Back Street Heroes July 2025

Hello and welcome to this new issue of BSH! The big news this month is that MAG (Motorcycle Action Group… as if there’s anyone who doesn’t know) have announced their big Riders’ Resistance weekend of demonstrations up and down the land, protesting at the Government’s stance on internal-combustion-engined bikes, on the weekend of 5 and 6 July. Now this is, I think, an entirely commendable thing to do, and one that, as one of the many that did the big demos in the ‘90s, I feel is something that’s long overdue but (you could feel that coming, couldn’t you?) they’re only releasing the plans for it now? Barely a month away by the time you read this? Should they not’ve started banging on about this months ago? I think they…

Hosted in the spacious halls of the Expo Houten, the event offers an engaging space to explore, network, and celebrate this shared passion. Attendees span all walks of life, but they share a common love for custom motorcycles, and the freedom these machines represent. Unlike many traditional shows, which’re focused primarily on production bikes and brand showcases, it leans heavily into the custom and handmade aspects of the motorcycle world. Here, visitors find rare one-off builds, artisanal craftsmanship, and bold design choices that challenge conventional norms. For over 30 years, the Expo’s served as a cornerstone event for the European motorcycle community, presenting the latest trends and pushing the boundaries of custom motorcycle design. Each year, it draws builders from Europe’s most celebrated garages, alongside small-scale artisans and new talents…

The 350 Bullet has a rich and storied history dating back to its introduction in 1932. Originally manufactured in Redditch in Worcs, it quickly gained a reputation for its robustness and reliability and, during the Second World War, played a crucial role as a military motorcycle, serving in various theatres of war. After the war, production of the Bullet for us civvies resumed, and it became a popular choice with its timeless design, characterised by its signature thumping engine and classic styling, capturing the hearts of riders around the world. Over the decades, the model underwent numerous upgrades and iterations, but its essence remained unchanged. In the 1950s, Royal Enfield established a manufacturing plant in India, laying the foundation for its enduring legacy in the country, and the Bullet became…

And do you know what? It were reet gradely, as they say in Yorkshire when something’s top-notch. No, honestly, it was – the place was packed with folk coming and going; the food stalls outside were busy; the bike display inside, although small, was cool; the inside stalls were ones I’d not seen before and sold interesting stuff you’d not see elsewhere (think I got Pam a set of tiny LED indicators for her Gixer); and the craic, as they says, was good. Mint Customs were there with a few of their builds: there was a rather cool XS650 with a tank badge that looked like it should say ‘BSA’; a couple of proper chopper Harleys by the door; a brace of trick Cubs for the small bike perv… aficionados;…

Rest assured, dear reader, that I won’t carry on in this fashion, adapting the age-old nursery rhyme ‘This is the House that Jack Built’ to tell you about Jack from NCC Kernow’s long n’ low Evo’ chopper cos, well, what starts out as vaguely amusing soon becomes increasingly complicated as time goes on and, if you’re anything like me, the moment something becomes complicated my train o’ thought wanders off like an unattended bloke on a family shop in a supermarket. No, what I will do is tell you that the bike you see here, the very long and very low Evo(lution) Harley-engined chopper, originally was an idea, or more precisely a sketch, dreamt/drawn up on a nightshift a few years ago. Jack, he of the epically appalling sunglasses (see…

The day was as murky as most March days usually are, but it wasn’t actually raining when we set off, me on the Bandit chop and her on her matt black Gixer streetfighter. We were both wearing our Keis heated weskits under our gear, cos we’re old and nesh, but the roads were dry, and we made good time along the twisties and, thankfully, managed to tag along with someone who knew where they were going – a Good Thing as we sure as hell didn’t. The Christmas Tree Farm Barn’s down a short bumpy track, always good on a hardtail eh, and by the time we got there mid-morning(ish) it was busy. There’d been a ride in that morning from the Veloce Club motorcycle clothing shop in nearby Hitchin,…