Harley-Davidson XRTT – Silodrome

Silodrome has a great article on the Harley-Davidson XRTT. This has to be one of the most handsome bikes ever made.

The Harley-Davidson XRTT is almost certainly the most beautiful motorcycle ever to roll out of the Milwaukee factory of the venerable American motorcycle marque. It was fitted with the legendary XR750 engine well-known to the flat track circuits of the United States and the intent was to fly to the United Kingdom and challenge the Brits at their own game – the Trans-Atlantic Match Race Series.

This series took place over 6 races on paved circuits around the UK and it was widely thought that the Americans, more familiar with muddy ovals, would be far out matched by their cousins across the pond.

Cal had never been to any of the 6 circuits in the Trans-Atlantic Match Races, he had only seen rough sketches of the tracks on pieces of paper before arriving in the country on his slightly outdated XR750 engined Harley-Davidson XRTT. He’d been promised a pair of new alloy barrels for the bike but they weren’t ready by the time the series started so he raced on his old cast iron barrels – nicknamed “the waffle irons” because they got so hot during racing they could begin to warp.

By the time the 1972 Trans-Atlantic Match Races finished, Cal Rayborn II had won half of the races and was tied for the lead in points – a result no one had anticipated and many had thought impossible. READ MORE at SILODROME

Harley-Davidson XRTT – Silodrome.