The Track Was Leaking A Little

Jari from Finland sent us these evocative photos from what he described as the 'national ice road racing race. He says...

The race was held in Mäntsälä, 30 miles north of Helsinki. The track was leaking a little but that's normal. 
Cheers 
Jari Heikkilä 
Finland

All photos copyright: Jari Heikkilä 

Unusually, the massive percentage of riders wear full-face helmets. Except this fella, below.

Dirt track style.

The leaking track. I can only imagine how miserable the rider behind number 94 felt two seconds after this photos was taken.

I don't know the layout of the track, but it must have had a decent length straight to encourage a tuck like that.

Dear Santa

Can I have a trials bike just like Dougie Lampkin's, please?

While watching this brand new film a few things occurred to me.

1. I like Dougie Lampkin. 12 x World champion Yorkshireman.
2. This is a better advert for trials bikes than it is for 'energy' drinks.
3. This looks a lot like Danny MacAskill's films. Then the credits rolled and it's made by Stu Thomson, the director of many of the MacAskill films.
4. I like Finland.
5. And huskies.
6. I've never met a Finn I didn't like.
7. I have no idea what make his bike is, but it looks great with black rims.
8. That song is somewhat repetitive. G

UPDATE: Click it onto big screen and choose HD (if your internet is up to it) on the little icons in the corner.

GSX-R1000 on Dirt

Finland.
Impressive, but once you've seen Bender on his Shovel on a frozen lake (see SB18) or the Panigale at Dirt Quake USA the gloss is taken off it. G

Via Derestricted.

The Fast of the Forest

From the Finnish filmmaker, Antti Jääskeläinen

I think people would be interested to see a bit different documentary from the mainstream, about the Isle of Man TT. The documentary film about the Finnish road racer Juha Kallio, will be available online globally starting August 1st (today) at fastoftheforestmovie.com (there's a charge of €2.99).

Currently we have subtitles in Finnish, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Hungarian.

We are having a competition where anyone who watches the film within the first week, will be included in a competition where you can win an A2 size poster of the film with the main character's and the director's autographs, and a one of a kind Juha Kallio Club 171 jacket with Juha's autograph.

If you think this would be worth mentioning on Sideburn, please feel free to do so, I would appreciate it greatly. I also attached a picture if you would wish to use that on the story.
Many thanks, Antti Jääskeläinen

The Fast Of The Forest: Showing at the TT

The Fast of the Forest
01/06/2014 – 07/06/2014
11am –Manx Museum –Free.
Follow Finnish newcomer Juha Kallio as he fulfills his dream of racing in the 2013 Isle of Man TT. Film Premiere and meet the producer: 11am Mad Sunday
Showing by kind permission of Antti Jääskeläinen
Film duration: 70 min.
Admission Free. - See more at: Manx National Heritage

Seuraavaan Mutkaan

From Peter in Hungary...

Our mate, the Finnish TT rider Juha Kallio will ride at the TT in this year again. But his friend Antti, who studies in the Helsinki Film School is ready with the documentary about Juha.  

The director Antti Jääskeläinen has studied film editing in Helsinki Film School. This project began almost two years ago with Antti filming Juha's life and racing on Finnish circuits and outside of them, and later developed into a feature length film. The film will be screened first in Imatra Finland around the beginning of the year 2014. Duration 70 min. The film has no major production company behind is, but is partly produced by the Helsinki Film School.

Antti says: 'The Fast of the Forest (Original Finnish title Seuraavaan Mutkaan) is a documentary film that follows a Finnish road racer Juha Kallio, 28, as he battles his way towards his dream race - the Isle of Man TT. Juha is addicted to going fast and he has been racing most of his life. 
Starting his journey from racing motorcycles with his brother in the woods of his hometown in Imatra, towards mastering the world's fastest and most dangerous track with over 260 corners, Juha hasn't got a clue what awaits him.' 

Kaanaan Kahinat 2013

From Finland...

Kaanaan Kahinat was today. I'm sure you'll get a bunch of photos from various people but here are few I took. Feel free to publish them. 
Disclaimer: "Free for non-commercial use as long as you mention my name and notify me where the photo is used.
Thanks, 
Pekka Lehtonen

If you want to find out more about this event, read the article written by Dan Walsh for Sideburn 10.

In Helsinki This Weekend

Sideburn Stockists, Pinkomo, are havign a Bikes, Beards and Burgers BBQ this weekend. G

Pekka from Finland

It all started when...

I bought an XS650 a couple of years ago. I got seriously bitten by the motorcycle bug. First I was looking into old Brit bikes but the XS was cheaper to buy and maintain so I went for that. Also it does not have too much historical value so I did not have to feel bad about building it into something different.

At some point I realized that a sport called "flat track racing" existed and that the XS was actually successful racer. I started looking in to flat track racing scene in Europe (and in Finland). At some point I stumbled upon your website. Mostly by accident I guess.

I'm a sucker for old motorbikes and stuff from the 70s and you seem to value old bikes and stuff too. Your blog is fun to read and has the kinda content I like. I've been thinking of ordering magazines for some time now.

You seem to have a great thing going on in the UK at the moment. Racing events every now and then and new framers being built. I'm hoping that flat track racing would catch on in Finland too. We have two events this summer but not much riders participating. The events are under FIM rules and are rather expensive to take part in. License fee is around 450euros for a year or 130euros for one event...

Also no vintage class so my XS will not take part in either event :) Hopefully I'll be riding a "modern" dirt bike next winter for a couple of ice road races. And them maybe some "go fast, turn left" action next summer. And of course there is the "Kaanaan Kahinat" in September. But you knew that, right? Keep up the good work, Pekka

If Pekka was in the UK he could have a day's racing with his bike with the DTRA for just £55 (£45 for the race entry, £10 for the day licence) as a guest in the novice class.

Pinkomo, Helsinki

Pinkomo in Helsinki, Finland now stocks Sideburn.
If your store would like to start selling Sideburn, please get in touch with us. G

Bikes + Roller Derby

We like that idea. Finland this weekend. G

Sideburn in Finland

Dave Skooter Farm is representing Sideburn and flogging mags and T-shirts in Finland NEXT weekend. Hunt him down and give him all your money. G

Hese on the Alcan

I've never met a Finn I didn't like. I've met Hese a couple of times, most recently when a huge crew of Finns came over to Motor Bike Expo at Verona. He told me about a film he'd been involved with. Four months later I remembered to watch a clip of it, and it looks brilliant, so I'm sharing it. G

Mala, BP, Hese. Mentalists united.

Northern Soul

No stories yet on sand racing in Dubai, or ice racing in Antarctica, but we are covering a lot of territory. SB#10 has a story on chopper speedway in Finland. Photos by Finn Mikko Toiviainen, words by Mancunian globetrotter Dan Walsh.

If you are still wondering what the hell defines Sideburn? It's more about attitude. We don't care if you wear leather or lace.
"It's not what you ride, but how you ride it" is core. If your bike has knobblies or high bars, you're probably half way there. BP

Photos in Helsinki

We like Finns.

Photo Harvest exhibition is a show gathered by 11 photographers to showcase last
summers trips. Photos from all over Finland and from all sorts of situations.
There's also seven choppers from seven really different builders in the area to show how its done in Finland these days. Bikes are listed above. address: GALLERIA , Pursimiehenkatu 26 c, Helsinki 15

Opening is on Friday 3. of FEBRUARY 19.00 and the showroom is open for the whole weekend.So if you're here for the motorcycle fair that weekend here's an good alternative for the plastic poop.
So if you are in town same time at HELSINKI Moottoripyörä näyttely(Helsinki
Motorcycle Fair 2012 in Faircenter Pasila) go to look great photos!

PARTY
And on Sat 4. of February theres a party at the Road Weirdoes park. Hobo Junction is playing and bad biker movies during the day! address Kivihaantie 16, Kivihaka, Helsinki, Finland

Finland

Some great photos of a chopper club dirt track race in Finland on Church of Choppers. I can't believe they waited till October to run a dirt track race for choppers. It would've been hard enough in the dry. Respeck!
And thanks to Church of Choppers for the daily inspiration.

Thanks to Sam Mechanical Mammoth for the tip-off. G