"The machines that ran on board-tracks were as specialized as the racing locations themselves."
The beginning of motorcycling at the turn of the last century brought along with it not merely our favorite form of transportation, but also an array of other fun-based activities that filled and complemented it. Board-track racing was one of those memorable recreation that combined Sport and Enjoyment in the motorbike world, and chiseled out a segment for the brave and bold.
According to the first velodromes, hardwood rails used for bike races in the late 1800s, this part of history was the rise of this form of motorbike racing. At its very heart and soul, boardtrack bike racing included speed competitive events presented on oval wood made tracks constructed from two-by-four planks, and the trails were assorted in length from an 8th of a mile, 1 / 4 mile, and third of a mile all the way up to two miles.
The grand stands for watching were constructed over the tracks, and the crowd gazed all the way down on the race to take all of it in. The motordromes, as they were termed, were banked tracks, which pushed and accommodated speeds of over 100 miles-per-hour. The degree of banking diversified by track but they can be as intense as 50 degrees. Competition day could see tens of thousands of visitors as this was a highly popular viewing event for the day. The manifestations of velocity, bravery, and adrenalin pumped biking manufactured for electrifying experiences. For those in search of drama and intrigue, there was clearly absolutely nothing far better during the early teens.
The tracks were built close to highly populated locations in order to appeal to the largest potential audience. They needed huge crowds of people and high-volume ticket purchases to justify the cost of these monster tracks. A team of craftsmen was constantly repairing and changing the wooden planks, often in the middle of the race, from below once the competitors had passed over them.
The motorized vehicles that competed on board-tracks were as distinct as compared to the racing venues themselves. Tailor-made, factory-prepared motorcycles were constructed specifically to go to war on the boards.
These bikes were generally nothing but a body, a motor engine, a compensator sprocket, and a dual roller chain drive that drove the rear wheel. The sprockets widely used on the motorcycles, varied by track and range and came in sets that traveled along with the racers. The motors were factory-built specials; they improved over time to include the most up-to-date in motor racing technology. The F-head configuration gave way to the overhead valve setup, and OHV four and eight-valve motors appeared. These infamous motor engines were the supreme build for board-track bike racing, and these days both Harley and Indian 4 and 8-valve racers are the Holy Grail of motorcycle enthusiasts. Clincher tires, no brakes, and decreased handlebars spell out the design of a board-track racer.
The earliest advertising campaign I have seen marketing a race-ready bike to the open public was for a limited-production 1915 Indian Model D-1 Speedway bike. The advertisement boasted about "Dynamometer tested-20 Horsepower," and said that "We guarantee this model type will deliver a speed of 70 Miles-per-hour when it simply leaves our factory."
The track conditions like oil-soaked planks made bike handling treacherous (just like driving on ice sometimes); shooting splinters that seemed like arrows kicked up on the rider's faces, eyes, sweaters, etc; chemical residue from the planks stung the skin; and loose boards knock you off your machine at speed. This provides you an idea of the sacrifices earned in the name of wining. Death was a steady companion and occurred frequently that the race tracks were occasionally termed as Murderdromes.
The demise of board-track racing was a result of a merge of events over a period of years. The death of the popular racer Eddie Hasha and four young spectator boys at a motordrome in New Jersey, the continual expense and up-keep of the race track, the rise in attention of dirt track racing, and the trend of entertainment choices all appeared to be the death of the sport. By the 1940s, the final tracks were dismantled and board-track motorbike racing slipped into history but its legacy of speed and guts continues to motivate and push us to further evolve the speed racing industry.
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