Veteran biker turns to the hills for his latest challenge

And while many his age would be thinking about putting their feet up, the 67-year-old and his collection of 270 motorbikes are showing no signs of slowing down.

Mr Craven, of Stockton-on-the-Forest, near York, and a former east Yorkshire motorcycle champion, is using the new bike to take up the sport of hill-climbing, where riders blast their machines up steep inclines.

"I have been riding bikes since I was 15", he said.

"But I am particularly proud of this one.

"I still take part in drag racing events across the north of England and I'm looking forward to trying my hand at hill-climbing as well.

"I always do the bikes up myself and even though they are vintage engines they go very fast.

"I love racing and will keep doing it for as long as I can."

Mr Craven began his racing career with drag races but in 1968 started grass track sidecar racing and soon became east Yorkshire champion.

Over the years he has amassed a collection of bikes and memorabilia from 1924 to the 1990s which he stores in the village and opens to the public on the first Sunday of every month.