NI MOTOR CYCLE FESTIVAL
SOME SAY, TWO WHEELS ARE BETTER THAN FOUR
Text and Photos: Reinis Babrovskis
The doors of the new Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn were wide open over the weekend of fourth and fifth February for the annual Northern Ireland's Motor Cycle festival. The event attracted various manufacturers and traders, as well as some celebrities.
In a country where bikes and road racing is in the blood of the people, there was no doubt on how popular and busy the event was going to be.
There were as many bikes outside as there was inside of the Eikon Centres; the show once again seemed to be a success attracting motor cycle enthusiasts from both the North and South of Ireland. Thousands of people were there from the moment the doors opened and by 14:00 the queue to get into the show was extensive.
As always, as much as this show is about showcasing the new and older bikes like any motoring show, many bike lovers; however, attend this show with a purpose - to see and try some of the bikes before purchasing for the upcoming bike season.
Various traders attended the event to showcase their products; from helmets, racing gear to motoring insurance. It is a great way to check out the best products without driving around dozens of shops.
There were also a few special guests present, including the famous TT rider Ian Hutchinson and local talent Michael Dunlop. The guests got on the stage at various times to answer some of the questions. Once the interview was done Michael decided to showcase some of his other talent - throwing around his rally Ford Escort MKII in the purpose built track at the back of the venue.
Now for the actual show...as for the brands present, there was no shortage there:
The most anticipated bike for many was the brand new 2017 Triumph Street Triple. Having sat under the cover of the dealership for some days, the wait was finally over and it was revealed at the show over the weekend. Despite having no RS model in stock yet, we were able to see the lesser model. Well, I like it.
Also the new Honda CBR Fireblade made it's debut, it is an evil looking bike.
Sadly to my disappointment, there was no sight of the new 2017 Yamaha MT10. I was really looking forward to seeing arguably the most futuristic and most odd looking bike.
However, don't get me wrong, it didn't mean that the show lacked bikes. From race-bikes, to custom choppers, everything was there.
I love custom bikes, trikes in particular and the show featured some great ones.
Among the custom builds I spotted this insane Cadillac powered trike juiced up with plenty of NOS.
And it's not only custom bikes that really caught my eyes, the attention to details on some of the manufacturers is unreal. Just look at the finish of a simple fuel gauge on this gorgeous Harley Davidson.
My favourite bike of the event? I must say the Harley Davidson Forty Eight. It is an amazing looking bike and I can definitely see myself searching for one in the next couple of years.
If you didn't get a chance to attend this event in 2017, please mark it for next year. Whether you're into bikes or not, it is a great day out and you never know, you could always find a bike that's right for you and end up with one.
Bonus Images
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