the while the crowd going wild!
What a circus that was. PT Barnum could not have done better!
I guess the races had 'Amatuer Hour' for anyone wanting to ride a street bike around a few laps, as long as it was a Harley..........
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Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 751
Likes: 6
From: 500 miles south from Artic Circle
very cool pics.i noticed the duck tape shoe as well and it reminded me of my childhood haha. ok pinion how did he get that?
i cant beleive they are runnig some of those choppers around there as well.---looks like the kind ofplace i would like to live....except for that cold weather.
i cant beleive they are runnig some of those choppers around there as well.---looks like the kind ofplace i would like to live....except for that cold weather.
Coldest weather that I have driven by motorcycle is around - 15şF, not by harley... KTM endurobike.
Yep PG you are right about that "steelshoe"
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,134
Likes: 146
From: texas
i rode once in about 20 degrees on a ninja trying to get tto work.i didnt make it i came back home.i looked and felt like a frozen log....
looks like you have seen the world sepixh....someday maybe i will see some of it too..
i never knew that about the shoe.i guess you could start with a steel toe and weld from there..
looks like you have seen the world sepixh....someday maybe i will see some of it too..
i never knew that about the shoe.i guess you could start with a steel toe and weld from there..