classic motorcycle

More Progress

More progress has been made on the restoration of our 1984 Suzuki GSX 400T. The switch has just arrived and is very flat across the

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Almost There

Our 1984 Suzuki GSX 400T is almost at the end of its restoration journey. Although there is still some work to be done, as you

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Progress Images

After the recent progress update that we received from JAL Restorations about our 1984 Suzuki GSX400, we have now received some images of the bike

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Bike Spotting

Here at Bridge Classic Cars, we love anything with a motor and wheels. We’re lucky to have friends that share that love and have their

Read More »

Project Cafe Racer

The exciting Suzuki GSX 400T Cafe Racer project continues! We’ve stripped down the bike and are assessing which parts will be modified, which parts will

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Royal Enfield Single Work

Our 1960 Royal Enfield Single has continued to make progress with technician Paul. He fitted the fuel cap, started the bike and test rode it. He found that the clutch was dragging slightly so the clutch cable was removed and shorten to enable adjustment.

Recommissioning our bike collection

We’ll start with our 1962 Norton, Paul has cleaned out the tank and carb. He has checked for a spark.

Our 1961 Matchless up next. We have checked for spark, cleaned out the fuel tap and free’d up the carb float needle. Paul has then attempted to start but the carb needs removing and jets cleaning.

Then he took on our 1955 Velocette Viper. He’s remove the tank and flushed out. Clean the carb and taps, started and ran up beautifully.

Complete And Returned Home

It’s always exciting to see a project come to a conclusion. Recently, we were extra excited to see one of our own vehicles finish its restoration journey and return home to its owner – Bridge Classic Cars Managing Director, Craig’s motorbike.

Our 1984 Suzuki GSX 400T is complete and, as you can see from the photos below, it’s looking incredible.

There’s no doubt that Craig will enjoy his bike and we look forward to seeing it out and about.

More Progress

More progress has been made on the restoration of our 1984 Suzuki GSX 400T. The switch has just arrived and is very flat across the top. The speedo pops up 20mm and has a convex glass so you don’t have to be over it to read it with a fully digital display.

All of the controls are now sorted and a combined digital speedo and tachometer and rear light have been fitted, so just wiring to go.

The clutch issue is now solved, thanks to lots of mucking about with the sprocket and lift mechanism. The clutch lifter, when operating, moves toward the drive sprocket, with a 10mm offset sprocket and HD 520 chain they met at 1/4 lift.

Another lift mechanism has been sourced from a later model, which sits more flush on the inner case and gives 4mm extra lift, then another 3mm off the back of the sprocket and turned chain link to the inside and all is now fine with more than enough clearance at full lift.

Almost There

Our 1984 Suzuki GSX 400T is almost at the end of its restoration journey.

Although there is still some work to be done, as you can see from the photos below, it’s looking good already.

Almost Up And Running

Our 1984 Suzuki GSX 400T has continued its restoration progress.

The headlamp bracket and the rear lights still need to be sorted and all of the electrics are currently being positioned out of sight.

The tank will be fitted soon. Once this is fitted, it can then be decided where the electrics will go. The tank has been lowered so space is more limited. The bike will also be rewired with a new harness as this will be more time effective than trying to make the existing wiring fit.

A KTM ignition switch that fits the top yoke should be able to be re-purposed so the positions include lights ‘on’. This means that just the starter button, horn button, and dip and main will be on the bars. The bike should be complete in around 10 days, although the exhaust still needs to be fitted up.

The footrests have been positioned 5-6″ further back so, when riding, you can stretch over the bike to get a more comfortable position. The only mechanical work left to do is the exhaust and fit the bodywork, and then the wiring will be finished before the bike gets up and running.

GSX 400T Progress

We have recently received an update on the progress of our 1984 Suzuki GSX 400T.

The frame and smaller parts of the bike are being prepped to be powder coated in satin black. The rear loop has been shortened and it now sits under the seat. The rear guard will likely not be used so a hugger may be sourced and modified instead.

Another modification has been made to the swing arm to catch the calliper torque motion on a peg rather than an arm. This will clean up the back end before more brackets are removed to continue the restoration process.

Progress Images

After the recent progress update that we received from JAL Restorations about our 1984 Suzuki GSX400, we have now received some images of the bike too.

As this is a custom project, the classic motorcycle will continue to change its appearance and transform into the bike that Bridge Classic Cars Director, Craig is looking to build.

In The Workshop – Honda Goldwing

Our 1977 Honda GL100 Goldwing is now back in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.

As you can see from the photos below, it is looking great and its future will soon be decided. Motorcycles like this don’t come into the workshop very often so we are very excited to see what the future holds for our stunning Goldwing.

Sold On MyClassics.co.uk – 1961 Francis Barnett Trials

Our very special bike has recently left the Bridge Classic Cars workshop after being sold on MyClassics.co.uk

This is a very rare bike that is an original Francis Barnett factory 250cc model.

After undergoing restoration work on pretty much every part of this bike, it was an enjoyable experience to see it drive out of the workshop and into the hands of its new owner.

Our 1961 Francis Barnett Trials left us to travel to Coven, Staffordshire where we hope it will cover many more miles with its new owner.

Before it left, we started the bike up one more time and experienced this very special bike before we waved goodbye to it.

This Just In – 1994 Ducati 750SS Supersport

The Bridge Classic Cars team have welcomed this beautiful piece of classic superbike history – the 1994 Ducati 750SS Supersport.

The Italian superbike will be inspected and assessed by our restoration teams to make sure everything on this amazing piece of engineering is all present and correct while they compile their mechanical and aesthetic report on the bike.

Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more news very soon about the 1994 Ducati 750SS Supersport.

Changes – New Pieces on the 2017 Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer

The team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on some updates for the 2017 Ducati Scrambler 800 Cafe Racer belonging to our director, Craig.

To start with, the team have changed the mirrors on the bike to a style and set up that works better for Craig’s riding position while then removing the carbon racing plates below the seat for a different style which is coming very soon.

Behind the Scenes – Shooting the 2020 Triumph Street Twin

There is something wonderfully simple about riding a motorcycle. The direct, mechanical nature of a machine and its rider at one with each other on the open road. Some names are legendary within the pages of motorcycle history, such as this. Triumph.

Classically, the Bonneville series of motorcycles became synonymous across the world for steadfast engineering and superb performance. This bike is the modern interpretation of those principles. Our 2020 Triumph Street Twin. A modern take on the classical styling of the Bonnevilles, it works as a daily commuter or a knee-down warrior on a glorious Sunday afternoon.

Before the team began, the bike was checked over and inspected by the Bridge Classic Cars workshop who found the bike was in incredible condition covering just over 1200 miles in its life.

With the green light given for the team to go and film with it, it was off to our filming location to get what was needed. The water-cooled 900cc twin sang along the country roads on its way to The Hangar, our director Craig at the helm of the fantastic red and black bike. From there, the team could head out onto the old airforce base and begin to shoot.

The riding style and performance of the Street Twin make it not only comfortable for everyday use but gives the rider a confidence in the machine itself.

And all of this could be yours! This is now our latest competition prize as part of Bridge Classic Cars Competitions. Head over to the website using the link here and enter now for your chance to win this amazing 2020 Triumph Street Twin!

Or to check out the full gallery and video, take a look below:

Changing Places – Swapping the Number Boards on the 2017 Ducati Scrambler 800 Cafe Racer

The team at Bridge Classic Cars are beginning the process of replicating the original design of the number boards on the 2017 Ducati Scrambler 800 over to the new number boards.

The original graphics on the silver number boards, which came as standard on the Cafe Racer versions of the Scrambler 800, will be copied and taken over to the aftermarket Carbon Fibre pieces which are currently on the bike.

Coming Soon -2018 Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer

Arriving soon into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this absolutely beautiful 2018 Ducati Scrambler 800 Cafe Racer.

The modern motorcycle will come in for the team to inspect and assess the bike before it is put into use daily by a member of the team.

Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for updates on the 2018 Ducati Scrambler 800 Cafe Racer.

Behind the Scenes – Photoshoot with Bike Like a Mum and the FB Mondial 300

For our latest Bridge Classic Cars Competitions offering, we have teamed up with local motorcycle enthusiast and vlogger – Bike Like a Mum.

Karina has been a friend of Bridge Classic Cars for quite a while and this was the perfect project to team up together for. The 2021 FB Mondial is that project.

It’s a retro-inspired sports bike that is low, comfortable and its 249cc engine gives enough power and grunt to be perfectly useable for either fun or for commuting. Karina’s story into motorcycling begins with her connection to several family members who had been involved in motorcycling throughout her life. As time went on, Karina decided it was time to get involved.

She went out and passed her CBT and bought her first motorcycle, a 125cc commuter which she has ridden all the way to Wales! So, she was the first person we called to try out the FB Mondial outside of the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions team.

So, on a sunny winter’s morning, the whole team and Karina got together at our secure storage facility The Hangar. The plan was to shoot videos for both the latest Bridge Classic Cars Competitions offering, the 2021 FB Mondial and for Karinas series of videos across her social media channels under the name Bike Like a Mum.

Back From Rebuild – The Carburettors for the 1977 Honda GL1000 Goldwing

The carburettors for Gordon, our directors, 1977 Honda GL1000 Goldwing are back from blasting and have been freshly rebuilt.

These are over at Chris Self Motorcycles with the rest of the bike being restored and rebuilt back to its original condition. The carburettors on the Goldwing are crucial for the 1000cc horizontally opposed 4 cylinder so they have been completely gone through by Chris Self to make sure there is no residual dirt anywhere within the carburettors.

If you like classic motorcycle restorations, keep an eye on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on the 1977 Honda GL1000 Goldwing.

Francis Barnetts PDI

Mauro is carrying out a thorough Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) on our classic bike before it makes its way down to the south coast to winner, Mike Parsons tomorrow. We do thorough PDI’s on all our competition vehicles to make sure they’re running perfectly before they meet their new owners.

Francis Barnett Up And Running

Our 1953 Francis Barnett Rigid Body Trials motorbike was having some issues starting, so we had John take a look who quickly diagnosed the issue as dirt and debris getting caught in the carburettor.

New In: Francis Barnett

This 1953 Francis Barnet Rigid Body motorbike was delivered to us yesterday. For those with keen ears, you may have heard Craig mention an upcoming bike to the competitions. Stay tuned to find out where this bike is heading.

Although Craig managed to briefly start it up, it needs some attention to get it running smoothly. It currently has ten-year-old fuel sat in the tank that needs replacing and the electrics need a small amount of re-wiring. Other than these small amends, it’s good to go!

Bike Spotting

Here at Bridge Classic Cars, we love anything with a motor and wheels. We’re lucky to have friends that share that love and have their own stunning machines. Two friends of Craig’s own these bikes seen below and we couldn’t help but share them with our followers.

Arriving soon: 1953 Francis Barnett, 1962 BMW Isetta, 2000 BMW Z3 3.0

We are very excited to reveal 3 incredible machines arriving in our workshops very soon.

First up we have our beautiful 1953 Francis Barnett Rigid Trials bike. A perfect addition to the Hangar to sit beside our 1961 Francis Barnett Trials 85. The current owner has kindly taken some photographs of the bike prior to us taking ownership…just to keep us excited!

We are planning to collect later this week so we will have more images to share with you very soon.

A very rare find is our 1962 BMW Isetta ‘Bubble Car’. Purchased some time ago for a family member the car was very rarely used by the current owner and therefore has been offered to Bridge Classic Cars to find a new home.

And our 2000 BMW Z3 3.0 Widebody. A fantastic colour combination of Silver with two-tone red and black leather interior. The car has covered just 27,000 miles from new and it’s one to enjoy now knowing that it will be future collectible. Prices of the Z3 are already starting to rise and the desirable 3.0 litre engine is no doubt one to keep hold of for as long as you can.

Honda Goldwing Coming Soon

We’re welcoming this lovely Honda Goldwing GL1000 as part of our own collection, however, it will be sent to JAL Restorations for a freshen up. Stay tuned to follow this Goldwing’s restoration journey.

Seat Arrives for our Cafe Racer Motorcycle Project

Our 1984 Suzuki GSX 400 T is being treated to a new seat as part of the Cafe Racer restoration. Originaly made for Triumph, the badge will be replaced when it’s fitted to our Suzuki.

Lots more for Paul to get his teeth stuck into on this exciting project in the new year.

Project Cafe Racer

The exciting Suzuki GSX 400T Cafe Racer project continues! We’ve stripped down the bike and are assessing which parts will be modified, which parts will be replaced and which parts will be surplus to requirements. We’ve had the engine running again and it looks to be in fairly good condition. Most of the work required on the bike will be cosmetic to fit it’s new, tougher Cafe Racer look. The next steps will see Paul, our motorcycle expert at Bridge Classic Cars Refurbishing parts that will be re-installed onto the motorcycle.