Bury St Edmunds man shows off custom Sherlock Holmes-styled motorcycle made from modded 1983 Honda Goldwing

Inspired by childhood memories of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and a love of steampunk, a Bury St Edmunds man has shown off his custom Sherlock Holmes-themed motorcycle.

Brett Robertson, 65, has been modding a 1983 Honda Goldwing GL1100cc since 2017 while caring for his parents.

Knowing he wanted to do something steampunk from the start, Mr Robertson eventually settled on a theme – what if the bike was owned by Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson?

The bike contains everything a Victorian detective may need, including tools, a truncheon, hand and thumb cuffs, a music box, police hooters and even toilet paper.

Mr Robertson said: “I’d always wanted to do something special with a motorbike as I’ve always been a biker.

“Once I had my theme, I needed to think about how Sherlock and Watson came into possession of a bike from 1983.

“It was then I thought about making myself a character in their story.

“If Batman could have a bike, why not Sherlock Holmes?

“I’ve done many things in my life, including playing in heavy metal bands, but this was certainly the most enjoyable.”

As part of the project, Mr Robertson wrote and performed a short story detailing how the detective duo came into possession of the bike and how it passed into his hands.

He introduced the concept of time travel, with Sherlock and Watson adding things from the periods they visited to the vehicle.

Mr Robertson said the project combined all the skills he’d picked up during his life, having composed his own music and set up a website for the bike.

The bike contains numerous references to the famous books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, including a brass wolf head, a nod to The Hound of the Baskervilles and a number four on the side, a reference to The Sign of the Four.

Mr Robertson said his pet project was a hit at bike shows in the county and even won a rosette at the White Horse Custom and Classic Bike Show in Sudbury.

Not only has it been a hobby for him while caring for his parents full time, Mr Robertson said the project served another vital purpose.

“I have fibromyalgia so I can’t walk around town so I don’t have much of a social life, so instead I ride the bike around town and take it to shows,” he added.

“It’s been stressful looking after mum and dad these past 10 years, with my dad passing a few years ago, but this has helped focus my mind and keep me active.

“I’m quite a creative person and I needed an outlet.”

Mr Robertson has been a fan of steampunk since he was a child, with a fondness for classics such as Chitty Chitty Bang bang and Mary Poppins.

You can learn more about the project at http://www.sherlockholmesbike.co.uk/.

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