Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2023 i Back Street Heroes

Hello, and welcome to this, the new issue of BSH. I’m going to start this month with an apology, although it’s really for something that’s completely out of our hands… As I’m sure you’re only too aware, we (the collective ‘we’, the UK, as opposed to the ‘we’, BSH) have been going through a series of postal strikes throughout November, December, and into this year, too (he says writing this last year…), and it’s really thrown the delivery of a lot of people’s BSHs – something we can only apologise for. We’re trying our best at this end to make sure your magazines’re with you as quickly as possible, and will continue to do so over the length of the strikes, however long that may be. Given the way the…

Consequently, while Caveman’d got this funky Suzuki-engined, single-sided hardtail finished a few years ago, it’s taken until now for me to get over to Cheshire and get some digital images recorded in my Canon. Mind you, there’s been the Covid palaver, and the matter of a few tweaks and changes to the bike that’ve also stretched out the process somewhat. It was a full six years ago when Caveman (a nickname gained at school, thanks to a haircut and demeanour not unlike that of the eponymous cartoon character) decided he needed to build himself a bike that fitted his personal dimensions. These thoughts were conveniently followed by a mate saying they knew of a rolling chassis with a knackered engine (plus a working spare), that kept snapping chains, and was…

For some this continual refining’s something you do to the bike you’ve got, altering and/or uprating as the years go by, but for others it’s something you do to subsequent bikes to ensure that each one you do’s better than the ones you’ve done before. Carter Harris, of Attitude Cycles in Southampton, is no stranger to the pages of BSH, and he’s firmly in that second category. He (and his dad Simon) build bikes for customers, yes, but for his own bikes, all named 38 (the numerical value of his initials, in case you were wondering), he has a particular theme, a particular style, which he tries to refine further and further with every one he creates. After building the last black and gold 38 (featured in BSH 428) he,…

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Returning to The Coach & Horses at Billinghay, North Lincs, HA took a gamble on good weather, and went for an extended event over the August Bank Holiday. The village itself is a short hop to both the A15 and A17, making it very easy to find, and the site is grassed so no battling with crop stubble. This friendly rally has become a firm favourite with both regular rally-goers and locals alike with attendance around the 500 mark which, being a Bank Holiday when a lot of people have family things going on, was a pretty good number. Friday nights are all about catching up, settling into the rally vibe, and getting the party started. Music was provided by the in-house DJ, and the first three of twelve bands…

The thing about skill levels or, at least, your own assessment of your skill level is that there’s ability, and there’s confidence in those abilities. It has to be said that I’ve seen quite a few projects from people whose confidence in their abilities wasn’t entirely (or even at all) justified. Beware the eBay ‘unfinished’ project as often the phrase ‘Just needs wiring’ means it’ll just need wiring after you’ve replaced the bent frame, lined up the sprockets on the mismatched engine and rear wheel, and thrown away three-quarters of the mechanical components that’re corroded to the point of no return. Bear in mind that self-doubt, and a willingness to do a little research, trumps over-confidence founded in ignorance of what the problems are. The thing about this sort of…

The famous Fordson van hot rod ‘Mr Torquer’ has been in his family since 2000. Originally brought into the family by his old man Ricky, his uncle, Paul, now owns it, and has spent the last 12 years reviving it. This hot rod, specifically its paintwork, is the reason Ryan came to know, and grow a friendship with, Steve Chopping at Chopping Body & Paint who, later, ended up landing the job of giving ‘Stinky Pinky’, Ryan’s Shovelhead, a coat or two of paint. Drag racing’s been a huge part of Ryan’s life and, aside from growing up around that fine piece of UK drag racing history since the age of eight, he’s crewed on the Apache Nostalgia Funny Car for just over ten years, too. Before he got into…

SPEC: Triumph Speedmaster 865cc engine (carbs rejetted/slides drilled, aftermarket desert-style air-filters, TTP Module 2 ignition, exhaust balance pipe removed, aftermarket silencers, one-off oil cooler), 1963 BSA frame (modified), one-off mid-mounts, Bridgestone Battlax tyres (19-inch front, 16-inch rear), H-D hubs/front brake, Akront rims (powder-coated), stainless spokes/nipples, 2-inch over H-D Sportster forks with gaiters, one-off alloy slab yokes, braided brake lines, one-off ‘bars with idiot lights/integral levers, aftermarket cable master-cylinder, aftermarket grips, one-off front mudguard/fork brace, Quickbob tank, sprung seat (mountain bike shock/outrigger springs), one-off chrome rear mudguard, one-off side-panels/battery box/electrics box, one-off side-mount, Tolle sprocket/brake, Triumph master-cylinder, one-off brake reservoir, minimal loom, mini Bates headlight, Model A Ford tail-light FINISH: Black/spilt red paint by owner, frame powder-coated by Adam at Aeromax Coatings (07960 557057 or www.aeromaxcoatings.co.uk), polishing by owner ENGINEERING: Bike…

For a lot of BSH folk, especially prior to the Japanese invasion of the 1980s and ’90s, you started out on Brit bikes, Triumphs, BSAs, Nortons, etc., starting with a learner-legal 250 (back in the days before the 125 law) and stepping up, as time and money allowed, to a big bike; a Bonnie, an A10 or an A65, or a Commando. Yeah, there were Japanese bikes about, CB750s, Z650s and 900s, GS550s, 750s, and 1000s, but they were frowned on a little – real bikers, many felt, rode British bikes. Harleys, back in the Shovelhead era, were seen by many as expensive and still out of the reach of many (and unreliable, too), and after cutting their teeth on stock British bikes, the next step along the waypath was…

Now, I’ve never actually been to Newark, other than to use the A17 junction and to go, twice now, to the NCC Notts show, so I don’t know whether it justifies having such a large number of road signs pointing travellers to it but, for me, it’s notable purely because of Notts’ custom show… and, okay, yes, also because it’s an anagram of a very famous swear word, too, but let’s just gloss over that for the moment, shall we? For the second year, I think, the Notts lads’d made it a two-day (well, a night and a day anyway) bash, with a party and band(s?) on the Saturday night, and the show itself on the Sunday. As I was at Sussex’s event on the Saturday (as detailed last issue),…

The thing that puts a lot of people off chop-building is the price of a frame; most frame builders charge about a grand (Gasoline Alley’s HUC frames’re a little cheaper at £895), but there’re loads of secondhand ones out there for not a lot – one of Nik’s mates had a properly scabby old rigid with the remains of an oil-cooled Suzuki motor (Fig 1) gathering dust in the back of his workshop, which had forks and wheels, but that was just about it, so a deal was done (£100). We liked the idea of starting from this existing frame as, for a novice builder, chopping a frame, or building one from scratch, might be a bit daunting. We decided to buy a donor bike, a working one, and then…

This did get me thinking, however. Back when I worked for a well-known Triumph dealership, we’d often get calls from the technical experts at a weekly motorcycle publication as the writers on the paper’d have a list of specialists they could call for a second opinion if needed. I can remember the first time I got a call – I felt genuinely honoured having just recently moved down to the Midlands from Scotland, and working for a fairly high-profile dealership, and understandably I was keen to give it my best shot. The writer from the weekly paper then went on to describe a never-ending list of seemingly unrelated problems suffered by a Triumph Trophy owner, and it got to the point that we were both shaking our heads. Thankfully, it…

IT felt like it, too; almost from the moment it was opened on the morning of Saturday, November 19th until it closed on Sunday 27th, the three halls were jammed with motorcycle folk of every colour/size/ethnicity/gender, etc., and even midweek, when there’s traditionally a very slight lull in the numbers, this (well, last as you’re reading this in January) year if there was a lull in the number of punters coming through the doors, it wasn’t really noticeable to us lot working there. For us lot ‘ere at BSH, the show starts the day before it opens when we set up the Custom Heroes stand, one of Motorcycle Live’s biggest draws. For 2022, we have space for fifteen bikes, just fifteen, making Custom Heroes definitely the UK’s, and possibly the…

SPEC: S&S 80ci (1340c) Evo’ engine (modified CV carb, Lowbrow Customs air-filter, Rivera Primo clutch/open belt-drive primary, Dyna S ignition, one-off exhausts), 1972 H-D Shovelhead gearbox/forks (modified, 9.25-inch over tubes)/swingarm, 1978 H-D FX Shovelhead frame (modified, 38-degree rake, 2-inch stretch)/oil tank (chromed)/forwards, Shinko tyres (21-inch front, 5.10x16 double whitewall rear), 2.5x21” stainless front wheel, Honda 250 twin-leading-shoe drum brake (modified), 39mm H-D Sportster yokes (modified), MCS ‘bars/rear brake master-cylinder, replica H-D switchgear, aftermarket mini speedo/grips, H-D Sportster tank (modified), one-off seat by GB Upholstery, Crazy Roy Crazy Frank-replica rear mudguard, aftermarket battery/electrics box, H-D shocks, original 1970s Invader rear wheel, 10-inch H-D disc, GMA rear calliper, one-off stainless torque arm, one-off loom by Vic Stillman, Bates headlight, cat’s eye tail light FINISH: Blue/silver/red paint by Phil Bloomfield at Studio 45…

IT went well and had a good attendance but, eventually, the Petrolheads folded. The Sisterhood continued for a couple more years until they themselves folded in 2012. Sindy (last President of the Sisterhood) and Dani (first President, and founder) had a conversation with Dom (Hells Angels), and they decided to join forces on a personal venture to keep the rally going. The first new Double Trouble took place in May 2013, and remained largely the same as the old rallies, but with a vastly improved beer tent organised by Dom. It’s improved over the years with better (and more expensive) bands playing, and an improved charity raffle (which this year raised £1,400, with £1,000 worth of goods donated by Fowlers Motorcycles, and more) which’s raised in excess of £7,000 over…

NEW ROYAL ENFIELD SUPER METEOR 650 The Super Meteor 650 is Royal Enfield’s eagerly anticipated cruiser version of the Interceptor 650, and will be available in the spring in two versions – the Super Meteor 650, and Super Meteor 650 Tourer, and in seven striking colour schemes. Created by Harris Performance, the all-new chassis provides a low centre of gravity for both stability at speed and easy manoeuvrability, and there’re USD forks; LED headlamp; a state-of-the-art TBT navigation system; redesigned engine covers; uncluttered controls; a low stance; slim seat; and a large tank, The Super Meteor 650’ll be available in five colourways: Astral Black, Astral Blue, Astral Green, Interstellar Grey, and Interstellar Green, while the Super Meteor 650 Tourer’s going to be in Celestial Red, and Celestial Blue. No prices…

For 2023, Kickback moves to Manchester’s Central Convention Complex (G-Mex), where you’ll be able to see the latest café racers, choppers, street scramblers, and other custom-built gems, all to be unveiled by the finest builders over the weekend of 8th-9th April. There’ll also be bumper car rides; a big Ferris Wheel; side shows and circus acts; fire performers; trade stalls and merch’; tattoo artists; great coffee and street food; and bars. The event’s open 11am ‘til 6pm Saturday, and 10.30am to 5pm Sunday, and you can get tickets and/or more info’ from www.kickbackshow.com…

AIROH MATHISSE HELMET The Airoh Mathisse is a top-notch, high-tech, 180-degree chin-guard helmet with high comfort levels, a drop-down inner sun visor, a Pinlock outer visor, a micrometric strap, and a hypoallergenic removable/washable inner lining, and is Bluetooth-Ready. Available in sizes XS (53-54 cm), S (55-56 cm), M (57-58 cm), L (59-60 cm), XL (61-62 cm), and XXL (63 cm), it has a recommended retail price of £349.99, but can be found for significantly less than that by shopping around. For further information, go to www.airoh.it ICON STORMHAWK BOOTS Desert boots (as we used to call ’em) for the 21st Century, the Icon Stormhawks have a water-resistant, premium leather upper combined with an eVent waterproof and breathable liner for ultimate four-season comfort. Motorcycle performance is provided by an oil-resistant high…

I first heard that aphorism on a trip to the United States. It rang true. Dropping out of sixth-form college in December 1979, I’d never had any spare cash. I’d started work aged 16 in January 1980 and, over the next 24 years, when I worked for other people, before I set up my own place in 2004, I was never much over broke – there was always more month than money. I realised early on the importance of affordable personal transport. At 16 I was bussing it the ten miles to work on a wage of £46 a week – courtesy of a MetroCard costing £15 per month (about £76 in today’s money). Within a year though, the Tories’d come to power on the old West Yorkshire County Council, and…