Next weekend, the 5th and 6th of September, Top Gear Superstore are holding a mega sale weekend for visiting customers. All the info is on the flyer, so get your arse down there for really cheap stuff and things.
Friday, 28 August 2009
Top Gear Superstore Mega Sale
Next weekend, the 5th and 6th of September, Top Gear Superstore are holding a mega sale weekend for visiting customers. All the info is on the flyer, so get your arse down there for really cheap stuff and things.
Thursday, 27 August 2009
SF188
SF188 is printed and is on its way to subscribers now. Each copy is winging its way through the postal system like a waxed polecat, and contains a very special GIA-framed bike, coverage from the Bulldog Bash, a gorgeous GSX EFE, a supercharged ZRX from Deutschland, a special feature on the Skard4Life stunt crew and loads more...
In newsagents Thurs 3rd September...
SF 188 Fighting Talk
Fighting Talk
The Department Of Transport has recently proposed the introduction of new road safety initiatives, one of which accords police officers the power to issue a fixed penalty for Careless Driving.
As it currently stands, if you’re caught misbehaving and the police officer suspects you of Careless Driving, you’ll be given a court summons and will be hauled up before the beak. But, under these new measures, if you admit the charge at the roadside to the officer, then they can issue you with the aforementioned fixed penalty – a £60 fine and three points on your licence. It saves you having to go to court and limits the damage – in court you could get up to nine points and a much larger fine – so, on the face of it, it sounds like a reasonable idea. But there’s a serious flaw...
Read the full transcript in SF188, in the shops next Thursday...
The Department Of Transport has recently proposed the introduction of new road safety initiatives, one of which accords police officers the power to issue a fixed penalty for Careless Driving.
As it currently stands, if you’re caught misbehaving and the police officer suspects you of Careless Driving, you’ll be given a court summons and will be hauled up before the beak. But, under these new measures, if you admit the charge at the roadside to the officer, then they can issue you with the aforementioned fixed penalty – a £60 fine and three points on your licence. It saves you having to go to court and limits the damage – in court you could get up to nine points and a much larger fine – so, on the face of it, it sounds like a reasonable idea. But there’s a serious flaw...
Read the full transcript in SF188, in the shops next Thursday...
Devilz Jumble
The loonies at Devilzhouse up in deepest darkest Bowes (just off the A66 near Barnard Castle, an area that is not only known for the beautifuly wild open moorland, but also the superb roads) are holding their first autojumble on this Saturday, the 29th August.
Thereafter, they will have an autojumble on the last Saturday of every month.
More details on the flyer here...
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Exeter Show
Next weekend - the 29th and 30th - is August Bank Holiday Weekend and, as usual, that means the South West Motorcycle Show at Exeter's Westpoint Centre!
Held on Saturday and Sunday, the show incorporates a stunt show by the Vertical Trix team aboard their triumvirate of Kawasaki ZX-6Rs, as well as Terry Grant, fresh from his performances at the Red Bull X-Fighters event in London.
There's a display of custom and extreme performance bikes in the main hall (alongside all the usual trade stands, classic bike displays and club stands, including the gorgeous two-strokery on the Two Smoking Barrels stand), a show-and-shine option for those of your who're proud of your machine, a mobile dyno on site all weekend so you can check your fuelling and brag about power output to your mates, live music, the Wall of Death and loads more...
More info at South West Motorcycle Show
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
0-200mph in 7.6 secs!
In the semi-finals at the weekend's Opensports Nationals at Shakespeare County Raceway, Dave Smith posted a quarter mile time of 7.671 seconds with an astounding terminal speed of 200.7mph!
Although it's not a new record, as he didn't back it up with a run within 1%, it is the first 200mph run by a Superstreet bike outside of America!
Friday, 21 August 2009
We Want One!
Spotted by our eagle-eyed German correspondent Sabine Welte, this is set to be our next company vehicle...
Thursday, 20 August 2009
Open Sport Nationals
Shakespeare County Raceway opens its gates this weekend, the 21st to 23rd August, for the Open Sport Nationals, including ACU drag bike classes of Super Street Bike, Comp Bike and Funny Bike, plus the 9.50 Bike bracket class and the numerous car classes too...
Shakey is known for its potential for high terminal speeds, so is this meeting going to be the one where a British Superstreet Bike hits 200mph for the first time?
Ongoing reports and pics can be found at Eurdragster
Shakey is known for its potential for high terminal speeds, so is this meeting going to be the one where a British Superstreet Bike hits 200mph for the first time?
Ongoing reports and pics can be found at Eurdragster
Wednesday, 19 August 2009
Elvington Speed & Wheelie Stunt Comp
We'll be bringing you more details of the Stunt competition at the Elvington Speed and Wheelie event last weekend in the next issue of Streetfighters but, in the meanwhile, have a look at this video of Paul 'Hanksy' Hanks' shenanigans in the stoppie competition...
Although the video title does give a clue as to how Paul did in the stoppie comp...
Although the video title does give a clue as to how Paul did in the stoppie comp...
Saltire Speed
This next weekend, the 22nd and 23rd of August, sees the first Ultimate Scottish Streetbike at Crail raceway in Fife, just down the road from St Andrews golf course (because all you streetfighter nuts will know where that is...). A first for Scotland, this bike-only event sees the quest for Sottish fastest bike on the quarter mile strip! With free camping, a bar, bands and stunt show, entry is just £30 for the weekend. There's also an impressive £500 up for grabs in the Fastest 125 competition - as long as it's just 125cc and track-ready, anything goes!
More detail here!
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Hockenheim Results
Rick Stubbins won the Superstreet Bike class at the Hockenheim NitrOlympics, with an impressive 7.46 against Phil 'Woody' Wood's 7.78! Although Woody did regain some status with his return road style - Filter grinder!
Rick had qualified first with a 7.6 in the initial round of qualifying, gaining himself a trophy for doing so, while Scott 'Bob' Baldwin got a pot for fastest terminal speed in the first qualifier. By the time qualifying had finished, Graham Balchin topped the tree with an astounding 7.36, with Rick second on a 7.44.
Other trophies returned to Blighty in the hands of Pro Stock rider Len Paget for winning Pro Bike Eliminator, and Top Fuel pilot Ian King for Nitro Bike Thunder.
Congratultaions to all!
Interestingly, the 7.518 posted by Lenny in the Pro Bike Eliminator final, and the 7.657 from Kingy in the Nitro Thunder final, were both slower than the street-tyred, non-wheelie bar equipped turbo Hayabusa of Rick Stubbins...
Rick had qualified first with a 7.6 in the initial round of qualifying, gaining himself a trophy for doing so, while Scott 'Bob' Baldwin got a pot for fastest terminal speed in the first qualifier. By the time qualifying had finished, Graham Balchin topped the tree with an astounding 7.36, with Rick second on a 7.44.
Other trophies returned to Blighty in the hands of Pro Stock rider Len Paget for winning Pro Bike Eliminator, and Top Fuel pilot Ian King for Nitro Bike Thunder.
Congratultaions to all!
Interestingly, the 7.518 posted by Lenny in the Pro Bike Eliminator final, and the 7.657 from Kingy in the Nitro Thunder final, were both slower than the street-tyred, non-wheelie bar equipped turbo Hayabusa of Rick Stubbins...
Friday, 14 August 2009
North Wales Invasion
It's been no great secret that the North Wales police don't really like motorcycles, given that they've clamped down on noisy pipes, small plates and dark visors over the last six years or so. And the comments made by their old chief, Brunstrom, weren't particularly encouraging either.
So, with this in mind, Motorcycles News have decided to 'Reclaim North Wales' by descending upon the region in early September. The plan is to get thousands of motorcyclists into the region, to defy the lcoal police's treatment of bikers (a procedure that is decribed by other forces as 'enforce and displace').
The North Wales police admit to stopping up to 400 motorcyclists every summer weekend, where other forces state that they stop about 1000 in a whole year! North Wales' Deputy Chief Constable, Clive Wolfendale, has previously suggested banning motorcycles from National Parks...
The Reclaim North Wales campaign has the backing of the BMF and MAG, and now us too!
Rather conveniently, the date that MCN have chosen is September 13th, the same day that we are holding our Streetfighters Sunday at Lynn's Raven Cafe at Prees, near Whitchurch, just a spit from the Welsh border.
So, it would be perfectly feasible to go to the Streetfighters Sunday in the morning, have a full and hearty breakfast, and depart in time to get to the first meeting point, just 35 miles away, at the Ponderosa cafe on the Horseshoe Pass (A542) just outside Llangollen at high noon, or have a leisurely lunch and head to the big gathering in Betws-y-Coed at 4pm.
Reclaim North Wales
So, with this in mind, Motorcycles News have decided to 'Reclaim North Wales' by descending upon the region in early September. The plan is to get thousands of motorcyclists into the region, to defy the lcoal police's treatment of bikers (a procedure that is decribed by other forces as 'enforce and displace').
The North Wales police admit to stopping up to 400 motorcyclists every summer weekend, where other forces state that they stop about 1000 in a whole year! North Wales' Deputy Chief Constable, Clive Wolfendale, has previously suggested banning motorcycles from National Parks...
The Reclaim North Wales campaign has the backing of the BMF and MAG, and now us too!
Rather conveniently, the date that MCN have chosen is September 13th, the same day that we are holding our Streetfighters Sunday at Lynn's Raven Cafe at Prees, near Whitchurch, just a spit from the Welsh border.
So, it would be perfectly feasible to go to the Streetfighters Sunday in the morning, have a full and hearty breakfast, and depart in time to get to the first meeting point, just 35 miles away, at the Ponderosa cafe on the Horseshoe Pass (A542) just outside Llangollen at high noon, or have a leisurely lunch and head to the big gathering in Betws-y-Coed at 4pm.
Reclaim North Wales
Thursday, 13 August 2009
Is It Any Wonder...
... we get complexes about the police and other statutory bodies?
Read the following story, and then bear in mind the tale of motorcyclist David Saxby, who was convicted of speeding at 139mph and jailed for 12 months.
"A Bentley driver who was caught speeding at 138 miles per hour on the M6 motorway has received a 56-day driving ban.
Jenny Waldron, chair on the magistrates in Kendal, said the speed reached by David Boothman on February 2nd was the highest she had encountered.
The court heard how Boothman, who comes from Onchan in the Isle of Man, had just bought the Bentley Continental as a 60th birthday present for himself and had not realised how fast he had been travelling.
Mitigating, Boothman’s barrister said his client was very ashamed, adding: “In the Isle of Man we do not have speed limits on our best roads and, although this does not excuse the offence, it perhaps makes it a little more understandable how someone from the Isle of Man could find themselves in this position.”
As well as the driving ban, Boothman was ordered to pay a £500 fine, £60 costs and a victim’s surcharge of £15."
So, a short ban and a £575 fine for the owner of a car that retails at more than one hundred grand! In comparison, we believe that Saxby should have had a similar ban, but a comparitive fine so, with Saxby riding an R6 (if it was brand new, that'd be £8,500), the fine would amount to just over forty quid! That'd be fair, but when you discover that Saxby laughed at the policeman who stopped him, and suggested that he "catch some real criminals", maybe you can understand the actual reason why he got a custodial sentence...
Remember folks, if you get stopped by the boys in blue, be polite! And if you can't be polite, be a filthy rich Manxman...
Read the following story, and then bear in mind the tale of motorcyclist David Saxby, who was convicted of speeding at 139mph and jailed for 12 months.
"A Bentley driver who was caught speeding at 138 miles per hour on the M6 motorway has received a 56-day driving ban.
Jenny Waldron, chair on the magistrates in Kendal, said the speed reached by David Boothman on February 2nd was the highest she had encountered.
The court heard how Boothman, who comes from Onchan in the Isle of Man, had just bought the Bentley Continental as a 60th birthday present for himself and had not realised how fast he had been travelling.
Mitigating, Boothman’s barrister said his client was very ashamed, adding: “In the Isle of Man we do not have speed limits on our best roads and, although this does not excuse the offence, it perhaps makes it a little more understandable how someone from the Isle of Man could find themselves in this position.”
As well as the driving ban, Boothman was ordered to pay a £500 fine, £60 costs and a victim’s surcharge of £15."
So, a short ban and a £575 fine for the owner of a car that retails at more than one hundred grand! In comparison, we believe that Saxby should have had a similar ban, but a comparitive fine so, with Saxby riding an R6 (if it was brand new, that'd be £8,500), the fine would amount to just over forty quid! That'd be fair, but when you discover that Saxby laughed at the policeman who stopped him, and suggested that he "catch some real criminals", maybe you can understand the actual reason why he got a custodial sentence...
Remember folks, if you get stopped by the boys in blue, be polite! And if you can't be polite, be a filthy rich Manxman...
Wheelie & Speed Records
This weekend sees the Wheelie & Speed Rcords meeting at Elvington airfield near York, with event organiser Dodge hoping to break the monowheeling record of 172.9mph on the supercharged Hayabusa that you'll have seen being built in the magazine. But he has plenty of competition, including Ghostrider, the Swedish loony known for the police-evading videos who makes a welcome return to the event after a one year rest.
The top speed record at Elvington is over 250mph and, if conditions are favourable, this could be beaten!
There's also the second round of the Straightliners stunt championship, details of which can be found on
Stuntlife
Entry is just £10 for spectators, and this year Sky Sports One will be on site to record the event for future broadcasting!
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
NitrOlympics
Europe's biggest and most impressive drag race meet, NitrOlympics, starts today! Racers wil be getting their vehicles (that's bikes and cars) scrutineered at the Hockenheimring circuit in southern Germany today, with the first round of qualifying tomorrow (Friday) morning.
Known for showing all forms of drag racing, from four second Top Fuel cars, to marginally (ahem) slower Junior Dragsters and air-cooled Volkswagens, the NitrOlympics also has a Nitro Bike Thunder shootout (for bikes running on nitromethane), Top Gas Supertwins (twin cylinder bikes on slick & bars), a Pro Bike Eliminator (for Pro Stock and Funny Bikes) and, of course, Super Street Bike!
This year there's even more British racers taking part, with the traditional large contingent of Super Street Bike set for success! However, Steve 'Ven' Venables isn't racing, after his off at a test day at Santa Pod last month, so is crewing for Graham 'Legend' Balchin, who has run 7.4s on Ven's old turbo Kawasaki ZX-12R. Previously, the Brits have had it their own way in Superstreet at Hockers, but this year German turbo Busa rider Thomas Granica has broken into the sevens, so could it be a local rider who takes the honours?
Details of the meeting can be found here -
Hockers
And there will be regular updates on the Brits progress on the Drag Racing, Turbo & Nitrous section of 200mph - 200mph
Known for showing all forms of drag racing, from four second Top Fuel cars, to marginally (ahem) slower Junior Dragsters and air-cooled Volkswagens, the NitrOlympics also has a Nitro Bike Thunder shootout (for bikes running on nitromethane), Top Gas Supertwins (twin cylinder bikes on slick & bars), a Pro Bike Eliminator (for Pro Stock and Funny Bikes) and, of course, Super Street Bike!
This year there's even more British racers taking part, with the traditional large contingent of Super Street Bike set for success! However, Steve 'Ven' Venables isn't racing, after his off at a test day at Santa Pod last month, so is crewing for Graham 'Legend' Balchin, who has run 7.4s on Ven's old turbo Kawasaki ZX-12R. Previously, the Brits have had it their own way in Superstreet at Hockers, but this year German turbo Busa rider Thomas Granica has broken into the sevens, so could it be a local rider who takes the honours?
Details of the meeting can be found here -
Hockers
And there will be regular updates on the Brits progress on the Drag Racing, Turbo & Nitrous section of 200mph - 200mph
Raffle Down Under
After the torrential rain during this year's April Fool's Run in Australia and the subsequent large financial losses, a number of regular Aussie Streetfighters forumites got together to organise a prize raffle to help save the event for future years. With some superb goodies up for grabs, tickets are limited to 400, priced at $50 (that's Aussie dollars, so about £25 a ticket), and there's already over 170 of them sold. The raffle will be drawn the Saturday after the 400th ticket is sold. With lots (and lots) of goodies up for grabs, you stand a high chance of winning!
ASF Raffle
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Salty
While landspeed record attempts in the UK are limited to ex-airfield venues, speed freaks in the US have the world's most famous high speed venue of Bonneville Salt Flats to play on.
For the second year in succession, British sports psychologist and professional beard wearer Murray Griffin has taken his nitrous Hayabusa across the Pond to test the salt, and his mettle...
Murray's salty speed blog
For the second year in succession, British sports psychologist and professional beard wearer Murray Griffin has taken his nitrous Hayabusa across the Pond to test the salt, and his mettle...
Murray's salty speed blog
Priorities?
It seems that, after Chief Constable Brunstrom's misguided thoughts and procedures have tainted our opinion of the North Wales police force, various members of the constabulary are determined to reinforce our opinions...
Misdirected priorities
Misdirected priorities
Thursday, 6 August 2009
Straightliners Round 6
Round 6 is the most southerly of the series, being held at North Weald in Essex! Within spitting distance of the M25 and M11, North Weald has a long history of sprinting and drag racing, and this will be Straightliners first visit to the venue!
Racing takes place on Sunday 9th August, with all welcome! There's all the usual Straightliners classes (11.10, 10.10, 9.10, Top Bike, Pro Ultimate Street Bike, Unlimited USB, Up-to-1175 USB and Up-to-750 USB, plus various scooter classes) as well as NSA classes. There's due to be an autojumble too and, best of all, for all you nitrous addicts, there's no noise limits!
More details from straightliners.co.uk or 200mph.net
Racing takes place on Sunday 9th August, with all welcome! There's all the usual Straightliners classes (11.10, 10.10, 9.10, Top Bike, Pro Ultimate Street Bike, Unlimited USB, Up-to-1175 USB and Up-to-750 USB, plus various scooter classes) as well as NSA classes. There's due to be an autojumble too and, best of all, for all you nitrous addicts, there's no noise limits!
More details from straightliners.co.uk or 200mph.net
Bulldog Bash
Despite the best efforts of Warwickshire's constabulary, the 2009 Bulldog Bash is go!
So, it could be suggested that justice has been done, given the level of support that the Bulldog Bash has amongst local residents and businesses, although there will still be the totally unwarranted level of police presence around the site, including a number of stop-and-search stations. All the more reason for us all to go and prove the boys in blue wrong then...
The Bulldog will provide all the usual entertainment - of drag strip demo vehicles, the biggest custom show in the UK, stunt shows, rave tent, cheap run-what-you-brung, massive trade area, loads of bands, 'adult' tent, rave tent, and stacks more. And Saturday night will see headliners Motorhead take to the stage. Watch the police panic when Lemmy bawls out "It's a bomber..."
The Bulldog Bash is held at Shakespeare County Raceway, Long Marston, just outside the historic Warwickshire town of Stratford-upon-Avon. It's open now (Thursday 6th am), and runs until Sunday, with run-what-you-bring classes running tomorrow and Saturday with the class trophies handed out on Saturday night, along with the bike show presentation. There's also RWYB on Sunday if you want a final blast before you head off home!
So, it could be suggested that justice has been done, given the level of support that the Bulldog Bash has amongst local residents and businesses, although there will still be the totally unwarranted level of police presence around the site, including a number of stop-and-search stations. All the more reason for us all to go and prove the boys in blue wrong then...
The Bulldog will provide all the usual entertainment - of drag strip demo vehicles, the biggest custom show in the UK, stunt shows, rave tent, cheap run-what-you-brung, massive trade area, loads of bands, 'adult' tent, rave tent, and stacks more. And Saturday night will see headliners Motorhead take to the stage. Watch the police panic when Lemmy bawls out "It's a bomber..."
The Bulldog Bash is held at Shakespeare County Raceway, Long Marston, just outside the historic Warwickshire town of Stratford-upon-Avon. It's open now (Thursday 6th am), and runs until Sunday, with run-what-you-bring classes running tomorrow and Saturday with the class trophies handed out on Saturday night, along with the bike show presentation. There's also RWYB on Sunday if you want a final blast before you head off home!
Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Lightcycles in 3D
We can't embed this but you really should go and take a look (click on the post title above ^)
It's the trailer for the upcoming Tron Legacy, the sequel to the original Tron movie.
It's made by Disney so will almost certainly feature a cheesy plot and happy ending, but that's absolutely incidental to the real point of the film - lightcycles rendered in glorious three dimensional CGI!
First person to build a rideable replica lightcycle (complete with light trail coming out of the back - maybe some kind of pump arrangement that sprays Blue Cherry Slush Puppie?) wins a lifetime subscription.
Wicked...
It's the trailer for the upcoming Tron Legacy, the sequel to the original Tron movie.
It's made by Disney so will almost certainly feature a cheesy plot and happy ending, but that's absolutely incidental to the real point of the film - lightcycles rendered in glorious three dimensional CGI!
First person to build a rideable replica lightcycle (complete with light trail coming out of the back - maybe some kind of pump arrangement that sprays Blue Cherry Slush Puppie?) wins a lifetime subscription.
Wicked...
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