Event Reports

Wakefield MAG Bike Show - Monday 6th May 2013

For 2013, we returned to Clarence Park and the Wakefield Gala, to host our popular annual bike show. We arrived early from 09:00 onwards and erected the Yorkshire MAG Stand shortly thereafter, which we then proceeded to populate with lots of MAG promotional material, leaflets, posters, copies of the Road magazine, together with Wakefield MAG products for sale. With the stand set up, we then waited for the show entrants to start rolling in, which they started doing in considerable numbers after 10:00.

The weather was perfect for an outdoor event - sunny and dry all day (a rare occassion these days !!!).

We had around 20 bikes in the show at any one time, with many more comings and goings over the course of the day. Lots of potential prize winners didn't hang around until the end so couldn't be included in the judging, which is always a shame, but one person's loss is anothers gain. This year, to avoid getting caught out, we had printed out a huge number of winning category certificates, from which we would choose based on what was in the show (you just never know what will get entered on the day). We had two show judges this year, with Steve (Wakefield MAG Rep) and resident British bike expert (and West Yorkshire VMCC Chairman) Bill, having the very difficult task of awarding the different category winners and overall Best in Show. The decisions to be made were very close in many areas but those difficult decisions were eventually made and these were:

• Best Modern - Yamaha TRX 850 (Owned by Wakefield MAG member Sean Kneeshaw).
  
• Best Trike / Sidecar Outfit - A Kawasaki ZZR1100, attached to an equally stunning chair.
  
  The owner also took out a MAG membership for himself and his son at the show (and no, that wasn't the bribe so that he would win!!)
• Best Classic British - 1940's WD BSA M20 (owned by Wakefield MAG member Duncan Simpson)
  
  Duncan had a good old chat with an elderly Gentleman who it turns out had rode the same model of bike in the second world war, so that made the show, for both of them !!!
• Best Classic - Whippy's BSA A7 Shooting Star.
  
  Whippy's bikes always win a prize at our show, but as he has a garage full of stunning bikes just like this one, that should come as no surprise !!!
• Best Paint - MBK 125 (Army / Cammo theme).
  
  You may recognise this bike .... it was a show winner at the Yorkshire Pudding Rally Bike Show in 2012
• Best American - Allen's Harley Davidson 1200 Sportster.
  
  A heavily contended category this year but Allen's bike pipped it due to it's age, modifications and outstanding condition
• Best Vintage - 1927 BSA. So good in fact, it also scooped the Overall Best in Show !!!!!
  
  Now, this was brought to the show on a trailer (which may upset the traditionalists) but it does run (as the black mushroom cloud when it started up proved), and any bike that is 86 years old with skinny tyres and equally skinny drum brakes must be pretty terrifying to ride on modern roads, so we'll forgive the owner and be thankful he brought such a beautiful old bike for us all to admire !!

Another excellent show and we were a most popular attraction at the Wakefield Gala. As a MAG recruitment tool it wasn't a spectacular success, nor as a Branch Fund Raising event. However, you just never know how many people you do reach out to who later become members. As a Branch Social Event however, it was a resounding success, judging by the number of visitors we had over the course of the day.

A big cheer to the 8 lucky show winners !! A huge thanks goes to all our volunteer marshals who put the stand up, manned it throughout the day, helped run the show, and packed everything back up again. A huge thanks also to Doncaster MAG (who came out in force), Barnsley MAG and the Royal British Legion Riders Branch for supporting us.

We will be hosting another bike show next year, so hope to see you in 2014.