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 • HELLO AND WELCOME TO THIS LATEST ISSUE OF BSH!

INTO THE VALLEY • THIS YEAR’S INTO THE VALLEY WAS YET ANOTHER LANDMARK EVENT FOR MAG FOR MANY REASONS. FIRSTLY, IT SOLD OUT FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW; SECONDLY, THE WEATHER WAS KIND AND PROVIDED SUNSHINE FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE WEEKEND; AND, FINALLY, IT MARKED THE LAUNCH OF SOMETHING NEW IN THE CUSTOM SHOW.

Seeing Double • THIS PROJECT STARTED OFF WITH TWO DAMAGED TRIUMPH ENGINE CASINGS THAT WERE GARAGE-WALL ART, AS THEY HAD DAMAGE TO THEM, AND A TWISTED T120R FRAME. WITH THESE, I STARTED TO LOOK AT TWIN-ENGINE DRAG BIKES FROM THE 1960s, ’70s AND ‘80s TO SEE HOW THEY LINKED THE TWO ENGINES TOGETHER. I WANTED TO BUILD A ROAD-LEGAL ONE WITH A HOT ROD THEME AS I’M A BIG FAN OF MOONEYES IN GENERAL, AND THE MOONEYES STREAMLINER IN PARTICULAR.

THE SILENT RUMBLE • TIME FLIES LIKE AN ARROW (AND FRUIT FLIES LIKE A BANANA), THEY SAY. WHEN MAX INVITED ME TO THIS YEAR’S SILENT RUMBLE, I WAS AMAZED WHEN HE SAID IT WAS THE TENTH, AS IT SEEMS ONLY YESTERDAY HE LAUNCHED, AND I ATTENDED, THE FIRST SHOW IN AID OF HEARING DOGS FOR THE DEAF – A CHARITY WITH A FAIRLY SELF-EXPLANATORY NAME.

GREEN GEM • IT CAN HAPPEN THAT, IF SOMEONE’S BEEN BUILDING BIKES FOR A LONG TIME, THE THRILL OF CREATION CAN LOSE ITS SPARK, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE BUILDING FOR OTHER PEOPLE, NOT FOR YOURSELF, AND WHAT THEY WANT ISN’T NECESSARILY WHAT YOU’D WANT.

STONE CIRCLE BIKE SHOW • 2025 SAW THE SIXTH INCARNATION OF OUR STONE CIRCLE CUSTOM & CLASSIC BIKE SHOW - A SHOW BROUGHT ABOUT BY A FRIENDLY CHALLENGE AMONGST MATES THAT WE HOPED’D ATTRACT MAYBE 100 OR SO BIKES TO A SOCIAL CLUB CAR PARK.

ERASERHEAD LIVES! • WHEN THOSE OF US WITH A PENCHANT FOR CUSTOM BIKE HISTORY GET TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY IF THERE’S ALCOHOL INVOLVED, THERE’S ALWAYS A DISCUSSION ABOUT EPIC BIKES OF YORE – IT’S SOMETHING I’M SURE YOU AND YOUR MATES DO, TOO. THE DIFFERENCE, OFTEN, IS THAT WHEN MYSELF AND THE OTHER REPROBATES I HANG ABOUT WITH DO THIS WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE SHINY, BEAUTIFULLY MADE, AND BEAUTIFULLY FINISHED. NO, WE TALK ABOUT THE LEGENDARY MATT BLACK, BUT ICONIC, MOTORCYCLES FROM WAY BACK WHEN.

HA SUSSEX’S STOMP • THE FIRST SUSSEX STOMP WAS A SUNDAY BIKE SHOW WITH OVERNIGHT CAMPING AND RIDE-OUT TO JOIN THE MAY DAY BIKE RUN TO HASTINGS THE NEXT DAY.

THE GAME IS A FOOT! • IMAGINE, IF YOU WILL, SHERLOCK HOLMES, AND, YES, DR WATSON, HAD FOUND A TIME MACHINE THAT TOOK THEM TO 1983, TO A BIKE SHOP FULL OF BRAND-NEW GOLD WINGS, AND USING SAID TIME MACHINE, THEY RETURNED TO 1887 AND TOOK A BIKE WITH THEM.

BIKE SHED MOTO SHOW • FOR MANY PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, NOT JUST THE UBER-FASHIONABLE ONES WHO LIVE IN THAT LONDON, THE SECOND BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND IN MAY EACH YEAR IS NOW FIRMLY FIXED ON THE CALENDAR AS BEING THAT OF THE BIKE SHED MOTO SHOW AT TOBACCO DOCK IN LONDON.

ROTISSERIE’D ROTARY’D LAMB • THE MOTORCYCLE ENGINE YOU SEE HERE, LADIES AN’ GENTLEMEN, IS NOT A TRIUMPH, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES THE ORGANISER OF THE KICKBACK MOTORCYCLE SHOW MAY SAY IT IS – TRIUMPH, AS FAR AS I’M AWARE, AND IN FACT THE REST OF THE BRITISH MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY ACTUALLY*, HAVE NEVER BUILT A ROTARY-ENGINED MOTORCYCLE. NO, THE ONLY BRITISH MOTORCYCLE COMPANY TO BUILD A ROTARY WAS, FAMOUSLY, NORTON.

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HOW TO D30 ARMOUR • JUST ABOUT EVERY ITEM OF MOTORCYCLE CLOTHING YOU BUY THESE DAYS* COMES WITH SOME FORM OF PURPOSE-DESIGNED ARMOUR (ALBEIT PLASTIC, RATHER THAN STEEL PLATE LIKE WOT KNIGHTS USED TO WEAR), BUT SOME OF IT’S VERY BULKY AND NOT ESPECIALLY COMFORTABLE TO WEAR, AND A LOT OF FOLK TAKE IT OUT FOR EXACTLY THAT REASON – SOME OF IT, BUT NOT ALL…

TANK ART • ART IS,...