Bristol Pirates
MAG's Town Centre Bike Show
Being a newcomer to the bandanna wearing classes I was surprised to see so many in Bristol. It's like when you learn a new word, it seems to keep popping up everywhere. The reason on this occasion was that the theme of the show was pirates so I'd come prepared without even knowing it, terrific eh?
The Bristol show is one of my favourites, partly because it's in the atmospheric centre of one of our greatest cities. Bristol has long been a great trading port from Roman times and much of the city's wealth historically has been maritime -connected. It also enjoys a strong association with that great British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a man destined for distinction in life if only for his name. Add a top hat and cigar and it was obviously only a matter of time before he started building innovative suspension bridges and giant steam ships.
Sustaining that engineering creativity on a slightly smaller scale are the custom builders and restorers who make the effort to show their skills and imagination amidst the cobbled streets and market traders of this West country hub.
I was impressed by the V Rod in the picture above but due to a bout of blistering incompetence I have of course lost the builder's details. Please get in touch if you see this as we'd like to run a custom feature on a bike which I had previously thought could not be customised.
I have made it an ascetic tradition to skip breakfast before riding the 110 miles from London to Bristol just so that I can break my fast big time at the Spice of India restaurant in the market. With a few pictures under my belt I relax a little and take a seat at a pavement table with a cold drink and a plateful of vegetable khorma with puppadoms. Served by delightful staff at no great injury to my wallet, the experience is a joy as the pavement is a good place to meet people and peruse the world as it meanders past in the summer sunshine.
The show is quite a clubish affair which guarantees plenty of exhibits. I ran into Ian Jones of the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club UK standing by a line of the giant machines - see him and his club members in the club focus elsewhere in this issue. The Vulcan Club are regulars too as is our Chairman's charity The freewheelers (Send us some words on yourselves fellahs and we'll give you some profile).
The vintage and classic turn out is pretty healthy too with some great old Brit and Italian iron and quite a few Jap mounts now qualifying under the classic banner.
Eavesdropping on a conversation I did notice the police having to defend their road safety exhibit against intelligent criticism form a biker who was looking at the horrifically crunched Fireblade that had presumably impacted something at the speed of light. The biker was asking the officer on the stand who was also a biker, if he thought that this sort of tactic really helps, and it was a good question. I can understand the frustration that leads those who have to see this awfulness first hand to want to put it under our noses but it's questionable whether these gruesome images really achieve anything beyond deterring some people from ever getting a motorcycle. Food for thought maybe ?
This show is consistently blessed with good weather which is just as well being an outdoor event though I guess if it did rain the covered market would offer more cheer than an overcrowded marquee, so bear that in mind if my comment brings rain next year. As it was, people were able to lounge around in comfort listening to two bands, one of which even inspired people to dance in the street which always seems somehow novel. I guess it's the use of the streets that gives this show its je ne'est sais quoi (somebody tell me that's spelt wrong). It's that slightly surreal, last-day-of-term rule-breaking feel about walking around on a surface that is normally for traffic. It's a bit like riding in the bus lanes knowing you can, which actually is the case in Bristol. Thanks to the efforts of MAG, Bristol was the first places to open its bus lanes to motorcyclists which gives you another reason to visit the show. How many do you need ?
Mutch
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