Pure style

The leathers, the custom Arai, the BSA with elephant trunk intake... but how the hell do you keep rims that shiny?
Photo: AHMRA

The Dirtbombs

Been listening to this a lot. Hard soul with a garage punk edge. The Dirtbombs are Detroit's finest. And they're playing Europe this week, I've just discovered. I'm going to see them in Leeds if I can swing it. Fancy sharing a car Austin, Adrian...


European Tour 2008


01 Dec 2008 Dublin, Ireland Whelans

02 Dec 2008 Galway, Ireland Roisin Dubh

03 Dec 2008 Belfast, Ireland Limelight

04 Dec 2008 Leeds, UK The Faversham

05 Dec 2008 Minehead, UK All Tomorrows' Parties Nightmare Before Christmas Festival

07 Dec 2008 Rotterdam, Holland Waterfront

08 Dec 2008 Hamburg, Germany Molotow

10 Dec 2008 Oslo, Norway Garage

11 Dec 2008 Gothenburg, Sweden Pusterviksbaren

12 Dec 2008 Stockholm, Sweden Gearclub @ Debaser

13 Dec 2008 Lund, Sweden Mjeret

14 Dec 2008 Berlin, Germany Magnet

15 Dec 2008 Amsterdam, Holland Paradiso

16 Dec 2008 Antwerp, Belgium Trix

T-shirt news

The weakness of the pound means that in addition to the special European Sideburn blog readers special offer we've lowered the price of T-shirts for everywhere except our home market.

So, USA is now $35, Europe will normally be €29 and the rest of the world will be £25. UK remains £18. Sorry. All prices include postage.
Here are the colours

We've found a new God to worship

Bell Moto 3, aviators not goggles, Brando jacket, MX pants and gaffer tape, ancient Harley, ready to rock.
From our mate at Poppa Wheelie

Alpinestars Nero

Forget Red Wings, I think I've found some new boots for Sideburn days out! From the Alpinestar experimental range, Nero.
Bobby dazzlers.

VD Classic SR

Unfortunate name, good quality. VD Classic

Attention Euros!

Due to the value of the pound plummeting in relation to the euro we are in a position to pass on savings to European and Scandinavian (and even Azerbaijanian...) blog regulars who want a Sideburn T-shirt. This price will not be advertised on the regular site, because it's not going to last. But get for a limited period get one T-shirt for

€22 or TWO FOR €40 inc. p&p.
Pay via Paypal by sending money to dirt@sideburnmagazine.com

Remember to give details of size and colour. And choose from Blood red, Dirt Brown, Knuckle white, Sport grey, Dark choc brown, Army green, dark graphite grey, Bright pink (small only).
Sizes from S to XXL. Though we run out of colours quickly, so it might be worth checking availability first.
The Dick Mann print runs around the side onto the back. Sideburn logo is printed on the back. We use Gildan premium T-shirts.

What are you waiting for? GI

On the 'want' list

Staracer triple clamps.

35mm fork diameter 55mm offset X 196mm wide center to center 7075T6 aluminum with stem, dual locking nuts, handlebar clamps, and hardware. Specifically designed to optimize the handling of your vintage style frame. Don't let them tell you different! $350.00

Max Schaaf

Sideburn 2 star Max Schaaf has designed a limited edition shoe for Vans. They come in a replica of 1970s repica Harley spares box with a set of bike grips. There having a launch do thing this weekend. Wish we could be there.

The Carr family

At Lodi Cycle Bowl, 1982. Dad spanners Chris's Rotax stroker. I'm going to ride at Lodi one day. Mark my words. Nice van in the background. GI

It's not what you ride, but how you ride it (no.6)

Holy smokes. Respect due. Anyone know who this legend is? Photo by Justin Kosman taken on the 2008 El Diablo Run down to Mehiho.

See more It's not what you ride.
We found this on Bubble visor

I don't know if you have to British to find this funny

Super Size Me

Which XR would you rather race / head out of town on / show-off down the pub / have in your garage / call your own? A regular Dr Pepper or a Super Size Coke?
BP

Ossa

I should have been working, trying to earn money to feed and clothe my wife and kids, instead I got obsessed with Ossa motorcycles. Hugo, editor of Classic Bike, told me that the logo isn't, as I assumed, a four-leaf clover, but the part of a cinema projector the Spanish company also made. Take that to the bank. The little green and white bike has a Champion frame. Neat-o.GI

On Any Monday

From Boastie at Short Track UK

"If you've seen Sideburn issue 2 you'll know what fun you can have in a warehouse with a bunch of Chinese 150 machines. Well, the Lincolnshire indoor season has started . It's £20 a head, 90 mins of racing every Monday from 20.30 in Lincoln city centre. Glyn from Slipstream can do bike hire for £30 for first time riders, after that it's case of if you like it, then it's going to cost you! £575 for 150 machine in flattrack form from Slipstream Motorcycles (01754 767879)."

Directions to Gridline Racing, based in the city of Lincoln, Just 10 minutes walk from the city centre, Gridline Racing is located near Tesco's, off Pelham Bridge. With plenty of free parking, Gridline Racing, Dunford Road, Off Canwick Road, Lincoln LN5 8HF www.gridlineracing.com

Japanese style (with a smile on its face)

Why don't the people I ride with look like this? From Speed & Custom, Japan

Baveuse

Not sure if AMA scrutineers would approve of this one, but the Wrench Monkees do, and I use it on my caff racer. Its another free font (yeah baby) download via:
www.getfreefonts.info
BP font freek

nominate your local bike shop

We're looking for shop stockists for SB magazine. If your local bike shop serves excellent coffee and has a pretty mechanic, but lacks quality reading matter, give us a shout! We are currently sorting out a new and improved US distributor, to reduce the shipping costs & waiting time to our American customers, but we are always looking for new openings. You don't have to be a bike shop, maybe a tattoo shop, skate shop, record shop? We're open to suggestions.
photo courtesy CHOKE who stocks SB in LA.

On UK eBay

Says it's a very rare flat tracker, to get on the Sideburn tip no doubt, but it's a do it all scrambler, desert racer, do what the hell what you want with it bike, the UK factories shipped out to the West Coast by the boat load in the 60s.
BSA Spitfire for sale

Bidding starts at £3650...

XR1200 finally reaches the US

The Harley factory have been in touch (no shit). They want to 'reach out' because 'Your site is a great example of
our riders helping to bring the community together online'. Mmmm. Need to put more pics of King Khan up, I reckon.

Anyhoo, the want to tell the world the XR1200 is going on sale in America. If you want one you probably already know, but as they asked nicely we thought we'd pass the news on. And Chopper Dave likes it and he's forgotten more about Harleys than me and Ben will ever know so we'll bow to his superior knowledge.

If you want an XR1200, 'there is a pre-sale of only 750 XR1200 models from 12/1 – 12/15.'

Outlaw!

From Jan-Willem at Dutch Brothers

'This is Thomas Weigl European flat track rider #80. He is looking for more lunatics to the start an outlaw class in Europe.'

Any takers?

Neat Honda racing top

I was looking at Craig shots from 1975 (Craig) and I love his Honda top. Then I remembered our mates at Metro Racing make sell them for $45.
Metro


PS. Holy shit everyone, Wes at Hell for Leather) showed us how to do live links. Apparently it's good for our google visibility. And we might sell more magazines if we keep it up. Fingers corrsied everyone!

Click Honda to see all our fascinating Honda stories and bow down at our tech savvy feet, you whelps!

Brit street tracker in Swiss mountains

From Jan-Willem of the Dutch Brothers

This is Roger Leuenberger's bike. He a gardener - rocker. He got insprired by the old flat trackers a long time ago. It took him forever to build this bike because he doesn't speak English and could find the proper parts and so made compromises. Then later on he found the proper parts so he had to change again. some of it is my fault. First he couldn't find tires and wanted to mount it on 17" tires, you know the common mistake which completely fucks up the look of a tracker. Then I showed him the K180 dunlops which are street legal. so he had to change wheels again! it just went on forever.

Relics: Craig at Perris

Guys,

I am attaching a couple of old photos, both are circa late 74, early 75. The btm photo is going into the hairpin at my hometown (Kingman, AZ) TT track (48, old school Honda gear). In all the old TT Photos I am on my Elsinore 125 (with Champion style tank) Disregard the top photo on the one that is from Speedworld MX in AZ as that is just attached to the scan and it is from about 2000 on my YZF400.

Couple of notes, My home track in Kingman AZ, was big and fast and freaking wonderful when it was good, you can see how smooth & wide. It could get bad at times but when it was good, man it was good. Lap times were about 1 minute 40 seconds so that gives you an idea of just how big.

Perris was also a big fast track, but it had elevation changes and smooth as silk. Note, the Perris MX track is built on the same spot, you'll see the rocks surrounding the track have painted stuff, look at modern photos of Perris and you can still see some of the old painted rocks. There are some newer ones, but quite a few date back 40-50 years!, you can still see the "OCMC" (Orange County Motorcycle Club) in modern photos from the MX track.

Outside of Kingman when it was good, Perris was my all time favorite track, I am including my entire dirt-track career, as well as my Road racing (well maybe the old Laguna, that was pretty fun as well as fast) . I am a dirt-track guy first and foremost, but TT is my alltime favorite. My ultimate track would be big, have elevation changes and be fast, fast, fast,
and have some really nice, (but safe) table tops jumps.

Later Craig

PS My dad found an old roll of film and had it developed, I lost most of my old flat-track photos for my coming up years.

King Khan date update

The tour's changed, so it's no longer Dec 11, but Dec 12 at the Dirty Water Club, Boston Music Rooms, Islington, London. Then 13-Dec Old Blue Last, London, and 14-Dec Hoxton Bar and Grill, London.


From the press release:
King Khan & The Shrines have been spreading their love like peanut butter since 1999. A youngblood King Khan on his royal buddhistic journey decides to sow some wild oats in Germany, he finds true love and fulfills his life long dream of leading a super bad ass 10 piece soul inferno!!!!

“I didn’t just want the audience to have an aural orgasm… I wanted an EYEGASM too!!!” - King Khan.

The line-up includes 60 year-old Chicago-born, Ron Streeter (the live-percussionist of Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, and many other Soul-Legends), a horn section consisting of Simon Wojan (the mastermind behind Kranky Records recording artists Cloudland Canyon), Ben Ra (Germany’s John Coltrane), and famous French rockabilly saxophonist Big Fred Rollercoaster. The rhythm section of the Sensational Shrines has been called “a German/French version of the Freak Brothers”.

The place of pace (betting strictly prohibited)

Great graphics. Who said the 70s were the time style forgot?
Taken from http://streetracker.blogspot.com/

Bell helmet

More from Jason. This is turning into a Jason love-in. He bought one of those expensive Ruby Atelier open faces, had it painted silver by the factory and then it didn't fit his noggin. And because it was a custom paintjob they wouldn't give him a refund. Balls. This is the replacement. He's nearly as obsessed with helmets are Sideburn's Ben. Anyone want to buy a Ruby M in silver?


'The replacement for the Ruby is a NOS, in the box with spare decals and visor, Bell helmet. It's an ebay purchase, so could well be crap. I'll still paint it and replace the lining. Hopefully this should put and end to the endless search for that perfect lid.'

Jason

1949

There is nothing I don't like about this photo. Can't remember where I lifted it from. Sorry.

Diedre Greenshields has spoken

Dear Gary and Ben,
Now I am a hard woman, even if my skin is still soft. But I certainly was not expecting the printed word of Sideburn to be all that. Congratulations it really is quite substantial.
Diedre Greenshields, Arizona

Now then, Diedre has been reading and contributing to the Sideburn blog for quite some time, but has only just got hold of the printed versions - our whole raison d'etre. So, is there anyone else out there who still has doubts about coughing up for the magazine? Well...

Train shoes, blue jeans, blue top, off road bike...

Found this in a pile of paperwork and magazines in Sideburn's UK HQ. It brought back memories. Ben was over from Holland to see and photograph the Mildenhall race in 2007. Before we left here we decided to bump my race bike down the street - a lot easier on tarmac that in a dusty pit. It starts like a dream, I do a U-turn and am about to wheelie up the street when a fat guy driving a grey saloon points at me and starts mouthing something. He screeches to a halt, throws open the door and it's obvious he's a copper.

'I could take that bike and crush it,' he tells me while Ben drags my boy up the street to show I'm a parent not some pikey thief. The copper sees sense and leaves me this little reminder. Reading between the lines it says 'If you're gonna to ride you race bike down the street make sure the old bill aren't watching.'

Clarendon Bold Expanded

BINGO! Thanks to Stu, I think we have the definitive version? Satisfyingly more FAT than our previous finds. This font was designed by Hermann Eidenbenz in 1964. Available still from:
http://www.ascenderfonts.com/font/clarendon-bold-expanded.aspx
If you're in the UK, apparently Pete Boast has contact with a printer that can make up plates.
BP font freak

Sweet SV650

Pretty sure it's an SV650, but don't know much more than that. Well I know I love it and I'm embarrassed to say I recognise the Marauder tank badge that's taken from one of Suzuki's pointless, water-cooled cruisers. Anyone out there no more about it? This photo was lifted from Raff P's very good, Italian http://streetracker.blogspot.com/ Don't know where Raff found it. G

Black rims are the law.

Bodoni MT Bold

Thanks to Alastair McQuaid, for the tip on this one. More arty, but maybe less legible after a mud splattering. Its not a free font, but you can buy it from:
http://www.fontstock.net/download/11822/Bodoni-MT-Bold.html
BP font freak

Lobster back

Overly fussy, but I still like it. G

© Dan Mahony

Back last century when men were men and photographers shot on film, Dan Mahony and his Nikon, clocked up tens of thousands of cross-country miles photographing flat trackers. Photos that today we consider classics - hence they appear in SIDEBURN.
One down side of the interweb, is the very rapid loss of authorship (as for usage rights and payment, you must be joking). And now that the ether is awash with blogs, some are even adding their own watermarks on photographs of unknown origin (SB does this too), so that at least they can be traced back at least part way to their source.

This photo of the very young Kenny Roberts is a prime case. Mat Oxley interviewed KR at his ranch for SB#2, & re-photographed KR's own original print - but we didn't realize it was one of Mahony's. - Sorry Dan! All props due.

BP
a photographer whose also had photos used without credit.