Bike Shed Show 2: Dirt Trackers & Scramblers

Here is megapost two from the 2022 Bike Shed Show. The first post concentrated on street, road race and drag bikes, this one is dirt and street trackers, scramblers and adventure bikes. Ready? Let's go. Gary Inman, editor

Above is James 'Leftie' Smith's stunning iron XR750. He built it from genuine new old stock parts, starting when he found an engine in the USA. Show stealer.

We have known Guy from MotoEdit for two or three years, but we soon learned when he goes in, he goes all in. He races with the DTRA on arguably the tidiest DTX in the paddock, a Honda CRF450 with Lowery Racing CNC wheels. His Triumph hooligan bike is high-spec and tough and nails too. Then he turned up at the show with this, a Yamaha 500 with Ohlins RWU forks, the kind of paint that would make Prince stretch his hot pants, and a crackers boombox silencer.

Fancy triple clamps and Sideburn alloy number plates.

Moto Edit are based in Huntingdon, Cambs.

The Double Six Trackmaster Triumph, raced by Dimitri Coste and Gareth Howes in the DTRA Vintage class and at Wheels & Waves. Such a handsome bike.

Who doesn't love these narrow, racing primary covers?

ASH Motorcycles admitted they were heavily influenced by Mule Motorcycles while converting this 2012 Triumph Thruxton from a factory cafe racer to a very usable street tracker, but there's not shame in that. If you're going to be inspired by someone, it may as well be Mule. R6 USD front end? Don't mind if I do.

ASH made their own yokes (triple clamps) from billet, made the tank and exhaust too. Lovely job.

Wild Ducati bitsa. I'm pretty sure is a 600SS engine in a 350 Pantah frame (but don't shout at us if I've misremembered). I think it's great. If you like this, you'll love the Kerozin 696 dirt tracker (complete with carbon-fibre rims) in Sideburn 46. Which is also available in a cut-price back issue bundle.

Tim Newbrook's spotless Yam stroker. Built with the help of MotoEdit. You wouldn't know to look at it, but it had already raced a couple of times before it rolled up to the show.

Otis and his newly finished KTM 950 SuperDuke, under the Tobacco Dock's vaulted ceiling. The 2022 show moved into more rooms of the Tobacco Dock site and every one of them had killer bikes.

The KTM has a custom-made Co-Built exhaust.

While we're talking exhausts, Indian FTR plus S&S two-into-two high-level pipe takes some beating.

'Yvonne' a 1976 Yamaha XS650 street tracker by Welsh 'shed' builder LC Cycleworks

Yvonne's other side.

Throaty! Don't know a lot about this BSA except it has a twin choke Weber and slicks.

Royal Enfield's investment in the custom scene, both with sponsorship of shows and culturally by building their own custom bikes, is starting to show in the shape of owner built customs, like this understated Interceptor, built by Jack Cooper. Don't know a load of details, but it might have an 865cc big bore in it.

Not a dirt tracker or street tracker, but we like it nonetheless. The wisdom of the open velocity stack intake is questionable, but in show form it works.

Wild custom Jawa/Weslake stopped me dead.

Skinny symmetry and groovy flames.

British-made Herald Brute 500 production bike with Ryan Roadkill paint.

People still keep finding CX500s to lavish attention on, and I keep scratching my head to wonder why, but I'm glad they do when it's as nice as this. No stone unturned by Ziggy Moto.

Another old Honda, this time a 1983 FT500 given the trail bike treatment complete with Kriega soft luggage.

Ultra-rare Trackmaster CZ. This race-ready beauty is currently in our Bikes For Sale section.

Metisse Triumph twin is so shiny it made me anxious just thinking about soiling it. I prefer getting bikes dirty than getting them clean.

Unit Triumph Twin desert sled reminded me very much of Hello Engine cover bike from Sideburn 34.

Ace Classics with an older, pre-unit, this one in dirt track spec. This bike was made to be an exact replica of a survivor that was unearthed recently and has been artificially aged to look like it had been stored since the 1960s.

The all-conquering Devitt Insurance x Vanoni Ducati hooligan bike. This one is raced by teenage hot shot Jack Bell.

Here's the short film we made of him.

Greeenfield's George Pickering had his KTM two-stroke framer on the Öhlins stand. It was our SB42 cover bike. Buy Sideburn 42 or get it as a back issue bundle.

Stunning cover shot by Sam Christmas.

Luuc Muis and his wonderful electric flat tracker. His company LM Creations hope to make more of these to order. Casual placement of Sideburn by Luuc.

French company DAB Motors showed a killer handsome electric supermoto/tracker too

Marlon Motors Honda 650 Dominator stood out from the crowd.

There were a handful of ADV bikes. We predict more at future shows.

The latest FTR Carbon on the race-themed Indian stand.

Archie Morris's one of kind 1955 BSA bitsa gets a photographer's attention.

Anthony Partridge's Knight Rotax framer was bought from DTRA racer Brad Hardman, and then converted as part of the Goblin Garage TV show. As with much (all?) of TV world there was a bit of behind the scenes bull/time constraints, so it's taken a while for Ant to finish the bike to his liking, but it's as good as there now.

The bikes has a host of original details, including the MX style seat shape on a framer.

Hydraulic clutch conversion. Why? Because he could.

Sideburn plate, Öhlins RWU forks, Sudo fork guards, Jared Mees signature bars.

Two-tone rims that I don't remember seeing before having black and white ones made for our VanVan, The Sand Flea. I think we might have both been inspired by Alpina supermoto rims. Rear brake hanger is neat.

The seat rails have been cut short. I prefer them a bike longer to allow a big of sliding back.

Bring it racing!

That's it for this instalment. There is still more to come from the Bike Shed 2022.