Event Reports

Doncaster Bike Safe Show - Sunday 9th June 2013

Our eagerly awaited ride out to the Bike Safe Show at Doncaster Racecourse had finally arrived and eight of us on seven bikes met at the appointed time at the now familiar Redbeck Cafe on Doncaster Road for our usual big breakfast and flagon of tea or coffee.

After the customary photos we set off with Chas volunteering to take the lead and Martin volunteering to take up the rear. After an uneventful but pleasant ride we arrived at the racecourse and parked up in the specially appointed bike park along with a few hundred like minded souls and much friendly banter was exchanged.

After a short wait outside the exhibition hall the doors were flung open and in we swarmed all eager to see what was on offer and we certainly were not disappointed. First job though was to leave our helmets/jackets etc. at the attended air ambulance helmet park where for the princely sum of one pound you could be relived of having to cart round your helmet and other paraphernalia for the extent of your visit, money well spent in my opinion.

After a quick comfort break we were into the show and what a show it was. To be perfectly honest I wasn't expecting very much and thought I would have seen it all in an hour but nothing could be further from the truth as the exhibition hall was crammed with trade stalls and stalls of general interest and information even more than the Manchester Motorcycle show that we had attended earlier in the year.

You could buy anything from a spark plug to a set of tyres to a holiday abroad to a brand new bike and literally every conceivable thing in-between. Being a bike safe show there were many stalls of a bike safety nature they were all offering information and bags full of freebies such as torches, first aid kits, pens, badges, key rings hi-viz vests, maps and all manner of goodies that needless to say we all helped ourselves to, we were like kids let loose in a sweetie shop.

After a couple of whistle stop rounds at the stalls in the hall we made our way outside. Sharon was on the 'Get On' stand and was taking her very first lesson on board a motorcycle.

she looked a little nervous sat on a Suzuki Van Van but the nerves soon disappeared as she was cheered on by the Wakey MAG contingent all hanging over the railings giving her 'encouragement'. After her lesson she was approached by a very nice man who was waving his microphone enticingly who invited Sharon to give an interview of her experience. She needed no encouragement from us and marched off back into the hall for her interview.

I really think she ought to be awarded extra points not only for being brave enough to take those first steps in getting her leg over a bike for the first time but also for mentioning Wakefield MAG and what a marvellous friendly bunch we all were in every other sentence. She was given rapturous applause by the rest of us as we then made our way back outside for the first of the stunt shows.

This was amazing how someone can jump a bike from almost standstill on to the roof of a large transit van and ride it across the roof and over the bonnet was a sight to behold. There were wheelies and stoppies and doughnuts and burnouts and jumps galore - Sam seemed most impressed but I wonder if it was the stunts or the rider coming within a couple of feet of her in his skin tight leathers and gyrating his hips that made her cheer and cry out for more.

After the stunt show we made our way to the motorcycle exhibitors area and sat on various machines from the likes of Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki, BMW, Ducati, Harley Davidson to name a few.

Jagster almost had his flexible friend out several times as he flitted from a Honda Pan to a BMW GS.


Me and Sam decided a cup of tea was in order as we sat in the baking hot sun and we were joined by Martin and Sally where we engaged in healthy debate about all that was wrong with the world and we had it all put right in about twenty minutes.

By this time the next stunt show was on, this time another guy was performing various antics on a quad bike all very clever stuff and his applause was well deserved. Back inside for another look round the stalls where we met up with Barnsley Bob and Lynn taking her granddaughter out for the day no doubt she will be getting signed up for Barnsley MAG before too much longer.

Me and Chas got into conversation with the guys manning the MAG stall not surprisingly from Doncaster MAG and what a pleasant bunch of chaps they were.

We invited them along to our meeting which they readily accepted so we should see them sometime soon. That was about it everyone was gradually drifting off and making their own way home all having agreed a good time was had by all.

Ride Safe
Mick