Some events end up as fixtures in the calendar, and the International Classic Motorcycle Show at Stafford is one of them. It is the sort of show I don’t really question attending – you just go, especially as it is just down the road.
This year’s visit to the Staffordshire County Showground started on a high note with unusually good weather. Clear skies and warm sunshine made a refreshing change and set the tone before I had even made it through the gates. It probably helped explain the steady stream of people heading in from early on.
By mid-morning, the place was properly busy. Not uncomfortably so, but with that steady buzz that tells you something worthwhile is happening. You get a real mix at Stafford – long-time enthusiasts, collectors, club members and plenty of people who simply enjoy seeing well-kept machinery with a bit of history behind it.
Inside the halls, it was everything you would expect. Rows of classic motorcycles, from carefully restored showpieces to bikes that still wear their age proudly. Some look like they have just left the factory, others look like they have lived a full life – and both are equally interesting in their own way.
The autojumble was as tempting as ever. Boxes of parts, old tools, manuals and bits of kit that you didn’t realise you needed until you saw them. It is very easy to lose track of time there, even if you are not searching for anything in particular.
There was also a bit of extra attention around the guest appearances this year. Well-known TT riders John McGuinness and Dean Harrison were both in attendance, which drew plenty of interest. It is not every day you get the chance to hear from figures like that up close.
Then there’s the Bonhams motorcycle auction was also taking place across the weekend. As usual, it attracted a crowd of its own, with a range of machines going under the hammer – from collectible classics to rarer pieces that you do not often see come up for sale. Even if you are not looking to buy, it is worth watching simply for the atmosphere.
What stands out about the International Classic Motorcycle Show at Stafford, more than anything else, is how unforced it feels. It is not overly polished, and that works in its favour. People are there because they want to be, not because they feel they should be – it’s less hipster and more Henry Cole, if you get what I mean.
One of the best parts of the day, though, had nothing to do with the exhibits themselves. Stafford has become one of those events where you naturally end up catching up with people you haven’t seen in a while. I met up with a few friends, had a wander together, stopped for chats here and there. It adds something to the day that you don’t get from just walking around on your own.
By the time I headed out, the sun was still holding up and the crowds had barely thinned. It had been one of those days where you spend hours on your feet but do not really notice. You leave a bit tired, probably carrying a few things you had not planned to buy, and with a phone full of photos you will look back on later.
More importantly, you leave feeling like it was time well spent. Good weather, a wide mix of bikes, exhibits, vendors and of course the chance to catch up with friends – it is a simple combination, but it works.
The International Classic Motorcycle Show at Stafford remains one of those events that consistently delivers, and this year was no exception.
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