Manky Monkey Motors

Last reminder. Already posted this one once.
Alexandra Palace, North London.
Still a few days to run on this one. Last day is this Sunday, (5th February). A nice show. Nowhere near as big as the NEC one but more varied stalls & less crowds -& a more interesting location. Rainbow, Flap & I will be there for the day on Sunday.

I'd considered going, but not at £15 a head just to see what I've already seen bigger and better at the NEC...  :(

Oooh, and on the last day - 'less crowds'??? The reason I stopped doing the Ally Pally show was because of too many people shoved into too small a place! (I remember getting stuck in the middle of an aisle that had gridlocked and suddenly thinking to myself 'What if there was a fire right now...!  :o)

What a cynical ol' Wizz you are! It's a day out. Somewhere to go on a grey & murky Winter's day. A chance to buy a few bits & pieces & for Flap to indulge his fetish for shiny tools. I seem to have spent the last few months locked in the garage endlessly building things. I need a change of scenery!

Only cynical 'cause I've done the show before and I genuinely don't think it's worth paying more than the NEC to get in for what's on show. If you haven't seen them before it's a chance to see Vic Jefford's Manhattan and the Ecosse Heretic (I'm lucky enough to have seen both bikes at close quarters), but being mean I still think £15 is a lot.

We go every year. O.K, yes it IS expensive but, speaking personally, I need a shot of biking glitz to brighten up these long dark Winter days. Been feeling very jaded lately -Winter blues. Will be nice to get out & do something.
For us out-of-towners it's an excuse to venture into the big, bad city, stop at the Ace Cafe for a fried breakfast then gawp at all the pretty motorsickles. Sounds stupid but I just like the building too. Great view on a clear crisp day from the top of Alexandra Hill.

Cosidering the price has gone up 50% since last year, and for the past 5 yrs the event has been getting smaller, i think it's a bloody cheek. But the kids love going and it's the first event of the year for us really so we'll go again this year, on saturday. but will we go next year? We'll decide saturday ;D

Has it gone up that much?! I thought it sounded a bit steep. Fair comment mate. I'll be doing the same -next year depends on this year's show.

Yeah it was £10 last year. And that was getting a bit steep. >:(


Cor, when i was a lad, it was a fiver ;D ;D ;D

I won't be there next year. What a pile of s**te >:( >:( >:(

And I ain't even going to say I told you so...  ;D

Go On Say It  ;D ;D ;D

No, it would be mean. Especially seeing as Manky is going tomorrow.  :o

 ;D ;D ;D ;D

 ;D ;D ;D

 ;D ;D

I'm sure he'll report that it was fabulous. Might pop up there myself tomorrow if I can sort a press pass.  ;D

I have this planned this month

Valentines Day Massacre
11th Feburary 2006

Ali Bongos MCC Presents "It Takes Two to Bongo" Valentines Party
Date: Saturday 18th February 2006

Xtreme Wheels International Show 2006
25/26 Feb

Not joining the celebrations for my birthday on the 11th then Yodie? I've declared a National holiday.

Gawd, haven't even planned anything. I might go to the Historic Motorsport Show at Stoneleigh on 25/26 February.

There was a lovely lass on the Harley stand, can see her breaking a few hearts in the future  ;D ;D

(http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/2892/picture0733wb.jpg)

Yep, my little girl :D

That your little lass, UT? What a pretty little girl - you're right, she's going to be a real heartbreaker!  :) (Although I pity any boyfriends she brings home to meet dad!!).

I think it might count as child cruelty though to make her sit on a Harley...  ;D

yep, that's the older one. Here's the youngest.  ;D

(http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/8533/picture0541nu.jpg)

There's something about daughters that tug the old heartstrings. Here's me and mine. Her name's Erin.

I dread mine getting to your daughters age. Think i'll lock them in a tower until their 60 ;D ;D

Desperate, what happens to the swede once you've drilled a hole in it  ???

The Health & Safety people would have a heart attack if they saw that!
 

Well Urban described it rather succinctly as "A pile of s**te" & Wizzy said she was sure I'd describe it as fabulous.
So my honest opinion? Yeah, it was a good show. Maybe it's the attitude you take into these things. Rainbow & I set off for the big, bad city in our hire car, stopped off at the Ace Cafe, bumped into Janie-Postie & her fellas, (that sounds bad doesn't it! Her partner Dave & Dad Jacko!), missed meeting Urban, bimbled on around the North Circular until we came to Alexandra Palace, more by luck than judgement as I forget the way from one year to the next, paid our 15 quid & spent several happy hours wandering around the halls.
We just see it as a day out, somewhere "bikey" to go in the middle of the cold & dreary British Winter. We obviously haven't got you guys' cynicism! Sorry, but we enjoyed it. Rainbow was able to give a more objective view than me having done both the NEC & Ally Pally shows for the first time. She thought the London Motorcycle Show was more enjoyable. A nicer venue, nicer atmosphere, less crowds, greater variety of stands selling more useful stuff at cheaper prices, even the food was cheaper. It's an afternoon's entertainment rather than a full day, but we didn't end up suffering the show overload you get with the NEC where every stall starts to look the same & you eventually become bored. The NEC has a very big business, corporate feel to it, whereas the London event feels more like a proper bikers' show. More enthusiasm. There were certainly far more bikes lining the pavements on top of Alexandra Hill than parked outside the windswept halls of the NEC. We spent the afternoon wandering about, looked at everything, bought most of it & were among the last to leave when the show closed at 5.30
Rainbow treated herself to a new carbon fibre exhaust can for her Fazer & some matching crash bobbins & spent lots & LOTS of time perusing the clothing stalls. Being a little more financially challenged, I just invested my pennies in some sanding discs for the ol' angle grinder, (5 for a tenner -bargain!), a new steel rule cos we've measured so much tubing we've worn all the numbers off the old one! some hacksaw blades, 2 pairs of pliers -oh, & a pair of remote master cylinders for a fiver each.
Maybe the 15 quid entry price WAS a little steep -last year's 10 quid would've been acceptable, but we WILL be back next year. 
A write up & piccies to follow in the Rally/Show photos section soon, but here's a couple for now.

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 ??? -why  ???  ?

al i could see was nothing  ;D ;D ;D

Ah, I see, or rather you didn't.
A fuzzy lady for you & some shiny sockets for Flap to drool over.

I got some of them Bergen socket

Pretty good tools

Yoda

Aye, fuzzy ladies are two-a-penny, (though the price may have gone up a little since I last checked), but a decent socket is a thing of beauty.

Oh nice shiny sockets, gets me excited.  ;D ;D
Only noticed the fuzzy lady the second time I looked, distracted by shiny stuff.  :P

It's no wonder we don't take you to many shows really is it.

What a dirty cow, she was wearing the same clothes on the saturday >:(

Obviously doesn't know how to use a washing machine. Looks like she shrunk her T shirt last time she tried.