Kevil’s Speed Shop

Kevil’s Speed Shop is a widely admired UK custom bike builder and a flagbearer of New Wave Customs. Tucked away in Paignton, Devon, in a building that is part workshop, part laid-back hangout – you can spec a full custom build while sipping a coffee or working through a proper breakfast from Kevils Kitchen, a custom street food van.

At the centre of it all is Kevin Hill, a lifelong custom builder in the truest sense. Bikes, cars, trucks, if it’s got an engine, he’s been around it since the ’80s.

Kevil’s built its reputation as the UK’s go-to for BMW Airhead conversions and produces some of the finest examples around. More recently, the output has widened to include Harley-Davidsons, Triumphs, and a steady run of BMW R nineT customs.

What defines a Kevil’s build is the finish. There’s a “factory, but better” quality to it. Tight lines, minimal fuss, nothing wasted. Features in outlets like Pipeburn and The Bike Shed back that up, with builds often labelled as rolling art, which in this case feels earned.

The process is refreshingly straightforward. Place a deposit, have a few conversations within a couple of months you’ll have a finished machine. Everything is handled in-house, from sourcing the donor to fabrication and tuning, so there’s no disconnect between idea and outcome.

Expect enhanced fuelling, open filters and a bike that’s not just clean to look at but road-legal in the UK.

Stylistically, Kevil’s moves comfortably between café racer, bobber, scrambler and brat builds, without feeling tied to any one label. There’s also a sideline in billet top yokes and triple trees for R80 and R100 models, a nod to where it all started.

Whether you’re riding down to the English Riviera for a burger and a look around, or shipping a build overseas, Kevil’s Speed Shop delivers that balance most places chase. Proper engineering, no ego, and somewhere to grab some tasty grub.