The Irish Motorbike and Scooter Show 2011: The Bikes

I was feeling quite uneasy that Saturday afternoon. It didn't have anything to do with the hundreds of hairy and greasy bikers that had laid siege on the RDS that cloudy day (was it really cloudy or was it just exhaust fumes?). Having left my Vespa at home, I probably felt a bit guilty arriving at a bike show in a friend's SUV (a logical choice considering there were more than two of us heading to the show) and feared that like some wild animal, one of these bikers could sense the lack of 2-stroke lingering on me and point out that I didn't belong there...

Thankfully, this isn't a bike or scooter rally for the purists so, my non-biker friend and I were safe. I had my Dainese jacket on anyway, as insurance just in case anyone had any doubts. Unfounded fears aside, we hurried to get in the show proper but as with most of these shows, the bikes on the outside are sometimes equally if not more interesting than the ones on the inside. I managed to get a couple of snaps before heading in.

I couldn't figure out what make this bike-sidecar combo was but it certainly stood out from the crowd while the rod-style bike below was parked right by the entrance to the main hall. I like the rod look and this one's a very nice example of how to pull it off without making it looking too Disney.

Inside, we were greeted by Ducati's imposing exhibit. Quite fitting really considering that Ducati is seen as the in-thing these days. Here's a Monster 796. I was on the look out for  the Diavel but it was no where to be seen.

Not being a major fan of motorbikes, nothing really caught my attention. The BMW Motorrad stand was busy with loads of interested visitors but being located right beside the Ducati stand, even the normally decent-looking BMW bikes were made to look like dull and plain lumbering beasts. I ventured further away from the Ducati bikes until I came upon the Triumph stand.

I don't know what it is but if I ever had to swap my Vespa for a bike, I'd go with the naked variety (like Ducati's Monsters) or street fighters like Triumph's Street Triple, something with relatively good maneuverability, quick and not too flashy. The ideal traffic-busting vehicle, unlike the one below...

I certainly didn't see the point of riding a bike or scooter if it couldn't tick those boxes.

Next up, The Irish Motorbike and Scooter Show 2011: The Scooters.