Building a motorbike in just four hours, two businessmen from Great Easton and an airbrush artist from Gravesend wowed the crowds at the Twisted Iron bike show in Oxford on Sunday (March 19).
Stuart Thompson, who runs Raw Steel Choppers in Great Easton, a company which builds motorcycle frames and provides specialist engineering service in the bike building process, with the help of mechanics and wiring expert, Mark Williams, and airbrush artist Ben Attwood, was able to construct a motorbike from raw parts in just four hours.
Stuart, 41 from Duton, and Mark, 49 from Thaxted, also work as a team as part of their day jobs.
Mark has his own business in Great Easton, Naked Speed, specialising in mechanics, electricals and paint work.
The pair use there businesses in tandem, helping to put together custom motorcycles, so when they were approached by competition organisers Beverly and Russell Cort, they knew they had to give it a go.
Stuart said: “They said, would we be interested in doing a four hour bike build.
“It sounded a bit far fetched but I was interested and I spoke to Mark and we liked the idea of the challenge so we said we’d give it a go.”
The team practiced, working on a bike very similar to the one they would use in the challenge, doing what Stuart describes as “a bit of a Blue Peter”, making and spraying all the parts they would need for the break-neck challenge.
He added: “We got there and I wasn’t that fussed but when I saw people waiting around I started getting nervous, thinking ‘Blimey, what are we doing?’
“But once the bike was jacked up on the table I was just focused and didn’t realise anyone was around really.
“It just flew and we just got on with it and the four hours went quickly.”
The bike was completed within the countdown frame and all held their breath as the ignition was turned, only to find the bike would not start.
A wire fault was preventing the engine from roaring to life and the boys quickly jumped to it, repairing the error in just 15 minutes.
The total time stood at 4 hours and 15 minutes but the technical set-back did not stop the crowd from cheering and clapping.
The team already has big plans for next year.
Stuart said: “We would like to get sponsored to build a proper high end bike and get it auctioned off for charity.”
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