Two wheels

With interest growing, it is also inevitable that enthusiasts will want to look further into the heritage of the motorbike, which is as rich as that of the car, and want to involve themselves in a restoration project.

Of course, this requires expertise which, unlike the car, can be limited because of a lack of specialist engineers. But the opportunity to bring those bikes back to their former glory is being provided by Crawley Custom Classics, on the Crawley Mill industrial estate, a former blanket mill site beside the River Windrush.

The business was started 18 months ago by Andy Webb, now assisted by Bob Common, and it has quickly become a hive of industry.

Mr Webb said: "People bring bikes into the workshops that they have had stored away for some time. Most other businesses prefer to work on modern machines."

Both Mr Webb and Mr Common are themselves keen motorcyclists with a lifelong interest in the machines. Mr Webb owns two Harley-Davidsons and a Kawasaki, and Mr Common a Triumph.

They enjoyed careers in the motorcycle and car businesses, independently and for garages, before coming to Crawley.

The business also works on classic car restorations and a recent project was a 1936 Morgan three-wheeler, with an engine needing an overhaul.

The motorcycle work is not for older machines only and some customers have both a classic and another, newer, machine for regular road use.

"About 25 per cent of our work is on modern machines," said Mr Webb.

The business began as a supplier of parts, arising from Mr Webb's own motorcycle interest but the level of response soon led to the setting up of the workshops.

At any one time they may be working on half-a-dozen or more machines, involving everything from complete restorations and engine overhauls to routine maintenance.

Some may stay for 18 months or longer, depending on the work required.

Mr Webb added: "Some old bikes can be a bit of a challenge, but an interesting one. We can normally locate all the parts we want and use suppliers from all over Europe, particularly for the early bikes."

In the motorcycle world, anything earlier than 1980 is considered a classic. The value, however, depends more on rarity than age.

"A model may be only four years old, but if only a few were made it can still be worth a lot of money," said Mr Webb.

The oldest machines Crawley Custom Classics have worked on so far have been from the 1930s.

Mr Webb said: "No doubt we shall have older ones coming in as time goes on. Motorcycles have been around since before the turn of the 20th century."

Notably, Harley-Davidson reached its centenary, with many celebrations, in 2003. Among recent arrivals in the workshops have been a 1965 BSA A65, for an engine rebuild, a 1972 Harley Davidson FLH Shovelhead and a 1992 1200cc Harley Davidson Sportster, which is having a customised rebuild.

A bike which Mr Webb and Mr Common are restoring for themselves is a 1941 World War Two Harley-Davidson, while another eyecatching machine is a 1948 Vincent HRD.

Its owner had bequeathed it to his daughter and she took it into the workshops to be recommissioned. In September, it was taken to the Goodwood Revival Weekend, a major event in the calendar for classic vehicles.

It was driven around the circuit in an exhibition parade, with the aim of attracting potential buyers when the restoration is complete and it can once more take to the roads.

With customers coming from an increasingly wide area, Crawley Custom Classics is helping feed a growing industry with a bright future.