Sideburn Sportster Hooligan

I made some time today to work on my Sportster that has been laid up since American visitor Chris Wiggins crashed it and ripped the throttle cables in two at Dirt Quake. I took it over to CFM in Sleaford, because I like hanging out there, they lend me a bench to work on and there is never a problem Carl can't fix when I get stuck.

Today I put on a Motone ribbed CV carb top. I wasn't sure whether to fit it or not, but it's a nice unfussy dress-up part. I'm glad I did because when I looked in the top of the carb, the diaphragm was so split that Carl CFM couldn't believe the bike even ran. So no wonder Wiggins thought it felt more like an 883 than the 1200 it was sold to me as. I got a replacement diaphragm for £31.50 from local Harley specialist Cycle Haven.

The original big Sportster tank was replaced with a Lowbrow/ Cycle Standard 2.2 gallon tank. I can't believe the quality of this tank that retails in the US at just $130. Unreal. Bolted straight on with all new fasteners and rubbers included in the box.

The rusty, cutdown original rear fender was junked in favour of a $199 Lowbrow aluminium Tsunami fender, in an anodised grey finish. It was designed to fit Later Sportsters than my 1991 model, so I had to drill a couple of side mounting holes, then some more holes to mount some of the original (archaic) relays, and then another hole for the rear mounting of the Biltwell Banana seat. It needs yet more holes from

I also fitted new Venhill throttle cables the UK company made up for me. The cables were made using the remnants of the wrecked cables as a template.

Now I have to get it back to being road legal. G

Also already fitted:
The Speed Merchant triple clamps
Roland Sands Designs tracker exhaust
Roland Sands Design air cleaner
19in rear rim laced by Hagon
Biltwell Moto Bars
Biltwell Mushman footpegs
Biltwell Thruster grips
Chain conversion
Maxxis DT1 tyres
Harley XR1200 rear shocks
Alloy Art folding shift peg
Modified mid controls
Motone knurled filler cap
Motone mini Bates LED rear light (not pictured)

Hooligan Dirt Dash

From our good friends at Biltwell

We're helping out with this race next month in Texas. Was wondering if you could give it a shout? The @hooligandirtdash is coming to Texas on June 4th, 2016. Hooligans from all over will be banging bars on the track built at @grueneharleydavidson . There's a Run what ya Brung class, too. 

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

Deus + Sideburn x Michael Schmidt

Atmospheric photos from Michael Schmidt made at Perris Raceway at our Deus + Sideburn evening jolly back in June while on our way north for DQUSA. BP

The complete set on his The World is Flat blog.

Perris Practice by Biltwell

A crew from Biltwell came along and made a little film about the Perris practice in the post below. G

One-Off Wednesday: Sideburn 19 Biltwell Edition

SOLD OUT
We have very limited quantities of Sideburn 19 with the special cover we made for the mighty Biltwell of Temecula, California. These are just a few samples we had sent here.

The magazine is identical to Sideburn 19, only the cover is different, so this is only for the completist or collector.

Go to One-Off Wednesday to buy.

Harley-Davidson: Roll Your Own

Harley have recently pushed out new, exciting primetime TV ads. The 60-second spot features lots of names familiar to Sideburn: the Speed Merchant Street 500 from Sideburn 19; Chris Wiggins who rode the Speed Merchant Thresher for the Biltwell special edition cover of Sideburn 19; The Rusty Butcher who has just entered Dirt Quake USA; Aaron from Suicide Machine Co, who has written for the next issue, plus perennial favourite Nichole Mees (nee Cheza) riding on ice. Oh yeah, and Harley-Davidson are sponsoring this summer's Dirt Quake USA.

Advertising industry trade website say, 'There's a lot of text going on in both the print and broadcast work, with Twitter handles, brief and sometimes cryptic headlines, the #RollYourOwn hashtag and the DarkCustom.com URL. "The new creative is about each rider defining their independence and attitude, whether kicking up dirt on the track or sliding through the curves on ice," says Dino Bernacchi, U.S. marketing director at Harley-Davidson.

Biltwell Special Edition SB19

We tied up with long time Sideburn supporter, Biltwell to offer a thank you to their customers.
Anyone spending $99 or more on Biltwell helmets, clothing or hard parts through Lowbrow Customs will be sent a copy of Sideburn 19 with an exclusive cover.
This is the only way to get this cover, so don't ask us.

The magazine is identical inside, it just has a different wraparound cover. The idea is for Biltwell and Lowbrow to thank people spending $99 or more. From our point of view the idea is to get Sideburn in the hands of people who might not have seen it before. G

Biltwell

Sideburn's BP and GI have shown up on the Biltwell website. These photos were taken at Perris in California when we were on our summer US tour. Thanks to Julian and everyone from Deus Ex Machina for organising such a memorable night.

GI is on Hayden Hell On Wheels' wonderful Triumph twin desert sled.
BP is on Mule Motorcycles' Yam 500, that Mule sold because it was too slow (it didn't seem it to us). He's chasing Hayden.

We wore and raced in Biltwell Gringo lids on this trip and were very impressed with the quality and fit. They feel much, much better than the $160 price tag suggests. G

Bitten By The Dirty Bug

Since their skid about at Perris, Bill Biltwell and co have made a unanimous discussion to get dirt track bikes and go (more) crazy...BP

Ben,
Thanks for your info help! I just nabbed this XT on VFT  [always has interesting pedigree for sale], about five hours away for $2k. Gonna go pick it up Saturday. I can do tail section and glass tank right away and then grow into some more mods like better fork etc down the road. This at least gets me on the track.
The small ad claims: 'high performance engine, dual oil-feed, new Mikuni carb. Race-ready. Won the Sacramento Mile Vintage Class a few years ago'

And Otto just scored this CB450 out in Pennsylvania!

Perris

Julian of Deus LA kindly organized a run-what-you-bring at the Perris track, two hours east of LA (crawling in rush-hour traffic), a loose rabble of Hell On Wheels, Deusites, Co-Built, a big Biltwell crew and other friends of Sideburn came out. Everything from crappy plastic scooters to a fully accessorised RGS1200 BMW was throttled around the short track until the sun went down. Iced Beer. Good times.

Co-Built Geoff on Conrad Leach's desert sled.

Dave Skooter Farm in his sparkly new Biltwell Gringo and Jeannette.

Dorinda ripping it up on her Triumph.

Nevin wing-ning-nign

Hayden's Hell On Wheels Triumph.

Mule showing the kids how to do it on his Yamaha TT500.

Bixby Moto showing us that your Mum's 150cc Amstar is all you need.

Gary on the Mule TT500.

Always good to have a seamstress on standby for every eventuality.

Homer Knapp bought his 1928 hand-shift Harley JD (featured in SB#7) along for us to try. An awe-inspiring bike - and man.

Put knobblies on anything and it's legit. Kiyo's CB750/4

Great to finally put names to faces and meet Richard 'Mule Motorcycles' Pollock.

Jen McClain of Deus. BP

UPDATE: some great photos by Shadra Wilson on the Biltwell blog

Helmets for Heroines

Inspired by 21 Helmets - this London-based event is raising money for Breast Cancer Care. 

The show and auction is this Friday night in London. There's a ride-out too. 

Go to Helmets for Heroines for more info. G

Davie Buonaguidi - Hard Protest

Adam Bartlett - One Track Mind

Dave Buonaguidi - Not Dead Yet 

Essy May - Night Prowler 

Jerome Beguier - Fleur de Lys 

 

Kerry Hugues - Lollipop Head 

 

Margaux Renaudin - Valkyrie 

 Rob Flowers - Lidsville

Sharon Surname - Aloha