A Weekend with Nick Ashley

Lily Ashley sent us a film about sheep a while back which we really loved. Here's a new one about her sister Edie, and dad Nick racing at Dirt Quake IV on a Cheney Triumph (her) and a Harley WL45 (him). BP

#59 Nick Ashley

A huge cross-section of people race in the DTRA: different ages, backgrounds, occupations and goals. Farmers race against painters and decorators; engineers battle with tilers. Builders, photographers, car salesmen, carpenters, film set designers, airline pilots, mechanics and, in Nick Ashley, menswear designers are all DTRA members...

I bought some of Nick Ashley clobber when he had his own label more than ten years ago, then got to know him through Sideburn (Ben knew him before that). Now Nick is head of design for an upmarket menswear label called Private White V.C. that is almost unique in making all its products in the UK.

Nick has always raced and ridden. He's competed in desert rallyes and enduros and now, also, competes in the vintage class on a Cheney Triumph.

There's an amusing interview with Nick here. With some of the highlights being...

The factory in Manchester was there at the start of the industry, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. The whole of the Manchester ship canal – from Liverpool to Manchester – was built for the industry, but it’s all gone apart from this. I dream of getting a ship into Manchester, filling it with product and sailing it to China – and selling a whole load of clothes there. Then I can die a happy man. Out of the mill, out of the factory and even take the voyage – smoking Capstan Full Strength and drinking rum all the way!

We had interest from the UK and wrote a few orders. Britain is a small place and, as I say, people spend all their money on houses and education. If you compare it even to Italy, there’s a vast difference. People dress beautifully, eat beautifully and have loads of sex. That’s their priority in life. Their economy is knackered, but they’re having a great time. Let’s all move to Italy!

Photos by Daniel Beres

Gary's Leicester DTRA Report

As promised, here are some of my own snaps from the first DTRA round at Leicester. 

The weather forecast didn't look great, but, in Britain, you've just got to saddle up and go. Sometimes you waste a tank of diesel for a rain-off, but not very often. As it turned out, it rained for about one-minute all day and I got a sunburnt nose.

I was so excited to be back out racing I couldn't sleep the night before. I stormed the first heat, winning by a few bikes lengths from some very good riders. Even then I was thinking, The season can only go downhill from here. I was right, but at least I proved I can still win a 12-man heat.

Oily Rob, above, has retired his home-built Ducati Monster race bike and bought a DTX bike. He felt a bit conformist, so he made this new painted and studded race jacket. 

Leicester had the biggest entry of any UK dirt track race ever (except the Dirt Quakes). Two grids of Thunderbikes, two grids of novices, Pro class, restricted, Juniors and the new Vintage class. Above is Bon Zorro who competed in his very first dirt track race on his old Triumph road bike, after bringing it to the track in the back of a people carrier. He had a blast.

Also in the five-man inaugural Vintage class was DTRA regular John Boddy on his 750 Triumph twin (feature on this bike coming soon). Below is the seat, giving a pep talk before every race...

Frank Chatokhine and his Metisse Triumph, both featured in Sideburn 17, dominated the class, but he was hounded all day by his good friend...

Dimitri Coste, who was in his normal all-action mode before stalling on the line in the final and gifting second to...

Nick Ashley, who was riding a Cheney Triumph. Yes, it has a front brake disc and caliper, but the lever was removed so it didn't work. This is his road bike.

 Me and Drogo in our new FTWCo team kit.

 There were some new bikes, and some older ones given make-overs, like Adam Waller's Husqvarna.

Before the race, Ross Herrod was trying to cut some life into his wrecked rear tyre (the UK importer were out of the Maxxis CD5 compound he wanted). He looked like he didn't know what he was doing, and admitted as much, then won the Restricted final. Classy.

Dimitri's trailblazing, coming over from France to race, then raving about it, has generated a mini-French invasion. One French rider who debuted at Leicester was Christophe Decombard on his tidy, home-built Suzuki DR600. He went very well, but slid off while leading his novice class.

Another Frenchman making his DTRA debut was Hubert Bastie. Hubert raced at last year's Dirt Quake, riding his TW200 road bike and making a lot of friends. He came back with a 450 DTX, stayed in Sheffield with friends he made at Dirt Quake and rode like a demon.
It's great to see Dirt Quake acting as a feeder for the DTRA, like it did with Ross Herrod and Oily Rob before.

Tom Neave turned up with this Chinese-made WK in DTX trim, it's based on the £3999 450RX, to put on display. Tom is road racing a WK 650  (ER6-alike) and doing very well on it. More details on this bike when we get it.

A spectator turned up on this lovely Norton P11, taking advantage of free entry.

And this Dirt Quake hopeful turned up for approval too. You're in. Get your entry in now.

Health and Safety: Carb strip with a fag on?
Next race is 18 May at Coventry. GI

Full Up

Dirt Quake's IRB, street tracker/scrambler and vintage speedway classes are now full even before the deadline. Thanks to everyone who entered. We have a reserve list if anyone wants to join that.
Nick is racing his Cheney Triumph (photo by The Vintagent).

Still a few places for the chopper class! You have time to resurrect one.

A thousand thanks to all who have ordered tickets. They will be sent soon-ish. Thanks for your patience. G

Ace Cafe Flat Tracker Day Report

Look, I know I was whining about the date, but how many T-shirt hot days do you normally get in Norf Lahnden in February? One benefit of being sat behind a pasting table in a bike park for six hours is you get to see...
All the comings...
And goings...
Reino from TriCo/ The Great Frog and James from Kingdom of KicksConrad Leach turned up with his friend on matching Ducati tiddlers. A brilliant way to come out of the closet.

Stunning C&J framed Buell.
Signwriting by Ornamental Conifer.
Co-Built flanking demon racer (and soon to be Sideburn cover star) Tim Neave.
The Vintagent.
Chief Corpse From Hell, Maxwell P on his BSA from Sideburn 9.
Every photo I took had a at least one misshapen man in a black jacket in the background. I asked this lady if she wouldn't mind helping me prove that's not all a British bike meeting is about.
Nico from Ornamental Conifer. He did the great signwriting on our Enfield.

Dave the courier was selling this amazing R1 special in a one-off Steelheart frame. £6000 ono. He's been distracted by a hardtail race-tuned R1 chop. UK Short track 2011 novice champion, Stuart L, turned up on his rascal of a Sportster.
Photographer Sam Christmas and his Speed Four.
Swamp Rat!
Reilly Rocket crew.
Red Max had a big display of road and race bikes.
Including this AJS 125 project he's been collaborating on.
Always good to see a Sideburn Zombie.
This is Guy's BMW. He's racing it in Dirt Quake's inappropriate road bike class. It's filling up fast.
Nick's fantastic Cheney Triumph. Says he's racing this at Dirt Quake too.

Drogo's finished Co-Built racer.

Obviously it wasn't all street trackers, more an excuse of the gathering of the tribes. Thanks to everyone who came down, especially if you bought something. G