The show organisers gave me details of how to get in touch with the bike's builder, Tim Aucott. And so, in the 'slack' period between Xmas day and the New Year, I took myself off to Tim's workshop and over a mug of tea he revealed to me the innovations and eccentricities of this very unusual two wheel concoction.

This was Tim's first go at putting together a special, which surprised me as a considerable amount of engineering knowledge and skill had found its way into this motorcycle. But a glance around his workshop at the lathe, milling machine and other metal working accoutrements indicated to me that he knew what he was up to.

The bike hadn't been given a name and seemed pretty much unclassifiable. How would you describe a motorcycle that's main components are a 1955 Matchless frame and a 520cc KTM four stroke engine? Add in the Yamaha TW200 front end, a Jawa tank and French sourced tyres and the name game becomes even more confused...best not to go there.

Tim is a 'retired' off road and enduro rider who, like many before, found that the bodily pain and almost inevitable injuries were too much to contend with as the years rolled on. He took a break of about ten years from motorcycling, and took up sky diving instead...the way you do.

Tim is now fully immersed again, with a mighty Ural sidecar outfit in the workshop, and his next build on the bench - a kind of replica JAP speedway bike that he wants to use on the road. This will be a tribute to his Grandad, painted in the colours of the local speedway team he rode for.  

I asked how long his creation had taken to construct. Tim told me that it had taken him three months but that a good chunk of this time had been spent locating parts and components via ebay. Almost everything came from this source - the 520 KTM motor - including the Matchless frame, complete with papers, which made it easier to register and insure the bike. The Jawa tank and headlight were also from this source, the rear mudguard from the Ukraine, the leather single seat and klaxon from the USA, and the unusual tyres with a hybrid trials type tread came from France.

Once he had installed the engine in the frame, which required some fancy cutting and spacer work, he ad libbed from there, not really having a fixed idea of what the finished vehicle would look like. Notice how the radiator has been located at the rear of the engine; the lovely brass fitments on the forks he has machined himself, and the utilisation of spanners as headlight fixings, and as a side stand. He bought a box full from, yep you've guessed it, ebay: and when you begin looking closely around the bike you find that Tim had used them liberally as support brackets.

Notice anything missing from the handlebars? The motorcycle looks to have no hydraulic brake reservoir fitments. They are in fact cleverly hidden under the tank, an idea from racing go karts that he was involved with in younger days. The braided hoses are from Wemoto.

Tim is a vintage military vehicle enthusiast as well, this explaining not only the camouflage colours of his Ural outfit but the Russian ammo (battery) box and the Brit machine gun part fitted to the end of the completely unsilenced exhaust...he did say he would have to devise a baffle. He picked these parts up from the War and Peace Show that's held annually.

Having 'come back' to motorcycling there seems to be no stopping Tim's innovative ideas. The early 1940's  JAP speedway bike that's on the bench already sports a lawn mower petrol tank and a glass reservoir from a steam engine as part of the oil recovery system he is having to invent – JAP competition engines have a total loss oil system; not good for road riding.  

Tim finished his Matchless/KTM hybrid in September '13 and it's attracting the attention of show organisers and magazines, with a feature due to appear in Back Street Heroes. Keep an eye out for it when you're around the shows this year, you won't miss it!