Martyn Allenet with his Buell XB9 custom bike ‘Red Rooster’ Picture: TONY PIKE (01100467)

MECHANIC Martyn Allenet is is hoping that three years of tinkering and tweaking with his beloved low-rider cruiser motorbike will pay off this weekend.

His custom-made Red Rooster has earned him the honour of being one of 12 finalists in the Britain’s Got Biking Talent with Carole Nash competition.

Martyn is looking forward to taking his red and chrome pride and joy to the NEC in Birmingham, where bike fans from all over the country will descend on the city.

Whittled down from thousands of entrants, Martyn is one of two winners in the customised category, with ten others from five categories. They are all battling to win the Grand Final, which is decided by internet votes and which comes with a prize of VIP access to a European MotoGP.

It has been a labour of love for Martyn, transforming the original Buell XD95 into the Red Rooster over the last three years, and he is delighted that thousands of people will see it in Birmingham. All 12 bikes in the final will be featured in a special calendar and though Martyn would love to win the top prize, he is already delighted to have got so far.

‘To be honest, I really don’t know if I will win,’ he said. ‘There are all sorts of bikes there, but all I will say is that I have got a 1-in-12 chance!’

• A feature on Martyn’s labour of love cutomising the Red Rooster and the results of the Grand Final will be published in next week’s Motoring supplement.