Written by Martin Hodgson
The old saying ‘Think globally, act locally’ often has us in the custom motorcycle scene looking around the globe for inspiration for our own bikes. But this week I’ve learnt about a builder much closer to home, another bike nut who calls rural Australia home. Mark Lloyd Riddell has plied his trade around the world and now settled in Albury, combines his incredible skill base to produce the most amazing of machines. MLR Custom Coachbuilder’s bring us their latest work, a Hot Rod Harley called the Larry bike, it’s a craftsmanship connoisseur’s wet dream!

Originally from Edinburgh, Mark started his coachbuilding apprenticeship in 1984 and has had a variety of different jobs since. From an art studio in Leith, making moulds and props. To London working for an interior designer, fabricating bespoke lamps and small pieces of metal furniture. Then in Australia spending several years in a custom Harley shop and working in fabrication; doing sheet metalwork, building motor-homes and vintage vehicle restoration.
He is also an artist and sculptor, and I’m starting to wonder what I’ve done with my life as I read through his resume. But most of all he builds things with his hands and lets the craftsmanship do the talking, which is exactly why the client for this build got in touch! ?This bike was built for a customer, there was no basic design brief, I was basically given free rein to build a unique custom V-T...