Issue 130 : August - September 2003
Farmyard 03
Magna Carta
Road Star Warrior
India by Enfield
H-D 100th in Spain
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Farmyard 03
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Magna Carta re-born
On the downside, the fun fair failed to show as the bosses's wife was taken critically ill while the trucks carrying the quads, the simulator and the bouncy castle were involved in a motorway pile up which was a fair dose of bad luck for one event and a bit of a downer for the general public who were admitted on the Sunday. The M&R Stuntshow did go ahead however. I'm not really big on stunts but after watching the acrobatics for about ten minutes and trying to capture the antics with my camera, something suddenly occurred to me. This is absolutely incredible! As someone who has never popped a wheelie or stoppie in his life I was watching riders launching themselves 30 feet into the air off a ramp and then all but leaving the bikes, somehow recovering themselves in time to land on a slope and somehow stop in five yards before crashing into a fence. How can people do that ? They join the catalogue of life's mystery folk along with afternoon beer drinkers, magicians and others who do incomprehensible things. I took some time out to do an interview about MAG with Motormouth Steve Berry who turned up at the ACE Cafe and later came on site where he parked his gleaming Ducati 999 before relaxing with some considerable enthusiasm. Reps Liaison Officer Liz Needham managed to sign him up to MAG during these hours of susceptibility and I understand we finally gave him back the trendy sunglasses that were being held hostage until he filled a form out. Never let it be said that the man can't take a joke. Good to see new kid on the block Motorcycle Voyager on the site with a stand. They might have given my book the only lousy review it's had, but I can't slag their magazine as I think it's a breath of fresh air in a market dominated by titles obsessed by acceleration times. As the name suggests, it's about doing interesting things with motorcycles for a change, ie going somewhere on them. Available through Smiths, I'm told.  I thought the bike show was exceptional for an event of this size and by any standard there were a few bikes that really stood out. Anyone notice the really neat green trike with the Renault engine? The winning trike wasn't too scruffy either and with an engine that started when the owner whistled, it took an A in the novelty rating. That Dyna-based Harley with the harleyquin paint job looked mighty familiar to me, not just from previous shows but from the M1 a few hours earlier when it had blasted past me - can you believe it!? Always good to know that bikes of that calibre are ridden, and ridden enthusiastically. The nitrous injected Suzuki with the helmet crafted around the headlamp was damn clever too though I can understand the judges' choice of Best In Show which was the futuristic Honda-engined streamliner. The judging incidentally was performed by Motorcycle Voyager Magazine.
And so to the night time entertainment. On Friday night I'd caught Never The Bride, who I haven't seen for years but who haven't lost their edge. As for Saturday's Meatloaf tribute band Pete Loaf, great ! I thought the theatrical talking session went on a bit too long, OK a lot too long, but when the show was really rocking it was great. The quick change acts by the classy female vocalist between wedding dress and black leather rig added to the total performance which I reckoned made good value for money. Apparently the Meatloaf look-a-like was house bound for ten years after a bad bike accident injured his back, during which time he became huge but paradoxically got a lot better, thus enabling him to launch his stage career. Twists of fate eh? Bikers Web filmed the whole show and projected it live onto a huge screen at the side of the stage which added something extra; I think the videos or DVDs or whatever are available to buy. Everything like that is available these days, that's IT for you. My thanks to the security guys on the gate for providing a set of double A batteries for my flash after my two back up packs proved flat. I owe you. I have to say it's really reassuring having those guys around as it means everyone can relax that bit more, very cool bunch, very professional. I think a lot of people caught up with old mates who'd climbed out of the woodwork to support the re-birth of Magna Carta, the only regret it is that there weren't about three times as many; c'est la vie. Many thanks to all those who answered the call and came forward to marshal as well as to everyone who attended. Magna Carta deserves its place on the MAG calendar and with any luck we'll build it back up again. I'll give the last line to MAG member Paul Boltwood whose email has just arrived as I've been typing this: - Mutch Hi
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I once told myself that if I ever wrote a rally review full of tired cliches about how 'laid back' and 'chilled out' the atmosphere was, I would hang myself in a cold store. The advantage of cliches however is that we all know what is meant by them and on the 1-10 scale of what I shall pretentiously call unwound ambience this do rated double figures. The weather helped of course as it was perfect. We were just out of the uncomfortable heat wave of a week earlier so it was possible to sit in the sun without your ice cream pouring over your hand before it reached your mouth. Moments after I sat down on the sloping ground by the marquee the gravelly strains of Sweet Home Alabama drifted across the grass from the mandolin of one-man-band Stevie. There's a place for loud raucous music, preferably in the late evening, but for a sunny afternoon this country rock minstrel was spot on and I spent a good couple of hours catching up with people, trading addresses and eating ice cream while he played. How on earth can people drink beer in the afternoon? I just don't understand it but then there's a lot of things people do that I can't understand.
Steve Berry gave out the awards in the marquee and made a pretty good job of it I have to say. He just never seems to be short of things to say about a bike and had taken the trouble to look at them all so he could make relevant comments. Many thanks to all who put their bikes in the show.