British Custom Bikes

[Count Steer]

A lot of the custom bikes posted get flak because they're clearly in the American styles and probably wouldn't be much use here. Fine in Nevada or roads with no bends etc etc etc. I suppose we started the café racer thing back in the Ace Café heyday and the Box Hill/Mickleham Bends mayhem (Deceptive Bends ).

Apart from that, is there a British custom tradition? If not, what should it be if we started one? (A few Ti bolts, loud can or bolt on Touratech stuff doesn't count).

[Skub]

(A few Ti bolts, loud can or bolt on..... ).

[KungFooBob]

This place is local to me...

https://downandoutcustoms.co.uk/builds/

It's all mainly making triumphs look more blingy.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Streetfighters, Café Racers, Race Replicas (pre 1985), Spondons etc are all examples of British custom styles, one thing Britain isn't short of is custom motorcycles.

The French can sort of claim Supermotos, but they were invented by an Englishman in California.

[Skub]

Top 5 UK builders. Apparently.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/bikes/cont ... fresh=true

[G.P]

Like the big Cheese said, we're not short of custom styles here. Currently the street "scrambler" seems to be the most popular with BMW and Triumph going factory versions. I'd quite like to have a Bonnie or Beemer flat twin "one off" in the garage.
In ten years tie it will be completely different.

[Count Steer]

Streetfighters, Café Racers, Race Replicas (pre 1985), Spondons etc are all examples of British custom styles, one thing Britain isn't short of is custom motorcycles.

The French can sort of claim Supermotos, but they were invented by an Englishman in California.

Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about Streetfighters.

[Count Steer]

Top 5 UK builders. Apparently.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/bikes/cont ... fresh=true

Don't all of those look rather American though? They seem to be following rather than developing something that you'd look at and go 'Ah, that's British style'. The French seem to have a styling knack even with their restrictions, I thought. Will have to have a google rummage.

[Skub]

Top 5 UK builders. Apparently.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/bikes/cont ... fresh=true

Don't all of those look rather American though? They seem to be following rather than developing something that you'd look at and go 'Ah, that's British style'. The French seem to have a styling knack even with their restrictions, I thought. Will have to have a google rummage.

I think in general American culture has permeated everything. I don't know that there is anything in the bike custom scene which can be called 100% British.

Our customs were always the likes of Harris,Rickman,etc and leaned toward the sports end of things. Choppers,stretched and slammed is Murcan.

[DefTrap]

The only "Custom British Scene" worth a jot in terms of quality and output is right now to be honest.

In the 50s/60s you have really crappy homemade caff racers.
In the 60s/70s you have really crappy homemade choppers.
In the 80s/90s you have really crappy homemade streetfighters.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Most custom bikes, no matter what style or nationality, are made by people with little taste or ability.

[Rockburner]

A lot of the custom bikes posted get flak because they're clearly in the American styles and probably wouldn't be much use here. Fine in Nevada or roads with no bends etc etc etc. I suppose we started the café racer thing back in the Ace Café heyday and the Box Hill/Mickleham Bends mayhem (Deceptive Bends ).

Apart from that, is there a British custom tradition? If not, what should it be if we started one? (A few Ti bolts, loud can or bolt on Touratech stuff doesn't count).

Wasn't 'Uncle Bunt' english?? I know there 'was' a hard-tail/custom scene in the 70s with lots of Triumph engined choppers built here. (Just look at some of the original Ogri cartoons).

[Horse]

What was the thing in the 80s, matt black / wire mesh, Mad Max-ish? Survivalist?

[KungFooBob]

Rat bikes!

[DefTrap]

Most custom bikes, no matter what style or nationality, are made by people with little taste or ability.

Up until relatively recently I would say absolutely yes. I mean I haven't seen a trike for ages for example. In the 80s there were all sorts of terrible lashed up trikes. A guy at the end of my street used to ride around on a Reliant trike that was aesthetically I think the most terrible thing I've ever seen in my life. So horrible. I think the frame was held together with exhaust U-clamps.

But a lot of "custom" shows (and I don't really mean the ones held in muddy fields more like a village fete with beards and testosterone) the standard of fabrication even among the home-er shed-built stuff is top notch. And it's not all just add-a-Harris-pipe here and commission-massive-billett-yokes there stuff any more.

Whether the styling, proliferation of brown seats, air-gaps in frames and deviation from OE in modern custom bikes tweaks your plums excessively should be moot really.

[Bustaspoke]

Wasn't 'Uncle Bunt' english?? I know there 'was' a hard-tail/custom scene in the 70s with lots of Triumph engined choppers built here. (Just look at some of the original Ogri cartoons).

Uncle Bunt is the name I always think of as someone over here who was involved with the chopper scene,but I don't know much about that genre of biking. Is the Bike shed where it's at these days or is that just hipster stuff?
Streetfighter's are the type of custom bike that I think originated over here,from Harris framed bikes to modified GSXR's.
Are those heavily modified scooter's with fancy paintwork & all sorts of extras a British style or do they exist elsewhere?

[KungFooBob]

Mod scooter with eleventy two mirrors... Biritsh!

[Horse]

Wasn't 'Uncle Bunt' english?? I know there 'was' a hard-tail/custom scene in the 70s with lots of Triumph engined choppers built here. (Just look at some of the original Ogri cartoons).

Uncle Bunt is the name I always think of as someone over here who was involved with the chopper scene,but I don't know much about that genre of biking

John ... Summatorother.

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

[DefTrap]

Is the Bike shed where it's at these days or is that just hipster stuff?

Well there are few (if any) choppers, trad Brit. cafe racers and "streetfighters" if that's what you mean. But this is a relatively youthful "club" as a rule, why would there be?
But last time I went there was a decent showing of tracker/speedway style bikes for example. And for the rest it's not all brown seats but just be aware there -will- be a bunch of tools having their beards waxed, savio-style.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

(and I don't really mean the ones held in muddy fields more like a village fete with beards and testosterone)

You mean they aren't all like this?

Personally I enjoy the weird and crappy shite that people make in a shed, anyone with money can buy a Harris rolling chassis, a prepped GSXR engine bolt it all together and get a professional to paint it.