NEC Bike Hellhole Thing

[Mawsley]

If you enjoy spending fifteen pounds on watered-down beer and paying the same price for a jacket as you can get online:

Tickets for Motorcycle Live's MCNCaroleNashWorldofBikes NEC thing go on sale this morning at 9am.

First 500 are a tenner. https://www.motorcyclelive.co.uk

*which only makes them overpriced by ten pounds.

[Mawsley]

I took the lad last year and it was abysmal value for money. Nothing decent for free, no decent prices on magazines, a fight to get to sit on any bike, no decent deals to be had, and no chance of doing one of the activities because of the throbbing crowds.

By lunchtime I gave up, drove to a motorway service station and bought him a meal (because it was cheaper than eating in the NEC).

So, no, I'll not be going this year.

[Westbeef]

So you'd recommend it then Maw?

The test ride things look good and the adventure stuff, but I assume you've gotta pay for some of those activities and to get a free test ride you've gotta start queueing now?

[Glorian]

I took the lad last year

 

Wait

you're breeding now???

[RantMachine]

I enjoyed 2014 and 2015, but the 2016 show was crap! As Mawsley said, had to fight to have a sit on anything and absolutely NOTHING was a good deal - I had a shopping basket ready to go on SportsBikeShop so I could compare prices and every single item cost more at the show. Booked a bunch of test rides while I was there and none of them followed it up except Honda who repeatedly called me to book test rides for the wrong damn bike. I'd say the only highlight of my day was when I was trying to enter the "Win an SV" competition at the Suzuki stand and the computer crashed out of the competition program and ended up back on the desktop... so I had a dig around and found the competition database and deleted every f**king entrance made across the course of the show out of spite. Did I mention I went on the last day?

[Guest]

... so I had a dig around and found the competition database and deleted every f**king entrance made across the course of the show out of spite. Did I mention I went on the last day?

 

Every entrant apart from yours?

[raesewell]

It's a bit like saying, nobody shops at Sainsburys because the queues are too long

[Westbeef]

I disagree with that Raesewell, it's a one off yearly event where you want some biking experiences all in one place that you may not get elsewhere, or you'd have to travel to multiple venues to see. Your experience can easily be ruined by big queues.

[raesewell]

The point I was trying to make was, the fact that there are big queues shows that it must be a popular event.

[Mawsley]

The point I was trying to make was, the fact that there are big queues shows that it must be a popular event.

 

Or, as others have noted from many years gone by, that they've crammed the entire thing into a smaller area to cut back on costs and make it look stupidly busy.

But then, fair play to them if they enjoy it. I found it abysmal, overpriced and pointless.

[Mawsley]

you're breeding now???

 

*Bred.

Two that live with me and countless thousands carrying my DNA across the face of the planet.

Get out while you can.

[Mawsley]

This was me with my first child.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/04/03/article-0-0440246A000005DC-497_468x511.jpg

[Gin]

Or, as others have noted from many years gone by, that they've crammed the entire thing into a smaller area to cut back on costs and make it look stupidly busy.

I don't know if it was because I was young and newbie but I used to LOVE this show, I'd be bouncing like a kid at Christmas.

Now it's been condensed and concentrated until it's lost it's fun.

I still think it's worth going and especially if you can meet up with mates at the same time but it did used to be a lot better...

 

Two that live with me and countless thousands carrying my DNA across the face of...

I worried very much at the start of this sentence.. May have also thrown up a little in my mouth!

[raesewell]

The last time we went was 2015 and it wasn't as good as other years but still busy.

[Glorian]

This was me with my first child.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/04/03/article-0-0440246A000005DC-497_468x511.jpg

 

Oh sweet jesus burn it with fire

[Guest]

I enjoyed 2014 and 2015, but the 2016 show was crap! As Mawsley said, had to fight to have a sit on anything and absolutely NOTHING was a good deal - I had a shopping basket ready to go on SportsBikeShop so I could compare prices and every single item cost more at the show. Booked a bunch of test rides while I was there and none of them followed it up except Honda who repeatedly called me to book test rides for the wrong damn bike. I'd say the only highlight of my day was when I was trying to enter the "Win an SV" competition at the Suzuki stand and the computer crashed out of the competition program and ended up back on the desktop... so I had a dig around and found the competition database and deleted every f**king entrance made across the course of the show out of spite. Did I mention I went on the last day?

 

I went to the 2016 one and was armed with the online prices for various places and used them to get prices knocked down. The whole point of the show and things being there I thought was meant to be at a better price than normal whilst seeing some of the latest bikes etc.... I agree though not worth the entry fee and won't be going back anytime soon.

[Tango]

I've had a top day every year I've been so far......go on the Friday (not so busy)....sit on most bikes there......hang around the Triumph stand just in case they decide to give away one of the Speed Triples.......have a pasty for lunch.......can't fit any more bike gear into my wardrobe, but if there's a bargain I'm sure I'd make room...... It's all down to expectations. ......I don't go to Spain on holiday and then complain that the shops don't sell bourbon biscuits.....

[raesewell]

I've never seen Bourbon biscuits on sale at the NEC, but then again I've never looked

[Gerontious]

never forget...

The White Zone is for loading and unloading only

If you gotta load or unload, go to the White Zone

You'll love it

It's a way of life

[Rodders]

I went yesterday and took my wife and teenage lads. I've got my MOD2 test on Friday so this is all a bit overwhelming for me. I saw lots of nice stuff - not just the grid girls on the Aprilia stand

It was busy, but we got to sit on everything we wanted to. It wasn't too crowded really, unless there was a celebrity on a stand or an engine start and rev' up. I wouldn't say there were many bargains to be had, most stuff was just normal prices on the web. Infinity had about 15% off a jacket we looked at for my wife, and seemed open to haggling.

We did find it tricky to navigate our way through the volume of stuff. If you go there knowing what you want to see, then you could work out a route, but we just did the supermarket aisle approach - up and down every one.

Overall it was a really good vibe. No pushy sales. Staff were happy to chat without trying to push sales. We felt good.

My wife was jumping on loads of the bikes but decided against having a go on the Harley Davidson rolling road. I did it and enjoyed the experience.

My boys liked seeing all the sports bikes, and opened their minds to some of the retro/classic styled bikes that I like. My youngest enjoyed the Arena X spectacle, but it gave me sweaty palms.

My shortlist of possible first bikes managed to grow!

 

• Royal Enfield Bullet/Classic 500

• Triumph Street Twin

• Triumph Street Cup

• Honda Rebel 500

• Yamaha XSR700/900

• Kawasaki Z900RS

• Ducati Monster 797

• Suzuki SV650

 

I'm gonna have to get out and ride a load of bikes once I've got my licence!

[Arwen]

I've only been to the NEC show once before, but I did rather enjoy it from a "lets sit on everything and have a laugh" perspective. I think If I was looking for a bargain I would be disappointed.

Nice list you have there [mention]Rodders[/mention] ! I love the two Triumphs you have there. My other half has been eyeing up the cup version when ever we take a trip down to Edinburgh triumph.

The Rebel is lovely too. My local dealer is selling them like hot cakes.

[Rodders]

I've only been to the NEC show once before, but I did rather enjoy it from a "lets sit on everything and have a laugh" perspective. I think If I was looking for a bargain I would be disappointed.

Nice list you have there @Rodders ! I love the two Triumphs you have there. My other half has been eyeing up the cup version when ever we take a trip down to Edinburgh triumph.

The Rebel is lovely too. My local dealer is selling them like hot cakes.

 

The Triumph Street Twin has been my #1 forever - well, at least since I first thought about riding a motorbike earlier this year. I sat on one at the MCN Festival and it just felt right. The Street Cup is stunning to look at, but I don't think it'll suit my riding needs with the dropped bars.

The Honda Rebel doesn't quite feel right to me, but they're a great price and definitely comfortable to sit on. So, I have to consider one.

As for the show, I think I'd go again next year and enjoy being able to see all the bikes up close. And I found out about some biking products and services that I hadn't heard of before, so it's always good to get that.

[Tango]

Nice one, Rodders........we're heading there on Friday......just for a day out doing bike related stuff.......

[iangaryprice]

I missed the show last year but went the previous 2 years.

I enjoyed it, having been out of the bike scene for a few years it ws good to see all th ecurrent bikes in one place. I bought some gear, prices not that good but if I had bought on line I would have got the wrong sizes.

I agree food prices area rip off, I took my own!

I went to the Manchester motorcycle show in spring this year. That was a good day out, got a good deal on a new lid, £50 cheaper then on line!

[Gin]

If anyones aiming for this Saturday, I'll be about!

Love to see you briefly for an overpriced bag of crisps or shouted conversation over the crowd noise, as I no doubt get swallowed into the swarm (Seriously 5ft3 at events like this SUCK.)