Streetfighters #227 - on sale soon

The ever-eager Post Office appears to have beaten me to it this month and subscribers may already have received Streetfighters #227, the latest edition of this magnificent tome, which will be going on sale on Thursday 6^th December. Or, of course, pick up your copy over-the-counter from the merchandise man Glyn at the Custom Xtreme area of Motorcycle Live right now.

On the cover is Hez’s awesome GIA-framed GSX-R 1216, making what appears to be good, safe progress. The centrespread feature is Marc Berry’s purple Germanic GSX-R  1000K3, as photographed live at Brent Cross 2012 with the tres cute Mel Clarke, and further delving into the mag will reveal Terry’s trick DogLondon Sheene-rep Bandit, the AFT Customs CB750F (hand-built by glamour models, donchaknow?), Gary’s mentalist turbo Bandit, the Street Beast Cycles Texan Three-Way (feat. Chipmunk) and yet more feature bikes too exciting to list in case your eyes fall out in sheer excitement.

Of course it’s the end of the racing season (boo!) so we’ve also got the full, nailbiting story on Spondon GSX-R-mounted Beany’s final round in the Bemsee Thunderbike Xtreme series, as he dragged third place, kicking and screaming, over the finish line by the scruff of its neck, as well as all the exciting coverage from the Straightliners and ACU Nationals finals too.

Combine that hand-carved slab of high-performance, modified motorcycling awesomeness with our usual dainty garnish of relevant news stories, product information and reviews, regular toons from Vizman and Andy Sparrow, Fanmail submissions from you lot and project build updates from Yantosh and MDM, and we just don’t know how we do it each month, we really don’t.

Streetfighters #227 – on sale 6/12/12. Merry fuckin’ something.

New Gear

If you're heading over to see the Custom Xtreme exhibit at Motorcycle Live (at Birmingham's NEC, starting this Saturday, November 24th), then you'll see the new range of Streetfighters apparel (that's American for clothing).

Top of the tree is the new for 2012 ORANGE hoodie, complete with two-up stoppie image on the front, and Moto-psycho-list logo across the back.

  

If you want to get your hoodie in time for Chrimbo, then head over to the NEC and come and have a word on the Streetfighters stand, Hall 3, right next to the Custom Xtreme display.

Booooooom!

Okay, so it's a four cylinder engine running on bio-diesel, but I still bet you can't watch this without saying "Fuck!"

Concept stunt bike!

Yamaha Moto-Cage Six

Yamaha's XJ600-based Moto-Cage Six concept is a machine which would be intended specifically for stunt riders. 

After scrutinising the pics closely, we can see loads of stunt-friendly additions such as the rear hand brake levers, double rear calipers, crash cage, chunky Vans-friendly footpegs (including those on the front wheel spindle), heavy crash protection, an enormous wheelie-friendly rear sprocket, tail scraper plate and even gripmat surfaces on the tailpiece and fuel tank. It was displayed at Cologne complete with wrecked rear tyre, giving it instant cool points.

It’s a concept, so sadly it’ll probably never see production, but it does show how stunt riding is now turning heads at the top of the industry. And if you ever do make it, Yamaha, we want first dibs on testing one please.

Streetfighters photoshoot w/ Cabbie's Blade & Chloe Goodman

*HD available - click the cog up there for resolution options*

Cabbie's turbocharged Honda FireBlade streetfighter 'Boxer' in the studio with Chloe Goodman, for Streetfighters Magazine. 

Photography: Rob Irving

Music: 'Girls' by Colour - purchase full version here: http://www.beatport.com/artist/colour/241629

Streetfighters SF#226 on sale November 1st 2012.

Tomorrow morning, letterboxes all over the country and beyond will be graced with the presence of Streetfighters #226.

On cover and spread it’s Cabbie’s ‘Boxer’ with the gorgeous Chloe Goodman, whilst inside we’ve got a whole load of beautiful machines including Minxy’s GSX, a beautiful Dutch GSX-R, the Pussuki, Jon Henley’s bright orange GSX and loads more. We’ve also got event coverage from FighterFest 2012 and the Monsters Race, and road racer Nigel Rea takes the long way down from Lands End to John O’ Groats on a modified C90…

In addition we’ve got all the regular news, products, race reports from Bemsee Thunderbikes, Straightliners and UEM, Jet Metal, project updates on Project Procrastinate and Project BF&I, and basically a whole shitload of cool high performance modified motorbike stuff.

Subscribers should get them tomorrow and it’ll be on shelf next Thursday November 1^st.

www.streetfightersmag.com

The Easiest Stunt...

... is undoubtedly the burnout. As shown in this video...
http://youtu.be/zWQpK6AM6RM

Extreme Performance Bike Weekend

This weekend, the 6th and 7th October, sees the UK's biggest bike only drag race meeting of the year, at Santa Pod Raceway.

With both the ACU and Straightliners championships having their final rounds at this meeting, as well as the national Association of SuperTwins, racing will be hard fought and, in spite of it being October, the meeting has, historically, seen some record-breaking times and speeds.
The ACU Superstreet class is, as far as we're concerned, the highlight, with records set to be pushed yet again, and street-based motorcycles, running on street tyres with a footprint the same size as your palm, are running over the quarter mile in under 7.2 seconds, with terminal speeds in excess of 200mph!
More details from www.santapod.com

Sticky Pussy

A couple of issues ago, we issued some free stickers with Streetfighters. Here's how one of our readers used them...

SF225

Streetfighters 225 is on its way to subscribers now, and will be on newsagents' shelves next week.

As you can see from the cover, the new issue features a Street Tested article on Triumph's Street Triple R, but there's plenty of modified bikes too, naturally.
From a Toxic FireBlade from north of the Border, via a (very) radical Yamaha MT-01 and a turbocharged Triumph Rocket 3, through to a cafe racer Norley and the new machine from bonkers-barmy Portuguese builder, Mortagua. there's also reports from the World Wheelie meeting, and the stunt competition at Brent Cross, and stacks more.

 

We have some very sad news.

Antoine Collignon, of Street Monsters magazine and the Monsters Race series, died on Sunday after an accident during the Monsters Race at Le Vigeant. The race was red flagged immediately after the accident and the meeting closed.

Antoine was much admired by us all at the magazine. We published his amazing streetfighter cartoons in the days before he created and released the magazine Street Monsters, and then he set up the awesome Monsters Race series too. The global SF scene has lost a truly iconic figure and a driving force, and the nicest, most modest, unassuming guy you could ever wish to meet. 

We offer our deepest condolences to Antoine's father and family, the Street Monsters crew, the Monsters Racers and to all Antoine's friends.

Gutted. 

Adieu Artkore.

Please post comments about Antoine below. The thread will be printed out tomorrow night (Wednesday evening) and presented to Antoine's family at the funeral by MDM, Stu Garland and myself, who will be attending. 

Ballistic!

Although America is seen as being the home of drag racing, adn the place where all the records are set, that isn't always the truth.
Last weekend, at Tierp Arena just outside Stockholm in Sweden, a new world record was set for the Top Fuel Bike class, with Peter Svensson running a truly astounding 5.709 second quarter mile at 355kph. Outstaning not only as it's relatively recently that the first five second Fueler run was recorded in Euroipe, but also because it has eclised the longstanding record of 5.746 set by Larry 'Spiderman' McBride back in 2008.

Of course, this bodes well for the Euro Finals at Santa Pod in early September, a meeting at which the first European Superstreet champion will also be crowned!
Mored details from www.santapod.com

Functional hover bike

US manufacturer Aerofex releases footage of its new device hovering in the desert, performing a series of manoeuvres. The 'hover bike' can be suspended up to 15ft in the air, and can reach speeds of 30mph. 

It is also extremely cool and we want one.


                   
                   
                                       
                   
                                       
                   
                                       
                   
                   
                   
                
                   
                
                   
                
                   
                

                   
                
                   
                

Jap Classics in Cheshire

Last year it was held on the same day as Streetfighters Sunday at Lynn's Raven Cafe just five miles away, but this year's VJMC do at the Bhurtpore Inn only clashes with the Wheelie weekend, which is over 125 miles away...
Open to all bikes up to 1990, there's a guarantee that there'll not only be loads of really cool air-cooled Kawasakis, but probably a shedload of funky Suzukis too.
Oh, and the pub is utterly superb - it didn't gain the CAMRA Pub if the Year award for being crap y'know...

Speed & Wheelie Weekend

Is this weekend, 18th and 19th August!

Aside from the top speed guys, who'll be clocking speeds knocking on the door of 250mph, and the mono-wheeling headcases topping 170mph at the end of a one kilomettre wheelie, there'll also be a stunt competition too. So 'action packed' is perhaps an apt phrase. The gates open at 10am on Saturday, and racing will end at about 5pm on Sunday.

About Our Level...

Of ability, with with rather more enthusiasm and disrespect for personal safety...

Bulldog Bash 2012

One of the largest events on the British modified motocycle calendar opens its gates tomorrow (Thursday 9th August) as the Bulldog Bash begins its 26th anniversary.
Known for having one of the largest custom bike shows in the UK, a bar and band marquee big enough to cover most of the Shetland Islands and a dance tent that, seemingly, never stops, the Bulldog is also known for the accessible and cheap drag racing - in fact, many people start their drag racing career at the Bulldog, but it's not just amateurs, as there's display runs by some of the fastest bikes in Britain, some squirelly and unpredictable drag cars and the fastest jet bike on the planet.
There'll also be an onsite dyno, the UK's Strong Man finals, a funfair (not so much fun if you've availed yourself of the beer tent and plentiful catering stalls) and an Adult marquee too.
The event runs from tomorrow until Sunday, is at Shakespeare County Raceway in Lng marston, just utside Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire. And if you want to get the most bang-for-your-buck with the drag racing, get there early and stay util Sunday, and the strip will be open then too (weather permitting... ahem).

SF223 - In Shops Now

On the cover we’ve got Jonboy’s awesome German-style GSX-R, whilst inside we’ve got Nick’s minimalist GSX-R with one of the Fuel Girls as garnish, plus the most interesting XJ600 Diversion you’ve ever seen.

There’s also a road test report on the 2012 Kawasaki Z1000, event coverage from a very muddy 26^th Farmyard Party and the Beaulieu Custom Show, Chunky’s ‘Takasuki’ GSX-R-powered Z650 and another fully-faired oil cooled GSX-R sensation from the workshops of Tony Taysom.

Plus all the race reports, innovative toilet humour, political non-correctness and ferret cuddling you’ve come to expect from your favourite monthly.

SF223 is in shops now. 

SF223

All across the country, sweaty postmen are heaving sacks of the new issue of Streetfighters into the back of the Postman Pat vans, and dreaming of the days when it was still raining. SF223 will be dropped of by Sweaty Pat at subscribers' houses tomorrow morning, and it'll be hitting the newsagents' shelves on Thursday next week, the 2nd August. Of course, if you're not a subscriber, you can always get an early copy at the Brent Cross Streetfighter & Stunt Fest on Sunday. We'll see you there!

Oh, and because the layout of Blagger has changed, it appears that we can't post pictures any more. Which is really useful...

An Oil Change

It might be a lowly SR400, but it is a cafe racer, and the commentary shows exactly the same dedication to scrupulous maintenance and exacting engineering that the Streetfighter team exhibit.

It's just over a week til the 3rd Ace Cafe Streetfighter & Stunt Fest at Brent Cross, North London. And we're getting slightly excited. It's gonna be a day of top level stunt riding in the arena from the SBF competition, and the SF Mag bike display will be showcasing the best streetfighters and specials around. Also FMX jump displays, live music, the deliciously naughty Fuel Girls, trials demonstrations, a dyno shoot-out, wheelie machine and loads more. Tickets are £10 on the gate or from the Ace's online shop: http://www.acecafeshop.com/catalog/52 See you there...

Norf Weawd, Innit.

This Sunday sees the Straightliners freight train howl down to North Weald airfield in Essex, for another round of the National Street Bike Drag Racing Championship. As is usual for the round in Essex, North Weald will also have classic bike racing, and an autojumble too and, for 2012, it doesn't clash with the Bulldog Bash! More details on 200mph.net or straightliners-events.co.uk

How It's Made

Okay, so it's not the ubiquitous oil-boiler Gixer, but this video makes fascinating viewing. Showing how a water-cooled GSX-R 1100 was manufactured and assembled, including technically fascinating footage of the crank being made, the frame pressings being stamped out, and the headlight lens being cast (which, if you're anything like Will, is going to make you want a poo...)

Newark News, the Noo.

The Newark Autojumble is well known for being a cracking place to source not only prospective project parts, but also garage essentials and disposables. Now, if you've got an intersting and / or classic vehicle, you can even get in for free... Penny Farthing Fairs, organisers of the ‘Normous Newark Car and Bike Jumbles, are offering FREE TICKETS for anyone wishing to display their classic vehicle in the hall at the next event – 22 July at Newark Showground – NG24 2NY. They must be there by 9am at the latest and be prepared to stay until around 1pm. Spaces are limited and at PFF’s discretion, so contact them now. Ring, write or email for a booking form – Penny Farthing Fairs, PO Box 222, Alfreton, DE55 2ZQ – 01773 819154 – 077955 05388 – mail@pff-uk.info.

SF222

Although subscribers will have received their copy of issue 222 by now, and had chance to plaster the free stickers all over their personal belongings, the new issue will hits newsagents' shelves in two days time (which is Thursday 5th July).

With Danny's gorgeous VTR street tracker gracing the cover and centre spread, issue 222 also contains loads more feature bikes and other exciting stuff. No, really, it's ace.

72 Hours

We're big fans of Icon clothing, not just for their apparel, but because of their approach to life and mnotorcycles. We're also fans of Monster Energy, because they sponsor some of the coolest riders on the planet. But that's not why we're showing you this link. These guys - Nick Apex, Ernie Vigil and Shinsuke Kinoshita - cram more into 72 hours than most folk do into a lifetime...

Euro-wide Demo

Regular readers of the Fighting Talk column in Streetfighters, as well as righteous political agitators, will already know all about the forthcoming demonstration on Sunday June 24th. For those that don't, the demo is the last chance that we'll get to voice our opinions on the proposed Euro-legislation that could put an end to all modification of motorcycling. There's more information on the website at www.euhandsoffbiking.co.uk but the long and short of it is that there'll be demo runs in each of the UK's European constituencies, and it's vital that you take part if you with motorcycling to have a future.

Farmyard Party

Only a couple of days to go before the Motorcycle Action Group's biggest fund raiser of the year - the essential rally for any self-righteous motorcyclist and party animal - the Farmyard Party. Aside from the stunning roads to and from the venue in the glorious Yorkshire Wolds, the Farmyard has about eight gazillion bars, a comedy show that WILL turn you incontinent, bands that make Britain's Got Talent look like the dole queue (actually...), a wet t-shirt comp and a stripper, a ride-in custom bike show, an on-site dyno and a burn-out pit!

Lincolnshire 'Liners

Straightliners are back at one of their favourite venues this Sunday, East Kirkby, for Round 6 of the National Street Bike Championship. The NSA will also be in attendance with all their classes, so it is the place to be on Sunday the 17th. Entry is on the day for all classes, just turn up and ride! The track has been swept and the start line will be prepped for racing, which usually means record-breaking performances in Lincolnshire!

Billing Bike Show

Quick heads-up for an event on the final weekend in June; the Billing Bike Show. Featuring ride-in custom displays, live bands, a burnout pit and loads more, all the details (including tickets) are available here: www.billingbikeshow.co.uk

SF221

As I type, steam-driven printing presses manned by greasy little trolls in the deepest and darkest part of the Black Country (and boy, is it deep and dark) are churning out quite literally several copies of the latest issue of Streetfighters.

Aside from Beanie's stunning race-prepped Spondon on the cover, inside there's no less than three turbo'd bolides, a single-sided Zed (and tattooed bimbette), a lurid Gixer-engined GS, a crisp LC, fettled CB1300 and ZRX factory retros, and loads more. SF221, heading to subscribers tomorrow, and in newsagents from Thursday 31st May.

Parmyard Farty

A quick reminder that this year's Farmyard Party, in Yorkshire on June 15th-17th, will be host to the first Streetfighters Burnout Pit, which as far as we know is the only time that there's been a burnout pit at a rally in the UK. More details can be found at www.farmyardparty.com Also, MAG are to hold a free raffle at the Farmyard this year. It will have three prizes that can be won and someone will walk away from the rally with £500 in their pocket, 2nd prize will be two tickets to the three big Yorkshire MAG rallies in 2013, and 3rd prize is a pair of tickets to next year’s Farmyard. It’s a no strings attached raffle, all MAG need from you is feedback at the rally. There will be people in the entertainments area with clip boards and all you need to do is to fill one in. The winners will be drawn on the BSH Big Top stage just before the last band on Saturday night, but don’t worry if you’re not there as it will announced over all the stages and posted on the wall of Event Control. The reason they're doing it is that MAG need reliable feedback from customers at the rally. They spend lots of money on advertising and the event itself, so it’s a fair amount to pay for market research. Please pass this on, as the more people who give MAG feedback then the more wisely they can spend, thus hopefully raising more money for MAG's fighting fund!

Diary Date?

Got anything booked for June 24th? Cancel it.

Records Broken!

Following on from the last post, we can confirm that there were, indeed, a very large number of records broken at Elvington last weekend. More info in your favourite magazine soon. And, when you've finished scouring the pages of Splosh!, buy the next issue of Streetfighters...

Record Breakers?

Sunday 13th and Monday 14th are the two days set aside for those folk who're destined to get into the record books, for those two days are the first time in ages that there's been an official British Speed records meeting, as endorsed by the ACU, in the UK. The meeting is at Elvington, near York, and there is guaranteed to be a number of records broken, given the fact that it's been so long since an official records meeting was last held. There are already 21 riders signed up for the event, riding everything from 95cc scooters to full-on turbocharged Hayabusas, via barking mad two stroke cyclecars and a 2K2 turbine bike. And, unlike previous records meetings, Joe Punter can go along and spectate so, if you want to see history being made, and experience the awe of forced-induction bikes clocking over 250mph, be there! Children get in free, and the paddock is open, so you can get the insider gossip on what it is like to prepare and ride a record-breaking machine!

You'll Have To Wait....

Those of you who've already got issue 220, either by subscription or by camping outside your local newsagent (which is stocking the issue from today), may have seen the new Icon advertisement on pages 2 and 3, displaying the new range of Alliance helmets:-

While the new art and comic-influenced designs are rather special, you'll not be able to get your grubby hands on them just yet, as they're not officially launched until the start of July. So save your money for a further month.

RIP Madman

Ed 'EJ' Potter, also known as the Michigan Madman is, sadly, mo more. Known for his manic bikes, and even more manic riding style, EJ was an iconic figure on the American drag racing scene, and pics like this show exactly why so many people have so many stories relating to the Madman...

SF220

Issue 220 celebrates twenty years of the Honda FireBlade, although rather than merely listing the numerous changes to Honda's lithe sportsbike of the last couple of decades (as other publications have done), we present you five vastly different ways of customising the CBR. From Ed's turbo / nitrous coverbike, to a barking mad German creation, inspiration for your 900RR is within these pages. And, of course, there's numerous other feature bikes, race reports, news and tech features. SF220, in subscribers' grubby hands now, and in the newsagents from Thursday 3rd May.

Billet Porn

Some folk are of the opinion that CNC-machined billet parts are nothing more than expensive bolt-on bling that performs no better than standard parts, are heavier and not as imaginative as home-brewed components. Although that may be the case with some off-the-shelf mass-produced bits, it's not a criticism that can be aimed at this.

It's the new 'MonSTar' racing cylinder head from Star Racing (undertand the name now?). More details can be seen here

The Fuel Cost

While it is, essentially, just a marketing tool for a price comparison site, this does make for interesting reading. Although it proves something that we've known all along, that motorists are a soft target for the government. Now is the time to prove them wrong.
Brought to you by Confused.com - Get cheap car insurance in minutes.

Yes. Another.

Apologies are old hat. Here's another video, starring Julien 'Razerback' Welsch, French stunter and allround head case.

No Apologies...

... for running yet another motorcycle stunt video, and yes, it's another associated with the Icon brand. It is slightly different, in that it features a bike that probably isn't directly associated with hooliganistic activities, but it's still cooler than penguin piss.

The New Rock & Roll

In case any previous videos hadn't persuaded you of the fact, here's a new video starring US stunt star Bill Dixon, proving just how cool drifting a motorcycle is...

It also proves a point to those people who say a bike with a long swinging arm doesn't handle...

Streetfighters #218

Now winging its way to subscribers via the tireless Streetfighters carrier pigeons, and shortly to be found on shelf in your local newsagents (next Thursday, the 1st March, to be precise), Streetfighters #218 is our most recent magazine-shaped cake yet!

The first thing in the mixing bowl is our main ingredient; six pages of Dean’s GSX-R 1000 K8, an exercise in reinventing the sports bike as an immaculate, extremely high performance naked roadgoer. Then we add half a fluid ounce of coverage from the French Monsters Race series, one generous scoop of Irish GIA-framed GSX-R, half an organic free range turbocharged Z1R (beaten with a whisk before adding), three liberal pinches of Dazz’s turbocharged competition wheelie bike, and finally Rob Bean’s Spondon GSX-R race bike is folded in until the consistency of old leather shoes is achieved.

Once risen and golden brown across the top, we glaze with a liberal brushing of KTM 690 Duke roadtesting, dust with coverage from the Ace Café USA event and garnish with a mint Italian TVR250 supermotard. Then we serve with the usual fattening, but wholesome selection of creamy news, custardy products, reviews, fresh opinions, preserved apologies and any vaguely gastronomical cake-like wankery that we think is good.

Streetfighters – it’s not a fairy cake. Right?

Back To The Future - Icon style

More tomfoolery frmo the Icon Limiter blog at iconmotosports.net

SF 217 - out imminently

Subscribers will be getting their copies of Streetfighters #217 around about now.

This month’s cover bike is Spart’s awesome turbocharged Hayabusa, presented with our gloriously butt naked model, Paige. Elsewhere in the mag we bring you a beautifully finished Irish GSX-R, the fantastic RSD KTM 525 café racer ‘Katosh’, an awesome flamed-up Hungarian Katana 750, a 140bhp GSX1400 by DSD and many more.

There’s events coverage from EICMA Milan 2012 and the Rat’s Hole Show in Daytona, ACU drag racing, project bike updates and all the usual news, products, reviews, opinions, fanmail letters, small ads and weird, inexplicable stains that make it smell so good.

If you’re not a subscriber you’ll have to wait another entire week to get yours from the shop. SF #217 hits the shelves on Thursday 2nd February. Get a subscription here: http://www.streetfightersmag.com/subscribe

Wallpaper

Following their superb Drift 2 video, as we showed you recently, Icon have realeased a number of images taken from the video for you to use as wallpaper on your 'puter screen.
If these pics don't make you want to learn how to drift, then you're already dead.
The pics, and plenty more, are available at ride-icon.com

2012 KTM Duke 690

One half of the Streetfighters Editorial team (the better looking half, or so his mum says) is off to Spain on Sunday night, as a guest (or adoptee) of KTM Motorcycles.

They're launching the 2012 Duke 690, the fourth major incarnation of the Austrian factory's iconic hooligan thumper. Our fearless (feckless?) journalist will test this bike to its absolute limits in order to bring you the most comprehensive roadtest around, before retiring to the hotel to test KTM's bar tab to the absolute limits and, eventually, to puke on his own feet and fall asleep.

This is KTM's own film of the new Duke 690. Make sure you check out SF #218 (on the shelf at the beginning of March) for the full roadtest feature.

Our Favourite Monster

Yup, as we ascertained a few weeks ago, Monster Energy drinks are definitely our favourite...

Got Your Bearings?

Here's a handy link for those of you who're planning a front end swap.
You can check your bearing sizes, and thus work out either what bearing you need to purchase, or whether a swap will be a direct swap or not (as long as the stem is the right length, of course) by checking the list here

Pure Awesomeness

We showed you a teaser for this video a few weeks ago, and now Icon have released the completed vid, featuring Ernie Vigil and Nick 'Apex' Brocha. We need say no more, but for watch it on full screen, with the volume up loud!

Nitro Circus

You've probably already seen this clip, as it's plastered all over Facebook etc, but it's worth another watch anyway...

It's going to be fantastic on the big screen!

It's Not The Size...

... it's what you do with it. As these pics prove.

Cappucino?

It was a while ago when we featured these two cafe racers, as built by one Roland Sands. But, seeing as we'll be featuring another bike built by Roland in the next issue, we'd thought we'd show you this wee video...