This story was originally posted on the original Sideburn blog on 17 December 2013, but with news that Valentino Rossi is finally retiring from MotoGP at the end of this season (to spend more time with his dirt tracker?) I thought it was worth a repost. These are my phone snaps from the day, too. Ever since I heard about Rossi building a riding ranch in his home town of Tavullia I wanted to ride it. And going to prove it's not what you know, but who you know, in early Septemb

KTM 690 Duke Flat Track, complete Akrapovic exhaust, special cams; engine's fluid dynamic by Lumini (www.luminiengineering.com), machined plates from solid with advanced offset, Alpina 19in wheels, Maxxis tyres, Yamaha R6 fork with legs treatment, adjustable Ohlins rear shock with external tank, shortened swingarm, dedicated radiator, under the saddle fuel tank with K&N filter, Tomaselli handlebar, handmade aluminum bodywork, unique model, hand built and raced by multi times

Guest blog post from Serge Fabergé This week's update is in the name of style. All this muddy denim, beards and leather associated with motorcycles is butchly fabulous, but once in a while our continental friends remind us of other alternatives. Personally the alternative of a decent suit and Alberto Sordi's panache seems a very good option, and it apparently puts one in the orbit of svelte lovelies clad in skin tight low cut shiny leatherette which to be honest is the aim fo

Five years ago today a beautiful partnership with our Deus Ex Machina friends in Milan resulted in the very first Snow Quake, Dirt Quake on ice. Racers came from all over Europe, on all kinds of bikes, to compete on an incredible track in the Italian Alps. There had been ice races in Europe before, but nothing like Snow Quake. We've had a break now, and as soon as we can, Sideburn is getting back in the events game. We tried with Rollerburn II, but Covid scuppered it, of cour