XS650 For Sale Oz

Matt Machine's very tidy XS650 street tracker is for sale down under. BP

Slammin' Sammy

video UP DATE Sammy is 7

From Sammy Halbert. This came in on Fridya but it took us a while to put the clip on YoutTube.

Hey Gary,
Check these clips out of me bumping and crashing into Luke Gough at the Springfield Short track.
I am serving a 1 race suspension for this incident, so I am missing this weekends MN Mile GNC Twins race while I am in the lead of the twins championship!
Can I get one of the new Sideburn magazines from you?
Thanks,Sammy

Read Sammy's fist fight in a phone booth strategy in SB#6

UPDATE: This is taken from The Rider Files (thanks for the tip-off Randy). This is the official line on the incident.

“Sammy has been on probation since the May Springfield event,” [AMA Pro Racing's] Mike Kidd said. “He’d been warned about his riding tactics even before being put on probation. It’s unfortunate that we had to be put in the situation of having to suspend him for a race, but his safety and the safety of every other rider is our main priority and Sammy’s riding and his attitude was getting to the point that we had to act.”
Kidd said the incident in the Springfield Short Track Semi was senseless.
“He didn’t even need to be out there,” Kidd said. “We were restarting the race with just a couple of laps to go and he was starting in the back of the grid. He’d already stated that he was going to take a provisional to get into the national, but he said he wanted to get out there and help his brother get into the main. That’s just not acceptable.”
Kidd was quick to add that comments made by Halbert to the announcer that he was “tired of being pushed around,” did not influence the decision to suspend Halbert.
“We looked at the video and it was clear he took out the other rider [Luke Gough]. So we really had no choice other than to give him this suspension.”
For his part Halbert acknowledges that he got into the turn a little too hot, but he wasn’t trying to take out Gough.
“I was trying to perfect my block pass and came in low and drift out high,” Halbert said. “I went to the bottom and unfortunately Luke went to the bottom too and we came together. It’s one of those things that happens racing on a short track. I don’t think it’s fair that I was suspended for barely making contact.”
Halbert claimed he was being pushed wide on the exit of the short track turns by other rider, but he didn’t think much of it since it was part of the sport.
“My championship run has come to an end over a little incident on a paperclip short track. It’s unfortunate, but I just need to learn from it and come back stronger and go around the outside the next time.”
Halbert said he decided to finish out the Semi to learn the track as much as he could and acknowledged that if he could help to get his brother in the race he would, but not by messing up someone else’s race.
“There is only one AMA Pro Racing and I’ve got to play by their rules,” Halbert concluded. “I’ve got to make sure I learn whatever lesson they’re trying to teach me. Since I was on suspension I tried to be careful and not be so aggressive, but it’s hard to remember that in the heat of the battle.”

Harley-Davidson Dipped Bananas

Like me you're thinking 'Dipped bananas? Prison slang, right?' But no! Spotted on the legendary Chopper Dave blog, this thing is a real licensed product from the motor company.

'Guaranteed to start any Harley® lover's engine, this exciting arrangement combines trademark flame shaped pineapples, chocolate dipped apples, melon, oranges, grapes, strawberries and chocolate dipped bananas in a collectable fuel tank inspired container. LIVE. RIDE. EAT. Collect all 3 tank designs! Tank design may vary'

And it's only $97. Get yours here. GI

Sex Beet

Sex Beet are my new favourite band. I heard them on Marc Riley's 6 Music show. Don't know much about them except they're from England and they're playing London on Wednesday, but I don't think I'm going to make it.
I was looking at their Myspace page and saw the poster below for what looks to be an amazing Garage Punk festival. Then I noticed it's being sponsored by a car company. WTF?! A garage punk festival in Kansas sponsored by a car company. It must've been Vice magazine that talked them out of their money. They surely are a silver-tongued bunch of snake oil salesman. GI

Representing

Norm from Motorcycho. Cool Rokon, Norm!
Diplo from Sweat, Steam, Gasoline
Geoff from Co-Built and Wilky from Skooter Farm (racing in Teterow, Germany)

Coolbeth wins Minnesota Mile

With Sammy Halbert banned for one weekend's racing (more about that later), his rivals had the opportunity to gain some ground on him. Kenny Coolbeth won the Mile from reigning champion Jared Mees (on the cover of SB3) and Jake Johnson (on the cover of SB5).
Coolbeth styling.
The Dash for cash. Weidman, Coolbeth, Johnson, Pearson, Carr, Mees.
Three from three. Chris Carr continued his great Dash for Cash run, by winning from Jersey Jake.
Making cash. Kicking ass. Class act.
Johnson, Kopp, Mees, Lewis, Cose in qualifying.
Pro Singles action. Kurtis Lee (22J), Chaz Springsteen (29J - Jay's nephew), William Cato (35c).
Bryan Smith came sixth in the Main (after two back to back wins) and was part of the the most diverse Main for years. The nights's final was made up of 11 x XR750, 2 x Kawasaki, 2 x Suzuki, 1 x Triumph, 1 x KTM, 1 x Ducati.
Aussie Luke Gough (62) and Johnny Lewis (on a Kawasaki, I think)
Jared Mees.
Pro Singles Main winner Jeffrey Carver Jr.
Kopp main the main but came an uncharacteristic 16th.
Weidman seem to be one of the few riders who runs traditional bar clamps. Look at the bikes guys in the photo above.

Photos courtesy of AMA Pro Racing.

Proper bloke

In these days of paranoic safety consciousness and blame culture, it tweaks my bloke gene to see this cover of Cycle, from this very month 56 years ago. Is he being reckless, broadsiding that road-trim 650 Beeza? Hell no. Those are pretty stout shoes and, well, the socks are Argyle. As culled from Dad's Vintage Ads. MP

Books you're going to love...

I met the publisher of these books the other day and just had to buy some to try spread the word. Nope, they're not flat track, there isn't even a lot of bike in them (though there is more in Kustom Kamera than the others), but we love books, art, photography and women and we wanted to get these independently published books out there, so we gave them a punt. The print quality kicks the arse of most so-called coffee table books on the market. Highly recommended. Check them out at the Sideburn Webshop. GI

Mike's Suzuki GT650

Hey Gary,
I wanted to do an SR600 (I'm a thumper fan )but there hard to find over-priced and everyone does them. The Suzuki has a great chassis but its an ugly street bike and I've never seen one as a street tracker.This is only my second build but I knew the bike had potential and I like the look of the motor.The suspension is lowered 3" front and rear.I replaced the front rim with an 18" the rear is the stock 17".The fender I found at tractor supply for $20.00 bucks.I used the stock seat pan and reshaped the foam.I went through 5 tanks on ebay before I found one that fit, headlight ,taillight and blinkers are also off ebay. Oil cooler is off an old
Honda.The exhaust is one off with tubing from my first build,muffler is off a trashed R6 looks great but its friggin loud .Side panels are hand hammered 16 gauge steel.
I think the stance and lines work well together and its a blast to ride.
Let me know what you think.
Cheers
Mike Sternick, New Jersey

We love it! G

The Big Book of Deus

The good people of Deus Ex Machina have offered all Sideburn blog readers a 15% discount on their new large format book showing the history, bikes and art of their fine company. We haven't had a copy in our hands yet, but we have a spot on our shelves, between the New English Dandy and 40 Summer Ago, just waiting for it. GI

The code is
DEUSBURN
all uppercase. It works for the book only. 15% off.

Buy it HERE