DESTINY RIDES AGAIN
‘Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.’ William Jennings Bryan
One of the many excellent things about doing this job is following people. I don’t mean in a stalking sort of way, for once. Stalking is such an ugly word. Accurate, but ugly. No, this is the sort of following which doesn’t involve sitting around outside houses, blonde wigs or nightscopes (not that I would know about that, m’lud), but the opportunity to watch new talent in the custom world develop and blossom.
I first met Vic Jefford around five years ago when he had built a GSX-R hardtail trike with a goosenecked frame and a sissybar. It sounds awful, doesn’t it? In the flesh it was one of the best trikes I have ever seen – this from someone who is hard to impress when it comes to three wheels – and provided the inspiration for my own, almost-mythical trike. ‘Hmm,’ I thought, ‘This gentleman is worth keeping an eye on’ and resolved to make the odd follow-up trip up to North Yorkshire. To be absolutely honest, having met Vic and his lady, Lin, I would still have made those trips to Yorkshire even if they had never built another bike. That’s another fine side to this job, the chance to make good friends, and Vic and Lin fell firmly into that category from the first meeting.
Fortunately, for the sake of custom motorcycling, Vic did build another bike, this time for Lin. She still has the green GSX featured in BSH199, and it still looks and runs as well as ever, despite being shown absolutely no mercy by its owner. Then there was the radical Triumph which won Best of Show at Rock & Blues 2000 (getting the biggest cheer I’ve ever heard at the show), and graced the cover of the two hundredth issue of BSH. You will get the impression by now that Mr Jefford is building himself a well-deserved reputation, a reputation based not simply on his obvious engineering skills, but also on his ability to turn his talents and imagination in very diverse directions. Each one of his bikes has been very different from the last, and the latest is no different. Bearing in mind that Vic’s last project was the Triumph, a motorcycle with an altitude-sickness front end and a rear end so fat
that the bike stood up by itself with no need for a sidestand, it would be difficult to guess what guise his next motorcycle would take. In fact, it wasn’t even worth trying to guess, as the next bike would differ so radically from the Triumph it would be hard to imagine the same person was behind it. Even when Vic and Lin gave me progress reports over the ‘phone I couldn’t quite envisage it, and eventually it completely surpassed any mental sketches I might have made.
After the Triumph, Vic decided to build something that was a little more rideable, and more suited to long journeys. He admits he built the Triumph as a style exercise, to see whether it could be done, and that it wasn’t a motorcycle for travelling any distance, something which he must have found constantly frustrating, especially watchingthe green taillights of Lin’s bike disappearing into the distance – again! So, with a fresh drawing pad, new pencils and a few winter evenings, the design process started for a new bike.
Vic had an idea of what he wanted. It would have Swedish influences but would be low, long and chunky. It was now a case of translating that idea onto paper; after a skipload of sketches the design was closer, and at that point Vic photocopied a pile of the design, bought an economy-size bottle of Tippex and spent several more evenings altering and refining the final sketch. He and Lin even cut bits of bikes out of magazines and stuck them together to work out the styling of the bike – they also cut out bits of riders too, but I am sworn to secrecy on that!
The final drawing was of a low bike with the requisite chunky frame, but also with a nod to drag bike styling – narrow at the front, wide at the rear, and long. It was time to start building.
The choice of engine was a foregone conclusion. Both Vic and Lin are very fond of Suzuki’s hooligan GSX and GSX-R motors – I put it down to a misbegotten youth racing sidecars. Vic acquired a GSX-R1100 engine from nearby Masham, where it had previously belonged to a chap called Paul and had been the driving force in a Harris. These streetfighter-type chaps being what they are, the engine had already gained its citizenship in the Kingdom of Sorted Outness. Vic and Lin seem to be lucky or shrewd (or both) at picking up decent motors; as I remember, the GSX-R engine in the trike had come from a sidecar racing background and was as trick as a member of the Magic Circle.
The frame was made up in 43mm CDS, which gives that huge, curvy shape, but must have been an absolute sod to work with, especially without several thousand pounds worth of bending equipment. Not having that sort of kit, Vic made a jig up (sounds easy when you say it fast doesn’t it?) on the farm where he works, and made the frame up when he could. While he was at it, Vic also fabricated the exhaust system, which is made in 2” tubing, tapering by half an inch at the headers.
For the front end, a pair of early GSX-R750 forks were pressed into service after suitable delugging and covering with small ally shrouds. Vic dug out the sketch pad and drew up the design for the yokes which were then CNC milled by Gary. The front wheel is Harley-Davidson, originally from a Sportster, and was purchased for the sum of a mere thirty five pounds from Rufforth Autojumble, an emporium which also supplied the TL1000 brake disc. Vic and Lin are regulars at Rufforth, striking fear into the hearts of hardened autojumblers with their ability to out-haggle, out-wait and out-stare traders.
Having made that wonderful frame, a set of handlebars was no problem, and to show them off and keep them uncluttered, Vic fitted an internal throttle, using parts from a Honda 50 as a donor. Perhaps it’s something to do with being a Yorkshireman, or living too close to the Whitby 77s who can make motorcycles out of fenceposts and potatoes, but Vic takes the um, ‘alternative’ approach to making parts for his motorcycles. He takes an enjoyment in taking odd materials and making what he needs out of them. For example, the rear mudguard; up on the farm Vic had noticed some piping which was used for blowing grain through. He reckoned that it must be useful for something else, and remembered it when he needed a mudguard. It was hardly an easy alternative to the traditional widebob or trailer ‘guard; to get the shape he wanted, Vic shaped a section of pipe, then cut v-shaped notches in the edge and reshaped it until he had what he wanted. It’s a principle more common in tailoring a suit than building a bike, but it worked. Altogether… ‘suits you sir!’.
The petrol tank was originally two tanks, a pair of quickbobs which had their centres cut out before being welded back together again. The battery and coils, along with the brake master cylinder, are all hidden under the tank, which surprisingly enough, still holds three gallons of fuel.
Lin bought the rear wheel spokes and rim as a present for Vic, but wisely didn’t volunteer to lace the spokes up to the Triumph hub. When spacers had to be made up, Vic made them up. When he needed a sprocket, Vic cut windows in a blank sprocket to match the brake discs. Like you do. There are countless touches on this bike which are easy to miss on first sight. For example, the gear lever. Vic moved the gear lever from the lefthand side to the right simply because he didn’t want to compromise on his design for the exhaust pipes. Let’s face it, most of us would have compromised...
The intention from the beginning of the project was to have it ready for Rock & Blues 2001, although that was a tight deadline. I didn’t dare ring Vic and Lin when I found that the show had been moved forward by a month, but somehow – albeit with some panic and late nights – the GSX-R was up and running in time to head down the M1 to Donington Park. Coming home, Vic’s luggage was a bit heavier due to his Best Engineering trophy, although I don't remember too many complaints.
As the bike had been designed for mileage, Vic decided to test that out by taking it to the Fantasy Bike Show in Sestao in Spain. He and Lin took both Suzukis and a tent, and rode all the way down and back without a single problem (I was witness to the bike’s one and only breakdown on the day we took photos – the spring on the sidestand came off!). In fact, their only problem was, once again, luggage, as Vic won Best of Show and Best Homemade Bike. Bearing in mind that Sestao attracts the cream of custom motorcycles from all over Europe, this is no faint praise.
For the last couple of years, Vic and Lin have had the name Destiny Cycles on their numberplates, which has led some people to assume that the bikes were ‘shop-built’, although, up until now, Destiny Cycles has only designated their own bikes. However, they have finally been convinced to set up their own business, and if anyone deserves to succeed, Vic does. Having written the very first published feature on Vic, and watched as other people have come to recognise his talents, I am delighted that his skills will be able to reach a wider audience. I look forward to continuing to watch, and raising a congratulatory glass, to whatever destiny may bring.
WORDS; Blue
PICTURES: Blue and Abacus
MAKE & MODEL:
1986 Suzuki GSX-R1052H.
ENGINE:
Standard Suzuki, gear lever moved from left to right using a jack-out plate. Converted from hydraulic to drive with a GSX-R750 clutch.
FRAME:
One-off Destiny Cycles frame in 43mm 3.4 CDS.
FRONT:
GSX-R750 delugged forks. Yokes designed by Vic and made by Gary. Harley front wheel with Akront rim and spokes and Suzuki TL1000 brake disc, Piaggio 50 brake cylinder, one-off ally mount. One-off handlebars with internal throttle.
REAR:
Central Wheels rim and spokes, laced to Triumph T140 hub, one-off spacers. 15” x 200 Metzeler. One-off mudguard made from agricultural piping.
STUFF:
Pair of quickbob tanks cut down and rewelded. Electrics under seat. Seat integral to frame and upholstered by Tony Archer.
PAINT & POLISHING:
All polishing by Vic. Levers chromed by Karl Russell Electroplating, Hull. White pearl paint with blue/purple flames.
THANKS TO:
Philip Chapman and family at PCP, Malton, for supplying tube and metal.