BSH BLOG

WEIRD SATURDAY

2012-01-28T17:17:00.000Z

Some folk who took literally Norman Tebbit's order that people should get on their bikes and look for work...

BSH 335 OUT NOW

2012-01-26T13:42:00.000Z

Rolling towards a newsstand near you is BSH 336, replete with many refulgent and lambent things. Gracing the cover is one Jesse James - not, as you might expect, the famous Groovekitten, but an American bike builder of some note - while inside is a host of delicacies such as Ger Conlon's friction drive chop which really is a second ... third ... ninth looker; Sickboyz Custom's OTT machine; two lovely and very different Triumphs; comprehensive coverage of the Quay Vipers' Snakebite Rally, EICMA, Kelt Old School Show, NASC Street Rod Nationals and, of course, Ogri. Enjoy.

2012-01-24T19:19:00.000Z

VERONA: THE BSH AWARD

2012-01-23T22:38:00.000Z

The organisers of the Verona Motorbike Expo kindly asked BSH to select our favourite bike and present an award. Our choice was this Shovelhead built by Sixty Nine Garage. Beautifully finished, lovely lines, a successful combination of new and old parts, we wanted to take it home. Watch out for a full feature in the magazine very soon.

Huge thanks to Horst Rosler for the photo.

VERONA MOTORBIKE EXPO

2012-01-23T21:12:00.000Z

Cool show, cool bikes, cool company...

STRANGEST...

2012-01-18T10:17:00.001Z

WHEN WERE YOU YOUNG

2012-01-17T15:20:00.000Z

Everyone should make a film like this.

When Were You Young? - 3 Years Through America On A Vintage Motorcycle from Trevor Ware on Vimeo.

MOTORCYCLE MADNESS

2012-01-17T08:14:00.001Z

CUSTOM CHROME MAINZ SHOW CANCELLED

2012-01-13T17:57:00.001Z

We've just been informed that this year´s 14th edition of the Custom Chrome Europe Dealer Show with the 2012 Custom Chrome International Bike Show Series European Championship had to be cancelled.

The surprise news comes from CCE Headquarters in Bad Kreuznach and was made to support CCI in California where re-structuring is taking place with the task of adapting CCI’s US operations to the necessities of the current American market situation. CCE told us:

In 2011, Custom Chrome Europe has enjoyed another record sales year and great success in both the European Custombike market as well as the great support for the Dealer Show at Mainz, which in the last decade has become one of the most important Custombike events in the European Bike Show calendar, thanks to the attending builders, CCE suppliers, CCE customers and Custombike press. The glamourous event has given the European Custombike scene a high class showcase for their ingenuity and creativity and has been published worldwide. Preparations for the 2012 event were well underway and in the final stages, when announcements from CCI Headquarters forced a sudden change of plans.

“It was a really tough decision to make a break in such a successful series”, states Andreas Scholz, Managing Director Custom Chrome Europe GmbH,"But we can not celebrate a party when our parent company is forced to lay off employees. It is our duty to help them in a challenging time."

Custom Chrome Europe’s business is not affected by the decision, as the European 2012/2013 Catalogue, again in 5 languages, is ready to be printed and European business is running strong. CCE will also continue ongoing activities that support the scene, such as the Rookie Award on Facebook. "We will meet our customers at their national events which we will attend with our new show booth concept and we will continue the Custom Chrome International Bike Show Series at the other
already announced events” added Andreas.

FLAKE & FLAMES

2012-01-12T13:31:00.000Z

Dirk and Jesper have announced that their eagerly-awaited film, 'Flake & Flames', will be released in the summer.

SOUNDS OF OUR LIVES PT 12

2012-01-12T12:08:00.000Z

VMAX HYPER MODIFIED

2012-01-12T10:32:00.002Z

READ THIS NOW!

2012-01-10T19:19:00.000Z

The European Commission has proposed that part of its controversial new 'Anti-Tampering' regulations, which will affect all future bikes registered for the road, should be re-written to prevent chop-builders from using 'long-forks'.

The Commission now proposes that any bikes being put through the Individual Vehicle Approval test (the safety inspection made before non Type-Approved imports, one-off specials, etc. currently known as Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval) would have to complete a slalom and U-Turn before being registered, to prevent modifications to
the length of the forks.

Up to now, the draft regulations have only talked about requiring manufacturers to design the 'power-train' (engine, transmission, final-drive) so that it becomes difficult for owners to modify them from standard.

The UK representatives in the technical discussions joined FEMA and others in opposing the proposal, not least because the Commission cannot produce any evidence to show that modified bikes are unsafe.

The Commission is expected to continue to seek further restrictions on the ability to modify bikes in future despite mounting criticism that it has failed to consider whether there is any demonstrable case for restricting riders liberty to modify their bikes to suit their own needs.

MAG had previously warned that the vagueness of the Commission's proposals to restrict modifications could mean the ambitions of those who want to save us from ourselves might extend beyond the draft proposals that have been under discussion since 2010.

MAG is campaigning against the creeping scope of interference in riders' right to choose what kind of bike they ride continues in 2012 – make sure you know what's going on by subscribing to our activists' e-mailing list, you can find it HERE! NOW!.

CREEPY OLD ADS #2

2012-01-10T17:46:00.000Z

CREEPY OLD ADS

2012-01-10T15:24:00.002Z

Thank you to Clink who started me off on a trawl for weird old advertisements...

RIVERA PRIMO CUTS TIES WITH CUSTOM CHROME USA

2012-01-06T14:20:00.000Z

We were informed this morning by Ben Kudon of Rivera Primo that, with immediate effect, Custom Chrome US is no longer authorised to distribute and sell Rivera Primo's products. As Rivera Primo is one of the major names in high-quality aftermarket Harley parts - very few issues of BSH do not mention the company's name on at least one feature bike spec sheet - this will surely come as a blow to CCI which is already reeling from the sudden departure of its CEO, Holger Mohr, in November. It also raises the question of which supplier will be the next to cut ties with Custom Chrome US...

It must be added that Rivera Primo's decision does NOT affect Custom Chrome Europe who will still be distributing its products as usual.

GOTTA LOVE A WILLYS

2012-01-05T17:12:00.001Z

1940 was a very good year.

ON THE BOARDS

2012-01-05T16:32:00.000Z

Courtesy of the splendid Matt Walksler of Wheels Through Time.

ART

2012-01-05T16:21:00.002Z

BOYS OF BONNEVILLE

2012-01-03T19:23:00.000Z

Boys of Bonneville Movie Trailer from Price Museum of Speed on Vimeo.

WIN HARRISON BILLET GOODIES

2012-01-03T14:41:00.002Z

There's still time to enter our splendid Harrison BILLET competition!

To celebrate Christmas, and because they’re excellent folk who are not only top quality engineers, but also know how to party (we have experience of them doing both, although not at the same time), the crew at Kent-based Harrison BILLET have given us a pair of 6-piston calipers which will be won by one lucky reader. Harrison BILLET is a worldwide leader in performance aftermarket brakes for all motorcycles, both stock and custom, so whatever you ride, you can pick up an amazing £750-worth of fancy new brakes! And, as many of you will be aware, the company is a generous supporter of the custom motorcycle scene in both the UK and Europe (for which we admire them almost as much as their ability to drink and cut a rug on the dance floor!).

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning this decidedly cool prize is to answer the three questions below, send your answers with your name and address on a postcard to Harrison BILLET, Sunderland House, Staplehurst Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 2NH – and cross your fingers. Alternatively, you can enter by email to bsh_magazine@yahoo.co.uk, but please put ‘Harrison BILLET’ in the title field of your email.

To give you a heads up, you can find the answers on the company’s web site at www.billet.co.uk. Entries, whether by post or email, must be received by 26th January 2012.

Q1. How many different fitments for Japanese and European bikes does Harrison BILLET produce?
(a) Under 140
(b) Over 140

Q2. How many different designs of discs for Harley-Davidsons does Harrison BILLET make?
(a) 8
(b) 5

Q3. When did Harrison BILLET start producing 2-piston, 4-piston and 6-piston calipers?
(a) 1985
(b) 2005

HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM BSH

2011-12-24T22:32:00.001Z

By right we should be posting a festive picture of us happily smiling in elf and Santa costumes, but you know that's never gonna happen. So instead, have yourselves a merry Christmas and a fine and peaceful New Year. Thank you for all your support over the last year, and here's to the next.

VINTAGE TUESDAY

2011-12-19T16:24:00.000Z

Thanks to my friends at the Antique Motorcycle Club of America.

CHOPPER MADNESS!

2011-12-13T13:15:00.001Z

Thank you to Alien4 for pointing us towards this...

VICTORY HARD-BALL LAUNCH

2011-12-12T11:31:00.000Z

The Victory Hard-Ball was unveiled on Friday, but it's taken us the weekend to digest the photos and spec. And our erudite and considered opinion is: Victory, what the hell were you thinking? Sons of Anarchy has a lot to answer for...

FOLKS ON THEIR MOTORCYCLES

2011-12-09T08:27:00.000Z

No action, no commentary, no flashy effects, just a collection of rather wonderful old photos of, yes, folks on their motorcycles.

HARLEY RIDING

2011-12-09T08:21:00.000Z

One for those Harley riders who panic if the tarmac isn't billiard table smooth and consider 'off road' means turning into a car park...

MORE STUNTING

2011-12-09T08:17:00.001Z

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY

2011-12-09T08:14:00.003Z

RUSSELL WRIGHT AND THE VINCENT BLACK LIGHTNING

2011-12-09T07:59:00.000Z

GOODBYE DOBIE GRAY

2011-12-08T16:32:00.000Z

They don't make them like this any more.

WHEN STUNTING WAS STUNTING...

2011-12-06T18:08:00.002Z

... None of this fancy prepared bike nonsense - all you needed was a Z1300 and a good pair of socks.

EL DIABLO RUN 2011

2011-11-24T12:39:00.002Z

HOW TO CHOP A 1947 BUICK SEDANETTE - IN 2 MINUTES!

2011-11-23T11:20:00.000Z

Cheers to Duncan Moore for drawing our attention to this, and to the Norwegian Coupe Devils for doing it!

FOR SALE

2011-11-20T11:42:00.000Z

... Well, 40 years ago...

DRIFT

2011-11-15T18:10:00.002Z

FRIDAY FOTOS

2011-11-11T17:31:00.000Z

Some of the sights and things of the last 6 weeks...

JESSE JAMES AT VERONA BIKE EXPO

2011-11-07T18:05:00.000Z

Once again, the Verona Bike Expo will boast an impressive guest list of bike builders from all over the world. Arlen and Cory Ness will be back at the Italian even which is held on 20-22nd January 2012, along with Russell Mitchell of Exile Cycles, Hogtech, Battistinis, Jim Nasi, Danny Schiednr of Hardnine Choppers and our old friend, Kirk Taylor of Custom Design Studios. It's also just been confirmed that Jesse James will also be guesting at the show.

www.motorbikeexpo.it

IT'S BETTER IN THE WIND

2011-11-07T13:47:00.002Z

It's Better In The Wind - Short Film from Scott Toepfer on Vimeo.

MOONEYES 2011

2011-11-03T13:19:00.002Z

SOUNDS OF OUR LIVES PT 10

2011-11-02T15:59:00.001Z

RACING IN THE STREET

2011-11-01T19:23:00.000Z

Last month, I spent a happy weekend breathing in fumes trackside at the Street Drags in Kingman, Arizona. For three days, Beale Street (which runs parallel to Andy Devine - aka Route 66) was blocked off and anyone who cared to went racing in the street. It might only have been a short track - probably only a 1/16th without the run off - but just watching cars laying rubber on city tarmac was cool. Who knows when I'll see a Top Fueller run on a street again as I did on Saturday night. It won't be on Beale Street; this was the last Street Drags at this location. From the bleachers over the startline, I watched the final car roll down the track.

NORMAL SERVICE RESUMED

2011-11-01T14:53:00.000Z

We've been a long time gone, thanks to the lure of California and the South West and the gloom of pneumonia.

Here's a little something from Baz Miller to welcome you back...

A Way of Life - More amazing videos are a click away

NEW VICTORY AD

2011-09-21T17:20:00.002+01:00

I'm quite fond of Victory motorcycles (well, the ones that look like bikes and not like neon starships), but I'm kinda uneasy about this new advertising video...

Victory Motorcycles Dealer Video from Lucas Bishop on Vimeo.

HOT ROD DRAGS

2011-09-20T00:12:00.000+01:00

Just a few from my Box Brownie to be going on with...

WALL OF DEATH

2011-09-19T23:51:00.002+01:00

British filmmaker Benedict Campbell, who was responsible for the 'Same stance, New generation' Harley commercial we posted last month, is making a film about the Wall of Death. Here's a taste...

THE WALL OF DEATH - TEASER TRAILER from benedict campbell on Vimeo.

LIVING THE DREAM PORTUGAL

2011-09-14T13:44:00.001+01:00

A heads up to Pat and Rik who pursued a dream and ran away to ~~the circus~~ central Portugal, and who will be known to you from their past lives when Pat was the editor of another UK custom bike magazine and Rik had a trike which definitely wasn't a bus. As well as growing enviable amounts of vegetables and drinking lots of wine, they now offer bed and breakfast accommodation at ridiculously cheap prices. They're situated near the market town of Figueiro dos Vinhos which is a couple of hours from Lisbon, and, from the end of September through to 31st March 2012, they're offering accommodation for virtually nothing. Mara's Cottage, a self-contained two hundred-year-old building, has a carved antique bed, ensuite bathroom, fitted kitchenette and is close to the pool. They also have a luxury fitted caravan with stunning views of the forest and use of the pool. For the next five months, it will cost you just 15 euros a night to stay in Mara's Cottage, or a paltry 10 euros for the caravan (hell, that's less than a campsite and a damn sight more comfortable!). And, even better, Pat offers evening meals of three courses, wine and coffee for a giveaway 7.50 euros per person - most of the produce will have been grown by the couple (down to the olive oil), and Pat is a great cook.

Whether you're planning a getaway over Christmas, or a long weekend, you'll get a really warm welcome. Yes, I know I'm sounding like a travel commercial, but these are genuine people who believe in what they do and in not ripping folk off. And they're damn good company too.

To see more, visit Living The Dream, and to book, email patricia@livingthedreamportugal.com.

NO JUKE

2011-09-13T20:18:00.000+01:00

It's not often I get annoyed about an ad, but I really find the latest from Nissan to advertise its 'Juke' exceptionally distasteful. No doubt some clever PR agency thought it amusing and tongue-in-cheek...

A SWEET SICKNESS

2011-09-13T18:42:00.002+01:00

MR STANSFIELD IN CUSTOM CAR

2011-09-13T10:36:00.002+01:00

But I'm not sure what Pete is going to think of Mike Pye's description... :)

FLAKE & FRAMES

2011-09-09T16:41:00.000+01:00

A teaser for the forthcoming documentary by renowned pinstriper and artister Jesper Bram and super-good photographer Dirk Behlau, both very cool guys.

Flake & Flames - Teaser III (the sneak peak) // Kustom Kulture Documentary from Flake & Flames Film on Vimeo.

JEREMY JONES

2011-09-09T16:26:00.000+01:00

Jeremy Jones Bikes of Bolts from Seth Huot on Vimeo.

WTF PHOTOS #1

2011-09-06T13:26:00.000+01:00

Why?

Because.

WTF...

GER CONLON

2011-09-05T12:54:00.000+01:00

Cracking video of the wonderful Mr Ger Conlon of C&C Choppers, being interviewed by Bob Kay of AMD (a man I once had to apologise to for swearing too much...) Ger, you are a star.

BSH 331 ROLLING

2011-08-30T16:37:00.002+01:00

BSH 331 has just landed on the planet with one of the finest covers for a long time. Inside, things get even better with, following on from last month's issue, another fabulous BSA (they're like buses...), a family-built CB650, a radical Suzuki GSX1400 and a supercharged trike. Add to that coverage of the Hot Rod Hayride, Speed Weekend on Ice, Grand National Roadster Show, the Chop 'n' Rod Show and Rock & Bike Fest, and there's plenty to get you entertained.

NASC STREET ROD NATIONALS

2011-08-28T17:51:00.000+01:00

SONGS OF OUR LIVES PT 8

2011-08-27T16:23:00.000+01:00

LONG BEACH AT NIGHT

2011-08-24T14:38:00.001+01:00

Gratuitously stolen from Ricki Bendenbaugh by way of our good friends at The Shiny Side.

"Solus" from Ricki Bedenbaugh on Vimeo.

A SMALL RANT

2011-08-24T12:59:00.000+01:00

This is a small world, and the custom world even smaller. The old adage runs that there’s seven degrees of separation between each person on the planet but, in our scene, that’s probably closer to two or three. So why is it that people still think that they will get away with half-truths, fabrications and complete lies … and that no-one will notice?

I’ve just watched an interview on Youtube with one of the entrants of the recent AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building in Sturgis. The said entrant – I won’t name him because, you know, I really don’t want to give him any publicity whatsoever – swerves around the direct question of ‘How did you build the bike?’ for the simple reason that he didn’t build it. With a talent that should see him standing for Parliament rather than on a South Dakota stage, he leaves the viewer with the impression that, while, yes, he did buy the frame from a third party, the rest of the bike was down to his own imagination and skill. I first saw that particular motorcycle around three years ago; it looked almost exactly as it does today (I have photos to prove it), and it would be more than eighteen months before ‘Mr Bike Builder’ would buy it off eBay.

Do these folk think that people’s recollections are so short that we won’t notice? That if they can talk a good line, then we will believe them? That it’s right to tacitly claim someone else’s work as their own? (Incidentally, could you tell us exactly how the rear brake was set up, Mr New Owner? Oh sure, you could, as you did it yourself…) More than anything, I dislike the assumption that we are all so stupid as to swallow glib explanations. This is, after all, a small world. And one in which memories are long.

YET MORE FROM THE HOT ROD HAYRIDE...

2011-08-23T15:23:00.002+01:00

EAST COAST PIRATES BIRTHDAY BASH

2011-08-21T21:05:00.000+01:00

I went off to play in the joy that is Great Yarmouth today...

KUDOS FROM KUTTY

2011-08-15T15:24:00.000+01:00

Hey, I'm as big a kid as anyone, and I'm chuffed to bits to have gotten a name mention on Kutty Noteboom's Hippy Killer Garage blog. :)

GERRY

2011-08-11T21:14:00.003+01:00

August 12th. How did four years go by?

Never forgotten, always missed.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

2011-08-11T08:54:00.000+01:00

The winner of the 2011 AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building is Ken Taba of Tavax Engineering. Runner up was our very own Larry Houghton with the 'Son of a Gun; BSA - way to go, Larry!! - and, in third place, Satya Kraus with 'Bolide'. We'll bring you more results shortly.

SONGS OF OUR LIVES PART 7

2011-08-10T13:29:00.000+01:00

Might not have been packed, but it was a great gig last night, Eddie. And thank you for playing 'Caliente' and 'Don't Go Blue' just for us!

SOAPBOX KING!

2011-08-09T12:00:00.000+01:00

One of my (many) heroes of the Hotrod Hayride was Pete Vivian, an extremely tall gentleman who crammed himself into a beautiful wooden '32 sedan and hurtled (well, sailed stately as a galleon, to be precise) down the Soapbox Derby course to overall victory this year. Pete is a remarkably talented craftsman in wood, and makes all manner of stuff, including these super cool soapboxes of which I am very jealous. However, we like to think that his triumph this year was helped along by the aerodynamic qualities of the BSH sticker on the rear of the '32...

SIOBHANATHON THIS WEEKEND

2011-08-04T15:26:00.000+01:00

Don't forget it's the Siobhanathon this weekend at Glebe Farm, Odell Road, Sharnbrook, Bedforshire MK44 1JW. It's a cracking event that's raised thousands for kids who really need it, and there will be the usual stuff, plus some extra stuff. Organiser, the lovely, Juke, is rumoured to be wearing a frock. It's worth going for that unique occasion alone!

MORE HOTROD HAYRIDE...

2011-08-02T15:31:00.000+01:00

HOTROD HAYRIDE

2011-08-01T14:02:00.001+01:00

I'd thought that Born Free would be the best event that I'd do this year.

I was wrong.

BSH 329 OUT NEXT WEEK!

2011-07-29T12:06:00.000+01:00

The new issue of BSH will hit the news stands next Thursday and it's stuffed full of lovely things. Huge coverage of the Farmyard Party, Spare Change Rally, You've Been Nabbed, Norrtalje, Magic Bike vies for space with a fabulous blown BSA, a Triumph with a genuine Bunt frame, a home-built XR bobber and, taking pride of place on the cover, Mr John Reed's ground-breaking Gold Yamaha, restored and ready to roll. Enjoy.

CELTIC NATION SHOW CANCELLED

2011-07-29T12:00:00.000+01:00

Y Rohirrin MC regrets to announced that the Celtic Nation Motorcycle Show, due to be held on 3rd September at Great Treadam, Liantillio Crossenny, Abergavenny, has been cancelled. We're told that the police have stopped the landlord of the Hog's Head from holding biker events for the next six months. Y Rohirrin MC is sorry for any inconvenience this has caused and will refund any advanced ticket sales.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON 2012

2011-07-26T17:30:00.000+01:00

Fresh new generation thinking or stealing ideas from the past and independent builders? You decide.

SAME STANCE, NEW GENERATION from benedict campbell on Vimeo.

BARE NECESSITIES

2011-07-26T17:18:00.001+01:00

Missouri commuters were startled to see a naked motorcyclist pass them in rush hour traffic last week. Jacob Southard accepted a dare to ride the 70 miles to his O'Fallon, MO, home seemingly naked.'Seemingly' because he was actually wearing a Borat-style mankini to cover his, er, modesty.

Strangely, not one single member of the law enforcement community wanted to get involved and stop him. Southard said;

“I drove by five cops and every single one of them had their heads down or were doing something else.”

Unsurprisingly, really. Their first question would have been to ask for Southard's driving licence, and who knows where he had that stashed...

THREE MORE HARLEY-DAVIDSON DEALERSHIPS CLOSED

2011-07-25T15:36:00.000+01:00

Last week St Leger Harley-Davidson, Manchester Harley-Davidson and Leeds Harley-Davidson all closed their doors for good. Strangely, there has been no word or official press release from Harley-Davidson UK, so thank you to Gaz of Steeltown Choppers blogspot for making us aware. For more details, please have a look at Gaz's site HERE.

RIP COURTNEY HALOWELL

2011-07-22T20:53:00.000+01:00

Far too soon. Safe home, big guy.

PEOPLE HAVING TOO MUCH FUN

2011-07-21T14:24:00.002+01:00

CHOP N ROD SHOW

2011-07-18T18:07:00.000+01:00

A bit wet (!) but a good time had, nonetheless.

SOUNDS OF OUR LIVES PT 6

2011-07-15T13:21:00.000+01:00

While half of the editorial team is at Faro being deafened by the dulcet tones of Iron Maiden, back at the Towers this is what we're listening. Figure we got the better deal.

BULLETVILLE

2011-07-11T17:12:00.000+01:00

Last Monday I was at a car show in Arizona. Normally, I don't take too much notice of the live music, but the band playing in a Kingman parking lot deserve a big namecheck. They're called Bulletville and they're a Social Distortion covers band (Social D happen to be one of my favourite bands, and I was always going to be harsh on anyone taking on their material, but Bulletville really nailed it). Check them out on Facebook. The picture above was, unless I'm very much mistaken, taken in the showroom of Dream Motors in Kingman, Arizona, and the car is a '56 Cadillac Eldorado with 2 inches taken out of the bonnet, sectioned, raised rear wings and a '67 Buick Wild Cat roof.

KOTT MOTORCYCLES

2011-07-08T21:17:00.000+01:00

Thanks to Clink for pointing out this sweet little film to us.

Cafe cowboy from benedict campbell on Vimeo.

4th OF JULY

2011-07-07T15:15:00.000+01:00

This is what we did.

CORBIN OPEN HOUSE, HOLLISTER

2011-07-04T22:09:00.000+01:00

LAST WEEKEND'S TOY

2011-06-28T02:18:00.002+01:00

BORN FREE 3

2011-06-28T02:00:00.000+01:00

One word: awesome.

OFF TO THE MOVIES

2011-06-23T02:33:00.002+01:00

On Friday.

NATIONAL FUNERAL EXHIBITION

2011-06-16T11:19:00.000+01:00

Hearse-inspired cocktails, Sieg Heil'ing bears ... and then it gets really weird.

HARLEY AD

2011-06-09T16:24:00.000+01:00

We guess this is supposed to be hip and happening and down with the young people, but does anyone else reckon that the MoCo has been watching Sons of Anarchy. With its usual speedy timing, it's waited until SoA was three series down before channelling it for an ad...

FROM THE GARAGE

2011-06-07T12:15:00.000+01:00

Our favourite troubador, Stevie, one man and his mandolin. And his shed.

ROCK & BIKE FEST

2011-06-06T17:24:00.001+01:00

A head up for next month's Rock & Bike Fest (not to be confused with ex-shows of a similar name) which is rapidly gaining a reputation for itself as one of the main shows of the summer. We'll bring you more news in the near future, but in the meantime, check out the event's web site at RABF.

A VERY HOT ROD

2011-06-06T14:32:00.002+01:00

Last weekend saw the Main Event at Santa Pod, and it’s a weekend that Henri Joosten may care to forget. While sitting on the start line, his ’55 Pro Mod Chevy Bel Air experienced a nitrous ‘burp’ as the nitrous oxide ignited under the bonnet, engulfing the car in a fireball. Fortunately, the Dutchman was out of the car in seconds and unhurt, while Santa Pod’s fire teams went straight into action, although nothing could been done to save the £200,000 race car.

Thank you to Mark Skinner, Matt Woods and Jeff Kline for the photos.

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'

2011-06-01T13:03:00.001+01:00

Bizarrely, on a weekend when I was supposed to be in California, I was actually in Bournemouth.

Somehow the fact that the show was called 'California Dreamin' didn't really make up for that. I've hated the name of the Battistini-backed event since it was first announced, and a grey and windy Bournemouth didn't help promote the name. But bikes turned up, alcohol was drunk, photos were taken (some, alas, after the former), Larry Houghton's 'Son of A Gun' BSA won Best of Show and, as he'd already won passage to the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building in Sturgis at the London International Custom Show back in February, the Sturgis prize went to second-placed (and winner of Freestyle), Sickboyz Customs' 'Besame el Culo'. Thank you to Grey Owl and the Kid for being the best company a girl could have had over the weekend.

RIP GIL SCOTT-HERON: April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011

2011-05-31T17:23:00.000+01:00

From the first time I heard 'The Mind of Gil Scott-Heron'when I was living in a seedy basement flat in Catford at the age of 18, I loved Gil Scott-Heron's music and his way with words. I saw him play live more times than I can remember and every gig was a party. I don't know what track to pick to post here - there were so many I loved. Go to Youtube or Spotify and make your own mind up.

THANK YOU TO THE STOCKERS

2011-05-30T15:55:00.001+01:00

A big thank you to the Stockers for a cracking night at the Tea Party when we ran away from shiny things for the evening. It was good to see some familiar faces, some very good friends, to met new people and to put faces to names - and to see some of the coolest bikes around. Noticeable lack of PG Tips, though...

LONG WEEKEND

2011-05-26T08:51:00.000+01:00

327 COMING TO A NEWS STAND NEAR YOU

2011-05-25T17:41:00.000+01:00

Handcrafted out of finest badger underfelt and polished with the tears of weeping stoats, BSH 327 is winging its way to a news stand near you, borne aloft on tiny feathery wings. Or in a bloody big truck. Possibly. Taking pride of place on the cover is former NCC President Hank's 'Diamond Backed' rike, a true labour of love. It's backed by an impressive supporting cast, including Spike's tribute to Johnny 'Chop' Vasko, two of the most beautiful Panheads you'll ever see, the magnificent Sbay racer from Spain, Trawler's Lotus Eater and a closer look at the machines that took part in the Motorcycle Cannonball. Add to that, indepth coverage of the Custom Chrome Europe European Championship, Wheels Day, Burapa Bike Week, the second part of the BSH/Hard Up Choppers project build and, of course, Ogri, and it's looking to be a fine issue. Mind you, I haven't actually seen it yet, but you've got to trust me on some things!

SATURDAY CHILLING

2011-05-22T12:53:00.000+01:00

Sunshine, cool bikes, good people. Thanks for letting me gatecrash, guys. xx

HEMSBY PART II

2011-05-19T15:27:00.000+01:00

Here's more of Hemsby from the Fabulous Jess.

BLACK FALCON

2011-05-18T06:36:00.002+01:00

TOM HOLLISTER TRIO

2011-05-17T23:16:00.000+01:00

Been meaning to post this for a while. On one of my runs across the border into Arizona, Jack Shit (check his blog out at JACK) raved about this young Welsh band he'd seen jamming at a party. He showed me the film he'd shot, I was blown away by Tom Hollister's voice, and then I stole his video.

You're going to hear a lot more from TH3.

SOUND OF OUR LIVES PT 5

2011-05-17T18:49:00.000+01:00

Through a fortunate combo of wifi and finding out how to view Youtube on an iPhone, this is the current soundtrack. The first one's for my 1# support crew and rock.