Rock & Blues '99

Gettin' There The annual pilgrimage to the Rock & Blues Custom Show, for a change the weather was amazing even as we left central Scotland the sun was doing it's level best to be a big hot burny thing ! Such was the optimism (i.e. there's nae chance that we're gettin' wet) we left the waterproofs behind along with the usual things that you forget and don't realise until yer a ways down the road.

Les's 1200 Bandit engined thingy, one off frame, T595 hin' end , ZX9R front end and a polished ally tank from the Tank Man in Dumfries, oooh it's luvverly Les finished building this at 2:30am on Thursday morning, we were leaving at 9am, the run was a good excuse for a shakedown run (eh ? 350 miles) that being the case, the only thing that parted company was the gear change knob and the lever, it spluttered a bit at 85 but raising the needles a notch has since fixed that. Well half two in the morning setting dynojet kits can be a bit tricky.

The Show as usual it was well organised although it didn't seem as big as last year, but then that's a judgement made through a haze of alcohol (hic) so probably completely wrong. There was the usual beer tent, shows(fairground rides), traders etc, this year there was the added Big Top which on Friday hosted the Circus of Horrors, we never made that as we were well gone by the time it started, on Saturday it hosted the Custom Show which as usual attacted

many high standard entries, most of the photies here are from the show, the one on the right is a Revolution (now defunct) FJ12 which was very nice indeed. Apologies that most of the photies are of FJ's, nothin' to to wi' the fact that it's wot I've got ya' know.

This FJ lowrider thingy had an interesting soft tail frame, it was featured a while ago in Back Street Heroes, the soft tail had the shock mounted at the top working in compression as opposed to the Harley method of slinging them under the motor and working in reverse. If anyone knows af a UK supplier for billet master cylinders for 7/8" bars with a hydraulic clutch please let me know.

This luvverly purple hard tailed Suzi caught my attention, beautifully finished and with crackin' lines.

Ok, a Kawasaki KH606, huh !, apparently two KH250 motors and a KH100 motor giving 606cc over seven, yes seven cylinders, I remember when owning a KH triple was indicated by a bit of string in yer garage which held numerous centre pistons which were in various states of meltdown. I think this guy might need a really long bit of string and a big garage.

Pink Gixser, well sorted with an "interesting" paint job, not my style but most appreciable.

Saw this one camped near us, a Suzi Bandit with an FJ1200 motor and USD front end, hmmmm, I'd say that Suzuki should do this to all Bandits but I'd only be saying that to wind Monty up (who thinks the sun shines out of their exhausts), it was up for sale for £1795, seemed like a reasonable price.

Stock XJR12 with a groovy paint job