American Motorcycle Flat Track Racing History!

Archive Moto presents A Brief History of Speed - Part 6 looking at the history of motorcycle racing in America. What started with Indian’s Oscar Hedstrom on the sands of the Floridian coast in Part 1 of the Brief History of Speed series will end on the very same shores a half century later in the upcoming finale, coming full circle after birthing a vibrant culture of motorcycling in America. Take a trip back to the last days of the first Golden Age of motorcycle racing in America and the rise of a new era with the creation of the AMA’s Class C.
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This video is the fifth in the series, _A Brief History of Speed: Part 6_, based off of accompanying articles by the same title published exclusively at ArchiveMoto.com.
PATREON
Support this history, consider becoming a Patron at the new Archive Moto Patreon page at / thearchivemoto .
The series revisits the exhibition first created and displayed for The Race of Gentlemen on the sands of Wildwood, NJ, and later featured in an exhibit at the Indian Motorcycle Museum of Australia in Melbourne.
Read each part of the series, and countless others now, only at ArchiveMoto.com.
The Thumbnail photo is of Indian factory champion Ed “Ironman” Kretz following his win of the first Daytona 200 in 1937.
PATREON
Support this history, consider becoming a Patron at the new Archive Moto Patreon page at / thearchivemoto .
Written, Narrated, Edited, and Produced by Chris Price, Archive Moto.
Music: Muddy Waters - @GavinLuke, Decision to Leave - @AnnaLandstrom, Wolfpack - @JohannesBornlof
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[@gemcitywelding7234]

Outstanding!

[@ArchiveMoto]

Happy you dig it.

[@magellanicspaceclouds]

You know it's going to be a great day when there's a new Archive Moto video! 😃

[@ArchiveMoto]

I appreciate it, this one kind of got away from me at 17 minutes, probably should have been two, but I hope you enjoyed it.

[@magellanicspaceclouds]

@@ArchiveMoto Very much so. This paired with my Art of the Racing Motorcycle book is the perfect way to spend my afternoon.

[@elisgiannini1712]

Great!

[@noverguy]

These presentations are SO GREAT I think I'm gonna have to watch them all. So much great info and photos. Excellent narration. Superb editing. Great background music. Well done.

[@ArchiveMoto]

I appreciate all of the kind words and am happy you have been enjoying the videos, more to come. Take care

[@noverguy]

@@ArchiveMoto Thanks for all of your great work. I will stay tuned for more!

[@johnmartin7158]

A very iconic photo of Jim Davis on the vid. Have you heard the partial audio interview of Jim Davis I think back about 25 years ago. Awesome to listen too. If you know of any other archive audio interviews of Jim, that would be great to know. Cheers.

[@davidoldbikes799]

Beautiful clip. Wonderful music. A romantic period of truely gorgeous machines and adventures.

[@ArchiveMoto]

Many thanks!

[@MichianaFisherman]

Did ya write this? Very cool!

[@ArchiveMoto]

Thanks, I did, I expanded the series from articles I wrote on my website ArchiveMoto.com. There are a few hundred others there and more videos to come.

[@tomwinegar3555]

Great content as always!

[@ArchiveMoto]

Appreciate it!

[@funhog24]

Nice! Really well done!

[@ArchiveMoto]

Thanks @gregbeierwaltes1884

[@johnmartin7158]

It would be so nice to have collector books on different manufacturers as in those historical days. But most on amazon or similar are 2nd hand ones released. Quite expensive, but nevertheless great to own.

[@24secondsperframe68]

Beautiful.

[@ArchiveMoto]

Thank you!

[@jerrylagesse9046]

Thank you .

[@ArchiveMoto]

Happy you enjoyed it, thanks

[@jamestregler1584]

Least we forget Harley Davidson's XR 750 😇

[@hakkalocken]

Why did the AMA designate certain races "TT's", is it purely a hommage to the Isle of Man races, or is there something more to it? Does anyone have a definitive answer?

[@ArchiveMoto]

My understanding is that the TT, or Tourist Trophy designated a “touring” bike class, essentially street bikes today as they used to be called touring bikes. The Steeplechase TT wasn’t all that common in the US, but featured an irregular track with jumps, so it was somewhat like horse races and open to more road going motorcycles. Reaching way back to the teens pre-AMA they classified the touring class as Stripped Stock, which if you look at the Isle of Man or even later Brit cafe culture, that was essentially the method.

[@original1951]

A lot of riders died on the wooden tracks