Geoffs Classic Bikes

Music: Moody Blues, ELO, Paul Carrick, Peter Cox, Lisa Stansfield and much more.

Started riding bikes at the age of thirteen on land at the back of a friend’s house.

First bike was a Honda S50, which I bought when I was 16 in 1968. Within a year I bought a YL1 100 Twin. One of which was sold at Bonham’s in 2007 for over £3,000. Wish I’d kept that bike.

Moved to Hereford in ‘67. Went everywhere on my bike. In those days it was the only mode of transport so we rode all year round in all weathers. Friday & Saturday night was a pub crawl from Hereford across the borders into Wales and back. If anyone remembers me please get in touch.

I then moved onto cars and bought a Moggy Minor. I didn’t have another bike until '76.

First saw the Honda CBX 1000 at IoM TTs in '78 where the marshalls were using them round the course. In those days they cost £2,400 and I just couldn’t afford it. With a mortgage and family to support I had to beg, steal or borrow to get my hands on a motorbike.

Here's a list of just a few of the bikes I’ve owned over the years….so far….

CBX 1000 (several)

CBX 1000 Prolink

CB 900

CB 1100R

Kawasaki 750 Triple (‘the widow maker’)

Kawasaki 750 Turbo

TL 1000 S

RG 500 (the guided missile’) x 4

Ducati 900 SS (early belt driven cams)

Hailwood Ducati

1100 XS Yamaha

GS 1000

750 kettles (1/2 dozen)

380 Suzuki’s (several)

Kawasaki GPZ 900

December 1983

On 27^th December 1983 a fairly major accident put pay to my biking days for a while, when a car pulled out of a lane on my left, to turn right, straight across in front of me. He didn’t see me! The only place for me to go was in the side of the car and over the top.

It destroyed my 350 LC and put me off riding bikes for 8 years. Smashed right femur, right ankle and both wrists. In hospital for 3 months, off work for a year.

The company I was with at the time, provided me with a car to get me mobile and back into work on the odd day. As I couldn’t use my right leg, the car (an automatic) was specially adapted for me with the accelerator peddle being moved over to the left. Okay when you got used to it. Not okay for my friend Martin who went to move the car for me one day!

After numerous visits to hospital to manipulate my knee, the NHC gave up and signed me off with walking sticks and a disabled badge for the car. They said I would never walk properly again and this was as good as it was going to get. I DON’T THINK SO!

Angie was a member of a local gym and had a word with the instructor there. Working with Kevin on a one-to-one basis I became hooked. I wouldn’t be where I am now, doing what I do, had it not been for Kevin. No sticks and no disabled badge.

The accident has left me with one leg an inch shorter than the other and my foot turned out at a rather odd angle. My party trick is to cross my right leg over my left and turn it 180 degrees behind me.

As I wasn’t able to ride bikes, I needed to find a substitute for the grin factor so in 1988 I went out and bought a Caterham 7. Close. I had some fun in that but you can’t beat two wheels.

In 1991 a GT 750 kettle came up for sale which needed some work. Once I’d finished the project, the only way to test the bike was to get back on. I was terrified! I didn’t want to try it out with the neighbours or even Angie around. Just in case I bottled out. But I didn’t and the grin was back.

I’d always wanted a Honda 6 and that was when the love affair started. My first CBX was bought in Worcester. A silver one owned by the father of a friend of ours (Adam Woodall – killed a few years ago at the Manx TT). I then bought a red CBX for around £800 as a non-runner. The silver was the nicer bike so I swopped the bodywork, kept the red for myself, and sold the ‘silver’ CBX within 24 hours, making a nice profit.

Silver CBX

Macau 2006

In November 2006, a friend of ours, Ian Foster, emailed from Hong Kong inviting us to the Macau 40^th Motorcycle Anniversary Grand Prix. 10 days after moving house we shot over and had an amasing 5 days. Exhausting but the chance of a life-time to ride in the parade laps with Ron Haslam, Mick Grant, Kevin Schwantz, Didier de Radigues, Peter Rabato, Michael Rutter, John McGuinness, Steve Plater, some of the greatest names in motorbike racing.

On the grid at Macau, waiting for the ‘off’ on a Honda CR 750, circa 1970.

Angie with 'Rocket Ron' and Michael Rutter signing a leg

Geoff’s Classic Bikes

In 2007 I decided to turn a hobby into a business and in August 2007 handed in my notice with the day job. 1^st September 2007 was the start of Geoff’s Classic Bikes. Turning a dream into reality. It was made possible by moving out of Stratford to the country where I now have a workshop and a separate garage to house the bikes. Perfect timing, as we down-sized on the house (sorry Ang), the kids had left home and the mortgage was paid off. No excuses!

Classic bikes are my passion, particularly big 6’s. Concentrating mainly on Japanese and Italian. Only because fewer were made …unlike British bikes.

I’m buying and selling bikes and parts from all over the world. One purchase took me to Italy to buy a CB1100R. Otherwise, you name it, I do it…. complete restoration, repairs, maintenance and servicing.

I also have experience in building one-off ‘specials’ should you want something a little bit different. The donor bike on previous projects has, of course, been a CBX 1000.

My contacts are growing within the motorbike business to include shot blasting & powder coating, chroming, paintwork and upholstery.

No job too big or too small.

If you’ve anything interesting to sell let me know.

If there’s anything you’re looking for, I will try to find it.

If you're 'Out and About' drop in for a chat and a coffee

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