Malle London describes their annual Malle Mile event as “a non-stop celebration of the speed, music and art of the motorcycle culture.” To see how that plays out, Bike EXIF will be hopping on a plane in just over a week to attend the 2022 edition of the Malle Mile.
Held at the breathtaking grounds of Grimsthorpe Castle in the UK, the four-day event’s biggest drawcard is its jam-packed roster of inappropriate racing. The Mile has everything from grass sprints to dirt track races; laid-back scrambles around the grounds, and even a hill climb. That’s scaffolded by live music, motorcycle film screenings and a host of exhibitions and attractions.
Bike EXIF will be hosting ‘The Art of Machine,’ a curated selection of customs that have graced our pages in the past, both from the UK and further abroad. To give you a taste, we’ve rounded up five of them below.
Grab your tickets here and make your way down to Grimsthorpe Castle from the 21st to the 24th of July to see these bikes, and more, in person… and to take in the joyous madness that is the Malle Mile.
Harley-Davidson flathead bobber by Bob’C Motorcycles We only recently discovered Slobodan Cirkovic’s work, but when we did, we were immediately impressed. And since the Croatian ex-pat lives in the UK, inviting him along to the Malle Mile was a no-brainer.
Slobodan will be bringing this gorgeous flathead along. A bike 14 years in the making, this bobber features a 1943 Harley-Davidson WLC motor, running with a shovelhead transmission and a Linkert carb.
Everything is wedged into a scratch-built hardtail frame, with the oil stored inside it. But the big win here is how perfectly proportioned, and skinny, this bobber is. The details are top notch too; a Brookes leather saddle, wood trim on the footboards, and countless brass details. [More]
BMW R100RT by 10 ’til 12 Ben Norton will be taking a break from his job as an F1 engineer to bring his supercharged BMW R100RT to the Mile. Not only is it one of the most heavily engineered boxer customs we’ve ever featured, but it’s also only Ben’s second build ever.
The bespoke supercharger setup isn’t the only performance mod here. This BMW’s sporting a 1,070cc Siebenrock kit, twin spark heads, a Setrab oil cooler and a whole whack of custom engine parts. (It doesn’t hurt that Ben has industry friends with CNC machines.)
Custom-made petrol and ethanol tanks hide under a carbon fiber tank cover, followed by a handmade subframe and seat. BMW S1000RR forks prop up the front, with a BMW R nineT swingarm and Ducati Panigale shock doing duty out back. Aggressive and purposeful, it’s one bike that we’re looking forward to seeing, and hearing, up close. [More]
Moto Guzzi 1100 Sport by Foundry We’re looking forward to seeing Tom Simpson’s metalworking skills up close at the mile—and they’re on full display on this svelte Moto Guzzi 1100 Sport.
Tom’s Guzzi features a modified Kawasaki H1 fuel tank, matched to a cast aluminum rear section that carries a custom seat. It’s an elegant design; the exhaust mufflers terminate via the finned section under the tail, while a pair of repurposed Honda taillights sit dead center.
The bike also has custom-made valve covers, and runs through a pair of Dell’Orto PHM40 carbs on modified intakes. The ride height’s been increased too, with a set of Biltwell Inc. bars offering an aggressive upright riding position. And while this Guzzi looks like it’s been painted black, it’s actually a very dark blue. [More]
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 by Rough Crafts Winston Yeh might be based halfway around the world, in Taiwan, but his creations are all over the globe. And luckily for us, one of his biggest hits is currently parked in London.
Sure, this custom Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 was built four years ago—but we’re big Rough Crafts fans, and couldn’t resist the opportunity to show it off. Winston was one of the first builders to get his hands on the then-new Continental GT, and immediately made the affordable 650 look like a million dollars.
The aggressively sculpted bodywork was made from fiberglass and carbon fiber, shaped over 3D-printed molds. The rear was converted to a mono-shock setup, with Öhlins suspension components at both ends. Finished in a signature Rough Crafts livery, this GT 650 looks both elegant and angry. [More]
BMW R18 by Kingston Custom Like Winston and the Continental GT 650, Dirk Oehlerking got his hands on the BMW R18 earlier than most other builders. And he set the bar extremely high.
Drawing on the designs of some of his previous classic BMW boxer builds, Dirk wrapped the R18 in a generous hand-formed fairing. Tasty details include a deep recess for the headlight, and a kidney grill that recalls the BMW 328.
Dirk left most of the bike alone underneath, so as not to mess too much with the R18’s reliability. But it’s neatly dressed with a classic black-and-white paint job, a slim seat, and a set of turned-out exhausts. Finished off with a finned wheel enclosure at the back, it’s the sort of art deco masterpiece that only Kingston Custom can deliver. [More]
Other workshops that’ll be in attendance include Baak Motocyclettes with their handsome ‘bathtub’ Triumph [above], and Bad Winners with their carbon-clad Royal Enfield sprint bike. Newcomers ASH Motorcycles will be there with their Triumph Thruxton street tracker, and Auto Fabrica will be debuting a new build.
Will you be joining us?
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