5Four Motorcycles
Guy's Q and A
Guy’s Q & A
Guy’s Q & A…
You have always loved motorcycles, haven’t you?
My passion for motorcycles started as far back as I can remember. I used to save up all my pocket money to buy motorcycle magazines of the day, such as Bike Magazine and Superbike Magazine, which I avidly consumed from cover to cover, longing to have my own superbike.
Is it true you sectioned a motorcycle engine as a young boy?
The first project I remember doing was when I was 11 – I sectioned a Honda 50 engine I had obtained from a breaker’s yard using not much more than basic hand tools, a hacksaw blade and hand files. I was inspired to do this having seen a sectioned Vincent engine in a museum.
When I was about 14, I started making field bikes for myself and my mates out of anything I could blag that was lying around, broken down and unused in friends’ parents’ garages. These ranged from old BSA Bantams to a Motobecane shopping moped. The sense of fun and freedom these gave is a feeling that has stayed with me to this day.
What was the first motorcycle you bought?
The first machine I owned was a second hand Gilera 50 Enduro which I bought from a friend. I duly blew that up and bought a brand-new blue Yamaha FS1E. Even though it was a moped, I took my test on it so I could take friends on the back legally.
Soon after my 17th birthday I passed my full motorcycle test by borrowing my friend Simon’s RD200 for the day. The first time I rode a proper motorcycle on the road was actually on the way to the test centre in Henley. I duly passed and went straight out and bought a Honda 550 four K3 off my friend Charlie.
Why the name 5Four?
When I was 18, I moved to London and started despatch riding on my Honda and clocked up 125,000 miles in my first year. It was fantastic, I loved riding a motorcycle all day, every day in all weathers, flat out with no regard for self-preservation. I eventually covered over a million miles in total and the reason I called the company 5Four was because it was my despatch riding call sign.
You like the stripped down look on your designs?
Our mantra at 5 Four is “If it doesn’t look great and make the motorcycle go faster it isn’t going on the machine”. My love of stripped-down Street motorcycles stems from my time as dispatch rider. I spent every penny I had on building stripped down Street motorcycles.
You motorcycle career has taken many twists and turns?
I studied motorcycle engineering at Merton Technical College. I then did various stints in the motorcycle world. I was a despatch rider again for a while, I set up my own workshop servicing despatch riders’ bikes in a railway arch in Hammersmith, I worked in a Honda dealership in Ruislip and I worked for a company in Banbury tuning and redesigning the motorcycles they imported from America.
There was a stint in the music business too?
I linked up with my lifelong friend Henry Cole and trained as a sound recordist. After a couple of years, I went freelance working in the music industry with a large number of big rock bands. Throughout this period, I continued to build special motorcycles though!
My passion for motorcycles started as far back as I can remember. I used to save up all my pocket money to buy motorcycle magazines of the day, such as Bike Magazine and Superbike Magazine, which I avidly consumed from cover to cover, longing to have my own superbike.
Is it true you sectioned a motorcycle engine as a young boy?
The first project I remember doing was when I was 11 – I sectioned a Honda 50 engine I had obtained from a breaker’s yard using not much more than basic hand tools, a hacksaw blade and hand files. I was inspired to do this having seen a sectioned Vincent engine in a museum.
When I was about 14, I started making field bikes for myself and my mates out of anything I could blag that was lying around, broken down and unused in friends’ parents’ garages. These ranged from old BSA Bantams to a Motobecane shopping moped. The sense of fun and freedom these gave is a feeling that has stayed with me to this day.
What was the first motorcycle you bought?
The first machine I owned was a second hand Gilera 50 Enduro which I bought from a friend. I duly blew that up and bought a brand-new blue Yamaha FS1E. Even though it was a moped, I took my test on it so I could take friends on the back legally.
Soon after my 17th birthday I passed my full motorcycle test by borrowing my friend Simon’s RD200 for the day. The first time I rode a proper motorcycle on the road was actually on the way to the test centre in Henley. I duly passed and went straight out and bought a Honda 550 four K3 off my friend Charlie.
Why the name 5Four?
When I was 18, I moved to London and started despatch riding on my Honda and clocked up 125,000 miles in my first year. It was fantastic, I loved riding a motorcycle all day, every day in all weathers, flat out with no regard for self-preservation. I eventually covered over a million miles in total and the reason I called the company 5Four was because it was my despatch riding call sign.
You like the stripped down look on your designs?
Our mantra at 5 Four is “If it doesn’t look great and make the motorcycle go faster it isn’t going on the machine”. My love of stripped-down Street motorcycles stems from my time as dispatch rider. I spent every penny I had on building stripped down Street motorcycles.
You motorcycle career has taken many twists and turns?
I studied motorcycle engineering at Merton Technical College. I then did various stints in the motorcycle world. I was a despatch rider again for a while, I set up my own workshop servicing despatch riders’ bikes in a railway arch in Hammersmith, I worked in a Honda dealership in Ruislip and I worked for a company in Banbury tuning and redesigning the motorcycles they imported from America.
There was a stint in the music business too?
I linked up with my lifelong friend Henry Cole and trained as a sound recordist. After a couple of years, I went freelance working in the music industry with a large number of big rock bands. Throughout this period, I continued to build special motorcycles though!
After many years in the rock and roll business as a freelancer, I teamed up with Henry again to create Gladstone Motorcycles. I designed and built the Gladstone No1 and hand built a production run of 9 in a shed. I also designed and built the Gladstone Red Beard in collaboration with Sam Lovegrove, which holds a British land speed record for a vintage 350cc.
I then redesigned the Norton Commando and turned it into the Norton Commando 961 Street. It sold out on my birthday last year in less than a week and before it was officially launched. This was the realisation of a dream I had since the age of 11 - to see one of my designs in production.
That dream continues with 5Four Motorcycles. We will be building a series of limited production motorcycles in partnership with old friends and manufacturers.
Watch this space!
Watch this space!
5Four Motorcycles Ltd.
39 Staploe, St. Neots,Cambridgeshire
PE19 5JA
PE19 5JA
© 2022 5Four Motorcycles Ltd. – Website by
Chris Witham