Flat Track Vs Speedway | Race Engineer Answers Viewer Question

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[@craigpavlich9212]

O'Neill is the man. Love the detailed explanations. Would love to try the dirt jet-ski myself.

[@wiremumadden7670]

Hmm, interesting. I started racing on the oval tracks in 1985. Started on a speedway bike and had to organize flattrack stockbike racing in New Zealand because there was no flattrack stockbike class running in this country, I had limited knowledge of how to set up a flattrack bike so I took my experience from riding a speedway bike and applied it to my flattracker, after talking to a lot of older race guys, I came up with my own design for a flattracker, first it had to be low to the ground, much like the speedway bike and the steering rake had to be changed, stiffer rear shocks. I'm still racing that bike today and is very competitive with the 450s. The bike I used was a 1979 xr500a. Mind you, it has had serious motor improvements as well.

[@ZingZingNZ]

It's a bicycle with a huge motor. Thanks for the interesting viewing

[@xrcr12x]

Excellent! Thanks for doing this segment. We had a speedway class in Michigan (AMA district 14) dirt track series in the early 2000's. I and my brother Dan Crawford rode it. Most tracks were loose half miles but some 1/4 mile car tracks. The only contradiction I have is the idea that the speed way bike is not as good on a rough track vs the Rotax. If you are FAST, the speedway bike goes through the rough much better that the Rotax framer. It's because of the gyroscopic effect of the big flywheel and the fact that the rider is almost standing. If you are not going really fast, it is the most evil handling thing God ever created!

[@frankdillon6127]

my 1969 Suzuki TS-250 set up for local not AMA TT track racing had a 21 in front wheel with trials tread something like this speedway machine also i had a Carlisle rear similar to this bike. amazing that i had a similar set up 50 years ago.

[@frankdillon6127]

love to see a top speedway race a top AMA flat track racer. and vice a versa!

[@FlatTrackFactory]

Me too!

[@aaronmadden77]

Wow I've just started flat track racing over here in New Zealand got into it because I could not afford to ride speedway but still loving it with my 2015 CRF 450 flat track parts are so hard to get here it is so painful 😖

[@garyhinton5160]

We played with flattrack in high school day but never seriously. Now with xtreem flattrack picking up speed me an some buddy's jumped in head first. We are all five over 60 in age. Lol I built me an xr750 clone just because I always wanted one an it has worked out like a dream. First time out was a double weekend an I ended up with 5 first place plaques somehow. Now I just got a 500cc speedway bike an have a first place main event! Needless to say I'm not running with any pro guys. I am proof that you never too old to chase a dream!

[@FlatTrackFactory]

Very cool!! Keep at it, man. Thanks for commenting and telling your story.

[@simonbradshaw4767]

Absolutely love Speedway Belle Vue Ace's ♣️🏁

[@magellanicspaceclouds]

Great comparison. Love learning about both sports!

[@FlatTrackFactory]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@magellanicspaceclouds]

@@FlatTrackFactory I'd love to learn more about the upper leagues like AFT and FIM Speedway GP.

[@vinracing92]

Very cool! Maybe someday I will try one.

[@Mike40M]

Though some 50 years since I raced speedway. Brakes are dangerous! Speedway is very close to each other. Sometimes body contact. So applying brakes would make riders crash into each other a lot. Probably lock wheels to. With compression rate around 15 to 1 and overall gearing about 9, you have good engine braking. Speedway is very physically demanding. A motocross friend tried my speedway bike. He said that one speedway lap was much harder than a motocross lap.

[@FlatTrackFactory]

I'd love to try speedway. Looks like a real thrill.

[@dennisyoung4631]

Total Loss oiling?

[@Mike40M]

Yes on the old ones. The modern ones has dry sump. Those engines don't need much oil circulating. Something like 2 drops per second to the crank and less to top end. Churning oil around steals horsepower.