Mees wins on Indian FTR750

Jared Mees has already competed in two big, non-championship races on the new Indian FTR750. Last weekend it was Willow Springs, and he was on the podium, this week the half-mile at Perris (the big track, adjacent to the little one more commonly used for flat track) and he won.

These races offer good prize money and attract top riders including Brad Baker on a Dodge Brothers XR750, Briar Bauman on the Zanotti XR750, Jarod Vanderkooi and Kayl Kolkman among others.

If there was any doubt that Mees would be a 2017 title threat straight out of the blocks, that should be dispelled by now.

Remember, Indian have also signed 2016 champion Bryan Smith and 2013 champion Brad Baker to race the new bike. I've been in Harley Town, Milwaukee, all week, pressing for news on their 2017 team and there have been no announcements or even hints about their plans, but they're taking the threat seriously. It might already be too late for 2017 though.

Sideburn favourite Brandon Robinson would be a good fit, but perhaps he's happy with the Kennedy team. The factory team would offer a rare well-paid ride in the world of pro flat track.  G

LA Triptych - Part 3 California Moto Culture

Our friends at Influx (the online (and occasionally on paper magazine of UK motor insurance specialists Adrian Flux), are creating some original, high quality content.
Ben and some of our friends turn up in this film that was shot in Perris, at an evening practice Deus Venice organised. It's one of three short films Influx harvested in California. All three start with dreadlocked, mid-Atlantic, Porsche collector, Magnus Walker, and he features in the second of the three films (but I've heard most of what he says in the film that was out a few years ago).
I also wrote about Bud Ekins and Cali-FOMO for their recent California-themed content ejaculation.
Go to Influx and have a snoop around. G

This weekend in So Cal...

Hell on Wheels have been running events for a long time and they always look a lot of fun. This is the advice from this weekend's hosts at the Perris track...

All the usual, no glass bottles, helmets and mufflers required on all running motorcycles. Helmets for kids on bikes and scooters; that's State law... 

This is more of an adult oriented affair, and it gets crowded. Keep an eye on and out for children. 

This will be the usual mix of backyard specials and converted heaps. It would be nice to have more than just a handful or real racers out there, whether framers or flat-o-crossers! No pro class that I am aware of... 

My own personal observation: This is a bit faster event than most Hell On Wheels events. Long sleeves, boots, good gloves, full face helmets and all the safety equipment you have. Shorts and tank tops ARE NOT race track attire. Remember the old Honda ad, Dress For The Fall, Not The Summer!

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

Perris Friendly

Thanks to Julian of Deus LA for organising a private soiree at Perris, for the usual suspects plus some new faces, as a warm-up to DQ USA II. BP

GI on Julian's Triumph

Rusty Butcher's Sportster

Troy Critchlow and his lady

Deus Andie, Jason, Chopper Dave

All colours and creeds welcome

Stacie Bultaco tune up

her Bultaco 250 Sherpa as featured in SB#15

Minibike muscle - read more about them in them in our current issue #21

Andrew Honda XL350 street tracker - behaving very well on German Heidenau K34 tyres (same as Dimitri Coste's BSA C15)

Smiling Jen

Even more smiling Jen

UPDATE - Perris Tomorrow Night

RAINED-OFF. CHECK THE POSTER FOR THE NEXT DATE

The season opener happens at Perris tomorrow night. Get out there to see a massive variety of machinery from brakes Indians to framers and DTX, plus some of the top US racers preparing for the GNC.
Race entries available on the day too, I think. G

Mule Racing

Mule doesn't just consistently build the world's best trackers and develop parts for you to fit to yours, he also races. And he's fast. Really fast.

I traded off the TT500 you rode at Perris and I’m racing the CRF450 I got in trade, plus I got my 125 bike. Here’s a couple shots on the CR125 (pictured in action). Also, the 450 (below) in work being set up. 
Cheers, Mule

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

Perris: This Friday!

The night before the Nationals.

Racing from 4.30.
Deus Ex Machina (at Venice) have added to the sponsor money, so there will be wild short track racing for a $5000 purse. A lot of the hungry young National numbers make this race to hoover up the prize money, so the action is full-blooded.

And I'm going to be there (spectating, not racing). G

More info at Southern California Flat Track.

Zaeta Event at Perris NEXT WEEK

Lots going on in Zaeta world. This is an open invitation to an event organised for the Italian company out in Perris, California. Any fans of these jewel-like street trackers are welcome to attend. Our good friend and co-owner of Zaeta, Marco Belli will be there.

Here is the press release...

En route to the Bonneville salt flats, a short pit stop will occur near Los Angeles at Perris Raceway on September 4th from 4-9PM. Some elite racers will have the opportunity to saddle up and put the Zaeta through its paces. Some of the riders attending will include, Pro AMA riders in both AMA Flat Track and AMA Road Racing including Stevie Bonsey, Josh Chisum, Sebastiao Ferreira, Jimmy Wood, Sr, Jimmy Wood Jr, Jim Medlin and many more. 

Other personalities include actor Jason Lee and Hollywood stunt rider Joe Bucaro. Custom motorcycle builders Kevin Dunworth, Roland Sands, Kim Boyle, Oliver Jones, Jay LaRossa and Brandon Holstein will give the Zaeta a twist. 

Press and motorcycle enthusiasts are welcome to check out the Zaeta bike for free or take their own personal bikes for a spin on the track during the time slot of 6:30-7:00PM for a nominal fee of $10. 

Listen to the DJ, cheer the pros as they dash for Café Racer XXX coffee or peruse the custom bikes on display from Deus, Lossa Engineering, Speed Merchant, The Cut Rate and the BA Moto club. 

A very special thanks to the financial sponsors that made this event possible including Zaeta, GoAnimoto LLC, Café Racer XXX, Hollywood Trading Company, Pakelo, Soul Custom, Speed Merchant, Lossa Engineering and BA Moto.

If you would like to know more about the Zaeta or the Test at Perris Raceway, please feel free to contact either,  Donna Parodi DonnaParodi@gmail.com Sasha Valentine caferacerxxx@gmail.com

You can read the full story on this company and their stunning street trackers in 

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

Hell on Wheels by Deus

HELL ON WHEELS DIRT TRACK CLASSIC from Deus Customs on Vimeo.
Run what you brung flat track, organised by Hell on Wheels at Perris, earlier this month. G

Hell on Wheels Flat Track

The Hell on Wheels crew have been running run what you brung scrambles for years. Last weekend they ran their first flat track at the famous Perris track in So Cal. It looks like fun. Bill from Biltwell took these shots. G