We're often called upon to build and run bikes for prominent American racers, many of whom I know from my time stateside. This familiarity helps them feel more at ease from the start. Such was the case when we were asked to provide a Kawasaki KX 500 for John Dowd at the VMXDN at Farleigh. I've known John since 1993, having battled against him in the 1998 American Nationals. He's a down-to-earth, blue-collar guy who's super respectful.

We sourced UK bikes and performed our standard strip-down and rebuild. We supported John for three years, clinching overall victory on the first attempt. Naturally, he was thrilled with both the results and the bike we supplied. Post-event, these custom-built machines found homes with collectors.