Now before anyone goes into panic, this isn't some shady trading measure on Colin's part, in fact quite the opposite. Due to immense success in the on and off-road bike world over the last few years, they are being forced to expand in a big way - and Colin felt the name just had to be changed to something he feels far more appropriate.

Becky checking the stock display.

THOR (S&R) Motorcycles have been the South West UK's main authorised Gas Gas dealer for many years, so as always, when I paid my first visit I had no idea what sort of place to expect - or even how to find it. Luckily I had CVMCC's Mike Roose with me (a long standing/suffering friend of Col & Beck's) to guide me in - avoiding the Bodmin rush hour!!

Not just a dirtbike fan - Colin Treleaven also has an International 
reputation as a custom bike builder.

My first surprise was to find out that THOR are not cramped up in a town, or on a trading estate. In fact quite pleasantly, after driving about one mile on single track country lanes, we approached what appeared to be a short farm lane leading to a large industrial unit.

Col caught smiling as he looks over this weeks batch of new Gassers.

Arriving we were greeted by a line up of spanking new 2007 Gassers, all sparkling nicely in the sun. Col had just had the first batch of the new machine arrive and they were now carefully and systematically having their PDI inspection checks, ready for delivery. (When finished Colin insists on test riding each one as a final check.)

These 2 lads were dreaming of owning a 4-wheeled Gas Gas.

I knew that THOR (S&R) were heavily involved with dirtbikes, but had no idea what else was in store. But I certainly did not expect to be greeted in the shop by a 300mm wide tyre (12 inches to you oldies) mounted on a solid-spokeless alluminium wheel.

Thor are into bikes in a very big way - all bikes. Well as long as they are either off-road or huge engined on road - preferably special built to order (S&R) designed customs.

Thor will soon be expanding their showroom. 

How it all started -

Colin first got into the bike business as a result of competing in local Enduros and Long Distance Trials over 24 years ago. He has always been mechanically minded so spanner work has never been a problem, but riding off road he needed spares and service items, plus a few accessories - and no one locally stocked any. So being enterprising he bought a small stock for himself and to help out a few friends.

It wasn't long before everyone was calling in to Col, to pick up bits or get their bike fixed. In Col's own words "I was the only guy in the area to do enduro stuff and it sort of blossomed from there!".

And blossom it did, visiting Col's existing business premises, is a bit like digging around in a goldmine - you're never quite sure what treasure you are about to uncover around any particular corner - and treasures a plenty there are, everywhere.

It all stared off with just a few spares, but now a huge range is carried in stock.

THOR carry a huge amount of all types of spares - not just Gas Gas. Beside all the stuff readily on display hanging in all corners, the upstairs stock room is absolutely bulging with rack upon rack of the most useful of items. Such as just about every type and size of chain & sprocket set you could imagine, wheel bearing and seal kits for all sizes of forks, many types of levers and a huge range of brake disk pads for both on and off-road bikes.

Have we got oil - Yup and plenty of spray grease, Pro Clean 
and whatever else you need !!!

Again Colin stocks an enormous range of accessories, including many plastics for all bikes - and obviously the complete range for all Gas Gas. Glancing on the shop shelves for all to see are sump guards by CRD & Apico, rad guards & exhaust guards, Camel backs by Thor. Renthal & Wurtz bars - and an amazing Wurtz ball bearing throttle - talk about smooth action I thought it was awesome bit of very inexpensive kit (only £31.95 complete).

Now this was something again I really didn't expect. Col has some serious weaponry in his workshop - I am talking bikes and equipment here!

Where to start, well I could hardly help notice that a 10 foot long, half completed custom chopper was gleaming away on the third motorcycle ramp from me. …And although no use for the dirt track, as a one time chopper frame builder myself for the local 'Slaves' many years ago. I just had to go see!

This baby's gonna set some lucky owner back 20 grand !

This bike was something very special and bore no resemblance to the meagre efforts I used to create back in the 60's & 70's. It appears Col has building custom chops - initially as a hobby, for decades, and now gets orders to build one off specials from all over the world.

Col says "These bikes are only built to order. Each one is unique and built exactly to specification after discussion with the customer".

What shocked me was two facts - One, Colin has been a frame designer for a very long time and as S&R Motorcycles has gained quite a reputation. Initially all his frames were fabricated in house, but now Col draws up the design and gets a stateside company to do all the main pipe bending to his specs. "Because they do so many" he tells me, "they can do it far cheaper and more conveniently than I can in our workshop. Besides the way business is going I simply don't have the time".

Attention to detail is everything - and doesn't it look nice!
How much grunt do you need, will 2100cc do you sir?

The other 'shocking' fact was - I didn't realise these superbly finished pieces of art cost over £20,000 each !!! Mind you after being shown the very special high performance Ultima 2ltr 'Harley lookalike' motors with Rev Tech boxes at £7,000 a piece, I began to realise how easily a few special parts can mount up.

Building bikes to this standard requires some very expensive machine tools and this is where great side benefits are gained by off roaders who need any special bits made. For instance besides making all the usual brake cables and hoses, THOR also have their own engine boring bar, various lathes, steel and alloy welders and a milling machine.

Pretty as a picture - more new Gassers ready to go...

In fact they do so much here, that Col simply kept forgetting to tell me about all the things that can in fact do! So it was up to me to spot that they make up long clamps for any height bars - very useful service for tall riders and I know!

Thor are also a Recluse clutch fitting centre. They are not just a stockist, they fit it and set it up to suit each rider too. In fact they even have a demo 'Recluse' bike for any serious enquirers to have a try out.

Other workshop services include Helicoil fitting - not just small metric, we are talking ALL sizes and types of thread here. Just about every size needed to repair almost any bike ever made - yes that does also include all old British iron, so you can now dig out your old Triumphs and Beezer Pre 65's and get em repaired.

All makes are speedily repaired in this busy workshop.

What else - Thor not only build normal spoked wheels for us dirty bikers, but also get solid alloy blanks for custom bikes and have them Lazer cut to Col's own spec and design. I saw a few he had done and to say I was impressed was an understatement.

The workshop was buzzing with activity when I visited and the three mechanics all seem to have their own speciality area. Whereas Colin who is very knowledgeable on all things with two wheels, seems to be a specialist in ALL areas!

New Gassers awaiting collection.

THOR stock the full Gas Gas range, Trials, MX, Enduro and even 50cc learner jobbies. I noticed that Quad buyers are also catered for, with various sized machines dotted around and about. As for SH bikes, Col is always happy to trade back, so stock of these depends on what's 'come in'.

In the main bike display area, besides new dirt bikes and custom chops, there is a selective collection of very 'meaty' looking road haulers. Col doesn't like small engined road bikes, so all these tend to be of the large capacity persuasion - from various manufactureres. In fact Col's preferred engine capacity choice and one he loves building bikes around, is the 1,860cc Ultima engine, although he says at a push, we can take it up to 2.1ltr for those that need the extra bit of grunt !!

Thor's clothing range incorporates a good selection of off-road jackets.

I nearly forgot, they are also main agents for Triumph and carry spares for all old Brit bikes including Norton, BSA and Matchless. Plus a huge range of Harley parts - much of which is all kept in stock. Seriously, the amount of stock - parts and accessories, that Colin keeps at his premises is absolutely mindblowing, - and certainly a very rare thing nowadays.

Of course as you would expect, the full range of Thor off-road gear features strongly amongst the line up of race pants, shirts and jackets. Alongside are also many other major brands such as No Fear, HEBO, Sinasalo, Wulfsport and of course Gas Gas.

Thor armour anyone?

Boots and gloves by Gaerne, Diadora, Alpine Stars, Vendramini, Wulf Thor, Sidi, are dotted everywhere and hidden in various corners. Casual wear by On-Fire, Thor and Gas Gas are also on display alongside a major assortment of road riding clothing.

Boot were displayed i various locations around the shop.

Now this was another shock I had. We are used to having to pay out around £100 for a quality off-road enduro race jacket. But I had no idea how much road clothing cost at all. Actually I didn't look to far, as the first - very tasty I admit - jacket, had a price tag of £499. At this point I thought I would stick to dirt biking.

Some of these road biking jackets retail at £499.

But seriously if you do ride on road as well as off - and many do. Colin stocks a terrific range of road riding clothing from one piece leathers, to full 'bad boy' hog riders - very cool to be seen in, bike gear - and at all price ranges.

Other Accessories & Spares…

Quite frankly THOR stock so much its difficult to know where to start or finish. Handguards from Evo, Plysport, SX, and Cycra form £19.99 including fitting kit, was also on display. Chains, Tyres & Oils from all the top brands were on display, plus pro clean and spray grease. I spied bum bags from HEBO & Scott, armour & knee/elbow guards from Thor and Polysport.

... and there were far more handguards hanging on display.

Plus it was good to see a selection of head light units, L.E.D tail lights and mudguard extenders, from UFO, Polysport and HEBO, - all useful stuff for enduro and trail riders.

I was impressed with this Wurtz ball bearing throttle.

A final accessory mention has to go to the helmet range, as in stock was a good selection for all bike riding - MX, Enduro, Trials and Road riding, from manufacturers such as Airoh, Lazer, Thor, Vemar, Hebo and THH. There was simply far too much road and custom bike accessories on the shelves to mention. Putting it simply, if you need it, Col's probably got it in stock - nuff said!

Various helmet displays were scattered throughout the showroom.

Now under the THOR guise, Col and his team are in the process of expanding the premises even further. The extra space will give a very large new workshop - allowing them to bring much of their big tooling machines back under one roof. This will then also mean that all the existing building can be turned into a huge bike and accessory showroom, come parts counter, - something that is desperately needed due to the amount of stock that they carry.

All walls are liberally decked out with all manner of goodies.

Just about the only gripe that I could find, as regards a fault with the place. Is that there is so much gear packed into the current THOR customer, accessory, riding gear, showroom and spares area, that it can actually be quite difficult finding some of it, - but it is great fun looking around!

So what about Colins own dirt bike riding future - because we have all noticed his absence at enduros over the last two years as a rider? He assures me he has still been riding regularly on the local trails, but not competitively.

A heck of a range of plugs, this lot should keep everyone going.

However he is very pumped up about the Gas Gas factory which is now operating under a British management team and listening to feedback from their agents. With a gleam in his eye he said he is hoping very much that he will around next year doing a bit of competitive riding again - not National Enduros, as he thinks those days maybe best left in the past. But Long Distance Trials and a few other local events are certainly on the cards - time permitting!

Just a few of the oil and air filters kept in store.