Been rolling south...

...carrying a heavy load.

In the running

Deciding the winner of the GKM Trophy at the Hot Rod Hayride was an interesting process. Lots of people came up during Friday afternoon and Saturday asking if I'd made a decision, then suggesting their favourites.

One name that kept coming up was Paul Oates who was there on his beautiful Shovel; it's always hard when you get to the final three or four names, but it was a shortlist Andy P and I were in total agreement on.

Paul's bike is featured in the new issue, 22. This is one of the many outtakes I wish I'd had space for...

Before the Hayride memories fade...

Here are a few more images from the weekend.

Already looking forward to next year...

London Pride and chips

No wonder I'm such a svelte fellow.

Thanks Oli! x

Meet the gang...

... cos the boys are here, the boys to entertain youuuuu.

WWNWW Wales, London, Belgium.

Thanks for the photo Oli, nice to see you as always.

Don't knock the rock(abilly)

Old motorcycles are all very well, but the music at the Hayride hardly ever gets mentioned. This song just came on my iTunes while I was in my office shipping orders... one of my favourites from my boppin' days a good few years ago! Hey, Janis even mentions a Model A...

Still love it.

Drag strip racer

In case you didn't know, Pete Stansfield is a long-time racer, wringing the necks of everything over the years from rally cars to a nitrous Hayabusa drag bike.

One of the best experiences of the Hayride for me was being able to accompany Pete through the various stages of racing during the Saturday, from being first to arrive (after two hours sleep for me), to scrutineering ("who knows anything about bikes?"), the racers' briefing, qualifying, the final and the trophy presentation.

Unfortunately his Triumph ran a bit rough compared to the practice runs last week, but well enough to give Gary's 350 Goldstar some competition in the final. The bike's frame design unfortunately necessitates the rider's knackers resting on the very edge of the frame's spine where it attaches to the rigid rear end; after about the fourth run, I was truly beginning to understand the expression 'balls of steel'...