Dopey Question - What Constitutes a Boardtracker?

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Mr_Christopher

Mr_Christopher

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Ok, so far all my bike "builds" have been simple vintage road bikes that I transform into something much cooler than their original state. So now I keep looking at bikes here that are called "board trackers" and I'm seeing a project like this in my future. I'm a sucker for anything with moustache style bars. My question is what exactly is the definition of a board tracker? Thanks!

Chris
 
harley-davidson_jdca_board-track_racer.jpeg
 
From what I understand it was some pretty dangerous stuff and wasn't uncommon for people to die in these races quite regularly.
 
My question is what exactly is the definition of a board tracker?
Click to expand...

To me its a bike influenced by the old board track motorbikes, the key distinguishing feature being the downswept bars (in much the same way extended forks are the hallmark of a 'chopper' bike). Now to me, beyond that its up to the bike builder what kind of 'look' they want for their boardtracker bike, which is all part of the fun :wink: 8) Theres awesome examples on here of bikes based on modern cruisers, vintage bikes, even motor'd bikes.

If you're into simple vintage road bikes, you might like these from the ratrodbikes gallery:
sactfinished001-1.jpg

100_2554.jpg
 
the elgin is sensor's build off bike and that bike oozes boardtracker. as far as i know a lot of original motorcycle boardtrackers had no brakes, no clutch and i think some just had a venturi not even a carb so they were wide open. and yea it was super dangerous wood track made out of boards (hence the name) at over 100 MPH. i think they stoped the racing when there was a really bad crash in NY when a bike went over the fence into the audience killing some people. they were amazing machines i hope to own one one day.
 
depends on what type of boardtracker you mean(bicycle,motorcycle,or car)...

100+ with no brakes and only a leather helmet,wool sweater,light padding,and boots to protect you :mrgreen:
afterwreck.jpg

indian1912b.jpg

excelsiorrider.jpg

boardsfaster.jpg

personally i like the look of the motorcycles best myself some will say if you flip your bars its a boardtracker(PERSONALLY i dont buy into that but too each there own).....mine are period correct parts,fast,and dangerous(the elgin is fixed and with really tall gearing for that danger/speed factor :mrgreen: )with the look of the old motorcycles...
i can dig up some of the real boardtrack bicycle pictures if you want to reference those(theyre basically look alot like 10speeds but minus all the gearing and brakes)....
what ever you decide to do there is no right or wrong since its your bike and your interpretation :wink:
now....have fun building and post some pics when youre done!
 
thanks sensor for posting those pics i have never seen that crash pic wow brutle. hey where is your pic of your dream bike the excelsior super twin boardtracker, the green one. and agreed there is more to a tracker than flipping bars (hides under table).
 
Most of the original boardtrack racers were based on road motorcycles of the 1910's-1918's but the racers usually did not have fenders, brakes, or clutches, and were capable of upwards of 80+ MPH with the two-cylinder 1000cc engines.

So a boardtracker, compared to a plain old motorcycle, is that it is stripped down, aerodynamic, and purely functional. Some of the early bikes (pre-1914) are very close to bicycles. For some good info/vids/pics of them, check out http://www.wheelsthroughtime.com and http://www.motorcyclecannonball.com

If you can't get ideas from there, I can't help you! :mrgreen:
 
SSG you are right there were boardtrack bicycles too but that was typically called velodrome racing where as i think the boardtrack motorcycle racing was just that. and personally at least all my bicycles that i ment to look this way were based upon the motor driven versions
 

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