This bike would maybe never been builded, if our friend Henning from MCnytt havent ask end of 2008 if we like to sign in for the 2009 Bike Builders Trophy, hold at the Stockholm Mässan in January 2009. We anyway needed to do some promotion for NCCR, so we quick made a concept for a project and got an ok to compete.

This Builder Trophys are in a way tricky, the visitors like to see people building a bike, you like to perform as professional as possible under this in many ways limited conditions. Often the competitors choose the way to assemble the bike complete in advance at home in the workshop and give at the exhibition a kind of re-assembly show.

If that might be an option we would think about, we were so absolute limited in time that we simple could not do that. I hate that idea of buying more than the absolute necessary to build a bike. We also had no budget for another showbike, as we just finished the Bad to the Bones project. So the big box and bag tear up, so often to see on these contests, was also no way to go.

Our friend Toby had an Harley Ironhead L.L.U Ratbike (Low, Loud and Ugly) what was screaming always out of the barn when I come over: “RESCUE ME!“ It was one of this cheap Pandorabuys, an import from Germany, to cheap to let it go, to ugly to ride it. Yes, -and I carry since 20 years this brand new original Storz Aluminium Flattracker Fueltank with me, for the project what will show up one day. I was absolute for an Caféracer, first because thats what I like to build anyhow as one of the next projects, second because I dont like to give Toby this Storztank.... But Toby did not like to ride a Caféracer on this bad northern backroads here, and he´s my best friend.... so (fuck) I´ve given this piece of history into the project. Around the tank we formed now the project of the Boulevardtracker. The idea was simple, we build a bike what everybody will love to own, what going over any limitations of brandthinking, taste and state.

The bike will be our answer to the question, is there a kind of “worldbike”, is there a bike you must like? and if, how looks that bike you ride over the fancy boulevards on a warm summerevening to take your café in a scenecafé, and will be the bike than a caféracer?

Even if it looks like a Flattracker?

Questions over questions and just before we are gettin mad about this, Toby and me go to the workshop and started to build the parts. That was the bonuspoint, Toby is an edjucated toolmaker and that had given us the speed we needed to finish the raw new parts in 7 night and day shifts.

The rest of the story is quickly told, I continue that speed for another week, rebuilded the engine (what was in super condition!) and prepared all last minute to leave in a condition to Stockholm what let us believe that there can be a bike after the 4 days.

There a big filing, grinding and painting helped us over the problems showing up here and there.... and in the end we are finishing second from five with a lack of 6 votes. Honestly, who cares ? (-: 

Jens