Calne Bike Meet

The concept is a small town in Wiltshire, great roads all around it and one day a year when loads of bikes descend. It's not the first event of its kind but has been going a few years and gets a good turnout of interesting people and machines. I rode up to give the newly aquired BMW R100RS a test run (more of which to come). A beautiful summers day and great roads running past West Kennet Long Barrow and Silbury Hill.

Got the camera out and snapped away, here're a few machines that caught the eye...

This Moto Guzzi cafe racer was beautifully made. Nicely
engineered and with a good eye for detail. Looks fantastic
too!

Same Guzzi. A big 'v sign' and a whole load
of road presence.

Mellowed Laverda Jota 1000 snuggling up to a hedge.

Not many scooters around but this Lambretta D made up for
the lack of quantity with quality. Looks like it was very well
restored a few years ago and has now nicely aged. The
optional extra Smiths 'D' speed is a good period touch.

Shiny Morini 500.

There was a fine display of vintage speedway machines. This
Rotrax was very tidily restored. The Rotrax speedway machines
were made in Southampton by the same company that made
cycle frames.

Sunbeam Model 9 detail.

Sunbeam Model 9 bigger picture. Unusual to see one in off
road trim.

I've a soft spot for Japanese Market retro machines. This is
a Suzuki 'Tempter'. Probably a name that sounds better in
Japan. Nice looking bike though and that front wheel could
look good on a cafe racer....

Supercharged Harley V Rod. Matching helmet!

Very tasty Velocette cafe racer. Looks like it was built up
around a Viper. It has a RFS (Ralph Seymour) badge on the
crankcase so perhaps has some interesting history.

Not a bike you would expect to see hitched but this Z650
with lightweight Watsonian Stratford makes a fine combo.

Another from the vintage speedway display. This one a twin
port BSA.

OK, I'm a Royal Enfield nerd, but lovely to see an original
unrestored Constellation and fitted with the optional fully
enclosed chaincase!

Very shiny BMW /2 and Steib rig.

This four wheeler crept in but rightfully so. Nicely built Ford
V8. Love those big finned brake drums!

Last and certainly not least a Yamaha RD200 and a Honda S90.
Both fine specimens.