Back Street Heroes

Back Street Heroes is the UK’s biggest-selling and best custom bike magazine. We cover all styles of custom bikes and the custom biker lifestyle.

Editorial

BEER, BIKES & BANDS • WHILE, AS DEL SAYS IN HIS ARTICLE ELSEWHERE IN THIS ISSUE, THE FIRST EVENT OF THE YEAR FOR A LOT OF THE VINTAGE CHOPPER CREW MAY WELL BE THE EARLY HOOK UP CHOPPER SHOW IN OXFORDSHIRE ON THE SECOND WEEKEND IN MAY, FOR MANY OF US OVER ‘ERE IN THE BIT OF THE COUNTRY SHAPED LIKE BRITAIN’S BUM, THE FIRST CHOPPER EVENT OF THE YEAR IS THE ONE THE WEEKEND BEFORE: BEER, BIKES & BANDS.

LIL’ RACE-BOB • “SCROLLING EBAY ONE DAY FOR A PROJECT TO KEEP MY MIND BUSY, I STUMBLED ON A ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET, A 1965 G2, NOT TOO FAR AWAY, RECENTLY RESTORED AND AT A REASONABLE PRICE. THE GUY TOLD ME HE’D IMPORTED IT FROM INDIA WHERE IT’D BEEN, ORIGINALLY, A MILITARY BIKE, BUT’D BEEN RESTORED (IN INDIA) TO CIVILIAN USE.”

BEAKY’S HARLEY BOOTSALE • THERE’S SOMETHING NICE ABOUT TRADITION, BE THEY BIG THINGS LIKE OUR SET BANK HOLIDAYS, OR SIMPLE THINGS LIKE BEAKY’S HARLEY BOOTSALE ON THE SECOND SUNDAY OF APRIL EACH YEAR.

HOT DESSERT • “THIS SHOVEL ROLLED INTO MY LIFE CLEAN, POLISHED, AND POLITE – A FACTORY-PERFECT HARLEY WITH ZERO BITE, AND FAR TOO MUCH CHROME. SHE WAS A BEAUTIFUL MACHINE, OF COURSE, BUT A LITTLE DEAD BEHIND THE EYES. NOW, SHE’S OBNOXIOUSLY LOUD, LEAKS OIL EVERYWHERE, AND SOMETIMES SHE TRIES TO KILL ME.”

THE EARLY HOOK UP CHOPPER SHOW • THE EARLY HOOK UP CHOPPER SHOW, HELD IN EARLY MAY, MARKS THE UNOFFICIAL START OF THE VINTAGE CHOPPER SEASON, SETTING THE TONE FOR WHAT’S TO COME IN THE MONTHS AHEAD. UNFORTUNATELY, THOUGH, THIS YEAR’S WAS THE LAST ONE AS JAMES, THE ORGANISER, IS BUSY WITH BOTH WORK AND A YOUNG FAMILY SO, IF YOU MISSED IT, YOU MISSED OUT.

RIDE THE LIGHTNING • NO, NOT THE SECOND METALLICA ALBUM ON WHICH THE SEMINAL ‘FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS’ WAS FIRST RELEASED, BUT WHAT DUGGIE FROM FAT FISH CUSTOMS DID WITH HIS NEW, TO HIM AT LEAST, BSA A65 WHEN HE GOT IT HOME. WELL, I SAY THAT, BUT NOT AT FIRST…

PERFECT MATCH • “THE REASON I CHANGED TO A TRIKE,” SAYS NICKY, “IS BECAUSE, SIX YEARS AGO, I DAMAGED MY RIGHT SHOULDER, LOSING MY CONFIDENCE, ON MY 883 IRON. THEN, IN 2023, MY PARTNER, MEL, SAW THIS TRIKE FOR SALE OUTSIDE KEVIN KNIGHTS’ WORKSHOP, TOLD ME, AND I WENT TO SEE IT. WHAT CAN I SAY, I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.”

THE WINDOW SEAT • THIS IS MY SPECIAL PLACE. THIS SEAT, JUST A BENCH REALLY, BY THE WINDOW, IN THE PRISON CELL I NOW CALL HOME, IS WHERE I COME TO THINK. IT’S WHERE I COME TO BE ALONE AND, SOMETIMES, IF I TRY VERY HARD, AS I LOOK OUT OF THE WINDOW, I CAN SEE A DIFFERENT VIEW – SOMETHING THAT ISN’T REALLY THERE.

THE DEVIL INSIDE… • IF YOU’D STEPPED INSIDE THE MAJESTIC BEVERLEY MINSTER ON A CERTAIN DAY, AMONG THE ECHOES OF ANCIENT HYMNS, CARVED GARGOYLES, AND SHAFTS OF ANGELIC COLOURED LIGHT, YOU MIGHT’VE SEEN A MACHINE, A MOTORCYCLE, THAT SEEMS OUT OF PLACE, YET SOMEHOW PERFECTLY AT HOME.

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CYMBAL OF SUCCESS… • OF ALL THE JAPANESE FACTORY CUSTOMS, OF WHICH, OVER THE YEARS, THERE’VE BEEN MANY, THE ONE THAT LENDS ITSELF MOST TO BUILDING A CUSTOM BIKE OUT OF IS THE HONDA VT600C, ALSO KNOWN AS THE SHADOW.

BENDA CHINCHILLA 500 • THIS BIKE, PROBABLY THE SILLIEST NAMED OF THE THREE, IS THE THIRD BENDA MOTO CRUISER WE’VE REVIEWED, AND I’M HOPING BY NOW THAT YOU’VE STOPPED SNIGGERING WHEN YOU SEE THE COMPANY NAME… ALTHOUGH, I HAVE TO ADMIT, I DO STILL SMILE RUEFULLY WHEN I SEE IT BECAUSE IT IS A SLIGHTLY UNFORTUNATE NAME.

A(NOTHER) YEAR IN CUSTOM BIKING • <JESSIE’S DIETS, ON> THIS MONTH I HAVE (AGAIN) MOSTLY BEEN MESSING ABOUT WITH THE BANDIT CHOP <JESSIE’S DIETS, OFF>

Mr Bridges’...