A very funny video , but at least they were having a go!, BTW Australia was the birthplace of Motorcycle Speedway Racing(1923) in the 50s most major towns had a speedway track of some sort and the major cities had several tracks ,but I never saw Harleys Racing Speedway
Even vintage Harleys raced Speedway in the 20's according to this recent Australian 1927 Harley-Davidson FHA 8-Valve V-Twin racer Barnyard record maker -
'27 Harley sells for AUD$600,000.
The best Speedway event I reckon is sidecars (not that I'm biased
)
Click on link for video as well
Rusty, dusty 90-year-old Harley-Davidson set to make thousands at Melbourne auction on Monday
The engine of this Harley-Davidson FHA 8-Valve V-Twin racer last saw track action in the 1930s.
This was my introduction to the "barn-find" phenomenon, which sees classic cars and bikes being left in what many would see as distressed condition. In this state they can be worth as much as an identical machine that has been restored.
Barn-finds have really taken off during the past decade and another prime example appears for sale on Monday, September 21, at Shannons Melbourne Spring Auction.
Harley-Davidson FHA 8-Valve V-Twin racers are rare and this one has been in storage for more than 50 years.
This machine is one of the world's rarest Harley-Davidson motorcycles, an FHA 8-Valve V-Twin racer with period sidecar attached.
There were less than 50 of these built by the America manufacturer – some say considerably less – in the period from 1916 to 1928. This one is dated to about 1927, making it one of the last to be built. Shannons are expecting it to go for something north of $100,000.
Its exact provenance is sketchy, but it was reportedly delivered new to the Milledge Brothers dealership in Melbourne where it was likely to have been raced at a variety of local speedway tracks, including the Melbourne Motordrome speedway built by John Wren at what is now the Olympic Park site.
The reason for the "coffin" label for the sidecar is plain to see.
This extraordinary half-mile circuit was so steeply banked it was impossible to walk up to the top of the concrete track. The uppermost rim was vertical, yet there are reports of some daredevils riding this section at speed.
The Harley for sale is typical of the sidecars that raced here, with the passenger lying on his back in what was known as the "coffin" – a sometimes accurate description.
In this period there was also a quarter-mile dirt-track speedway built, unbelievably, within the grounds of the world heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building. Another was inside the Melbourne Showgrounds.
Harley-Davidson FHA 8-Valve V-Twin sidecar passengers needed to ride lying down.
This motorcycle was last raced in the 1930s before being put away in a dry storage facility for more than 50 years.
It remains virtually untouched since the end of its racing days and is now being sold by the late-owner's family. It is believed to be one of only a handful of 8-valve Harley-Davidson racers to survive in original condition.
This model Harley-Davidson was deliberately priced out of the reach of private enthusiasts and was only offered to successful racers. They cost $US1500 new at a time when even the most expensive road bikes sold for around $US350.
Built for speed, the Harley-Davidson FHA 8-Valve V-Twin was purposely priced outside the affordability of the average motorcycle rider.
Part of the 8-valve's mystique was based on its exceptional performance in competition. In 1916, American Floyd Clymer set two world dirt-track endurance records for one hour (83.71 miles) and 100 miles (one hour, 11 minutes, 45 seconds).
Such machines now attract investors as well as the more traditional motorcycle enthusiasts. Investors are likely to leave it in its current unrestored condition, complete with flat tyres and dents, rather than risk an unsympathetic restoration that would destroy its value.
It's being offered without reserve but Shannons are confident of substantial six-figure bids from the US. "Based on the enormous international interest already shown we believe its price could easily exceed our expectations," says Shannons national auction manager Christophe Boribon.
A different motorcycle and sidecar racing at Phillip Island, circa 1925-1940.
Photo: State Library of Victoria
"Motorcycles of this calibre have been undervalued on the world market for some years, so this is truly a rare find," he says.
and the guys who participated were having fun and that's what its all about, totally unsuitable bikes for Speedway, however as Bull said some skill shown by a couple of the lead riders ,watching "real" speedway bikes race shows the need for full counter steer and heaps of throttle control ,the speedway cars use the same technique
