CATEGORIES

YZR-esurrected!: Project Yamaha YZR500 part 1

What do you do if you’re offered a former factory YZR500 that you once raced? You procrastinate for several months and count your pennies…

PARTS BIN PERFECT!

Andy Bolas rides a Yamaha RZ250R, which he finds shares many parts from other tiddler Yamaha models.

Gold digger!: Project Yamaha YZF-R1 5VY part 3

Our own Paul Berryman seems to be panning for gold… but what are the nuggets in the 2004 R1 sump pan?

Bath time!: Project Yamaha RZV500R part 5

There’s nothing like a refreshing bath after a hot Australian Summer’s day, even if it is in diesel and kerosene…

Basket case!

We’re inside the back of a clutch basket and there are no listed spares. Welcome to part one of sorting a clutch’s shock absorber.

Apache hunter!: Project Suzuki TS400 part 2

All you never wanted to know about Suzuki TS400 and more! And knowing Scoop, probably some you didn’t… hee hee!

Tonks Gets Some TLC

Tonks the T5 takes a trip to Derby for a rather overdue habitation service

Sporty Spice

The CoTrim C Sport conversion—designed for those who want to fully immerse themselv es in the VW active lifestyle

Nimbus Airbrush Art

Everyone wants their van to stand out from the crowd, so how about the ultimate statement, turning your vehicle into a rolling work of art?

Mongolia or Bust

We join Ian Pegram and his wife Juliet Sheppard, as they hatch a plan and start the preparation for the trip of a lifetime

Generic Bald Bloke

When I was a young man, and yes, I’m aware that was a long time ago, the one thing I didn’t want to do was go bald

Sense and Sensorbility

Snow and ABS sensor problems in Snowdonia!

Dubfreeze 2020

Dubfreeze usually lives up to its name, but this year perhaps, due to the inclement weather, a change of name might be appropriate

Claire's Quesadilla Pockets

While on a recent van shoot with Claire and David from DC Camper Sales, we discussed our mutual RidgeMonkey interest

Bilbo's Motorhomes

Bilbo’s have been converting VWs for 43 years – that’s a lot of conversions

Oil System Flush And Detox

We are always cautious about new processes that make claims about improving performance, reducing emissions and saving fuel. But when a trusted expert tells us we should listen, we’re willing to do so. Alan Hayward

Just Like Arlen's!

AS ANYONE WHO HASN’T BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK (OR IN DEEPEST, DARKEST NORFOLK) FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS’LL KNOW, THERE’S BEEN A HUGE RESURGENCE IN 1960S AND ‘70S CHOPS – AN ERA OF BIKE BUILDING WHEN ‘PRACTICALITY’ WAS CONSIDERED ALMOST A DIRTY WORD, AND FORM WAS WAY MORE IMPORTANT THAN FUNCTION.

TO HELL & BACK...

THERE’VE BEEN A FAIR NUMBER OF ARTICLES OVER THE YEARS IN WHICH BIKES, AND BUILDING CUSTOM BIKES, HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED BY THE OWNER/BUILDER AS BEING A KIND OF THERAPY THAT’S KEPT THEM GOING THROUGH THE DARK PERIODS OF THEIR LIVES.

STRIIIIKE... UMM, MANY

THEY SAY THAT LIGHTNING NEVER STRIKES TWICE. THAT, LADIES AND GENTS, IS UTTER COBBLERS...

STEALTH...

IT ALL STARTED BACK IN 2003 WHEN A MATE NEEDED TO BORROW SOME GARAGE SPACE FOR HIS ONE-OFF HARLEY SIDE-CAR OUTFIT. IT WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE FOR THREE WEEKS, BUT ENDED UP BEING THREE MONTHS, SO TO SHUT ME UP HE LET ME BORROW THIS LOVELY LITTLE CHOP FOR THE SUMMER.

MYSTERY KWAK

WHILE I’M NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO SO SNOBBISHLY DECLARES THAT IF YOU DIDN’T BUILD YOUR BIKE YOURSELF IT DOESN’T COUNT, EVEN I CAN SEE THE (SLIGHT) DOWNSIDE TO THE LIKES OF EBAY, GUMTREE AND OTHERS…

FTW A CHOPPERS'S TALE!

WHAT IS A CHOPPER? EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN DEFINITION AND PREFERENCE, BUT I GUESS THE HISTORICAL ONE IS THAT OF A STANDARD MOTORCYCLE THAT’S BEEN ‘CHOPPED’ TO CHANGE ITS APPEARANCE, AND PERFORMANCE.

BEER BUILDS BETTER...

GROWING UP RACING MOTOCROSS, I ALWAYS RODE SPORTS BIKES, YES, LIKE A KNOBHEAD, AND I KNEW I COULDN’T CONTINUE DOING THE STUPID SHIT I USED TO, SO I DECIDED TO RESTRICT MYSELF BY BUILDING A CUSTOM, AND THAT’S WHEN THE BUG BIT.

SMALL, BUT PERFECTLY FORMED

AS ANYONE WHO’S BEEN READING BSH FOR ANY TIME NOW’LL KNOW, WE’VE BEEN GOING TONCC LONDON’S ANNUAL DIAMOND DAY CUSTOM BIKE SHOW AT THE ACE CAFÉ IN LONDON AT THE BEGINNING OF JULY EACH YEAR FOR A FEW YEARS NOW.

SIXTY TIMES ROUND THE SUN

ANDYWRIGHT’D ALWAYS WANTED A GENERATOR SHOVEL SO, AS HE TURNED 60 AT THE END OF JULY LAST YEAR AND HADN’T GOT A BUILD ON THE GO, IT MADE PERFECT SENSE TO TREAT HIMSELF NOT ONLY TO A NEW BUILD, BUT ALSO TO A SIXTIETH BIRTHDAY PRESENT TO HIMSELF AT THE SAME TIME!

KWAK IN A 'BED

SINCE MY TEENS I’VE LOVED CAFÉ RACERS, THE MINIMALIST FOCUSED LOOK, THE PERFORMANCE, THE NOISE, THE WHOLE PACKAGE. THAT LOVE CONTINUED THROUGH MY 20S, 30S, AND 40S, AND I’VE HAD MANY BIKES, BUT NEVER A CAFÉ RACER.

COOL TWIN THING

OF ALL THE AUTOMOTIVE PAINT SCHEMES THERE’VE BEEN OVER THE PAST 100 YEARS OR SO, SOME’VE REACHED ALMOST LEGENDARY STATUS – MARLBORO, JOHN PLAYER SPECIAL, SUBARU, CASTROL, MARTINI RACING, THEY’RE ALL INSTANTLY RECOGNISABLE. THE MOST FAMOUS, THOUGH, IS PROBABLY THE GULF OIL BLUE AND ORANGE.

SEAGULL

CALLING IN TO SEE PEOPLE WHO BUILD CUSTOM BIKES FOR A LIVING IS ONE OF LIFE’S GREAT PLEASURES; NOT ONLY DO YOU GET TO CHAT WITH PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND BREATHE CUSTOMS, AND DRINK THEIR TEA, BUT YOU ALSO FIND BIKES THAT YOU MAY NOT’VE COME ACROSS OTHERWISE.

DUCKIN' GORGEOUS!

ONE OF THE MOST OFTEN ASKED QUESTIONS WE HEAR IN REFERENCE TO CUSTOM BIKES IS ‘WHERE IS IT NOW?’

ADORED

ROCK STARS, IT HAS TO BE SAID, AREN’T GENERALLY REALLY KNOWN FOR THEIR EXQUISITE TASTE… THEIR EXUBERANCE, YES; THEIR EXTRAVAGANZA, DEFINITELY; THEIR ‘GET THE BIGGEST AND BEST’ ATTITUDE, CERTAINLY; BUT SIMPLICITY, REFINEMENT AND MINIMALISM AREN’T USUALLYWORDS THAT CAN BE LINKED TO THEM. THERE ARE ALWAYS EXCEPTIONS TO EVERY RULETHOUGH…