Rafters

What do you mean you are running out of space? BP

Inappropriate

Richard Baybutt's entry for Inappropriate Road Bike for Dirt Quake II has definitely passed pre-selection. G

This is Punk

Dave Bevan first blipped the Sideburn radar we had set up to do surveillance on the forever informative Eat The Rich blog, with his take on Twat Nav. After I left a comment, he immediately sent some of his poetry. Sideburn appreciates anti-design punk aesthetic, but compared to Dave's raw 'fanzines' Sideburn looks like a glossy time-share brochure. Photocopied and stapled this is the real deal. Throbbing gristle publishing. No need for computers. BP
Check out Dave's blog, where you can buy these poetry and travel fanzines - http://happygoingnowhere.blogspot.co.uk/

Dirt Quake Entry NEWS

Entries for Dirt Quake II will open April 26. This will be handled online through the Motorcycle Federation website.
Before the entry news here's some more important info.

We're having a pre-party on the Friday night with camping. More details soon.
Krazy Horse are having an open day and barbecue on the Sunday of Dirt Quake and it's a great ride down from King's Lynn to Bury St Edmunds.
Tickets on sale soon!

Now info for those wanting to compete...

HOW MUCH?
Race entries are £25. You will need an MCF Day licence (unless you have an MCF season licence). A day licence is a further £10.
For this entry fee every rider will have the opportunity for one four-lap practice; three six-lap heat races and, if they qualify, a final.

BIKE APPROVAL
Everyone must have their bike approved by Sideburn before they enter. We just want to make sure the choppers are choppers and the Inappropriate Road Bikes, really are inappropriate.
If you enter without your bike being approved there's a chance you won't be able to race and your entry fee and licence fee won't be refunded.
The classes are
CHOPPER
INAPPROPRIATE ROAD BIKE
STREET TRACKER/ STREET SCRAMBLER
So start sending photos, even if they’re work in progress, to dirt@sideburnmagazine.com
Please mark your email 'Dirt Quake Bike'

RULES AND REGULATIONS
We’ve had a meeting with the DTRA, the people behind the UK Dirt Track race series, who we are co-organising Dirt Quake 2 with. They’ve told us there are some important requirements for riders who plan to race at Dirt Quake. We’re keeping rules and regs to an absolute minimum, but there’s no way around these laid down by the MCF.

1. Your helmet must conform to one of the following standards and have a sticker that the DTRA scrutineers can check to confirm it does. We’re assured this includes open-face helmets, so you shouldn’t have to splash out on a new lid unless yours is ancient.
Check your helmet to ensure it conforms to one of the following British, European or American standards.
BS-6658-A or BS-6658-B
UN ECE REGULATION 22 ECE 22-05
SNELL M2005, M2010

Gloves and boots are compulsory. So are long sleeves and long trousers (you really don’t want to race dirt track in shorts…)
Shatterproof eye protection is strongly recommended, as is some kind of motorcycle protective clothing.

2. Your bike’s front sprocket must be covered in a way that will adequately stop fingers or toes touching it. If it isn’t, you won’t be allowed on track.

3. Mag wheels must have gaps that are big enough to fit an arm through blocked up. Securely zip-tied Perspex will work. If you have normal spoked wheels you have nothing to worry about.

That’s about it for now. If you’re willing to race it, we’ll let you, unless it’s obviously a danger to other riders.
Send questions and photos to dirt @ sideburnmagazine.com

United State

Conrad Leach who features (rather a lot) in SB#13 has an LA show at the Subvecta Motus Gallery until the 19th April. Snaps courtesy of DiCE. BP

Co-Built by Martin Squires

Martin Squires (the world's most prolific sketcher?) has visited Co-Built, HQ and created another of his lovely works. G

So Long

We normally want to keep politics out of motorcycling, especially our corner of it, but I'm making an exception today with a song from my youth that I remembered as soon as I saw today's long-awaited news... G

Chad Cose Corner Entry

I don't know if it will work, but I'm going to watch this 100 times and see if anything rubs off on me. G
Spotted at derestricted.com

Ducati Dirt Track

Rob travelled up from Devon with his family to practice on his newly built Ducati Thunderbike and had a lot of fun.

Rob's first ever ride on a dirt oval was in the chopper class at last year's Dirt Quake. And now he's signed up for a season of racing. We're very proud of that. Photo by Eat The Rich.
If you want a taster of flat track racing, without having to invest in a race bike, keep watching this blog for a lot more news about Dirt Quake 2.
Check out more on Rob's Ducati at his Oily Rags blog. G

DTRA First Practice: The French Connection

Frank Chatokhine (above and below) came over from France to try flat track for the very first time. He was going well (and looking the business) on his 500cc Metisse T100 (on 19s with Maxxis DT1s). He'll be back.

Dimitri Coste came over on his BSA to try it on a dry track. It was quick. And loud. He removed the silencer because he thought it was acting as a megaphone.

Waiting to go Paul Baleta (40R, KTM); Guy Sutherland (97R, Co-Built Rotax); Anthony Brown (45, Co-Built Rotax)

There were a few slide offs. 

The one and only pre-season test took place at Rye House yesterday and it was great to see a bunch of new faces (and plenty of old ones).
The UK Short Track scene has had a few changes behind the scenes and the new organisers, the DTRA have chased a different crop of sponsors and are being supported by Edwin jeans, Deus Ex Machina, FTWCo, Sideburn and Ruby helmets.
Ruby brought over a French delegation of four riders, three on Brit iron and Ruby boss, Jerome, on a KTM DTX bike rented from Peter Boast. They've got the bug.

NOTE 1. UK racers - you MUST get your entries in by this Friday or you won't be able to race at the first round, at King's Lynn. There are no exceptions.

NOTE 2/ UK spectators - The first round of the series is at King's Lynn. See the poster below and the DTRA website for more details. Entry is £5 for adults, under-16s are free.

Thanks to Ian Mitchell for the photos. More later this week.