Category: Events and Shows

1. Thumbs Up for Tailend!

   Posted on 12:00am Tuesday 31st Aug 2010

   bmf Tailend Motorcycle Show, 18 / 19 September, Lincolnshire Showground

   With advanced ticket sales well up on last year, it’s a thumbs up for the bmf’s re-located Tail End show to be held for the first time at the stunning Lincolnshire Events Centre at the Lincolnshire Showground.

   The decision to move the show after twelve years at Peterborough’s East of England Showground was a brave one, but advance ticket sales for this popular end of season event are up a staggering 60% on this time last year, while even the trade stands are looking to top last year’s figures.

   Harley Davidson are bringing their brand new road show rig to the event including nine demonstrator bikes (driving licences will be required to be shown) while Rieju will be showing their stunning new range of bikes aimed at both the new and novice rider and will hopefully be bringing a long rising star Katie Bullock, European Intermediate Trials Champion and X Factor contestant.

   Other exhibitors already booked include George White, Kawasaki, Norton Motorcycles, Frank Thomas, Hein Gericke, Bikers Gearbox, Carole Nash, Powerbronze, Busters, Enigma Clothing, SMC Bikes, Skidmarx and the ever-popular Wall of Death plus a large fun fair – and for those camping, James Toseland and his band CRASH will be headlining the live entertainment on Saturday night.

   Making a guest appearance over the weekend will be Enduro Challenge star Graham Hoskins (and if he can make it, his riding partner Danny John Jules [The Cat from TV’s Red Dwarf]) to talk about their epic Enduro challenge for Sport relief – 7,000 miles, 15 countries, 3 continents in just 16 days!! Graham will have the bike he used and will also be giving a talk about the trip in the showground’s appropriately named Epic centre during the day.

   Vertical Trix will be there with their wheelie machine for those who want to try their hand in relative safety, while in the main arena, top class stunts from the Bolddog Lings Stunt Team and amazing tricks from ace trials rider Steve Colley will keep the crowds happy. But that’s not all, as the fast and furious racing from the British Lawnmower racing association will give a whole new meaning to the phrase cut and thrust competition!

   Thanks to the bmf’s insurance partners MCE, visitors will also have the chance to win a VIP experience at the BSB at Oulton Park including pit lane walks and a ‘meet the teams’ session. Visitors also have the chance to win a £500 custom helmet paint job courtesy of the BLD group.

   For those camping, ticket prices include live entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings from bands such as Trash Monkey (back from a successful bmf May show appearance), the League of Mentalmen, The Band from County Hell and Bad Penny with James Toseland and Crash headlining Saturday.

   There’s even a Free shuttle bus service from Lincoln city centre to the showground throughout the weekend 10-18.00hrs.

    

   For full details on Tail End, ticket options and on-line booking see:

   www.bmfshows.co.uk or book by phone on 08448 845151

2. Roughleys Bike Show - 10th Anniversary - 29th August - Free event

   Posted on 12:00am Thursday 26th Aug 2010

   The annual Stockport Bike Show, in aid of NABD, Rainbow Trust and Together Trust, is tTo be held in Stockport Market centre 12 noon until 12pm.  Live bands all day and evening, bike show, food & drink venues, raffles, tombola, trade stalls and much more!  Bikes, trikes & scooters welcome.

    

   venue: Stockport Market Place,  SK1 1ES

   price: free entry

   tel: 0161 221 9078

   website: www.roughleysbikeshow.co.uk 

3. Wings & Wheels To Salute Harrier Return With Special Flypast

   Posted on 12:00am Wednesday 25th Aug 2010

   Wings & Wheels are thrilled to announce that on Sunday 29^th August the airshow will be paying tribute to the Harrier and celebrating 50 years since the first vertical take-off, which took place at the aerodrome in October 1960, with a very special flypast.

   Having taken a break from the airshow circuit for four years, the Harrier is back and joining the Show on both days and in a unique twist organisers have teamed up with the RAF Red Arrows to bring the crowds something a little bit different.

   Wings & Wheels are delighted to confirm that the Red Arrows and the Harrier will be marking the anniversary with a special tribute flypast formation.

   Gerry Forristal, Air Display Director, Wings & Wheels comments: “The aerodrome at one time was not only home to the Hawk aircraft flown by the Reds but played a key role in the development of the iconic Harrier. With 2010 being such an exceptional year for both us and the Harrier, we are delighted that the Red Arrows and the Harrier have agreed to team up and help us celebrate this landmark with a special tribute flypast formation.”

   Jamie McAllister, Event Director, Wings & Wheels comments: “We are extremely proud and very excited to welcome the Harrier back which we know is a firm favourite with our Wings & Wheels visitors. The formation flypast tribute is something not seen before at our airshow and we hope our visitors on Sunday enjoy watching and joining us in our celebrations.”

   Dunsfold Aerodrome has an illustrious aviation history and for many years was used as a flight test centre for Harriers and Hawks for the worldwide markets. The Hawk aircraft, flown by the Red Arrows, and most of its components are British made, built and, at one time, delivered from Dunsfold Aerodrome.

   Attracting phenomenal crowds of over 25,000 in 2009 with some of the finest aircraft and motoring displays in the UK, Wings & Wheels is not just an Airshow, it’s an exciting weekend of family entertainment.

   Tickets are still on sale for the advanced rate of £16 until 5pm on Saturday 28^th and can be purchased from Dunsfold Park Estate Office, Guildford Tourist Office, Horsham Tourist Office, Cranleigh Village Hospital Trust and Brooklands Museum.

   The Red Arrows will be headlining this year’s airshow and performing on both days, Sunday 29^th and Monday 30^th August. Also confirmed in the spectacular 4 hour flying displays are the RAF Typhoon, RAF Hawk (Solo Hawk Jet), RAF Tutor (Solo Training Aircraft), Lynx Helicopter, Blades Aerobatic Display Team, Breitling Wingwalkers, Hawker Hunter (Jet), Hawker Hurricane (WW2), Red Bull Matadors, Aerobatic Glider Display,  Tigers Parachute Team and Vulcan Bomber.

   The ‘Wheels’ of the show is masterminded by Brooklands Museum who have lined-up an assortment of motoring icons, including Aston Martins, Ferraris, Jaguars, AC Cobras, Lotuses, Porsches, TVRs and the McLaren Mercedes SLR, to entertain the crowds as they demonstrate their speed and power up and down the runway made famous by BBC’s Top Gear.

   The two day show is being held over the August Bank Holiday, Sunday 29^th and Monday 30^th August, at Dunsfold Park near Guildford, Surrey and is open to spectators from 9.00 to 18.00.

   Tickets prices remain the same as 2009 and start from: £16 for adults, £5 for under 15’s and £36 for a family. Hospitality packages start at £120 per person. For more information or to book a ticket visit www.wingsandwheels.net

   Wings & Wheels is promoted by Dunsfold Park Limited to help raise monies for nominated charities: Brooklands Museum Trust, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance, Cranleigh Village Hospital Trust and Help for Heroes.

4. Wootton Bassett 2011

   Posted on 12:00am Monday 16th Aug 2010

   Wootton Basset 2011 will take place on Mothers Day 3rd April 2011, re-named a Ride of Respect.

    

   Everybody is hoping to make 2011 a truly memorable occasion, Julia is quoted as saying she expects in excess of 25,000 bikes, let's make this happen. Registration will open on the web-site in August, and will surely attract massive interest; we don't know where the cut-off will be so register early to ensure your place on the ride. As with this year's ride, donations will be £5 however the money will be collected through the web-site rather than on the day, easier for everyone. The team is putting together a pack, which will include T-Shirts, Wrist Bands and a Patch, so please keeping watching the site for updates.

   Together we are all making a difference, and your passion has been pivotal in the development of the charity and to helping our Troops.

    

   facebook group

    

   www.afghanheroes.org.uk

5. Bike legend Foggy has “wheelie” good time - Llangollen Motorbike Show

   Posted on 12:00am Monday 9th Aug 2010

   Motorbike superstar Carl Fogarty was a huge hit with fans who travelled from far and wide to see him in Llangollen over the weekend.

   The four times World Superbike Champion and multiple TT winner was the star attraction at the popular Motorbike Show.

   Thousands of bike fans descended on the Royal International Pavilion with some coming from Germany, France and Holland.

   One of Foggy’s duties was to crown the 2010 North Wales Biker Babe, a motorbike mad beautician.

    

   

   Lianne Roberts of Treuddyn, wins the Biker Babe competition and is congratulated by biker legends Carl Fogarty and Paul Owen

   Winning the title was a “dream come true” for Lianne Roberts, 18, who lives in Treuddyn.

   She said: “I am very much into bikes and I’ve got a Yamaha FS1E or a Fizzy which is a really old style bike. I love new bikes but I’ve got a soft spot for old bikes. My dad’s been into bikes since he was young and I started riding pillion when I was quite young and I really got into them. It is a real-life passion, I really do love bikes. Before I was going to be a beautician, I was going to be a mechanic. It was a real pleasure to meet Carl Fogarty. Being such a huge star, you’d think he’d be big headed – but he’s not. He’s lovely.”

   For much of the time, the bike racing legend was swarmed by adoring fans wanting a chat and to get his autograph – and he loved every second.

   Carl said: “It’s always nice to come to Wales and I’ve always had a good following here so it’s good to be back here again. There’s a really big crowd here and it’s a very, very good show. I know Llangollen pretty well and have done some trial riding around the area in the past. I have also got a place on Anglesey.”

   During the show he took part in a question and answer session with local rider Paul Owen who was awarded the inaugural Spirit of the TT Award at this year’s races.

   Paul was following his close friend, New Zealander Paul Dobbs, during the Supersport race at this year’s June TT when Dobbs crashed.

   Owen stopped, dismounted, giving up his own race ambitions to assist race marshals in controlling the incident warning other racers of debris in the road.

   
   Sadly, Dobbs suffered fatal injuries in the high speed crash at Ballagarey. 

   Paul said: “It was good to spend a bit of time with Carl. I’m now where he started off and he is an inspiration to me. He knows what it means to go to the Isle of Man, spend thousands of pounds and then sacrifice a race to try and save somebody. I’d like to think that somebody would stop for me if I had an accident like that.”

   There was a special award for the Best Bike in Show given in memory of well-known and popular Llangollen motorcyclist Victor Jones, who died recently, aged just 59. 

   Victor, of Pengwern, who used to ride a classic 1964 Matchless 650cc and was a huge fan of classic bikes, gave up his job in the building industry to care for his brother Frank when he started to suffer from impaired vision

   Appropriately, the award was one by somebody who knew Victor very well. Keith Owen, who hails from Llangollen but now lives in Wrexham, took the prize for his beautifully restored Triumph Bonneville American Export which was made in 1969.

   Keith said:  “It means an awful lot to me to win this award with me being a Llangollen boy. What made it even more special was that I won the Victor Jones Memorial Trophy because he was great Llangollen character. I knew him very well and he is sadly missed.”

   Another highlight of the show was the Custom Bike Show, sponsored by Bretton Motorcycles from Chester.

    

   

    

    David Williams of Bretton Motor Cycles

    

   Owner Russ Campbell, the owner of Bretton Motorcycles, said: “We’ve got a lot of really good quality bikes, they are stunning. There’s obviously been a lot of hard work to get them ready for the show. I am always quite shocked to see the standard of the bikes because they are actually ridden as well as being put on display in the shows. Some of them are impractical but the lads do get on them. There’s a great atmosphere at the show, it’s a family orientated and it’s a superb venue. I have done shows right across Europe and this is the best venue I’ve seen – and Llangollen is a popular biking area anyway. It’s the perfect place.”

   It was also the perfect opportunity for Nick Critchley, the Heather and Hillforts Project’s Moorland Field Officer, to speak to members of the biking fraternity.

   He was there with representatives of the countryside charity, Tread Lightly, to meet bikers and encourage them to sign up to the campaign to promote responsible off-roading on two wheels and four.

   He said: “People have been coming up and chatting and I think they are supportive of what we are doing. Our message is very positive and people are very keen to hear that motorbikes aren’t all bad. There are lots of places where they can go and we encourage them to use the legal rights of way network.”

   Organiser David Green, the managing director of Xuberance Events, was thrilled that the weekend had been such a huge success.

   He said: “We’ve had a fantastic turn-out. “We’ve got bikers who’ve travelled from all across the UK and beyond, including some from Germany, France and Holland. At the same time, we’ve had huge support from the local biking fraternity who’ve brought their bikes here as well. Carl Fogarty has been an absolute pleasure, he’s been walking around signing autographs, meeting people and sharing his stories. He’s an absolute legend and it shows the progression that the Motorbike Show has made over the past three years.”