2016 Manchester Bike Show

Now in its 5^th year this show is well in to the swing of things the all the usual suspects in attendance, bike manufacturers, clothing, tools and of cause the bike clubs. However this year there feels like there’s been a shift, the clubs attending did the organizers proud with a massive variety of machinery.

Random Picture: Motorbike Chariot Racing

I saw this picture over the weekend, I know nothing about the event but it just looks like an awesome spectacle to have watched and I really want to know how the bikes were controlled.

Honda EZ 90 Cub

Just looking at this bike and you know its straight out of the early 90’s with its totally enclosing fairings and all that white. What we’ve got is an update of the original Cub for the modern era, just a shame it was for off road use only.

Random Picture: Drag Bike

Now we all know drag bikes are dangerous, well this bike takes that to a whole new level-

Random Picture: “Wild” Bill Gelbke’s Roadhog

I just love this picture, the way it looks like it could have been take at the turn of the century as well as the sheer size of that bike. It was however built as a one off in 1962 using aircraft specification tubing which held the 2.4ltr, 4 cylinder Chevy Nova engine with its 2 speed automatic transmission, that ran into a modified Chevy truck differential outback via a shaft drive. Add to that it was fitted with Corvette disc brakes and 4 hydraulic rams that drop down when it’s parked!!!! To get an idea of its massive size, its wheelbase is 126 inches and its turning circle 110 feet!!!!! Unbelievably despite its unwieldy size Bill covered a reported 20,000 miles within a year of completion.

Tri-Vette

Built as a response to the oil embargo of the early 70’s by Bob Keyes, from 1974 until 1978, 27 were custom built in Ventura California and classed as motorcycles. The original ones were powered by Fiat 850 engines which despite the additional weight would still get 50-65mpg.

Manchester Bike Show

Well on a very wet Sunday morning I headed over the Manchester Bike Show which is now its 4^th year, and once again its grown in size again. As per the usual the first hall is primarily the haunt of the dealers and manufacturers, with all the big boys present as per the usual, Honda, Bimoto, Ducati, Yamaha, Royal Enfield, Triumph, Indian, Victory etc

Norton Interpol 2

The name Norton is held in high esteem in the bike world, with its road and race bikes of the 60’s and 70’s being highly valued, however in the mid 80’s and with another buyout the brand took a short detour.

Random Video: 48 Cylinder Kawasaki

Whats not to like, and looks like one hell of a build-

Harley Davidson X90 Monkey Bike

When you hear the term Harley Davidson the image it conjures is big cruiser and that sound, ohhh that unmistakable sound of that rumbling lazy engine. However in the early 70’s they built a small budget bike, not only that a monkey bike, a two stroke monkey bike!!!!!

Random Picture: Drag Biking

When I first say this picture over on the Pendine Landspeed Racing Club Facebook page I was just gobsmacked-

St Asaph Car Show

It’s been a while since I’ve headed over to North Wales for this show, in fact the last time was in 2012, and with the Bank Holiday promising good weather I was looking forward to it. Most of the car shows that get featured on here are usually model or classic/retro orientated, this show though was purely a “car and bike” show which meant an attendance of more modern machinery.

Tractor Cycle

“Superior to an ordinary motorcycle in its ability to climb steep and rough grades” was the claim of J. Lehaitre the French inventor of this tracked motorcycle. Built in 1938 is had a top speed of about 25mph on flat ground. Steering was via conventional handlebars that controlled the sideways motion of the drive belt, well that what I’ve read but can’t see how it works without dual belts.

Principal Insurance Manchester Bike Show

Thanks to Andrew Greenwood Classicshows I headed over to Event City. Now in its 3^rd year, this indoor show has once again grown snowballingfrom last year with more manufacturers, dealers, clubs, vendors and space.
 
On entering your in the mix of the manufacturers and dealers with Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki Suzuki showing off all there wears from race bikes to scooters.

The 15th Classic & Modern Japanese & European Motorcycle Show

 

Well we’re well into 2014 and that means the show season is starting the stir in the UK. Thanks to Andrew Greenwood for the tickets, our first show was over at Donington Park for the Classic & Modern Japanese & European Motorcycle Show. So it was an early and cold start to a Sunday morning for the 85 mile drive to the historic racetrack.

Bike Show This Weekend

Well thanks to Andrew Greenwood Classicshows I’ll be attending the The 15th Classic & Modern Japanese & European Motorcycle Show over at the historic Donington Park. If you attending and see me there give me a shout for some free stickers, if you’re not attending then hold fire for a write up and pictures.

 

For more information-

http://www.classicshows.org/donington020214.php

 

Megola

I’ve seen a few radial engines installed into bikes, these are usually custom builds using a large aircraft derived engine, but this was a production bike in 1921. What makes it even more interesting and unusual is the fact the engine is mounted to the front wheel.

Lamborghini Boxer Bike

Back in the 80’s Lamborghini were out to expand the brand after a shack part of their history. They had already expanded into off roaders with the LM002 and into speed boats with their V12 being offered to turn the propellers!!! However they weren’t finished there. Boxer Bikes were a French company synonymous with leading-edge racing bikes using the latest technologies and all hand built.

The Manchester Bike Show

Snow on the ground is not what you need when you’re running a bike show but that’s what Manchester woke up to!!!! It didn’t dampen this event though, granted the car park was a little lacking in bikes, and can’t blame any riders for taking the easy 4 wheeled route. This was the second outing for this event and what a long way it had come over the last 12 months when compared to last year. More room, more dealers, more clubs, more traders and more bikes to look at modern, retro and classic over two halls.

Replicar Curser

In the UK you can only drive a car when you reach 17, however you can ride a moped at 16. This was a way to build a car like vehicle in the UK that 16 year olds could drive on this moped license. The result was a 3 wheeled vehicle, with a tubular steel chassis, rack and pinion steering and a single seat. Power came from a rear mounted moped derived 49cc Suzuki CS50 engine from, ran through a 3 speed automatic gearbox that drove the rear single wheel. Top speed, like a moped, was limited to 30mph. Which when you realise how small this thing that would be fairly scary!!!! Built between 1985 and 87 approximately 100 were produced, which included a very small run of 2 seaters.