Baloo, owner of this fine traditional GS750 chop, is a proud member of the Puritans MCC from up in the wilds of West Yorkshire where men are men, sheep are sheep, and bikes are frequently black. Indeed Ian Basset, an old friend of mine and one of the first serious bike customisers to grace these parts, once remarked that paint is what a Yorkshireman puts on his bike to stop it going rusty. Not so Baloo, who takes his paint jobs much more seriously. The irridescent red finish on this bike glows and shimmers in the sun in a way the photographs can only hint at, and sets off the chrome and polished alloy of the engine and that oh-so-tasty hand carved leather seat to perfection. The finish is actually the result of an advanced plastic coating process perfected by LSN Powder Coatings of Castleford, who are also responsible for the colour details on the engine and carbs.

Baloo aquired this bike in rather a sad state. Already chopped, and rumoured to have been a feature bike in an early edition of BSH, the bike had deteriorated to the state of rusty tea chest contents when he managed to pick it up for a song. Realising the potential in the pile of bits, he got stuck in (as us Yorkshire folk do) and restored the bike to the gleaming beauty you see before you which, incidentally, is his first attempt at building a chop.

The origins of some of the bikes key parts have been lost in the mists of time, but the frame definitely started life as an Uncle Bunt multi-rigid which is now topped with a single cap Mustang tank. Evidence of some very skilled engineering is apparent all around the bike; my eye was drawn to the elegantly shaped electrics box, and engineering detail work like the chainguard which has obviously been well thought out. That wonderful hand carved leather seat is the product of Sid from the Rattlers MC. Baloo says its not quite as comfortable as the seat on his stocker GPZ1000RX, but it sure looks a whole lot better.

Baloo doesn't know the origins of the front end, but those girder forks look suspiciously similar to the ones we used to make at B&I Engineering in Huddersfield. Can't be sure, but it's possible that I might have even made them up myself when my beard was still black with youth. In which case it's especially gratifying to see them all these years later propping up the front of such a smart looking bike.

The Puritans MCC are a pretty tight and sorted bunch, and Baloo empahisised how much the rest of the club had helped him get this bike on the road and given him the support and encouragement to get through those long dark winter nights when a project bike feels like it's never going to be finished. It was worth all the effort, as you'll no doubt agree when you see the bike at shows up and down the country this summer.

Thanks also to LSN Coatings of Castleford (01977 604461), Sid from the Rattlers, T.B. Motorcycles for wheel building, M&G Metal Polishing, Phil Hill for sorting the electrics, and Baloo's lady Josie for being wonderful. Nice one.

Dr.Rod.