Friday 15th November arrives and Phil and I load up our poor Swedish Chef with everything needed (barring the bikes) to put on the stand at Motorcycle Live 2019. We have worked out this was our 15th year of working/organising the stand for the club, we must be suckers for punishment! So, with Cheffie all packed up to the rafters with regalia, display materials, pull up banners, rails, desk, display boards, 100 made up goodie bags and our own suitcase etc etc, we headed off to Birmingham to set up our stand in Hall 3, following Roger Waddington in with his SS50 in the back of his car… yes you read that correctly! Andy Smith followed very shortly afterwards with his very recently completely restored CB750 (it being the 50th Anniversary of the 750). By about 6.30pm we were all set and ready to face the masses for the next 9 days along with our partner in crime for the duration, Graham Gull. As we were leaving to head to the hotel we popped onto the Honda stand to say hi to our mates and to have a sit on the brand new Fireblade… it’s good to have friends in high places. After a few more hellos with friends from other stands we headed to the hotel and to find something to eat.
Then followed 9 brilliant, fun filled, exhausting days welcoming over a hundred new members of the family to the club and selling lots of regalia, while also catching up with lots of old friends and making new ones.
On the first Sunday 16 members of the club were invited to an exclusive behind the scenes tour of the Honda stand (see my other report) and on Wednesday Phil and I were invited as guests of Honda to the MCIA Gala Dinner (see my other report), so a brilliant time was had by all.
In closing I would like to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to the following people for all your hard work and dedication to the club in helping make Motorcycle Live 2019 such a brilliant and successful year… in no particular order:
GRAHAM GULL for a whole week of fantastic company as always
SARAH & CHLOE ROBERTS
GARY FISHER
MIKE JEFFS
MARCUS MOULSON
MARY RANDELL
MURRAY WILTSHIRE
MIKE PRIESTLY
TONY SURRIDGE
CHRIS BRADSHAW
MIKE GALLAFENT
ERICA & GERALD GASSOR (our legendary people grabber)
JOHN MEASURES
BRIAN FLYNN
ANNE TIMMINS
And, of course, the owners of our stars of the show….
ROGER WADDINGTON, for letting us show his gorgeous baby SS50
&
ANDY SMITH, our Classic Dating Officer, for letting us show his gorgeous very recently completed restored CB 750
Mega thanks to you all once again for making the show such a great one.
Love Rona xx
