Manky Monkey
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« on: April 20, 2015, 08:39:53 PM » |
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Might be a little late for this one -it happened 33 years ago.
Anyone remember the Kent Hells Angels' bike shows? Way before the Warwickshire based Bulldog Bash, but they grew to be almost as big.
They started as a very small event held in the lorry park of a transport café on the A20 in Harrietsham, with camping in a field on the other side of the road. Eventually the Angels bought their own land -Angel Farm on Romney Marsh & the shows grew bigger & bigger.
Back in '82 I was 20 years old & riding a Triumph. No internet, so no chatrooms or forums, or mobile phones, so the details of bike events were picked up from fliers at other shows or simply by word of mouth. Occasionally they might be advertised in the back pages of Motorcycle News or The Motorcycle Weekly.
Nobody had breakdown cover -that was for posh people or business reps with company cars, not for the likes of us. We rode mainly British bikes so roadside repairs were a regular feature of long distance trips & we'd carry a selection of tools, bulbs, fuses, bits of wire & nuts & bolts. Nobody tempted fate by berating anyone who broke down because there was always a good chance your bike might be next. Every roadtrip was an adventure.
I clearly remember this one, with a dozen of the local Basingstoke bike crowd.
I remember the sense of camaraderie as little groups of riders began to appear at road junctions, knowing they were on the same pilgrimage as us. There were banners around the café advertising a soon to be launched magazine, catering for the British custom scene. "Back Street Heroes". Never heard of it.
I remember laying in the long grass of the campsite, smoking cigarettes, (I gave up 30 years ago), & listening to the band as bikes rolled in. There was no accepted biker "uniform" back then & the average chop rider looked much more hippyish than today.
Rose tinted nostalgia? Yeah, probably, but there definitely wasn't the cynicism & hard faced world weariness you see today. It was all much simpler. We had fun. I'm glad I grew up when I did. Wouldn't want to be doing it now.
A few very fuzzy snaps, taken on an old Kodak 110 camera -remember those?
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« Last Edit: April 21, 2015, 08:21:17 AM by Manky Monkey »
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On the last freedom moped out of Nowhere City.
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Manky Monkey
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« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2015, 08:40:26 PM » |
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On the last freedom moped out of Nowhere City.
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Manky Monkey
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« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2015, 08:41:27 PM » |
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On the last freedom moped out of Nowhere City.
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Manky Monkey
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« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2015, 08:42:01 PM » |
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On the last freedom moped out of Nowhere City.
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Manky Monkey
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« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2015, 08:42:36 PM » |
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Manky Monkey
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« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2015, 08:43:11 PM » |
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Manky Monkey
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« Reply #6 on: April 20, 2015, 08:43:48 PM » |
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That's my Triumph in the background.
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« Last Edit: April 20, 2015, 08:46:21 PM by Manky Monkey »
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On the last freedom moped out of Nowhere City.
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Manky Monkey
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« Reply #7 on: April 20, 2015, 08:44:45 PM » |
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Triumph & XS1100 Yamaha.
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On the last freedom moped out of Nowhere City.
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Tony oily bike
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« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2015, 05:38:35 PM » |
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'82's a fair while ago.......... Didn't make it to the café show, but did get along to the '84 and '85 events, both times on a trusty XS650.
Will have to dig out some photos.
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« Last Edit: March 22, 2021, 01:01:02 PM by Tony oily bike »
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There's nowt as light as a hole, so add lightness.
Our lady of blessed acceleration, don't fail me now! - Elwood Blues
Nitro doesn't add power, it multiplies it! Bob Loux, running 10.07 secs @138mph on a 650 normally aspirated Triumph drag bike in 1965!
"Incontinence Hotline" - please hold.
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Manky Monkey
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« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2015, 06:02:19 PM » |
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Great! I was beginning to think I'd imagined it!
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triker_Chewie
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west aussie dreamer
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« Reply #10 on: April 23, 2015, 08:48:32 PM » |
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i was born in "81
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I hate when people compare Lemmy with God, i know he is great but he is not gonna be Lemmy, ever If your Dad hasnt got a beard, you've got two Mums there's no point it lookin' pretty if we can't drive it.
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Manky Monkey
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« Reply #11 on: April 24, 2015, 11:13:04 AM » |
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 thanks for that Ben!
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On the last freedom moped out of Nowhere City.
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triker_Chewie
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west aussie dreamer
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« Reply #12 on: April 24, 2015, 05:51:00 PM » |
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happy to please
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I hate when people compare Lemmy with God, i know he is great but he is not gonna be Lemmy, ever If your Dad hasnt got a beard, you've got two Mums there's no point it lookin' pretty if we can't drive it.
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Tony oily bike
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« Reply #13 on: March 22, 2021, 01:44:48 PM » |
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'82's a fair while ago.......... Didn't make it to the café show, but did get along to the '84 and '85 events, both times on a trusty XS650.
Will have to dig out some photos.
... and 5 years later...……. found these during a clear-out |
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« Last Edit: March 22, 2021, 01:51:34 PM by Tony oily bike »
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There's nowt as light as a hole, so add lightness.
Our lady of blessed acceleration, don't fail me now! - Elwood Blues
Nitro doesn't add power, it multiplies it! Bob Loux, running 10.07 secs @138mph on a 650 normally aspirated Triumph drag bike in 1965!
"Incontinence Hotline" - please hold.
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Tony oily bike
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« Reply #14 on: March 22, 2021, 01:45:56 PM » |
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i was born in "81
Just for Chewie  |
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There's nowt as light as a hole, so add lightness.
Our lady of blessed acceleration, don't fail me now! - Elwood Blues
Nitro doesn't add power, it multiplies it! Bob Loux, running 10.07 secs @138mph on a 650 normally aspirated Triumph drag bike in 1965!
"Incontinence Hotline" - please hold.
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