Donky

Ben Wilson has popped up a few times on the Sideburn blog. This is his first mass-produced bicycle. BP

Donky bike is a versatile load carrier designed to be ridden easily and safely with whatever you need to take with you. Cargo load is carried on the frame, not the handlebars, so the steering and handling remain light and balanced. The Donky is made with a tough steel frame equipped with simple low maintenance components.
The idea behind Donky bike was to create an affordable, practical bike which has a large load carrying capability. With great handling and steering, even at low speeds through traffic and when loaded with cargo. The idea was to build a bike that will last a lifetime, with durable components that can be added, repaired or replaced anywhere in the world, and is easy to build, ride and maintain. A bike for life, not landfill, a Donky bike is built to last.
The racks on the front and back are removable for storage, and in the future, Donky bike will offer further accessories which will be able to clip onto the frame. Compact strong and easy to ride.
Donky bike.com.

Invaders!

Ben Wilson (of the creative maelstrom that is the Wilson Brothers) got back in touch with the latest incarnation of his budget bobber. Looking good. G

It's Not What You Ride, But What Colour You Paint It

Ben Wilson zoomed by our Rye House practice session to say hello before going off to hospital to have some metal reinforcements taken out of his arm-elbow due to a skateboarding big air accident.
When his Honda Helix was still sporting it's original burgundy paint job, a kid came up to him in the street and rather than the usual come-on of "eh mate ow fast it go?" came the put-down "that looks like shite", so Ben decided there and then on a its new colour scheme. BP

Yellow Corn Muscle bike

Yellow Corn are a Japanese bike clothing company. Their stuff is as high-end as Kushitani, but emblazoned with random English phrases (see jacket below, shot supplied by Ben Wilson). Then I saw this project bike Yellow Corn built on an interesting Italian blog Framotors. I'm not sure about the chrome graphics, but the shot of the engine in that bare frame does it for me. Inspirational. G

Alternative Fuel

There's been a lot of hype in the motorcycling press about the TTXGP. But the only 'sustainable' energy (fuel) being considered as an alternative to the evils of petrol, is battery power. The electric bikes make a quiet Star Wars pod-racer whine, but don't tell me the batteries are made out of flour and yeast, or are even 1% biodegradable at the end of their working life.
Ben Wilson is an internationally acclaimed industrial designer. Together with the genetic scientist Dave The Roofer, he has developed the bio-mechanical XTSNOODLER HYBREED 4X4. It runs on a liquified mix of Pedigree Chum (39%), left-overs (21%); pizza or soggy Weetabix preferred, and water (40%). Snoodlers are bred domestically in Taiwan, the mechanical sections are assembled using 100% recycled parts. The noise it makes, is an intermittent but inoffensive 9Db "yap yap". The team are boycotting both the eGrandPrix and the notorious FIM backed e-Power world series in 2010, and will instead enter their true alternative fuel vehicle into the UK Short Track; Thunder Bike class, in the coming season. And are hoping to sign Stevie Coles as factory rider. BP

UPDATE:
Another beauty of the afore mentioned HYBREED hybrid, is its simple manufacture. No need for expensive tooling, or set-up costs for new model variants. Building such a vehicle in ones own shed; or kitchen even, could be a real possibility in the very near future. To illustrate the speed at which their factory can change tack due to market winds, Wilson and Roofer have just produced a Harley-Davidson™ variant to comply with the All American Twins rules for 2010 - a mere 48 hours after having received news of this new race series. This new variant also makes use of obsolete AMF stock and should retail at approximately half the price of a Fat Bob. BP

Spotted in Tokyo

Ben Wilson has sent a couple of mails lately, one is a bunch of shot he took in Tokyo, the other is a request someone might be able to help with.

'HELLO BOYS HOPE YOU'RE WELL.
JUST A QUICK ONE, MY LODGER IS MAKING A BRAT STYLE BIKE BASED ON AN XS400. IT HAS 18 MAG WHEEL UP FRONT AND A 16 AT THE REAR. HE WANTS A 18 FOR THE REAR WHICH YOU CAN GET OFF OF AN SR500. JUST WOUNDERED IF YOU MIGHT KNOW OF ANYONE WHO MIGHT HAVE ONE. WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AND CAN'T SEEM TO FIND I SUSPECT YOUR MAG HAS INSPIRED A FEW PEOPLE TO PINCH THEM FOR THER XS650 Etc.
ANY NEWS WOULD BE GOOD NEWS
NICE ONE, BEN'

A summer cheap blast

Ben Wilson in London sent this through. Built, including the bike, for £600.

BIKE NEARLY FINISHED PUT 2.1 EXHAUST ON NOW JUST NEED TO PUT AIRFILTERS ON, NEW CHAIN AND SPROCKETS, AND TYRES BUT PRETTY PLEASED FOR A SUMMER CHEAP BLAST.
I'M SURE IT WON'T BE TO EVERYONE'S TASTE BUT I'M HAPPY BEING RATTY!
BEN