Lymm Show 2010 - Mark Kelsall

Was this the shortest show ever?

So another year has passed by and it hardly seems like twelve months since we were last here. Although looking at the well worn faces of our ever aging club section, it does seem a lot longer. Good job I keep a portrait in my attic....

And perhaps sensing that we need to max out our life experiences to the full, we had show bikes turning up before some of the club! How keen is that? This was though a portent of things to come. More on that later.

So any notables this year on the bike front? Oh yes. How about a Hodaka? Absolutely gorgeous and just had to be best in show. Then there was a 1980's Honda 250 Dream all the way from Welsh Wales with just a few thousand miles on the clock and looking and sounding like new. Apparently it was a one owner machine that just needed a bit of judicious polishing to bring her up to scratch. Quite a find.

And at the other end of the scale it was great to see a little Honda PC50 I just love the variation you see at our shows and wish more people would bring such rarities along. Just like a '74 CB125S (when did you last see such a bike and yet I bet you've all ridden one at some point in your lives?). Another rarity, albeit a bit bigger than the 125, was a Suzuki GSXR750 And well deserved of a gong it was too.

Oh, and a special mention to our very own Mr Rudge for persevering with his Monkey (bike that is). I think Dom is on his fourth engine re-build such has been the challenge thrown at him by a machine made up of many incorrect parts. Still Dom did have a tip for anyone wanting to get that magic 50mph from a Monkey. Simply slap on a clutch basket from a C90. Much clutch slip but she doesn't half belt along!

Other notables were from the Brit contingent with a really gorgeous Rudge winning best in show. And actually I would like to say that judging was really hard this year for most marks so thank you to everyone who came along. Just need more Kawasaki's next year to give Pete Curbishley a proper run for his money.

And the 'shortest show ever'? Well by 2.00 pm the clouds had started to roll in and within a matter of minutes the car park was practically empty! Still it did cause the gang some amusement seeing me ride off to my home in Stoke on Trent on my 125. Hilarious.