MCN London Motorcycle Show: British Love For Two Wheels Never Dies

This show was definitely a must-see within the year particularly as the longstanding organiser, MCN or Motorcycle News, had decorated their image proudly by displaying the 70 years that the magazine has been running for. And I know for a fact that Nick Harris is the first person that comes to mind when I think about the company where the MotoGP commentator began his career in media. Although his presence was absent, you would not miss the countless number of motorcycle heroes that would be in attendance for the weekend. John McGuiness, Neil Hodgson, Chris Walker and Peter Hickman; just to name a few of some of the most notable names within motorcycling racing history.

But this weekend wasn't just to hold the nostalgia of the retired racers. Each of them took part throughout the weekend along the Live Stage Arena, competing in separate flat track categories to come out in that top position just for the glory of it. And these riders did not hold back, even nearly stirring up the old rivalry between Hodgson and Walker that I'm sure pinched a few scars shared between the two that slowly continued to be picked at through the World of MCN talks.

In an era that was unfortunately before I joined the love of two-wheeled racing, the two men picked apart the beauty of their battles on track (something I'm sure that you could never wiggle out of Rossi and Marquez even if 25 years had passed). With the dead leg that Chris Walker had given Neil Hodgson from only an hour prior in fierce on-track battle, the two of them discussed their rivalry as something more of a beauty when the visor clicked shut rather than a pitting of fans against fans in aggressive displays of incoherent swearing and shouting. It's no doubt that the success of another can get under your skin which Walker agreed with but held account that he learnt more from losing against Hodgson than he would if he was constantly standing one step above him. Could you count this as a dig that Walker thought he became more experienced than Hodgson over the course of their time together on the asphalt? Comparatively, rarely anyone ever remembers the guy that comes in 2nd place; they may have to share their differences on this debate.

But of course, everyone wants to come back from one of these events with some sort of souvenir. What about a Ducati Panigale V4, or is a BSA B65 Scrambler more of your style? With most of the floor being showered with a rainbow of colours from KTM, Yamaha, Kawasaki, there was nothing more tempting than hoping on one to try it out which was encouraged even though the keys were stuffed safety away from any wandering hands. However there were many other products for sale like race gear, helmets and stickers for those who preferred responsibility over impulsive buying, but what's the fun in that?

Although there were certain items on display that seem priceless to the people that own them as for Uggly & Co., the same company that were in attendance at the Autosport International in January. Not only did they display Andrea Dovizioso and Sete Gibernau's bikes, they were now in possession of Loris Capirossi and Michele Pirro's Ducati's which is an incredible sight to study when thinking about how far the development of MotoGP bikes has extended. Whether these are for good and bad reasons, that's up to personal perspective.

You also can't discount the numerous Alpinestars race suits which politely stood in the corner of the exhibition, representing the likes of Pecco Bagnaia, Marc Marquez, Cal Crutchlow and Pedro Acosta's championship winning overalls. There's something that I think a die-hard racing fan would want to get their hands on if the opportunity arose!

All in all, this is the best haven for someone to browse if they are obsessed around the world of motorcycles. Whether you're a young kid picking a bike based on your favourite colour that I'm sure carries into teenage-hood when scanning through models at the legal age of 16 in the UK, or an older biker that has grown up surrounded by the roar of Harley Davidson's and finally being awarded that dream of ownership during retirement, the show has everything for everyone; including the presence of Pedro Acosta (MotoGP) as one of the most anticipated young riders in todays climate and Jake Dixon (Moto2) who has the rest of the British fans on his shoulders within the series. 

The absence of premier class British riders in motorcycle racing seemed to have dwindled since Cal Crutchlow last left the scene of MotoGP as a unique face of the grid just like the British enthusiasm for bikes, but the London Motorcycle Show may have proved that theory wrong in the most spectacular way by the sheer number of visitors on the Friday, let alone across the weekend. For a type of motorsport that seems to represent more riders from Spain and Italy than the 'old days' of American and English riders in European series, the British love for motorcycles never dies.