Entered my first bike show yesterday. Mixed feelings...

[ProSimex]

That's awesome dude, I hate the "don't touch unless you're naked" bullshit at car shows. The last one I was at this dude had an immaculate old Mack B model. I, being a trucker, would'a loved to have just sat in the front seat for a picture and to make vroom vroom noises while pretending to know how to work a double gear-stick set up. With all the no touching signs everywhere around it though, I didn't even bother asking.

 

[Hoofhearted]

Even had a cutie and a daddy try it on for size.

By weslake at 2012-06-03

By weslake at 2012-06-03

 

[ProSimex]

Thats a great "I'm going fast" look she got on her face, compared to his 5 beer "haha I'm on a land speed bike" grin..

 

[Mr.E]

I think I must have been the only one there that let anyone within ten feet of their car/or bike. Brought a lot of grins to some kids.

I can relate to that. Lots of pol were intrigued by my bike since it was the only cafe there. Lots of kids wanted to sit on it so I encouraged them and parents took their pictures. Some even commented that its rare that anyone let's kids near their bikes.

 

[Redbird]

I enter a few shows a year. Either with my Stepside, the DS7, or on a rare occasion, both. I do it mostly for the charities, but also just to hang out with friends that are there for the same reason. I never go in with the expectation to win anything (not implying anyone else does ), because by and large, it's not about what you built or how you built it... it's about who you know. My vehicles get driven/ridden. So they have dirt in places where vehicles get dirty. They have rock chips here and there, occasional bug guts in crevices, mud on tires, etc. All stuff that looks horrible when you're parked next to a trailer queen that somebody spent more money on than my house is worth.
Don't get me wrong though, it's nice to "get recognized" and trophy at a show. But I smile more when I get a thumbs up while going down the highway, or when somebody stops me getting on/off or in/out of my vehicles and says "Hey, I used to have one like that..." and we spend 30 minutes BS'ing. And, as mentioned previously, putting smiles on kids faces is the coolest. I have no problem letting people sit on/in my vehicles (provided they ask of course). I had 4 kids, from the family parked next to me, piled into the back of my Stepside at the last Cruise Night I went to. The Dad picked up one of the kids to show him the wood floor in the bed. I said he could put him in if he wanted. The kid thought that was just the coolest thing. Within an hour the rest of the kids were all in "the clubhouse" coloring in their coloring books and just hangin out

 

[alexmac]

My neighbor hit the mid life crisis wall a few years back. He went out and bought himself a Harley. Don't ask what model. I don't know. Could be a fat billy bob or something close. He dived straight into the overweight out of shape biker world. Doorag, cut off jacket, chaps. The whole nine yards. In the last couple of years its gotten custom wheels, pipes, apes etc. None of it done by him. All dealer work. But he does spend countless hours in the garage polishing the shit out of it. He picked up a trophy at some show a while back. Brought it down to show me. I was very polite and congratulated him. I thought why not go to a trophy shop and buy a shit load of them cheapo trophies and put them up in your garage?

Don't be a "sore loser". Shows don't mean shit. Bring it to Bonneville and get a trophy that means something.

LOL ... best post ever!

 

[t71ford]

All good points, but I don't hate on the guys with trade queen cars. Most of those guys have a ton of dough in their prize, and if showin it off at a show makes them happy, who am I to argue (not necessarily my style). Their stuff is always nicer than mine, and they deserve to win-- it's their arena. Really that's the point of building a show car, bike, truck whatever. You can't/ won't possibly run it on the street, so it goes to shows. No argent there. That said, even though they. Ever win, it's cool to see streeted stuff, and know that some guys actually build to run, not just to look. Two different approaches, and they both come together at a show... But show trophies belong to show cars...that's the breaks, I'm afraid...

 

[hocbj23]

Timely thread.Took the 89 Mazda B2200 and the 86 Radian on my aluminum trailer to a car-truck-bike show today. Bike and truck are the same color-Mazda Z-1 teal, and the trailer is -well-polished aluminum.Real slick rig I thought. Judges walked by and asked was I entering truck or bike competition. I said both.They said, well pull bike off trailer,pay another entry fee and move the trailer. I said---well u probably got the picture already. I was the ONLY import truck and the ONLY import bike at the show. It tokk me about 30 seconds to fire the Maz up,throw a little gravel the judges way and exit. My first and last attempt at showing anything to anybody-- and it was for a charity I really support toh well,live and learn.Ive heard about all this GOB shit but its the first time Ive seen it in action at a car show.bj

 

[Drewski]

Ya, "showin" my stuff is not for me. During the riding season, my bikes are only "bike show clean" for about 20 minutes anyway! I go to the local shows to check out what's new, but mostly I see the same stuff year after year. I go because they have the shows in the winter and I love the "summer fix" that I get! ;D

I enjoy pouring over the bikes I like and appreciate the effort that goes into all the bikes on display. I often hear others comments and it's really hard to hold my tongue sometimes. :-X

Like others have said, if you're gonna show your bike, you need to have thick skin and be sure to go with a "who cares" attitude. 8)

 

[Rocan]

Depends what show you go too... this one was amazing.

http://s731.photobucket.com/albums/ww317/Transane/Brooklyn%20Second%20Invitational/

 

[biker_reject]

Um yeah, there weren't any interesting bikes like that at my show, really just a hand full of HDs and one monstrosity of a high dollar custom that looked like it was 10' long. I didn't even go look at it. It was ridiculous.

 

[Rocan]

ugh, I know the types. I'm sick of chromed out pieces of turds ridden by even larger pieces of turds.

 

[Hoofhearted]

It goes to prove you really can chrome a turd! Add a big dose of nitrous and your chromed turd can fly!

 

[rock2d2]

Add a big dose of nitrous and your chromed turd can fly!

Just avoid the exhaust.

 

[Hoofhearted]

When you do this with the sidecar you kind of reckon how much harm can a couple of kids do?

By weslake at 2010-10-09

 

[beachcomber]

The only ever trophy I won was for a show I never even entered ! My sentiments are pretty well as been vented here - GAL.

I went [ as was my annual trip ] to the Renault Owner's Club pageant. Didn't even consider entering the show event, which in the main was for standard cars which spent most of the year in the garage and polished within an inch of their lives - but otherwise stock. I'd gone there in my daily driver Renault Floride S, fitted with 1100 Gordini lump. I just parked up in the picnic area to enjoy the day with like minded souls, and was intrigued to see a dozen or so "anoraks" climbing all over my car. Long story short - I "won" the trophy for "Best Renault Sports Car" .........but as I didn't know about it went home before the presentations. There was later much whingeing and harrumphing in the club magazine from other "sports" owners that I shouldn't have won as my car wasn't standard ! :
It was the prettiest one there though !

 

[biker_reject]

Funny! You know, I would just love to see these street rods do something! It seems a dis-service to let them sit in the sun. I have given up on the SCCA a long time ago. It has become such a cloistered organization, I don't think anyone knows there is a chapter here! They don't even advertise events! Imagine if a car and bike show had an auto-x track, a drifting track, and even a mc battle track. That is the type of motorsports event I have been planning for some years now. My experience this past weekend only strengthened my resolve to get my event off the ground.

 

[Cafe-XV750]

Just returned from the Ford Nationals in Carlisle, PA with my '66 Mustang ... I didn't go for the show, I went for the DRIVE (miss the PA back roads since living in MI) and friends. 1100 mile round-trip ... about 250 of that in the twisties made it all worthwhile to me - priceless to see my old '66 out-performing the new stuff on the same route.

While I cleaned the trip off the car at the show, I didn't even bother to put up the info card (to be easily judged) - didn't care. My resto is almost 20 years old but it's still in better condition than most cars there ... took 2nd back in '08 so I know she can do it IF I wanted to.

So tired of seeing new cars/bikes at shows - what's the point? Now clearly outnumber anything vintage let alone 5-10+ years old. This show did have a auto-x event but I didn't get to it to check out attendance.

I'd be on the Hot Rod Power Tour this week (MI to TX) but didn't feel like going solo ...

 

[ngonerogwu]

Hey man, your buell was cool.

The back lot closer to the pagoda was just batwinged Harley after batwinged Harley.

That cb360 was pretty sweet, someone had put a decent amount of love into it. I've seen it before @ cycle steves (I think Steve got paid to put the love in)

The show gave me confidence that my bike will stand out like crazy when it's done.

 

[biker_reject]

Wow, a DTT member from Eville! Thanks, but the Buell got no love. I pat it every now and then to comfort it. Ha! I plan to register and plate it so I can ride it to Buds next week and try to show it again. You know I made it out of parts, right? It started life as a XB9SX. I put new jugs and pistons on it and rebuilt the whole thing bolt by bolt. I know that machine intimately! The guy with the 360 wants $2600 for it. He says that's what he has in it! What are you working on???