WHEELS & WAVES 2017: EL ROLLO

On the Wednesday of W&W we race flat track!

In its second year, El Rollo has already become by its own rights a classic of the motorcycle. Many voices ask why it is not highlighted and celebrated on the Saturday of W&W and that is exactly why (not!).  El Rollo is probably the most exclusive and flamboyant flat track race in the world and I mean it in a good sense. Come and race with your family. Its all there is.

Sometimes I wonder if El Solitario racing squad is the most unprofessional & ruinous team on the planet still we always have fun so there is never a chance to improve. With so much going on with the brand and its official projects there is no time to think about our fun bikes and they pay the toll.  Last year our 1932 Indian exploded on the track and then just  sat, neglected, for 11 months at the back of the garage. Unfortunately It goes like this. Just days before W&W we realized we had not worked on the Indian so I had no bike! Now it was time to do all those things that someone responsible should NEVER do to a beloved motorcycle. Cutting corners, we put a new piston on the rear cylinder, rebuilt the magneto in a record time, and tried desperately to make it work. The old Linkert did not want to cooperate so in the end our dearest machinist built us a manifold and we adapted an Amal TT. On the Friday before the race I tested the bike for the first time on El Solitario Ranch. The engine fired right up and the Amal worked great, giving the engine way more usability and control, but the transmission was totally fucked and 3rd wouldn’t go in. With a 2nd way too short, and no time, we decided our best option was to increase the front sprocket by 3 teeth, elongating the 2nd gear,  maybe giving us a chance to stay on the track. Miraculously we found a Suzuki sprocket on Saturday morning among all the scrap that could be adapted to fit he Indian by our loyal machinist who (again) swore a few bad words at me but did a terrific job.

Among the news this year, was that El Solitarios 50cc racers from La Copita ruled on asphalt & dust, showing the rest of the world that you do not need hundreds of horses to have the most fun.

Vintage (Pre-75) was divided into 2 categories below and above 500cc.

No brakes, one hand on the air intake, right foot on the clutch and a failure in the kickstart… Wasn’t easy to get the old Indian running…

Hooligans never disappoint on any terrain. These heavy and scary fast motorcycles can bite and more than a few brave riders have already tasted the venom on their skin. Dear Dimitri Coste was watching from the fence, already healing up, how Nick Young Guns tried to tame his whip around the track (He could not!). When this rage started 2 years ago I felt the need to jump in and enjoy the ride but soon realized this was not for me. I like the throttle too much and I am too old and unfit to handle a mistake on these bikes. Nonetheless Mauro and Marcos wanted to try the Desert Wolves on the ring. Still covered in Saharan dust they had nothing to give against the purpose built Indians or Yamahas. With their increased height, longer wheelbase and rear seating position they make fantastic ADV bikes but in flat track the front simply wasn’t there even to take a chance. As competitive as Mauro & Marcos might be they just had to accept this and survive the day.

Special Thanks:

Wheels & Waves, Alpinestars, The Dyneema Project, SHOEI & Dunlop Spain

Photography by KT Fender