A semblance of summer has arrived and new bikes are being wheeled out for display in the sunshine.

After a cruise through country lanes and a blast along the B-roads, you arrive at your favourite bikers' gathering place and park your new pride and joy amid the throng.

But have you ever noticed that the most attention paid by other two-wheeled fans is to machines that are out of the ordinary - the classics, the streetfighters, the customs, the paint jobs?

And that is despite it costing you quite a few quid to trade in last year's model for the latest, shiniest superbike.

True, as it rolled out of the showroom, it was at its most beautiful. Suspension set up perfectly for anything that may be thrown at it. Engine at its sharpest. A sparkle in the paint.

But there is an alternative - and it doesn't cost the earth.

The Engine Room, a Yamaha and Italjet dealer tucked away on the Buckingham Road to the north of Bicester town centre, can turn your wheels, be they on a superbike or scooter, into a dream machine.

The bike side of the four- and two-wheel business is run by Richard Blackmore, an experienced Yamaha R6 Supersport racer and tuning guru.

As an example of what he can do, he has rebuilt a Yamaha R1 and turned it into what he calls an R1-7.

He stripped it to the bare frame and powder-coated the aluminium in menacing black. Then suspension was reworked, even though it's pretty good in standard trim.

While the engine was on the bench, he tweaked out some more horsepower with detailed work to the head and cams, uprated the ignition and improved the breathing with a special new airbox, carburettor modifications and a full Leo Vini race exhaust system.

He bolted it all back together, adding lightweight Pro-mech rear sets and a subtle ECU-controlled quick-shifter. This he surrounded with a full factory R7 body kit and sprayed the beast in a head-turning white and blue.

All the final touches were added, such as the blue screen and colour-coded anodised bolts and screw-heads, white seat and tasteful decals.

I was privileged to take the finished product out for a spin.

There was an extra 20 bhp power over the standard R1's 130bhp being produced at the rear wheel after Richard cast his magical tuning wand. The result is as close as you can get to having a full-blown race bike on the road.

Frills such as mirrors and indicators have been left in the parts bin. The stunning bike just yearns to be ridden hard. The more it is wound on, the smoother and better it likes it.

In fact, when it came to trundling though villages at 30mph, it had to be knocked down a couple of cogs to stop it from choking up.

But once on the open road, the race-hard suspension came into its own, the quickshifter helped the digital speedo flicker rapidly bigger figures and the Dunlop Sportsmax RR race-quality tyres warmed and stuck to the sharpest bends.

With your chin on the tank, elbows touching your knees and the howl of the exhaust, not only was it a special, it felt special.

When I broke my Sunday outing at Stratford-on-Avon and parked by the waterside amid the sunny gathering of bikes, there were half a dozen other R1s - but this R1-7 was the star.

Now there is a choice. You could trade in your bike for a new one or wheel your machine over to Richard at The Engine Room. He reckons it would cost about £3,500 to turn your R1 into a stunner like his R1-7. How much did it cost you trading in for a new bike?

Then again, perhaps a simple spray job is the answer. A new gleaming colour would set you back only about £500.

For £1,000 or so you could have a race replica design with matching decals. The more complicated the design, the higher the price.

If you just want your engine warmed, perhaps with an end-can, dyno kit and special air filter, £500 would suffice. A more serious search for power, including headwork and cams, and £1,500 would be the likely bill.

How far you want to go and how much you want to pay are the only governing factors, says Richard.

Superbikes to scooters and everything in between can be turned into an original, a special, a one-off.

Now that should get them talking down at the bike-meet!

*Test bike loaned by The Engine Room,

Bicester. Tel: 01869 600600