New guest blog from Jason. It’s OK for you fast racers, out in front, where the air is clean and the mud still on the floor, but for me, the air isn’t clean and the mud is doing about 60 miles per hour right at my frontage. Which means after about eight years of losing, sweating, panicking plus a multitude of other emotions expressed, my once pristine Bates leathers are ready for display duties only. I’ve chosen an off the shelf Fuel jacket from Urban Rider. Did I bother to l

American Flat Track had already announced that it planned to make airbag suits mandatory for its racers from 2020 before a spate of serious injuries blighted the final rounds of the 2019 season. It has been confirmed that all SuperTwins racers (the new name for the Twins class) must wear airbag suits (or, I assume, airbag vests under their own suits, like happens in MotoGP classes). Riders in Production Twins and Singles has 'strongly encouraged' to wear airbag suits. This fi

While preparing the post about Drakey and New Zealand flat track, I combed the old Sideburn blog for a shot of his leathers, and the photo above appeared. It's the Thunderbike podium, from March 2011. Boastie and Jackie (who started the whole UK flat track scene) are on the left. Steve Coles won (riding a mutant Honda 650 Bros twin), that's Drakey in his magnificent leathers and me in third, with an eight-year-old Max in his overalls. To see the whole post and some familiar n

After years of producing motorcycle protective gear (often for people who wouldn't normally wear motorcycle protective gear) Portland-based Icon has finally released a one-piece 'track suit'. It comes in black and white or all black. I've been racing in Icon two-piece leathers or leather/fabric hybrids for five or six seasons now, and I trust them with my own hide. I wear the same AirFrame Pro helmet the rider in this short film does too. Find out more at Icon Motorsports #Ic