The best friend of a popular motorcyclist says he will be “missed beyond measure” as hundreds pay tribute to his life.

The news of Chris Bulman’s death has stunned the Penrith and motorcycling communities.

The 56-year-old was killed in a crash on the A14, in Cambridgeshire, in the early hours of July 10, on his way home from a memorial event with the National Chopper Club (NCC).

Chris’s best friend Tony Butterworth, known as Joe, has been left heartbroken by the loss of the man he described as his brother.

“He will be missed beyond measure,” said Joe. “He will leave a massive hole. He was a character you always saw around the town.”

The pair shared a passion for motorbikes and were friends for more than 40 years.

Chris grew up in Lazonby, later moving to Berkeley Court, Penrith. Joe was from Whinfell. They have been members of NCC for 20 and 30 years respectively.

“We used to meet up at village dances that used to be held at Skelton, Lazonby and Langwathby back in the day,” said Joe, 52, a mobile caterer.

“He was very dry humoured. Chris would always do anybody a good turn and expect nothing in return. He would give you his last pound.”

With the NCC, Chris toured the length and breadth of the UK and countries in Europe.

He built a number of choppers over the years and his bikes became known for their large handlebars, particularly his latest Triumph Bonneville, which he was riding the day he died.

“It was his life. He hadn’t worked for a number of years. That’s what he did,” said Joe, who shared many adventures with Chris. “He was quite iconic round the town with his huge handle bars. They call them ape hangers. It was his thing. He had them on all his bikes.”

The friends, along with Joe’s wife Nicki, 39, were among hundreds of bikers who met every bank holiday for trips across the country and to the likes of Ireland, Holland, Belgium, Germany and Norway.

Chris expects there will be a minute’s silence held at their August meet.

Joe and Nicki, also of Penrith, were with Chris at the Brothers Lost Weekend – where the club pay their respects to past members at memorial gardens in Buckinghamshire – hours before he died.

Nicki said: “He was certainly a character. Tony and him have been best friends for 40 years. He was best man at our wedding.

“We wouldn’t have changed him for the world.”

Chris was riding westbound, approaching junction 35, at Stow-cum-Quy, near Cambridge, when he was in collision with a lorry at just before 2am on July 10.

The driver of the lorry, a 38-year-old man from Spalding, was not injured.

The son of the late Dave and Wyn Bulman, he leaves his brothers Dave and Andrew Bulman and sisters Kath Jones and Pat Bulman.

He went to Ullswater High School and at one time worked for P D Edenhall Ltd but was unable to work in recent years due to ill health.

The funeral is on Friday July 28 at 3pm at the crematorium.