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20th International West Kent Run.
August 5th – 9th at The Friars, Aylesford.
373 riders entered the event, of whom 350 hit the road on Saturday 7th for the 20th West Kent Run.
The event was a huge success. It was a blisteringly hot weekend, the overseas entry was up again, the new venue was all that we had wished for and more. We had our first 100 year old motorcycle – the 1904 James H. Smith 400cc pioneer that Ken Lee trailered to the event behind his modern Harley.
Dennis Bates provided another immaculate commentary at the start and the Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling was on hand to welcome the riders and send them on their way.
There was the usual crop of breakdowns and an unusually high number of punctures. Bill Robson, who brought his 50cc, Sachs engined, Bown moped got a flat only a couple of miles from the start. He pushed the bike back, repaired the tube and rode out to catch the riders at the lunch stop. Carlo Battain had a similar misfortune in East Malling on his Benelli. Our recovery wagon arrived promptly but he had already phoned for assistance and had the bike taken home, where he repaired it and rode out to find the last of the riders leaving lunch. All was not lost, however, and he received the “mother of all lunches” from the left-overs before continuing on the afternoon route.
Malcolm McDonnell’s 107 mile route was universally acclaimed and included coffee at Chiddingstone Castle and lunch at The Organic Garden, Yalding. Both venues served us very well and, though there was some delay, due to the huge numbers descending at once, the quality of the lunch was praised by many as the best we have ever enjoyed. Because of the heat and the lack of chilled storage it had not been possible to prepare all 500 lunches beforehand so, towards the end, the staff were flat out putting the meals together as people arrived. The afternoon route divided just before Marden to allow a short-cut that gave a 67 mile route for those that wished it.
The Kent countryside was at its glorious best. Thomas and Pascale Kohler reckoned it would need three days properly to appreciate the historic buildings along the route. Their trip to and from Switzerland took a week either side of our weekend as they enjoyed the byways of Germany and France.
We welcomed four new friends from Germany amongst the fifty or so for whom this was their first ride. John Bouwhuis had kept up the pressure in Holland during the previous twelve months to ensure another solid entry from the Netherlands. The overseas riders make a huge financial commitment to our event and we thank them all for joining us again. Without them the event would cease to have a purpose and John does an enormous amount to publicise the weekend and encourage entries. He has even negotiated a generous discount with the Stena Line that helps to make the trip a little more affordable. The ferry tariff, it has to be said, is the biggest obstacle to participation faced by those from overseas.
The weekend is a huge, friendly reunion. For the most part we meet just on this one occasion each year for friendships to be renewed and developed. Coffee and beers are exchanged on the camping field as friends sit awhile with one another and catch up on family, mutual friends and events enjoyed since last year. Family participation is very much in evidence too. I’m pleased to say the weekend is not just a load of “blokes and their bikes.” Wives, partners and small children make for a lovely atmosphere.
The Friars at Aylesford, the oldest Carmelite monastery in Europe, might seem an unlikely place for an event such as ours but it proved a popular venue and we sincerely hope that we shall be able to return next year. Everything we needed was close at hand and the staff at the Friary could not have been more helpful. In addition to the camping field, we had booked 50 rooms. Many were twin rooms so that husbands and wives were accommodated together. Many were in the beautiful, mediaeval part of the Friary and all were comfortable and reasonably priced.
The weekend is a mix of riding and social events. There were four social runs to be enjoyed, a barbecue, the opportunity to dance on two evenings and, on Sunday, all the bikes were displayed, Clubs were invited, a gymkhana was contested and prizes were awarded at the Show on the sports field. At the prize-giving we were especially pleased to make a small presentation to three riders who have entered every one of the 20 West Kent Runs. Ann West, Brian Tompkins and Cyril Branch received engraved machine badges in recognition of their support for the event since it’s beginning. (We were all young then.)
The public attendance on Sunday was well up on last year’s record. Let us not forget that the public support is important to the success of any event like this and they supported us in droves. We anticipate being able to make a generous donation to the Greenwich and Bexley Cottage Hospice. This charity has been chosen in remembrance of Peter Boorman, late Chairman of our organising committee.
Only one thing marred the total success of the weekend. The nuns who had agreed to provide tea at the end of the Run on Saturday had instructions to serve until five o’clock. Some riders arrived back after that and were, understandably, very upset to find no refreshment available at the end of such a hot ride. The error was ours entirely. Tea should have been served until 5.30. We apologise to those affected and shall extend the period during which tea shall be available next year.
That aside, we feel that the event was, by any measure, a huge success and we thank all those who assisted in the organisation and, of course, the riders who came from all over Great Britain and Europe to make it all worthwhile.
The website www.westkentrun.co.uk has been updated to make some kind of sense for next year. Finer details have to be confirmed but I have tried to make that clear on the relevant pages. Pictures from this year’s Run (and past events) have been published and will be added to. If you have pictures that you would like to contribute to the site I shall be pleased to receive them.
We have, of course, already made a start for next year. We thank those who have sent messages of support and welcome any and all suggestions that might help to make the weekend even better value.
In addition to Ken Lee’s 1904 J.H.Smith, we had at least one machine for every year from 1912 to 1978 with the exception of 1913, 1919 and 1944. Bill Robson’s Bown was the smallest and Laguna Motorcycles displayed the new 2.3 litre Triumph Rocket Three on Sunday. Keith Clarke drove his Trojan bubble car and Kim Brice brought a Lambretta Lambro three wheel delivery truck. There were early Japanese classics, 70s Ducatis, flat tank two-strokes, sidecars of all descriptions and a range of little known Continental machines that helped to show motorcycling in all its wonderful variety. For me, the only disappointment was the shortage of very early machines. We had an excellent flat, short route this year which would have suited just about any veteran. Bear it in mind for next year when, at 21, the event ‘comes of age.’ We look forward to welcoming you.
Alan Abrahams