Trail Bike Adventure Magazine

Custom Built BMW 1200GS

Thursday, 13 May 2010 12:31

Kelvin Blair is one of those easy going, quietly spoken blokes you meet on an adventure ride. The guy who goes about his own business and doesn't talk himself up around the bar at the end of the day, he's more the kind of guy who lets his riding do the talking when you're way off the beaten track. We first met the fella on the first Wild Boar adventure ride ran by Stu Mitchell a few years back now, and Kelvin was riding a BMW1200GS, which unfortunately for him, didn't last too long into the ride as the bikes swing-arm completely spit in half. Kelvin was lucky enough to borrow a bike toward the end of the weeks ride when a few of the fellas were feeling a bit rough from too many kays and too many beers around the campfire.

We caught up with Kelvin recently and he filled us in on a new project he's been working on, an adventure bike that by the sounds of it will be a one-of-a-kind, and one that won't be breaking a swing-arm any time soon. "Basically I'm building a 1200GS dirt bike", he told us. "It's sort of an HP2 but what an HP2 should have been. My good friend Paul Pinfold has built and raced motorcycles all his life but at 61 he is not about to be riding this one. I had the idea on what I wanted in a 1200cc dirt bike and Paul had his ideas in parallel on what front end would be needed to make it work. So we sort of gelled together and this is the project. The front will work as it is also very adjustable in offset, trail, rake and wheel movement throughout suspension travel. As you know I have broken a swingarm before so that is also getting the required attention. Not going to be a show pony but a racing stallion. I can't wait!"

We can't wait to see the finished product either. We'll be following Kelvins progress closely so stay tuned for more updates.

Check out these progress photos

The old split swingarm

A lot of work goes into getting the frame spot on!

Still early days

Interesting front end

Sure there's something missing here?

Comments (6)

6 Sunday, 20 June 2010 23:31

Sticky Nick

Why buy it for a dollar when you can build it for ten?

5 Saturday, 12 June 2010 23:26

Kevin Forth

Just buy a 450 you clown!

4 Thursday, 27 May 2010 16:20

Yeti Straw

Haha, Trust you Uncle Kelvin. End product should be interesting.

3 Friday, 21 May 2010 21:58

Brandt Kruger

Cannot wait for the end result. :)

2 Friday, 14 May 2010 16:31

DR650magic

Keep us posted

1 Thursday, 13 May 2010 20:54

Tim Holcombe

cant wait to see more of this project.