Royal Enfield Special Issue

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Hello Everybody,
Welcome to this special issue of Offbeat Bikes.
In this issue we look at just one bike. It’s an Enfield Bobber
built by Shed Built Custom Bikes Facebook group member,
Mick Webb. Mick diligently documented the build of this bike
on the group’s Facebook page, and I wanted to pull all the
posts together so that we could see how the bike evolved.
Looking through the posts,it was soon obvious what the
secret is to Mick’s successful project building - it’s simple, he
works very hard on them! From the project’s start on the 3 rd of
June 2017, with the purchase of the donor bike, to the last
posted picture of the finished bike at the start of April 2018,
barely a weekend went past without Mick making some
progress on the build and posting the outcome on Facebook.
And I didn’t realise just how many posts and pictures there
were until I started to collate them. There were over 70
Facebook posts and 300 plus pictures to look through!
I hope browsing through this may inspire you to get out into
the shed and work on your own projects. And reinforce the
belief that if you just keep working away, you will finish that
project - eventually…

3 rd June 2017
A new arrival to the
Webb household
signifies the start of
a new project.

10 th June
In short order, Mick
strips off the bodywork,
removes the motor and
starts eyeing up the
suspension in order to
alter the stance of the
bike.

17 th - 18 th June
Front end lowered. Motor temporarily goes back in so
that back end can be adjusted to provide the correct
stance. New style pine suspension struts may not catch
on!

24 th ,25 th and 26 th June

Swingarm needed to be cut and extended 70mm.
Steel slugs being turned on the lathe (left).
Top pic: Standard length swingarm.
Bottom pic: Extended swingarm.

1 st - 2 nd July
Swingarm slugs. First tacked in place,
then finish welded

Above: Frame de-lugged and
strengthening plate welded
across swingarm.
Below: Surplus frame lugs!
8 th July

15 th - 16 th July
Motor out again!
This time to be rebuilt.

Motor cleaned
and
disassembled.
22 nd - 23 rd July

13 th , 18 th - 20 th August
Casings cleaned, polished and back together.
First of many parts deliveries arrives.

2 nd - 3 rd September
Removing
powdercoat and
paint using paint
stripper and
scotch-brite wheel.
First coats of fresh
paint going on.

Remaining engine parts replaced, fettled, painted
and installed as required.

7 th - 10 th & 23 rd September

29 th - 30 th September
Dummy oil tank taking
shape.

Above: Swingarm brace shaped for clearance.
Lower mudguard lugs tacked in place.
Below: Rear mudguard in place.
1 st & 7 th October

8 th , 13 th & 21 st October
Top: Time for a seat! Cardboard template cut,
ready and waiting for steel to turn up.
Below: Seat base cut, formed and fitted.

22 nd October
Above: Number plate
bracket purchased from a
Twisted Iron autojumble.
Straight home to fab up a
mounting bracket!
Below: Started trimming
surplus off tank and
started battery tray
fabrication. Not sure
about rear light …
28 th October

3 rd - 5 th November
Clockwise from top left:
Parts for new rear light
turn up.
After bit of lathework and
head scratching,
new rear light mounted to
number plate.

Fork lowers polished.
Spacers made to
compensate for shorter
springs, and fork legs
back together with new
seals.
10 th - 12 th November

Above: Lots and lots of prep work and then
painting.
Below: Looks good so far – shame the wheels have
to come back off for re-spoking.
19 th , 23 rd - 25 th November

26 th November
Luckily sidestand has enough lean without altering.
Now to pull apart and paint brackets and foot rests.
3 rd December
Mudguard and
dummy oil tank
filled and prepped
for paint.

Exhaust wrapped, rear
mudguard, dummy oil
tank and rear light
fitted.
8 th - 10 th December

17 th December
Decided to shorten
sidestand after all …
22 nd December
and to paint, instead of
re-spoke, wheels.

28 th & 29 th December
Just back from Hitchcocks Motorcycles with
(hopefully) the last bits needed.
Seat upholstered and fitted.

Carb fettled
and fitted.
30 th & 31 st December
Starting to look
more and more
like a finished
bike.

1 st January 2018
Tappets done, primary cover
sprayed and fitted....
14 th January
Started on wiring...
Quick check to see
how bright brake
light was.

Wiring, wiring
and more
wiring!
27 th & 28 th January

10 th & 11 th February
…and yet more
wiring!

Successful
visit to
MOT test
centre.
10 th March
17 th February
Bike ran for
first time
today.
11 th , 13 th and 17 th March
Finally, the last piece of
the jigsaw.
Tank primed, painted and
decals added.

The finished bike. Great job by Mick, but then he
does have some previous form when it comes to bike
building. See below!