Whether it’s motocross, superbike, flat track, hillclimbing, or supermoto, the basic premise of a racing motorcycle is to strip the bike of any and all superfluous pieces, leaving only the absolute bare essentials. And while this concept is nothing new, it’s still hard not to be a bit taken aback by this ridiculously-spartan flat tracker from French custom motorcycle outfit, Sur Les Chapeaux De Roues.
Appropriately christened “FLT TRCK,” this minimalistic racer started life as a 2011 Honda CRF450R that was torn down to just an engine, frame, suspension, and wheels. From there, it was given a tiny competition-style carbon fiber tank with a billet cap, custom MX saddle, and a ridiculously minimal custom subframe and hand-formed single-piece steel tail section, tank-cover, and radiator-shroud bodywork piece. The engine was also treated to a markedly bigger radiator from a Yamaha TMax, Polisport covers, and a bespoke pie-cut exhaust with a Spark Racing can. Running no front brake, the racer now rides on reworked suspension and a set of 19” wheels, too. With the donor weighing less than 240lbs (wet) and so much of it stripped off, it’s hard to wrap your head around just how potent SLCDR’s FLT TRCK truly is.
