APRIL 2024 • ISSUE #531
This is forward planning. The Rutland Rattle doesn’t take place until June 16, but I’ve just emailed the organiser to confirm my entry for this tour of the UK’s smallest county on small-capacity machinery. So that’s one Sunday sorted and the rest of summer still to plan.
Where will you be riding in 2024? This year’s events guide provides plenty of choice. I’d love to get to Northern Ireland to see Stephen Walsh race his 350 Honda (page 40), Bridlington for Race the Waves with Rod Baraona (page 50) and Cadwell Park to watch bikes fly over The Mountain (page 80). Or maybe attempt some aviation myself at a Classic Bike Trackdays event on June 22-23 (listed on page 61).
Digging into our photo archive to find nostalgic pictures delivered more inspiration. We found amazing images of the BMF Rally (page 46), Barbon Hillclimb (page 70) and Santa Pod (page 92). This year Barbon is on June 22 and there is classic action at Santa Pod’s Dragstalgia event on July 5-7. But there’s no BMF Show. That event last ran in 2014, but even the replacement MCN Festival won’t happen this year as the venue is being turned over to housing. Times change, and you can’t take it for granted that these things are going to be around next year, so let’s support them and experience them now.
I’m hoping that my BSA Bantam (below) will be ready for action as soon as the weather picks up (I’ve got wire and switches on order), but I’ve actually entered my Mobylette moped for the Rattle (and I hope the event name doesn’t give the bike ideas); 75 miles round Rutland should be do-able on 49cc, and keeping the throttle on the stop the whole time will remind me of my teenage years.
I never rode my Moylette (legally)
