At the recent EICMA show in Milan, there was an interesting Triumph flat tracker on display. Based on the current Triumph twin, it has the look of a classic Triumph from years ago. After doing a bit of digging I found the Triumph folks over in Italy had commissioned this build for the show from Dino Romano of Drags & Racing Motorcycles – Grosseto (Tuscany). This flat tracker built in Italy just serves to increase my curiosity at the popularity of this type of racing motorcycle design in Europe and the presumed lack of interest here in the U.S. where flat track racing comes from. Maybe Harley Davidson is right to introduce their XR1200 in Europe instead of the U.S.
Checking out the Drags and Racing website I found he’s been doing a lot of custom builds and also some designed for actual racing in the Thruxton Cup. He’s done Harleys, a Buell and several Triumphs like the Speed Triple shown below but the flat tracker and the Thruxtons he’s done take a modern bike and give it a retro look. There’s a lot to be said for that, modern reliability and performance with a very cool classic appearance. Add some lights and a front brake and this flat tracker looks like it would be a great street tracker. I like it.
More photos and link below:
Phoebe says
Those rims are a bit too glitzy for my taste…if it had spokes I’d like it a lot more. Thumbs up, though! =)
Sean says
I’m with Phoebe. And does the Speedy look like someone’s been doing too many wheelstands?
taxman says
street trackers just don’t do it for me. i prefer the cafe look. but i can still appreciate a nice bike.
Blair says
That flat tracker’s so pretty I missed the bling wheels until these guys pointed it out.
OMMAG says
I’ve lived in or near rural areas for much of my adult life.
Gravel roads are the norm and a wide gravel road is the equivalent of a super highway in some parts. Even poor quality paved roads are a rarity in many rural regions.
My experience with bikes like the Yamaha 650 twins in these conditions is excellent and the limitations of the crotch rocket bikes become very apparent when the good pavement runs out.
I’ve never built a completely stripped down “Tracker”style bike … but the Yamaha with the right simple mods will reward you in ways that are hard to imagine unless you’ve tried it.
My ’74 has a 750kit and carb mods, clutch kit, 2 into one short header, short gears, fox shocks and a rebuilt fork, shorter bars, drilled disk, touring rubber and cut fenders.
When you can ride around guys in hot rodded compacts on roads that look like rally challenge courses you know you’ve got something good going on.
And the sound from that little hooker pipe really makes people sit up and take notice! Sweet music.
willie schmitz says
Beautiful show bike. To glitzie for a race bike but with lights and f. brake would be a great street tracker.
Glad to see some interest in the modern Triumph.
Jason Sherman says
Mate it’s a thing of beauty, does anyone know i you can purchase a frame?