Visit the UK with your editor…
When you’re young you go where your parents take you. In your teens there’s the ubiquitous right-of-passage pub crawl, then on bikes the smart ones ride between cafés, not hangovers.
For many of us travel then becomes riding between towns, then cities and even across continents. If travel broadens the mind, motorcycles move your soul.
And somewhere along the way we realise the wonderful modern bike you once owned is now running around on classic rego, and you wish you’d never sold it.
Alas, I’m as guilty as anyone… I’ve bought and sold more bikes than I can remember, but letting my Moto Guzzi Le Mans and Ducati 851 out from my grasp, yeah, that was tough.
So we start visiting museums, and there’s that shock when you see a bike you bought new is now a classic on display.
Then there are the events – the classic races at Phillip Island and Sydney Motorsport Park are some of the most popular events held each year, and for good reason – the quality of machines on display, and getting to see people ride them, is fantastic.
Reminiscing about old bikes is fun though. Having a yarn with like-minded riders all telling stories of their favorite bikes, it’s simply wonderful fun.
Hopefully you can join me for a couple of weeks of telling stories, visiting many museums, modern factories and the best classic event in the world, The Goodwood Revival, over a couple of weeks during the English Summer.
I’m looking forward to getting away from the Australian Winter – especially after the recent never-ending wet seasons – and enjoying British hospitality, food and culture.
I mean I like to sledge the Poms as much as the next test cricket fan, just don’t tell them I also really admire not just the wonderful modern Triumphs and Norton machines, but I have a deep and unbridled love of the motorcycles from Brough Superior, Vincent, Ariel and many other marques.
Being able to tour through the UK in the company of others with similar interests sounds fantastic – being asked to host the tour, well, I feel honoured!
The team at Travelrite specialise in putting great tours together for people with a passion for a specialist subject, and this is your chance to get in on the first motorcycle tour culminating with the Goodwood revival.
The list of museums and factories is as long as it is impressive, but there’s also some time to do your own thing, including hiring a bike and going for a ride with me on a classic bike outside London. Not missing that, it’ll be almost as much fun as dressing up for Goodwood.
If you’re not aware of The Goodwood Revival, it’s a three-day festival of classic bikes, cars, trucks and even aeroplanes… and everyone dresses up in period costume, including visitors like us.
Attend as a Rocker, or a Spitfire pilot… or a bus conductor! I’m thinking newshound, with my old Rollieflex camera (much favoured by newspaper shooters in the 1960s) as a prop.
If you love old bikes, I’m sure this tour will be the highlight of your year. I hope you can join me.
– Nigel Paterson
More information at the Travelrite website
Click on this link to download the information brochure – Travelrite England 2023 v2
