Yamaha bike restorer up for award
GORLESTON man Neil Henderson has been passionate about motorbikes since he owned his first bike, a Yamaha RD125DX, 24 years ago.Now 40, the father-of-two, of East Anglian Way, may be on the verge of receiving an award for his first restoration project: a 1983 Yamaha YPVS once owned by his brother Glenn.
GORLESTON man Neil Henderson has been passionate about motorbikes since he owned his first bike,
a Yamaha RD125DX, 24 years ago.
Now 40, the father-of-two, of East Anglian Way, may be on the verge of receiving an award for his first restoration project: a 1983 Yamaha YPVS once owned by his brother Glenn. It had not been ridden for more than 20 years after being badly damaged in an accident at Belton in 1987.
After 18 months completing the job, the former Lowestoft firefighter has got the bike working again with help from firms at Lowestoft and St Olaves that have plated the nuts and bolts and resprayed the paintwork on the frame. Mr Henderson, who lives with wife Carolyn, 45, and sons Nathan, 17, and Daniel, 14, successfully tackled the daunting task of rebuilding the engine, which now runs well enough to enable him to ride it from his home to the White Swan pub in Great Yarmouth.
Such has been the standard of restoration that it has caught the eye of the magazine, Classic Bike, which has nominated him with nine other enthusiasts for a Best Amateur Restoration award. For a chance to win, Mr Henderson needs to secure people's votes.
He will find out on Sunday if he has been successful at the ExCeL Arena in London's docklands, where the award ceremony takes place during the MCN Motorcycle Show.
Most Read
- 1 New York, Paris, Peckham, Great Yarmouth - Only Fools stars coming to town
- 2 'The best yet' - Yarmouth's celebration of wheels gearing up for return
- 3 New seafront festival promises feast of family fun
- 4 Access road for driveways denied to Gorleston residents
- 5 Tyson Fury is making a comeback to Gorleston
- 6 Pupils 'not afraid to share ideas' - School praised by Ofsted
- 7 Green light for quarry's expansion and longer life
- 8 Four men arrested following altercation by Great Yarmouth pub
- 9 Church glamping pod plan on ice as £626,000 funding bid awaits approval
- 10 Heaven & Hell: David Whiteley and Amelia Reynolds
He said: “The editor of Classic Bike phoned me up and told me I had made the top 10. I must say I was a bit shocked because I did not think my entry was getting anywhere.”
Since the accident, the bike had stayed at the home of his mum and stepfather, Shirley and Roy Brown, in Paddock Close, Belton.
To vote for him email votebike2@bauermedia.co.uk
