Typical really, warm dry weather for several days before, then come the Bank Holiday Monday and it rains. Still, it wouldn't be a British Bank Holiday without rain, and wind, and below seasonal temperatures !!!
Wakefield MAG have put on a bike show at the Wakefield Hospice May Day Gala (and Summer Garden Party before that) for a good number of years now. The bikes add to the many attractions at the Gala including a funfair, laser-quest, donkey rides, climbing wall, sheepdog demonstrations, falconry display, clowns, stiltwalker, craft fair, cheerleaders and various others, all raising funds for the Wakefield Hospice, a registered charity.
We had exactly the same spot as last year, which did give us plenty of room for the bikes. The Yorkshire MAG stand was very promient and with the flag flying, visible from anywhere in the showground.
The weather did undoubtedly keep a number of entrants away and the show was smaller this year as a result. Saying that, we still had around 30 bikes and half a dozen trikes in the show over the course of the day. The rain did stop during the afternoon and we had an influx of late (and quality) entries once the roads had dried off somewhat.
If you have ever judged a bike show, you'll know what impossible decisions you really have to make. It often comes down to a choice between two absolutely cracking bikes, and you really have to nit pick to make a decision. At least two potential category winners left the show early so of course, couldn't win. The owners of the Victory motorcycle and Subaru engined trike, please take note !!!
Those difficult decisions were eventually made and the official prize giving was held at 3:00pm.
The winners were:
Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird, owned by Wakefield MAG's Jeff Powell (Best Modern)
Honda Goldwing derived Trike, owned by John Cartledge (Best Trike)
Yamaha RD400, owned by Robert Tingle (Best Japanese Classic)
Norton Navigator 350 cc, owned by Jack Endersby (Best British Classic)
and
Overall Best in Show ....... the Norton Navigator scooped it's second prize of the day. It truly was a stunning original bike, a real credit to it's owner, and it would have won at any classic bike show. One look at the engine cases and you could clearly see the results of many many hours of rubbing small circles with the Solvol Autosol.
We did a steady trade at the MAG stand, we sold a good few products, MAG literature was handed out and we took a joint MAG membership. The motoring correspondent from the Yorkshire Weekly Newspaper Group was in attendance, so we should get coverage of the show in both the local papers and national bike press.
All in all, a good result considering the weather, as many an owner of a classic bike wont take them out in poor weather, and understandably given the number of hours spent polishing them up to show standard.
We will be holding another bike show next year, here's hoping for better weather !!!
