Snow Quake Success!

El Solitario heavyweights!

Just a quick post to say a massive thanks to all the racers who drove and flew from far and wide to race at Snow Quake. I put my hands together for Dave Skooter Farm and Anthony Co-Built for race-flagging and organisational support on the day.

Thanks to the hardcore fans who came from as far away as Athens, Greece and Vigo, Spain.

Mille grazie to Pirelli Moto, Deus Ex Machina and Marco Belli of Di Traverso for helping make it happen.

More reports to follow. G

 Marco Belli was incredible on the Deus Yamaha XJR1300 on Pirelli spikes.

Pierre-Alexandre Truest raced the Lara MV 800

My ice tyres were crap. Anthony's electrics were playing up. I took the electrics off mine and we shared Anthony's bike. Team work!

Nick Ashley makes the party and Paolo Sormani is always a pleasure.

Dirt Quake hero Serge Nuques raced a Honda chopper. Park it like you stole it. G

A Weekend with Nick Ashley

Lily Ashley sent us a film about sheep a while back which we really loved. Here's a new one about her sister Edie, and dad Nick racing at Dirt Quake IV on a Cheney Triumph (her) and a Harley WL45 (him). BP

DTRA Round 1: Leicester

This is, I think, my eighth season of UK short track racing and I was looking forward to this one more than any before. I'm not getting much better at it, while some other people are getting way better, but there is such a good crowd and atmosphere that I couldn't wait for Leicester.
That's me above in my new Icon Hypersport Stealth jacket and trousers. The jacket was lettered up by a family business in Wigan called Joyda.
Here's why I was so excited. G

(All photos: Sideburn, except the one above: Baron73)

REASON 1 - NEW RIDERS, NEW FRAMERS

The UK scene is growing like never before and there are a lot of cool bikes we've never seen before. I knew about a lot of them, but not this one. 55R is Angelo from Sinner Supply in Belgium, one of three chopper-riding Belgians who have either bought or built framers over the winter to compete. His mate 85R, David is on a self-built SR500. And there are more to come.

The last of the Belgians, who actually performed the best on the day, was Bram on his Suzuki 600. Bunch of great guys bringing even more colour and variety to the DTRA.

This is a small line-up of the DTRA's 30-strong Rookie class entry. How good do these bikes look? 77R is photographer Sam Christmas. 

REASON 2 - EXISTING RIDERS, NEW PAINT

NEW PAINT.  Existing racers getting new paint jobs. This is Leah's killer Death Spray Custom KTM.

And Ross's equally bitchin' Death Spray KTM/Rotax framer.

REASON 3 - THE VINTAGE CLASS

After a good, but steady start to the DTRA vintage class in 2014, the category has exploded and mutated. Nick Ashley has retired his Cheney Triumph for this Harley WLA. Nick designs for exclusive UK clothing company Private White VC. He races in them too.

This is Jack on his Dad's BSA Empire Star. This bike was flying until the final when it got tangled up and managed to run over poor Paul Harrison twice in the same incident. 

Another Paul looked the absolute business on his Enfield, white shirt and open-face lid. I hope he doesn't mind me saying he was so slow he couldn't catch a cold, because he was out there, doing it. Respect. And then he came off track and shoved a pie in his face to recuperate. Screw your energy drinks. Double respect!

REASON 4 - ANTHONY BROWN

If you don't know him, let me explain. He is the nicest man you'll ever meet. He organises the series, with help of a handful of other people, including Anna his other-half. He helps make Dirt Quake happen too. On Sunday he ran around like a headless chicken sorting everything, then jumped on Wilky's Triumph and won the final. Awesome! That's his dad with him, Dickie, another legend.

REASON 5 - THE VARIETY

We have hot shots like reigning champion Tim Neave - all Troy Lee'd up on the way to the playing a starring role in the most exciting final in UK history (and coming away with a broken scaphoid. Get well soon).

And, at the other end of the scale, we have Sid Snots like Milo with his pie plate on his back. 

We love them all!

REASON 6 - THE SPONSORS

The DTRA has some great sponsors including: Deus Ex Machina, DuckSmart, Nixon Watches, FTWCo, Barstow by 100% and House Industries who created the design and font for our official number plates. Oh, and Sideburn is a sponsor too.

REASON 7 - MY MECHANIC

Busy time, busy life, busy town, so it's good to spend a full boy's day out with my son. It's never the same when he can't make it. 

Next race is at Peterborough, a two-day and part of the MCN Festival of Motorcycling. There is going to be a special Transatlantic race that includes Kevin Schwantz and David Aldana and David Knight! G

#59 Nick Ashley

A huge cross-section of people race in the DTRA: different ages, backgrounds, occupations and goals. Farmers race against painters and decorators; engineers battle with tilers. Builders, photographers, car salesmen, carpenters, film set designers, airline pilots, mechanics and, in Nick Ashley, menswear designers are all DTRA members...

I bought some of Nick Ashley clobber when he had his own label more than ten years ago, then got to know him through Sideburn (Ben knew him before that). Now Nick is head of design for an upmarket menswear label called Private White V.C. that is almost unique in making all its products in the UK.

Nick has always raced and ridden. He's competed in desert rallyes and enduros and now, also, competes in the vintage class on a Cheney Triumph.

There's an amusing interview with Nick here. With some of the highlights being...

The factory in Manchester was there at the start of the industry, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. The whole of the Manchester ship canal – from Liverpool to Manchester – was built for the industry, but it’s all gone apart from this. I dream of getting a ship into Manchester, filling it with product and sailing it to China – and selling a whole load of clothes there. Then I can die a happy man. Out of the mill, out of the factory and even take the voyage – smoking Capstan Full Strength and drinking rum all the way!

We had interest from the UK and wrote a few orders. Britain is a small place and, as I say, people spend all their money on houses and education. If you compare it even to Italy, there’s a vast difference. People dress beautifully, eat beautifully and have loads of sex. That’s their priority in life. Their economy is knackered, but they’re having a great time. Let’s all move to Italy!

Photos by Daniel Beres