Comber Classic Motorcycle Show, 28th & 29th January 2011

The VJMC Northern Ireland Bangor Section was pleased to support this year’s annual Comber Classic Motorcycle Show, an event traditionally supported by members as individuals. It took place in Comber First Presbyterian Church with proceeds in aid of the Injured Riders’ and the Church Building funds.


In total the club had ten bikes there. Brian brought an RD 400 Daytona, SR 500, TS 125 and a PW 50, Geoff displayed a CD 175 and a 1920’s Raleigh, Andy N. was showing his Mach III for the first time along with his 750 H2, Richard presented his 750 K2 and Eddie S. his 550 Four.

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There were over one hundred bikes in three halls, autojumble, club stands and a cafe serving refreshments.

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While I was admiring a beautiful Yamaha RD 200 I met another Brian, one of Northern Ireland’s more accomplished racers from the 1970s and 1980s. I remarked on how I found it surprising that there were so few examples of the RD 200 now whenever there had been so many on the road in the 1970s. Brian was able to enlighten me. There had been a race class for the wee rockets which generated a huge market in spare parts. Brian had raced them and he alone had broken nine second hand machines for their cranks and barrels.

I then remarked on a Suzuki 250 Hustler that Brian had restored to concours condition and recently sold. He proceeded to tell me how, at a time when Hustlers had little or no value, he had thrown three of them into a skip when he was having an extension built onto his house. He joked that if he knew where they had been dumped he would go and dig them up.

Finally we came to the MBA race bike Brian had brought along. I noticed it was the machine he rode at a VJMC track day at Nutts Corner a couple of years ago. On enquiring about its history I discovered it had been raced by both Brian and Robert Dunlop. Brian had fond memories of the machine and the 1983 season in which he rode it. That was the year he won the Irish Championship, won his last race at Kirkistown, got married and ultimately retired from racing.



Our own Brian delivered another masterful performance, chatting to the public and promoting the VJMC in N.I.. At the end of a very busy Saturday a number of us accompanied him to McBride’s Bar so he could sooth his sore dry throat with a well deserved cold pint of Guinness.