American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 215 June 2017 | Page 30

™ ‘The Bike Shed’, London, May 26 - 28 illed as “Europe’s best independent annual motorcycle show” and London’s “new wave” motorcycle emporium”, chic moto store ‘The Bike Shed’ opened the doors of its 8th annual bike show. Staged at London’s historic and charismatic Tobacco Dock (at the end of May) for the fourth time, the weekend saw some 14,000 “New Core” visitors drooling over a high-class selection of 200 plus custom bikes displayed for the edification of an urban and much bearded audience. This was the fourth time for the show at the Thames-side former Victorian warehouse venue in East London’s Docklands – and as custom bike shows go, it is a world in which contemporary custom styling collides with artisan catering and a limited number of “curated” exhibitor opportunities. Organizer and owner Anthony ‘Dutch’ van Someren told us that at least a third of the bikes were from first-timers, shed builders or semi-pros, and they got to enjoy the same upscale presentation values as the bikes by established names and manufacturers. The formula is to mix the bikes in with a weekend of “live music, live art, live pin-striping/screen-printing/ leatherwork, photography, food, coffee, bars, tattoos, barbershop and curated retail and brand exhibition,” says Dutch. The sponsors were Ohlins, Triumph, Indian, BMW, Yamaha, Ducati Scrambler and European apparel brand Rev’It. The exhibitors are presented in an “open area” style that blends them in with the bikes and circulatory space in a way that the conventional “barrier booth” thinking just doesn’t permit. With apologies to anyone we are omitting, the sponsors exhibited B Photo by Autohouse Organizer and ‘Bike Shed’ owner Anthony ‘Dutch’ van Someren: “Our goal was to create the best indepe ndent motorcycle exhibition event in the world, without any compromises on quality or experience” alongside Honda, CCM (a British off- road and Enduro bike manufacturer), Fantic (Italian based small displacement Chinese engined off- roaders), Royal Enfield, Italian helmet brand DMD, British helmet brand Hedon and Liverpool, England based helmet manufacturer Davida. “After months of preparation we’re all really chuffed [Google it!] that the show went so well and was so well attended, with 14,000 people through our doors over the weekend. Our goal was to create the best independent motorcycle exhibition event in the world, without any compromises on quality or experience. “The main hero bikes were all invitational, and more curated than ever, and we think the bar was raised, yet again, with custom builds from all over the world coming from as far away as the US and Taiwan. “We’re already planning Bike Shed London 2018 for 25/26/27 next May, and it will be even bigger and better, especially with the facilities and hospitality, where we know we can do so much more – we now have 18 months under our belt operating our Old Street store on a 7 days-a-week basis, so we have learned a lot about what people are looking for, and the views and expectations of the 600-member strong Bike Shed Motorcycle Club drives everything we are able to come up with.” 30 AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER www.AMDchampionship.com