Yamaha Silver Cup, Long Beach, CA

Great old clip, posted by Superbike Planet, of early-1970s indoor short track on concrete. Nixon, Mashburn and Brelsford are all interviewed. The track looks like ice, definitely no Coke syrup down to make that more tacky. I'm pretty sure it's 1971, or late 1970. A bit of digging showed that Jim Odom won it (the rider from the Trophy Queen page of Sideburn 10).

As the presenter explains, the series also went to the famous Madison Square Gardens for the NY round in January 1971. A reported 17,000 turned up, on a Monday night!, the iconic venue sold out and spectators were turned away, according to an AMA report from the time. I wonder how many will go to the first US Superprestigio in Vegas on November 20-21? Two who will be there are Ben and me. Travis the poet too! Whose coming?

Click the 'Carpet Shoes' label below for more post about indoor concrete short track, or the 'indoors' label for more indoor short track in general.

Thanks to Roger for bringing it to our attention. G

Battery to Battery Charging

This looks useful for race bikes that use small batteries, especially over a longer race meeting, or practice day into a race meeting. I guessing though, because my race bike doesn't have a battery, so it's never a problem for me. G

OptiMate's new DC to DC charger enables the charging of a 12V lead-acid motorcycle battery using a 12V car battery; perfect for race paddocks and in garages and sheds that don’t have an AC power supply. It recovers, charges and maintains any STD, AGM and GEL 12V battery (from 3 – 96Ah), but it doesn’t need to be plugged into the mains. To get charging, hook up the DC to DC to a car or marine/RV deep cycle battery and thanks to OptiMate's Source Battery Protection, it will charge the bike battery without killing the source battery i.e. it shuts off when the voltage drops below 11V. 

The DC to DC’s smart long term maintenance mode extends protection to the bike battery as long as possible, delivering just enough power to protect against parasitic draw from the bike’s system and keep it ready to deliver. And if you forgot to maintain that bike battery, it can save a deep discharged, sulphated battery from as low as 1 Volt. OptiMate DC to DC is totally safe for vehicle electronics, is spark suppressed and will automatically shut-down if short-circuited or the battery is disconnected.

OptiMate DC to DC is priced at £69.99 (including VAT) and comes with everything needed to get charging: 1 x weatherproof battery lead, 1 x standard battery clamp lead, 1 x fused battery clamp lead and a full 3-year warranty.

Myk's Place by Them Road Apples

I've mentioned the blog Them Road Apples before on our blog. It's from Vancouver and is run by a woman called Becky. This recent post caught my eye, because I recognised one of the bikes. These are shots of Myk's house and various collections, near Vancouver, Canada. He's one of the Scorpion Flat Track team (that we featured in Sideburn 3), a custom painter and friend of Motorcycho. And I liked these photos.

This bike, a Honda CL360 budget racer, was featured in Sideburn 14. G

Bobby Boogaloo Schwartz

Where are you today Mr Boogaloo? BP

Being Evel

This is getting promos over in the US.
I hope it's good, but it looks a bit 'made for TV' from the production values of this clip. In fact, it's got a History channel logo on it, so perhaps it is.

Jackass star Johnny Knoxville turns up in this clip, and the film says it's made by the makers of Jackass. Fellow Jackassers Dave English and Danger Ehren have done some work with Sideburn this year.
Danger wrote a great report on Dirt Quake USA for Sideburn 22.
Dave filmed the DQ USA II video. Check them out! G

Busch Brothers DT400

This gorgeous, rebodied DT400 was built by the insanely talented Busch Brothers. It's featured in Sideburn 21.
It's also for sale. $4200.
Located in Reno, Nevada.

TV Eats Itself

Way off topic warning. But remember, if you want pure, unadulterated Sideburn motorcycle coverage, you simply need to buy the magazine. You keep buying it, we'll keep making it. Pick a cover from those on the side that catches your eye and fill your boots.

So, back in the early-2000s, acerbic newspaper columnist, turned TV series writer, Charlie Brooker (a big favourite of mine) wrote a website called TV Go Home. It was a fictional TV listings magazine (like Radio Times or TV Times) but all the shows were preposterous often cynical mash-ups reflecting the increasingly desperate formats of shows filling up the expanded UK schedules (until the 1982, the UK only had three TV channels, now we have nearly 500).

TV Go Home's short descriptions were, and remain, hilarious, but now British shows are making TV Go Home seem like the minutes of a sober brainstorming session in a TV production company. Example 1:

Singing in the Rainforest
Send seminal Madchester band to the Panama rainforest to perform in the baking sun and see how the local tribe react.

For real.

I didn't see the programme, but it looks oddly heartwarming from this trailer and I've always liked the Mondays. G

Johnny Lewis DTRA Day

The UK dirt track scene continues to go from strength to strength. First with Short Track UK, now with the DTRA, the UK amateur race series has hosted some of the best and most exciting racers. Chris Carr (twice), Sammy Halbert, Brandon Robinson, David Aldana, Kevin Schwantz (plus UK stars Neil Hodgson, Guy Martin, Steve Plater)...

Joining that list this year is Ducati Scrambler team rider, national number 10, Johnny Lewis. DTRA members will be coached by Johnny, on an informal basis, then he'll be the host of the annual prize-giving and do a Q and A, answering questions from the audience. These are just some of the benefits of being involved in a small club, with big ideas, like the DTRA. Thanks to all this year's sponsors for supporting the DTRA.

This is what DTRA big cheese Anthony says...

DTRA and Sideburn Magazine have arranged for National #10 Johnny Lewis to attend an end of season Practice and prize presentation on Saturday 10th October. 

The practice day will be open to club members who pre register by filling in the form below. (No Form = No Ride) 
Johnny Lewis practice day

The cost is £40 per rider payable in cash on the day. (includes access to the presentation) Riding is 10.30 until 3.30pm. 

The DTRA presentation will take place at 7pm with Awards for all classes down to fifth place. (full championship results will be published later this week) 
There will also be a Q and A with Johnny. Entry to the presentation will be £5 (Riders Free)

Mint Wood Rotax For Sale in UK

UPDATE: SOLD
The Wood Rotax we used as the subject for Sideburn 22's blueprint feature is up for sale on UK eBay. This is what the advert says (it's well worth reading)...

Professionally built by Dale Lineaweaver in the early nineties from new parts. The frame is a Wood Rotax, which has never been stripped, blasted or re-powder coated. The engine is a Ron Wood Rotax, as is the exhaust and bodywork. The bike was built as a street tracker and saw very little use, as it was bump-start only. 

These bikes have fast become the choice bike for the DTRA series and for good reason. They’re light, fast and reliable. Jolly good fun. And this is the best preserved example I have ever seen. 

I bought the bike two years ago from Goodman Reed in California. I have a huge file and magazine feature from the mid nineties, which explains in detail about the bikes build. The body-work was repainted, by The Paintbox, who also altered the fuel outlet, so that it had quick (dry) release, all on the left, so the tank can be taken off without splitting fuel lines. The round slide carb was swapped for a flat slide, which has been dyno set up. I went through the bike replacing the serviceable items, such as the chain, oil and filter. I also made a few adjustments to make it race ready, such as the MV throttle, which allows slow tick over in the pit lane, then a twist of the tiny choke lever, ups the throttle to prevent stalling in the corners, when I panic brake. I also re-installed the kicker. Bump starting a bike is bad enough, but far worse with a hot shoe on. 

The bike comes with all the right parts and is in fantastic unrestored condition, which is unusual for a dirt track bike. I would consider selling without the PM Chicane wheels, because it’s taken 5 years for me to find these. 
£7500 Or £6000 without the wheels. 

The bike needs nothing but riding, racing and enjoying. I know some ebayers, like to ask crazy questions, so I've taken the liberty of guessing what they might be. 

1, Nice bike mate, do you have a buy it now price? 
Thank you for your interest and kind words. It's not an auction though, so yes there is a buy it now. Just click the button and it's yours, once you've paid. 

2, Can you make a street legal for me? Does it have a log book? 
Yes I could and have done it in the past, but I do not want to this time. And no, there is no log book. It's a race bike, but should you wish to ride on the street it's entirely doable. 

3, My Grandad had one like that, is it a Harley? 
Did he, good. No. 

4, Would you take part exchange for a Game boy? 
No, even though he sounds like a lot of fun. 

5, Can you deliver it to (add where you live here)? 
Potentially, but why can't you collect? You're going to need a van or a trailer anyway. Or if you are miles away, then I could arrange transport at cost. But you can find that cost out yourself, can't you? If all this makes me sound jaded, miserable and generally downbeat then I have given you the wrong impression. I am in fact so utterly happy all the time that people sometimes think I'm a homosexual! I'm perhaps the only bloke in the world that has had to come out as straight.

Dad and Lad by Chopper Baron

From Bram, the Chopper Baron (below), who has just finished his first DTRA season, travelling over from Belgium to race in the UK. A really great addition to the UK scene.

Made this drawing of the pic I took at Leicester Hope you like it! Bram

BMW R100R for Sale

Our friend, Captain Simon, is selling this BMW for a friend and asked if we'd put it on the blog. Simon says...

It is truly great to ride and is low miles with a really solid usable and modern feel to it with a sort of functional style, it is sad Nick needs to sell it as I built it for a mate as his sort of dream bike, he has had quite bad Labrynthitis [inner ear problems affecting balance] and trouble standing or walking etc so motorbikes are pretty low on priorities. 
£5999
Located in North Wales
07798 914272

Based On A True Story?

Someone's been watching too many David Lynch films...

Every time you buy a Belstaff jacket (currently £600 for a waxed cotton Trialmaster, made in the Far East) you are financing stuff like this. I'm not judging, just saying.

I just saw they're selling an 'Outlaw' range plain white cotton 'Fornham' T-shirt for £60. Sounds like a price plucked out of thin air but, the website says, it's:

'Inspired by Steve McQueen and Paul Newman, David Beckham brings this effortless icon to the Belstaff collection. Definitive as a timeless essential, a t-shirt is the classic choice to wear under a leather biker jacket.'

Thanks for the info Belstaff website! Bargain.

Nice to see a Biltwell Gringo feature throughout though... G

Di Traverso Party

Marco Belli (above, #6) threw a sliding celebration and Sideburn contributor Peter Guld was invited along...

Unless you're a pensioner, looking for a relaxing weekend, it’s a normally not a good idea to travel to Misano Adriatico, one week before the Misano MotoGP race. This year was an exception. Italian flat track legend, Marco Belli invited me for a party that he organised to say a big thank you, to his partners, who were involved in his Di Traverso Flat Track School.

The list of the partners is impressive, companies like Deus Milano, Riders Magazine, Yamaha Italia, MotoShop Parma, Dainese, Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli... There was no question, if the Italian holds a party, it will be different. Belli invited his long term friend Graziano Rossi, the father of Valentino, and many other Italian and European flat track riders and race car drivers. Later in the afternoon Loris Reggiani, former-GP star, arrived at the event, and didn’t hesitate before jumping in a car. Drivers gave lucky passengers rides around the track in muscle cars. People could put their name down and, of course, the longest list was next to the name Rossi, but Graziano was happy with it, because it meant he could spend time in a car, not in the sun. 

Belli and Signor Rossi planned car vs. bike races, but it was postponed, so the biggest surprise just came when the flat track ace, after few practice laps in a cross-car, showed up in a big BMW and raced against Graziano and his Audi R8. 

The fans shouted like it was the last lap of MotoGP race when these two mad Italians produced the hardest car race of the event. 

It’s cliche, but true: If you are going to an event where a guy whose name is Rossi is involved, it will be something special. After the event, during the night, a blonde lady was driving a go kart, prepared with dirt tyres, pretty fast. She was in shadow, but seems to be like a pro, and she was sliding crossed with full throttle. I realised it was Graziano’s daughter, Clara Rossi (below). 

At the end of the great event no one was in doubt that Marco Belli said thanks to his partners with style.


Words and photos: Peter Guld

Belli in a buggy

Belli, Rossi, Reggiani




 Graziano on his bike...

And in his car.

Nuts

Lee John Phillips is nuts.
I am currently cataloguing the entire contents of my late grandfather's tool shed. I estimate the project to take around 5 years and will involve me illustrating in excess of 100,000 items.

A man after my own OCD heart, producing fantastically obsessive drawings. Never before has a U-bend looked so magical. BP

DeeCee Style, Zurich

This Swiss shop has stocked Sideburn for years, but has never been introduced on the blog before, for some reason. This is what Markus from the shop says...

DeeCee Style was established in 2009 in the heart of Zurich's Financial district. We sell craftsman merchandise that really have history and worth of quality. Brands like Lewis Leathers, Aero leathers, Stewart, Red Wing Boots or even Wesco Boots only the best styles are displayed in this store. Motorcycle fans and all the modern vintage lifestyle people will love what DeeCee Style sells.

If you own or know of a shop that should or could stock Sideburn, please get in touch at dirt @ sideburnmagazine.com. Thanks G

Things That Can Kill You

Things That Can Kill You - Death Spray Custom from Dial M Films on Vimeo.
Our long-time friend, advisor and collaborator David Death Spray allows himself to appear on screen, unobscured for the first time ever. G

Shepherds Pie, The Lunch of Champions

Andy Jerkyl once berated me in the pits for my choice of nutrients to fuel my body on race day. Something to do with how much energy my body would consume to digest the food I was consuming to give me energy, and so become more fatigued rather than less. Yes I was confused too. Apparently chimpanzees are better prepared for motorsports with their nuts, berries and bananas diet than me with crisps and apple juice. Extreme sports favourite sponsors so-called energy drinks are The worst consumable to be fuelling sporting humans - "save them for the dance floor".

And so to last weekend's packed lunch. Half a shepherd's pie with mustard and apple sauce. I threw in frozen peas before leaving the house, so come lunch time they had cooked themselves (well de-frosted at least) in the chalor of the van. BP

Chain male

I know it plays on your mind every single day: Why, oh why, do the Cradley Heathens speedway team have a hammer as their emblem? Easy. Cradley is in the heart of the English Black Country and from the early days of the industrial revolution metalworking, especially casting and forging, and in particular chain and nail making, played a big part in the local economy.

In fact, just up the road at Netherton was Noah Hingley's foundry where, incidentally, they made the chains and anchors for the Titanic. This film shows the men at Hingley's smashing the daylights out of hot metal with slick, almost choreographed precision. And remember, every one of those links has been manhandled and hammered.

If you really can't hack the full eight minutes (though you'd be mad to miss it) skip to 7m 30s to see some synchronised rivet hammering. No really, it's... riveting. Ommer it, me babbies! MP

Beware Chipmunks

After last year's Rye House race, I foresaw that my CCM wasn't going to get much action for the coming year so I took the precaution of draining the fuel and disconnecting the battery. I've been told horror stories of sheds catching fire due to mysterious electrical fires so am not keen on leaving a trickle charger on unattended. if I'm going to do a session in my shed or garden, I just flick it on charge for the day to keep it healthy.
The Rotax 604 engine seems to sump a lot of its oil if not turned over regularly. Mine spat out about 500ml when I tried to fire it up after a year off the job last week. Age-wise it's probably due an oil change but it hasn't seen much action and it's not deathly black, so I just topped it up with fresh. It did some gastronomic gurgles, spluttered, farted then started, for the first few crank ups.
I'm now wise to the short shelf life of modern fuel, but I thought best to crack the carb open and check for gremlins before just filling the tank and returning to Hoddesdon.

The Dell’Orto float bowl was showing the usual signs of light oxidisation. But more alarming was the contents of the big nut on the bottom. It looked like a chipmunk had crumbled a digestive in there.

Odd for a drained system??? After poke about with one of these excellent multi-point picks and a liberal spray of carb cleaner it was good to party.

No speed enhancing miracles have been gifted to man or machine in the past year, but it was good to be back, and I had a lot of fun.

Thanks to Anthony and Anna - and the ever faithful volunteer marshals, for organising another smoooooth DTRA race day. BP

BSA USA

A pleasing dose of nostalgia as spotted on the Britbike forum. The pics are from the collection of the late Joe Ward, who from 1959-'64 was a field rep for the West Coast BSA importer, Hap Alzina, based in Oakland, California. They were posted by Joe's nephew and you can see more here. What's that frame on the A10 TT bike? MP

Pemberton Dirt Track

Fun times in Canada. G

Post coital

There's something deeply satisfying about receiving in the post the 100-page lump of loveliness that is Sideburn. Even though before I even get the mag I've read each word far more than once and seen every page half a dozen times it's all been on-screen, so it doesn't diminish the excitement I feel when I see these stamps on the back of an envelope. The blog's brill, Instagram's immediate, but they're not a proper, hands-on magazine. Get yours. MP

Chairmageddon

It seems the end of the world happened. The Four Chairmen of the Apocalypse at a Danebury grasstrack meet in genteel Hampshire. Photo by Simon Burgess. MP 

Make it Happen

More genius from Pot Noodle. This was the last Pot Noodle ad I loved. G

Dirt Quake USA II The Video

Filmed in beer-o-vision, here is our official 2015 Castle Rock video by Dave England and Matt SemChee. Many many thanks to Thor Drake and the love children of See See, Portland, for sewing the seeds in thePacific North West. And for all our good sponsors who actually make it feasible. BP

DIRT QUAKE USA Round 2!! from See See Motor Coffee Co. on Vimeo.

Dirt Quake USA. Round 2 was nothing shy of a good time. Thousands of racers, race fans, wonderers, friends, families, even a few lucky locals made it to the second coming of Dirt Quake USA. This event was jam packed with dangerous situations, too much beer, and way to much good time having. Ever hear someone say "how did people survive the 70's?" ....well for those who attended, YOU KNOW. For those who couldn't make it we made a little recap video with about 20% of what we could capture.

We also have a feature on Dirt Quake USA in the new issue #22.

Sit Up And Beg

Keith Code Kawazaki Z-1, leads Wes Cooley also Kwack, Steve McLaughln BMW, Reg Pridmore BMW. AMA Superbike Riverside National 1976.
Mr Code, Grand Master Jedi, looks like he has piles, proving Chris Carr's philosophy of you don't need to look like you're going fast to be a race winner. BP

P.C. Hipsta contd.

More from the excellent P.C.Hipsta. DC keeping them guessing. BP

All You Need Is Ride: Editor Interview

We stock magazines and books from other indie publishers, from time to time, that are hard to find outside their home countries (like Canada's Motorcycho).

One of those magazines is French-made All You Need Is Ride. We have issue 5, it's all in English and full of great content. Adrien interviewed us for the latest issue, and had the illustration of us made (below).

We asked the founder and editor Adrien a few questions.

Click to buy All You Need Is Ride #5 

What is your name, age and where do you live ? My name is Adrien -- 34 -- I live in south of France, between Lyon and Marseille.

What made you start AYNIR?
I do the fanzine only by passion. I started with no means - only "ma bite et mon couteau" (my cock and my knife)... It was time to do this, I don't want to have a lot of regrets when I'll be old.

How long does it take to make?
I'm totally free of the publishing date... I can work on the fanzine one month or six ! I send it to the printer when I think that the issue is ready.

What is the hardest bit of making the magazine?
I think that it's the money to printing... I don't have ads for the moment but luckily my readers follow me. And I want to say thank you!

What is the best part of making your own magazines?
All other things ! Do this is so interesting - I'm a graphic designer. I love the paper. Meeting people, authors, photographers and talking with them is so cool! And visiting events for the fanzine - I just arrive at the Pure & Crafted Festival at Berlin - fantastic... Then, the best parts of making my own fanzine is all other things.

What is your favourite bike event?
My favourites are Wheels and Waves and Dirt Quake... Because I can feel freedom through them. Next year, I want to go to Glemseck with my motorcycle... But I go to some little events, the pleasure is great too.

How do you choose what goes in and what doesn't?
As I said, I do the fanzine only by passion. All that on the pages is what I like. No borders and no limits.

What bike or bikes do you own?
I have a Honda 500 XLS tracker - I was with it to the Dirt Quake II - and a Kawasaki 400 GPZ racer... And I work on a new tracker, but it's a secret for the moment.

What is your hopes and plans for the future of your magazine?
Just develop the fanzine in France and all over the world... I hope to do a big event next year if I have time... And always have fun on a motorcycle... All we need is ride!

Photo of Adrien by David Marvier
Illustration by Sebastien « Beekei » Gerodias

Click to buy All You Need Is Ride #5