Custom
Herald has been customising motorcycles for many years and our projects have been showcased at events such as Bike Shed, Dirtquake, and the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, as well as featured in Built and Back Street Hero’s magazine. Have a look at our Custom’s through the years and draw some inspiration of the many ways in which you can customise yours. We receive lots of requests for help and advice from customer’s wanting to customise their Herald. It’s one of the great things about our bikes – the ability to add a unique personal touch. Whether it’s as simple as adding a different seat, handlebar grips, headlight, or a full customisation and respray, we have a range of parts in stock and available to purchase via our website, and we have opened access to our in-house spray shop enabling you to commission your own custom paintwork.
ANARCHY
The Brief: Create the first Herald custom 400 to display at Bike Shed 2019.
Customisations: Upgraded seat, wheels, mudguard, headlight, rear light and exhaust. Custom paint, Michelin Anakee Wild tyres and Racetek shocks.
The rusted tank effect was achieved by sanding down the metal and allowing the first stages of corrosion to take place. This was then halted by applying a lacquer to the top.
SPECS
| Weight (Dry) | 165kg |
| Engine | Single four-stroke |
| Displacement | 397cc |
| Max Power | 27bhp |
| Transmission | 5 speed manual |
| Fuel Tank | 12L |
WHITE LINE
Bike Base: Phantom 250
The Brief: As the Herald Phantom was only available in matt black the challenge was to reverse this and create a completely white bike ready to showcase at Bike Shed 2018.
Customisations: Clocks, z-bar handlebars, white Biltwell grips, switchgear, air filter, rear light set up (side mounted license plate instead of centre), seat (white with black stitching), exhaust and paintwork.
SPECS
| Weight (Dry) | 120kg |
| Engine | Single four-stroke |
| Displacement | 250cc |
| Max Power | 18.1bhp |
| Transmission | 5 speed manual |
| Fuel Tank | 9L |
CUSTOM CAFÉ
Bike Base: Café 250, Euro 3
The Brief: To design a Café’ bike with a retro look to display at Bike Shed 2017.
Customisations: Seat, shocks, wheels, Racetek rear sets, exhaust, tank, yokes, cockpit fairing, red and white paintwork.
BABY BAYLISS
Bike Base: Classic 250, Euro 3
The Brief: This was the first Herald custom to be showcased at Bike Shed in 2016. The aim was to demonstrate that it’s possible to customise a bike without spending a fortune.
Customisations: The Classic 250’s retro looks were modified to achieve a flat tracker style inspired by motorcycle racer Troy Bayliss, whose signature and race number (#21) feature on the tail piece. This influence also led to the distinctive yellow and white colour scheme reflecting the bikes he has raced.
Other customisations included a slimline tank, tan single seat, up-swept exhaust, lights, braided brake hoses and Dunlop K70 tyres on over-sized wheels.
SPECS
| Engine | Single four-stroke |
| Displacement | 249cc |
| Max Power | 21bhp |
| Transmission | 5 speed manual |
| Fuel Tank | 12L |
THE WALL OF DEATH
The Wall of Death features at numerous motorcycling, motoring and music festivals throughout the UK so look out for our Heralds riding the wall!
The Brief: In 2016, Herald and extreme rider Luke Fox teamed up to support his incredible Wall of Death show by customising three 250cc Classic bikes to use in his roadshow.
Customisations: The 250s were resprayed in striking red, white and blue liveries. The headlights were removed and a switchboard added to the front displaying the numbers 1, 2 and 3. The front brakes were taken off and bars were added to the rear eliminating the suspension. The bikes were also fitted with custom pipes.
For the second and third seasons, strip lights were added to the front of the boards for added impact during the shows and the exhaust, which was custom made by Herald, was changed to a side swipe and adapted to provide a louder roar! The bikes were also resprayed in silver with tan seats added.
SPECS
| Weight (Dry) | 120kg |
| Engine | Single four-stroke |
| Displacement | 249cc |
| Max Power | 21bhp |
| Transmission | 5 speed manual |
| Top Speed | 85 mph |
| Fuel Tank | 12L |
Collaboration
ROCK BOTTOM
Bike Base: Cafe 250, Euro 3
The Brief: Collaboration with Bod’s Custom Cycles. Herald supplied a Café 250 which Bod’s customised to create a land speed record bike with the aim of racing at Pendine Sands.
Customisations: As the bike would be racing in the special frame/production engine/250cc category, the only modifications permitted to the engine were to fit a different exhaust (custom made by Bod’s) and air filter. The frame is a one-off single down tube with fuel in the top tube from ValeSpeed Motorcycles. Other customisations include: 17” spoked wheels, Avon Road rider tyres, no front brake, Sickboyz brass filler cap and modified wiring loom.
“Being designed for land speed records rather than road meant that there was quite a lot of stuff I could leave off, like the front brake…a seat. With no headlight, taillight or indicators, I could cut back on wiring and so produced the most minimal loom possible”
Simon Boden, Bod’s Custom Cycles
This special-build 250cc was used to set a new land speed record reaching a top speed of 83.3mph from a standing start on the 1.5 mile course at Pendine Sands.
PROJECT HERALD
The Brief: Collaboration with Back Street Heroes (BSH). Herald supplied a Classic 250 in green and the aim was for BSH to customise it on a budget.
Customisations: Continental TXC80 tyres, front mudguard removed, stock headlight and clock replaced with number board and LED lamps.
During 2016 a series of articles were published in Back Street Heroes magazine featuring the customisation project. Once complete BSH and Herald Motor Co. donated the bike to the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD), who ran a prize draw to raise much-needed funds for the charity. The draw took place at Motorcycle Live with the bike exhibited in the Extreme Customs section of the BSH stand. £9,450 was raised – the most successful prize draw result in the 27-year history of the NABD! This money was used to help people with disabilities to have motorcycles, trikes, sidecar-outfits or quads adapted to suit their needs.
ROUGH CUT
Bike Base: Classic 250, Euro 3
Brief: To be as wild as possible!
Customisations: Handmade long high-swept exhaust, front and
back end, seat unit, scrolled metal mudguard, 1m long handlebars
with t-bar ends, tyres, wheels, forks, rear swing arm, headlamp,
Biltwell grips, paint, braided brake hoses, rear shocks.
SPECS
| Weight (Dry) | 130kg |
| Engine | Single four-stroke |
| Displacement | 249cc |
| Max Power | 21bhp |
| Transmission | 5 speed manual |
| Fuel Tank | 12L |
To avoid invalidating your warranty, customisations should be carried out by an approved Herald Dealer using Herald Parts.