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    Inspiration: Picasso Bug
    • Mar 1

    Inspiration: Picasso Bug

    This creature, the Picasso bug, landed in my consciousness last week. Also known as the Zulu Hud bug, it's a type of shield-backed bug, and a native of sub-tropical Africa, that grows to a maximum length of 8mm (0.31in). I'm posting it, because its shield would make a great paintjob. In fact, it reminded me of a bike we had in Sideburn 15, Stacie B London's Bultaco Sherpa short tracker. So, who is getting a Picasso big petrol tank first? #bultaco #insect
    Mike's Champion Bultaco
    • Aug 14, 2020

    Mike's Champion Bultaco

    I never thought of myself as much of a 'practice' rider. Time is tight, lots to do: family, work (self-employment work-life balance/imbalance), so I make time for the races, but not always the practices. 2020 has been different. There have been no races, so I've craved the practices. At the couple of practice days I've attended I've had a bit of time to talk to people I don't always get time to speak with either because we're busy racing, or racing on different days, or pitte
    Greenfield Practice Bikes
    • Jul 26, 2020

    Greenfield Practice Bikes

    A couple of weekends ago the DTRA ran two days of practice at Greenfield Dirt Track in Lincolnshire, UK. The classes were split and riders had to choose if they wanted to ride on Saturday or Sunday, social distancing meaning the numbers were limited. These are some of the most eye-catching bikes (and people) from the weekend. The first three photos are Lucky Luke (with his Sideburn x Biltwell goggles) and Harley WL flathead racer . Luke is a tattooer who runs Hard Luck with J
    What's My Name?
    • Jul 19, 2020

    What's My Name?

    Latest blog from Todd Marella. It’s Friday after work and a few of us are gathering at the Heap (@cycleheap) to ready bikes, drink beer, and swap a week’s worth of absurdities learned about our current state of affairs. Two of us are planning on racing the next day, 5 ½ hours away in Spokane, Washington…which is almost Idaho…and nearly Canada. Four days earlier, I had it in my mind that I’d be returning to the track, that I’d fallen in love with two weekends prior, by myself.
    Catch Fite Klub
    • Jun 13, 2020

    Catch Fite Klub

    We have purposely not covered the result of this week's pay-per-view Flat Track Fite Klub as it's still out there to watch. Chris Carr go in touch again to say... In case you missed it, the Inaugural Flat Track Fite Klub is still available to watch. I won't spoil the outcome, but you'll see one of Today's Stars having to go the distance with one of the Legends. Think 'Rocky Balboa on two Wheels, only for real and not a movie: Flat Track Fite Klub will take you to the order pa
    FT Fite Klub eBay
    • Jun 11, 2020

    FT Fite Klub eBay

    Flat Track Fite Klub took place earlier this week, legends of the sport racing Bultaco Astros. Part of the event was designed to raise money for the Rookies of 79 flat track fund. There are helmets, Lightshoe steel shoes and even a Sunday up on eBay raising money for the charity. Go to the Rookies of 79 eBay page. The race footage is still available to pay to view. Click Flat Track Fite Klub #flattrackfiteklub #rookiesof79 #jayspringsteen #joekopp #chriscarr #bultacoastro #bu
    Roland's Reaction
    • Mar 2, 2020

    Roland's Reaction

    I was hunting through 100s of photos from the One Pro races at the One Show in Portland that took place last month, when this one appeared. It wasn't the class I was looking for, this is a heat race for the Vintage 250 class (early in the day, hence not many in the stands). It's the class our man Todd Marella races in, and reports on, and I was looking for the Electric National, for the upcoming Sideburn 40. I was drawn to the image, loving the angle showing the huge cube scr
    DTRA Vintage - Amman Valley report
    • Jul 27, 2019

    DTRA Vintage - Amman Valley report

    Note: John is such a stereotypically modest Englishman he didn't want to write about his first ever win in the DTRA Vintage class, so he wrote using a nom de plume. This, of course, is ridiculous, so I edited his copy back from the third person. Congrats John, you rode like a demon. GI June's Vintage DTRA round became a non-championship points-scoring at the Greenfield TT because the scheduled Saturday was rained off and a key championship contender couldn't make the reschedu
    Ben's Bultaco
    • Jun 1, 2019

    Ben's Bultaco

    This Bultaco is going to make it's DTRA Sideburn Vintage class debut in the near future, hopefully next week at the Greenfield TT. Its owner, Ben Eddings, shared some details about himself and his bike. I've been a Sideburn subscriber since issue #21 but only had my first actual taste of racing in August 2018; Sean Kelly loaned me his race proven Yamaha #33 for a day at Rye House. I came dead last in the two heats I could make the thing start for but loved it, in particular t
    DTRA Vintage 2019: Round 1
    • Apr 19, 2019

    DTRA Vintage 2019: Round 1

    The long awaited 2019 DTRA Flat track season kicked off in fine style in King's Lynn at the weekend. It's a great venue that always produces fine evening races under floodlights. This year was no exception, the setting sun making the whole event wonderfully atmospheric as the inters, pros and Hooligans battled heroically into the dark on Saturday evening. The Sideburn Vintage class ran on Sunday. It was cold, but the racing was hot. Lots of new old bikes and some familiar and
    Dirt Track Rookies, Spain
    • Jan 3, 2019

    Dirt Track Rookies, Spain

    We posted a story about the the Dirt Track Rookies in Spain in late-2017. Up until recently, there seemed to be two very different strands to the flat track scene in Spain. There are those inspired by the Marc Marquez/ Superprestigio scene who have a national championship made up of 450 DTX singles, then there are the Dirt Rookies, riding air-cooled, vintage or modified road bikes. Now it seems the two are combining, with the national championship including a vintage class. T
    DTRA 2018 Vintage Class Finale
    • Sep 30, 2018

    DTRA 2018 Vintage Class Finale

    Following the disappointment of round 6, at Amman Valley, being rained off, the final round of the DTRA Championship was held at George Pickering's fabulous Greenfield Dirt track (featured in SB34) under wide, clear, Lincolnshire skies. The Vintage heat races began with a narrow groove laid down by the previous days racing but as the day's heats progressed the groove got broader until by the time we got to the finals it was 3 bikes wide, leading to some great racing. The hea
    El Rollo - MEGAPOST
    • Sep 2, 2018

    El Rollo - MEGAPOST

    The desire to rush to get reports onto the blog has left me, but the want to share photos and a few details is still there, so for instant gratification, there is the @sideburnmag instagram feed (which also runs along the bottom of this very website's homepage for those without the app or a smartphone, there are some out there). Wait a little longer and posts arrive on the blog, from me and our contributors all over the world, and for the real quality, there is the magazine,
    Slippery Fish & Extraordinary Skills // DTRA Sideburn Vintage Class Rnd 1 Report
    • Apr 19, 2018

    Slippery Fish & Extraordinary Skills // DTRA Sideburn Vintage Class Rnd 1 Report

    After kicking off the 2018 season with a breathtaking and thrilling Saturday evening of racing at King's Lynn in the Hooligan, Pro and Inter classes, Sunday morning dawned wet and dismal. Everyone hoped it would dry out, but in the end the meeting was scrubbed after practice and the first heat races. Quite right too. Conditions were terrible, the track a sodden, gloopy mess. I've never mud wrestled jellied eels but I imagine there would be more grip than I found available out
    DTRA Sideburn Vintage Class of 2018 Preview: Pt. 1
    • Apr 2, 2018

    DTRA Sideburn Vintage Class of 2018 Preview: Pt. 1

    With less than a week to go there is only only thing on everybody's mind. It isn't Trump's next announcement or what The Duchess of Cambridge had for breakfast. From Middlesborough to Memphis I know everybody is thinking about the DTRA Sideburn Vintage Class, which is shaping up to be another fun year for riders and spectators alike. As the class covers bikes from the 1940's to the 70's there will be a hugely interesting and varied selection of machinery on track from hand-sh
    Deus Swank Rally on Ice
    • Jan 19, 2018

    Deus Swank Rally on Ice

    The first ever Deus Swank Rally on Ice took place on Tuesday at the Ice Rose Ring in the Italian Alps, the home of SnowQuake. Deus Ex Machina have been involved with SnowQuake from start, and their own Swank Rally is entering its second year. It's expensive for people to prep their bikes for ice riding, then there's the travel to the region, so running the events back to back gave people the opportunity to ride twice on the ice. The format of the Swank Rally is a gentleman's
    UK Bultaco Flat Tracker For Sale
    • Oct 26, 2017

    UK Bultaco Flat Tracker For Sale

    Another one spotted by eBay magpie, Kev H on UK eBay with a Buy It now of £1300. This sale is nothing to do with us, we're just passing on the details. Here's what the seller says... Bultaco pursang flattrack project 250 1967 Pursang Frame From what I can tell engine internally is from a Pursang with matador cases New rear shocks New seat unit New small end bearing New gudgeon pin and clips New plug New carb gasket Speedway rear wheel (19) New tank tap New front tyre I bought
    El Bandido
    • Jun 6, 2017

    El Bandido

    Our Spanish friend, Ferran Mas, is racing ever round of the DTRA championship, in the Sideburn-sponsored vintage class on his Bultaco Astro this year, plus he is guesting on the Krazy Horse Indian Scout Hooligan. He got in touch to say he's built a new Bultaco for this month's El Rollo race in Spain. I asked for some details and this is what he wrote... It is a Bultaco El Bandido engine, it is similar at El Montadero and TSS, same cases, diferent interiors. It has four gears,
    Bultaco Astro T-shirt
    • Nov 5, 2016

    Bultaco Astro T-shirt

    We offered this T-shirt as a subs offer, and we have a handful left in the less popular sizes. Available in Small, XL, 2XL and 3XL ONLY. Sideburn Bultaco Astro T-shirt is £15 plus post. If 3XL has caught your attention, we also have 3XL in the Spark Eagle T-shirt, the blue XR750 blueprint T-shirt and the Not for Aircraft Use T-shirt. We have 2XL in nearly all the Sideburn T-shirts we currently offer. #Sideburnmerchandise #Bultaco
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