Martin Hodgson

FLYING DUTCHMAN: Suzuki GSX400F Cafe Racer.

In the early '80s the big bad Suzuki Katana shook up the motorcycle world with its aggressive German design and dynamite Japanese performance. While many of those GSX1100 models live on today in everything from original trim to full racer in the hands of Team...

LETHAL IN LONDON: Husqvarna 701 by ASE Custom Motorcycles.

When your morning commute takes place on the crowded and chaotic streets of London, you want a bike that handles with scalpel-like precision. The only problem is the sort of bikes capable of such feats are usually Supermotos with no practicality and a common...

AESTHETIC ADVENTURE: KTM 790 ‘Urban Assault’ by Roland Sands Design.

There is no doubt that KTM makes a hell of a motorcycle and their almost instant success in MotoGP is proof positive of the Austrian company's engineering prowess. But the styling of their bikes is a love or hate affair and unless your favourite colour is...

BMW IN HIS BLOOD: 1985 K100RS by K Bike Cafe.

Maybe there is something in the water, a hidden venom or a secret spider, because for certain people a brand gets into their blood and there's no letting go. Be it two wheels or four, for Ron Dey from Arkansas he's totally obsessed with the best of Bavarian,...

TURN AND BURN: Kawasaki W800 ‘Maverick’ by Shif Customs.

Seinfeld fans hear about a 'journey from Milan' and instantly recall George's obsession with an erotic movie from his local video store, Rochelle Rochelle. But it's always been the Tom Cruise, high flying, hard riding flick from the '80s that always got the...

TWO-STROKE OF GENIUS: Suzuki-Bimota hybrid smoker.

From the ancient cultures of Southern Africa to Egypt, Greece and China, there were mythical gods, hybrids, that combined the power and mystique of one animal with another, or even a human, to create a creature of supernatural ability. Those like Minotaur and...

HOLY SMOKE: FTR 1200 by Indian Motorcycle Metz.

Wrist cracking, spine snapping powerbands and an absolute gluttony of tobacco sponsorship made racing in the '80s and '90s a dangerous thing, be it for the highsides or the heart attacks. But boy was it a blast and many of the current crop of custom builders...

BEST OF THE BRITISH: Triumph Thruxton + Watsonian Sidecar by 86 Gear Motorcycles.

There is no doubt that they're the odd bod of the motorcycle world, but the sidecar has a history as unique and as compelling as the two-wheeled machines that power them. From sophisticated transport for the elite to crossing continents on the roughest of...

SPORTSBIKE TREATMENT: Honda CX500 by Tossa R.

Almost immediately upon its release the Honda CX500 was derided and ridiculed, the nicknames were rarely kind and with prices reduced they became the go-to motorcycle for two-wheeled couriers. But with an engine designed by legend of motorsport Shoichiro...

THE LORD GIVETH: Harley-Davidson ‘Urban Tracker’ by Lord Drake Kustoms.

High rise hotels, resort-style living and one hell of a nightlife make the cities of Miami and Malaga practically twins, despite being on opposite sides of the Atlantic. In either place you come to play and have a good time, making them the perfect home for a...