Golden age of both motorcycling and America. We will never see the likes of that again. Excellent documentary.

@ArchiveMoto

Ай бұрын

I appreciate it.

It's about time a proper documentary about motordromes was made. Very nice job here. Thank you.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

I appreciate the good words!

@rongraves8346

6 ай бұрын

The background music is annoying and distracting and it drowns out the narrative.

Excellent documentary of an all but forgotten yet utterly compelling era of motorsport. Writing, narration, editing, even the music- all first rate.

@ArchiveMoto

18 күн бұрын

Thanks so much, I really appreciate the kind words and am happy you enjoyed it

Us mere mortals can but barely find a couple o pics of these early racers.. yet you have somehow come up with an entire storyline production of its complete history. Your time and efforts are duly noted, what an appreciated accomplishment. AA+++ and thanks 🙏 a ton, wow!

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

It is a curiosity that got the better of me for the past few years but it is so interesting its hard to not to keep digging. Thanks for such kind words, I appreciate it and am happy it is finding the right people here on youtube that are enjoying it.

@freezerburn04

6 ай бұрын

👍👍🙏👋

@TotalFreedomTTT-pk9st

4 ай бұрын

I stupidly let a book go that had a ton of advertisements of older Motorbikes - similar to what we see in this video - I suspect that as part of the 'built in obsolescence' many older pictures of original motorbikes and motorcars are purposefully evaporated - also you'd think there would be more motorbikes left over from those times so they were crushed and scraped as well - sad

@Jordan-sy7my

15 күн бұрын

​@@TotalFreedomTTT-pk9strock that tin hat!!

@TotalFreedomTTT-pk9st

15 күн бұрын

@@Jordan-sy7my Please explain the lack of old motorbikes then smartass - they were produced in millions - where are they ? scrap yards and regulated out of existence -so I have a tin foil hat and you have a dunce hat

One of the finest videos I've ever watched on KZread - so good that I actually sat and watched it through a second time after my first viewing! Thank you for all the hard work you put into this, it's shining a light on a part of the sport's history that was gradually being left to slide into being forgotten completely.

@ArchiveMoto

Ай бұрын

Wow, thank you! I greatly appreciate your kind words and am happy you enjoyed it.

At 8:35 the bike racer is Barney Oldfield is on the inside lane. He is one of the first great bike racing heroes, went on to motorcycles, then became the most famous auto racer. He missed racing at Indy, because of a bad reputation. The old saying - Who do you think you are - Barney Oldfield? comes from him.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

He was a founding father of speed no doubt!

@zxr92

9 күн бұрын

Funny thing is he never had driven ANY car before he left Salt Lake to go back and look at Mr. Ford's two racers!

My maternal grandmother (born 1898)was from Long Island and told me of these races and the tracks which she and her friends called "Murder dromes".

@paulhagerty2773

5 ай бұрын

There we go

At 63 you finally put a timeline of the car and motorcycle in society that made sense to me thanks!

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for the kind words, Im happy to hear you enjoyed it.

My grandfather used to race flat track motorcycles and was also a champion ice racer in cars, hes still the toughest guy i know

@ArchiveMoto

5 ай бұрын

Takes a little something special to race, much less on ice!

At last a professional documentary which captures the time and mood of the sport, first class, ended to soon, that’s the sign l will be looking for a sequel 👌

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Much appreciated, and much more to come, the next video will feature some original film from races at the larger wooden speedways of the 1920s.

I visited the wheels thought time Motorcycle museum. They have @20 of these machines from pristine to bare patina. Amazing. I encourage anyone who enjoys motorcycles to visit Maggie Valley and the smoky mountain park area to ride the roads give yourself a week to explore you will not regert. The people are very welcoming. 😊

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

That place is a Shangri-La to me and I am fortunate to count the folks there among friends. It truly is a special place and Dale played a big role in my interest and development of this whole project. I second and third your encouragement for anyone so interested or able to give the fine folks in Maggie Valley a visit as soon as they are able.

Incredibly well done. I first learned of board track racing several years ago while visiting the motorcycle and car museum at Barber Motor Speedway. The museum has a great display showing recreations of board track and the racers. Thanks for making this piece of American history come to life.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for the kind words. And Barber is an incredible place, Im looking forward to a trip back down soon.

@BillyLintzenich-wf7sk

23 күн бұрын

​@@ArchiveMotowhere is barber?

My biggest takeaway from this is that I don't think you could have a better name for a racing organization than the League of American Wheelmen.

Here in the UK we never had anything like these wooden tracks, our big bike and car racing oval being Brooklands, and of course the French had Montlhery near Paris, both paved on solid earth banks. Very interesting and fabulous documentary, thank you.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for the kind words.

I'm not into motorcycles. I Love history/Docs. This was excellent!! Well done....Great quality

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks John, I appreciate it.

This is an excellent look into a very unique and mostly-forgotten era of motorcycling.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thank you kindly

@wizardmoto

6 ай бұрын

@ArchiveMoto brother I was enthralled, kept rewinding to show my lady some of the crazy pictures. 10/10

An astonishing piece of work!. I knew a (very) rough history of the boardtracks, but I had no idea of the prehistory & origins of the sport. I am deeply impressed by both the breadth and depth of the research needed to put this fine documentary together, both factual and visual. Bravo! Sub well earned! Cheers... G

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for your kind words and support, I have been researching and writing on the early history of motorcycling in America for about a decade now, and if you are interested I have published hundreds of articles and photos on my website ArchiveMoto.com. Thanks again.

An excellent doc. You should be proud. 👍

@ArchiveMoto

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for the encouragement, I appreciate it.

A terrific documentary of the early development and history of two wheeling on the boardtracks. Nice to see Major Taylor who won the world cycling championship in 1899. A statue for him stands at the Worcester Public LIbrary. Great to see all those brave boardtrack racers and the history of the sport. You do such a fine job with this video I am wondering if you would be able to do a similar history of American flat track racing. While not as dangerous as boardtrack racing it is dangerous and thrilling to watch. The flat track racers are also pushing the limits of motorcycle technology and human capabilities as did the boardtrack racers over a century ago.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks! My first series was called A Brief History of Speed and explored the progression from the dirt, to the boards, to the speedways, to the hills, and to the flat tracks. Just look through my videos for part 6 on flat tracks, or the whole documentary is also available, though I will definitely be digging into the sport in future videos. Stay tuned!

@carywest9256

6 ай бұрын

​@@ArchiveMotoBack in the early '70s, my parents and l would go to the flat track motorcycle races in the 8th. Wonder in the World- The Houston Astrodome AKA Harris County Domed Stadium. Went consequentive years from 71-79. Missed '80-81,for we moved up to Wichita FallsTX. then Dallas area. Came back to Houston metro and again went in 82-84. By then interest changed from motorsickles and racing to chasing females. Just a red blooded Texican doing what comes natural!

@user-bq4un2zx1s

6 ай бұрын

@@carywest9256a photographer friend (and fellow Mx racer) was at the first Astro dome flat track. He got some great photos from trackside in the infield. I asked how he got that kind of access. He said he got business cards printed, and faked a letter from a non existent magazine stating he was their official photographer. Nobody checked.

Thank you for all the work you put into this clip it was extremely informative and well done.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Much appreciated Warren.

Great narration, informative, not repetitive and not ridiculously overexcited.

@ArchiveMoto

Ай бұрын

Thanks so much, happy folks are enjoying it.

Holy crap, I’m into bikes and go to the TT most years but I had no idea this was a thing! Balls of steel

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Those TT folks are just as crazy, if not significantly more so.

These men had no fear. Wish they still had these races. Maybe they do but I don’t know about them. Great video by the way👍

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

No wooden track races anymore but The Sons of Speed races capture a bit of the spirit and are well worth checking out if you haven't already.

I grew up just West of Newark, NJ in the 1960s. The track at Vailsburg is now a small park with a baseball field. There is a School nearby just to the North called Speedway School

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Few folks from Vailsburg popping up in the comments. With its infamous history I imagine that is one of the few places where the tales of the old board track still turn up. I lived in Atlanta most of my life and had never heard a peep about the track there, it is what started my interest

Terrific documentary, thank you for sharing, creating this masterpiece. Boardtrack should have never stopped, was a very fascinating type of racing.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thank you

Fabulous documentary. As a bicycle and motorcycle enthusiast I found it fascinating.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

I appreciate it

Wonderful doc! Having grown up in west/central Indiana in the 60’s the old racetracks have always been fascinating to me. We routinely drove past Jungle Park near Bloomingdale and my imagination and curiosity peaked every time. Sadly, it was closed in 1955 but the outline of the track and some of the grandstands still remain. I appreciate your hard work in producing this video. I’ll be checking out more of your work in the future.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for the kind words and encouragement

Suprised and happy by the accuracy of this well written and historically correct collection.excellently presented.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for the kind words, I'm happy folks are enjoying it.

Fascinating story. Music is stunning and adds to the ambience and emotional journey.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks David, I appreciate it

You are the equivalent of silky toned Fred Kiger who is the narrator of the American Civil War on you-tube.. Let’s hope you find many more chapters to do on you-tube. You bring the history of motorcycling alive. Happy nu year, NZ.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for such kind words and a humbling comparison… there is plenty more to come!

I'd give just about anything to go back into that era, & experience it. What a fabulous time!

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

It would be exhilarating

@ridged8

6 ай бұрын

@@ArchiveMoto I haven't gotten past the first 10 minutes because I keep stopping and staring at the stills. Lawyers/insurance companies would never let this series exist nowadays

Excellent documentary! Well done.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Much appreciated, glad you enjoyed it!

This doc is broadcast quality IMO. Mahalo for ULing! 👍 Aloha from Hawaii. 😊🤙

@ArchiveMoto

25 күн бұрын

Wow, thank you for such kind words, happy you enjoyed it!

What an in-depth documentary, and very well done too. Instantly subscribed.

@ArchiveMoto

26 күн бұрын

Thank you, I really appreciate your kind words and support

That Documentary was fantastic.!! Well done..👍 Have enjoyed Flattrack Racing all my life.. Its important history to some of Us.. Thank you..

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thank you, so happy to hear folks are enjoying it.

I've heard many versions of MSgt Benavides story. And I knew hearing this one from the Fat Electrician would be the best. Thanks for sharing his clip at the end.

This deserves so many more views, i wish more people knew about this sport! I got goosebumps several times during this doc 😅

@ArchiveMoto

Ай бұрын

Thanks for the kind words, happy you liked it.

I'm glad I stopped and watched this documentary! Outstanding! Can't wait for more!

@ArchiveMoto

22 күн бұрын

Thank you, Im happy folks like you are enjoying these videos and can’t wait to share more.

Commenting to support the algorithm

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Big thanks for that my friend!

That was very well done and super interesting. It's definitely a part of history that not a lot of people are familiar with, and I greatly enjoyed watching!

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks, happy you enjoyed it

This was thoroughly entertaining/interesting. I was shocked to see you only had 4.7K subscribers - must be a young channel. Thank you for producing this, it was great!

Outstanding production!!!

@ArchiveMoto

Ай бұрын

Much appreciated!

Outstanding documentary, watched it with "Why We Ride" Thank you.

@ArchiveMoto

Күн бұрын

High praise and great company, thank you kindly

This was extremely well made and interesting. I hope you do more.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks so much, I am happy you enjoyed it and definitely have more to come

EXCELLENT HISTORY LESSON

The professionalism of your research, writing, and presentation is a true credit to you. This was thoroughly enjoyable. Subscribed

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

I really appreciate such kind words, thank you I am haply folks are enjoying these videos

Excellent documentary, keep it up!

I love this show. I was a pretty new rider when it came out but at 80 I’m still riding.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Great to hear you enjoyed it and are still getting out in the wind!

This was great, really enjoyed it, so.... Thank you very much

@ArchiveMoto

21 күн бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!Much appreciated

Well done the music was tasteful And not overbearing. My dat told me stories of going to the board tracks. He was 10

@ArchiveMoto

5 ай бұрын

So happy to hear folks are enjoying it, I would have loved to hear some stories from folks who were there first hand.

Excellent documentary on the forgotten beginnings of motorcycles and motorcycling. You even pegged the beginning which most ignore--to the bicycle--which was hugely important to our culture in its day.

@ArchiveMoto

5 ай бұрын

Thanks so much, Im happy you enjoyed it.

many thx filled in my major gaps of the board tracks--- priceless-------------ive been on harleys 55 yrs

@ArchiveMoto

5 ай бұрын

Right on, happy you liked it, happy riding!

One can only say, that was a brilliant view of the past. and a great documentry many thanks

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

I appreciate your kind words and am happy folks are enjoying it. More to come

Excellent look back to board track and early motorcycling ; thanks from old New Orleans 😎

@ArchiveMoto

4 ай бұрын

Happy to hear you enjoyed it

I am loving this. Brilliantly put together.

@ArchiveMoto

Ай бұрын

I really appreciate it!

ya i agree best documentary on board track racing i've seen nice thank you

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks so much, I'm happy folks are enjoying it.

Wow great stuff....many thanks

@ArchiveMoto

28 күн бұрын

Happy to hear folks are enjoying it.

The largest tracks were actually 2 miles long. One of them being in Tacoma, WA. Thank you for your efforts in compiling such a complete book of information chronicalling this extraordinary period of racing.

@ArchiveMoto

5 ай бұрын

Glad you liked it and your are quite right about the big tracks, though history has blended all board tracks together with the term motordrome, the larger ones were technically speedways and a totally different beast. My newest video covers one such speedway in LA with original film footage of a race in 1921. Perhaps a similar complete doc on the speedways is in order.

that was excellent. I really appreciated this history lesson and that's an outstanding compilation of photos. I could probably watch this a dozen times.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

So happy you enjoyed it, thank you

This is brilliant. Thanks

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks so much

A Fantastic production and many thanks for taking so much time to make this. Excellent. When Jake de Rosier came to the UK, he did not return empty handed. He was seen as the fasted rider in Practice at the TT and went on to set a new lap record from a standing start in the race. Mechanical issues stopped a Win. After, at Brooklands he beat the best the UK could put up against him and shortly after that, again at Brooklands he broke Henri Cissac's 1905 outright motorcycle world speed record. Jake was officially the fastest in the World! So I would say not empty handed, but his hands were full upon his return home. Many thanks Chris for this superb film. Best regards Paul.

@ArchiveMoto

5 ай бұрын

Thanks so much, DeRosier is such a wonderful character from the past, I will certainly be doing biographies of the pioneer racers and he is at the top of the list. Thanks again

@crashburnfly

5 ай бұрын

@@ArchiveMoto Happy to help you with the UK part of his history

Betting on the riders, like horse racing today isn't mentioned. Gambling was a BIG part of it. " Motorcycle Racing Is Dangerous", Sign Here.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

For certain it was, especially on the dealership side of the game where dealers would back the up and coming riders and place their side bets. Very lucrative all the way around

Thank you .

The site of the Vailsburg track can still be seen. Today it is Vailsburg Park, just off the Garden State Parkway south of East Orange. It’s easy to make out the shape of the track. I never drive by without thinking of Hasha and the others. Didn’t know a out the track in Clifton though. There was quite a lot of board track action in NJ between bikes and cars, with the tracks in south Jersey in Amitol (the outline of which can still be seen in the woods on google earth), the track in Woodbridge, and the Nutley Velodrome. Sadly they all took their share of lives. I think Nutley was the last to go in 1942.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

That area was a hotbed in the earliest days for sure.

25:24 Look at us back then. All dressed with class,---at a motorcycle race. Were we better people back then?

We need a modern version of this, on paved oval tracks using modern Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles. Flat track always has track issues with the dirt tracks. Road racing has issues with being able to view the whole track, and before King of the Baggers, it was only foreign brands. I think a paved oval, American brand only, series could do well.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

I’d definitely buy a ticket, would be some wild speeds with modern hardware. You should check out Billy Lane’s Sons of Speed if you haven’t yet, a marriage of the old and the new that sounds right up your alley.

@jbradkilpatrick

6 ай бұрын

Yeah, I went last Spring. It’s pretty cool and we enjoyed it a lot. I’d just like to see a more sustainable professional races series.

@othgmark1

6 ай бұрын

​@@jbradkilpatrickRiders would have to have a death wish nowadays the speeds would be so high that crashes with so many riders in a draft would be fatal almost every time. Dirt track takes more talent to slide and harness the horsepower anyway.

🏁Great vid, really enjoyed!!!!!!!🏁 🤜🤛

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it

Amazing documentary!!

@ArchiveMoto

4 ай бұрын

Thanks so much, happy you enjoyed it.

AND THAT BROUGHT US MOTORCYCLE

These men had no fear. Wish they still had these races. Maybe they do but I don’t know about them. Great video by the way

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

They really do seem like a whole different breed back then. Billy Lane’s Sons of Speed is a great glimpse at a few aspects of what racing was in that era, but I cant imagine a true scale event being possible these days.

Great film. Thankyou

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

I really appreciate it

What a fabulous video. Nicely done. Thank you

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks so much

Thank you

Awesome!! I knew about the motordromes, but never understood what happened.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Happy you enjoyed it.

@joshhuffine4522

6 ай бұрын

@@ArchiveMoto it's amazing!

Beautifully done, thank you. Subscribed!

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Thank you!!!!! Cars killed this sport and it was a damn shame

This was very well presented,

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

I appreciate it Scott!

Great documentary , there is a excellent museum in Newburg NY called Motorcyclepedia that has every model year Indian and a huge selection & history of the board track racers . I purchased a book called " The Legend of Fireball Flemming " from there that is an excellent fictional read of this era of racing.

@ArchiveMoto

5 ай бұрын

Motorcyclepedia is phenomenal, I stopped by on a research trip to Springfield years ago. One if my favorites and home to one of my favorite machines, Lou Litchva’s white Ace

Bravo! Great video and an outstanding catalog of stunning photographs!

@ArchiveMoto

5 ай бұрын

Thanks, I appreciate it

Idk how I haven’t seen you before keep up the crazy amazing work 😊

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

I appreciate it, this channel is a new endeavor having grown out of the articles I write on my website archivemoto.com, so there is a lot more to come.

Very well done and informative, thanks!

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks so much

Great video Thank you for sharing.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! happy folks are enjoying it

This really is dangerous.........I lost consciousness three times before this was done.

@ArchiveMoto

Күн бұрын

Oh boy

Well Done!!!!!!

@ArchiveMoto

5 күн бұрын

Thank you 🙏🏻

Amazing doc. Thank you from Portugal.

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

The Lagoon Motordrome in Ludlow is a insane crash to think by modern standards. Ludlow Lagoon was trying to compete with the likes of Coney Island in Cincinnati and the only standout thing they had was the motordrome. But sadly, that crash would end everything. Sometimes I wonder if you could bring it back - with more modern safety standards? But I mean, how do you protect riders doing those speeds and loosing control. It's not like a car where you have a nice roll cage and cockpit to give you protection. Once you crash a bike, the rest of the journey until you stop is all up to physics, luck, and hoping someone/something doesn't make it worse before finally coming to a stop. If someone was crazy enough to bring it back, you'd have to treat it like the Isle of Man TT. "All riders accept risk" sort of thing.

Excellent video!!

@ArchiveMoto

15 күн бұрын

Thank you very much!

@brentcarr8365

15 күн бұрын

@@ArchiveMoto truly an excellent historical fim of the men who paved the way for us!! Thank you

They all knew the risks and were adults. If they wanted to go fast and risk their lives I have no problem with it. I wouldn't give it a second thought who died. Just protect the the spectators .

@michaelalbert8474

27 күн бұрын

Don’t the “spectators” also understand the risk and accept and share in them? I largely agree with your sentiment, but lines must be drawn somewhere otherwise we reinstate gladiators who kill for the enjoyment of the audience. Many of the gladiators were treated very well and willingly entered the arena to obtain fame and fortune. Was that ok?

very interesting, great job - Thank you

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thank you, happy you enjoyed it

Well done!!!

@ArchiveMoto

25 күн бұрын

Thanks so much

A priceless doco on bicicle and motor bike raceing very well detaled good times and sad congratulations on this well done story your voice is fantastic ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😢😢😢❤❤😢😢❤❤😢😢

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Many thanks!

Shout out to the carpenters who built those tracks, the price of wood was a lot cheaper than today.

Thanks for this long format video, excellent. The music is appropriately pleasing too.🥂

Gives me goose bumps..✳️

I'm pooping out a demon while watching this highly entertaining documentary

while we no longer have board track racing we still have high speed oval racing provided be NASCAR and INDY /CART today ,still fast n exciting but not dangerous at least to the fans. We can only imagine how those early races were to see back when .

great job, thanks

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Fascinating!

@ArchiveMoto

13 күн бұрын

Thank you kindly

Thank you!

@ArchiveMoto

6 ай бұрын

Happy you liked it

Kudos. Great work.

@ArchiveMoto

Ай бұрын

Many thanks