Free Bike Show Everytime: The Joys of Your Local Cafe

You Can’t Beat a Free Bike Show:

The great thing about our local biker’s haunt, The Food Stop Cafe at Quattford near Bridgnorth isn’t the food. Nor is the friendly staff, stunning views across the Severn Valley or the fact it is on a fabulous strip of tarmac (the A442 by the way).  No it is the fact it’s like a free bike show every time you ride up.

The House of Dreams: Inside there, is Bacon, white bread, strong tea and red sauce…

The Severn Valley provides a suitable backdrop for even the finest buttie and mug of tea

Today amongst the usual suspects: GS type adventure bikes and R1 class sporting machines there was a wide variety of machines for the fan of the quirky or classic to admire. I actually popped in twice as neither of my bikes have turned a wheel for a little while. Both needed the cobwebs removed! First I wandered up on my R1200RS and was quickly reminded of its calm, quick and measured way of covering ground.

BMW R1200RS: First trip transport…

Next up was my 98 Thundercat, which has seen very little use recently. I was speedily reminded just how much fun this bike is to ride. Especially when the revs rise past a certain point on the tacho.  A naughtier bike than the BMW somehow.

Trip 2 Transport. Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat. Great bike, silly name…

Back to the Bike Show:

Anyway back to the free bike show. The point here is that there was abut 30-40 minutes between my two visits. As a result the bikes outside the cafe had rotated and I had an entirely new selection to delight in. Fantastic!

I will let the pictures tell the story from here:

BSA Lightning. Not quite as quick as the one that English Electric knocked out. But you can’t expect Mach 1.5 from a parallel twin without extensive mods…

Yes we know the one in Top Gun was a 750

I think this Guzzi might have been responsible for the low temperatures: It was that cool

So cool in fact the rider had to resort to the integrated glove heating system! If this was a Japanese bike it would have an IGHS graphic somewhere on display!

Jawa 350. The Warsaw Pact’s answer to coffin tank RDs and X7s!

Yamaha MT-01: Rolling Thunder

A totally different take on that 1700cc Yamaha V Twin engine 

A Sparkly Norton

Neatly done Hinckley Triumph Cafe Racer

Is your local cafe this good?