Picture gallery: Ridley custom bikes

Ridley Motorcycles has three new bicycle-style machines for 2009 with small 49cc or 70cc engines. A small fuel tank is located on the cross-bar of the bike’s rigid frames, and drive comes from a pair of chains – the one on the right driven by the pedals, and the one on the left by the engine.

The well-established American firm, which is based in Oklahoma City has a range of five ‘veteran motorcycles’ available which are all sold in kit form. The basic rolling chassis costs $1,440 (around £963), and engines an additional $559 (£374). You’ll have to add shipping costs, and import duties and taxes to the price to bring them into the UK.

Two engines are available, a 49cc two-stroke good for around 24mph, and a 70cc two-stroke that pushes 33mph. Ridley claims both engines can manage around 120mpg.