Herencia Garage CB750

Great looking four-cylinder, CB750 street tracker from Herencia Custom Garage in Argentina.
Spotted on Bubble Visor. G

Ears of Death

More Italian psych-pop, this time from the band I Rogers performing 'Cristina' (1970) and backed by footage from the film 'Noi Donne Siamo Fatte Cosi' (Us Women Are Made This Way). I'd pay good money to have my ears pulled by a wall of death-riding Monica Vitti. MP

New AMA GNC Rules

The new technical rulebook for the 2016 AMA Pro Racing GNC season was released on New Year's Eve.

As we've known for a while, the proposed rule of making the GNC1 class exclusively race twins at all rounds (not singles and twins as is currently the rule) has been postponed for at least one year, coming into force in 2017 at the earliest. So there are very few changes for this year, except that all riders are now forced to wear leathers (see the page above) at all rounds. At present 99% choose to wear motocross gear for short track and TT races. Riders must wear leather gloves too. I've seen a lot of riders wear MX fabric gloves with leathers, for increased feel, so it might bother a few people, but Rossi doesn't seem to lack feel with leather gloves, so I'm sure they'll get over it.

The reason for the new leather rule, it seems to me, is to re-establish flat track's strong identity, and nothing to do with safety. It's a low cost roll of the dice. A few riders might miss out on low-level sponsorship from MX clothing companies, but from the little I know it would be very small sponsorship figures and more likely, for most riders, nothing more than free kit, thought I know every little helps and very few riders are making a decent living from flat track racing so free kit would be welcomed.

If you were a glass half-full kind of person you'd say that this new rule would give riders a chance to approach leather manufacturers with a new vigour, leathers are going to be a talking point. And there are dozens of manufacturers, big and small.

There are two versions of the rulebook online. I skimmed through the 'redline' version that highlights the changes more clearly. Click to see the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track Technical Rules - Redline Version (if you're a nerd like me). G

Skijoring Freaks

This came in from Karl in Austria, reacting to a post from last week.

The video from 1953 in Tyrol is great. 

I am from Upper-Austria. Skijöring has been very popular all around our area till the beginning of the 1970s. Safety was not that much in the forefront. It was more or less all about speed and giving gas. More and more laws and terms by the government, uncomprehending neighbours and also a lack of snow made it pretty difficult and expelled the Skijöring freaks. 
That's a really big pity. I have sent pictures of Skijöring in my area. 

Greetings from Vocklabruck. 
Karl

Salem Racing Today

From Thor at See See Motorcycles, who are doing a lot for promoting grassroots racing and so much more, in the Pacific North West. We're happy to sponsor this indoor series. This is what he says...

Hope everyone's holiday was wonderful. Saturday we have the first race of the year. This season's attendance has been bigger than any other season. It's due in part to your support. Thank you so much for supporting local racing. Thor

Happy New Year

And  so another year of Sideburn has passed. It's been superb bringing it to you. No, really. It just flows out of us, no effort required. If you like this blog, which is updated at least once every single day, maybe you should try the magazine. And please be assured that we wipe off all traces of blood-splatter and eyeball before it goes in the post.
Thanks to everyone who's supported us over the past year and beyond. Long live the Independents! MP

Caroll Resweber

Caroll Resweber won his first AMA Grand National championship in 1958, aged 22. The Texan went on to win four in a row, a record that stood until Scott Parker won his fifth on the trot in 1998. And between 1957 and 1961, Resweber won half of the 30 National championship races. He died back in May this year, but his place in flat track history has long been assured. MP

Australia to England on a Postie

I've met Nathan a couple of times, and he seems a lovely fella. My son is reading the book of this trip at the moment and enjoying it. G

Shobba - updated

I've spent too long over Christmas trying (and failing) to find some Christmas cards based on cartoons by the superb Shobba, that were a subscribers' gift when I worked on Bike magazine in the 1990s. Shobba cartooned for the mag for ten years or more, starting in the '80s, and he rarely, if ever, missed the mark. I love his stuff, but they're hard to find. Here's one of a few that are floating around the web. He really should publish a collection. MP

UPDATE: Grant, I think you mean a big cock... (and apologies for the poor quality image, it's the best I could find).

We won't upload any more as it's not our intent to rip off Shobba. If he had his own website we'd link to it, but I can't find one. Shobba, get in touch if you see this.

Frenzied practice for Snow Quake

Yes, these plucky fun-seekers are so keen to be in top form for Snow Quake that they wangled a trip back to the Tyrol in 1953 to practise. Note 1: there is no skiing class for Snow Quake. Note 2: but we are talking Snow Quake. MP