Category: Events and Shows

1. Ace Cafe News - Ace Cafe Reunion Update

   Posted on 12:00am Monday 5th Sep 2011

   Independently acclaimed as the world's coolest motorcycle event - Three Days, Three Rides, One Reunion!

   Friday 9th September from 6pm - The Continental Run Ride-In

   Saturday 10th September - Cafe Racer & Rockers Ride-Out

   Depart: 10.30am

   Destination: Battersea Park (Central London)

   Sunday 11th September - Brighton Burn-Up & Ride With The Rockers

   Depart: 10.30am

   Route: A406 - A40 - M25 - M23 - A23 to Madeira Drive, Brighton Seafront
   
   Taking place over three days of the second weekend in September and first held in 1994, the 18th annual Ace Cafe Reunion Weekend & Ride With The Rockers celebrates the unique history, culture and style of Ace Cafe London and what it represents. The event acts as a focus in the motorcycling calendar for all those who are not only interested in the Ace Cafe, Ton Up and Rocker heritage, but also for many others who enjoy a weekend full of rock n' roll and fun!

   Over the years, Ace Cafe London has forged lasting and strong links to the global motorcycling and rockin' community, which is reflected by the many visitors from overseas, one of the largest contingents being The Continental Run, which starts with a party at Cafe Hubraum in Solingen, Germany, before departing the next morning to cross Holland, Belgium and France, gathering numbers en route to the ferry, arriving at the cafe late afternoon, and culminating in an evening of rock 'n' roll!

   The Brighton Burn Up & Ride With The Rockers, has been an integral part of Ace Cafe Reunions since 1996, and is a free, grand day out at the seaside on Brighton's famous seafront road, Madeira Drive. With trade and club stands, stunt displays, live music and special guests, it's an experience not to be missed!

   On Saturday 10th September, a Cafe Racer & Rockers Ride-Out to London's historic Battersea Park will depart from the cafe at 10.30am, led again this year by the Limited Edition Ace 904S Thruxton Special, returning to the Ace for the 3rd annual Cafe Racer Review, with prizes for the "Best Ridden Cafe Racer", "Best Classic Cafe Racer", "Best Modern Cafe Racer", "Best Triumph Cafe Racer" and "Best Harley Cafe Racer".

   This year, together with celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release in 1971 of the seminal Steve McQueen film "On Any Sunday" with prizes to include a pair of tickets to attend the Rye House Flat Track Championship Round for the "Best Ridden Flat Tracker",  and recalling his famous quote of that same year, "When you're racing, it's life", the Ace is also celebrating a very special landmark, the 10th anniversary of the legendary cafe having fully reopened!

   Sponsors for the competitions at the cafe include; Lewis Leathers, Red Torpedo, Lucky 13, 19-60, Prison Blues, Delta Music, Jack Lilley Triumph, Warrs HD, Coventry Transport Museum, NEC Classic Bike Show, Million Dollar Quartet Musical, Taschen and Rye House Speedway with awards and prizes being presented by Ace Cafe Hostess Sophia St. Villier.

   Amongst special guests,we are delighted to host Manx man and renowned author Mick Duckworth signing copies of his recently published book "Ace Times - Speed thrills and tea spills, a cafe and a culture", together with the legendary "Prince of Speed", 8 times world champion road racer Phil Read MBE. 2011 marks 50 years since his first TT race.

   The feisty London Rockin' Rollers will be with us again, raising funds for London's Air Ambulance, the cafe's chosen charity for Saturday 10th September.

   On Sunday 11th September in Brighton, as well as an array of club, trade stands and live bands, the annual short seafront service and blessing is being kindly undertaken by both Father Scott and Father Denis of the 59 Club.

   There will also be a "Best Scooter" competition sponsored by Baracuta and Dr Martens.

   Stunt Shows, featuring the ever popular Marc "Sparky" Chennel, Hanksy (Bolddog/SBF),  Joe Vertical (USA) and Tim Evans (SBF) will take place at Black Rock, the eastern end of Madeira Drive, with three displays scheduled for 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm, together with a wheelie machine for those who want to try out riding on the back wheel and, for the first time, this years Reunion will host a static Show Up n' Shine "Best Streetfighter" competition in association with Streetfighters magazine and Winning Formulas.

   As part of Battle of Britain Week,  the cafe's chosen charity RAFA will be in attendance, and assisting them in raising funds, and debuting at this years Reunion, are the Brighton Rockers Roller Derby Team, a band of fearless female skaters! and, for your convenience, the charity Riders For Health will be in attendance with a "helmet park", where you can leave your gear and enjoy the day.

   Ace Cafe Reunion Weekend Entertainment:

   The Hicksville Bombers+ Burlesque Show (Friday 9th), Doggone Honkabilly Band + The Bullets + Furious + The Space Cadets + Burlesque Show (Saturday 10th) at the cafe, plus Rockin' The Joint & Mark Keeley's Good Rockin' Tonight performing at Brighton (Sunday 11th). DJ's spinning the weekend's wax are Bill & Jimmy Guntrip, Graham Urquhart and Mouse, and yes, it's all free!

   For updates:

2. Gay Biker Rally

   Posted on 12:00am Wednesday 24th Aug 2011

   The Gay Biker Rally is delighted to announce sponsorship from BLD who are also offering a great track day prize on the day.

   The first dealer to confirm support is BMW Chandlers who are offering a selection of pre-booked test rides on the day.

   East Sussex Advanced Motorcyclists and Bike Safe will be offering skills assessments.
   Entrance fee £5 includes a afternoon of indoor entertainment with a 2 hour chilled DJ set. All day food available at the Azur Pavilion.

   More supporters to be confirmed next week.

   www.videou.co.uk

3. What are Bike Rallies all about then?

   Posted on 8:26am Monday 22nd Aug 2011

   Stormin' The Castle

   Someone recently pointed out that we don’t say on our website, what happens at our event. I suppose we just expected everyone to know as most of our customers have been to lots of rallies; this doesn’t help anyone who stumbles across the site and wants to find out what it’s all about.

   Stormin’ is a fund raising event for the Motorbike Action Group (MAG) which is an organisation that fights against anti-motorcycle legislation and for riders rights; find out more about MAG On their website.

   Firstly it’s not a motorsport event like a car-rally, or a music festival, but is a party for bikers. Some rallies are a lot smaller, are based around a pub, with camping in a nearby field. There may not have any entertainment, but are a place where like-minded people meet up and have a chat, chill out and maybe have a drink or two! The bigger rallies such as Stormin’ and the Farmyard Party are held in a big field or a number of fields. At Stormin’ we have three campsites and a main arena where we have the stages, the bike show on Saturday afternoon, the traders village the catering vans, the fairground the wheelie machine and the dyno-machine.

   How to ‘Do’ a Bike Rally

   Firstly you need a motorbike, we do reluctantly allow a few cars but we are cutting the numbers down each year. The event is aimed at and run by motorcyclists, it isn’t a music festival. Once you have bought your motorbike and learned to ride it you can buy a ticket for the rally. You can pay on the gate but it’s considerably cheaper to pay in advance, see the ‘tickets’ page on this website. You will also need a tent, a sleeping bag and sleeping mat or airbed. .

   People arrive for the event gates to open at 10.00 on Friday morning, set up their tents and from midday start making their way to the main arena. When you arrive at the main gate you hand in your voucher if you have pre-booked or pay the entry fee if you haven’t. Only those arriving on a bike or trike can pay on the gate. The marshal will put your wristband on your wrist for you. Once you have your wristband you can make your way to one of the campsites either by turning immediately left after you go through the gate or by going straight ahead for about 50 metres and turning right, please take care when riding on the grass, especially if it is or has been raining. When you have found a suitable camping place pitch your tent and then you’ll be ready to start.

   What you do next sort of depends on what time you arrive; if you arrive early and it’s sunny then you might just want to hang out around your tent, chat with your neighbors about their bikes, maybe have a drink from the campsite bar. If you arrive in the evening you may want to head straight for the main arena. The first band in the main stage, that’s the big white marquee starts at 7:00, they could be playing rock, punk, ska or any one of the many diverse musical genres we have on over the weekend, most of all the atmosphere is lively to say the least. In the Iris stage which is the smaller of the two marquees the first band is on stage at 7:30, the bands and the atmosphere in here are a little more laid back.

   There is no entertainment provided on the Friday afternoon; this is a time for chilling out, meeting up with old friends, having a look around the trade stalls, buying Stormin T-shirts and badges before they are sold out and maybe having a drink in one of the three bars.

   At some point over the weekend most rally-goers visit Witton Castle itself. The castle contains bars, a restaurant, and general dealer. There are also ‘proper loos’ and showers.

   On Saturday morning some people like to go for a ride out around the County, if you do decide to go out please be sure that you’re within the legal driving limit for alcohol. There are lots of interesting places to visit within an hour or so ride and you should have been given a guide leaflet with your ‘welcome pack’

    

   On Saturday afternoon the main event is a custom bike show, which always, attracts a large number of high quality entrants. There are classes for custom bikes, classic bikes and ‘bikes of notable interest’ which are machines which do not fit into the categories and are just on display. If you want to enter your road-legal bike take it to the main arena between 9.30 am and 4.00 pm, see Tim or one of his crew and they will tell you what you need to do. Winners assemble with their bikes at 5.15 and the trophies are presented at 5.45, probably in the Iris Stage – depending on ground conditions.

   You don’t need to bring any food as there are catering stalls on site to suit all tastes – from burgers and chips, to oriental cuisine. There are also catering vans on the campsites so you don’t need to go to the arena just for something to eat.

    

   There is plenty to do at Stormin’ – browsing amongst the large selection of trade stands just chilling out. For the more adventurous – there are fairground rides, usually including, the reverse bungee or something equally intimidating. There is also a dyno and a wheelie machine, both are free of charge to our customers.

   Sunday morning is time to have breakfast, pack up and go home but please don’t leave too early if you’ve been up late drinking the night before. Please take all your belongings with you and especially please don’t abandon your tent as it’s just more work for us to take it down and dispose of it. On your way out if you’ve had a good weekend please give the marshals a wave or a word of thanks as they’ve all worked hard over the weekend for no pay. Have a safe journey home and come back next year.

   Best wishes

   Jim Coxon, Event Coordinator

   www.storminthecastle.co.uk

4. World champion bike goes on display for first time - Customising, Culture and Harley-Davidson

   Posted on 12:00am Monday 1st Aug 2011

   An international prize-winning custom-built Harley-Davidson is the latest motorcycle with a story to arrive at the Customising, Culture & Harley-Davidson exhibition at MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester).

   The Strike True II won Modified Harley class of the AMD Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building at Sturgis last year, and it is on display to the public for the first time. The stunning customised 2010 Harley-Davidson Softail Crossbones motorcycle was built by Shaw Harley-Davidson Speed and Custom, in Sussex.

   Strike True II will be displayed in the MOSI exhibition, which runs until 11 September and spans early Harley-Davidsons to the very latest in customised motorcycles. The victorious bike features a number of modifications, including a hand-made rear fender, fabricated petrol tank, 1940s style speedster handlebars and custom paintwork.

   Customising, Culture & Harley Davidson exhibition features over 30 motorcycles, including models from the UK, Germany, Japan and the US. Each bike has its own story, from a rare 1909 model built in the first decade of Harley-Davidson’s production heritage,  to the 1956 KH like the one Elvis rode, to the 1948 Ice Road Panhead, which defied motorcycle capabilities in conditions of minus 53 degrees, to complete an expedition to the Arctic.

   Harley-Davidson Dealer Principal Steve Willis said: “Winning at the Sturgis World Custom event was a great accolade for us, particularly as it was the first year we entered. We’re delighted to feature in the world premiere of the Customising, Culture & Harley-Davidson exhibition, which spans over 100 years of this iconic motorcycle, so we really have gone down in history!”

   Exhibition organizer Chris Scott of Claridon said: “We are delighted to have Strike True II as a guest in the exhibition. It is the first time this award-winning motorcycle has been on public display, so this is a chance to see some of the incredible engineering and design skill involved in customised Harley-Davidson motorcycles. We are extremely grateful to Shaw Speed & Custom for the loan of their amazing motorcycles but also for working with us on the monthly rolling bike programme which will bring added enjoyment to visitors of the exhibition.”

   Customising, Culture and Harley-Davidson was created by the Claridon Group and MOSI and features many motorcycles which have never been displayed to the public before. It is the first time ever that an exhibition has showcased the historic and radical customs of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles, and the culture surrounding them.

   The exhibition includes a section on customised Harley-Davidsons, such as the incredible Jaguar Bike, built by Polar Cycles, the Air Bike by Richard Taylor and the High Roller Trike (Destiny Cycles). It also looks at the distinctive culture of Harley-Davidson, including the tattoos, music and film associated with this of this iconic brand.

   All Harley-Davidson motorcycles are manufactured in Milwaukee, USA, but the almost endless array of available aftermarket parts and accessories worldwide provides radical customisation opportunities and enables owners to realise their own personal dream machine. A full list of all motorcycles in the exhibition is available.

   Customising, Culture and Harley-Davidson runs until 11 September at MOSI, Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester M3 4FP. Get Rhythm is on display until the end of June.

   Adults £8, Concessions £6.50, HOG Members £6.50, Children (5-16) £2; Under 5s Free; Family £20 (2 adults, 3 children). Tickets can be bought from the MOSI Information Desk in the Great Western Warehouse or at www.ticketmaster.co.uk or by calling 0844 847 2261 (24 hours)*

   *order processing fee applies to telephone or online sales

   For more information on MOSI look up www.mosi.org.uk

5. Motorcycle Evenings Moving from The Waterman

   Posted on 12:00am Monday 18th Jul 2011

   As from Wednesday 3rd August, the Motorcycle Evenings will move to The Events Area at Hatton Country World, just a mile down the road.

   Following an in depth review of The Waterman business and various safety issues, we have reluctantly concluded that the large number of motorcyclists we welcome on Wednesday evenings during the Summer make it impossible for us to give our increasing number of midweek diners a consistently pleasant experience. We cannot accommodate both and our primary concern has to be our core restaurant customers.

   The shops and farm village at Hatton Country World close at 5:30pm, so motorcyclists will enjoy exclusive use of the venue. The events area already hosts a number of car rallies and charity events.

   In addition to the existing catering and toilet facilities, we will also operate an outside bar and BBQ.

   We look forward to seeing you at the Events Area on Wednesdays from 3rd August.

   Johnnie Arkwright @ Hatton Estate

   www.hattonestate.co.uk