Oops...

Regular readers will recognise the two vehicles being apprehended by one of the Isle of Man's finest men in blue at this year's TT...
Yup, the nearest is the 'Teabie' as built by Viz for his Manx holiday, and t'other is the Dudette's GSX. However, unlike many of the people pulled over on the Island, the misdemeanor was not one of excessive speed in a built-up area, but because a number plate had absconded...

SF198 Fighting Talk

It’s nothing new for the daily papers to print shite. Most of them regularly assail their readers with half-arsed and irredeemably trivial ‘news’ stories, which jostle for position with TV reality show exclusives or paparazzi upskirt shots of the latest celebrity pop tartlet.

And, more dangerously, the media is able to manipulate public opinion to suit an agenda, and indeed can be powerful enough to influence the decisions of Government. Take, for example, the rapid, knee-jerk banning of mephedrone after a hysterical media-led outcry, almost entirely based on speculation and relying less on hard facts than your average Enid Blyton book.

So, when motorcycles recently came under the scrutiny of one particular ‘journalist’ seeking to provoke a sensationalist reaction from the public, we decided enough was enough. Enter stage left Paul Routledge, professional busybody and Mirror columnist (and gobshite…MDM).

Read the rest of this Fighting Talk in Streetfighers issue 198, on newsagents shelves from Thursday July 1st, and then make your comments here!

Knob Twiddler

The convenience of remotely-mounted shock dampers is made all the more interesting by the close proximity of a nitrous bottle... Tweak the wrong one when you're sat at the traffic lights and the slightly stiffer suspension setting that you were hoping for is replaced by an additional 50bhp when you hit full throttle. Alternatively, if you want to humiliate the Ducati-riding multi-millionaire in matching red leathers and Desmodecicci, you could end up with no more power and a suspension action like a hippo surfing in custard...

Chopper Power!

Anyone who was first taking to two wheels in the Seventies will remember two iconic products from the Raleigh stable - pedal bikes that have now gained classic status and are worth inordinate sums of money to certain collectors. However, rather than look at the ludicrously heavy and over-stylized push irons through rose-tinted glasses, we think that this is by far the best thing to do with a forty-year-old pushbike...

SF198

Those of you wise enough to subscribe to Streetfighters (thus saving money, getting yourself a cool and froody gift and receiving the magazine early) will hear the soft 'plop' of SF198 as it hits your doormat tomorrow morning (or Saturday if Pat is being lazy). It'll be a slightly louder 'plop' than usual, as issue 198 comes complete with free stickers!
Aside from the freebies, there are features on perhaps the most powerful Yamaha v-twin in the world, three tricked-up Kawasaki Zeds, a triumverate of modded Gixers, a race rep 400, a 'fightered Hayabusa, a blinged R1 and a radical Suzuki Kettle, plus all the regular news, products and racing and project updates as well as a pull-out guide to the biggest streetfighting event of 2010, the Streetfighters 7 STunt Festival at Wembley on July 25th!
And those of you too short-sighted to have subscribed will have to wait until Thursday July 1st to be able to get your mag from the newsagent...

Brum, brum, pop!

One of the most talked about bikes in the ACU Superstreet pits for 2010 has been the turbocharged hayabusa of Dave Holland. Tipped by many to be a contender for this year's championship, 'Dutch' has had his fair share of bad luck so far, and this impressive video from 'Doctor Dave' Smith shows his latest mishap...

So, Is It Or Isn't It?...

... a streetfighter?
Ignore the voluminous rear mudguard and check out the spec - bespoke frame, footepgs set to the rear as rearsets rather than forward controls, flat drag-style-handlebars... a 'fighter or not? You decide!

Attention, Race Fans!

Especially those who favour motorsport that's carried out over 440 yards of tarmac or concrete...
This weekend sees two drag racing championships pass their mud way point. The Straightliners series returns to Elvington on Sunday for Round 4, with the ultra-competitive 9.10 bracket class being the most varied and exciting class, even though it's not as fast as Top Bike (or Comp if the quick boys turn up).
Meanwhile, today is a Peak Performance test day at Santa Pod, followed by the ACU Summernationals meeting tomorrow and Sunday. With the meeting being over just two days (normally ACU drag meetings have qualifying on a Friday, or run through to a Bank Holiday Monday), qualifying is going to be intense, and the forecast suggests that the exciting Superstreet class will be the one to watch! Each qualifying run will really count, and with rain today the likehood of an intense one-shot qualifier is high...
More details on the Elvington Straightliners round at www.straightliners.co.uk and further info on the Santa Pod Summernationals at www.eurodragster.com or www.200mph.net

Beem' Me Up

Yeah, yeah, so it's been a while since the last blog post, so sue us! Deadline hassles, the TT and illness have combined to make us too frickin' lazy to bother, but as the next issue of the mag is just about complete and ready to roll off the printers, we're getting the opportunity to collate our thoughts and plan the next trip to the pub...
While the official BMW race team over on the Isle of Man didn't achieve much in the way of race success, here's an example of the new S1000RR that has opened a few eyes!

While the engineremains internally standard,with the addition of a full titanium exhaust and a Power Commander V, an astounding 203bhp makes its way through to the back wheel, and with the suspension lowered front and rear, a pair of BST carbon fibre wheels bolted in along with a 9" stretched swinging arm and a few subtle clutch modifications, this bike ran a very impressive 8.497 second quarter mile, topping out at 158mph after hitting the rev limiter before the 1340 foot mark. And that's with a 1.394 sixty foot time! Impressive huh? Looks like it could be the ideal RWYB tool!

SF197

Apologies for the minor hiatus in online reportage, due (this time) to Will being struck down by a psychotic, throat-strangling, intergalactic virus and MDM having a holiday throwing himself off mountains aboard two-wheelers without an engine.
A brief gap before the annual Guiness-binge that is the TT allows us to inform you that Streetfighters #197 is now in the shops, full of all the usual shininess, innovative builds, race reports and irreverent editorial that you've come to know and love (hopefully).

More Swollen Glands

Inveterate bike builder and all-round loon, Roland Sands, has revamped his website and got himself a regular blog too!
While he has been known to build the occasional hard-tailed choppery type thing, it's the performance-orientated, cafe racer and flat-tracker influenced bikes that he creates that really float our boat, like this beauty, christened the 'BuHell'.

More info and updates on Roland's site here including this sweet little KTM cafe racer.

Damp Fizzing

Those blokes 'of a certain age' will have a soft spot for Yamaha's 50cc FS1E - the bike that, for many, was their introduction to motorcycles. More than just a moped, the Fizzie had gears and, in the right hands, could be tuned to hit 60mph, so those that had, or lusted after, a Fizzie when they were a spotty teenage oik will like these pics.
And before you all start whining about how a Seventies two squeak shouldn't be on the Streetfighters blog, take a closer look at the pics...


... and in particular have a look at the engine...


Remember that the original FS1E was air-cooled, and then marvel at the work that's been put into this little wonder. It's far more modified than m,any of the Bandit or GSX-R 'streetfighters' that we see on the roads...
This bike was spotted at the last Straightliners round at Elvington, and is a timely reminder that next Sunday, the 23rd May, sees the next round of the championship return to Elvington airfield near York, with all eleven classes taking part. More info here or here

Tyne Tunnel Troubles

This next Saturday, May 22nd, the South East Northumberland wing of the Motorcycle Action Group are holding a demonstration against tolls being charged to motorcyclists who wish to travel through the tunnel under the river Tyne, a move which directly contradicts the congestion-busting abilities of motorcycles and means that we have to pay to hear the wonderful noise that a free-flowing pipe makes in a tunnel...
The demo begins at the Washington Wetland centre, Washington, Tyne and Wear, NE38 8LE at 11an sharp. more details can be found here or by emailing tynetunnelprotest@southeastnorthumberlandmag.co.uk

Supermarket Superstreet

Following on from the previous post, there's a way where you can get to see the unmissable Superstreet class at their potential best at this year's Main Event at Santa Pod effectively for nothing!
By using your Tesco Club Card points (or, more likely, those of your wife / girlfirend / mother / sister / daughter / sheep) you can get tickets for Monday of the Main Event (that's the 31st May).
The novel move – an industry first – means just £9 worth of Club Card vouchers is all it takes for one ticket for the entire day, to watch over 250 of the quickest and most dramatic racing teams in Europe battle head-to-head in stunning machinery that can hit over 300 mph in under 5 seconds!
The Main Event has become well known as a superb family day out, with a real emphasis on all-round entertainment as well as the pinnacle of motorsport action. Kids can also enjoy free paddock access to meet the drivers, stunt show, Monster Trucks, kids’ entertainers, a full sized funfair and even a WW2 battle Of Britain memorial flight. Basically, something for everyone!
For more details on the event, please click Santa Pod or call the team on 01234 782828.
For more details on the Tesco Club Card offer, please click
here

Superstreet blog

Those of you who follow the British drag racing scene may be interested in a new blog being posted on the Eurodragster website by ex-outlaw builder and drag fan extraodinaire Stephen Moon.
It's following the build-up of tensions in the Superstreet Bike class as we approach the Main Event at Santa Pod, the biggest drag race meeting of the year in the UK, and the one meeting at which we're likley to see track conditions that match those at which the astounding 7.1 second quarters have been recorded by equal bikes in the States.
Will the American times be matched? Will a new UK record be set? Get up-to-the-minute gossip here

Heavy Breather

Although Suzuki's range of oil cooled Gixers and Bandits are renowned for building crankcase pressure and thus needing crankcase breathers to be fitted, especially if in tuned form, the later water-cooled GSX-Rs and Hayabusas don't seem to have this problem.

The owner of this Hayabusa doesn't really care whether Busas need additional engine breathers or not, as he knows that breathers look really cool...

The Truth Will Out...

Okay, so the editorially-designed cover that we showed you yesterday was just MDM and Will pissing about with a printout, this is the real cover...

SF196 will be heading out to subscribers tomorrow, and will be on newsagents' shelves on Thursday 6th May.

SF #196 with all-new cover style

Streetfighters issue #196 is looming ever closer, like a particularly fat man approaching the deep end of a swimming pool at speed.

In this edition we bring you pukka fighters from Canada, France, Finland, the USA and a special feature on Aussie specialists Extreme Creations. From closer to home we have a magnificent MV Agusta/GSX-R hybrid splashed across the centrespread with a decidedly soggy Gemma Newman, and also a gorgeous Bandit 600 fighter, a GSX1400 from the project maestros at Just Motorcycles, the lowdown from Straightliners Round 1 and updates from our various project bikes, not to mention tales of glory and disaster with our adopted circuit racers.

Essential reading. Get yourself one bought and surf the chubby jumper’s bow wave all the way to motorcycling happiness…

And here's what happens when the Editorial Team co-operate on the production of the cover... Better, innit?

Bitsa Kaw

Here at Streetfighters, we've got a soft spot for this kind of bike. Built up with a selection of disparate parts, with the sole intention of the end result being a unique, performance-orientated motorcycle that is the epitomy of what the owner wants in two-wheeled transport.

Tres cool...

Trumpet Stunt It

It seems that Britain's only remaining motorcycle manufacturer is starting to gain favour with the mono-wheelers and tyre-destroyers amongst us, as not only is pro stunter Kevin Carmicheal riding Triumphs now (including the behemoth Rocket 3), but also Straightliners stunt champion Paul Hanks has turned to the Hinckley triples!
This pic shows Scot loon Carmicheal at the Scottish motorcycle show last month...

Watch out for Hanksy on his Speed Triple at the next round of the Straightliners Stunt Championship at Elvington on 31st July and 1st August as part of the Wings and Wheels weekend.