Bottpower to Race Pikes Peak with Travis

Sideburn is proud to have brokered a deal to put our staff poet, track tester and roving ambassador, Travis Newbold on  a very special version of Bottpower's XR1 to compete at Pikes Peak in 2017 (subject to entry being accepted, see below).

The Spanish company's XR1R will use an engine from the track-only Buell XBRR. Only 56 of this fully-faired, Daytona-focussed racers were built, during the time of Harley's ownership of Buell, and two have been loaned to the team by their customers. The engine will be in Bott's own titanium spine chassis. The styling of the bike will be very similar to the XR1R (above). I hope there is room for 747 on the side number plate.

The main sponsor for the Bottpower Pikes Peak project are our friends at Kriega, the British-based innovative moto-luggage firm who have advertised in Sideburn since issue 1, and who we featured in Sideburn 21.

Entries for the motorcycle and ATV classes at Pikes Peak have been slashed in recent years (perhaps as a result of two deaths in two years), so the team's official entry is being considered. Fingers crossed.

Travis has won his class in previous years and came second in 2015 on the Buell-powered Ronin. he was only beaten by an HRC-backed Honda America Fireblade.

You can read more about Pikes Peak in a story written by Guy Martin in Sideburn 18. We only have two of these issues left.

Keep up with the Bottpower Pike Peak project at the Bottpower blog. G

Sideburn 21 - Kriega Cover and so much more

We're offering very limited supplies of SB21 with the special cover we printed for Kriega. Kriega sent this magazine to buyers of their new Sling and Urban bags.

To be clear, this SB21 Kriega magazine is identical to the regular Sideburn 21 EXCEPT for the cover, that was shot by the world famous Vogue photographer David Sims. That means it's for collectors and completists only. Don't buy it looking for content different to the regular SB21.

Read about David Sims here. Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Calvin Klein, Sideburn...

We have also a new 3 issue back issue bundle offer to clear a bit of shelf space.
Issue 11, 14 and 16 for £9 plus post.
This is in addition to the 4 back issue bundle (7, 8, 9, 10) we have.

And another for the collectors, a Sideburn Programme bundle of all our A5-sized event programmes for four of our biggest events so far. Relive the joy and triumphs, the gathering of motorcycle tribes, the dodgy on-track catering, the motorised pie, all from the comfort of your treehouse and all for just £2.50 plus post.

On Monday the law is changing in the UK (then probably everywhere else) that sees supermarkets charging 5p for every plastic bag. You're going to need bags! So get this Dirt Quake IV tote bag, complete with the Sideburn gaffer tape font by Ben Part, for just £3.50 (plus post).
It's not quite a Kriega bag, but it'll carry your bananas, quinoa, Mellow Birds and copy of OK! home from Asda in style.
We have a few black DQIII totes too.

Finally, for now, we have Union Magazine, made by a friend of mine, the photographer James Cheadle. It's great, big heavy thing, full of brilliant true stories about exorcists, spies turned religious kooks, bike gangs, drug dealers, Sikh martial artists.
£8 plus post.

Get them all, and much more, from sideburn.bigcartel.com
Remember, every order gets a free Sideburn sticker. Whoop! G

Luggage Porn

Kriega URBAN from Kriega on Vimeo.
I've used Kriega rucksacks and other products for over ten years now, adding up to tens of thousands of miles, in Europe, Africa and the USA.
And they have supported Sideburn since day one.
The British-based company recently commissioned a special cover of Sideburn 21, that will be given away from to buyers of their new £125 Urban and £95 Sling shoulder bags (while stocks last). These products have a ten-year, no-nonsense guarantee.

We have a feature  on this innovative and much admired company in Sideburn 21, plus details on the Honda Dominator street enduro featured in these short videos.

Go to Kriega to find out more about their products. G
Kriega SLING from Kriega on Vimeo.

Out of this World

Amazing photo from Dom at Kriega…

Got back from LA - Vegas trip a couple of weeks ago... nice riding, particularly liked the deep sand (dried out river beds) it's like being in a canoe down rapids. The picy is of a 'sink' hole caused by flash floods above.

Sunburn Desert Kit

The reason we're running our now sold out Sunburn trip to Morocco is because I went on the same trip with the same tour operator, MotoAventures, earlier this year.

On the last day I asked Sam Christmas to take a shot of some of the kit I used. This is a bit of a guide for anyone going on our trip or a similar one. All this stuff is recommended by me. Some of it's new (helmet and gloves). Other items I've used for years. G

1. Hydration system.
Not essential, because you can simply carry a bottle of water in a bag and take a glug when you stop for a breather or to take a photo, but a straw you can suck on makes things easier. I bought this when I was training to run a marathon and dug it out for this trip. I stored it inside my trusty Kriega rucksack, because I like to carry my notepad and other nick-nacks. Kriega do hydration packs and also retro fit bladders to fit into most of their existing rucksacks if you already have one.

2. Knox Cross Shirt body armour.
I can't remember how long I've had this, but it's years. I wear it when riding BMX and off-road motorcycles. This armoured shirt is one of a few British company Knox offer. Thumb loops are essential to keep the arm protection from moving as soon as you hit the deck, uncovering your unprotected corners. Not cheap at £199, but very good quality and shows no signs of wearing out despite a lot of abuse.
Also look at the Icon Stryker Rig.

3. Fox Knee Armour
Rather bulky, but cheap (at £22) and stayed in place. I wore a part of old Nick Ashley cotton trousers and a Fuel Motorcycles long-sleeve shirt over the top of my armour, because I'm not keen on the MX look and didn't have it anyway. MotoAventures have some clothing for rent if you need it.

4. Oakley goggles
£30. Had them about eight years. Nothing fancy. Were already a bit scuffed.

5. Dainese Huge Air gloves
These £52 gloves, aimed at the off-road market, didn’t bunch up, didn’t stick to sweaty hands, always easy to pull on and off. My hands blistered, but I’ve never used a glove that would’ve helped considering my death grip in the desert. There are cheaper options. MX shops have sales on at this time of year.

6. Long MX socks
I bought these Fly socks in Utah on a 8000-mile cross-country trip when my boots wear chafing. Since then I've used them every time I've raced. You can pick up socks like these at any MX shop for £10-15.

7. Palmsavers
Bought a day into my Morocco trip and, perhaps, a day too late. MotoAventures sell these for €10. Get yours as soon as you arrive. They act as an extra layer of protection to stop calluses across the top of your palms.

8. Knox Cross Shorts
Literally saved my ass when I crashed a BMW into a South African garden. All-day comfortable. I use these for BMX too. The armour is slotted into pockets and comes out so you can wash them. Now superseded by Guerilla shorts.

9. TCX 2.1 Boots
I asked a friend, who'd been on a MotoAventures desert trip before, if I could get away with Blundstones (that I'd worn on my Benelli trip through Africa) or brogue boots (that I'd worn for a 16-day off-road trip with MotoAventures in South Africa). I was told, definitely not. So I dug out these TCX 2.1 boots that I'd ended up with, but rarely worn.
On the first day I couldn't buckle them up or barely even walk in them. By the end of the trip I loved them. I haven't worn them since though.
A better compromise for road riders who don't ride off-road regularly, could be the Icon 1000 Elsinore or Prep boots.

10. AGV AX-8 EVO
£240 Brand new before the trip, the lightest helmet I’ve ever worn, at just 1150g. It is comfortable for eight-hour hard days, from day one. I love it.

Also take lip balm; glucose sweets or jelly babies or similar; camera or camera phone.
Wicking long underwear is recommended, to wear under armour, but I did without it.
Swimwear and light, casual shoes.
Travel light. The hotels are smart, but no one is judging you for wearing the same shirt for three nights.
Even though you camp out for one night you don't sleeping bags or anything.

If you missed out on Sideburn's Sunburn trip but still fancy going to Morocco for some desert kicks, the tour company we are working with are offering other tours in early 2015. Go to MotoAventures.com for more info. They're also exhibiting at the forthcoming NEC bike show in the UK. G

Photos: Sam Christmas

We like Kriega

They make good rucksacks. Kriega. G

Kriega empties Sheffield

The first short that Brit-based bike luggage supremos, Kriega have commissioned. It has a 28 Days Later feel. G

James Bond Trusts Kriega

Now you don't need a Savile Row suit, Omega Seamaster (or Rolex Submariner) or an Aston DB5/7/8, to emulate fiction's favourite spy, just a designed in Britain tail/tank drypack.
The new Bond film, Skyfall, is released on November 9, and in it Bond rides around Istanbul on a very Icon-esque Honda CRF250.
And on the back of the seat is a US20 tailpack from our good friends at Kriega. It's upside-down and debadged, but it's definitely Kriega.

Get yours at Kriega.com. G

Kriega Cheese Rangers

 Dom Kriega (need his chest waxing)

 Michael Kriega, just got a whiff of something.

I'm a big fan of Kriega and they are loyal supporters of Sideburn. They don't keep in touch much, but they sent these great photos in of a recent ride they did in Romania.
Here's a nice shot of me in a traditional sleeping 'bag' in a cheese making hut in Romania. Cheese wasn't great, unless you liked the taste of wet sheep. Ta ta for now, Dom

The Guy Martin/Kriega Award

Rollerburn's custom show was more of a showcase of the bikes we love (whether they'd 'fit' in the magazine or not). No one expected to win a prize, because we didn't have any, but a lot of great bikes turned up from all over the country. In the end, we decided to let Guy Martin choose one bike as his favourite and give the owner a R20 rucksack donated by our sponsors, Kriega. It was a tough decision and Guy worked out which he preferred while talking on stage. The winner was Paul from Yorkshire. If you want to read more about the 1970 Shovel that won (and a bunch of other great bikes), buy Greasy Kulture 22. G

Photo, below, Paul being congratulated by Guy, taken by Trawler

Feel free to post your own caption.

Kriega Kompetition

Our mate Michael has left Cleckheaton for New Orleans for a new life, new wife and new business. He's importing Kriega products into the US. I've ridden all over the world with a Kriega on my back, so said I'd be happy to help spread the word. He's got a competition going on...

BritKit, Kriega's US distributor, is offering anyone with a Facebook account the chance to win the Ultimate Moto Luggage System.
The prize, valued at $450, consists an award-winning Kriega R25 motorcycle-specific backpack, along with a rugged UScombo40 tail pack system and US Tank adaptor, which will enables any of the three packs, which make up to the combo to be used as a tank bag.
To be in with a chance of scooping the grand prize, Facebook users simply have to search out the Kriega USA page and tap their details into the online entry form.

Competition is limited to US residents.
But the best bit is that anyone who clicks to share the sweepstake message with their friends, automatically increases their odds of winning. Because if a friend they refer wins, then the referrer receives the same prize too!
Plus – to make it even easier to win with Kriega USA – there are also weekly prizes of a pair of the company’s excellent R20 backpacks, valued at $119, up for grabs.

Full details are available online at Kriega US

Rollerburn Update

Rollerburn is shaping up.
We had our first test in the venue. It couldn't have been better.
We're getting a lot of interest for stands and we've got three great sponsors signed up: Kriega, Zaeta and Spirit of the Seventies.
Here's how you can get involved.

1. Sponsor the event - email for details on prices of the sponsorship packages.
2. Book a vendor stall. From £35+ VAT
3. We're rounding up a variety of fine custom bikes for the custom show: chops, bobbers, flat trackers, whateva. If you've got a killer one, get in touch, but we're choosy.
4. If you're a roller girl enter the Dash for Cash sprint races.
5. We're looking for top class slalom skaterboarders too.
6. Come along! Tickets are going on sale next month.

We've put travel details from airports and ferry ports on the new Rollerburn webpage.
For any more info email dirt @ sideburnmagazine.com