Bike meets, do they still happen ? Do you attend ?

[millemille]

Did the Mayday run a couple of times back in the 90's with missus on the back of my commuter hack 600 Bandit. That was actually quite enjoyable. Until you got to Hastings and the roads were at a standstill and one year I ended up burning my clutch out having to do hill start after hill start, two up, moving forward six foot every time 'cos if you didn't someone else would push in front of you.

[Skub]

There used to be some big runs/meets organised by a local bike club and years ago I did try,but it's not for me.

I used to be part of a bunch who went most weekends to road racing events and I have great memories of those times,but folk move on,or die and nothing lasts forever. When my mate and wingman was killed in 2003 it was a turning point.

I ride alone now because I can ride the way I want to and as the mood takes me.

[KungFooBob]

I'm a member of the Barnsley Bikers Club, there's probably 40 members at most. They do at least one ride out a week, they're all old codgers, but they don't hang about. A busy ride out sees maybe 15 peeps turn out. I only go out with them half a dozen times a year, but they know all the best roads. I've learnt some great routes that I use on my own trips out.

[demographic]

Naaah, I've liked bikes since I was a kid but truth be told. I just don't especially like "Bikers".
I'll go and have a good ratch at Barbon Hillclimb when its on but thats to see the bikes and how some chap has spent a few years ignoring his wife to create something that may or may n9t go up the hi a second faster than when it was bog standard.
I've never been fussed about the biker meeting places although a bit like Yorick I've stopped off at Devils Bridge on my way over to Queensbury on the back of my brothers Triumph when I was a kid cos it was a handy stop off on the way.

Otherwise I'll activity avoid biker meeting places like the plague.

[Cousin Jack]

Went on a few in the earlier days of riding, but bike meets attract nutters like shit attracts flies. Haven't been to one for 5 years or more, although I went through I think it was Calne on a Bike Day. It was so rammed there was nowhere to park, and the police were out in force looking for speeders

[636mick]

Ride alone and no time for the idiots that seem to proliferate at these places. I went to the Sleepy Sausage on the A5 last weekend while out on Bikesafe. Busy until it rained, then it emptied. Also the minginest skank I’ve ever seen was wandering around, short black dress, blonde, boots, desperate need to earn enough to keep her levels up!!! I wont rush back.
Mick

[Mussels]

Wednesday night used to be bike meet night in Kent; the Oakdene, the Portobello, the Merry Chest, the Blue Boy, the Malta and others that escape me. Rapidly became a magnet for utter, utter fuck knuckles including some who were my mates. After 2 or 3 on the trot that ended up with us being chased by the 5-0 'cos of stupid shit like 120mph stand up wheelies down the M20 I knocked it on the head. It carried on getting worse and the police tried to educate people, with no effect. Then a random passer by got killed by an out of control stunter and the police, understandably, went full on nuclear apocalypse on anyone out on a bike on a Wednesday night.

Now, living 10 miles from Matlock Bath and driving through it pretty much every day and seeing it full of hundreds of bikes I just don't see the attraction...

I used to do that circuit every Wednesday but there were too many people I wanted to distance myself from. The Farningham Hotel turned from quiet restaurant to bike night fairly quickly and unsuspecting customers could find themselves trapped by bad bike parking. Usually bikers would help but one poor sod nudged a bike wheel trying to get out and ended up with a twat jumping up and down on his car bonnet.

[ZRX61]

RockStore, any weekend. Ditto Newcombs Ranch.

[Bigyin]

There is a local one about 2 miles from where i live which has been running for 3 or 4 years and i have been once. To be fair its got a bar, quite often live rock music and a stand that sells second hand kit.

Takes me longer to get the bike out and kitted than it would be to ride there ....i knew a few faces and people there but it was the "stand about and look at other bikes" ..... boss at the training place says we might go there this summer as a group of instructors and as a "tout for business" among those looking to start riding or move up from 125's ....yay

[millemille]

Wednesday night used to be bike meet night in Kent; the Oakdene, the Portobello, the Merry Chest, the Blue Boy, the Malta and others that escape me. Rapidly became a magnet for utter, utter fuck knuckles including some who were my mates. After 2 or 3 on the trot that ended up with us being chased by the 5-0 'cos of stupid shit like 120mph stand up wheelies down the M20 I knocked it on the head. It carried on getting worse and the police tried to educate people, with no effect. Then a random passer by got killed by an out of control stunter and the police, understandably, went full on nuclear apocalypse on anyone out on a bike on a Wednesday night.

Now, living 10 miles from Matlock Bath and driving through it pretty much every day and seeing it full of hundreds of bikes I just don't see the attraction...

I used to do that circuit every Wednesday but there were too many people I wanted to distance myself from. The Farningham Hotel turned from quiet restaurant to bike night fairly quickly and unsuspecting customers could find themselves trapped by bad bike parking. Usually bikers would help but one poor sod nudged a bike wheel trying to get out and ended up with a twat jumping up and down on his car bonnet.

Pretty sure it was the Farningham Hotel where the person got killed?

[Whysub]

I lived not far from Gt Bentley, and went twice, the second time on the way home riding my XR650RSupermoto traffic police stopped me for some spurious reason. Never went back.

Used to do a loop ride from my house to Finchingfield, about 40 miles in total, great roads. Only ever did it during the week, excellent roads (many resurfaced for the Tour de France) and would detour to Hideout Leathers for a coffee. Trouble with that road at the weekend (and the roads from the M11 at Loughton through the Ongars and Rodings up to Finchingfield) is that bikes speed through the villages at 60 to 70 mph.

Used to go to the White Horse near Ongar and the Dick Turpin on the A127 and saw loads of idiots.

However, the Visordown Supermoto meets at Epping tea hut and the pub in Puckeridge were more a social event. Enjoyed those.

Now in Spain I'll stop at a bar near Novelda where lots of bikes stop, as its on a great route up into the mountains. Biggest group I see arriving there consists of three bikes, never see big groups. Most seem to ride on their own (in my view the safest way) and like talking about things other than their bikes. They even tolerate my appalling Spanish.

There is a mainly British group that meet up near my family's house near the coast. I spoke to one of them when I stopped at the cafe they congregate at on a Sunday, and after I thought "well, f*** you". You could only ride bikes abover a certain cc, had to abide "by rules" and wear had to wear club regalia on your jacket (similar to an Angels rocker). Tossers. Whats worse is that few of them can ride anywhere near safely in a group, and I have passed more than a few of them on on their litre plus bikes on my Himalayan on the nice fast twisty roads.

I would not be a member of a club that would have me as a member, and prefer to ride on my own, or with someone whose riding I trust.

[Supermofo]

However, the Visordown Supermoto meets at Epping tea hut and the pub in Puckeridge were more a social event. Enjoyed those.

I did a few of those. Awesome rides too with Veggie, Papercup, Beany, Nik, Jim etc. Every time I do the A10 by Hertford, which is a lot as I live in Herford I smile when I think of the wheelies up and down it before it opened

[Whysub]

The A10! Mad Roys long, long wheelie along there was memorable.
I think we also went there when it was closed due to subsidence of the newly laid surface. Goid times

[Horse]

boss at the training place says we might go there this summer as a group of instructors and as a "tout for business" among those looking to start riding or move up from 125's ....yay

How do you see the future demand, given the current backlog. Presumably the business was about right for previous demand (after adding you to the team )?

[Supermofo]

The A10! Mad Roys long, long wheelie along there was memorable.
I think we also went there when it was closed due to subsidence of the newly laid surface. Goid times

I can't wheelie so was watching from the side lines and cringing at the open drain covers whilst the mile or more long wheelies were happening.

[Noggin]

I used to go to 'meets' where there were bikes to either meet friends or with friends to get a coffee and food before heading home

I have no idea if there are meets over here but an hotel in Bourg St Maurice is doing a BBQ on Saturday aimed at bikers (and other tarmac lovers - well, that's what the translation says!! ) because some of the more popular passes are opening so they are doing the bbq to get people in then they have a band on From 3 - 5pm for after the 'run' over the passes and back!

So yes, I'm going. Doubt I'll find anyone to talk to - going by car!!! But, I miss being around petrol heads and bikes in particular, so I'm heading down to breath in some fumes, admire some bikes/cars and sit in the sun and listen to them all

[Bigyin]

How do you see the future demand, given the current backlog. Presumably the business was about right for previous demand (after adding you to the team )?

At the moment we have 60 students on the list for A2 and A license training so they take priority over the CBT as they bring in more revenue. Some other local ATB’s are refusing to take any more on, some are refusing CBT for complete novices and only taking on people who have ridden before. One ATB locally is only doing twist and go CBT and won’t do geared bikes as the autos are easier and quicker.

There is still a backlog that will take months to get on top of but keeping the business name out there means the phone keeps ringing

We could expand with a second site and fill training slots but would mean investment in more bikes and all the assorted equipment and potentially more instructors however there are insufficient test dates available to put the extra students through

[ninja]

I used to go to 'meets' where there were bikes to either meet friends or with friends to get a coffee and food before heading home

I have no idea if there are meets over here but an hotel in Bourg St Maurice is doing a BBQ on Saturday aimed at bikers (and other tarmac lovers - well, that's what the translation says!! ) because some of the more popular passes are opening so they are doing the bbq to get people in then they have a band on From 3 - 5pm for after the 'run' over the passes and back!

So yes, I'm going. Doubt I'll find anyone to talk to - going by car!!! But, I miss being around petrol heads and bikes in particular, so I'm heading down to breath in some fumes, admire some bikes/cars and sit in the sun and listen to them all

If only we were allowed to come to France.

Just cancelled my ferry to Santander in June for the second year running.

[Noggin]

I used to go to 'meets' where there were bikes to either meet friends or with friends to get a coffee and food before heading home

I have no idea if there are meets over here but an hotel in Bourg St Maurice is doing a BBQ on Saturday aimed at bikers (and other tarmac lovers - well, that's what the translation says!! ) because some of the more popular passes are opening so they are doing the bbq to get people in then they have a band on From 3 - 5pm for after the 'run' over the passes and back!

So yes, I'm going. Doubt I'll find anyone to talk to - going by car!!! But, I miss being around petrol heads and bikes in particular, so I'm heading down to breath in some fumes, admire some bikes/cars and sit in the sun and listen to them all

If only we were allowed to come to France.

Just cancelled my ferry to Santander in June for the second year running.

It's gutting isn't it. I've been wanting to bring my Transit back to the uk to it's 'new' home for over a year but haven't been able to

But most of all I miss being around people that ride bikes, even just petrolheads, cars and bikes. Not overly fussed. Hence going down the valley on Saturday!!

[Bigyin]

However, the Visordown Supermoto meets at Epping tea hut and the pub in Puckeridge were more a social event. Enjoyed those.

I did a few of those. Awesome rides too with Veggie, Papercup, Beany, Nik, Jim etc. Every time I do the A10 by Hertford, which is a lot as I live in Herford I smile when I think of the wheelies up and down it before it opened

I remember a road ride down in Essex somewhere with loads from VD and some of the Supermoto lads turned up. First time i had met Papercup was when he overtook me on a tight right hander...on the outside ....using the verge as a berm as i was already set fairly left to see through the bend.

Passed him on the shortly after as i was on a 600 sports bike then next tight corner he would come past me sideways and so it continued. Absolutely hilarious