HESKETH 24 (2014 - on) Review

Hesketh is the latest UK heritage motorcycle brand to be reborn and the ‘24’ is their first offering. As a mix of American hot rod power (the S&S engine) and semi-retro Brit style (the ‘24’ is a nod to James Hunt’s 1975 Hesketh F1 car) they don’t come much more bristly or brash and both classy and a little bit crass than this. This is a shouty, noisy, slightly show-off bike which is a little at odds with the understated, cool, classy lines of the original V1000. Sure, there are enough connections here for the ‘24’ to be a credible successor – the V-twin, the cowl shape, the classy Hesketh ‘signature’ on the cases – but by marrying it with Hunt/F1 style it’s become altogether more lary and brash.

Though most of the weight is carried fairly low, nimble it’s not. The ‘24’ is long, heavy with not much steering lock. The riding position, too, is more extreme than expected. Those flat bars conspire with full-on rearsets to cant the rider into a pretty aggressive, wrist-pummelling posture. Corners are a little bit trickier. Being long and lazy (the stubby front end is slowed with a steering damper) any cornering with gusto needs tee-ing up well in advance and then tillered and wrenched over with the rear wheel following along something like a trailer.

By using a US-built engine it’s got shades of American hotrod. Thumb the starter and it earthquakes into life, the massive V-twin thundering and shaking, its ear-bleedingly loud twin underseat pipes blarting and shouting. Though powerful and punchy, the ‘24’ drives rather than leaps. This is a big, heavy rhino of a bike and never lets you forget it. It’s loud, bristly, extreme, hot and scary. Straight lines are, quite literally, a blast and (once some slight gearchange glitches are ironed out, which I’m sure they will be) could prove addictive, true hot rod style.

Yes there are prototype glitches, pre-production imperfections but all, I reckon, could be pretty easily ironed out and yes, too, it’s too early to proclaim on reliability, so we’ll mark it in the middle…

Hesketh owner Sleeman himself says he’s trying to position new Hesketh between revived Norton and forthcoming Brough Superior. With those at around £16K and £50K respectibvely and the ‘24’ ticketted at £35,000, he’s about right in terms of pricing. Still a helluva llot of wonga, though, for something with no track record and average performance.

Premium price demands premium spec and the ‘24” has it: Top notich Ohlins suspension, Beringer brakes, BST carbon wheels (plus lashings of carbon elsewhere), posh bars, levers and more. Seat, for example, is waterproof nappa leather by F1 upholsterers ‘d:class’. Each bike will also be finished off with an 18ct gold, individually numbered placque on the tank.No electronics or refinement, though…