Charley Boorman’s Bobber Update
04/03/2009
We like to keep you informed about what is going on at Hawg Haven so here is the latest on Charley Boorman’s Bobber.
After several meetings with him we got a really good idea about his personal tastes as far as bikes go and he gave the impression that he doesn’t go for the usual high shine, highly chromed motorbike, as he clearly doesn’t have time in his busy schedule to clean and polish and give that sort of bike the TLC that it requires. We had seen him at his headquarters and had the first fitting and he seemed pleased with the original concept and now it was time to move a stage further. He kindly agreed to visit us here in Norwich for the final fitting and to discuss any changes he would like us to make.
He arrives surprisingly early at the shop after arriving from London so I am guessing he was keen, he came into the workshop and with much thought and enthusiasm he explained with great detail that he wanted the bike to look like it had been sitting in a hedge at the bottom of the garden for the past two years, so gone was anything that remotely resembled shine and newness!! He also said that he would like it to have a connection to the film ‘The Wild One’ which starred his favourite actor, Lee Marvin.
This project was a very exciting challenge for us as this bike was going to be the complete opposite to the usual ‘Bling’ look that we go for. Our paint expert John Fox would really have his work cut out for this one! Charley gave us plenty to think about so we put our heads together and got to work.
We were very excited about the finished bike and hoped that Charley would be too. John Fox certainly managed to make the bike look rought although you would assume that made the paint job easier as you don’t have to be so fussy; but John put hours upon hours into this paint job to make sure it was perfect. The techniques he used to get the finish were impressive although of course his trade secrets!!
It was the first time we have presented anyone with a finished product absolutely covered in rust but Charley Boorman certainly appeared to be pleased with it, in fact he asked if we had dumped his new bike on the way and dragged another out of a hedge!!