Our Honda 400/4 and Tom Hardy Collab
Spitfire Speed Shop × Honda CB400/4
Our First Custom Café Racer — and the Story That Put It on the World Stage.
Every brand has a build that defines it.
For Spitfire Speed Shop, that moment started with a Honda 400/4 café racer — our very first full custom motorcycle build, and the project that set the tone for everything we stand for today.
This wasn’t just a bike.
It was the beginning of our identity as a UK custom motorcycle brand, blending performance, style, and rider-driven culture.
The Honda 400/4 Café Racer Build
The Honda CB400/4 is a cult classic. Lightweight, rev-happy, and packed with vintage Japanese engineering — the perfect platform for a clean café racer conversion.
Our goal was simple:
- Strip it back
- Rebuild it properly
- Keep it raw, rideable, and timeless
This build focused on classic café racer proportions, minimalist detailing, and a stance that felt fast even standing still. No gimmicks. No trend-chasing. Just honest custom motorcycle work done the right way.
It became the foundation of Spitfire Speed Shop’s custom philosophy — motorcycles built to be ridden, not just photographed.
When Tom Hardy Entered the Picture
What happened next was completely unexpected.
Tom Hardy sat on our Honda café racer for the front cover of Esquire magazine — a moment that pushed our first build onto a global platform.
The bike wasn’t a prop.
It was our bike — the same Honda 400/4 café racer that started Spitfire Speed Shop.
From that point on, the build became part of modern British moto culture history.
Spitfire Speed Shop × Modern Culture
The connection didn’t stop there.
Tom Hardy went on to wear Spitfire Speed Shop clothing during:
- Venom movie press interviews
- CBBC’s CBeebies Bedtime Stories appearances
Beyond the bikes and the screen, Tom Hardy is often seen aligned with real-world grit and discipline. One standout moment shows him alongside the US Army — a powerful crossover between military ethos and the kind of no-nonsense mentality that runs through everything we build at Spitfire Speed Shop. It’s not about image or hype; it’s about respect for commitment, structure, and pushing yourself to the edge — values that mirror custom bike culture and the mindset behind every Spitfire build and garment.
Another side of that same discipline is found on the mats. Tom has been photographed training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu wearing a Spitfire Speed Shop rash guard — a crossover that hits hard for us. BJJ is about control, resilience, and earning every inch, much like building a bike from the ground up or grinding through long nights in the workshop. Seeing Spitfire worn in environments where toughness is tested, not styled, reinforces what the brand stands for: functional, battle-ready kit built for people who live with intent — on the road, in the gym, or anywhere pressure is real
For us, that crossover mattered.
Not because of hype — but because it showed what Spitfire Speed Shop represents:
- Authentic motorcycle lifestyle
- Real rider-led clothing
- Moto culture crossing into mainstream without losing its soul
More Than a Bike — A Brand Is Born
That first Honda café racer shaped everything that followed:
- Our custom motorcycle builds
- Our moto-inspired clothing
- Our garage-built, rider-owned mindset
Today, Spitfire Speed Shop stands for:
- Custom motorcycles
- Café racer culture
- Rider-driven apparel
- British moto heritage with modern edge
But it all traces back to that Honda 400/4 café racer and one build that changed everything.
Why This Build Still Matters
Years later, this bike still represents what we believe in:
- Build it properly
- Ride it hard
- Wear gear that reflects the same attitude
From the workshop to the street, from magazine covers to everyday rides — Spitfire Speed Shop remains rooted in real motorcycle culture.
This was never about chasing fame.
It was about building something authentic — and letting the world find it naturally.
Fuel the Adrenaline.
Ride Hard. Ride Free.
Spitfire Speed Shop