What an incredible time out! What’s to not love – bikes. Traditional bikes, new bikes, outdated British bikes, attractive shiny new bikes, a number of ‘Um… actually … I’m undecided about that….’ bikes; racing bikes and that’s earlier than we’ve even received on to the clothes, equipment; espresso stands and the brand new Tremendous Dash which is being held for the primary time this 12 months!
This 12 months’s London bike present was held on the ExCel in Docklands. You will get to the ExCel by prepare, automobile or bike and there may be designated free bike parking.
I usually go by prepare to this occasion as I meet up with a number of associates after the present and we go off to discover a pub after which dinner someplace and this 12 months was no exception.
Should you’re like me, you stroll into the Excel and also you’re like ‘Whoa, bikes, numerous bikes 🤩🤩🤩’ and I’m again to being a bit child in a candy store with my eyes going in every single place all the beautiful issues on supply!
New for this 12 months’s present is the Tremendous Dash which is a drag strip that runs down the centre of the exhibition corridor. MCN lined up some unimaginable machines to participate on this together with each of Barry Sheene’s 1976 and 1977 Championship profitable bikes and TT legend Peter Hickman launched his 2023 BSB spec BMW M1000RR off the road.
There have been many well-known riders and a few wonderful bikes to look at participating on this and it was fascinating to see the instances they have been posting. You may inform they have been racers as there was some nice pleasant competitors happening.
The one draw back to the drag strip was the noise. It was critically noisy at some factors however nice to see one thing totally different occurring.
Triumph Bikes introduced together with them 5 machines in celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the James Bond film franchise the place that they had their very own show stand. Two of the bikes have been used within the movie No Time to Die and have been the Tiger 900 and Scrambler 1200XE.
Making up the show have been Triumph’s three particular version bikes – the Tiger 900 Bond Version, the Scrambler 1200 Bond Version and the Pace Triple 1200 RR sixtieth Anniversary Bond Version. Nice to have the ability to see these bikes up shut.
There was a delegated Journey and Journey Stage at this 12 months’s present the place you possibly can take heed to individuals similar to Sam Manicom, Tiffany Coates, The Sidecar Guys, Elspeth Beard and Vanessa Ruck to call however a number of telling us tales of their wonderful adventures and providing suggestions and recommendation so that you can start your individual adventures.
It was nice to have the ability to hear and chat to a few of these intrepid explorers to get inspiration for my subsequent journey.
Silverstone Bike Auctions have been there with a show of bikes on present prepared for the public sale which befell within the afternoon on the Saturday.
There have been an array of bikes – a 1959 Flandria Iris 49c; 1959 Norton Manx 30M 490cc; 1967 Honda CB450K0 D-Package 444cc; 1973 Triumph X-75 Hurricane 741c; 1982 Kawasaki Z1000 J2 998cc; 2020 Brough Superior SS100 Mk1 997cc have been just some of the bikes up for public sale. Now, the place did I put my cheque e-book …..
Then after all you will have the bike producers proudly exhibiting off their lovely shiny bikes.
It was good to see such an incredible mixture of producers similar to Kawasaki, Triumph, Yamaha, Suzuki, BMW and Ducati to CCM, Norton, Royal Enfield, Indian Bikes, Harley Davidson, KTM, Surron and Kymco. There actually are a spread of bikes to go well with all kinds of riders, skills and value ranges.
Should you’re available in the market for a brand new bike it actually is a superb alternative to have the ability to sit on so many alternative bikes in a single place, see their specs and chat with educated individuals on every stand about their machines giving you a chance to search out out which bikes go well with you, your driving fashion and your funds to assist together with your determination making.
Even when you’re not available in the market for a brand new bike, it’s meals for thought on your subsequent bike and an incredible alternative to see so many alternative bikes in a single place.
On the Suzuki stand I did spy former triple BSB Champion, John Reynolds with some racing bikes. It was good to have the ability to chat to John about his bikes and his racing profession which was actually fascinating.
On the Triumph stand I had a chat with intrepid explorer Rhys Lawrey aka 2moro Rider. I cherished listening to his newest adventures and the place he’s off to subsequent. I’ve a visit deliberate to Spain later within the 12 months and Rhys confirmed me some photographs of a street coming again via France that he has ridden and gave me the small print so I can incorporate this into my journey. How nice is that!
I got here throughout Michael Rutter, aka The Blade, on the Bathams Racing Honda RCV stand who introduced together with them 4 bikes together with their BMW M1000RR and Tony Rutter’s Ducati TT1 and his Offenstadt 350. I used to be capable of sit on one in all Michael’s father’s bikes, have my image taken and a chat with Michael who then very kindly signed one in all his books for me.
That’s one of many issues I like about this present, the fellows on the stands make time to have a chat with you and normally an image too.
Apart from bikes, bikes and a few extra bikes, there have been additionally clothes producers on the present providing for buy a number of their goodies. You may totally package your self out to experience a motorbike by coming to the bike present from base layers, protecting trousers and jackets to boots, gloves and helmets.
That after all is simply the beginning, you possibly can then go on to package out your bike with equipment similar to baggage programs, sat navs, go execs after which you possibly can package your storage out too with paddock stands and lifts, instruments, cleansing merchandise….. Truthfully, the checklist is countless. Simply ensure you deliver loads of pennies with you or your different half’s bank card… 😜
All in all I had a wonderful day on the Bike Present, I noticed numerous bikes, chatted to so many bikers and got here away with numerous concepts and inspiration.
I’ve heard a number of individuals saying that the London Bike Present is smaller than a few of the main exhibits, however to me it’s a time out in London with a number of mates bikes after which off to search out beer and meals. What an ideal begin to the biking season 😎
An important time out, nicely value a go to and I’ll be again once more subsequent 12 months.
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