Harley-Davidson news Oct. 17, 2017: lower-than-expected quarterly sales.
Meet Brittney Olsen. She really stood out from all of the other motorcyclists at the AimExpo in Columbus, Ohio. Why? Well, aside from her bubbly personality, she was wearing a vintage motorcycle racing outfit and surrounded by antique bikes.
Board Track Racing Then And Now
Olsen has a passion for all things old, especially board track racing. What is it? In the early 20th century, young men from farms and small towns gathered for a fleeting moment of fame. They rode what was essentially motorized bicycles around banked wooden tracks at speeds of more than 100 miles an hour!
Board Track Racing Isn't Just For Boys
Today, the sport is making a comeback. And as you can see the racers are no longer just men. Olsen made the record books early this year in Daytona when she became the first winner in the Sons of Speed Boardtrack races! She rode an antique 1923 Harley-Davidson (HOG)! It's hard to believe that people are still riding these machines. In all, there are about seven boardtracker events, where racers like Olsen take their machines on the track - often without brakes, transmissions or clutches! A 90 year old bike like that 1923 model will go about 70 mph!
Motorcycle History
A little motorcycle history: In 1901 Indian (now owned by Polaris PII - Get Report) entered the motorcycle scene with the first mass-produced motorcycle. It was quickly followed by Harley-Davidson in 1903. In those days, The tracks were called motordomes and made of lumber with steep turns. The motorcycles would travel up to 100 miles per hour!
Watch More with TheStreet:
- How Dylan Ratigan Went From Broadcasting to the Sustainability Business
- Sallie Krawcheck: Inertia Causes Women to Miss Years of Compounding
- Dr. Oz on How to Fix Healthcare in America
- Finding the Next Amazon Has Been a Theme of This Market: Jim Cramer
