This weekend saw the annual Daventry motorcycle festival take place and the town centre transformed from its usual unremarkable state into something much more exciting by a busy, noisy and colourful spectacle.
The 2013 motorcycle festival was due to start at 10:30 but as I wandered up Abbey Street towards the High Street at around 10:00am, I got to watch and to listen to an impressive cavalcade of motorcycles coming down New Street to turn left into the High Street.
The cacophony was amazing, the myriad of motorcycles rumbled, burbled, snarled, growled, thundered and whined/buzzed (in the case of the mod Lambrettas) through the town and it was some sight to behold, to hear, to smell and even to feel (thanks to the vibration and the sense of wonder).
Motorbikes were parked and displayed on both sides of the road along the length of the High Street, up into Sheaf Street and in the car park bisecting New Street and Church Walk.
Whatever your preference in terms of styles or makes, there was something to satisfy you – there were Harleys, Kawasakis, Suzukis, Hondas, Yamahas, Triumphs, Heskeths, Nortons, BSAs, Vespas Moto Guzzis, Ducatis etc. All very international!
Racing bikes, custom bikes, cruising bikes, trikes, scooters, vintage & veteran bikes, classic bikes, modern bikes; nothing appeared to be missing.
I wandered up and down the street taking photographs and dreaming of owning some of the seventies super bikes on show. Some pictures are shared for your enjoyment.
In addition to the motorbikes, the day was brighter still thanks to a series of bands performing from an articulated truck trailer up at the war memorial end of town. A lot of heavy rock and heavy metal music was played and this seemed to complement the event just perfectly.
Of the three bands I watched, two played covers throughout their sets. The other band, an outfit called Terror Swarm played a lot of its own stuff and I was impressed enough to buy a cd – it’s an EP called “Take the world alive” and it’s good too. The heavily tattooed, decidedly younger than me bass player looked slightly bemused when I strolled up to him to buy a cd but hey I was into heavy metal long before he was born and he’ll have grey hair one day too!
Whilst I was having a thoroughly enjoyable time, I was slightly disappointed that my wife, son and daughter were thoroughly underwhelmed. Still you can’t please everyone; I took them home and then headed straight back into town to soak up some more of the atmosphere. I was subsequently joined by my friend Jez and we wandered around like kids in a sweet shop.
Here are some of my observations – most of the lovely bikes on display were owned by chaps with at least ten years or more on me and I am not exactly a spring chicken. The biggest, meanest, noisiest American monster hogs were most likely to be ridden by fellas of pension age and with bus passes in their wallets. And it’s no surprise because these bikes are so damn expensive.
This might be a bloke thing, but there is something deeply satisfying about the burble and bellow of a Harley. If you have to have paid off your mortgage and put your kids through university before you can afford to buy one (instead of a caravan) then so be it!
Some might get nervous when hoards of black leather clad, back patched, bearded and stocky geezers wearing dark shades and open faced crash helmets turn up on roaring and powerful beasts; but the fact is that the atmosphere in Daventry was terrific, there was no trouble at all! Whilst there were some coppers strolling around, I suspect they were enjoying the sights and sounds as much as anyone else.
I have to say, the event was marvellous, Daventry came alive and for a handful of hours had to be one of the coolest places to be in the country. Thumbs up to Daventry Council for being brave enough to sanction it.
Roll on 2014!
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The 2013 motorcycle festival was due to start at 10:30 but as I wandered up Abbey Street towards the High Street at around 10:00am, I got to watch and to listen to an impressive cavalcade of motorcycles coming down New Street to turn left into the High Street.
The cacophony was amazing, the myriad of motorcycles rumbled, burbled, snarled, growled, thundered and whined/buzzed (in the case of the mod Lambrettas) through the town and it was some sight to behold, to hear, to smell and even to feel (thanks to the vibration and the sense of wonder).
Motorbikes were parked and displayed on both sides of the road along the length of the High Street, up into Sheaf Street and in the car park bisecting New Street and Church Walk.
Whatever your preference in terms of styles or makes, there was something to satisfy you – there were Harleys, Kawasakis, Suzukis, Hondas, Yamahas, Triumphs, Heskeths, Nortons, BSAs, Vespas Moto Guzzis, Ducatis etc. All very international!
Racing bikes, custom bikes, cruising bikes, trikes, scooters, vintage & veteran bikes, classic bikes, modern bikes; nothing appeared to be missing.
I wandered up and down the street taking photographs and dreaming of owning some of the seventies super bikes on show. Some pictures are shared for your enjoyment.
In addition to the motorbikes, the day was brighter still thanks to a series of bands performing from an articulated truck trailer up at the war memorial end of town. A lot of heavy rock and heavy metal music was played and this seemed to complement the event just perfectly.
Of the three bands I watched, two played covers throughout their sets. The other band, an outfit called Terror Swarm played a lot of its own stuff and I was impressed enough to buy a cd – it’s an EP called “Take the world alive” and it’s good too. The heavily tattooed, decidedly younger than me bass player looked slightly bemused when I strolled up to him to buy a cd but hey I was into heavy metal long before he was born and he’ll have grey hair one day too!
Whilst I was having a thoroughly enjoyable time, I was slightly disappointed that my wife, son and daughter were thoroughly underwhelmed. Still you can’t please everyone; I took them home and then headed straight back into town to soak up some more of the atmosphere. I was subsequently joined by my friend Jez and we wandered around like kids in a sweet shop.
Here are some of my observations – most of the lovely bikes on display were owned by chaps with at least ten years or more on me and I am not exactly a spring chicken. The biggest, meanest, noisiest American monster hogs were most likely to be ridden by fellas of pension age and with bus passes in their wallets. And it’s no surprise because these bikes are so damn expensive.
This might be a bloke thing, but there is something deeply satisfying about the burble and bellow of a Harley. If you have to have paid off your mortgage and put your kids through university before you can afford to buy one (instead of a caravan) then so be it!
Some might get nervous when hoards of black leather clad, back patched, bearded and stocky geezers wearing dark shades and open faced crash helmets turn up on roaring and powerful beasts; but the fact is that the atmosphere in Daventry was terrific, there was no trouble at all! Whilst there were some coppers strolling around, I suspect they were enjoying the sights and sounds as much as anyone else.
I have to say, the event was marvellous, Daventry came alive and for a handful of hours had to be one of the coolest places to be in the country. Thumbs up to Daventry Council for being brave enough to sanction it.
Roll on 2014!
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