Back Street Heroes February 2023

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

SPEC: 2005 Yamaha XJR 1300 engine (Dynojet kit, K&N air-filters, aftermarket four-degree ignition advancer, one-off stainless exhausts, HEL oil cooler/lines)/frame (modified)/foot-rests/hangers/levers/front brake callipers/forks, Bridgestone Battlax tyres (90/90/21 front, 150/70/17 rear), Triumph Tiger 800 wheels (stainless spokes/powder-coated rims)/discs/rear calliper, one-off yokes, 15x1-inch apes, aftermarket master-cylinders, Motogadget switchgear/grips, M-Unit Blue, Acewell MD52-353 speedo unit, King Sportster tank (modified) with Pingel fuel tap, one-off seat, aftermarket rear mudguard (modified), one-off stainless electrics/battery box, one-off ‘plate holder, one-off rear ‘guard struts, one-off stainless chain-guard, one-off rear sprocket, one-off loom, 4.5-inch bottom mount headlight, aftermarket LED rear light/indicator unit, micro front indicators, lithium battery, Dyna coils FINISH: Pacific Blue candy/Ford Moon Dust Silver/Jet Black by Micky Stych at Calibre Customs (07952 580759), chroming/polishing by Walkinshaw Chrome Plating (07729 361502 or www.walkinshawchromeplating.com) ENGINEERING: Frame by Custom Cycle…