Never under-estimate a junkyard beauty

From the most excellent Travis in Colorado

I kept hoping to get my Sideburn before the trip to bonniville and on my way out of town with the bike loaded i checked the mail box one last time.....Yes! There it was. I stickered up the bike and had a great week out on the salt flats.
Lots of neat bikes and people. the XR750 belongs to my Pikes Peak racer friend Joe Blackwell. He broke his class record. Purdy cool bike. my bike is a stock 79 GS1000 in a sweet ass free backyard find drag bike. $300 total build. The ol GS1000 ran 141 mph. Not bad since i plucked the engine right out the junk yard at my shop. been sitting for who knows how long and i didnt even pop a points cover or check the valves, just cleaned the carbs and found out how long she would over rev in 5th. Never
underestimate a junk yard beauty, eh?
Hope to go back next year. peace, love, and wheelies.
Travis Newbold
PS the new issue is supremo. the best friend I could have had while living in my van out on the salt flats for six days.

Sideburn 2: Sold Out

We warned you, then found a a few more when we were tidying up, but now they're all gone. Thanks to everyone who ordered them . GI

The other cool Kawasaki at Indy

From Roger...

This is the other cool Kawasaki at Indianapolis for the mile. This bike belongs to a "keep at it because you love it" kinda racer you always root for. Jason Griffin didn't make the 32 rider field at Indy on his Kawasaki, but that's not the point.
I've seen him at Lima a few times too. The point is that his right arm is missing other than a bit of a stub. The right sleeve of is leathers is sewn shut after about 4 inches. (Read about Jason in Sideburn 4).
What impressed me is just how nice this guy is and what an easy-going manner he has. The pictures are of him with my girlfriend Patty, and two of his bike.
Now look at the bike and imagine how hard it would be to race it only left-handed. I'll even give you the benefit of guessing he's left-handed, as I never thought to ask him. Take your throttle over to the left and operate it simultaneously along with the clutch. That's simple, right? Your only contact point has a grip that turns freely. Let your other arm hang loose, no moving it for balance or leverage. Race (not ride) your 450 into a cushion half-mile turn like Lima at about 80mph, or a mile like Indy where you're over 100! Even when it bucks around, all you get is the one arm to control it while sliding. 10 laps at race speed. Tired yet? Crashing hurts and is expensive and likely dangerous too..
To me, this guy is one cool dude. A racer with enough passion to do it with a huge handicap. And a grin!

Grayson Perry: Genius

Grayson Perry is without doubt our favourite Turner Prize-winning transvestite artist, and that's before we realised he was a fan of old Harleys. Thanks to John and Andy Ford for letting us know about Grayson's planned road trip. Follow his trip, from the perspective of his teddy bear Alan Measles here. GI
Click the newspaper cutting twice to read it.

Bog philosophy

There are few things I like better than sitting on the bog and meditating over a copy of the Classic Bike small ads, but this one made me think about more than the inflated prices of pre-unit TR6Cs. Don't let time creep up on you, get the fuck on with it (said the king of procrastination). MP

Merinero exhibition in Spain

It's a big Harley show plus an art show on the side.
This exhibition will take place in Building Moruno, located in Plaza del Mar, from September 4 to 12.

Coolbeth came and kicked our asses

From Shane in NY State.

I have known about you guys for a long time. I read about you online, and was going to get a subscription a while ago and just have been super busy racing and working. We do a lot of stuff here at my local club and the turn out is always really good. The last two "local" races I was at Kenny Coolbeth came and kicked our asses. So that's always neat. I attached a picture of me riding one of my bikes.
Thanks Shane

Get Sideburn at Kustom Kulture Blast-Off

Our friends at the Kitschy Kustom Kraft Kollective have stocked up with issues of Sideburn to sell at this weekend's show. Their stand is in the outside area. We've also found out that Minx (featured in Sideburn 6 and on the free poster given away with that issue) will be rolling around the show site both days along with her fellow Lincolnshire Bomber Rollergirls .

Hayden back on the Mile

Amateur video of Nicky Hayden on the Lloyd Brother's Ducati at Indy. Thanks to Tom and Andrew for pointing us in the right direction. G

Guy Martin on an XR1200

Guy Martin raced a Harley XR1200 at Cadwell over the weekend. More at the Red Torpedo blog. G