Introduction to the Lincolnshire Bike Nights
Welcome to the history of Lincolnshire Bike Nights, the online calendar of Lincolnshire motorcycle bike night events, bike meets, rallies, shows, ride outs, started and run by me (Graham Sugdon) since 1989. The bike nights were started for the benefit of all bikers, trike riders, scooter riders, vintage and classic motorcyclists.
Before the bike nights
I started riding motorcycles in the fields behind the house when I was 9 years old on a 1945 BSA 125cc hand gear change bike, complete with a with a Raleigh moped front wheel (because it had a brake in it). My father, Bernard, who many will have seen on one of his many immaculately restored Triumph twins always had bikes as did my granddad, Harold, who rode BSA motorcycles. I started on road bikes at the age of 16 on a 250cc Matchless completing the RAC/ACU Motorcycle Training Course passing my test first time. I then went on to a 650cc Triumph many years later to able share biking times with my father. We used to have road trips to the TT races on the Triumphs and to the Lincolnshire Bike Nights until he sadly passed away in 2007. Bernard rode motorcycles usually with my mother Nancy as pillion for 60 Years, that is some achievement! I only hope I can manage the same.
How Lincolnshire Bike Nights started
Before the launch of the Lincolnshire Bike Nights in 1989, I used to be the PR for the VMCC Mid Linc’s Section and was the Secretary of Motorcycle Section in Scunthorpe. At that time, many venues had signs out side saying “NO BIKERS”, so when trying to organise ride outs and bike meets at pubs, I had to go along and persuade the pubs to let us use their venues. Once a month I used to plan scenic back road ride outs to a venue and arrange “chip butty suppers”. Some of the venues are still used for the LBN events even now. Due to the lack of welcoming venues, I decided to organise and co-ordinate meets throughout the county and for them to be held on a Wednesday evening. Wednesday was chosen as the bike night date as most pubs were empty. Thursday bikers were packing to go away for the weekend and Mondays bikers were cleaning their bikes after the weekend away.
I contacted as many motorcycle clubs as I could locate which included a range of bikes from scooters, classic bikes, VMCC, custom bikes and trikes. Many local clubs also helped to put the LBN on the map in the early days such as Harley Riders Club Lincolnshire, The Remnants Motorcycle Club, Scunthorpe Pathfinders Scooter Club, Lincolnshire Poachers, Scunthorpe Classic Motor Club to name but a few. Not to forget we were also helped out by many more individuals who all came along to support the events. A big thank you to you all for all your help over the years!
Towards the start of the bike nights, the Old Bike Mart included bike night information in their papers, free of charge and they also included my reviews. (Don’t forget this before the wonders of the internet). The first year 1989 of the Lincolnshire Bike Nights started with one bike night per month in May, June, July and August, all of which were well attended, so much so I had to include September the year later.
In the following years the Lincolnshire Bike Nights just grew and grew. I set up LBN meetings every Wednesday of the month from March to the second week of October a total of over 60 bike nights in all. These were the hay day years of “The Brigg Bike Nights”. I even managed to get a mention by Michael Fish saying that the weather was going to be good for the Brigg Bike Night. At that time the bike nights were so popular I was able to get Yorkshire TV to come down and record the event. We had great evenings at the Glandford Park Football Stadium in Scunthorpe with live music from local bands such as Adrenaline and The North performing on the back of a trailer loaned by Jacksons of Scotter. LBN also raised over £1000 for the Air Ambulance with my little girl (Tamara) collecting money donations from bikers on many occasions.
A few photos from Brigg Bike Night
A few photos from Glanford Park Bike Night
In the more recent years, I had to split the LBN into cruiser and super bike nights. The reason being that the bike nights had outgrown a lot of the venues (it was not unusual to have over 2000 bikes attend some of the venues through the night). I also changed the bike night venues at opposite ends of the county on the same night this was a road safety initiative to get less bikes on the same roads.
Over the years I have managed to add new bike nights with the help of various venues. Here are a few that I am sure you are familiar with…
Lincolnshire Bike Nights at Cadwell Park
With the help of Alex Baxter and Jason Kluger at Motorvision I was able to be able to put on the Cruise Cadwell Bike Nights and with the suggestion from Colin Willoughby Motorcycles/Ride Right, to be able to put on the novice track nights. These were both unique and exciting opportunities to be able to ride on the world famous racing circuit.
Find out more about Cadwell Park Events
Lincolnshire Aviation Centre at East Kirkby
LBN at the Lincolnshire Aviation Centre at East Kirkby plays host to a bike night every June, in which riders have the opportunity to park their bikes and stand next to the famous “Just Jane” Lancaster Bomber. The highlight of the night has to be when they fire up the 4×12 cylinder Rolls Merlin engines, the sound is awesome!
In 2010 we had over 2,000 bikes attend the event. The entry fee was reduced to only £5 per bike which enabled us to raise a lot of money to help keep the Lancaster and the Museum open. Each year we draw a raffle in which the winners get chance to go inside the cockpit when the Lancaster engines are fired up. This is a unique event /opportunity and there is nowhere else in the world that can you do this. Be sure to come along to the next event.
A few photos from the Lancaster Bomber Night
Waltham Windmill
At the Waltham Windmill, aside form the bike event, bikers are able to have a go on riding on the miniature steam railway during the evening as well as being able to look round the windmill.
Lincoln Harley Shop
The bike nights at the Lincoln Harley shop is a great night in which they put on a BBQ and live music featuring some of their very own workshop mechanics.
Yardbirds Rock Club
Yardbirds Rock Club in Grimsby is a venue that was saved from decay and demolition by local bikers who renovated the place to a high standard and gave Lincolnshire its very own biker run venue, with plenty of varied musical attractions as well as custom bike shows and events.
Winterton Football Club
The event at Winterton Football Club is a great hard standing venue in which our support has helped the club to improve the facilities for the adults and to help the local kids get involved with sport.
Clampit Creek (aka Billys Joint)
LBN at Clampit Creek in Haxey just has to be seen. It is a great place for a club meet, camping weekend or just to get your Harley repaired/serviced.
Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership
In the early 2000’s, I was approached by Pete Scott (Lincolnshire council) and Roy Hindemarsh (Lincolnshire Police) to form the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership, the aim being to promote road safety on Lincolnshire roads and to reduce accidents etc for Motorcyclists. It also meant that through myself, motorcyclists had a voice to raise concerns over locations of signs, poor road surfaces and also the LRSP could pass on information on courses etc that they were running through the LBN website.
The Lincolnshire Bike Night Website
The www.lincolnshirebikenights.com website was created by my son Mark. Being a flash style website it was quite unique and has won many awards worldwide. At the last count the website has had over 1 million hits in 2 years, from the UK and even places like China, Australia, Japan and mostly Europe with a 1/3 of all hits from the USA.
The LBN website has enabled me to get the LBN flyers/posters out to the riders and for local clubs to send me theirs to promote events like ride outs, rallies, club meets…
The LBN attendances are still growing with riders coming from as far away as Bridlington, Sleaford, Skegness, Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster, York, Chesterfield and Nottingham. With well supported chapter ride outs from Peak Riders, Sherwood, St Leger, Lindum Colonia and other clubs like Riverside Riders of Hull, Scunny Bikers, VMCC, Harley Riders Club Lincolnshire, Yardbirds Rock Club, The Cross Dressers, Gold Wing Owners, Honda Owners, Trike Clubs, Half Way Heroes, as well as the very many Bikers that arrive on their own, this is what the Lincolnshire Bike Nights are all about, a meeting place for bikers.
LBN is not a business but a hobby and because of the costs of organising the LBN, phone calls, petrol visiting new venues and of course the web site, we rely on donations via sponsorship from local venues and businesses to keep the events running.
Please take a look at the sponsors section on the web site as they may be of help to you, and if you wish to be a LBN sponsor and help to keep the LBN events going in Lincolnshire,email me or give me a call, every little helps. All the venues used by the LBN are biker friendly, and will make you welcome at all times other than just a Wednesday evening. Most have really good facilities, evening meals, Sunday lunches, Live Music, etc…
LBN are proud to have helped to keep many of these small/rural pubs alive over the years and they rely on us, the Bikers, to attend the LBN at their venue to keep them going. All of the venues have asked me to thank you for your custom and look forward to seeing you all again next year, so keep calling in through winter, take the car and the family.
I thank you all, for you continued support. There are many bikers I see at the LBN each week who have been there from the first of the bike nights since 1989. Many like my father have gone to the great bike night in the sky, but we we will all be reunited eventually and maybe do it all again. All the best for the future, ride safe, keep your speed down and watch out for each other.
Keep checking back on the Lincolnshire Bike Nights website for regular motorcycle news, ride outs, bike rallies, track days and other biker events.
Cheers,
Graham