26/5/2019 Bike Shed motorcycle show at Tobacco Dock

And now for something completely different...

I thought it was about time I went to another motorcycle show, and sadly the MCN Supersprint held near Dark Towers at Alexandra Palace last year doesn't appear to be taking place in 2019 - so I thought this looked interesting.  I'd been aware of The Bike Shed and been intrigued for some time but had yet to pay a visit. Now seemed to be a good time, but this event isn't actually held at the club's hipster East End hangout in Old Street but in Docklands. At Tobacco Dock to be precise. This looked an interesting area to visit and like Ally Pally proved very easy to get to by train. It turned out to be a great location with craft ale and various fancy street food outlets available on site, and an interesting place to look round. The old docks are real, but like a modern retro style Triumph motorcycle the ships are not what they seem and are not real although they add to the character of the area.

However, the motorcycles contained within the listed old warehouse building the show is held in are real. Well sort of - some of them anyway. The building itself is a terrific location for the show and full of character - as are many of the machines contained therein. This is not a large corporate motorcycle show, it's more of a custom show - and consequently there are many weird and wonderful machines on show.

This one is unfinished and based around a supercharged Yamaha motor.

Some of the bikes are old fashioned but conventional although using some modern parts and materials.

And some are far from conventional, like this BMW based trike!

This one is electric and may actually enter production - at a very steep price!

My favourites were the custom Triumphs based on new modern machines but designed to look old - you had to look twice at this one to make sure it wasn't actually an old 1930's bike! Great attention to detail - even down to the old fashioned girder forks and 'pedestrian slicer' front number plate.

Although this looks like something out of a museum it is actually based on a modern production Triumph engine and frame - I bet if Triumph put something similar into production themselves they would sell loads of them!

I thought this vintage aviation inspired modern Triumph was great! Where's my old sheepskin flying jacket? 

CHOCKS AWAY!

A steampunk motorcycle?

Again based on a modern production Triumph engine and frame.

There were many weird and wonderful custom machines on display - some more practical than others. I think many of them are more like works of art than functioning usable motorcycles - amazing to look at, but I suspect many of them don't have engines that will actually run. There is definitely some impressive engineering to be seen though! I found this heavily modified Royal Enfield Himalayan particularly interesting. 

As well as the radical mono-shock rear swing arm conversion, the more eagle-eyed amongst you looking at the exhaust system might spot a turbocharger! I can't see this working well on a large capacity single cylinder engine - especially on a bike that is designed to be used largely off-road! What were they thinking?

I think this would be an 'interesting' machine to try to actually ride off-road - assuming that the engine actually works?

I certainly found this a very interesting motorcycle show, although smaller than I expected. I thought the ticket was a bit on the pricey side for a small show, although maybe this is the price to be paid for not having big corporate sponsorship? I had an enjoyable day out, although I regret to say this might be the last motorcycle show I ever attend. To be honest I find it all a bit depressing since my last Triumph was stolen and I know that I will probably never be able to afford to get another bike. Looking at all these amazing machines while knowing that I will almost certainly never be able to ride any motorcycle ever again makes me sad - so maybe it's time to step back and put that important chapter of my life behind me...