Don’t worry, there were no shady or underhand goings-on, well, going on (that’s if you don’t count me appropriating someone else’s bike for an hour or so without their knowledge). Around eighteen months ago I had visited Rob Parfitt in his workshop tucked away in deepest East Anglia for the purposes of photographing his Honda CB750 (‘Grey Matter’, 100% Biker #244) although, obviously, on that occasion he knew full well what I was doing, being the owner and everything. Back then, Rob was kind enough to give me a quick look at some of his future projects, one of which was an overhaul of his father’s motorcycle. That bike being a mighty Yamaha XS650 for which I have a great affection, I made him promise to keep me updated with progress.
A few months later, Rob emailed me to say that the bike was ready but he hadn’t told his Dad that it was being photographed for a magazine feature. So, Michael Parfitt, I have to say here and now that yes, we went behind your back but I hope you won’t be too cross with your son (me, I live miles away, you can say what you like about me!).
This particular motorcycle is a bit more than just another XS650. It has real sentimental value to both Michael and his son, as Rob explains: “The XS is a UK bike and my Dad bought it in 1981 when he was eighteen years old. The bike was just four years old then. He kept it for some years and then sold it to buy a Kawasaki GPZ1100. But a few years later he sold the GPZ on and then managed to convince the guy who’d bought the XS650 to sell it back to him. He’s had it ever since and it was the very first bike that I sat on as a kid.”
Bu hikaye 100% Biker dergisinin Issue 256 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye 100% Biker dergisinin Issue 256 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
There's No Place Like Chrome
When settling down to write a feature for a magazine, it’s necessary to have two things, nay, three things in front of you. A computer is useful, it saves all that messy ink and blotting paper that we used in those long gone school days, a strong hot mug of tea should also be on the desk (goes without saying), and finally, a set of scribbled notes that a couple of months ago resembled a detailed description of a motorcycle, but that by now, are largely illegible…
Spike And Bob's Big Swedish Adventure: Part 5
In 1979 Hasse took Caprice to the Norrtälje show for the first time, but he had changes for the bike in mind and, during the winter, he picked up a jammer frame and a set of 20-inch tubes.
Black Dog Custom Show - The Black Dog, Broadmayne, Dorset
Named after the only pub in the village of Broadmayne near Dorchester, nobody there can quite remember how long the informal get together that is the Black Dog Custom Show has been going
TWEETY
Over the last couple of years, very few if any motorcycles have inspired such bafflement and scratching of heads as Dan Duggan’s Honda CX500
THE DOUBTER
Every project starts somewhere and this one began at the Bike Shed Show at Tobacco Dock in London or, to be more accurate, when my mate Matt Donaldson turned to me and said, “I bet you can’t build a bike good enough for here.” Well, that set me to work!
JBS SPECIAL
Jarno comes from a family with petrol in their blood. His father races classic motorcycles and Jarno was raised on a farm where the barns are full of motorcycles instead of cows! This is his very first project, the Jarno Bastian Special
CUSTOMBIKE Messe Bad Salzuflen, Germany
Sometimes what is missing from a show is more interesting than what’s present. With the German show Custombike celebrating its fifteenth anniversary, the event remains a showcase for European customising in all its diversity— with the additional benefit of a focus on parts that are homologated and approved for Europe
COVERT MISSION
It’s not often that I have to sneak in and photograph a motorcycle without the owner knowing anything about it—something that was made tougher in this case by the said motorcycle being kept at said owner’s house
Carry On Screaming
As is often the case, I first caught sight of Nige Biffin’s cool Honda CB750 at a local show last summer, standing out as it did from the stock stuff and the classics present. Not surprisingly, it wasn’t just the ace paint that grabbed my attention, but the obvious quality of the build throughout. I needed to know more…
Paul's Harley
Ensuring that a custom motorcycle will comfortably chew up the miles is perhaps not always one of the main priorities for every builder, but for anyone in the National Chopper Club, it’s essential. Never more so than when you happen to live in one of the far flung parts of this island which means that you’ve usually got a journey to do before you even start going anywhere, as Paul, NCC National Secretary and member of Chopper Club Kernow, knows all too well. This is the story of his latest chop.
