Hands up who wants one
Aussie customiser builds a street tracker that KTM really need to replicate
Plenty of KTMS have been transformed into flat trackers but we’ve never seen one that looks as factory as this. ‘Yeah I wanted to make it look futuristic, like a 2025 KTM,’ says Noel Muller from Black Cycles in Australia.
The base bike is a 2013 300EXC – the two-stroke enduro – that was owned by a previous customer of Noel’s called Zach Hegde. ‘The bike was sitting out the back of his workshop and he asked what I could do with it. Then before I could answer he said, “actually, don’t tell me, just do something.” So I took it home and got on with it.
‘I’d had the idea of this sharp-angled flat tracker for a few years so I stripped the bike down and set the wheels up – I knew it had to have 19in front and rear flat track wheels. I got those made up and put them on, then I set about lowering the bike until it looked right [it eventually dropped by a whopping 175mm at each end]. Then I set up the subframe and then built the tank and tail.’
Noel isn’t one for blowing his own trumpet, but surely it was more
‘The bike is lower, slimmer and lighter than before…’
difficult than that?
‘Well, I wouldn’t say it was an easy build. Aluminium is a new thing for me [the tank, tail and most of the panels and brackets are made from sheet ally] – I prefer steel because it doesn’t warp as easily. But this bike called for aluminium because it needed to be light.
‘I sketched the tank and the tail, then mocked up about ten versions. Then when I fabricated it I had to change the rear of the tank a bit, but the rest was right. I’m self-taught, but I’ve met a few people along the way who’ve showed me aluminium welding and it looks good. But if I have a choice next time, it’ll be steel.’ Because the engine was very low mileage and felt fit, Noel left that alone and just fitted a new exhaust to replace the battered old one and cut the silencer down to match the tail. ‘The customer has put a front fender and mirrors on, which offends me, but the bike is lower, slimmer and lighter than before and he loves it, which I suppose is the main thing.’