Chairman's Blog

Morning around the Trade Stands

I have just returned from an excellent day at Northwich, the 2009 Thundersprint.

This event is a free event set-up to attract many motorcyclists to the Town Centre where there is a Parade and then the Thundersprint itself.

This is an arena where there is a short circuit set up for famous and not so famous riders to show off Old bikes and newer ones as well, racing against the clock on a short, but very interesting circuit on a car-park in the town centre. As usual for this type of event there are many traders and a fun fair for all the family. The event is like a big party atmosphere and having spoken with one of the organisers of the event, completely trouble-free. Perhaps the Police from other areas of the Country should contact the Cheshire Police to find out what Biker events are really like instead of giving very lame excuses in Court to prevent them taking place. (Hint-Hint North Wales Police).

Hmm.. that red-head looks a bit familiar.

From the amount of trade that the local shops were doing, I think the local economy was doing quite well, thank you!

It was nice to see a new Honda Dealer displaying bikes at the shoe, Knutsford Honda, who had arranged for GoldWings North West to set up a display of their bikes and trike. (See also the pictures that BigWing took on his visit to the showroom the other day- Photos ).

It was also nice to welcome the Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP to sit on one of the GoldWings.  Being a rider herself she did admit that she might be a bit too vertically challenged to be able to ride one though she did admire the comfort of the rider and passenger seats.

Yes... even those of short stature can ride one

It was good to see a few other makes of bikes on display for customers to sit on and I must admit to a hankering to have a go on the Victory 8 Ball. What a smart looking motorcycle and perhaps with a reasonably reliable engine. All that Victory need is the ability to sell snow to the Eskimos like a certain other American motorcycle company. They certainly appear to have the product to manage it.

One of the overriding memories of attending the Thundersprint for any ‘ mature’ motorcyclist must be the powerful and unforgettable smell of Castrol R Oil which pervades the air after the old racers have passed by on their way to the circuit or on the parade. Brings back memories  to me straight away of the I.O.M.T.T.  races in the late seventies and Creg Na Baa looking up towards  Kates Cottage.

There were some awesome bikes on the Parade that I saw and the sounds they made was like music to many of the watching crowd, though I must admit I thought they were quite noisy after my GoldWing.

Many interested people checked over the Wings

The crowds in the morning meant that I was able to get around the trade stands quite easily and I managed to pick up some bits for my Wing to smarten it up a smidgen. By lunch-time the numbers had risen and it was quite hard work to get anywhere in the Thundersprint area.

If they hold another Thundersprint event next year I will not be missing it. It will be marked on my calender at the very first mention of dates so that I dont book any holidays away during that time.