CELEBRATING TRUE BOHEMIANS: Budvar and BOLT motorcycles team up to create custom ‘Budvar Bike’

Iconic Czech brewery Budweiser Budvar is teaming up with Andrew Almond, founder of BOLT motorcycles – East London’s custom bike workshop, apparel and art store – to create a bespoke Budvar motorbike for an epic 1000-mile road trip.

Born out of the shared values of dedication, quality and craftsmanship, the Budvar Bike celebrates the devotion, skill and passion it takes to create great beer and amazing motorcycles.

The partnership launches under the banner TRUE BOHEMIANS, a nod to South Bohemia in the Czech Republic – home of Budweiser Budvar – as well as a salute to that other definition of ‘Bohemian’: original, nonconformist, creative and flying in the face of mediocrity.

True to those values, the project will see Andrew painstakingly transform a somewhat ordinary 1980s Czech JAWA CZ motorcycle into something extraordinary: a beautiful custom motorbike that echoes the shape and design of the classic Czech rides of the 1940s-60s, with its own modern “bobber” twist.

Inspired by a recent visit to the brewery in Budweis, Andrew’s bike design will weave in Budvar’s brewing story, centuries-old heritage and vintage artwork via creations from leading UK craftsmen. These include a fabricated frame from Jake Robbins, hand-painted artwork by top sign-writers Dapper Signs and bespoke, hand-tooled whole-cone hop motif leatherwork created by Jake Collier. There’s even a copper ‘beer’ tank being fitted to echo the brewery’s brew kettles and conditioning tanks where all Budvar is still famously matured for 90 days minimum.

The bike will be completed by 25th May in time to debut at Bike Shed 2018 in London, where it will have pride of place at the event’s on-site Budvar bar.

Then, in August, Andrew will undertake an even greater challenge: riding the Budvar Bike across Europe all the way to the Budvar brewery in Budweis, Czech Republic.

Called Budweis or Bust, this will be a 1000-mile European motorcycle road trip like no other, plotting a course through the major beer cities of Amsterdam, Bruges and the Czech capital Prague, before heading into South Bohemia. Along the way Andrew will stop off for a Budvar in legendary motorcycle and counter-culture hubs, such as Rusty Gold café in Amsterdam, as well as picking up riders who’ll join him all the way to Budweis.

Estimates say it will take 6 days from London to Budweis. Then again, anything could happen along the way…and it probably will. But there are rewards at the journey’s end. Riders will get to try fresh, unpasteurised lager in the Budweiser Budvar brewery cellars, described by aficionados as one of the greatest drinking experiences in the world.

The story of The Budvar Bike’s build and road trip to Budweis is being told in films and features via Budvar’s story site – czechstories.com – and Budvar and BOLT’s social channels.