Graham’s Motorcycles, Taunton, Open Day Sat 3rd Sept

[Bob]

Hi All,

Dunno if this is the correct sub forum, but here it is:

Grahams Motorcycles (TA1 5LY) at Galmington in Taunton are having an open day on Saturday 3rd September from 10am to 4pm. The BikeSafe team / Somerset Road Safety will be there, along with some people from the Blood Bikers (Freewheelers EVS). Grahams are celebrating 30 years of trading.

This from my missus who just picked up a paddock stand from there. I hope to pop along myself.

Cheers, Bob

[Jug]

What actually happens on an open day that is different to a normal day?

[billinom8s]

Promotions, conversation, celebrating time within the industry, it's a social Jug with other humans with a similar interest.

[Robbo87]

I'm aiming to be there Bob. Look out for my red '06 Triumph Sprint ST 1050 and me - both being towered over by my 6'4" grandson .

[jer r1]

The finest bloodbike group in the country.

[bkingalan]

Looking at going over for a look around

[royb]

Probably join you. Any particular time between 1000 and 1600hrs?

I might just buy another bike

[Robbo87]

Probably join you. Any particular time between 1000 and 1600hrs?

I might just buy another bike

I'll be there around 11.30 a.m. with aforementioned grandson on pillion.

[Bob]

I will try to be there for 11.30 or just before/after. I’ll be the old, speccy, bald bloke in a KTM jacket on a new but dirty Duke 890R. The old faithful 950SM will be staying at home in prep for its run to the 51st Solent Rally next weekend

[Robbo87]

Dutiful daughter who lives in Taunton advises that the biking weather is pants over there so I'll be . . . ahem - taking a rain check .

[julesh]

She's lying to you it's grey but DRY

[bkingalan]

Weather is ok Roy is even taking his coat off

[Bob]

It *was* raining very lightly when I rode there around 11.30am, but it soon petered out. I had a good mooch around, chatted with the proprietors and others, and had a cuppa from the food stand over the road. When I left at around 12:45 it was dry and so I decided to have a blat up the A358 - for which the Duke 890R is perfectly suited, and a run back home through the lanes/countryside, for which it isn’t…..

There was a set of bikes from Benelli and Kymco, and the stands for the road safety guys (Raise Your Ride) and the blood runners. My particular attention was taken by a 70s/80s Benelli 650 twin, the like of which I hadn’t seen before. It belonged to one of the visitors and was magnificent, with a surprisingly mechanically quiet engine and muted exhaust note. The new Benellis on sale seem to be quite keenly priced - you get a lot of bike for the money, but they do seem to tend, in styling at least, towards other marques. One (502 model) was very much like a BMW GS in appearance, whereas another was very reminiscent of a Ducati Diavel, but much smaller of course. The 125 (Leoncino?) was physically quite a big bike, which made the engine look a bit toy-like in the frame. Another of a more ‘classic’ style single had huge diameter USD forks, probably 60-70mm across, which must go beyond any performance consideration and just be a style statement (?). It was worth a visit outside of my normal trips there in any case.