home brew!

A last-minute purchase changes the fortunes of Project GSX-R10/11/12, shortly before its big test. Former stunt rider and tester Martin ‘Wild’ Child tells all.

The more you see, the more you find. And then buy. That’s a pretty good adage for anyone building their own project bike. What starts out as a slight interest in a particular model quickly turns into desire, and then borders on obsession as you realise that all your saved searches have the model name of your project in them.

So there I am, casually scrolling through the free ads that have popped up on my phone, when another Bandit 1200 looks like it needs a new home. Those that have been following my build (it kicked off in the July 2018 issue) will know that I’d already ‘re-housed’ a 1996 Bandit 12. Maybe they’re like dogs, in that they play better when there are two of them…

It’s cheap and not too nasty, my ‘new’ 2003 Bandit – yup, of course I bought it. Deal done at $400 (£220). I’ve had more expensive nights out than that.

To read more of Martin’s article, check out the May issue of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics, available NOW!