28/5/2023 Bike Shed Motorcycle Show - Sunday.

So on Saturday I rode down to the show on my bike. One of the things I like about this event is that if you have a ticket you can go on more than one day and you don't have to pay again. Going on the bike is nice as there is dedicated free motorcycle parking, but the actual ride down there in 2023 isn't the pleasant and fun experience it would have been years ago - these days the traffic is worse (even on a bike!) and there are multiple 20 MPH speed limits - which can be difficult to notice while you are trying just to stay alive not being taken out by the the countless lunatics, idiots, and just bad drivers on the roads. As I found to my cost last year... I knew there were some bikes on display that I'd missed and not got photos of on Saturday, so I thought I'd take advantage of my free travel and go again on the Sunday.

And after Great Northern get me into town I still enjoy travelling on the DLR sitting at the front of the train pretending to be the driver - the novelty still hasn't worn off! And I enjoy the views of the modern dockland area which still seems like an alien and futuristic environment to me - like I'm in Blade Runner or something. I guess I'm still a kid at heart. Don't tell anyone. 😉

Also, the live music bill looked better on Sunday. 🎸😎

I was rather impressed by Logan J. Parker at this event last year and now she is back again - this time in less country and more rock mode. Obviously I prefer the latter.

Oh yes, and there were motorcycles too. As I suspected, there were some interesting machines that I didn't have time to see yesterday as I had a gig to go to afterwards. 🎸

I'm sure these CCM's handle well, but as they are called Spitfire I'd want something more powerful and faster to be honest - and a British engine instead of the BMW designed Husqvarna motor used here. 😕 I'm sure it's good bike and fun to ride, but please call it something else as I don't think this pays tribute to it's name.

Now this new but retro looking Norton Commando is far more like it - although I am even less likely to ever be able to afford one than a CCM.

But talking of BMW's.

Old.

Not so old, but radically customised.

And new but customised.

Yes, these really are 1800CCs - BMW are building stock boxer twins in that capacity now - I wouldn't mind getting my hands on one!

How wide can you make a motorcycle that only has two cylinders?
Those cylinders are 900cc each though!

The new ones straight from the factory aren't cheap, but are cheaper than the new Nortons. But nothing like as fast.

If I won the lottery I'd still have one sitting in my garage though.

Along with a Harley, but not an impractical pretend off-road one like this.

A Kawasaki Z1 based dragster with turbocharger and nitrous oxide injection.

And from one extreme to the other - showing that mopeds can be cool. 😎

And back to the UK with Triumph.

This looks very fast, but less than comfortable.

This modern but retro customised Triumph also looks less than comfortable - I don't like the current fashion for seats like planks - something also found on public transport these days. 😬 This trendy 'scrambler' might look cool for posing around town, but I don't think anyone would want to actually ride it far on London's pothole cratered roads, or for long on a trip into the country. I'm sure my current ride is far more comfortable for either.

This Triumph Daytona styled to look more like a Speed Triple reminds me of my previous couple of bikes - I recognise most of the components.

This Royal Enfield takes the retro look back a lot further.

'Slumdog' is an interesting machine that emphasises the former British motorcycle brand and it's move to Indian manufacture and eventually ownership.

So, it was another great Bike Shed Motorcycle Show - a cool relaxed atmosphere, and many interesting, varied, and imaginative custom bikes. See you there next year?

27/5/2023 Bike Shed Motorcycle Show - Saturday

The Bike Shed Motorcycle Show is always a laid back and enjoyable event. No corporate sponsorship or big money backers - just custom bikes built by people who love what they do at a show organised by bikers for bikers, and anybody else who just thinks motorcycles are cool.

As always, there are many weird and wonderful machines on display - something for all tastes. Here is just a tiny selection of what was on show.

Get your pizza delivered - quickly!

A replica of the Triumph Steve McQueen rode in 'The Great Escape'. Yes, I know the Germans used BMW motorcycles  during WW2 not British Triumphs - and the bike used in the film was obviously post-war.

Quite a similar engine to my first ever bike - a Honda 125 twin, but there the similarities end...

A Honda Gold Wing tourer turned into a cafe racer!

A Harley Davidson with knobly tyres only suited to off-road use demonstrating how wildly impractical many modern custom bikes are...

This very futuristic machine is actually far older than it looks!

Yes - even scooters are allowed!

From mod machines to punk ones - this is powered by a lawnmower engine!

This actually started life as a moped!

And this still is a moped - showing that literally anything can be turned into a custom bike.

This looks less than practical to actually ride, but look at that amazing paintwork! Many of the bikes here are literally works of art.

Yes, that really is a Sinclair C5.

A modern 350 Royal Enfield with a beautifully vintage looking 'bathtub' rear end.

This is based on a Suzuki T500. I used to have one of these - same colour too. Maybe it's my old bike?

This is an old Honda CG125 commuter bike - who'd have thought anyone would ever want to customise some as unglamorous as that?

Meanwhile, over on the Royal Enfield stand. A modern 650 engine in a custom frame. Another totally impractical bike - that seat + no rear suspension would make it far too uncomfortable to actually ride on the road. Especially in London!

A really cool looking Harley, but with no air filter it wouldn't last long if you actually tried taking it off-road where those knobly tyres belong!

Who says mopeds aren't cool?

Based on a modern Sportster - the purists won't like it...

...compared to this.

Check out the welding on those exhaust pipes - that must have taken a very long time!

Would you really want to sit with your arse that high off the ground on a sports bike?😅

Guys - would you want to run into the back of something on this bike? Look at the rear end of the petrol tank! 😖

Who needs a fancy custom paint job? This is actually a leather clad motorcycle!

On the other hand, this has to win the best paintwork of the show award.

Old look - new Triumph motor.

At last - a machine that can handle London's pothole infested roads!

There was so much to see that as it was free on my ticket and I hadn't quite seen everything I decided to come back again tomorrow....

26/5/2023 Los Coyote Men + The Phobics @ The Birds Nest

 

Yes, it's them Phobics again! They are liable to pop up at any gig in London, but especially on their home turf in Deptford. Actually, I'm not sure there is any turf in Deptford - but if there was then The Phobics would be on it. Instead they are on the stage in the intimate confines of the Birds Nest pub.

This band must have played this punk rock toilet venue countless times over the years - on occasion as the same night as me in another old punk band. But no one is interested in that - instead everyone want's to see Tom's famous white shoes! Since the Witchdoktors wrote a song about Tom Crossley's shoes and the much missed 12 Bar Club they are more often found in here.

The Phobics are chaotic fun as usual and now promoting their excellent new album 'Burnt Rubber' - featuring songs like 'Gentrification' - a subject which is even starting to affect places like Deptford. 😟

The Phobics are always worth seeing, but tonight I am particularly excited to finally have the chance to see a band I've wanted to see for many years but never thought I would as their shows are as rare as rocking horse shit. That band is Los Coyote Men.

I first became aware of this band quite a few years ago after hearing their song 'Any Port In A Storm' on the radio. It was filthy raw garage rock 'n' roll and straight away I knew I wanted to go and see this band. But where? And When? Those questions remained unanswered - until now. In the meantime I managed to track down the 2003 album the song came from - 'Los Coyote Men Vs The Illegal Movers'. It's presented as two different bands taking one side of the album each, but it's said that The Illegal Movers are actually Los Coyote Men. Anyway, it's a great album of dirty scuzzy garage rock 'n' roll dripping with punk attitude.

This band take being 'underground' to new depths, and as they don't even have a website it's difficult to find out what (if anything) they are up to. But here they are playing at a small pub venue in South London. Los Coyote Men explode onto the stage in a blitz of rock 'n' roll chaos! Wearing wrestling masks and ridiculously OTT gear they could hardly look more rock 'n roll - this is a band out to make an impression! And they do - the music is incendiary.💥 Their energy level is off the scale, and they are often off the stage too - even the drummer can't be contained behind his kit!

Rock 'n' roll doesn't get much more primal than this, and the band's costumes lend an air of mystery, not to mention menace and danger. I wasn't around in the early days of rock 'n roll, but I can imagine seeing a red hot band in a small club in the 1950's might have been something like this.

In spite of the 'show business' look of the band's attire, there is a primitive punk attitude underneath, and with the less than Politically Correct lyrics of the song 'Any Port In A Storm' you get the feeling that this band really don't give a fuck and will get right in your face!

This is pure rock 'n' roll in it's most distilled form, but although there is a punk edge the playing is sharp. These guys mean it man.

This is possibly the most full-on totally in-your-face rock 'n' roll show I have seen all year - I really hope I can see this band again some time.