If you are searching for custom motorcycle builders in the UK, you’ll soon come to know how varied and deep the new-wave custom scene is. From London’s design-led workshops to shed-built specials hidden away in the Scottish Highlands, the UK has long been a proving ground for custom culture. It blends heritage, rebellion and a strong sense of engineering discipline.
The workshops listed here represent some of the most respected names across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, each offering its own interpretation of a bespoke motorcycle.
To understand custom motorcycle builders in the UK, you have to go back to the post-war years. This is where the ‘cafe’ racer was born as a function-first pursuit of speed.
Riders on stripped-back Triumphs, BSAs and Nortons raced between transport ‘cafes’, chasing the elusive ton. That mindset still runs deep today. Many British new wave custom bike builds are performance-focused minimalist machines – clip-ons, rearsets and just enough bodywork to suggest intent without overstatement.
That said, the approach of British custom motorcycle builders is far from one-dimensional. Alongside cafe racers sits a gritty, DIY tradition shaped by dispatch riders and punk culture. You will see it in brat-style commuters, rough-edged scramblers and carefully executed restomods that balance worn-in patina with modern reliability. A build might look simple at first glance, but spend a little time with it and the level of craftsmanship becomes obvious.
At the sharper end of the spectrum, the UK produces some of the most refined custom motorcycles anywhere. Builders tend to focus on chassis setup, geometry and real-world usability. These are not just show bikes built for display. They are made to be ridden, whether that is on twisty B-roads or at events like the Malle Mile.
There’s also a practical side that shapes the scene, influenced by the ever-watchful eye of the DVLA. UK regulations, particularly MOT requirements, mean riders need modifications that can be reversed to pass the test. It encourages a certain level of ingenuity. Bikes can look radical while still remaining road legal and usable day to day.
So here, you’ll find a curated selection of UK custom motorcycle builders capable of everything from subtle restomods to full commissions. Whether you are chasing a clean cafe racer, a capable scrambler, or something more individual, these workshops reflect the character of British custom culture. Thoughtful, well-engineered and built with purpose.
From its workshop in East Putney, London, Dirty Cats Motorcycles builds sublime, custom Harley-Davidson and Triumph motorcycles. It’s a focus that reflects a genuine zeal for both platforms, seen in the way Fil, Andre and AK discuss the machines they create and the marques.
Kevil’s Speed Shop is a widely admired UK custom bike builder and a flagbearer of New Wave Customs. At the centre of it all is Kevin Hill, a lifelong custom builder in the truest sense.
Redmax Speedshop has been a cornerstone of the British custom motorcycle scene for decades. Based in Devon, the ‘shop has grown into one of the UK’s most respected flat tracker and cafe racer specialists.
Based in Twickenham, London, Revel Custom Motorcycles emerged from the 2020 lockdown. While at first glance, that might seem like an unusual origin story. Retrospectively, it’s perfectly
Sold Out Motorcycles has been building bespoke customs for two decades and in that time has built a reputation that travels well beyond its Suffolk base.
Krazy Horse Customs has been firmly ensconced in the UK custom motorcycle scene for the better part of three decades. During this period, the workshop has earned the respect and loyalty of riders and petrol heads alike.
Old Empire Motorcycles operates out of a Norfolk workshop aptly named the House of Assembly. It’s a building in which uniquely refined motorcycles are built.For riders who want a machine that feels rooted in something real, Old Empire Motorcycles is one of the more compelling workshops operating in Britain today.
Thornton Hundred Motorcycles is redefining the custom bobber motorcycle. Founded by Jody Millhouse, the workshop combines 3D modelling and FEA stress analysis with a raw, “Ton-Up Boy” ethos to transform modern Triumphs into aggressive, one-of-a-kind performance masterpieces.
Auto Fabrica’s story begins in 2011, in a single-car garage in Southend-on-Sea, where brothers Bujar and Gazmend Muharremi set out to build the motorcycle they couldn’t buy.
Newmarket Motorcycle Co. (NMC) is a magnet for riders seeking exceptional custom motorcycle builds and expert service.
Death Machines of London DMOL is a joint custom, workshop venture between Ray Petty [Petty Meccnica], and British designer James Hilton. The duo builds remarkable two-wheel machines, which can be described as rideable art.
Founded by an automotive design engineer and based in a tranquil studio in Belchamp Walter, Suffolk, Storik is less of a traditional motorcycle shop and more of a design-led atelier.
