There are some bikes thats just ment to be for flat track and one of the most iconic ones are the Harley-Davidson XR750. From the beginning of the 1970’s until last year the bike kept winning and if they didn’t had stopped manufacturing the engines and changed the rules for purpose built bikes this master piece would probably kept being competitive in flat track.
From the beginning, 1970, Harleys XR basically was a rebuilt Ironhead Sportster, but the iron heads didn´t handle the heat built up in the engine when racing with full rpm and just two years after the first XR’s they introduced the aluminum version of the bike and the success was immediate. So many of the great riders of American flat track has their successfull careers thanks to XR750 and it might sound like they produced the bike in huge amount, but its exactly the opposite. During the most productive years around 30 bikes left the race department of the Harley factory but a more avarage year 10-12 bikes where produced. From the start Harley built the whole bike but later on they only made the engine and transmission for any racer to put in their favorite chassi of choice.
Some of this iconic bikes made their way over the ocean and are to be found in Europe and we are happy to state that a handful of theese even reached our countrys. Whats even more cool is that we have not less than three of this flat track giants signed up for Viking Cup, We know about a few more, but non of them race ready. From Norway Peer Bakke entering only the Vetlanda round but in the first two Finnish rounds Conny Ivarsson from Sweden entering on his DuQouin-mile record holding XR and just a day ago Finnish rider Martti Mäki-Jouppila from Koskenkorva signed up with his 1972 HD XR750 a bike that is a very unique since its the first year with the aluminum-engine.
But story doesn’t end here cause during the early 1970’s both the english manufacturer and the Japanese started to get involved in the number one motor sport of America and both Yamaha and Honda left their forever footprint in the sport and from UK Norton was the race brand every anglofilian was aiming for. The wellknown chassi maker Ron Wood had from the start Norton engines in his bikes due to the power and speed. Later on Wood used Rotax-enginges due to the solid construction and the ability to get much more HP out of the engines. But back to the Norton some models got of course more popular and one of the most wanted one was the Norton Redline 820 cc. Several Real Deal bikes where based on that engine a few still used for vintage flat track in the States, but we have only seen a few in Europe and we are so happy to get one of thoose into Viking Cup From Jokela in Finland Janne Palokas signed up on his rare flat track thoroughbred. Vintage Real Deal is the class for race bikes from the 60’s and the 70’s. Many of them with a race history in USA and their way over the pond often reflects new owners with a huge interest and knowledge of this great era of flat track racing. So if you want a history lesson theese are the guys you should talk to. We do hope to se a bunch of this bikes on the starting line this year its a joy for both heart and soul.
Registration is officially closing today and tomorrow for the first two rounds, but the organizers never closes the door.
– We always try to keep the sign up door open as long as possible, and it would be so cool with more vintage bikes its always a pleasure watching them as well as listen to the sound of the past, they states.
So if you have a rare vintage racer, sign up and be part of what the bikes are ment for, speed and gravel.
