Tom Simpson of Foundry Motorcycle“My family has a history of using their hands so that’s the way I like to do things,” Tom explains. Sketches on paper and big metal hand tools are Tom’s deal. “I have nothing against those who want to use a more automated process, but that’s just not our way.”
More and more customisers and riders are focusing on back-to-basics bikes, tweaked to suit their style. Originality is key these days and Foundry is helping provide riders with that fix.
“The culture has changed without a doubt,” Tom says. “Biking used to be much more inaccessible as a community – it was either an off-the-shelf bike or an airbrushed chopper – but today it’s a more open and friendly environment. People of all backgrounds are into bikes.”
Traditional sketches are Foundry's way
Origins
“I grew up loving motorcycles but I never had anything directly to do with them until my early teens – blasting around on a 50cc in the fields. I spent a couple of years in college doing graphic design and then I was a blacksmith for a while. My experience in tinkering with motorcycles is all self-taught and didn’t come until a bit later.
“During the financial crisis of 2008, people weren’t looking for the decorative metalwork that I used to do, but a few friends of mine were asking for custom motorcycles. A couple of years later, Foundry Motorcycle was born.”
Foundry Motorcycle
The ethos
Using his blacksmithing background, Tom likes to get his hands dirty. “We don’t have a mill or any CNC equipment here,” he explains. “At the moment we’ve got a Victorian lathe, tig, mig and gas welders. Most of our bikes aren’t bolt-together. We like to have an organic flow to our motorcycles.
Foundry Motorcycle
The motorcycles
“Our latest Triumph T100 build was made for a guy who had been coming to Foundry for coffee for about a year. He showed me a picture of a SoCal bike called the ‘Miler’ and we had a lot of talks about what his custom could look like.”
Although most custom shops are using CAD these days, Tom likes to scale things back: “I sketch out all my designs – it’s probably the illustrator in me! We then set about casting in aluminium to create the extra body work to make it a proper flat-track style bike.”
The T100 flat track custom
“I don’t want to expand as such but rather keep things small-scale. To be able to put a bit of expression into my bikes; I’m keen not to automate anything. It’s also about making sure it’s always enjoyable – it’s got to be fun.”
Although without a doubt Tom has a penchant for the rusty and retro, he’s no backwards-thinking petrolhead. “I like a thumping petrol engine as much as anyone else, but I’m pretty excited about the possibilities with electric bikes. There’s so much potential to create a really cool-looking electric bike – if someone wants one, give me a shout as I’d be up for it.”
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Photos: Christopher Lanaway