Master Welder Rob Godwin

I discovered Rob Godwin by chance. We often visit a delightful coffee shop and bakery in Benoni, The Victorian Secret, owned by Les Godwin.

- 

We regularly admire their three-wheeler delivery bicycle, based on an old school Schwinn frame, and Les mentioned that his brother, Rob, had built it.

Les told us that Rob has a workshop in Benoni, where he specialises in rebuilding classic motorcycles and designs and builds café racers. Naturally, I couldn’t resist finding out more, and asked Les to arrange a visit to Rob’s workshop.

With photographer Jan van der Walt in tow, I headed over to Rob’s premises off Snake Road in Benoni. Performance Welding is tucked away at the rear of a small industrial complex, and the unassuming building gives away no clue as to the Aladdin’s cave of motorcycle treasure within.

Rob Godwin is one of a rare breed: a master craftsman who has lifted his welding trade to the level of an art. Born and bred in Benoni, Rob always had an interest in bikes and cars, but his real passion started during a visit to Kyalami in around 1969. Johan Boshoff was racing his two-stroke Yamaha TR2 350 motorcycle and had a problem getting it started. When he eventually push started it into action, Rob watched and heard the two stroke machine hurtling around the circuit, overtaking almost all the other bikes within a lap or two.

This passion for racing bikes, classic two strokes in particular, has never left Rob. He was a very competitive drag racer, competing at Rainbow and Tarlton raceways – in fact, he won the National Street Turbo Championship in 1981, setting a record of 11.03 seconds at 216 kph along the way. He also competed in enduros, but remained fascinated by Grand Prix racing motorcycles.