Kickback Motorbike Show - Stoneleigh

Hi all!

So for a last ride out before I head back to uni (for those who don't know, I have nowhere to store my bike at uni so I can only ride it when I'm back home), I headed to Stoneleigh with 3 others to have some breakfast followed by a wander around the Kickback Motorbike Show on Sunday.

In the past, the Kickback Show has been larger but on the same weekend it was on, there was a show in Paris and if you had a choice between Paris and Coventry, which one would you choose? Some people like Down and Out Cafe Racers and Triumph were missing but it was still nice to go to and the weather was absolutely gorgeous so I can't complain!

The route we took was quite a nice one despite only being about 35 miles long! Firstly we followed the A511 before taking the A447 through Ibstock and Stapleton. We then went on to the A47/A5 to Hinckley and rode past the Triumph factory which bizarrely is only signposted as "Motorcycle factory" on one sign, there are no "Home of Triumph" signs anywhere!
After leaving the A5 which is a nice, flowing road, we joined Fosse Road (B4455) which is a Roman road so is pretty straight but flows well apart from the two crossroads you pass over which are indicated by giant signs with a checker board background you can spot miles off (but I guess it's no bad thing if it stops accidents).
We then diverted off Fosse Road and headed through Wolston towards Stoneleigh and the National Agriculture Centre where the show was being held.

If you are ever in that area, the cafe at the NAC does a really lovely breakfast and the staff there are also super friendly! My bacon sandwich and hot chocolate went down a treat as did the rocky road I had.

After breakfast, we entered the show and had a look around. There were some lovely custom bikes at the show and also some of the first skinny Kevlar-lined jeans I had seen which are next on my wish list.

An old Triumph done in a very popular green colour

There were quite a few Honda C90s at the show but I thought this one was the best

I loved the detailing on this otherwise really simple, clean cafe racer

Possibly my favourite bike at show, this matte blue finish looked gorgeous

This old FTR 223 Street Tracker was finished with a funky headlight with the indicators to match

Once we'd finished walking around the show we had a look at some of the bikes other people had come on, unsurprisingly, there were lots of choppers! We then headed back home via the same route making for a fab 70 odd mile ride out with beautiful weather. A lovely goodbye ride to my bike for 2 and a half months.

I will try and post whilst I'm back at uni but it will be exam season so bare with me!

As always, until next time - ride safe
TFB

MCE BSB Test Day - Donington Park

Hi everyone!

Sorry I haven't blogged until right at the end of the month, uni work once again is going mad! But on Thursday (31st March), I got the chance to go to the MCE British Superbike test at Donington Park and with free entry, why would you not go?

I arrived just after the first lot went out on track at about 9:10 and decided first to have a wander around to see what was going on where. After having a quick look at the bikes on track down at the Melbourne Loop (my favourite place for photos as you'll see later on!), I headed to the Paddock Suite where lots of the riders were having promo photos and team shots done. There was even an ePayMe Yamaha bike in there along with a JG Speedfit Kawasaki one.

In the Paddock Suite

One of the ePay Me bikes

As that area started to get busier, I went over to the garages where a lot of the teams had the garage door open and some even had the back shutters open so people like me could have a nosey and take some photos!

The team trucks all parked up by the pit garages

 A quick visit to the main grandstand before the BSB/Superstock 1000 riders took to the track for the first time of the day and for that, I went back to the Melbourne Loop.

The start-finish straight from the grandstand

83 - Danny Buchan

7 - Michael Laverty

99 - Filip Backlund

24 - Christian Iddon

20 - Jenny Tinmouth

94 - Sam Hornsey

2 - Glenn Irwin

After grabbing some lunch, it was back into the Paddock Suite where James Rispoli was having his photo taken with his bike before heading to the pits ready for the pit lane walk. This was an amazing experience for me, having only been in the pits on open track days and it was also a really good opportunity to have a look at the teams working on the bikes.

James Rispoli and his Anvil TAG Yamaha bike in the Paddock Suite

Be Wiser Ducati Team Garage

Tyco BMW Team Garage

Two mechanics working on Dan Linfoot's bike in the Honda Racing garage

Quattro Plant Kawasaki Team Garage

Team WD-40 Kawasaki Team Garage

Tarran MacKenzie's bike in the Team WD-40 garage

Having a nose inside Quattro Plant Kawasaki's garage

For the third BSB/Superstock 1000 session, I moved to the infield and set up at the entry to the first corner of the track, Redgate. After fiddling with some of my camera's settings, I managed to start taking some decent shots!

94 - Sam Hornsey

67 - Shane 'Shakey' Byrne

24 - Christian Iddon

99 - Filip Backlund

71 - James Rispoli

After the session restarted (it was red flagged), I moved back over towards the exit of the Melbourne Loop to see the riders on their final few laps, racing to finish top of the timesheet for the day and the test. A flying lap from Shane Byrne put him squarely at the top only to be knocked off in the final two laps by Tyco BMW's Michael Laverty who went on to finish top of the test.

By this time, it was nearing the end of the day and a lot of people started to go home but I decided to stay for the 600s final session of the day which saw Andy Reid take the top spot after some fantastic riding.

I didn't get any photos after the session restart as I decided to put away my camera and live the experience by watching the bikes rather than looking through a viewfinder! I had an absolutely fantastic day at Donington and my only regret is not really getting any chance to speak to the riders or their teams. I'm not sure if this was because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time or they weren't really speaking to people! Maybe next time, eh?


Until next time, ride safe
TFB