AMA to Launch New Flat Track Series For Production Adventure Bikes
The AMA is to launch a new flat track series, which will feature near-stock adventure bikes, fighting it out on track
America already has the highly successful King of the Baggers (KOTB) series, and it’s looking to add another off-the-wall category to its racing roster, the AFT (American Flat Track) AdventureTrackers class.
Launching later this summer at the prestigious Sturgis TT, the new class will run alongside the existing classes, and no doubt provide the same level of fan engagement as the KOTB series has.
Unlike the Baggers though, which are highly modified and very focused racing machines, the new AdventureTrackers class will be keeping things closer to stock racing, with only light modifications allowed. On that front, the bikes must use the stock forks used on the production version, although the fork internals can be altered. Rear shock absorbers can be changed, although must be the same type (single or dual shock) as used on the stock road-going machine. Furthermore, on the suspension side, the linkage at the rear can be altered, which is important in flat track racing to give the bike the correct stance, although the attachment points to the swing arm must be as per the road-going bike.
The category will be open to twins, triples, and four-cylinder machines of at least 1,000cc, meaning that all of the current crop of large-capacity adventure bikes can take part. That means we could see Ducati Multistrada V4s taking on Triumph Tiger 1200s and Kawasaki Versys 1000s, which in itself would be a sight to behold! The engines of each must remain stock, with the only modifications allowed being the removal of the catalytic converter and the addition of a slip-on can.
The final two points are that the bikes taking part in the new series must weigh at least 218kg, and they have to run an as-yet-unnamed control tyre and a 19-inch front wheel.
Given how meteoric the KOTB racing series has been, it’ll be interesting to watch how this new AdventureTrackers class will progress. It’ll also be interesting to see if any other racing organisations look to the vastness of the ADV sector for more unusual motorsport options.
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
