Annual Bike Shed London Show brings 16,000 custom bike fans into the capital

[weeksy]

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/202 ... moto-show/

Somewhat surprising that considering we're thought of as motorcyclists here mostly, none of us end up there.



The London Bike Shed Moto Show attracted thousands of custom and classic fans to the nation’s capital late last month, with 16,000 attendees visiting the Tobacco Dock venue between May 24-26.

Showcasing 270 curated custom motorcycles, from 450cc rally machines and classic cafe racers, to old school sports bikes, there was something for everyone, with plenty of food, drink and live music thrown into the mix, too.

“It’s the hardest thing we do,” said Bike Shed co-owner Anthony ‘Dutch’ van Someren, “It’s incredibly sapping of time and energy but when you open the doors to the public come in, it’s all suddenly worth it.”



The event saw its inauguration 11 years ago, gaining size and influence considerably since.

“When we started back in 2013, it was all about cafe racers and scramblers. It was that uber cool, beard and tattoos type event,” Dutch continued. “We didn’t have any manufacturers onboard, they’d sponsor it, but they weren’t building the bikes. Now though, they’re paying attention to us and creating bikes based on what the custom community is doing.”

Ducati, BMW and Royal Enfield were all present at this year’s gathering, showing off their custom programs to gauge market interest. This included the unveiling of two new Ducati concepts which could make it to market later down the road.



“The thing for us now is to bring families in, not just the aficionados,” he continued. “You get a different crowd here than a lot of other bike shows. One of the reasons we do this show is because I’m a biker who doesn’t like bike shows. We’re not a trade fair, we’re here to celebrate biking culture.

“There’s definitely a different vibe. We blend custom builders with manufacturers,” Dutch added. “But they’re all enthusiasts, just like our audience, it’s all one crowd – we’re here to celebrate all that and make it inclusive and friendly. I’d love to see 30% of visitors this weekend to not be biker, yet.”

[Bustaspoke]

Somewhat surprising that considering we're thought of as motorcyclists here mostly, none of us end up there.

If I lived down that part of the world I'd visit & I expect the Bike Shed cafe would be a regular haunt,but I'd want paying to make a 500 mile round trip from Lancahire to Shoreditch,more chance of me going to Wheels % Waves at Biarritz.

[MrLongbeard]

London

Well there's your problem, I can't imagine a single incentive strong enough to drag me within the M25, a most wretched hive of scum and villainy.
Abd even if it wasn't there, I really can 't gel with the hipster bike vibe that place like the bike shed give off

[Skub]

Some fine imaginings at work there. Spendy too,I bet. I used to go over for the NEC bike show in Brum,but I can't imagine anything that would entice me to London,other than a stop off for a plane switch.

[Rockburner]

I haven't been to a bike show for years, of any sort.

Like other's have said - it's London, it's expensive, it's a hassle to get to, it's a highly legalistic environment, it's basically not biker-friendly!

[Supermofo]

I've been tempted before just to see what it's about. But riding into London is pants and I was busy that weekend anyway. Having said that this is one of the reasons I've been put off in the past
"It was that uber cool, beard and tattoos type event"

A lot of that scene is a bit hipster, pretentious to me and I find it as off putting a groups of GS riders in Adv suits, sportsbike riders in full leathers and Harley wannabees in waistcoats with 'Road Captain' on the back.

I knew Dutch well from the VD SM forum and used to chat to him regularly at the Ace and he's a lovely bloke and I'm sure so are most of the people at the BikeShed, but yeah the hipster thing is not really me. I did go to visit once when with the Mrs and in that part of London (by train) but the Mrs was meh about it so we didn't.

[Buckaroo]

I don't need to attend these events to validate myself as a motorcyclist. 50 plus years of biking and many thousands of miles does that.

[weeksy]

I don't need to attend these events to validate myself as a motorcyclist. 50 plus years of biking and many thousands of miles does that.

You don't need to validate, just enjoy seeing the bikes and chatting to people or not

[DefTrap]

I used to go to this show regularly (not been for a few years as schedule hasn't allowed it) .

As 'shows' go, it's really good
- the venue is small enough such that you don't have to walk absolutely miles and yet it's big enough to be worth your time and it's enough to keep you there all afternoon
- you have to be invited to show a bike, so it's not a case of any old rubbish turning up - ensuring quality and diversity
- most of the bike builders are actually there, and will happily talk to you
- the show is genuinely 'curated', someone's put some thought into how it all fits together, it's not put together amateurishly like a school fete or a jumble sale
- it's not totally dominated by vendors of cheap crap bike gear

But yeah obviously it's for hipster spastics, so don't go.

[kendo57]

I was hoping to get the train down with my brother but it fell through unfortunately.
Might try again next year.
Have watched a few YouTube vids and impressed at the quality of some of the bikes even
though they might not be my thing.

[cheb]

If it was on and I was south at the time I'd visit but there's not enough there for me to provoke a trip to the big island. That goes for a lot of other things as well.

[McNab]

I used to go to this show regularly (not been for a few years as schedule hasn't allowed it) .

As 'shows' go, it's really good
- the venue is small enough such that you don't have to walk absolutely miles and yet it's big enough to be worth your time and it's enough to keep you there all afternoon
- you have to be invited to show a bike, so it's not a case of any old rubbish turning up - ensuring quality and diversity
- most of the bike builders are actually there, and will happily talk to you
- the show is genuinely 'curated', someone's put some thought into how it all fits together, it's not put together amateurishly like a school fete or a jumble sale
- it's not totally dominated by vendors of cheap crap bike gear

But yeah obviously it's for hipster spastics, so don't go.

Yeah, I went a couple of years back and this is what I thought of it too. It's not a trade show, just a collection of interesting bikes and custom jobs. I'd certainly take this over the tat-fest that is the bike show at the Excel Centre.

I was thinking of going this year, but when I googled it it said I'd already missed it. That was on the early May bank holiday. Seems like I've missed it twice in one year

[ZRX61]

Somewhat surprising that considering we're thought of as motorcyclists here mostly, none of us end up there.

Because we're too busy maintaining & riding our bikes instead of building hipster bait that won't get ridden.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I quite like the look of this show, but since I don't really read the motorcycling press etc I have no idea it's on! Seems like my sort of bikes. Plus I'm always up for an overpriced London craft beer and burger with a bamboo skewer in it.

Maybe that makes me a hipster wanker, who knows. I'm sure >60 fat balding guys who ride old 80's crap are reliable sources of info on what's cool

EDIT: Secondary reason to not go. It's my Wedding anniversary weekend ISTR thinking that before in the context of this show.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I'd possibly go if it was easier to get to and I'd known about it.
It's got plenty of appeal for me, I can laugh at people's tattoos, I can laugh at what they're wearing, I can laugh at their hair, and best of all I can criticise their shit bikes, add alcohol into the day and I'm bound to start a handbags at dawn situation, sounds like a great day out.

[Mr Moofo]

I went to the Bike Shed once. I ordered a coffee and a Diet Coke - and after 50 mins it still hadn't arrived. So I walked out. The staff were every happy talking to each other - possibley about the comission on 50 quid T shirts.

I did a track day at Brands with The Bike Shed a couple of years ago. Most of the cilentele were great, helpfule and engaging. The track day was basically for people who don't do track days.
The Bike Shed staff would only engage with the groovy people. Unfortnately I didn't have tattoos, a man bun, or a ginger beard

[ZRX61]

There's one in LA now, it's even worse.

[Skub]

I'm sure >60 fat balding guys who ride old 80's crap are reliable sources of info on what's cool

Lose the fat tag,chop off a decade on the bikes and I'll take it.

[Noggin]

I went to the Bike Shed once. I ordered a coffee and a Diet Coke - and after 50 mins it still hadn't arrived. So I walked out. The staff were every happy talking to each other - possibley about the comission on 50 quid T shirts.

I did a track day at Brands with The Bike Shed a couple of years ago. Most of the cilentele were great, helpfule and engaging. The track day was basically for people who don't do track days.
The Bike Shed staff would only engage with the groovy people. Unfortnately I didn't have tattoos, a man bun, or a ginger beard

I went to a bar with that attitude over in Meribel once. Back when I was on crutches. A couple of us were supposed to ski with a mate doing a day ski from Lyon. My local mate came in for a coffee whilst waiting for the Lyon awayday girl to get to the lift and we chatted with one of staff there - probably because we were two of very few customers

Once he’d headed off to ski it was almost impossible to get anyone to serve (even tho they were apparently doing table service). Had to hobble to the bar on crutches and ask them to bring the drink to the table. Another mate skied over to see me and she couldn’t get served!! The I side staff only seemed to serve locals and off duty staff

Despite telling the staff early on that we were local (to a nearby resort!!) etc etc, they obviously decided I was a tourist or way too old to be interesting - worse a broken tourist/old person !!

When the original server came back on duty after lunch she came over to chat and asked how the day had been. I said I won’t go back . Explained why and she was/seemed shocked. Chatted more and in conversation it came up that I was west country and she said that one of the other servers was from near where I used to live - I just said, we could have chatted if he’d have thought I was worth wasting his time on!!!

Attitudes like that suck whatever the theme

[McNab]

I went to the Bike Shed once. I ordered a coffee and a Diet Coke - and after 50 mins it still hadn't arrived. So I walked out. The staff were every happy talking to each other - possibley about the comission on 50 quid T shirts.

I did a track day at Brands with The Bike Shed a couple of years ago. Most of the cilentele were great, helpfule and engaging. The track day was basically for people who don't do track days.
The Bike Shed staff would only engage with the groovy people. Unfortnately I didn't have tattoos, a man bun, or a ginger beard

I went to the Bike Shed once. Ordered a coffee and a burger. It came in a reasonable time frame and was very nice, sauce shop ketchup (one of the best ketchups IMHO) was on the table. The staff were quite good. I don't have tattoos, a man bun or a ginger beard either. I haven't been back though as I don't particularly like going into that there London (and I, somehow, got lost on the way home despite it only being a mile away from my office ).