What to see where ? In october ?

Hello.

Danes would like to visit the place of... birth.

My father rides UK-bikes, has a 1928 + a 1933 Royal Enfield, a 1953
Ariel - and a Zundapp KS 600 from 1938. (I ride a 1991 BMW
K100RS16V...).

He is very fond of roaming through both swap meets, flea markets,
(bike-/machinery-) exhibitions and piles of what may seem just old,
bike-related iron...

Now he´s turning 70, and my idea for a decent birthday present would be
a trip for us both to England (where he has never been before).

My problem is that I would like to arrange/be certain what is worth
seeing, both events, swap meets and museum. I´d like to be able to make
a plan of 3-4 days, in a rented car (he´s not all that keen on walking
or riding longer distances).

Any suggestions to what one must see, are very welcomed. Likewise,
suggestions to 2-3 events, that takes place in the vicinity of one
another, are much appreciated (eg a swap meet, a museum etc).

We plan to travel to the UK in the period between the 17th and the 24th
of october.

Any suggestions will be highly appreciated, and I will of course be
available for any advice on the (to you unknown?) danish
classic/vintage bike scene.

Kind regards,

Johannes Jensen, son...

--

 

how are you getting here?
I ask as it may help plan the trip.

If you are ferrying into Hull for example then it would make
sense to stay up that end of the country, but if you are
flying into London then you would need a different
itinery...

Nick

 

Hmm. I think the Stafford classic bike show will be on around this time
but a quick look on http://www.classicbikeshows.com/ suggests that it's
on on the 15th & 16th.

Normally this is just about the last bigger show in the calendar. Also,
it's more focused on Japanese bikes so it may not be appropriate. Other
than that I don't think there are that many shows on that time of the
year. something to do with the weather here, I'd guess.

 

Hi Frinton & Timo;

We plan to arrive via Gatwick. Seems like the Staffordshire event is
OK, also datewise (although very new bikes...) - is there ane bike
museums around there, in car distance? The one that burned down? Has it
reopened? Where?

Thanks for your replies!

Regards, Johhannes

 

In the same place

 

That's the "National Motorcycle Museum" - AFAIK that is somewhere in or
near Birmingham, which would be more or less on the way to Stafford if
you arrive in Gatwick.

<googles>

Solihull, so not *that* far away. Here's a link to the website:

http://www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk/

 

I think it was on Sun, 21 Aug 2005 21:56:10 +0200 that JOHS

The National Mororcycle Museum (the one that burned down) isn't too
far from Stafford (less than 50 miles (80Km) south on the M6 Motorway)
and has re-opened. They have a website at
http://www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk/
but all I get is a blue background in Firefox.

There's a BBC page about it at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/attractions/motorcycle_museum/motorcycle_museum.shtml,

if you enter the postcode ( B92 0EJ ) into http://www.multimap.com/
with "Great Britain & NI" selected as the country, you'll get a
location map.

--

Rob
Broseley, Shropshire
1991 Yamaha XV 535 Virago
1997 Rover 623GSi

 

has

Except it is on the M42

 

....and pretty easy to find. Follow signs for the NEC and the
museum is on the other side of the roundabout from the NEC
entry when you come off the motorway...

Nick

 

You need the flash plugin
--

Cheers!
Fr Jack
96 Tiger, 90 CB450DX
FRJACKUKRM AT GMAIL DOT COM
skype: fr.jack (without the dot)
We'll open up your eyes, just to check that you're asleep, again

 

The Sammy Miller Museum is on the south coast, near New Milton. Very
good.

 

Another vote for Sammy Miller. You can get a coach from Gatwick to
Bournemouth, & you can get to Christchurch (closer) by train, but you
would probably be better renting a car. It's about an hour & a half
from Gatwick outside the rush hour. Has over 300 bikes, including many
of the rarest competition bikes & exotic protoypes you will ever see.
Includes a '30s Husqvarna V-twin racer for Scandanavian visitors ....
Strong on 30's & early machinery, not so strong on "normal" 50-60's
road bikes, although it has a fair sample. I was there last week, & it
takes a good three hours at least to look at everything reasonably
closely. Pretty area, with a lot of things to see & do, & plenty of
accomodation. Google for the web site.

Colin

 

Further thought ... the Beaulieu museum is only a few miles from Sammy
Miller, & contains many historic cars & motorcycles. Would make an
easy, & interesting, couple of days together. If you are also into
other transport, there are also local aircraft museums in Bournemouth &
I think there is one in Southampton, & I believe there is a bus museum
on Bournemouth. Check out Google for Sammy Miller & Beaulieu, & also
for New Forest to get a feel for the area. Colin

 

Main large autojumble on in the UK during that period is at Cheltenham
Racecouse on Oct 22. That's not an impossible trip from the Sammy
Miller area. Probably 80 miles across country. Takes you through some
pleasant countryside, with good pubs & a fair amount of bed & breakfast
accomodation.

Would take you approx 2 & a half hours driving from there to Gatwick,
but better to drive back gently & find something else to see en route.
If you're into old engines etc the Brighton Engineerium has a fine
collection of really large steam engines -- 45 mins from Gatwick.

I'll drop off now, & let others add their favourites ....

Colin

 

Thank you all - I´ve got plenty now to plan for.

If you ever come to Denmark, pay a visit to Egeskov Castle...
http://www.egeskov.dk/english/sightseeing/index.html

Kind regards, Johannes

 

In that case it's a scap yard not a classic bike show.

 

Just to confuse you, the only thing they haven't told you about the National
Motorcycle Museum is that it is less than a mile from Birmingham Airport.
Also in the area are the Coventry Museum of Motor Transport and the Heritage
Motor Museum at Gaydon, though the former is mainly cars and the latter
exclusively so - I think.

Ron Robinson

 

Oh *do* **** off you tedious, three-day-past-its-sell-by-date turd.

 

Thanks, Ron

 

There is a small British Bike museum in Greenford (West London).

Never been, but looks quite interesting:
http://www.motorcycle-uk.com/lmm.htm


--
Dan L (Oldbloke)
My bike 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr
M'boy's bike 2003 Honda NSR125R (Going)
Spare Bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X (Patio Ornament)
BOTAFOT #140 (KotL 2005), X-FOT#000, DIAABTCOD #26, BOMB#18 (slow)