British Custom Bikes

[DefTrap]

You mean they aren't all like this?

Nope - these are miles away from a bunch of mismatched (albeit one-off) parts commissioned by a geezer with a vague plan in his head.
Honestly you'd be amazed with the improvement in quality from the average Joe.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

You mean they aren't all like this?

Nope - these are miles away from a bunch of mismatched (albeit one-off) parts commissioned by a geezer with a vague plan in his head.
Honestly you'd be amazed with the improvement in quality from the average Joe.

But do they ride the bike to the show?

[Skub]

John ... Summatorother.

Did some amazing stuff with 'carved' metal, engraving and gold plating. But probably more show bikes rather than rideable?

John Reed. A mate of mine was a big fan.

He went to the USA yonks ago to sell custom bikes to the natives!

[Count Steer]

I quite like some of the BAAK builds (although a lot of them are 'brown seat' customs). They seem to like Triumphs and Royal Enfields so, although French, some of the builds could have been done here. (Even though the original bikes weren't built here they have, at least, some local feel about them).

[DefTrap]

But do they ride the bike to the show?

I think some, certainly not all by any means, this is a Show rather than a Meet after all. And there's loads of reasons you -wouldn't- ride something you wanted to show to a, er, show. They all tend to look very rideable, if not ridden. Obviously, due to the nature of it being a Show and the types of bikes, they aren't bedecked with reg plates and wing mirrors. If you're talking about the BikeShed people then it seems like a pretty active group, big clubhouse/bar/shop place in London (and a new one in L.A. I think), quite a few events (trackdays and such) apart from the Show

https://pipeburn.com/london-calling-bik ... h-edition/
I've been 4 or 5 times now and the standard is typically high, like I say whether they overall style is something you love or hate like I say is moot really - this "scene" is where the majority of new custom bikes are coming from. I'm sure you can find a load in the linky which is hateable - Weeksy manages it on a daily basis.

[JackyJoll]

Bellwood.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I usually have a bike on a stand at a couple of shows a year, and there will also be custom bikes there, they're all a bit Marmite regardless of style, most of them are really high quality but not to my taste (under statement there), but I'm not a fan of fancy paint work, shiny parts and engraving, but I do like to see the ones that are interesting engineeringly, for instance, the only bike I can remember from the only proper custom bike show I've ever been to was a Norton chopper with two front wheels, one behind the other (you can find photos of it online if you search 1986 Kent Custom Show)

I'm not a fan of the current café racer trend, it seems to be "make a shit bike shitter to ride" but everyone's taste is different and I doubt if the café racer crowd want an Eddie Lawson Kawasaki 1170 that's not very nice to ride.

[slowsider]

I'm not into choppers but the ones like that are a work of art seen in real life

He's given Auntie Bunt the wrong size vest.

Or maybe not.

[JackyJoll]

the only bike I can remember from the only proper custom bike show I've ever been to was a Norton chopper with two front wheels, one behind the other (you can find photos of it online if you search 1986 Kent Custom Show)

Gosh!

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Yep, I can remember that thing, but not any of the bands that were on, or the name of the girl I ended up sharing a tent with.

[DefTrap]

Gosh!

FFS. There were some brave souls back then. What a nightmare that must have been to ride and imagine getting it out of a field after 3 days of British Bank Holiday rain!

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I don't remember it being particularly wet, a little bit of rain Saturday night was it, but my memories are pretty hazy of the whole weekend.
Went down in a friends Datsun estate, we rescued an Australian (I think) who'd broken down on a VT500 hire bike under a bridge on the M20, when we got there he wandered off to find his friends, I got chatted up by a girl and invited to spend the weekend with her, so I did, didn't see much of the people I travelled down with all weekend, got a lift back with them on the Sunday, and slept most of the way back from Kent to Suffolk, my friend was okay with this as he got to spend the weekend with his girlfriend without me being a 3rd wheel.

[ChrisW]

3rd wheel.

topical!

[Asian Boss]

Yep, I can remember that thing, but not any of the bands that were on, or the name of the girl I ended up sharing a tent with.

Dave.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Yep, I can remember that thing, but not any of the bands that were on, or the name of the girl I ended up sharing a tent with.

Dave.

I didn't think you'd be homophobic

[JackyJoll]

Yep, I can remember that thing, but not any of the bands that were on, or the name of the girl I ended up sharing a tent with.

Dave.

I didn't think you'd be homophobic

It’s not phobic if you enjoyed it.