Ten reasons to visit the Carole Nash International Classic Motorcycle Show
Added on Thursday, April 21st, 2011 by Carole Nash Editor
Ten reasons to visit the Carole Nash International Classic Motorcycle Show
It’s upon us again, one of the “must dos” of the season as tens of thousands of classic enthusiasts peel off the A1 and head to the Stafford Showground for a veritable feast of entertainment. The 31st Carole Nash International Classic Motorcycle Show is set to match and even surpass its 30 illustrious predecessors with the organisers having really pulled out the stops this year.
Here for your delectation we present just ten of so many reasons to head for (hopefully) sunny Staffs this weekend.
* The 31st Carole Nash International Classic Motorcycle Show is open on Saturday April 23rd and Sunday April 24th at the Staffordshire County Showground. Adult tickets on the gate cost £11 per day, child tickets £4.00 and senior citizens £9.50.
Road To Fruin
The A518 is the road to Fruin! Debuting at Stafford having wowed punters at the NEC’s Motorcycle Live will be one of only two machines manufactured by Bert Fruin in 1961. Lovingly restored by the estimable Martyn Harris and the crew at Noisy Toys the 200cc four cylinder two-stroke was originally to be sold as a kit but the design proved so complicated that just two were produced. It’s an ultra-rare beauty.
It’s Hammer Time
11 o’clock Sunday is hammer time. More precisely it’s bring the hammer down time as Bonham’s opens its renowned auction of Important Pioneer, Vintage and Collectors’ Motorcycles and Related Memorabilia. The bidding on over 500 lots will commence with An unusual Smiths 150mph chronometric speedometer and range through Triumph, Brough, Norton and all manner of marques and parts before the auctioneer closes proceeding with the sale of 1967 BSA 441cc B44GP Victor Scrambler. Among items inbetween are motorbikes , trophies, letters, photographs, press clippings, films and other personal effects – including a prosthetic hip! – owned by ten times TT champ Stanley Woods. Watch out to for the Duke 999 raced by Reuben Xaus in the 2003 WSB. Click here to drool over the Bonhams catalogue.
History Maker Baker
Guest of honour this year is Steve Baker, making his first UK appearance since a horrific accident saw him hanging up his racing leathers back in ’78. By then though his reputation had been secured as he’d become America’s first world champion having taken the Formula 750 title the previous year. He was beaten to the 500cc trophy only by a chap called Sheene. The man has many a tell tale, including his adventures on Yamaha’s legendary, chequered flag eating TZ750.
Get Down & Dirty
This year’s Classic Dirt Bike Experience has a new look with its own dedicated hall so you can really get down with the dirty indoors. There you’ll find trial demos and technical tips from the esteemed editor of CDB, stunt displays and, of course bikes – including plenty of enticing private entries, such as an ISDT Triumph and a Scottish Six Day Trial winning AJS.
Back on Concours
It’s not the winning, it’s the taking part or so they say. ‘They’ may be wrong because not taking part is a pot load of joy too when it comes down to the Concours. Let’s face it those who do take part must commit endless hours and limitless talent to restoring classic machines to things of immense beauty. On the other hand it takes just a few quid and a trip to Stafford to admire their stunning work!
A win-win Situation
Carole Nash has come up with a real win-win with its latest free to enter prize draw. Get a motorcycle insurance quote on the company’s stand and you could be in to win a brand new Honda CBF600. Win that and you’ll also win a nifty little Honda Jazz car. You see the prize is both a bike and a car. You win two groovy Hondas so it’s a win-win. Oh never mind. The bottom line is it’s a fab prize package worth around £18,000 and you don’t have to pay a penny to enter. In fact it might be that it pays you to enter as Carole Nash’s quotes are notoriously competitive and its cover equally notoriously good. What have you got to lose but a few moments of your time? After all, you’ll already be on the Carole Nash stand to check out that fantastic Fruin!
Brough Trade
One of the joys of the Stafford show is browsing among Europe’s largest autojumble for that vital Brough sprocket or whatever other parts you’re desperate to track down. Then there are the trade stalls of which there are a record number this year – over 800. The show is to classic enthusiasts what the Jimmy Choo Discount Hypermart is to Imelda Marcos.
Sound At The Show Ground
It’s not just the sights but the sounds which make Stafford such a joy. Among them this year will be the throaty roar of Yamaha’s four cylinder 125cc racer, one of seven bikes from the Yamaha Classic Racing Team which are being displayed. The Japanese manufacturer is promising to fire up some of its beasts twice daily in the Classic Racer Grand Prix paddock.
Good Value Judgement
If you’ve not booked in advance a ticket on the gate will cost you just eleven measly quid per day, (£9.50 if you’re a senior and £3.50 for ankle-biters). That’s not much more than a penny for each of over 1,000 bikes on display, or £1.22 per hour of possible classic entertainment. By any definition, it’s a blinkin’ bikin’ bargain!
It’s Easter
Not only is Easter something of a traditional curtain raiser for the bike season, it’s also a time when, despite us being gifted some much needed leisure time, there’s beggar all on the tellybox. It’s the one time of the year when two men hitting coloured balls with sticks in South Yorkshire counts as the televisual delight du jours. So move away from the remote and get Staffordshire bound. Depending on where you’re coming from it can be worth it just for the journey; the local roads in Staffordshire and the Peak District roads have plenty to offer. In fact, why not stop a while? There are some cracking B&Bs to be found, not to mention a good few excellent country pubs.
