Don’t know what the Dust Hustle 2016 is? That’s okay. Neither did we.
Leave it to the Australians to put together one of those unique two-wheeled “fool-fests” in which we would love to take part. That’s exactly what Ellaspede’s Dust Hustle is.
Located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Ellsapede is a custom and vintage motorcycle shop full of hooligans who are apparently as serious about having fun as they are about offering a range of products and services as well as fabrication work for their loyal custom, classic, cafe racer owners. Dust Hustle 2016 was the company’s way of celebrating the coolness—and the nerdyness, which is even cooler—of the local bikey culture. Ellaspede’s Online and Marketing Manager, Hughan Seary, sent us the following words on Dust Hustle 2016. We thought it was worth sharing to our readers.
Ellaspede's Dust Hustle 2016 from Ellaspede on Vimeo.
The following is from Ellaspede:
Wow, what an event Dust Hustle 2016 turned out to be. Each year we’re impressed with the amount of riders and spectators who are keen to support an inappropriate yet amusing motorcycle expo!
Rider tickets went on sale three months before the event, with each category selling out in record time for the 135 available spots. When the entries rolled in, the spread of inappropriate motorcycles that people were willing to ride on a professional dirt track was apparent, and we started to get an idea of how awesome the 2016 edition was going to be.
Fast forward to event day and not even an overnight storm could dampen the day. Riders and spectators woke to a perfect Saturday sunrise that was going to set the scene for this foot down dust up. After a quick track layout change due to some water on the track, the riders were briefed and the Clutchless Scooter & Postie class was sent out first to test the conditions and set the standards for the rest of the day.
Given the overnight rain the first session for all classes was a slippery affair, with most riders taking some time to settle into the greasy conditions. But with the sun out it didn’t take long for the track to dry down to a predictable racing surface for the classes second session out and most riders quickly found their feet before the on track rivalries really began.
The Risky Road bikes class was one of the most entertaining of the day, especially with BMW Motorrad bringing along their only Australian demo bike of the new BMW R-nineT Scrambler to show how capable this bike is straight out of the box. Ducati Australia were also out to flex some muscle with local dealer Brisbane Motorcycles specially prepping a new Ducati Scrambler for the event. It was cutting some impressive laps in the morning sessions, highlighting how versatile this new bike is.
Turning out some impressive laps in the Old Mates class was a 74′ Yamaha MX125 with a rider dressed in a suit like he was late for a job interview! Once the helmet popped off it was none other than ex-MotoGP and World Superbike racer Garry McCoy who was swinging off the throttle for sponsors CutGrafix and GMC Cooyar!
As lunchtime was drawing near the Food Truck Roundup rolled into position to tempt taste buds of riders and the now huge crowd who had been streaming in during the morning action. No less than 10 of Brisbane’s best gourmet food trucks were at the event! These included delectable delights from Mr. America Hotdogs & Fries, Mr. Burger, Abbiocco Food Truck, Mac From Way Back, How We Rolls, Rolls Pho Mi, Donut Kitchen, Fire’N’Dough, Fiery Deli and Gisler’s Pies.
Brisbane Motorcycle Street Care handled the bike show area at the event, with a number of impressive rides rolling out to raise money for a local child in need of surgery while putting on a solid display for the spectators.
When the morning sessions finished and with some quick track prep out of the way, it was time for the lunchtime pro demos. Care of Brisbane Motorcycles, ex speedway legend Stan Bear got out on a vintage bike to show he’s still got what it takes on the oval track, while Ray Murphy took his long track bike out for some impressive sliding on the bigger course.
BMW Motorrad were at it again in the demos with some big stand up wheelies on the new R-nineT Scrambler, mixing it up with a custom Royal Enfield from Scooter Style Noosa being ridden to the limit!
Sidecar fans witnessed a real treat as Shannons Insurance fired up a custom Triumph sidecar unit running on methanol and sounding like a screaming satan as it slid around the track.
A highlight of the lunch hour was certainly the pro dirt track exhibition races where Garry McCoy took on a stacked field of some of Australia’s best dirt track talent. A race start gate drop quickly showed this group wasn’t here to make friends as Jace Castles, Jarred Brook and the gang turned out some epic laps at a pace that most of the riders and spectators didn’t think possible!
Rounding out the lunchtime display was the riders parade lap. It was a chance for all who entered to slow down and soak up some appreciation from the crowd for their entertaining efforts! Plus, at a walking pace with helmets off the spectators got a good look at the riders under the lids and the cross section of legends that the event attracts.
With the pro and sponsor demos done it was back to the inappropriate action for the remainder of the afternoon. As the riders confidence grew so did the amusing display of braking, overtaking and sliding techniques on show. Whether they were intentional or not still remains to be seen!
Spectators took to the trackside bar as Young Henrys and Sailor Jerry proved to be the perfect pairing for a sunny Saturday afternoon at the track.
The pits were a flurry of activity all day, especially in the afternoon when a day’s racing had started to take its toll on both man and inappropriate machine. But the action on track rolled on right up until the last session of the day. Riders were giving it their all with many now beginning to feel comfortable enough to push a little harder into the late afternoon.
A crowd gathered around the Ellaspede stand as the riding finished and the prize giving got underway. A ‘Best in Class’ award was given for each category and four lucky riders took home bragging rights and a prize pack too. Those watching the event weren’t left out of the action either as fourpeople walked away with a prize pack of their own thanks to the popular spectator raffle.
With the last engine switched off and the last prize drawn it was time for the riders to join the off track antics. They were now able to hit the bar to begin the “bench racing”as all female AC/DC covers band “Her Way To Hell” ensured the trackside after-party kicked on well into the night.
Overall it was an epic event and our biggest one to date. To the spectators, thank you for coming to watch the most weird, wonderful and woefully unsuitable motorcycles being ridden on the track. To the riders, thank you for embracing the wacky experience over the racing seriousness and riding with us like a big bunch of kids.
To the sponsors, a special thank you to you for helping to make this event happen. Dust Hustle 2016 wouldn’t have been possible without the support of legendary brands like Shannons Insurance, BMW Motorrad, Brisbane Motorcycles, Young Henrys, Sailor Jerry, Brisbane Motorcycle Towing, Rockwell Time, Jokers & Larrikins, Iron & Resin, Fonzie Abbott Espresso, CutGrafix, Scooter Style Noosa, Motul, Roberto’s Custom Powder, Earnest, Scoller & Co, Suncoast Hydrablast, Leatherman, Gazi Suspension, HEL Performance, Rizoma, Draggin Jeans, Death Collective, MX Store, Tyres 4 Bikes, Kriega and Pirelli.
For more information on Ellaspede and future Dust Hustle events, visit www.ellaspede.com.
Your Privacy Choices