Inspiration – Jack Hough
MY NAME IS JACK HOUGH. I’M 76 AND HAVE been around bikes since I was a toddler; that’s me on Don Houghton’s speedway bike. He rode for Norwich Vikings in the 1940s, one of the top teams, and my father was his mechanic. Since then, I have been building specials for more than 60 years.
My father loved bikes and cars. His big interest was in Bentleys, which were old even back then – you could find Bentleys in scrapyards. Parts were cheap for most machines; BSA and Norton frames fetched £5 to £10, with forks and swinging arm fitted, of course. BSA, Norton and Triumph engines cost about £5, but you would have to remove them from the frame.
Dad bought my first bike when I was 14 and it came from a scrapyard! It was a BSA 650 Gold Flash plunger, and in a bit of a state. After a while, we got it ready for sale. I remember the day well – Dad decided to give it a last road test (his words) and after 20 minutes he staggered up the drive pushing the BSA, blood all down his face (no crash helmet), and his arm and hand were in a mess. I took one look and said: “What have you done to my bike?!”
Once sold, it gave me
