American Flat Track Creates Production Twins Class

Back in 2015 interested parties attended American Flat Track meetings in which they were assured that in two years, AFT Twins events would cater only for production-based engines like the Kawasaki Ninja 650 and, now, the Harley-Davidson XG750R.

Before that could happen, Indian jumped in with its racing-only FTR750, creating so much new and vibrant interest in dirt track that it would have been crazy to say, "Sorry, boys, we're going production-based. Take your racing-only dirt-tracker and go home." Still, the paddock remembers those 2015 assurances.

Now comes this announcement: “American Flat Track will introduce the AFT Production Twins support class at this year’s Harley-Davidson Springfield Mile I and II events on May 26 and September 1, respectively. Eligible machines include BMW, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha twin-cylinder streetbike engines displacing 649cc to 850cc. Race-only engines from machines such as the Harley-Davidson XR750, Honda RS750, and Indian FTR750 are not allowed in AFT Production Twins.” Prospective riders must be at least 18 years old and have a current Singles license with minimum one season of AFT experience.

Is this at last the coming of "everyman's dirt-tracker," based on readily available production engines? I dove into the rule book to find out that AFT Production Twins is essentially wide open, permitting a vast range of modifications and/or parts replacements. What this suggests to me is that while Production Twins may be popular in the paddock because it fences out factory race-only engines such as the Indian FTR and this year's special DOHC version of Harley's XG750R, it won't be any cheaper than building your own Kawasaki Ninja 650-based 'tracker. Building a competitive racebike requires spending serious money for race-quality parts, such as pistons, con-rods, cranks, suspension, and chassis.

The new class is, however, a way for AFT to measure public feeling on the question of which way to go with either factory-engineered racebikes or with run-what-you-brung production-based engines.

During the long period when motorcycle racing in the US was administered by the AMA, that organization displayed this very same dual outlook: 1) Grassroots homebuilders are the natural basis of racing so we must put them first; or 2) pro-built factory bikes are the real show, so we must cater to the big teams.

The jury’s still out on this one.