29/5/2022 Bike Shed Motorcycle Show part 2

So on Saturday I went to the Bike Shed Motorcycle Show on the train, had a beer, got the train to a gig in the evening, and had more beers. Having satisfied my desire to sit at the front and pretend to be a train driver on the DLR I decided to go to the Bike Show again on Sunday, but on an actual motorcycle - one ticket to the show gives multiple admission on different days if you want - so it didn't cost any extra to go twice and see the few things I didn't get time to see the previous day. Well that's the theory anyway, but of course there is a little petrol used to get there and back. Journey planning says it's quicker going by bike instead of train too. And it's also a good way to see how well my new Beeline motorcycle SatNav system works as well. 🏍

The weather is nice enough, and the ride down to Shadwell is fairly straightforward as the roads for at least the first half of the journey are fairly familiar and SatNav isn't required. My new Beeline takes care of the rest. 🏍 The Bike Shed people have arranged free motorcycle parking in the street right outside the venue - which is cool. 😎

This picture is just a very small section of the show - there are hundreds of bikes on display, and as it's not a commercial 'trade' show the machines on display are virtually all custom bikes.

The atmosphere is very cool and relaxed, and you get get as close as you want to the bikes if you want to inspect their engineering or paintwork closely.

This one brought back some memories as it's based on a Triumph Speed Triple like the one I used to have - much missed and my favourite of all the bikes I've owned.

However, this old Royal Enfield is more like what I'm riding these days - although mine is very updated for modern times.

And the engine from this one looks very familiar too.

I suspect some of the bikes on display don't even have working engines and may never have turned a wheel under their own power, but they really are literally works of art and things of great beauty.

There really are some inspired and highly imaginative machines here - would you believe this started life as a Honda step-thru moped?

Brilliant!

Not all the bikes on show are shiny works of art.

Royal Enfields seem to be getting increasingly popular with custom builders - both old ones like this.

And new ones like this dragster based on the current 650 twin models.

And this one, which is actually a factory concept bike based on the current 650 Interceptor/Continental, but a possible future production model.

And this custom which is based on the latest 350 Meteor model.

This is just a tiny selection of the weird and wonderful machines to be seen - there are are Harley's, Triumphs, Nortons, Moto Guzzi's and Ducati's from Italy, as well as BMWs and all the big four Japanese brands, and many others - road bikes, choppers, racers, off-roaders, supersports, and everything in between.

There are plenty of other things to see and do as well - get a tattoo, get your hair done, shop for motorcycle parts and clothing, eat a wide variety of street food, and drink a wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages at the venue's pub or the whiskey bar. And there is plenty of live music too! It's been a good, varied, and interesting day out - I expect I'll be back next year.

The journey home turns into a bit more of an adventure than planned. There is a major bicycle race going through London on the Sunday and some of the roads are shut - only a minor problem on the way to the show, but more so on leaving to ride home. We were diverted South instead of being able to head back North. Somehow I ended up leading a very noisy convoy of motorcycles towards Wapping. I think they somehow assumed I actually knew where I was going - so they followed me, but actually I was winging it based on my SatNav auto-reroute. It's many many years since I actually drove or rode through Wapping and it has changed totally since the times I drove to a rehearsal studio there. Anyway, due to road closures and diversions I ironically ended up going past the actual Bike Shed club venue in Old Street!

PS: The following week I receive a letter from the Metropolitan Police informing me that I got caught doing a massive 24 MPH in a 20 MPH zone on the A10 on the way home - so it's going to be either a fine and points on my clean license or a Speed Awareness Course for me - again. So going to the show on my bike didn't work out so cheap after all.... Now I'm wondering if I'm going to get another letter regarding all the times I used bus lanes on the way to and from the Bike Show as well...