PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEXANDER WOOTTEN
No good story starts with “I rode the perfect bike in perfect conditions”, right? That’s exactly what Ellaspede’s Dust Hustle TT is all about, and it’s coming to wreak havoc at Red Bull Day in the Dirt Down Under.
It’s simply inappropriate fun on inappropriate bikes; a chance to pull out whatever motorcycle you’ve got tucked away in the garage – or ride every day – and race ya mates until the chequered flag drops. It was all started a few years back by the crew at Ellaspede, who’ve been building custom motorcycles and havin’ a hell of a good time since 2012.
“We took to a laid-back model that was our style; an Australian style,“ says Hughan Seary, just one of the rad guys behind Dust Hustle. “Dust Hustle was born from there and year-on-year it’s continued to grow – people have just been really keen to get behind an event that’s laid back and pretty inappropriate.
“The core value really is just for anyone to come and ride with whatever bike they’ve got. That in itself leads to a pretty loose and laid-back time – the types of bikes people ride are always inappropriate for the tracks.”
Dust Hustle and Day in the Dirt go in hand-in-hand – you could call it a match made in heaven. When you mix two groups of likeminded moto crew who like to have a wild time on their bikes, the level of crazy is bound to be taken to new levels. How does Hughan describe it? Well…
“Being able to be a part of the Day in the Dirt Down Under is pretty epic! Dust Hustle is inappropriate fun in its own regard, and that’s what Day in the Dirt is in regards to the motocross and racing side of things. It’s got a huge history in the States, and we’re just excited about the match-up and coming together.”
There’s a flavour for everyone in the Dust Hustle TT, and even a class for the ladies to show the blokes how it’s done. You can choose from three classes: Small-Bike Burners, Old Mates (Pre-’90), and Mr Seary’s favourite, the Risky Road Bikes.
“The Risky Road Bikes is always good because it’s probably the most inappropriate. People are always bringing bigger and badder bikes, so it’s pretty interesting just to see what people turn up on and are actually willing to take on the dirt. All the classes bring something of their own to Dust Hustle.”
So, which bike will you be sending it on in the Dust Hustle TT at this year’s Red Bull Day in the Dirt Down Under?