1954 KR750 for sale

From the Baron 73, who spotted it on US eBay. Check out the stubby 'clip-on' for drafting on the straights.

You are bidding on a 1954 an original Harley-Davidson KR750 dirt-track racer. I purchased this bike in 1972 from Doc's Harley-Davidson in St. Louis, MO with the intention of setting it up for street use. KR's were pur sang race bikes and don't do well on the street, so I abandoned that fantasy and the bike sat for years. I finally had it restored in 1996 by former pro dirt-track tuner Jimmy Nichols at Star Cycle here in Tucson. The bike was the subject of an extensive feature I wrote for the August 1997 issue of Cycle World magazine, and was shown several years at the Del Mar Concours motorcycle show. The KR is set up as an authentic dirt-track racer, circa 1967-69, complete with fiberglass tank, Tillotson carburetor, big-valve cylinders and full-length straight pipes. (It hasn't been run in several years, but is still the loudest Harley I've ever heard.) Like any other KR it can also be converted to a KRTT for anyone interested in AHRMA road-racing.

I also have a smattering of spare parts, including a Linkert MR-3 carburetor, Smith's chronometric tach and cable, original friction steering damper, alternative camshafts, an additional cylinder and a few other odds and ends.These I'll include if the bidding goes high enough; otherwise I'll sell them separately. Regardless of the selling price, I'll include a signed copy of the CW article.

Unlike a lot of "KR" 750s I've seen on ebay, this is the real-deal, with "-R" model crankcases and cylinders, front-mounted magneto, and ball-bearing crank and camshafts. The bike was raced right up to the time I bought it, and came with yellow (AMA Junior) number plates still spattered with mud. (The number was 40x; if anyone knows who raced that number in 1971 I'd love to know). I also have my original Missouri title, which lists 1972 as the last sale date. I don't have a reserve or Buy It Now price, so the opening bid is the least I'll take. Once that's made, the bike goes to the highest bidder. It hurts to put this up, but I don't show it any more and it needs to go to a good home with an appreciative owner. Good luck bidding.

Sideburn gives you wings: UPDATE

I spotted this outside Urban Outfitters, Leeds on Boxing Day. I got some funny looks when I stopped to take a photo of it. G

UPDATE: Just got this from Chris in the South of France 'I found this a couple months back.... it's spreading!'

Sideburn x JL10

We've been giving free stickers out with orders for a long time now. Margo has left us, so this is the latest. It's a Johnny Lewis tribute die-cut sticker (he's our rep in the GNC paddock, so go get your issues from him on race day). Order something from the webshop to get one. We'll have them at Verona too.
The artwork, of Johnny's Scott Powersports Kawasaki ER-6, is by Chris Watson. G

Berlin Sportster

From Germany, Martin's super-neat Sporty

Hi Sideburners,
I have been following your blog and mag for quite a while - great job so far!
Being inspired by some of the projects that were featured in your blog I modified my 1991 Sportster a little (pics attached).
Hope you like it.
My other bike is an all original 1980 H.-D. XR-750.
The bike currently undergoes some mods, i.e. total-loss battery, lights, tach/speedo and so on to hit the street for an occasional blast.

On the Sporty the fork, wheels and brakes are 97 Kwack ZX-6R + belt drive, 17" Tires are 120/160 Heidenau K73 ;
Yes, you are right: swingarm is JMC extendable up to +10 cm, rear shocks are Fournales with black Harley wrinckle-coat (couldn't afford some good Works, WP or even better Öhlins... yet), Storz aluminum gas tank, ISR controls, LSL pegs, Motogadget tach/speedo (lucky me - it's a Berlin-based company, as you will know!);
Power delivers an entire 89 cubic inch S&S engine (bought in new parts and then assembled), carb is a Mikuni HSR 45/47 mm, Supertrapp 2-2 which I separated a little for better looks (too me it appears too massive in the original style);
It is very torquey and powerful, you can either let the rear wheel slip or wheelie. (I am still working on that powerslide around corners :-))
Motor should deliver 100+ PS and 130+ Nm at the rear wheel, turns easily very low 11s at 120 mph on the quarter-mile.

I used to drag race a little with a non-wheelie bar streetable Sportster that had a 120 ci S&S engine which turned low 9s at 147mph on the strip.
2006 was my last season so far racing a Harley Destroyer in the first European Cup, it was good fun, especially in Hockenheim.
Happy New Year and keep up with the good work. Maybe see you around.
Cheers,
Martin, Berlin

Old Empire Motorcycles

Just been sent this. Good luck Alec.

Hi there, thought id drop in an e-mail to inform you of a new motorcycle business only recently founded here in the UK, where we are striving to bring a fresh lease of life to british motorcycle design and manufacture.

Old Empire Motorcycles is a fledgling custom motorcycle enterprise at the moment and still finding its feet.We have only really been fully operational for a couple of months now, but its taken a full year to get prepared, as in the workshop, equipment
etc. Regular updates are put on facebook/twitter and a website is currently under construction, aswell as other promoting material. Three bikes are under way in the workshop, a Triumph, Yamaha and a Royal Enfield, two of which will be done by end of Jan 2012.
If you have the time check out the Old Empire Motorcycles facebook page, there is some background info on the brand and what we are aiming to acheive. I will attach a picture of the
Tempest and the Pup as both are looking really promising, as well as our insignia. I suppose the reason im really contacting you is the possibilty of getting some interest from a wider audience than just locals and friends and family. Dont get me wrong some feedback is better than no feedback from the work im doing but it would be nice to get some other views!

Anyway thankyou for your time,
Alec Sharp
Old Empire Motorcycles

UPDATE: Y Niwl

Twangy Welsh surf band Y Niwl play Cafe Kino in Bristol tomorrow night (Sat 7 Jan).

UPDATE: DUE TO BAND ILLNESS THE SHOW IS CANCELLED

Review from the Sunday Times

Digging

Went with GI to Bromsgrove to meet up with Benny Boneshaker, and do a feature for SB#10 on a tasty Harley 'scrambler' he has built before it gets crated off to its new home in Italy. Then we went to his new dream workshop and fell in lurve with this groovy 750/4 digger he is building. BP

(Yes, Peter Sutcliffe came too)

Day of the Dead

I can't get enough of Korero's lush art books. We started stocking Korero's kustom kulture titles, then decided to get a few more in (even though they don't have anything to do with bikes. We're treating that webshop as if it was a real one on a high street and we'd definitely stock and bunch of stuff like this in limited quantities...).

Anyway, Day of the Dead is all inspired by Mexico's healthy/unhealthy handle on death as interpreted by a huge roster of artists in a variety of different media. Buy one at the Sideburn webshop and celebrate being alive (or get really maudlin and drink too much). G

Slowburn

Every bike shop owner (and those working in them every day) I've ever known, never seem to find the time to build their dream bikes, and more often than not ride a not so glamourous but reliable hack. They have all the bits squirreled away but somehow making private time for a personal build seems impossible. Wieger has amassed a few minutes here and there over the last 2 & 1/2 years, and his Indian is finally running. Savour the flavor, it should be worth the wait. BP

Yamaha BW200

From Neil (who also made the incredible Rollerball Action Figure)...

Hey there, I saw on your blog you were interested in fat wheeled bikes.
I had a Yamaha BW200 until last year, when I sold it to a mate who still has it.
They were made in the mid 1980s, off road only, with a 200cc engine and then later with a 350cc.
If you look on my blog manisatthewindow.blogspot.com, the very first picture posted is that bike. (Won't take long to find, I haven't posted that much).
They are pretty rare in the UK, mine was the only one I ever saw.