I've been inspired by the builds on here and from seeing the Red Max flat-trackers on the Motorbike Show on ITV4 to have another go at a build. These are pics of my one an only attempt from 25 years ago - at least. (Be nice, I was very young). Its a Yam XS 400. It was my first bike after passing my test. Other than a bit dull and rust-prone it was quite a tough, reliable little bike and very easy to maintain so I kept it for years as work transport. So when a valve guide broke I fixed it rather than scrapped it. While the head was being sorted I overhauled the rest of the engine and painted it up and gave the head the same treatment when it came back. The engine looked proper tidy on the bench and I looked at the manky rolling chassis and thought I can't put that back in there.... And so it started. Frame delugged and shortened, swing arm lengthened, coffin tank binned for a custom item and a general body parts raid form the breakers yard with a bit of fabricating, one-off stainless pipes and open megas, rebuilt forks, Hagon shocks, complete re-wire with leccies relocated to an under-seat box, mini clocks, bates head light etc etc, electronic ignition conversion and a Dynojet kit and without two ha'pennies to rub together I somehow ended up with this almost flat-trackerish kind of bobber type thingy: It went and handled remarkably well and made a terrific racket. I always swore I'd one day do it properly with a decent engine. I'd love to do something with an air-cooled Duc - either a 900 SS or some species of Monster but I can't get my head around a style for an L twin yet. So I thought maybe start off with what I know and looking at Henry Coles fantastic T120 restoration I really fancy having a go at a proper flat tracker using a Hinckly Bonnie engine. Tons around, inexpensive, pretty and simple chassis requirements. Don't know how tweakable the trumpets are but they'd have to be a bit because 68 bhp or whatever it is wouldn't cut the mustard. I know its not a Duc but what do you think to a Hinkley Bonneville flat tracker?
Do it, the hinckley Bonnie based bikes are great fun. Yeah the engine is a little on the weak side but a 900cc big bore kit is relatively inexpensive, couple that with a tasty cam and a little headwork and the fun side of 85bhp should be easily accessible. I rode a Thruxton with the above tweaks after some advice on here and it was a proper riot! There are loads of bits available for them and they are really easy to work on too.
That's bloody lovely, that is Gimlet. There's any number of top-end custom shops turning out stuff in exactly that style as we speak. Good job, fella . From those pics, I've no doubt you'd do a neat job on whatever you tackle. Now get on with it and start a project thread... Mick..
Cheers Wonky. This is the kind of look I'm after: That's a Spirit of The Seventies build with an XS 650 lump. They've got the proportions just right and a lot of flat-trackers don't IMO. There's lots of style tweaks I could think of but most of all I'd want to bring the chassis up to date without losing the look. Its got to handle. This time there'll be a lot of planning but I think this is very pretty. Its getting the juices flowing.
