Back Street Heroes September 2017

ISSUE 401 SEPT 2017 £4.10

accessories

clothing

SO THE DUST FROM THE ELECTION HAS FINALLY SETTLED, NOW WHAT HAPPENS?

editor:

NIK SAMSON

nik@backstreetheroes.com 07884 052003 design:

GARETH WILLIAMS publisher:

TIM HARTLEY advertising contact:

RICK NICHOLS

rnichols@mortons.co.uk 01507 529357 divisional ad manager:

BILLY MANNING

bmanning@mortons.co.uk subscription manager:

PAUL DEACON circulation manager:

STEVE O’HARA marketing manager:

CHARLOTTE PARK publishing director:

DAN SAVAGE

commercial director:

NIGEL HOLE

freelance contributors:

SIMON EVERETT, LOUISE LIMB, SELINA LAVENDER, MR BRIDGES, RICK HULSE, DAVE M, CHRIS HARDING, FAZERDAZE, CHARLEY CHARLES, SIWER OHLSSON, CHRIS STIRRUP, KEV LEWIS, HELENE, SANZARU MCC, COLIN STRONG, POPPY STRONG, ROBERT WIDDRINGTON, LONDON MARK

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JANE SKAYMAN

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N

ow I’m not remotely party political, and who I voted for is my own business, but you do have to wonder exactly what, if anything, was going on in the minds of our lords and masters, you really do. Neither side, in my opinion, acquitted themselves terribly well – Labour’s Diane Abbott’s performances running up to the vote were laughable, so much so that after the first one you have to wonder why they ever let her out in public again without some form of gag. And Theresa May’s ill-conceived deal with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in order to keep in power beggars belief; that the British Government should get into bed with a group infamous for their ridiculous religious views, their misogyny, and their outmoded anti-gay and lesbian stance makes the American people’s decision to elect a spray-tanned reality TV star with an extremely tenuous grip on reality as their president look almost rational. Almost.

The problem seems to be that no one seems to use common sense any more, they really don’t. It seems that the moment that anyone gets into a position of political power, they have their common sense surgically removed, because the policies that’re passed down from above often seem to be stupider than playing Russian roulette with a fully automatic handgun.

mountains!) and trucks overtaking on these is the traffic equivalent of dropping five Imodium. It’s been a problem since the motorway was opened in 1980, and it’s got worse as the levels of traffic have risen over the years. Then, finally, last year some bright spark had the idea of making it illegal for trucks to overtake on a section of it during the busiest hours of the day.

That, you’d’ve thought, wouldn’t you, was a good idea? Well, yeah, it is, but the section they’ve designated as a no-overtaking zone doesn’t include the three hills…

I know, you’ve got to laugh, haven’t you?

Laugh or cry. The section they’ve put into place is just over a mile long and starts about halfway down the ‘down’ side of the last hill and takes in, mostly, the flat section on the Essex/Cambridgeshire border – which isn’t the bit that snarls up. It apparently took six years to plan – did no one actually drive along it in all that time to see where the hold-ups usually occur? I mean, it’s such a regular occurrence that managing to get from Junction 8 (Bishops Stortford) to Junction 9 (Newmarket) on a bike without having to filter is rarer than a McDodo Happy Meal, and doing the journey in a car on a regular basis must be soul-destroying.

The thing is it could’ve worked, it could’ve made a difference. If they’d put the section in the right place to start with it would’ve helped, and they could Let me give you an example that I see usually a couple sort that out now by moving the signs they’ve put of times a week and which, each time, makes me shake up, but even that won’t work without enforcement. my head at the sheer stupidity of it. I have to ride the They’ve had a similar scheme running on the A14 in M11 from the junction of the A11 down to the M25 Northamptonshire for years, you see, but no one takes far more often than I really want to, and as anyone a blind bit of notice of it because there’s never anyone who’s had the misfortune to use the country’s busiest there to enforce it. Successive Governments have, as two-lane motorway will know, it’s quite often a slowhas been well documented, reduced the numbers of moving, often stationary, car park. police officers available to ensure that we uphold the laws of the land, and this is now coming back to bite us One of the reasons for this (apart from all the in the arse not just on the road, but elsewhere too. This fcukwits who follow each other like sheep down the reduction in numbers of the 5-0 means that you can outside lane when the inner one is empty, often at a often travel well over 100 miles on our road networks lower speed than they would do if they moved into without ever seeing a cop car, which is, admittedly, great said empty lane), is the fact that, because it is only if you’re a habitual ignorer of the posted speed limits, two lanes, trucks overtaking each other can cause but it also means that they’re not there to go ‘Oi, you’re monstrously long tailbacks that, regrettably, lead not allowed in that lane with that, chap, during these to accidents when the aforementioned shagwits hours’, are they? It’s the same as the law making middleeither don’t notice the rest of the world is no lane hogging an illegal act – we all know it’s there, but longer doing 85mph or get frustrated and try to no one takes the slightest bit of notice of it because the barge their way through the traffic. I’ve lost count chances of getting one’s collar felt for doing it are lower of the number of times over the years I’ve seen than the chances of me getting a quick knee-trembler up the M11 blocked for miles and miles by the results against a wall with a Hollywood actress. of these actions, I really have.

The trouble is that the M11 north of Stansted airport has three long, but not especially steep, hills (unless you’re riding an XS250 Custom to the Kent Show for the first time back in 1987 when they felt like feckin’

Anyway, having now raised me blood pressure to a level that doctors would frown at, I’m off to Faro to cool it down.

See you next month.

NIK

Di t ib ti b Distribution

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by Willi William Gibb Gibbons and d SSons, W Wolverhampton. l h t ISSN: 02679841. BSH is copyright to Mortons Media Ltd 2017 and all rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

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TRIUMPH BOBBER

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NORRTÄLJE CUSTOM BIKE SHOW

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the most famous of all the Swedish chopper shows

intricate artwork par excellence!

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(ALMOST) A ROADTEST

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BREACH OF THE PEACE RALLY

the new Triumph Bonnie, luvverly it is!

bikes, beer, booze, bands and lightning shows!

the most amazing KTM in the land

you can win this bike for a quid!

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custom bikes from the land of clotted cream

pure class from the far east (Norwich, not Bangkok)

what a Fazer should look like!

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TO G EDIT THE DIGET IONS ITA S STRE EARCH APP, S L IMP ET H FO APP EROES’ R ‘BACKLY OR O STORE IN THE APP FOR NG FOR OOGLE iPAD LE CHE CK O AND P UT T ROID LAY H (B

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– the musings of one of the most eloquent thinkers in bikerdom!

September 2017

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Our regular photographer Simon Everett is off for the foreseeable future after a fairly major smash on the M40. So if he was coming to photograph your bike, or you’ve sent in a photo of your bike in the hope of getting its picture taken, please bear with us – we will get to you, but it might take a little longer this year, okay? All of us at BSH would like to wish him a speedy recovery, and if you’d like pass on your good wishes, please email simon@optical-art.co.uk In the last issue, our Dave had a bit of a mental whoopsie and wrongly said that the owner of the black Fenland Choppers-built Shovelhead was called Ian. The owner is actually Alan…sorry!

THE biggest autojumble in the south of England is back with a fresh hoard of motorcycling treasures waiting to be discovered.

The 24th Carole Nash Eurojumble takes place at Netley Marsh, near Southampton, on Friday and Saturday, Saturday, 1st and 1sst a nd d

Advance tickets for one of the most anticipated events of the year are now on sale!

Motorcycle Live, the UK’s biggest bike show, will open its doors at the NEC, Birmingham from 18-26th November.

This year, the ticket price remains all-inclusive and advance buyers will not only benefit from significant savings in comparison to the on-the-door price, they will also be in with a chance of winning one of hundreds of on-the-spot prizes in the show’s 2017 Golden Ticket promotion.

Advance tickets cost just £19.50 adults (£12 seniors, £1 for 11-16 year olds, FREE for children aged ten and under), or there’s also a £25 advance ticket, which includes entry to the show and a Spada bag worth £29.99. And visitors who buy on-site car parking in advance will receive a voucher for half-price admission to the National Motorcycle Museum, which is adjacent to the NEC. To book call 0844 581 2345 or visit www.motorcyclelive.co.uk.

2nd September. Tickets for Friday cost £9 in advance or £10 on the day, or for the Saturday it’s £8 in advance or £9 on the day. Camping passes are available too, allowing you to stay from Thursday through till Sunday morning for only £60 including show entry for both days and access to the evening bar and shower block. Tickets can be purchased from www. cllassiicb bikesh hows.com or by calling 01507 529529.

STORMIN’ S T E K IC T E L T S A C E TH

r Castle is being held ove This year’s Stormin’ The , and it looks like ber tem Sep -3rd 1st the weekend of r cracker! it’s going to be anothe e r is that they’ve only gon yea this s new The big Sons, the tard Bas The & ll pbe and scored Phil Cam tarist, endary Motorhead gui band fronted by the leg , fan tal me st for any true as the headliner! A mu night – ay urd Sat on ge sta in they’re playing the ma eeze in there, methinks! going to be a tight squ ’s also got Oliver Dawson y’ve the m, As well as the other of t hos a and ht, nig Saxon headlining Friday Stormin’ two stages, including good bands too over There’s also s. ket Buc c Zin the & favourites Bessie , village of trade stands the usual custom show, beer, funfair, huge ed pric y abl son rea and good food camping fields, and of

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SEPTEMBER 2017

land. in the north-east of the course, the finest craic want you if e anc adv in Tic kets cos t jus t £35 ay night or £30 from Frid to go on the Thursday ay- only ticket for urd Sat a get can onwards, or you they’ll get them in advance, jus t £20. If you don’t e. gat the on cos t you £40 n n’ are rather lovely (eve As the people at Stormi of rs pai two us en y’ve giv if they do talk funny), the y to give away to you luck tickets, worth £80 each, of nce cha a h wit in be to do lot, and all you have to and om es.c ero eth w.backstre winning a pair is visit ww . Terms and ust Aug h 20t ore bef enter your details e. be found on our websit conditions apply, and can ilable. The winners ava s tive rna alte h cas There are no chosen at random. are the first two names n ugh to win this time, the eno ky luc not ’re If you or get more ine onl ets tick r you you can still buy uk w.storminthecastle.co. information from ww

In the Harley supplement last issue Nik wrongly credited the feature on the black Sportster, Bootlegger, to Custom Chrome Europe. It was actually a W&W Cycles build.

All the parts listed in the article are available to purchase for your bike from the W&W Cycles catalogue at your local W&W dealer, or direct from their website at www.wwag.com Nik would like to apologise to W&W for any misunderstandings caused.

Here’s the parts list from the W&W catalogue used in the build: 30-460 Bates Baja stoneguard for 5.75” headlights

01-240 Cannonball MAG-12 3x16” cast alloy rear wheel

13-398 Badlands load equalizer III

27-000 Bates Baja 130/90B16 73T tyre

93-503 LeBeeF Baja engine skid plate 19-395 RSD cafe racer speedometer mounting bracket 19-397 RSD indicator light unit 20-369 Fehling clipon handlebars 35-208 Syotz cafe racer fuel tank 18-126 Bitubo shock absorbers 45-739 RSD Traction foot-pegs 23-058 Kellermann BL2000 LED front indicators 22-146 Kellermann Dark DF Micro 1000 LED rear indicators with tail-light/stoplight function 40-761 Speed of Color cafe racer tail section 16-278 Progressive Suspension fork spring kit 01-310 Cannonball MAG-12 2.5x19” cast alloy front wheel

27-001 Bates Baja 100/90-19 57T 28-279 Rick’s Classic Steve 11.5” brake disc 28-277 Rick’s Classic Steve 10” brake disc 29-714 Performance Machine 125X4SL brake caliper 27-975 Performance Machine caliper bracket 12-680 Dynojet recalibration module 65-491 S&S Stealth air cleaner 65-486 S&S Stealth air cleaner cover 64-011 S&S 1200 conversion kit 61-211 EMD Ribster rocker housings 81-002 EMD Ribster outer primary cover 80-915 TPP centrifugal weightassisted clutch pressure plate

MOTOSAFE EAR PLUGS

OXFORD TANK GRIPS

These new gloves from Bike-It are manufactured from supple cowhide leather with a reinforced palm, thumb and heel. Thumb fingertip guards and anti-slip and fingertip palm layering is also a feature, as are Hardshell TPR moulded knuckle protectors.

Available in black/white or black/neon, and in all the usual sizes, for just £49.99, you can get them from any BikeIt stockist – check out www. bikeittrade. com to fi nd your find nearest place.

The all-new Kuryakyn Riot collection features authentic motocross styling, and delivers the essential support aggressive riders need to rip up the streets, tracks or trails.

Constructed from durable single aluminium castings with a serrated-tooth top surface for sure-footed grip and rugged style, they’re available in specially coated bead-blasted satin silver or 8

SEPTEMBER 2017

The new super-grippy tank pads attach to the side of your tank and allow your legs to grip tighter to the bike.

Available to be cut to size, they cost £22.99 for two, and are available from anywhere that sells the Oxford range or www.oxprod.com

Alpine Hearing Protection has developed an innovative new line of Alpine MotoSafe earplugs: the Alpine MotoSafe Tour, Race and Pro. At a speed of 75mph, the volume of the wind noise under your helmet averages 98dB, and this means that after just seven minutes you risk permanent damage to your hearing (and you also become tired more quickly, which leads to reduced concentration). They offer earplugs suitable for touring or leisurely riding (Tour), going fast or with an open face helmet (Race), and a combination of the two (Pro) which also comes with an Alpine Clean cleaning spray (5ml) for fast and easy cleaning. They come with a handy carrying case and, as they’re free from silicone, they don’t cause sweating, itching or irritation and can be worn all day long.

They cost £12.95 (Tour and Race) or £22.95 (Pro) from www. alpinehearingprotection.co.uk

LOWBROW FILLER CAPS satin black textured finishes that are extremely resilient.

They fit Harley-Davidson, Indian, Victory and a wide range of metric models, and you can get them and more info from anywhere that stocks the MAG Europe range. Check out www. mageurope.eu

These new aluminium or brass filler caps from Lowbrow Customs can be used on either fuel or oil tanks, and are O-ring sealed petrol and oil resistant. If you’re fitting one as a fuel cap you’ll need a Lowbrow steel or aluminium weld-in neck, but they fit Mooneyes and British Standard brand oil tanks.

Available vented or unvented, you can get them from anywhere that stocks the Custom Chrome range – check out www. custom-chrome-europe.com for more information.

ICON STREET KNEE GUARDS These very comfortable Icon Street Knee Guards were designed to protect your knees from the street. They’re made from very strong D30 impact protectors with 900D polyester fabric holding them, and they have injection-moulded knee caps, three fixing straps to keep them in place, and a Hydradry moisture-wicking lining to stop you getting all sweaty an’ that.

Get them from anywhere that stocks the Icon range (any Parts Europe dealer) or use their Store Locator at www. rideicon.com.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

Odd Concept is a relatively young company that designs and produces in Sweden with typical Swedish craftsmanship, and a good example is this steel powdercoated speedometer relocation bracket to relocate the stock speedometer to the left side of the bike on most 1995-to-present Sportster models with the straight fi ve-light warning five-light cluster. (FortyEight models require the separate purchase of a speedo back plate and cushion).

All the required hardware is included, and you can get one from your local Zodiac dealer – check out www.zodiac.nl/dealers to fi nd your nearest place. find

These mirrors st and ou in on any stock or t or blend custom motorcycle you can im They feature die- agine. cast aluminium constru ction with stainless st eel ball joints, and th eir threaded base ac ce a 5/16 -18 stainles pts s steel button cap Allen bolt for ea sy mounting on a w ide range of stock an d aftermarket hand controls.

Available in eith black or chrome er fin fi niish sh you can get them es, from anywhere that stocks the W&W Cycles range – see w w w.w wag. com to find your closest place.

RSD ROCKER BOX COVERS These new rocker covers are laser engraved with the Roland Sands Designs logo, and come with all fittings and gaskets to fit Twin Cams and Sportsters, in Contrast Cut, chrome and black finishes from anywhere that stocks the Custom Chrome range – check out www. custom-chrome-europe.com for more information.

These universal footrests are adjustable, and are available in glass bead-blasted, anodised silver or black.

They use your existing brake and gear lever, and are made of high-grade steel. They’re adjustable for level, and you can also adjust how far away from the frame they are too. They look nice as well.

They’re available from www.ab-m.de