Monday 25 February 2013

Ace Cafe Flat Track Day, 2013

Well, our luck had to run out. After two years of me thinking that it's stupid to stand in a London car park in the middle of February and, instead, being pleasantly surprised by unseasonably good weather, this year's Ace Cafe Flat Track Day was baltic.
Still, lots of brave souls turned up during the day. Fellow UK flat tracker, Paul H turned up on his lovely and just finished BSA 650.
Another racer turned up on a road bike. Guy S rode his R100 Dirt Quake 1 survivor. It was wearing a new Co-Built two-into-one pipe.
Guy's other-half Karina rode her new Suzuki Big Boy Grasstracker (yes, really), grey import. Great looking little bike. 
A few Van-Vans and this tidy FTR223 turned up.
Dael rode up on his Bonneville, The Co-Built Panther. It attracted a lot of attention.
It was a complete ArtistFest. Maxwell Paternoster arrived sporting a newly-painted ancient Bell covered with white and yellow goldleaf, innit.
Martin Squires, premier league sketcher, came and was brave enough to work out in the cold.
In the foreground, Graham brought the Z-Sled that was on the blog last week.
Nico Ornamental Conifer came along, defrosted enough to touch-up the Sideburn van's bonnet, then cleared off. David Death Spray was there, early doors too. People came and went all day, so it never looked very busy.
Phil D is so popular now he has to sign autographs when all he wants to do is go home.

This lovely pair of Champion Yams were on show. I fell in love with the two-stroke.
Plenty of more modern race bikes came and went too, like this Co-Built Rotax, that is on its second owner (after the first emigrated) and spruced for a new season.
Big thanks to everyone who came, the Ace, our fellow displayers - Co-Built, the Dirt Track Racers Association and the Redmax Speedshop. Even bigger thanks to Max, Jack and DJ Dave for getting up at the of dawn to stand around in the cold all day, playing records and selling stuff. We'll do it in summer next time... G

9 comments:

casey him said...

really like the a65, but what's the legal loophole with vintage bikes sans headlights?

Sideburn Magazine said...

Casey, there is no legal loophole. No bike needs a headlight in the UK. People call it a daytime MoT, but it's not really that. All you need to be legal is an MoT, tax and insurance. A bike can pass an MoT without a headlight, but the certificate says, tested without lights. You just have to know an MoT man who really knows his stuff, not a robot who thinks he does. G

casey him said...

Interesting, will you get a ticket if you're out criusin' the darkness?

Sideburn Magazine said...

Yes, of course. Or killed. G

rustyli150 said...

Ha ha ha - nice reply!

Nick said...

Ah, Summer, hot and dry, please

Unknown said...

Still thawing out ; {)

Anonymous said...

So "baltic" over there means cool? Sorry, still not getting the King's English...anyway, great bunch of bikes!

Sideburn Magazine said...

txcomt

'Baltic' means freezing cold, it's a naval term from WWII, referring to the Baltic Sea campaign.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Sea_campaigns_(1939–1945)

BP