If you are a Triumph nut it's quite likely you've heard of Mark or 'Retrograde Mechanica' as he goes by on social media. Mark has a real keen eye for detail and his bikes are a real piece of art. He has the rare skill of taking a style of bike and making it entirely his own.
Name: Mark Drury
Age: 40
Location: Northampton, United Kingdom
Day job: I do New Media E-Learning for a small company specialising in remote training (quite lucky given the state of the world)
Current Bikes: 1958 Triumph T110 - TT Steeple-Chase style heavily influenced by the Pitty Tiny bike and those ridden by the likes of Mulder and Skip Van Leeuwen
1967 Triumph Daytona Desert Sled
1938 Triumph T80 Beach Racer Special
1962 Triumph Cub Flat Track
1962 Triumph Chop w/ Harris 750 Race Engine
When did you get into bikes and why?
Since the age of about 5, I grew up next to Mead Speed who made the fairings etc for many of the racers of the day including Sheen & Lawson. My older brother also rode so it was always there.
I had my first bike at 500 and we used to take the fence out between our house and next door, giving a good acre to learn how to use the things.
My British bike infatuation came much later around my late 20's. I was previously an Italian nut, living off super noodles so I could afford Ducati's. That was until I really found my place with it all and the love of Turner & Page machines really blossomed.
First Road Bike?
Yamaha DT50 - The moment I turned 16. My dirt bike was stolen at 15 and the insurance company paid for it; meaning it sat there for nearly a year taunting me with it's promise of freedom. It was pink and white so I changed all the pink bits for black. These days I fully embrace fuchsia, especially of the metal flake variety.
How do you approach building bikes? What is your process?
I'm not sure I exactly have one. I fleet and dart about with ideas but engineering and mechanic wise they have to be 100%. I absolutely refuse to take shortcuts with function or my idea of the design or aesthetics. I'm also a bit too anal for my own good with my attention to detail. A bit OCD, especially for dirt influenced bikes.
One thing that is exceptionally important to me in my approach is to ensure that for things I do outsource or purchase that I only use people or small retailers that I respect or independent craftsman that use their skills with the integrity that such things deserve.
I've learnt not to be too proud or stubborn, for example I'm competent on a lathe, but my pal Lawrence (Yokai Motorcycle Engineering) is simply exceptional. Therefore it's an opportunity to support an independent business and at the same time have a piece that is of the next level above what I could do on my lathe with my current turning skills.
Where did you learn to work on bikes?
For the most part I'm self taught, but getting into British iron really opened up a whole new world. They're simple to work on but getting them to run at their absolute best is an art. I was lucky enough to be taken under the wing of a few old boys when I moved to where I now live. They taught me some amazing tuning tricks and secrets on these old bikes. The rest really comes from reading and research; I'm a massive geek when it comes to learning.
How would you define your style?
It's definitely influenced by older bikes more focused on taming the dirt, sand or shale. Flattrack, desert, speedway, beach and TT bikes are just so pure in their intention. Built for a sole purpose and the enjoyment of the rider, without compromise or concession to the legalities of modern road bikes.
I also love 60's and 70's show bikes, both American and British, and how the Japanese builders have adapted this style into something completely their own.
What's your workshop setup like?
Clean. I can't work or be happy in an untidy environment, but hypocritically to that statement things are seperated about the place at the moment. I built a nice big insulated workshop at the back of the house, but I often builds bikes in the lounge. The lathe, pillar drill etc sit in the cellar, the oxy acetylene is outside; so I tend to move around alot.
Any projects in the works?
Absolutely - The '38 Triumph T80 Beach Racer special is a long term build. I have just about finished a 2 year customer build using a TR5 rigid frame with a quite special 650 preunit engine jammed in. I'm also rebuilding the 1962 Triumph Chop to match my current tastes. I've a BSA B40 customer build in.
Also the start of a Venom scrambler build for myself, a '41 Indian 101 engine in a Velocette frame....
Finally, what's your dream bike?
Shit man that's a difficult one. One single bike? I'd love a WLA or UL beach racer, a Knucklehead, I've a huge thing for Manxmans and Vincents etc. This is pure fantasy, but I'll take a 1915 Cyclone Board Track Racer thankyou; just tell me where to pick it up from.