The Classic Motorcycle Club (CMC) hosted their annual 1000 Bike Show, at Germiston High School, over the weekend of July 5 and 6.
Once again the event attracted a large group of motorcyclists, as well as other visitors.
There were more than 400 classic and modern motorcycles on display for visitors to enjoy over the two days.
The chief organiser of the show and chairman of the CMC, Hamish Ireland, says total attendance was in the region of 10 000 people, which was aided by the weekend’s favourable weather.
The sports field of Germiston High School was packed with motorcycles and trikes ridden to the event by the visitors.
This was an amazing motorcycle show in its own right, particularly in regard to the many customised machines and so-called café racers, which is a fast growing trend both locally and internationally.
Many of the machines on display were evaluated in the concours d’elegance competitions on the Saturday (customised and street bikes) and Sunday (classics) and once again the standards were exceptionally high.
Overall winner – Best Bike on Show – among the classics was Kevin Robertson’s immaculate 1957 Velocette Valiant, which has taken 10 years to build from parts obtained from three sources in South Africa, many of them in very poor condition.
Robertson, an internationally renowned Velocette enthusiast, says he believes his Valiant is one of only three left in SA.
He also won Best Bike on Show with his 1935 Excelsior Manxman, at the 2012 1000 Bike Show.
Best on Show in the Customised and Street categories was the immaculate BMW Café Racer of Eric Repsold.
The 1000 Bike Show has a long history, dating back to the first concours d’elegance organised by the CMC, in Springs, in 1970, only two years after the founding of this popular club, which is based in Germiston.
The annual event has grown in both the number of motorcycles on display and in stature over the years, having been housed in places such as the East Rand Mall, Avril Elizabeth Children’s Home and the Carlton Centre, before ending up at its current venue at Germiston High School.
It is an important fund-raising event and among the charities and organisations that benefited from the 1000 Bike Show this year were the SPCA, Germiston High School, Think Bike, Toy Run, Rotary and local Scout groups.
Classic motorcycle concours d’elegance awarded over the weekend were:
Best on show: Kevin Robertson (Velocette Valiant); Best Vintage: Fritz Vlietstra (1920 Excelsior); Best Classic: Kevin Robertson (Velocette Valiant); Best Post Classic: Neville Nicolam (BMW R69S); Best New Era: J Norris (Yamaha RZ 50); Best Racing: Ian Groat (7R AJS); Best combination: Bart Eva (BMW R50/2); Best Durban-Johannesburg (DJ) motorcycle: Fritz Kramer (1920 Excelsior); Ladies’ Choice: Peter Vlietstra (BSA Sloper); Historic Motorcycle Group (HMG): Eddie Rulph (Suzuki GT550); Best Italian: J Kraehmer (Moto Guzzi Daytona 1000); VMX Offroad: Gray Dick (Yamaha YZ100); VMX Racing: Paulo do Couto (Suzuki RM400); Speedway: Brad Devine; Best Stand: Honda.
Best street and custom awards given over the weekend:
Best Cruiser: Anthony Singleton (Suzuki Boulevard); Best Bobber: Bobber Bros. (Triumph Spitfire); Best Custom: Dyno by Quint (Kawasaki 1300); Best Harley Davidson: Stefan Myburg (1948 Harley Davidson; Best Street Fighter: Deon du Toit (Suzuki GT750); Best Street Modified: Dyno by Quint (Hayabusa Supercharged); Café Racer: Eric Repsold (BMW); Best Rat Bike: Kallie Ludick; Best Trike: Allan Casy (Honda Goldwing); Best Standard Motorcycle: Sean McGlead (Kawasaki Z1300); Best Engineered: Eric Repsold (BMW Café Racer); Best on Show: Eric Repsold (BMW Café Racer).
