Next Adventure Bike Day
 

As Grant suggested there's interest, but no space at the Ace. How about pooling ideas from the floor for another meet? I can only think of Box Hill as having a large parking area and cafe. I in no way suggest it as super but I throw it open. What do we want? A day's meet or a camp-over? Linzi.

Doh! .. just posted this on the original thread.. note to self read all threads then post....

Expanding it has a bike meet every week (or is month), it also host a landy club meet.. so it is very used to this kinda thing... it is easy to find has a huge parking lot.

and there can be some nice roads around it too.

Bst
 

That sounds pretty good Xander, how about 28 March as the weekend of the start of British Summer Time? Linzi.

There's already a big adventure biking meet that weekend (27th - 29th March)

Touratech UK are having their now annual "open day"/ Adventure Travel Event that weekend. Last year (in september) hundreds turned up for the weekend in South Wales - including a lot of HUBBers ... Grant, Susan, Austin Vince et al ....

Use that as the venue.

I guess i'll have give that one a miss..:(

(although it sounds like a good plan) ... I reckon that there is a picture of me at TTUK head quarters with orders to shoot on sight :eek3:for all the bad reviews and complaints i have posted about them... (they dont even respond to my emails and phone messages anymore, and then they wonder why i bi:censored:h and complain).

Then its the perfect opportunity to pin them down ... they cant run away from you when you are camped on their doorstep with 200 other adventure bikers :cool4:

Very good point and well made!

Dates
 

We could do with ideas/feedback on dates that would be allround convenient. I also thought, why not organize a meet for the people who would normally be asked for autographs or to give presentations to simply relax? All of us to relax. Linzi.

The TTUK open day last year was a success, but mainly because of the calibre of the presentations and presenters (yep, thats you Grant).

The format for this year has not been announced yet but if its just TT and their shop then its not worth a visit if you have to travel miles and miles (IMO)

If Globebusters are open and the usual adventure biking clebrities are coming along to give talks then it is worth while.

I would like to think that this year would follow the same lines as last year but its only 6 months between the two meets so will everyone be coming back ??

This is just my opinion, some of you might feel that a long distance trip to TT is worth while. I did not camp overnight so maybe that made the experience even better for thise who did.

Lee

My humble opinion is that the TT event puts commercialism before spirit of adventure, whereas you can definitely escape becoming a captive audience with HU meets where it's about banter, old friends and travel stories (and then maybe finding that whattyamacallit for the thingymywhatsit that fell off in Randomistan last year). People make it, not the venue. The field in Bristol was mega :thumbup1:. Apart from the rave nextdoor lol.

So perhaps somewhere that doesn't have a vested interest in our wallets (other than just a coffee/beer/snack) such as Box Hill etc. I'd definitely travel for a weekend of camping.

Exactly
 

Yep I have to agree to feeling the same way. But to please "all" of the people this time it's got to be central to UK, best time possible and not too uncomfortable or rough I think. It will benefit from as much input as possible. Date is surely likely to be hardest to decide. Is early autumn best target? Linzi.

Totally agree. I was at the TT event in September and didnt see any of the presenters. For me it was all about catching up with like minded people. I definately didnt feel there was any captive audience mentality there. A lot of people turned up and thats what made it a success.

Same with the Ace cafe ... It was a success because a lot of people turned up. It didnt matter that the Cafe doesnt care two hoots about Adventure motorcycling - it was a purely commercial venue. Touratech may be just as commercial, but at least they are rooted in Adventure Motorcyling ... which is a lot more connection than Ace Cafe had. I dont think the commercialism of the Ace Cafe put people off. After all, many seem to be asking when can we have another one there. I thought it was a great day.

Sometimes I fear there is a "us and them" mentality developing, in which anything commercial is seen as "evil" and belonging to a different crowd ... "them". On this board, some people even criticise adventure motorcyclists who have published books as having gone commercial ... or rather its the successful writers that get the flack as having sold out, the unsuccessful (or self published) writers are still deemed "us". The board (which doesnt charge membership fees) itself has been criticised for taking paid adverts. !

Not sure I can subscribe to this partitioning of adventure motorcycling .... where non-commercial = good, commercial = evil.

Exactly
 

Exactly how I feel. I'd like to have a knees up with all of us together. A good aspect would also be a chance to swap or sell/buy unwanted gear that some of us might have. Linzi.

I spoke to Nick at the Ace and the reason for the March date was a 'start-of-season' launchpad. So I guess March will be the date for future TT events as well.

There's no reason why we can't encourage a big HU attendance at TT--use the event, rather than have the event use us, if you follow what I mean.

I'd be keen on another HU-oriented event maybe Apr/May.

Have bike will travel.

Tim

When?
 

Can we home in on an Apr/May date then and presumably a Sat or Sun. Linzi.

This place might suit ? Myself and friends go over there in the summer to BBQ and camp, I think it's a couple of quid for entrance. MK Council - Emberton Park - MKWeb

mcgiggle, that looks lovely and is well placed geographically.

Looking at a date halfway between the TT event (27-29 Mar) and Ripley (18-21 Jun), there's the bank holiday weekend of 2-3-4 May, but what about the following weekend, Sat 9 May, with some people arriving maybe on the evening of Fri 8 May?

Tim

I am more than happy to do a bit of leg work, I have a very good friend who is well up on MK council, if people are keen on the venue I'll ask him to have a word and see what he comes up with, I can go over there and have a chat with them face to face.

Pete

Rock on I was gutted I missed the meet at the ACE last weekend but a warmer meet in sunny MK would be right up my street. Its a much better location to encourage more folk to make the journey.:thumbup1:

Good
 

Let's have lots of comments. I'm happy with the ideas just put forward. Looks like a camping weekend is emerging. Linzi.

Momentum
 

Hi can people keep the momentum going? I wanted to start it but am in no position to organize it. I'm on the south coast and might not even be able to make it. Please someone pick up the batten, I've just tripped over my shoe laces and dropped it. Linzi.

Did the momentum stop? May sounds good.

First couple of weeks in May sounds good, I'm off to Lake Garda in the last though.:thumbup1:

Touratech Travel Event
 

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub....jpg%5B/IMG%5DPlease note - the dates shown above are FOR THE UK EVENT

The FRANCE Event is on 3rd, 4th and 5th of April 2009
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub....jpg%5B/IMG%5D
and if Linzi can tie her shoe laces up,.. she might just get there :winkiss:!!!

TIP-
If you are going then take extra paracord and long tent pegs- the camping area ground is very very soft as layered with wood mulch
in the tree area.

Just seen this thread...

If you are still looking for a venue central to the UK, then might I suggest Arrow Mill in Warwickshire?

Arrow Mill

Sure it looks a bit fancy for biking types, but actually the owner Denis Woodhams is a total bike nut, has a weekly meet there on a Sunday evening and is more than happy to host events...

I'm also a member of the UK (Ducati) Monster Owners CLub who have our annual weekender rally there each May bank holiday (this year it's the first weekend of May btw).

The venue is in a lovely setting, has accomodation (of course) and they are quite happy for people to camp in the grounds/by the river too during this sort of event.

The only thing I would say is their diary does tend to get full during summer weekends with wedding and anniversary type parties in the main hotel/restaurant, but if anyone is passing, pop in and check the place out - I think you'll be impressed, and I'm sure if they can accomodate another event like the Monster weekend, they would be happy to host a HU event too?

xxx