Wheelsday 2017

Wheelsday has always been traditionally one of the big season openers in the Hotrod scene run by the Surrey Street Rodders and held on Good Friday, but with the cross over between Hotrods and custom motorcycles it has also become one of the best early events to see what bikes emerge bleary eyed from sheds for the new season. Although with Easter being almost as late as it can be this year and other shows starting earlier and earlier some had already been out of hibernation. In fact with so many events on now it begs to ask if there is a season at all now.

Held at Rushmoor Arena a huge 10 acre grassed site originally built for the Aldershot Military Tattoo the amphitheatre style with huge earthen banks gives it a great viewing point of the whole event. And bikes are thankfully parked up on hard standing near the entrance.

A bike is definitely the best way too of attending the event as the local roads are normally chock a block with American cars that do not quite fit down traditional country lanes. Which often also tests many cars cooling systems and helps to cause even more jams, this year’s chaos was caused by a Buick, Pontiac and Cadillac?

I have missed a couple of recent shows, and I have to say the event marshalling was excellent, we were well directed and soon relieved of our £5 entry , somehow paying for my brother as well,  we were soon parked  up on the hard standing phew no grassy field for bikes.

With a pre-book limit for cars there seemed less than usual but good quality, there seems to be a preference for bare metal this year and a few rat rod type. I was also pleasantly pleased to see a congregation of Mk3 Cortinas, the car I tried learning to drive in first time around until my brother jacked it up, added a huge bonnet bulge and driving instructor refused to let me out in it.

Bike wise the area was rammed and I rather admired the full on green chop and the err interesting triumph creation you had to kneel on but there were some other neat hardtails and a cool BMW dragbike too.

 Half the joy of wheels day though is the watching the bikes and cars come in, loving the deep burble of the V8’s and V Twins mixed with any other engine configuration you could imagine. Also getting lots of ideas for a new project as my good lady has agreed to the idea of a second bike, which may have been swayed by me agreeing to another cat watch this space.