Mid Life Cycles is run by a group of enthusiasts committed to restoring classic motorcycles and building a range of custom bikes – cafe racers, bobbers, dirt trackers and other specials that combine Art and Style. We come to this from many backgrounds, but we share a passion for great motorcycles.
Michael works with customers to set the specifications for their cafe racer dream-bikes
Michael Catchpole started out too many years ago on a Honda S90 (after watching his brother spend more shed-time than road-time with a 1950s BSA Single). A 1969 Suzuki T250 Hustler followed, then a succession of Seventies four-cylinder bikes, including a Honda CB500-4 in early cafe racer guise. After years fiddling about with cars in circuit racing and classic tarmac rallies, culminating in seventh outright in Targa Tasmania 1998 with Mike Darling in the Terror Seat, he returned to the bikes that he’d owned (or wanted to own) as a teenager, and began the collection that forms the core of Mid Life Cycles.
Mike brings engineering and organisational skills and a focus on quality to the build team
Mike Darling raced and rallied Mini Coopers, winning a national motorkhana title back when hand-brake turns were a legitimate car-parking technique. Mike moved on to fettling a series of race and classic cars, including a V12 Ferrari, and competed successfully in classic rallies including the Grand Prix Rally and Targa Tasmania. Mike brings automotive engineering skills and years of hands-on experience to the team.
Cath Davison and the 1938 Indian Sports Scout she rode in the 2013 Great Race.
Cath Davison comes from a family of diehard petrolheads and racers and has competed in many road races and rallies. Ever the rebel, Cath started riding British bikes at 17, including pre-unit Triumphs, a 1979 Bonneville and Vincent C Series Rapide. She rides a 1938 Indian Sports Scout from time to time and her regular ride is a Harley Davidson 1200 Sportster (the Scout makes up for that!). As Manager Business Development, Cath is building our relationships with suppliers and sourcing some cool gear for our customers.
Shane Walker and his Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle V-Rod Destroyer drag bike have tasted success at drag meets up and down Australia’s East Coast. See Youtube clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_tCovGK6XU&feature=youtu.be
Experienced bike builder and racer Shane (“Phantom”) Walker has joined the Mid Life Cycles team as Workshop Manager and he’s determined to ramp up the service side of the business and help out all our customers with their bikes and builds. Call Shane on (03) 9421 3765 to book time for your bike.
Jim prepares to test-ride our Skyteam Ace CR125
James (Jim) Clark leads a double-life as the creative genius (or Mad Professor) behind Post Modern Motorcycles, giving new life to the humble Honda CT110 and turning them out as style-statements. Jim has the artist’s eye and the hands of a designer-maker so we welcome his input to some of Mid Life Cycle’s builds.
We also look to guys like Trevor Whitty, who has produced some eye-popping custom paint jobs for us when he’s not restoring or painting classic Japanese bikes, and a network of polishers, platers and parts suppliers who all contribute their bit to the motorcycle magic.