Burnout Bikes forced to leave Downton workshop after 20 years

Burnout Bikes, at the Headlands, will close on Wednesday, March 29, after trading in the shop for 20 years.

The Harley Davidson specialist workshop offered sales, service, spares, repairs and MOT.

It will move to Unit A of the Ashford Marine Works industrial estate in Fordingbridge in April.

Burnout Bikes. (Image: Salisbury Journal)

Family business owners Alan and Clint Courtnadge assumed the landlord would renew their five-year lease but the brothers found out in December that they had just three months to pack up and leave.

Clint, 58, told the Journal that it is "very difficult" to find premises to run a motorbike shop with there being "many hoops to jump through".

The move will leave behind a lot of history, including memories of racing through Dorset, custom bike tours of England and meeting up every Saturday for a ride.

The final custom build at the workshop was a red Harley Davidson.

Final build at Burnout Bikes, Downton. (Image: Salisbury Journal)

Community is at the heart of Burnout Bikes' success and Clint has had many memorable customers such as King Arthur.

Alan, 62, has brought up a family at the same time as the business. 

He said: "I have got two boys, neither of which were born when I started the business.

"Now the eldest is 19 and he's known it all his life."

Watch: Bikers leaving Burnout Bikes for the Salisbury Motorcycle Action Group show

The workshop was "full of stuff" and loyal customers have been helping the pair clear it out over the past two months.

Tom Branagh, 55, has been a Burnout Bikes customer since its inception 20 years ago and said a community has been created with the business.

When asked how he felt about the move, he said: "It's a very sad time. We'd go to the Cuckoo Fair and put the bikes on a stand.

"We're extremely well-known in the bike world."

He likened the atmosphere to one of a "local pub" with all the bikers and clubs that congregated at the shop.

Tom has been helping to clear out the bike shop ahead of the move, he added: "When my bike was being built I would come down every weekend and help. It's hard to find a good bike shop now, there's not much left."

For more information visit burnoutbikes.co.uk.