Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1539926
P116 FEATURE I AMERICAN FLAT TRACK ADVENTURETRACKERS Without doubt, motorcycle racing in America has a rich and glorious history. We're taking dates and places like Beverly Hills, 1921, a pre-DIS Daytona Beach, 1948, and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, 2025. 2025? It's true. The last of those tales was only just penned, cour - tesy of the fledgling AFT Adven- tureTrackers class. At least partially inspired by the breakout success of Mo- toAmerica's King of the Baggers series, AMA Pro Racing was motivated to unearth a similar method of sparking Progressive American Flat Track. As with the Bag- gers, AMA Pro identi- fied a popular catego- ry of motorcycles, in this case, the surging dual adventure seg- ment, that otherwise lacked a competitive outlet and then pro- vided it with a stage where world-class racers could perform miracles previously thought impossible on the equipment. And if it just so happened to lure in the numerous manufacturers and legions of enthusiasts already invested in dual adventure bikes, all the better. Somewhat ironically, while introduced as part of a larger strategy seeking a pathway forward for the sport, it also or- ganically solidified Progressive American Flat Track's connec- tion to its Class C roots. Now that wasn't entirely by accident. For Progressive AFT, bridging the past, present and fu- ture of the Grand National Champion- ship is an all-consuming task. The series kicked off in earnest as a full-blown championship in 1954 and boasts direct ties that stretch back decades earlier. While rightly proud of that heri - tage, series leadership is also well aware of a pressing need to remain not only relevant but vibrant. AFT AdventureTrackers was designed to do just that. And while the Baggers were undeni - ably a ground-level influence, the ends were achieved by diametri- cally opposite means. The Indian Challenger- and Harley-Davidson Road Glide- based race bikes that line a King of the Baggers grid are borderline prototype machines: 200 pounds lighter than stock while outfit - ted with high-spec suspension components, the extensive use of carbon fiber, one-off swingarms, and a six-figure price tag. Oddly shaped Superbikes of a sort. By contrast, AFT Adventure - Trackers are shockingly stock, from bodywork to motor to frame to swingarm to fuel tank. And there were stories up and down the entry list to underline THIS IS A CLASS THAT BRINGS BACK THAT OLD SCHOOL FUN – Dan Bromley