The tenth running of the Malle Mile is in the books, and from what we’ve heard, it was one for the ages. Scores of motorcycle nuts descended upon the regal grounds of Grimsthorpe Estate for a weekend of dust, gasoline, and grins.
In between the chaos, a curated selection of custom, vintage, and rare motorcycles lined the courtyard of Grimsthorpe Castle, as part of the first official Malle Mile Custom Build Challenge. Prizes were awarded in various categories on the day, barring one—the Bike EXIF People’s Choice. And that’s where you come in.
We’ve narrowed the selection down to just 10 machines, listed below in no particular order. Peruse these fine machines at your leisure—but when you’re done, sound off in the comments with your favorites.
Once we’ve scrubbed the comments section, polled our social media channels, and argued amongst ourselves, we’ll announce the official Malle Mile Custom Build Challenge Bike EXIF People’s Choice winner.
Andrew Stevens’ 1923 AJS Model D Even though Andrew J. Steven’s AJS Model D is 100 years old, it still knows how to party. Built in 1923, the bike has never been restored and rocked up to the Malle Rally exactly like this—100 year-old patina and all.
The AJS Model D went through a few iterations both before and after WWI, with the 50-degree V-twin engine starting at 648 cc and producing a mind-bending 6 hp.
Andrew’s Model D is a later, post-WWI version of the bike, so it has a longer tank and updated seat, and the power (back in 1923) was raised to 7 hp.
Andrew says his Model D plods along at a comfortable 40 mph on the King’s Highway, which is plenty fast enough for Sunday cruises when you look this cool.
Simon Warren’s Norton Manx The Norton Manx was built as a factory race bike by the English firm to win the Isle of Man TT. Continuing where the Norton International left off, the Manx had the double overhead cam engine running smoothly (for a Norton anyway), with the famous Norton featherbed frame emerging slightly later. Unlike the International, the new Manx had telescopic forks and twin leading shoe front brakes, and was shorter and lighter than the previous model.
The bike you see here is a wonderful example of a Norton Manx 500 Classic TT bike. The single cylinder is hidden away behind a gorgeous fairing, finished in British Racing Green. The front and rear fenders sport the Union Jack and a high-mounted exhaust keeps the hot air flowing out the back of the bike.
Everything, right down to the last nut and bolt, looks brand new. And with updated disc brakes and a Mikuni carb, we bet it goes (and stops) well too.
Sebastian Miller’s Triumph Bonneville T120 scrambler Ever wondered what the Triumph T120 would look like in scrambler trim? Sebastian Miller’s Triumph T120 Bonneville scrambler, built by Sam James at LIND Triumph in London, answers that question.
Sam started with a standard T120, and collaborated with talents such as Charlie Stockwell and Hitchcox Motorcycles, to bring this desert sled-inspired build to life. It features enclosed shocks that are longer than the OEM units, taller fenders, and dirt-friendly rubber. A beefed-up custom seat sits up top, with a headlight grill adding some classic Brit scrambler style.
Hitchcox saw to the fantastic-looking stainless steel shotgun pipes. The catalytic converter is gone too, which probably saves 20 lbs alone. Dubbed the ‘Grimsthorpe Growler (Sebastian and his family reside at Grimsthorpe Estate), the bike is featured here in classic hare scramble trim, with no turn signals, taillight, or mirrors.
Robert McLaurin’s Triumph TR6 SR This custom Triumph TR6 SR, owned by Robert McLaurin, was originally shipped to Johnson Motors—the same dealer who gave Bud Ekins his first Triumph. We don’t know the exact history of the bike, but it somehow made its way back to England, and now looks like a proper old-school desert racing bike.
In true desert sled style, the front fender is gone, as are the lights and gauges. The large tank can hold plenty of fuel, which is fed to the engine by a single carb.
Twin pipes snake their way down the sides of the bike, ending before the shortened rear fender. A generously padded solo seat sports hand-painted lettering on the back, in the same style as the Triumph tank logo and side cover artwork.
Kitted out with a Kenda sand rear tire and trials rubber up front, this scrambler is just begging to be thrashed down a dusty trail.
Cherry’s Company’s Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 sidecar rig This black and chrome masterpiece comes from the one and only Cherry’s Company from Tokyo, Japan. Starting with a new Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650, Kaichiroh Kurosu and the team at Cherry’s added a handmade sidecar to their creation, which was on display at the Malle Mile after wowing crowds at the Yokohama Hot Rod and Custom Show.
The leading link front forks were made by hand, as was the large headlight with its bespoke resin lens. The wider, taller front section and custom fuel tank make the new seat look lower, and the rear wheel was swapped out for a wider one, thanks to a new swingarm design.
The 19” rear wheel is a custom 60-spoke item that has a beautiful twin-brake setup. But where the rear wheel is complex, the 21-inch brakeless front wheel is beautifully simple.
Classic sidecar designs and (strangely) traditional Dutch wooden clogs inspired the stunningly gorgeous chair. The list of details is endless, but we particularly like the gold leaf touches and pin-striping.
Rowan Horncastle’s Royal Enfield Continental GT This is by far the most colorful of the Malle entrants. Royal Enfield’s in-house custom team partnered with Top Gear Magazine’s editor Rowan Horncastle to create this one-of-a-kind Royal Enfield Continental GT 650.
Inspired by Alexander Calder’s BMW 1975 3.0 CSL Le Mans car, an endurance-style fairing was added to the Enfield, which was then painted in the stunning livery you see here. Even the custom Tom Hurley seat was included in the brief.
The exhaust is from BAAK and the rear set footpegs are from Harris Performance. The pannier set is from Malle London themselves, with a set of Nitron shocks out back to smooth out the ride. The hubs were sent to Central Wheel Components for custom rims to be fitted to them, allowing the RE team to fit wider-section tires.
Who said sport-touring couldn’t be sexy?
Super73’s S2 King Kenny tribute Officially titled the ‘Super73 KR1 Yamaha YZR500 Tribute,’ this stunning yellow electric bike is a nod to legendary racer Kenny Roberts and his famous yellow speed block livery. Based on a Super73 S2, it was built by Daniel Lescot, Head of HALO Europe.
The traditional pedals on the Super73 were the first thing to be removed, to give the bike some motorcycle-centric styling. A short front fork was added and anodized in bronze, with a pair of clip-on bars slid into place. The top clamp and front number plate are both custom items and make for a racy aesthetic.
The wheels were painted gold and the brakes were upgraded with a host of Magura parts. The super funky tires are Maxxis Super Suckers and the short café-style seat was custom stitched in Alcantara.
It’s not the bike for a cross-country (or even cross-city) trip, but it would certainly be handy for ripping around a race paddock.
Dan Stone’s Yamaha MT-07 Dan Stone of Stibnite Moto has a particular penchant for the Yamaha CP2 engine. Found in the Yamaha MT-07, XSR700, and Ténére 700, it’s a compact, versatile, and extremely fun engine—so who can blame him?
For the 2024 season, Dan decided to build a stripped-down dirt bike-slash-flat tracker out of an MT-07.
Yamaha didn’t exactly design the MT-07 to be a dirt bike, but that’s where Dan’s extreme talent as a fabricator comes in. All that remains from the original bike is the engine, frame, and suspension, with Dan making everything else from scratch.
The subframe, seat, and tank cover are all custom, with a set of dirt bike wheels and tires thrown in for good measure. And the custom exhaust system is almost as loud as the paint scheme.
Kingston Custom’s BMW R18 Dirk Oehlerking and his shop, Kingston Custom, are no strangers to these pages. And if you’ve been reading Bike EXIF for a while, you’ll surely recognize this jaw-dropping dustbin-faired BMW R18.
If not, we’ll bring you up to speed. The R18 was originally commissioned by BMW Motorrad to commemorate their 100th anniversary. Dirk started with a brand new BMW R18 First Edition, crafting a dustbin fairing with a split grill inspired by classic BMW automotive designs.
The entirely bespoke fairing swoops down from the tank and encapsulates the front wheel. Finished in black with white pinstriping, the overall design is delightfully art deco. The saddle seat leads the eye down to the cleverly designed factory frame (that retains its suspension) and exposed shaft drive.
Unsurprisingly, Kingston’s R18 left the Malle Mile with the ‘Best in Show’ award. This means that Dirk will soon take delivery of a new Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 for his next custom build.
Dick Shepherd’s John Giles Triumph ISDT race bike John Giles was a legend of the off-road world. Born in Kent, England, he began his off-road riding career on a modified BSA. Some years later, he became a Triumph factory rider in 1952 (aboard a Triumph TR5 Trophy) and stayed with Triumph until the end of his professional career in 1970.
Competing in the International Six Days competition, he collected 11 gold medals in 18 years. Regarded as an all-rounder, John was just as good at hare scrambles as he was at trials. Incredibly for someone who rode trials and needed incredible depth perception, he amassed his accolades even though he only had sight in one eye.
Sadly, John passed away in 2023 at the age of 93, but his legacy (and bikes) live on. The beautiful blue Triumph you see here is one of his actual race bikes. The 21” front wheel, skinny trials rubber, and short fenders give away its intended purpose, as do the huge rear sprocket and small fuel tank.
Being an old race bike that was literally thrown around for most of its life, it’s been restored to a very high standard. It’s also part of the Dick Shepherd collection of Triumphs—which explains why it looks so pristine.
Malle London | Images by, and with thanks to, Shane Benson
