the Cheater

LaFaye McCarver's awesome Vintage Flat Trackers Custom Harley Davidson Flathead Handshift Dirt Track Racer "the Cheater² was built in the year 1990¹s to be a active race bike competing in non ahrma sanctioned dirt track racing. The cheater has been changed and modified thru its racing history since.

This bike was built specifically to utilize the Harley-Davidson flathead engine and handshift transmission in a more modern design than the WLDR or WR models. There never was concern for dinosaur or handshift class structure rules and thus the bike has been raced alongside much more modern motorcycles in various vintage classes. Every part on this motorcycle has been modified and built to spec, some parts more than once.

Specifications: Frame: Custom built chromoly steel dirt track frame. Made in the 1990¹s. Modern geometry with adjustable rear axle plates.  Powder coated.

Front End: Ceriani telescopic racing fork, special heavy duty springs.

Custom dirt track triple tree to gain rake and trail needed.

Engine: Originally was a 750cc Flathead side valve based on the WL road bike engine. This engine is a mixture of flathead parts built to race. This stroker engine has a displacement of 885cc and has many modern internal hi-performance modifications known at this time such as oil control, racing cams, pop up pistons, large valves, side valve reliving [porting] custom intake and mikuni carburetor, magneto ignition, 

Transmission: 1950 model WLD gearbox, handshift gear selection and foot clutch. 3 speed modified road bike gear clusters. Narrowed hi performance clutch. The foot clutch on these bikes were nicknamed ³suicide clutch².

Rear wheel:  Standard modern H-D XR750 quick change rear wheel with disc brake. Ability to change gear ratios fast and easy for track size and condition.

Gas/Oil tanks: Replica WLDR racing tanks custom built for the cheater, right side is fuel and the left side is a ³dummy² tank to cover the speed shifter mechanicals. Seat/Rear fender: 

Wood rotax fiberglass and custom seat.

Exhaust: Custom built race pipes. Modern controls and dirt track tires.

Handshift: The custom under tank shift linkage was built to allow the rider to ³speed shift² very fast without missing gears of hitting a false neutral that can occur when using the original type shift gate on the fuel tank.

The Nickname:   This motorcycle has a nickname ³The Cheater² the name was given when the bike was first built in the 1990¹s and started being raced. The late Mr. Johnnie Burgin local legendary motorcycle collector and vintage Harley-Davidson restoration expert gave this bike that name. Johnnie had actual racing experience with WLDR¹s and WR¹s when they were new and waged war with Indian on the dirt tracks of America. At that time in class ³C² dirt track brakes and other rider comforts were not something the riders used. When we were building the bike under the watchful eyes of Johnnie developing the custom frame with modern geometry and modern XR rear brakes Johnnie always was calling the bike a Cheater machine.  Johnnie believed the real Harley racer was the WLDR or WR model Harleys, he could not understand why we wanted to build such a modern flathead. Johnnie¹s name stuck and we will never change it.

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