Ross' Hooligan Racer - Shed Built Cagiva flat tracker

After a 15,000 mile adventure Ross’ Cagiva Gran Canyon was in need of some TLC. Instead he learned how to weld aluminium and fabricated a twin-tanked Hooligan flat track racer. It won first time out and has been on or close to the podium for the last couple of seasons.

Bike Shed’s Shopkeep has gone and bought himself one too, in this vid they compare notes and run through the long list of modifications. It’s a 15 minute one so put the kettle on

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We must admit that when we first met Ross a few years ago we were dubious of his motorcycle credentials given his penchant for rare Italian beasts, and now he’s an infected other members of the crew. Shopkeep has been lured to the dark side.

Ross’ Cagiva Gran Canyon, like the rest of his bikes, was a rash eBay purchase after a trio of Yamaha Super Tenerés let him down. Upon returning from a 15,000, 18 month adventure around Europe he turned the curious looking thing into a Dirt Quake flat track racer. With very little prior fabricating experience he attacked it in the only way he knows how - “just get stuck in and have a go”. Many, many, many hours later this, The Highsider, was born. It won first time out at Dirt Quake, again in the Hooligan Mini Championship in 2016 and has secured 3rd in that championship for the last two years. Craig Rodsmith or deBolex Engineering pretty it ain’t, but it’s done the job and more importantly it’s a rolling example of the Shed Built spirit.

“I searched high and low for a twin cylinder adventure bike for less than £2000 and couldn’t find anything exciting. The brain said go Jap, so I did and 3 Yams in a row let me down. The Cagiva made me smile, and swear, every day throughout my trip and even after 10 hour riding days I never wanted to cut the engine and kill that visceral sound. As with everything I do, overthinking, over engineering and a lack of specialist tools conspire to jeopardise a project and this bike was no different. But once I got going I couldn’t stop and loved the satisfaction of making so many of my own parts. The only reason I had the tank welded by someone else was because I didn’t have access to a TiG set-up.”

“The build tested my patience and skills to the max but I’m really happy with what I’ve learned - a foundation I can build on with the next bike. How it turned out is ironically secondary. But once aboard and the light goes out I just grin ear to ear and my soul comes alive. The feisty 900 Ducati motor, woeful chassis and ergonomics make for a proper challenge to overcome which means I always win, even if I come last. So thanks to the punks who tried to steal it…. You made me piss or get off the pot”

DTRA: https://www.dirttrackriders.co.uk/
BSMC http://thebikeshed.cc
Sideburn: http://www.sideburnmagazine.com/
Super Hooligan: https://www.rolandsands.com/blog/725/...