Getting it up

This just in (no, OK, we admit it got lost down the back of the mustard leatherette Sideburn settee for a while) from James in France.

Hello Sideburn,
Thought I'd share some photos taken at a local hillclimbing event held annually deep in the Pyreneen Mountains. Most competitors were going with the dragster/enduro aesthetic with a touch of nitrous oxide to help them along, whilst silencers seem out of favour with this lot...

Four cylinders too many? Then chop one off.

Chainsaw starter, French lass.

These guys from Holland were serious contenders, finishing second overall. Couldn't help wondering where they practise.

This blown four scattered its engine all across the mountains

 on its last run.

The hill

Rare Sporting Harleys on US eBay

I wouldn't have much use for it, but I still would love this alcohol-fuelled 1927 Harley JD hillclimber. It's up on US ebay with a starting price of just $9999. It's in Washington state.
This is the same model engine that Homer Knapp used in his race bike.

The same seller is also offering this rare 1953 Harley KR750 flat tracker.

Thanks to Martin H in Germany for the link. GI

Deadman and Wolves

I've banged on about Wolverhampton and the English Black Country before, but I've yet to mention the brilliant Tommy Deadman. A pioneer of British speedway, Deadman captained one of the first English clubs, Wolverhampton Wolves, formed in 1928, as well as racing hillclimbs and grasstrack. He was also a pioneer of motorcycle football, later to be known as motoball and still responsible for the bloodied shins of devotees around the globe. A test rider at Sunbeam, he built the bike he's pictured on here, his 'Sprint Special', using bits cadged from broken factory racers. Loads more over at Wolverhampton History, along with photos and clippings, such as these here, supplied by Deadman's daughter, June. MP 

The Speed Merchant at Hell on Wheels

The Speed Merchant took their trick Sportster along The Exponent along to watch the Hell On Wheels hillclimb and ended up competing in it. 

Check out the hovering flag lady. G

Hell on Wheels Hillclimb

This weekend. G

When McQueen raced a Douglas

I was researching a piece recently on Steve McQueen's relationship with Triumphs, and stumbled across these pics of him racing a 1920s Douglas flat twin in the mid 1950s at the Knatts Valley hillclimb in Kent, England. The bloke he's pitched against in the second shot is the great Alf Hagon, top speedway, grass track and drag racer of the '50s and beyond (these days the name is just as famous for his shocks and wheels). More info about these photos in an interview by Kandee Nelson with the photographer, Max Poultney, on Steve McQueen Online. MP

Pike's Peak

Some of our favourite people were racing Pike's Peak last week. I hope they all met each other.

Dimitri Coste was racing his OSFA Triumph. Marco Belli was racing his Zaeta (to third in the 750cc - even though he's on, I think, a bored-out 450 single). And Travis 747 was on his 450. Sounds like an amazing event. Everyone raves about it. One day, maybe. G

AJS Where Are You?

Judging from the Adidas bag, Mk1 Transit van, and Mini Metro, the date must be around 1980. Snap via MP. Is this wonderful AJs still campaigning? It's definitely worth a full feature in Sideburn. Love the dodgy trailer too. BP

UPDATE
Chalfont VMCC hillclimb 2010. Stone the crows Drakey, you're right!
I even posted a comment on it - but I've got the memory of a beermat. 30 years later and the bike looks just as good, the trailer even more ropey. BP

GSX-ARRRGH

I feel a future project brewing. I love everything about this beast. I want Sideburn to build one, then strap Travis to it and point it up the biggest Widowmaker available. T, are you up for it? G
Sorry don't know where the photo came from. I think the bike might be Canadian.

156 Turns

I saw this on Hell for Leather when it first surfaced, but this email gave us chance to post it.

Hi Gary, Not quite sure where I heard about Sideburn but have the second issue. I race for Ducati at the Pikes Peak Hillclimb, winning it for them in 2008 on the Hyper Motard and this year on the Multistrada. I put together a short film called "156 turns". I really love what you guys do, thank you for producing such a cool mag.

Best wishes.

Greg Tracy
6 time pikes peak hillclimb champion.

Red Marley Hill Climb

Picturesque English Worcestershire paysage, horsey girls wearing Jimmy Choo Hunter wellies and much tweed; miss-matching Brum accents, scrum on the muddy slope with shaven-headed beardy bikers in DP combat jackets. £2.50 for a polystyrene punnet of raw chips, toasted Paninis even more tasteless than the Brevel cheese-toaties they have superseded.
The pre-65 bikes range from £12,000 titanium catapults, to mobile chicken coops held together with bailing twine. The ES2 Norton in the montage here has a Dyno-printer name tag on the tank to combat amnesia after too many back-flips. BP

Full GI & BP feature in Sideburn, to follow.

Any Old Iron Versus Gravity

Tosh

Tidy Tosh built iron-head Sportster (thanks for the correction Fat Ass) that's begging for some old school hill-climb daring-do. BP

Hillclimber Cream

Found on Jeff Decker's blog. Love to ride something like this up a widowmaker. A more modern equivalent, though. Same power, same weight, same wheelbase, same chains. Any suggestions what would make a good basis? G

Iron Horse Saloon and Social Club

Worth looking in if you're out at Springfield, I imagine.

Here are some snaps taken at the Iron Horse Saloon and Social Club in Savanna, Illinois.
The place is run by a guy called Gerry who has a fantastic collection of classic and vintage dirt and hill climb bikes. My camera is not the latest so I apologise for the image quality.
If you are ever out that way, it is worth a detour.
Keep the shale flyin'
Best regards,
Mike Allen, UK

Look at that lanyard

If you're going to wear a lanyard cut-out, surely it wants to kill the ignition without you having to be in a neighboring state. Photo found at Poppa Wheelie.

Vertically Challenged

Not so much Go Fast Turn Left, just Go Fast Vertically. Maybe say a prayer before doing so and don't eat too much breakfast.
Anthony Brown is rallying troops for the VMCC Chalfont (England) hill climb. Down load this form...
Send the completed forms back to me at:

Anthony Brown
usefultone@hotmail.com

By the 7th April please, so I can send them on in one go.
If you didnt tick it when you applied you will need to get onto the ACU to make sure your licence covers grasstrack as well as short track. Its no extra cost. Entries will be £27 +£3 for club membership and £10 for a day licence if you dont have one.
As agreed before we will all run standard Flat Track / Supermotard tyres to save time and expense. Lets hope it doesnt rain.
Anyone who wants any info can call me 07834 971715

This 1949 flying Flathead shot is from the excellent iron wigwam archive. Is that a 'For Sale' sign tucked in the back there?! Maybe he just asked the owner if he could take it around the block.
BP

Fred Lange hillclimbers

Thanks to Patrick for the lead on these incredible bikes. I really, really hope whoever paid for them to be built actually rides them up a hill once in a while.
1928 Hill Climber
This is one of two Fred Lange Re-Creations. It demonstrates Harley-Davidson's conservative approach to designing motorcycles coupled with their deep desire to win in competition. There is nothing exotic about the machinery except for the ingenious combination of the best materials on hand. This motorcycle used the powerful two-cam engine base from an F-head motor, and incorporated special factory-made cylinders based on Peashooter technology. Its transmission holds but a single gear. The in and out selector box was typical of hill climb specials. The rider would depress the clutch pedal, snick the transmission into gear by a small hand lever, and engage the clutch at the start of his run.
The hill climber chassis was a specialized piece of equipment, beefed up with trusses and extra reinforcement. The front fork was also not standard fare. It sported additional side trusses and a friction damper.
Everything about this motorcycle is serious, from its special front end to the chain shod rear wheel.