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Flat Track Racing Mega Thread - INCLUDES SPOILERS!

KazMan said:
Also Triumph, Ducati, Kawasaki, Indian and now Yamaha involvement, helped to break the Harley, Harley, Harley blah blah blah perception.
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Having more factories involved means more opportunities for sure.

MA has Yamaha and Suzuki basically... not quite blah blah blah... but for sure part of the problem.
 
The big news in AFT's future with factories is KTM. They have been supporting Shayna Texter through Husky and Bromley won the Singles championship on a KTM. KTM are planning to offer a 450 singles FT race bike package that teams buy "Ready to Race" and they may even have their Twins racer debut by the end of the 2019 season. KTM never does anything half way so I expect a serious challenge to Indian, HD and Kawasaki in the Twins class.

With Smith/Howerton back on the Kawasaki and Briar (and Bronson) Bauman so strong at the end of 2018, don't expect a Mees steam roller next year. The 2nd of half of 2018 was great.
 
That KTM 790 motor looks like it was made for flat track. Seeing some really development of the Yamaha will be good too. As much of a Kawi fan as I am, the 270 crank of the Yamaha seems like it would be more inclined to get grip coming off the turns than the 180 crank of the Kawi.
 
flying_hun said:
That KTM 790 motor looks like it was made for flat track. Seeing some really development of the Yamaha will be good too. As much of a Kawi fan as I am, the 270 crank of the Yamaha seems like it would be more inclined to get grip coming off the turns than the 180 crank of the Kawi.
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thx for the take (& Qs) RE: crank timing

I wonder if archived data developed for Honda 250/305, Tri/BSA/Nor/Yam 650/750 parallel twins would be usefully applied to current Yam/Kaw/KTM machines?
 
firstbuell said:
thx for the take (& Qs) RE: crank timing

I wonder if archived data developed for Honda 250/305, Tri/BSA/Nor/Yam 650/750 parallel twins would be usefully applied to current Yam/Kaw/KTM machines?
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Good question. Based on what I understand about crank timing and grip, I would think a 180 would be better than a 360, and a 270 would be better than a 180, but I could be wrong.
 
AFT Competition

I think the Indian will continue to win on miles and half miles. It's a good all around machine. Fortunately AFT is getting a better schedule with a better variety of tracks. A good balance with now 5 TT's, several short tracks, 1/2 miles and miles. That should do the best to give other OEM's a chance at a championship or podiums. But at last glance, there are lots of those scouts headed to the grid.

The new production twins class should be interesting.
 
NCSM said:
I think the Indian will continue to win on miles and half miles. It's a good all around machine. Fortunately AFT is getting a better schedule with a better variety of tracks. A good balance with now 5 TT's, several short tracks, 1/2 miles and miles. That should do the best to give other OEM's a chance at a championship or podiums. But at last glance, there are lots of those scouts headed to the grid.

The new production twins class should be interesting.
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May not run great on the miles with the new rules. Looks like AFT is doing to Indian what the AMA did to Honda when they were winning. And then Honda pulled out of flat track racing. :mad


From Cycle News:
"We take serious issue with the third rule change – allowing production engines to increase from 38mm throttle bodies to 40mm. This rule excludes Indian Motorcycle Racing, because the Scout FTR750 is not a street legal production motorcycle. Not only does the rule singularly handicap Indian Motorcycle, it represents a significant impairment of our ability to compete on an equal level with every other team in the paddock, specifically on mile tracks."
 
bikeama said:
May not run great on the miles with the new rules. Looks like AFT is doing to Indian what the AMA did to Honda when they were winning. And then Honda pulled out of flat track racing. :mad


From Cycle News:
"We take serious issue with the third rule change – allowing production engines to increase from 38mm throttle bodies to 40mm. This rule excludes Indian Motorcycle Racing, because the Scout FTR750 is not a street legal production motorcycle. Not only does the rule singularly handicap Indian Motorcycle, it represents a significant impairment of our ability to compete on an equal level with every other team in the paddock, specifically on mile tracks."
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As someone who still pines for the days of "class c", this does not bother me too much. This is a race only motor, and I expect that it benefits substantially compared to production based motors. Doing something to level the playing field a bit seems like a it will be good for the sport.
 
Remember the XR750s had restricted intake size for several seasons while the Kawasakis were developed. This is not really comparable to the supposed mistreatment of Honda by the AMA in the '80s. As the Hun said, they are leveling the field of race engines vs. production. Hell, maybe the Indians can make full race distance on a cushion mile now. :toothless
 
Vance and Hines makes DOHC heads for the HD XG750, not sure anyone can buy them. Not sure how that is production.

Now if Indian put the FRT750 motor in a light frame and make it street legal I will buy one to help them out.:teeth
 
Read the whole rule book. The XG750R can run a race only engine which is what they are doing.
 
Map8 said:
Read the whole rule book. The XG750R can run a race only engine which is what they are doing.
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Reading below will the XG also be limited to 38mm throttle bodies? it is a race only engine. I am not sure, but not fair is they can run 40mm throttle bodies.

"We take serious issue with the third rule change – allowing production engines to increase from 38mm throttle bodies to 40mm. This rule excludes Indian Motorcycle Racing, because the Scout FTR750 is not a street legal production motorcycle. Not only does the rule singularly handicap Indian Motorcycle, it represents a significant impairment of our ability to compete on an equal level with every other team in the paddock, specifically on mile tracks."
 
Why don't we wait to find out if the XG will be restricted before jumping to conclusions? Indian got some breaks in the rules to build the FTR and its been good for the series. Its possible AFT knows what they are doing.
 
Indian Motorcycle Racing Announces 2019 American Flat Track Factory Team

Briar Bauman & Bronson Bauman to Join Mees on the Indian Motorcycle Wrecking Crew;

Brad “The Bullet” Baker Joins Factory Team as Technical Advisor & Rider Coach

Pretty cool to see the Bros join Mees. Briar really stepped up this year and should do well.
 
That is great news about the Baumans on the same team. More BB+BB podiums in 2019.
 
Glad to see Indian doing something for Baker. :thumbup
 
budman said:
Indian Motorcycle Racing Announces 2019 American Flat Track Factory Team

Briar Bauman & Bronson Bauman to Join Mees on the Indian Motorcycle Wrecking Crew;

Brad “The Bullet” Baker Joins Factory Team as Technical Advisor & Rider Coach

Pretty cool to see the Bros join Mees. Briar really stepped up this year and should do well.
Click to expand...


moar deets:

".....Team operations for Briar and Bronson will be conducted by Paul Langley and S&S, while Dave Zanotti will serve as crew chief. Michelle DiSalvo has signed on as Briar’s mechanic, while Bronson’s mechanic will be named at a later date....."


https://www.cyclenews.com/2018/11/article/indian-motorcycle-racing-announces-2019-aft-team/
 
An interesting take on the AFT rule changes for 2019 that have Indian complaining.

There's a big aha moment part way through that addresses something I had not known before now.

Vis-à-vis the throttle-body rule that has Indian on the war path, Lock pointed out that the streetbike-based throttle bodies used by all the non-Indian teams close with a butterfly, while Indian’s FTR uses a guillotine-style throttle.

“We were strongly advised by the advisory group,” he said, “that we were not comparing apples to apples. If competitors were going to use the standard throttle bodies with a butterfly then a two mm increase would allow... the fairest and broadest competition.” That's because the butterfly creates some restriction, even when fully open.
Click to expand...
 
Map8 said:
That is great news about the Baumans on the same team. More BB+BB podiums in 2019.
Click to expand...


herez an informative, collegial BB-squared interview:

".....Bronson: I love him and hate him, you know? Typical brother deal. He’s older, and when you’re the younger sibling, you wanna be him. And you wanna beat him, too. I really do want to kick his ass this year [laughs]. We’re pretty close. And we’d gotten closer this past season. He’s helped me out a ton, and was in my corner.....

.....Briar: It’s funny, thinking back. Mid-season, I got a call from Indian, but they were after Bronson’s phone number, and not interested in me. Funny how things work out. Another thing I remember, from one of the Sturgis races, I think, in the Semi; Bronson was on the Indian, and he passed me. And I remember thinking, “Holy Cow, this ain’t right!”

Bronson: Ups and downs? Man, that’s an understatement for me. I had the lowest of the lows, and now, the highest of the highs. But that’s flat track racing for you. I’ll say it again: I’ve gone from the poorhouse to the penthouse! It’s all pretty exciting. I can’t wait for the season....."


http://www.americanflattrack.com/news/view/brothers-bauman
 
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