MEGA RIDE 2022
You hear it, the unmistakable rumble of a motorbike engine. Stopping to see what comes past, a Harley Davidson Roadster prowls along the street, then another thundering growl brings your attention to a Yamaha VMAX - and before you have time to process it, there’s a Kawasaki Ninja screaming past. That can only mean one thing… It’s The Mega Ride.
scrambling to get my camera on Saturday morning, I walk up to one of my favourite sights - row on row of motorbikes, the sound of live rock music, and dozens of people in leather jackets, helmets and boots up on Plymouth Hoe. No, it wasn’t an Arnold Schwarzenegger lookalike competition, it was a charity fundraiser - The Mega Ride. Held every year in aid of charity, this year's proceedings celebrate Devon and Cornwall Air Ambulance.
"That can only mean one thing... It's The Mega Ride"
Ever since I was a young girl, I have been fascinated by motorbikes and cars. This was most definitely influenced by parents who always had (at least one) motorbike in the garage alongside a 'fun' car. When living at home, we would wake up on sunny weekend mornings and go out for a drive. We'd stumble across many things this way - a small motorbike show at the side of the road, a classic car meet in a pub car-park, or even a quirky motorbike shop.
"Row on row of motorbikes, the sound of live rock music, and dozens of people in leather jackets, helmets and boots"
Because of this, the sounds of powerful engines ignite such an excitement in me. For me, seeing Mega Ride evoked the same emotions as most children feel on Christmas morning. I found myself grinning ear to ear as I watched the magnificent metal monsters roll past.
When walking around the rows of chrome, matte, vintage, new, chopper, and sporty, I talked to a few of those displaying their bikes, many of which were truly works of art. I asked their owners about the sort of bikers they were - how long they had been riding for, how long they had had their current bike, and how many bikes they have had over the years. The answers ranged from a few years, to decades, and from people having only had a few bikes through to hundreds.
After looking at every specimen in tremendous detail, I watched the energetic and rocking band High Voltage on stage. Their renditions of some classic songs by AC/DC, Black Sabbath and more meant nobody could stop tapping their feet, moving their hips and singing along (myself included)!
With the music filling my ears, I strolled along the promenade to peruse the many vendors, selling anything and everything for every biker’s need. Keyrings, patches, bandanas, shoes, jackets, and lighters were all present, in an assortment of shapes, sizes, and rude designs - it was brilliant to see. And to know that it was raising money for a good cause was even better.
I cannot wait until next year, and hope we are blessed again with sunshine as we were this weekend. This event truly brought the biggest smile to my face, and I hope that this article brings a smile to yours!
Thank you to all those who let me photograph their bikes, and thank you for reading, I wish you all a very Happy Monday!
Amelia xx
