Mablethorpe by Dave Bevan

Sideburn contributor, poet and photographer, Dave Bevan came to check out the most recent Mablethorpe Beach Race.

Check out Dave's writing and photos at his blog, Happy Going Nowhere.

The next Mablethorpe race is tomorrow, 27 December. Mr DTRA, Anthony Co-Built is out on my brakeless Honda 650 as I'm doing family stuff. Go along and give him your support.
Here are some captions from me, Gary.

Odgie (doyen of British indie motorcycle publishing, podium man at Dirt Quake IV, author of a fantastic autobiography, Crazy Odge) made his return to the beach for the first time for over ten years. He raced a very modified, ex-military Can-Am Bombardier 250, and had a lot of fun. 

That's him above, and below, looking very Judge Dredd in his open-face lid. Having had several handfuls of Lincolnshire sand fired at a closing speed of 100-plus mph in my face, there's no way I'd race in a Jet lid. He's made of stern stuff.

The grasstrack class is spectacular. Lines vary wildly in all the classes.

As I've said before, they'll let virtually anything race on the beach as long as it passes the very lax tech inspection (a bike needs a lanyard cut-out). The most photogenic bikes, from many people's point of view, are the big streetbikes, but not many people can get multis to work. There is a very fast post-2000 Bonneville; a Cagiva Navigator 1000 (you can just see the front of it, above) that seems to get quicker with every race and Barrie G, who has always done well on Hinckley Triples of different sizes, but races less often than in the past. A Kawasaki GT550 (bright yellow, above) and a CBR600 are regularly raced, but their riders are making it very hard for themselves with those bikes. I'm glad they do, because they look great, but they'd undoubtedly go better on singles. 

Most people in the unlimited road bike class are on big singles - like the Honda XL500, Dominator 650, Suzuki DR650. Some of the bikes are beautifully prepared, while some they appear to be ratty nails, but they're all set up well. I wrote about Ross J (custom bike builder, experienced motocrosser) and his DT400 before the previous race - click the Mablethorpe label in green at the bottom to see it. 

The classic Yam was originally bought to race dirt track with the DTRA, but Ross fitted some knobblies to give the beach a bit of a go for a laugh. The photo above shows his fat, 19in front tyre between two skinny 21s that are fitted with Michelin sand tyres (mine is with the closest). Ross said the tyre made his Yam hard to turn. Then his recently recommissioned bike's carb filled with sludge. The beach finds any bike's weak point and makes it worse.

This is half the unlimited street bike grid. I'm on the middle, 13 on the back of my Icon 1000 Jackknife jersey, I was out on my £450 Honda 650 rat, I've raced at five or six meetings now. This was the fifth round this year, but only the second meeting I'd made it to and I got on the podium for the first time. I was third behind the virtually unbeatable Steve Lomas (51) and Mark on the Bonneville (who is on the other half of the grid to this picture, the right hand side of the starter). Very pleased with that, considering there were two riders I'd never beaten in my class than day). 

And if it's all too much, there are plenty of cafes to hide in. Racing will start between 11-12, depending on the tide, and lasts about three hours. G

All photos: Dave Bevan.

Mablethorpe

Mablethorpe sand racing season continues tomorrow. Racing from around 11am. Free to spectate, cheap to race.

They'll let you race just about anything. You just need to fit a lanyard cut-out wired into the loom. This Kawasaki GT550 is a regular in the unlimited road bike class (for anything over 250cc).

 There's also a class for grasstrackers.

The previous race was my first of the season. My dirt cheap Honda SLR650 (also unlimited road bike) had been neglected all summer, but was treated to a new Renthal chain, oil and filter and a once over at CFM of Sleaford, plus a seat unit from Survivor Customs. Much appreciated support from son/mechanic Max and Dave Taylor.
Got a second (I think) in my final heat of five after having terrible starts. I also had the narrowest escape from a crash that I've ever had. I was so sure I was down and out that I was already looking behind to see if anyone was going to hit me, when the bike came back in line and I didn't even lose a place.

Glyn is in the under 250 road bike class on his modified Suzuki X7.

Andy's started racing a Honda  XL250 in a KLX frame.

Ross (Rootbeer Bobber) has built a DT400 (above and below) to race in Vintage DTRA next year, but has bought some tyres for a run out on the beach. He debuts tomorrow.
It would be great if some of the sandpeople would cross over to the DTRA, though a few sand bikes (like my Honda have no brakes, and they need a rear brake for UK dirt track). And they'd need 18 or 19in wheels for DT tyres. G

The Beach - A film about racing at Mablethorpe

I worked on this film with my friend James Cheadle (a superb photographer and founder of Union magazine).
We shot it earlier this year at Mablethorpe Beach Races and I supply the narration and onboard footage from my Honda 650. We had a plan to record a race commentary live from my helmet, but I dropped the expensive sound recorder in a salty puddle and killed it.

The sand racing season starts again on 18 October (Mablethorpe Sand Racing dates). They will let you race just about anything, but if you have specific questions, leave a comment and I'll try answer them.
2015 DTRA champions George Pickering and Leah Tokelove are regulars on their KTMs in the MX classes. I'm in the unlimited road bike class.

Hope you enjoy the film. G

More Mablethorpe

My old mate Col drove 100 miles down from Scarborough to watch the beach race at Mablethorpe and took these photos. The next race is this Sunday. Racing from about 11. 

Don't worry, there aren't any quads...

Carl CFM dominates the 250 road bike class on this TDR250

Neil's Suzuki from the 200 road bike class.

George Hopper and his mini-grasstracker

The variety of bikes is a big draw. Some people go low, dirt track style chassis, below, while others keep long suspension. Above is a CCM Rotax from the Unlimited road bike class. Below is a Honda XL250 (I think) from the 250 Road bike class.

Pete Pearson's Yamaha 600. He absolutely flies on this thing.

Handsome grasstracker. 

Before the racing started there was a memorial service for a lady who had been helping the club, marshalling for years. All the racers lined up on the beach as the local lifeboat went out to, I think, scatter her ashes and shoot a flare into the air.

Me in the middle. Starts are getting better. I'm getting slightly closer to the leaders. I had some good battles with the two bikes either side. There are about 12 bikes in our class.
The ambulance, is on the startline. We start in a line, off the track and have a drag race to the first corner. You can see the churned up track bottom corner. Pete Pearson doesn't even touch that bit of the track, his line is so high and flat-out.

Carl spitting a blue genie off the start. On his way to another heat win.

Mark's Bonneville. He's mustard off the start. This bike prefers a waterlogged beach that doesn't rut up and stays smoother.

Another oddball bike in the Unlimited Road Bike class, a grey import Yamaha SRX. 

For more info on times and race dates go to sand-race.co.uk. 

Thanks for the photos and emergency spannering Col. G

Mablethorpe tomorrow

Racing from around 10.30, tides allowing.
I'm going. If you want to order anything, let me know before 9pm today to avoid paying postage, then look for the Sideburn van on the beach
See what's up for grabs at the Sideburn shop.

Photo: Anthony Co-Built

DIY Number Boards

I've been doing a bit of sand racing at Mablethorpe. It's an environment that finds the smallest weak link and and makes it a big deal.
Among my exhaust cracking in half, shock falling to bits and water in the electrics, I couldn't manage to keep any stick-on numbers on my boards. So I decided to channel my inner Ornamental Conifer and paint them. I used my daughter's paintbrush and a tub of £3 Plastikote from Wilko's. I plastered it on thickly. If you want to copy, but you're a dim-bulb (or concentrating on something else more important) and can't work out how to do it, I attach a step-by-step guide

Start with the numbers you want to copy. I used the House Industries font created for the DTRA.

Get some greaseproof paper from the kitchen cupboard. Trace over the numbers, being careful the first number is still in place when you start tracing the second one.

Turn the greaseproof paper over and 'scrub' over the back of the numbers to transfer them to a piece of think cardboard.

Cut out the numbers with a sharp knife (not on the dining table).

Draw the numbers in pencil onto your number board and start painting!

As I said, I was after thick rather than pretty and really slapped it on.

 Voila!

 I was so pleased I did my front number plate too.

When Dinosaurs Roamed the Beaches

From Harley in the Isle of Man

I was nosing through some old photos and came across this monster, taken at Mablethorpe at least 25 years ago. I’ve no idea who was at the controls but they really don’t make ‘em like that any more. 
Happy New Year 
Harley

Mablethorpe Sand Racing: 21st December 2014

I've been sand racing a brakeless Honda SLR650 special I bought on a bit of a whim. The first two meetings we're something of a trial, as I hadn't stored the bike well (no room) and water had leaked into the electrics, combined with sea water and I felt I pushed it further than I rode it. Then my van got stuck in the deep sand trying to get off the beach.
The last meeting, just before Christmas, was better. Five starts, five finishes and one third place in the biggest class on the beach. It wasn't without it tribulations though. One rear shock collapsed when the top eye screwed out, and the long-slung modified Harris silencer had enough of bumping on the deep ruts, but with help from Carl CFM and Anthony Co-Built (who came along to give support) we patched the bike up for the next race.
I took the kids and we even managed to get off the beach when others were getting stuck. I much prefer the DTRA, but the beach racers are a great bunch too. A good day for £35 entry fee (plus the club's annual membership). Find out more at Mablethorpe Sand Racing Club.

Glyn raced his CCM road bike at Dirt Quake III and was bitten by the racing bug. He's getting his eye in on the beach on this Suzuki 200, and converting his road bike for the DTRA.

Neil has never raced before. He's barely even ridden on the road, but he wanted to give racing a go, so he bought this 125 and gets up at 6am on a Sunday morning to pit himself against the beach. An inspiration to those standing on the sidelines who think they can't race for whatever reason.

 The grasstrackers are the quickest things on the beach, though they seem a bit fickle.

A few DTRA regulars are always on the beach, though not the same ones every meeting. George (above) and Leah (below) compete most meetings. George's dad was racing too. Tom Neave often races his 450 too, a few juniors and others too.

Just one week after his Superprestigio heroics, Ollie Brindley turned up on a borrowed Honda 250 in the road bike class and was as impressive as usual. Broke down in the final heat though.

Anything and everything has raced the beach at one point or other. This Bonneville flies. The owner, Mark, has been racing here since he was a teenager. The Triumph might be a lump, but it often takes the holeshot.

 Petrol station diesel gloves keeps the North Sea out of the Triumph's ignition electrics.

I now wear an old Weise waterproof onesie over my leathers. Not glamorous, but this is Mablethorpe, not Milan. I wear my old Arai and Biltwell goggles. I chopped the heel off some old Frank Thomas boots to get my steel shoe on. Gloves are Triumph 'adventure'.

Lining up for the road bike class. I'm on the far right of the grid. The guy in the hi-vis vest is the starter. He's in the middle of the grid. There are 10-12 bikes spread across the line, all trying to pick a spot without a massive trench. You can see one of the trenches near the bright green wheel. 

The starter pulls a lever that lets the elastic bungee cord, that is stretched in front of the bikes, twang across. Then it's a quarter-mile drag race to the first corner and four laps of the oval.

These are the dates for future races. Racing starts about 1.5 hours after sign on and lasts 2-3 hours. 

11th Jan - 9:00 am sign on
25th Jan - 9:00 am sign on
8th Feb - 9:00 am sign on
22nd Feb -  9:00 am sign on
8th Mar - 8:30 am sign on
22nd Mar - 8:30 sign on

 Photos: GI and Anthony Co-Built