1972 BSA A65 Lightning bobber

By guest writer Ian Lee.

Everyone should have a hobby. Something removed from everyday employment in order to keep one’s sanity. Today’s feature bike is a result of keeping work and play separate, of escapism of the best kind, that of custom motorcycle building. A civil engineer by trade, Aaron Rubio’s true passion is building and riding custom bikes, which he tries his hardest to be able to do at least once a week. Recent comments about a BSA and electrical wiring prompted Aaron to send pics of his 1972 BSA A65 Lightning bobber into Pipeburn, to show solidarity in not having every little aspect of your bike perfectly tucked away and looking neat. In Aaron’s own words "I do believe clean wiring has it’s place, but exposed wiring helps define the soul of a bike". True, and we love this bike for all it’s touches, exposed wiring and all. 

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Tattoo Project's 1970 BSA Lightning

Building a custom bike can be one hell of a challenge. And we're not just talking about the skinned knuckles and cold nights with nothing but a greasy lump of metal to keep you warm. No, what we're really getting at is the more intellectual aspects of a customisation. The seemingly simple decisions you have to make about what to do with the bike that will successfully take it from ‘hate’ to ‘great’. Having done this ourselves, we are all too familiar with just how infuriating choosing a seat, picking rubber, or routing an exhaust can be. Thoughts race through your head. "Is this a cliché... is it original... will it look cool?" These things can eat you alive if you let them, but then along comes a bike that slaps you right in your navel-gazing, self-important face. Cue the latest build from Rudy Banny's Tattoo Project Custom Motorcycles. It takes no la-di-da, avanté garde approaches, yet like a simple slice of apple pie and ice cream, it totally manages to hit the spot.

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