Hugh Janus Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 American Flat Track’s newest class is called AdventureTrackers, and is open to large-displacement adventure bikes with engines of 1,000cc or more, like H-D’s Pan America 1250 Special. (Harley-Davidson /)If you already thought MotoAmerica’s King of the Baggers was an oddball series for a racing circuit environment, then get ready for another bee in your bonnet. We’re talking about adventure bike racing—a new AdventureTrackers racing series is coming our way very soon thanks to American Flat Track, an outfit that famously runs its competitions on unpaved dirt ovals. The official rule book and other details about the new series came out last week, telling us that AdventureTrackers will make its splashy debut as a featured attraction of AFT’s inaugural Sturgis TT event in the South Dakota city on August 11. Here’s what else we know.Triumph’s Tiger 1200 should do well in the class, though only the Explorer trim is available in the US for 2024. (Jeff Allen/)It began last December, with a paragraph buried at the bottom of an AMA Pro Racing press release about the inaugural Spirit of Sturgis TT, set to run during the 2024 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The organization explained that, in conjunction with the Spirit of Sturgis TT (now called just the Sturgis TT), there would also be another unique contest; the AFT AdventureTrackers race. We were told that “this new category will introduce the latest production-based adventure bikes… and has sparked considerable interest among manufacturers,” but no other details were forthcoming.With last week’s release, AMA Pro Racing announced the governing rules for the newest addition to the Progressive American Flat Track series. According to the American Flat Track website, the machines entered in AdventureTrackers must have engines over 1,000cc, and be production-based racebikes that remain as close to stock as possible. Unlike the heavily modified King of the Baggers racebikes, these race-prepped adventure machines must keep the stock OEM bodywork, engines, main frames, swingarms, fuel tanks, and more. The rules go on to say, “As adventure bikes are specifically designed to be supremely versatile machines, these rules have been constructed to showcase the inherent capabilities of the bikes when piloted by professional racers, all while minimizing costs.”(The list of items approved for modification is short too, with only things like slip-on mufflers, brake pads, air filters, and clutch assemblies allowed. For details, see the rule book.)KTM has two models that qualify—the 1290 Super Adventure and the 1390 Super Adventure. (Jeff Allen/)To put a finer point on it, AFT AdventureTrackers is a professional racing class for large-displacement adventure bikes with engine configurations of two, three, or four cylinders, over 1,000cc. As it stands, that includes a very impressive list of motorcycles spread out over nine manufacturers, all with somewhat similar power-to-weight ratios (minimum weight is set at 480 pounds):<a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-guide/2020-bmw-r-1250-gsadventure/">BMW R 1250 GS</a> and <a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-news/bmw-r-1300-gs-design-analysis/">BMW R 1300 GS</a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/ducati-multistrada-v4-rally-review/">Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally 1158</a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-reviews/2021-harley-davidson-pan-america-1250-special-first-ride-review/">Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250</a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-guide/2020-honda-crf1100l-africa-twin/">Honda Africa Twin 1100</a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-guide/2020-kawasaki-versys-1000-se-lt/">Kawasaki Versys 1000</a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-guide/2021-22-ktm-1290-super-adventure-r/">KTM 1290 Super Adventure</a> and <a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-news/semi-automatic-ktm-1390-super-adventure/">KTM 1390 Super Adventure</a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/bikes/suzuki-v-strom-1050de-first-look-2023/">Suzuki V-Strom 1050</a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/triumph-tiger-1200-first-ride-review/">Triumph Tiger 1200</a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-guide/2020-yamaha-super-tenere-es/">Yamaha Super Ténéré 1200</a>As for format, AMA Pro lists the following for AFT AdventureTrackers events:One practice session of five lapsTwo qualifying sessions of five laps eachTwo heats of 12 riders each, completing six laps per heatTop eight finishers in each heat transfering to the main event, which will consist of 16 riders going from a standing startIt looks like the Sturgis event is the only scheduled race on the calendar so far, but otherwise there’s no word on the type of course, terrain, surface, or its layout. (For example, the Sturgis TT will be run on the streets of downtown Sturgis.)Whether or not AdventureTrackers draws eyeballs remains to be seen, but given the unexpected success of the King of the Baggers series, there’s reason to believe the sight of burly adventure bikes backing into the corners and coming out sliding sideways will endear flat-track fans to the ADV genre, which, we might add, is one of the fastest growing and fiercely competitive segments of the global motorcycle market.For more info, see americanflattrack.com/#news.Source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 More for Harley to dominate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 4 minutes ago, Buckster said: More for Harley to dominate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel le Moose Fondler Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 3 hours ago, Buckster said: More for Harley to dominate. Do you think the belt drive will hold up...lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 1 minute ago, Marcel le Moose Fondler said: Do you think the belt drive will hold up...lol. The Pan America has a chain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel le Moose Fondler Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 33 minutes ago, Buckster said: The Pan America has a chain. Since when...was at a dealer the other day...pretty sure I seen a belt.... Anyway I've always seen the Harley adventure bikes has a novelty...not a serious condendor to a true adventure bike...and they are ugly has hell... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 12 minutes ago, Marcel le Moose Fondler said: Since when...was at a dealer the other day...pretty sure I seen a belt.... Anyway I've always seen the Harley adventure bikes has a novelty...not a serious condendor to a true adventure bike...and they are ugly has hell... I always think of Robbie the Robot when I see one, although I never have outside of a dealership. I don't understand how they chose to mount the battery right down just under the front bash plate. Makes no sense to me in such a vulnerable position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 3 hours ago, Saul said: I always think of Robbie the Robot when I see one, although I never have outside of a dealership. I don't understand how they chose to mount the battery right down just under the front bash plate. Makes no sense to me in such a vulnerable position. People buy them as tourers just like all the big adv bikes, few take them into any serious terrain. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 14 minutes ago, Buckster said: People buy them as tourers just like all the big adv bikes, few take them into any serious terrain. I understand that but still seems an unlikely and vulnerable place to put a battery, and you have to admit they do look like Robbie the Robots pet. Mind you Freddie Dobbs likes them so what do I know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 15 minutes ago, Saul said: I understand that but still seems an unlikely and vulnerable place to put a battery, and you have to admit they do look like Robbie the Robots pet. Mind you Freddie Dobbs likes them so what do I know Everyone likes Robbie the robot, so that’s fine. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boboneleg Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 28 minutes ago, Buckster said: Everyone likes Robbie the robot, so that’s fine. Too right As a kid I used to wander around the school playground flailing my arms around and shouting ''warning Will Robinson, aliens approaching'' 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 2 minutes ago, boboneleg said: Too right As a kid I used to wander around the school playground flailing my arms around and shouting ''warning Will Robinson, aliens approaching'' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boboneleg Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 I still do it now if I've had one too many sherberts 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 Wasn't that Robot call Mobius or something. Definitely relatives though, and Marcels cousins 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boboneleg Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 4 minutes ago, Saul said: Wasn't that Robot call Mobius or something. Definitely relatives though, and Marcels cousins This is how i remember him , top actor in 'Lost in Space' 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 2 minutes ago, boboneleg said: This is how i remember him , top actor in 'Lost in Space' That's Robbie from the Forbidden Planet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boboneleg Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 Nah, that's Robbie from Lost in Space ........... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robot_(Lost_in_Space)#:~:text=The Robot was performed by Bob May in,narrator%2C and Jorge Arvizu for the Spanish dubbing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 2 minutes ago, boboneleg said: Nah, that's Robbie from Lost in Space ........... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robot_(Lost_in_Space)#:~:text=The Robot was performed by Bob May in,narrator%2C and Jorge Arvizu for the Spanish dubbing. Mate look at your own link that shows Mobius with Dr Smith in the side caption. Are you on the sauce by any chance 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 Just read the caption both of those robots were in Lost In Space, you were right. Both made by the same guy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel le Moose Fondler Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 Wow....and now you have nerve to say my threads are weird...started with adventure bike...and now...a fucking toy robot....? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 1 minute ago, Marcel le Moose Fondler said: Wow....and now you have nerve to say my threads are weird...started with adventure bike...and now...a fucking toy robot....? Sauce for you Sauce for us. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boboneleg Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 2 minutes ago, Marcel le Moose Fondler said: and now...a fucking toy robot....? You silly man , he was real ........................ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel le Moose Fondler Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 55 minutes ago, boboneleg said: Too right As a kid I used to wander around the school playground flailing my arms around and shouting ''warning Will Robinson, aliens approaching'' Think I understand now why you lost a leg... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel le Moose Fondler Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 9 hours ago, Buckster said: More for Harley to dominate. Can we get back on the subject...toy robot FFS ! Will these be full on factory sponsor riders or just amateur ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boboneleg Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 Yes , get back to the subject whatever that may be .............. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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