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Mention the name Vic Jefford in sidecar racing circles and someone is guaranteed to relate a story or three about his escapades along with Peter Hill (aka the Dangerous Brothers) way back in the late eighties and early nineties. Having raced at the Island in 1989 and carved a name for himself in road racing circles, I would agree that the man knows what he's talking about when it comes to three wheels, though it's not usually two at the rear and one up front...

This is vic's first ever attempt at trike building, I   although from the standard of the engineering it would appear to even dedicated custom bike builders that he's been involved with them for time immemorial. Vic ended his career sidecar racing in 1984 with an incredibly eventful race at Three Sisters, running the sidecar equivalent of a rat bike, successfully alienating himself from the rest of the entrants and walking off with a shedfull of trophies to prove it.

The original idea was to make it a single seater but because Vic was finding himself on the wrong side of Father Time to finish Lin's bike, a double seat arrangement was built, and it meant he could blag parts from her bike to complete this project. A bit of forward thinking there I feel. The rear sissy bar is a graceful continuation of the rear frame assembly and aside from looking the most comfortable backrest known to civilised man it proves very useful when carrying vast amounts of camping equipment. Rear axle is the traditional Reliant variety shortened by seven inches and issued with a specially fabricated rear sprocket, while rear wheels are TSW 15"xl0" with low profile tyres rescued from Rufforth autojumble for a price that makes even a seasoned bargain hunter like me weep. In fact that

particular autojumble event has proved extremely useful for providing many of the parts decking this trike, fuel tank, footrests and twelve inch slab yokes to name but a few. Vic himself used his engineering skills to fabricate most of the trike but where help was required it was some motorcycle repairist bloke called Will from Malton who came to the rescue. The very same Will whose Norton was captured in these pages not too long ago, the same Will who's just too damned happy on a morning, especially when I feel as if I'd been mistaken for Frank Bruno's punchbag. It was he who welded up the stainless rear carrier and the hygienic stainless exhaust system after Vic had tacked them together and carefully transported them over to Will's workshop in nearby Malton. The pipework

noticed the 17th century riding sword hung on the wall and decided to keep mum for fear of having my spleen splattered over the rear of the settee. Sword making, not spleen splattering, emerged as another of Vic's talents, manufacturing ancient weapons using stainless steel and coal scuttle handles, I kid you not.

Vic isn't too sure what the front forks are from but I'd put money on them being Kawasaki Z1300 with RG Gamma callipers. TNT Custom Cycles of Oceanside California supplied the front Bates lamp which was purchased on a trip around the States and was originally destined for Lin's bike. A very noble gesture there, Lin, can I have your engine? Bums are parked on a pair of seats upholstered by Tony Archer with bases designed and built by Vic, and once again for a price that amounts to no more than a good night out on the town. It's so unfair, why don't I ever find a bargain!

The paintwork and moulding was the handiwork of Martin Stubbs who saved Vic the troublesome chore of making the rear guards resemble rear guards and not parts of a 45 gallon oil drum. To be fair to Vic he did make a token attempt at moulding the guards with an

industrial size drum of body filler, but the man with the patience of a saint totally lost the plot and shipped the whole lot to Martin to have it done properly. The number of awards the trike has won so far this year - including second best Japanese at the Rock & Blues and best engineering at the Whitby show among others - proves that everyone involved in the construction of it has made a more than worthwhile contribution to its success.

Plenty of people are in the honours list for this one, particularly Will, Martin, John and Iris, Billy and Mary, Tony Archer and dear partner Lin, the guy on Whitby pier who made more of a mess of himself eating a 99 ice cream than I did, and anyone who has ever built a trike, inspiring Vic to move from three wheels to er... three wheels. I like this trike, in fact I like it so much I would dearly love to buy it but unfortunately I'm a pauper, but you may purchase it by contacting Vic on (01751) 431900 and make him a sensible offer. It will have to be a reasonable offer too, and bear in mind that large sword hung on the front room wall.

WORDS: Kev Keld PICS: Blue