Manky Monkey Motors

Motorcycling's equivalent of the Motor Show. Held in three halls of the NEC exibition centre near Birmingham, this is the big annual showcase for all the major manufacturer's new wares, with hundreds of stalls selling motorcycle related bits & pieces -& quite a lot of non related stuff too. The chance to sit on all the bikes you'll never be able to afford, leer at all the promotional girls you'll never be able to afford, look at the prices in the bar you'll never be able to afford & come home with a keyring & a carrier bag of brochures.
This year's ads promise supervised ride-outs on new bikes, off roading through the woods around the NEC, "how to" seminars, mini moto racing, classic bike displays, BSH's "Custom Extreme" etc, etc, etc.
29th Oct - 6th Nov '05.

If the last couple of years are anything to go by there'll either be queues for any bike interesting enough to see on (and the best stuff they won't let you sit on), the promotional girls are only usually there for Press/Trade Day, and manufacturers don't give away anything - not even a bloody brochure - until you've ordered and put a down payment on a bike.  ::)

£15 to get it. 10-6pm

Wizzy
Don't Do Public Days

Me neither  ;)  ;)  ;)  ;)  ;)

How were Benny and Nik? did they ply you with tea?

I am going down Friday instead, because he is gunna give it an extra good scrub, cuz someone is coming to view it (potential Buyer)

Yoda

If the last couple of years are anything to go by there'll either be queues for any bike interesting enough to see on (and the best stuff they won't let you sit on), the promotional girls are only usually there for Press/Trade Day, and manufacturers don't give away anything - not even a bloody brochure - until you've ordered and put a down payment on a bike. ::)

£15 to get it. 10-6pm

Wizzy
Don't Do Public Days

Really? Flap & I have gone for the last couple of years & always have a good day out. Guess it's what you make of it. Always find plenty to interest us, always find ideas to nick from all sorts of bikes, not just the custom ones, always buy stuff we don't need, always get home absolutely knackered after walking round & round the halls for hours & hours. A simple pleasure for us common folk.

Fair enough. For me it's work, and if I'm going to have to cover a big manufacturers and trade show I'd sooner do it in Essen or Munich or Bologna, not Birmingham.

I'd sooner do that too but only earn Birmingham wages I'm afraid.
No show is gonna please everybody but it does make a change from rallies & pub shows & is handy for ideas & for buying bits & pieces. If anyone else is going, Rainbow, Flap & my good self will be there for the day on Sunday the 30th October. 

Rather like myself. Did I forget to point out it's part of my work??? ::)

I'm in the wrong job >:(
We don't even get free postage at the Post Office.
How's the hotrod project coming along?

Working out whether we can use Lotus Elan front suspension.

Can you sneak in extra equipment, you could put me down as a self propelling luggage cappacity system  ;D  ;D  ;D

Mmm, sounds good. A discount deal from the family business? Still hunting for cheap Sherpa van axles & steering for mine. Did I thank you for running the Triumph Owners' photos in BSH? Thank you, (a sneaky plug).

Evening Yodles! Good to see you mate.

I feel that should be added to your list of descriptions!! ;)

Yup. Elan front suspension is basically a Triumph Vitesse set up. We have all the bits for that, just deciding whether to use it.

Yes you did. Nice piece of writing too... ;)

I have added it to my sig

Yes you did. Nice piece of writing too... ;)

Not up to your professional journo standards obviously. Does the Elan use a beam axle? And if so can I have one too please?
Yodles, your signature's now longer than your posts!

Thats prolly the secret - you've only been for the last couple of years - gets awfully samey after the 3rd and 4th...............

Must agree with you there and i wouldnt have bothered going if I didnt get the press pass,

I wouldn't have bothered going if I didn't have to.

I've probably been 5 or 6 times over the years, the last 3 or 4 with Flap. Rainbow was a little disappointed -thought it'd be bigger, (story of my life), but still managed to spend several hundred pounds. Might well give it a miss next year & stick with the Alexandra Palace show in January or february, (formerly the Road & Race show). The NEC event DOES present biking to the general public who might not otherwise take an interest -saw lots of non "biker" type teenagers & families there this year -& anything that encourages more people to try biking can't be a bad thing can it. It does what it says on the tin -showcases new models, provides somewhere to check out the latest gear & accessories etc. It's just a day out. We don't go expecting a "biker" event.

 ;D ;D ;D