Martin Hodgson

BEING JOHN MALKOVICH: 1995 BMW K1100 by David Manchester.

A midlife crisis usually involves one or more very bad decisions and a rather large dent in your bank account. In fact many car and bike manufacturers design products to appeal directly to this market, in the safe knowledge most of us will go through this...

THE LONE WOLF: Indian FTR1200 Scrambler by Heritage & Sons.

The Indian FTR1200 was greeted with enormous excitement when the project was announced and the first pictures emerged. When the bike finally arrived it didn't let anyone down, looking like a flat track weapon and providing a grin-inducing ride on the street....

BURNING LOVE: Yamaha XV750 by Elvis Custom.

Keep your eye on the custom scene for long enough and you start to get a feel for the design of bikes that emanate from each country across the globe. While certain places may favour a particular style, when it comes to the Central European nation of Poland,...

UNIQUE SPIN: Yamaha XV920R by Bonafide Moto.

Whatever your creative pursuit, motorcycles like boy bands always run the risk of becoming another cookie cutter example unless you're committed to truly following your own path. Among a select group of popular donors, the Yamaha XV is particularly...

SIX YEARS IN THE MAKING: Ducati 996 ‘Project X’ by VR Customs.

The Isle of Man TT and the Dakar rally are arguably the two toughest tests in all of motorcycling, pushing man and machine to the very limit, and sadly claiming lives along the way. But it's in these two races, among many others, where Vendetta Racing UAE...

BRITISH BESPOKE: The Langen Two Stroke.

There is a rare breed, summoning the pioneering spirit of a century ago, who invest first their life and then their savings into creating a motorcycle company of their own. The brainchild of Christofer Ratcliffe, Langen Motorcycles are proudly designed,...

SPEEDWAY INSPIRED: Yamaha XS650 ‘The Skinny’ by Studio Motor.

For the vast wealth of knowledge that has been placed at your fingertips by the global growth of the internet, there still remains some of the best stories left untold. While Board Track racing boomed in the US in the early part of the 20th century, across...

MONSTER MASTERPIECE: Ducati 750 by Alonze Custom.

Some people get excited about the impending release of their favourite band's new album, others in a spin over the trailer for a Spielberg coming attraction, but for me, what has me counting down the days with excitement and anticipation has become the...

BIG WHEELS. BIG ATTITUDE: Suzuki DR650 by Cramento Motorcycles.

Decades ago one big Japanese manufacturer looked to emulate the success of another and the Suzuki DR650 was born, with the same success as its rival. Like Honda's Dominator they both provide smooth street riding, genuine off-road ability, lightweight and are...

DUTCH DREAM: 1979 BMW R100RS by Moto Adonis.

One of the often heard and uneducated opinions of those who love motorcycles but can't stand the custom scene is that “the bikes have lost all functionality". So while it is true that some customs are deliberately designed in such an over the top way that...