ForkCo XS

A chance meeting with Tom of Japanese company ForkCo, at January's Verona Show in Italy led to Sideburn landing a Japanese distributor. It'll take time to build out there, but it's great to have Tom on our side. Especially when he's building bikes like this. GI

We've found a new god to worship 3

Not that we're fickle, but we're onto our third god already and this time we've turned Sikh. I saw a Sikh fella riding his Honda through London the other day. He had his turban and goggles on. It's a great look. They're the only riders in the UK not legally obliged to wear a helmet. And no, I haven't learned to bike-surf yet. I'm going to try on the FT500 before I take it to bits. I reckon this fella has a sticking throttle to get this much style going on. I can only imagine the state of the road beneath him. GI
Check out our previous god
We found this photo at OttoNero. Ciao ON!

M&M's W650

Been in touch with M.Mihayahi of the very cool M&M's Motorcycle shop in Japan. This is his latest bike - a W650. Subarashi! G

'Funny pic from an old track that doesn't exist anymore'

From Wayne K

'Kurt Chandler (Doug's brother) stuffing PJ Sanchez with Chris Carr watching in the 80cc expert class at Fremont Raceway.'

Buxton this Sunday

Boastie reminds us.

'THE NEXT MEEETING IS ROUND 4 OF THE POZZANI SILKOLENE ON JULY 12TH AT HI EDGE RACEWAY, DALE HEAD LANE, BUXTON.
PRACTICE 11.00, RACING AT 1.00 PM.'

Ian's street tracker

'Finally managed to get your great mag (from the Magazine Man) after a month of looking. Received issues 1 and 3, really good, like the style. Jay Springsteen is one of my heroes so was great to read the feature, also enjoyed the Hayden interview, been lucky enough to meet some of those guys at Daytona some years back. In the meantime look forward to receiving issue no. 2. Hope you guys are around for a long time. I have attached some piccies of my Harley Flat tracker , which I have changed a few bits on since this photo.'
Regards Ian, Stratstone Harley - Davidson

Dream Hauler contd.

Ah the Reliant 3 wheeler... well you can drive it on a motorcycle licence. Err spend less money on tyres. But no, you don't want to be gunning it in corners as it may tip over. Still damn cool though. BP

Flexi-Office

What with the internet transcending the need to physically meet people in the real world, Sideburn has saved a lot of time, money, and energy. But you can't beat meeting fellow humans in the flesh (not necessarily naked). Today me and GI met up with our latest collaborator James Bettinson, in a super-pub on the A12 just past Snetterton circuit in Norfolk (the pub is as large as a Tudor village, you can get caffè latte at 7:30am and watch wrestling on a plasma-screen bigger than my front room), as it was equidistant in the middle of where we each are at the moment. So over a shandy, a latte, and a bitter we fine tuned the flat-plan for SB#4 and dissected various magazines of influence; new and old from around the world.
BP

Unfortunately not a real one

From Bruno in France...

My XR750. Unfortunately, it isn't a real one. I buy it 2 years ago. I've got the 3 Sideburn issues. Good job.
My bikes: AJS 18CS 1962, Barigo/Rotax 560 GS Streettracker (home made and road "registered" type original. Pictures later.
Project for the future: Yamaha 650 XS Streettraker with a real American flat track frame.
Regards, Bruno T. from France

Flying Officer James McQuaid DFC

From our good friend Al McQ. His Shell XS is in Sideburn 1.

'Hello Guys!
Although this Velocette KSS isn't a flattracker, I know you're interested in shots of people looking cool on bikes so how about this?
It's my Dad - Flying Officer James McQuaid DFC. WW2 has just ended and here he is in his demob' suit & coat, RAF issue goggles and gauntlets. The bike is fuelled on unrationed methanol and running on castor oil.
Check out the haircut and moody guy expression, pre Elvis and Dean. Undaunted by the lack of helmet and minimal front brake, he's just 23 but looks older - here's why...
Quite realistically he didn't expect to see 21. His odds of survival were less than 1 in 3 and he knew it. During his time on 100 Sqn, 25 aircraft and crews went missing, representing a full turnover of the Squadron strength. Of his comrades in Bomber Command, 55,573 died, of which 41,458 have no known grave; many simply logged as "missing - no news after take-off." During the period following D-day, Bomber Command was losing more airmen than the army was infantry in Normandy. They lost more aircrew in one night over Nuremburg than fighter Command did in the whole of the battle of Britain. They made up only 2% of Britain's armed effort but over 14.5% of War dead. Of any combatant force, only the German U-Boat fleet suffered a higher percentage loss rate -although the actual number killed was very much smaller.
So here's to you Dad and all the others, God rest your souls - and I wish I had that Velo'...
Cheers! A
BTW - Revell have recently released an Avro Lancaster kit featuring "his" aircraft markings.