It’s interesting to see how in recent years retailers have identified the availability of the modern motorcyclist’s pound, there has been a steady increase in events put on by retailers for the lifestyle motorcyclists, and of course the increasing biker breakfasts etc in pubs and cafes.
One such event is the Rebels Ride Motorcycle Social held at the Grosvenor Casino in Reading. Rebels Ride being a clothing brand aimed at custom motorcycle riders and for the last three years they have held an annual custom motorcycle show. Always on the lookout for something different and having heard good things about it I headed into the wilds of Berkshire.
While a casino may seem an unusual venue, there is the convenience of a big car park. which was split into general parking which was pretty much filled with bikes and a show arena where several new to me bike builders were showing their recent creations and a few retailers too. Between the two was the chance to try axe throwing, by the steady thud clunk, clunk it was obvious this was popular and scarily the girls seemed more accurate than some of the fellas.
At the original events, I know a lot of the visitors were sportster riders, who had
quickly embraced the rebels ride ethos, and there still is a fair selection of very
modified sportsters there, but now it includes all sort of bikes. Indeed, my favourite
non-
The stalls ranged from clothing to pinstriping, fab engraving and even some really funky electric bikes, I loved the build in process triumph chop too. Apparently, there were bands indoors, but after the wet ride from home in the morning, standing in the sunshine with smiley people listening to the outside band was a far better plan.
Bike of the day was on the dragon soul customs stand a springer sportster chop that was built and owned by Darren. He had only just been completed at 4am that morning. Even more amazing as it’s his first attempt at bike building as he is a carpenter by trade and was built in a shed. Though he did confess to using a flatbed sander on the rattle can paintwork, once a chippy always a chippy eh.
Custom Chrome provided the awards, though I don’t know the categories, and there were some worthy winners and nice to see several new builds in the show too.
And this is what I believe gave this event a great feeling, not just the bike and sunshine, but new and fresh to the scene bikes and builders, there were also a lot of younger riders there with an ethos of riding for fun and customising and this gives more confidence to the future of the scene we all love.
