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The National Youthbike Competition has been held for the past seven years, as far as I know. It has been organised by volunteers and youthclubs around the country so that children of various ages can get together and plan how to refurbish a motorcycle or build a custom bike.
This was the first year that I had attended, going only for the Saturday. It was held at the Tattershall Park Country Club in Lincolnshire, moving from the previously regular spot at Horncastle, just up the road. When I arrived I found the place buzzing with excitement and the sound of 2 stroke engines. There were probably 45 bikes from around the country, entering into all sorts of different classes in the competition.
There were drag bikes, trail bikes, trikes, racebikes and restoration projects (one in particular was a 1954 cycle that had been found rotting in a garage in Scotland and, when asked, the owner donated it to the competition.) All of them had a lot of work in them, with the quality being very good considering the lack of skills that most kids have to start with. Can you imagine your John or Jill welding, grinding, drilling or spray painting? Judging started at about 1.00pm and the trade and charity stalls were all asked to do their bit in judging the bikes. The Virago Owners Club were asked to judge two classes. Seeing as how I had brought my bike down to the custom show that was also on at this event, I was asked to judge, with another show winner John (who won Best Custom Virago at the VSOC International Rally 2001), the Best in Show (Under125cc). Paul Burdass helped Judge the Best Newcomer.
During the day the RAF Waddington Air Show was being held, so we even had a few fly bys from the odd Spitfire or Lancaster Bomber - very impressive. The sun shone all day, which meant the Chuck wagon had to send out for more supplies of cold drinks (only soft drinks - remember, this is a youth event!)
Do try and get down next year - it's well worth making the effort, after all, the kids did.
On to the Airman's Rest Custom Show then...
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The most fiercely fought should have been the Zany award, with bikes such as the Bog Bike, Pegasus, Gargoyle and a bike dressed up as a cow that even mooed... there was even a bike made into a bed! All the teams had produced a booklet or binder with details of how they had built their creation and where their ideas may have come from.
It's only when you have to decide the best bikes, do you really understand how hard the judges have to work...
At about 4.30pm the winners of the Custom and Classic show were announced. The Best in Show , and Best Enginnering were sponsored by Trikes 'r' Us, and duly went to trikes.
The Rattlers MC Award for their favourite bike was presented to .... (drum roll) Nick Lappage for his Yamaha Wildstar - Oh, that's me isn't it? I was well chuffed. Thanks to the Rattlers, much appreciated.