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.
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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...