Go Sport Blog

In 1982 Ozzy Osborn bit the head off a bat while Billy-Boy Bird first laid eyes on a Spondon. He made his dad chase the bike through the city center to get a better look at it; the poor guy on the bike must have thought they were the police because he accelerated out of sight. That is the precise moment Billy-Boy fell in love with Spondon frames.

While trawling through eBay he came across a big tube Spondon rolling chassis, and immediately made it his.

He then acquired a freshly built Bandit engine with a Wiseco 1216cc big bore kit and GSX-R1100 cams to fill the frame.

The expensive Spondon aluminum tank looked too tall for the bike so it was put on the shelf and replaced with an R1 tank. Billy-Boy then hinged the tank to the frame to give access to the huge void where the airbox normally sits on the R1-this area now contains the CDI, battery and all of the electrics.

Wheels and brake calipers came from a Hayabusa, forks are TL1000 units with hlins internals and the top triple is modified the usual way for risers and Renthals.

Billy-Boy's hard work has paid off, and he's finally captured his boyhood dream: "It's very complicated making something look simple, and I wanted to make the bike look as minimalistic as possible. I think I've succeeded and finally got the bike I always dreamed of.

It rides better than it looks and is the best bike I've ever owned. It was a long time coming-but well worth the wait!"

Buyer's BoxSpondon Bandit 1216Front End: Suzuki TL1000 forks with hlins internals, Hayabusa wheel and calipers, Braking rotors, Goodridge lines and levers, Renthal bars

Rear End: Spondon swingarm, hlins shock, Hayabusa wheel, Braking rotor

Engine: Bandit 1216cc Wiseco big bore kit, GSX-R1100 cams, Goodridge hoses, Dynojet kit, custom exhaust system, Translogic quickshifter

Bodywork: Yamaha R1 fuel tank and front fender

Owner: Billy Bird, Skipton, UK