There’s a new race in town. The AdventureTracker class from American Flat Track (AFT) debuts at the inaugural Sturgis TT on August 11, 2024. AMA Pro Racing recently announced the governing rules for Adventure machines. Production-based bikes with minimal modifications will be screaming through Sturgis in this first of its kind race.
Will Your Bike Be Racing?
There are enough road tests comparing one big ADV bike to another in the motorcycle literature to make your eyes bleed trying to read them all. Now, the heavy artillery of adventure machines—those over 1000cc—will meet on the TT starting line to blast around Sturgis for bragging rights.
This world’s first event will pit Harley’s Pan America against BMW’s R 1250 and R 1300 GS boxers, and the Ducati Multistrada V4. KTM’s 1290 and 1390 (a rumored bike so far) Super Adventures will liven things up as they go head-to-head with Honda’s Africa Twin 1100 and the Triumph Tiger 1200.
The AdventureTracker concept is to race ADV bikes with similar power to weight ratios, so don’t count out the Kawasaki Versys 1000, Suzuki’s V-Strom 1050 and the Yamaha Super Ténéré 1200. They may not be as ready for the rough stuff as the rest of the pack, but they all have the power to rock and roll down main street.
AdventureTracker Specs
The rules for the new class were announced on June 6, 2024. Among all the technical info are some basics that tell us what to expect before the start flag drops. Race bikes must be over 1000cc, weigh more than 480 pounds after finishing a heat or race, and be fitted with OEM bodywork. Think recognizable, heavy-ish machines with lots of grunt. Also of note, all contenders will run 19-inch front wheels and stock rear wheels, with common tires fitted to all. Tire maker and model to be named later.
Additionally, there is a host of stipulations about homologation. These include sound (max 105 dB at 20 inches measured on A scale), fuel, frames, and swingarms. The rules require stock headers, but racers can remove exhaust catalysts and fit aftermarket slip-ons. That’s one way for the porkier machines to drop a little weight.
Line ‘Em Up, Let ‘Em Go
The fun starts with 5 practice laps to acquaint the racers with the TT track on the streets of Sturgis. Next up are two qualifying sessions of 5 laps each, followed by two 12-rider, 6-lap heats. The top 16 qualifiers transfer to the Main Event and will race for 8 minutes plus two laps. First one to the checkered flag wins!
The 84th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally takes place from August 2 through 11 in Sturgis, South Dakota. Attendees will witness the very first AdventureTracker contest.
Read more: Black Hills, Land of History
Images: OEMs
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