If Walt Disney World had a Motorcycle Club - Whistles Stop Motorcycle Tour to the Bike Shed London
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- Опубликовано: 27 июн 2018
- Dick rides to East London to explore some of the Motorcycle Destinations. On this ride, he visits The Bike Shed to see what all the hype is about. The Bike Shed Motorcycle Club
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“Could also cover the dental reconstruction costs, should you crash in one of these” 😂😂
Carefully crafted patina..... and none of the dents.
I think the dents are a painters trick. I did once see a custom bike "designer" take a mallet to the tanks of his resto-mods to make sure they were dented... Not joking.
Thanks for comment.
Ride safe.
Hi Dick - I think your appraisal of the Bike Shed is absolutely spot on mate. This looks like exactly the type of place that personally avoid like the plague. I'm guessing that the look of scorn on the faces of the 'beautiful people' seated in the outside area as you rode in, just about summed up the typical clientele of this pretentious looking place, i.e. cafe racers are cool to look at in a static display while drinking your latte, but please don't bring your noisy motorcycle in here polluting our ever so sterile atmosphere.....Always a pleasure watching your videos and listening to your commentary though dick so keep them coming....all the best...and ride safe mate..
Thanks for the comment. It was odd riding through the laptop and latte crowd when arriving at the Bike Shed. Almost made me ride right out just to piss them off again, while making my escape.
Ride safe.
You got that right. I grew up not far away but there's no way I'm ever setting foot in there. When motorcycling loses all semblance of a counter-culture (even a neutered one for the world of today) then it's truly dead. Unless your fight is with mediocre BBQ sauce, the Bike Shed is yet one step closer to that grave.
Iv seen a few of the bike shed vids on yt, i was like meh, now iv seen the place im definitely thinking meh. In northern Ireland bike meet places is a place usually by the sea with a wall to sit on beside where bikes park, with a nearby traditional type cafe nearby. Thats just about it. Plenty for any common 5/8 like myself anyway.
A wall by the sea... Sounds like the best place to meet.
Thanks for the comment.
Ride safe.
Dick Whistles , if its quiet i would always just buy a coke smoke my pipe and watch the sea. Enjoy the channel content. Motorcycle philosopher extraordinaire.
In Australia we don't have places like this and if we do, we don't bother go there. We're happy to go to the shed. Everyone who is anyone has a shed with stuff blokes like in it. We sit among the stuff and drink beer. In terns of motorcycling, we have a country which lends itself to long adventure rides of short endure rides both of which I love. I would love to ride through London as you do but love the riding on offer in Brisbane Australia. Love your Chanel. Keep doing what your doing.
SawmillDRZ 7 Oh for a shed, a good big shed with space to store bikes and a battered old couch and tools and a fridge.
Sadly that'll set you back about £½ million in London's more desirable areas.
Sounds idyllic. I'll drop a line if I'm ever South of the Equator! Thanks for the comment.
A £1/2million in the undesirable areas as well! Which I guess is why The Bike Shed cost £4million, from what I gather. That's a lot of t-shirts and lattes.
Was a fair few hipsters there, you’re always welcome down to Hayling Island bike night - great community with a great mixture of different type of bikes/bikers
An excellent video, thanks. Keep them coming! And impressive filtering, too!
Michael Ellis thanks for the comment. Like threading a needle.
We turned up from Cornwall and filled the place out with Harleys. People eating there left because of the fumes rolling through the outer cafè, I was in tears 🤣🤣🤣 very hipster joint but the staff were welcoming and we enjoyed it more than Ace Cafè I have to admit.
Great review. It's always good to know where to avoid the faux and from up here in the real world that's the London bubble viewed without the rose tinted glasses, and you pricked it. Thanks.
Thanks for the comment. I spent most of my youth and young adulthood in NYC, and my adulthood and middle age here in London. I have found the shine is never without its tarnish, and no place is as great as it claims - especially if it has to claim that it's great in the first place.
Ride safe.
A young fella once asked me......'where did you get that beaten up biker look........?'
You can't just 'buy in' and wing it with the decor.
I know phoney, I've been to Disney Land, but I can't begin to tell you how much I despise everything I ever held dear being no more than a marketing opportunity.
The sooner they find a new trend and move on the better......those that stay, and actually have an abiding love for the bikes, well they become something else entirely.
will M
You're correct about the 'cashing in' on the so called good old days, by some manufacturers.
The problem I have, I'm old enough to remember this 'belle epoch' and in all honesty, it wasn't that good.
The fact that the Hinkley Triumph's have less than nothing to do with the output from Meriden is a pro, not a con...........
I saw an interview with the charecter in charge of this establishment.
Spouting about how he doesn't like going to bike shows, they're so full of old men in AC-DC T shirts, he can't get a decent view of the bikes.
Let's forget the fact that those old men he so readily disparaged got things to where they are today.
A degree of social acceptance your not treated as a pariah on sight, and a choice of machines that's never been so diverse, because the old fats weren't prepared to settle for more of the same tat.
They probably failed to recognised his celebrity status in truth......and I suppose that is deemed to be unforgivable in his world.
When I really take exception, is when they start to set themselves up as spokesmen for the movement, espousing the 'one true way'
Several magazines have also attempted to assume this mantle but sad to say, from their point of view at least, no one speaks for me, or anyone I know for that matter........good or Ill, I'll plough my own furrow thanks.
Isn't that why we got into bikes in the first place?
Nice conversation here. I agree with all of the above. No one speaks for me, so I will speak for myself. I actually love hearing influencers complain about the rabble, It makes it easier to decide not to spend my money on their "tat".
Thanks for the comments Gentlemen.
Ride safe.
yeah,you won't find any bikers there.
Thanks for the comment. I wonder how many bikers bring their laptops to their ride destinations to tweek their screenplay over a latte?
I've sussed it, they are positioning themselves as the new Hard Rock Cafe, a franchise model. Soulless.
Motorcycle version of the trendy cycle cafes. It costs a lot of money to pose. Thankfully there are still plenty of open air places in the London area where Bikers meet for a burger, cup of tea and a good chat come rain or shine.
splodge 57 Thanks for the comment. What’s your favourite spot?
Keep up the great vids!
Thanks for the comment. I'll do my best.
Ride safe.
Thanks for sending me the link, Dick. It goes back to before I regularly watched your videos. When I used to live in London - I left in 2011 - I occasionally went to the Ace but didn't really enjoy it, especially the prices of the food and coffee. Give me a greasy spoon. And on the subject of the Bike Shed, if I still lived in London, I wouldn't go. And if I did, I certainly wouldn't waste 50 pounds on a haircut, and it would have to be on my old MZ, so I could smoke everyone out.
Good video, Dick.
Thanks as always for the comments and input. Perhaps you've missed this one too...
ruclips.net/video/PWgZKZ1uU2E/видео.html
@@DickWhistles I'll watch that later, Dick.
Need to bring my oil dripping BMW gs to soil the carefully crafted atmosphere.
never thought of that sounds like a great idea haha
Love how calm you are ridding though that traffic, not one swear word. Lol.
Atmosphere is more a feeling to me not something created solely by the arrangement of objects. The real deal is something you know immediately on how it makes you feel, you don't have to search for it in every corner. You feel like your home and you belong, the smell the texture of everything is authentic and the people are genuine. I was lucky last year and found such a place by accident in the middle of Iowa called Baxter Cycles. The bad news for me is that it was 1500 miles from where I live but I soaked in three hours of heaven in that one visit.
@11:28 ...good decision...
Peace and lots of love from Mumbai India
Cool by Committee!!! yeah too cool for its own good!!! Hey the Enfield sounds nice..
Thanks for the comment. The Enfield is finally back on the road. Had a lingering charging issue, but thankfully she is purring again.
Ride safe.
Without wishing to blow smoke up your tailpipe bro, I could listen to your comments all day. Unlike a lot of US biker vloggers, you don't come from a reactionary political or arrogant standpoint.
The intelligence and acerbic wit you bring to the mix is very very refreshing. I'm only ever that good in print. I never seem to throw verbal sentences together that are that well crafted off the cuff. You may be my favourite bike vlogger, and you don't even ride a bike that I'm interested in! That's not a criticism. Far from it. Often the assumption is that like minds (in terms of bike choice) share the same attitudes. You've proved that's not the case.
Moderate Fkr Thanks for that kind comment. I’m glad you enjoy the videos. I am glad to fine a medium where my acerbic wit doesn’t get me into too much stick.
I am of the mind that at their core, all motorcycles are cool - This philosophy colours my commentary. I am up for testing anything out and I love being surprised. Can’t be surprised if you just stick to one thing.
Ride safe.
I know what you mean Dick Whistles. I've been banned from just about every forum I've ever joined. In my tech days I got banned from Mac user groups and tech forums for predicting the future!! My worst crime was predicting Apple would release a phone with an OS based upon a cutdown version of iOS. That offended more moderators than I can recall. Well, it was 2005 - two years early...;)
"I am of the mind that at their core, all motorcycles are cool - This philosophy colours my commentary."
I respect and admire that. I'm a bundle of prejudices though. I'm very easily put off by what I regard as unforgivable errors of style and ergonomics, as well as ethical crimes.
Example:
Microsoft is a company that made a half decent mouse - nothing else. All their products lack culture, most suck balls, many failed, ALL were copied (late), stolen or bought - including DOS. And Gates is a eugenicist!
Royal Enfield are of course the victims of this Euro 3 (?) emissions legislation, but putting fuel injection on a retro bike just irritates the hell out of me. It's not their fault, but I can't buy a Continental for that reason. Plus, the original 250cc RE Continental was faster...! WTF???
" I am up for testing anything out and I love being surprised. Can’t be surprised if you just stick to one thing. "
Again, I agree. I love being surprised. But Hondas though. I think it's about the core design integrity, though it all begins with ethos of the founder himself. He was a genius and as well respected as Steve Jobs.
But some recent Hondas have disappointed me. The auto Africa Twin breaks like a Lego toy if you drop it! But the Neo Café thing is sex on wheels!
Have you seen the new Norton scrambler? They're made a few miles from me. Seriously nice.
Ride safe.
Dick the coolest people I’ve met would never be affiliated with anything considered cool ......and all you describe is why I switched to riding scooters after 30 years on bikes ...
Thanks for the comment. But scooters are cool too! In many cases, cooler than motorbikes.
Ride safe.
kind of looks like a franchise lol
Lol at the dental reconstruction comment🤣🤣🤣 I fuk*n hate open face helmets. Biking by numbers! I'd give this scene a complete body swerve. Thankfully this pretentious carry on hasn't reached Scotland yet 🎉🎉🎉
Top vid, mate 👌🏼😀👍🏻
Thanks for the comment. Biking by numbers - you got it. I'm going to use that, if you don't mind. I hope Scotland is too far to ride for it to reach up there.
Ride safe.
I've been pondering this over night, comparing the Ace to the Bike Shed, and in some ways they've loads in common, they're both someone's idea of what the perfect biker hangout should be. The Ace recreates the transport cafes of the sixties, the Bike Shed, well I'm not entirely sure, but both come from the proprietors' vision.
And perhaps that's the problem, surely a great biker hangout is one that bikers discover and make their own, moulding it to their image and not the other way round?
I'm sure there must be great biker hangouts in London, Rykers springs to mind, or the Original Tea Hut in Epping Forest, almost perfect, just too far out of town. The Tea Hut on Blackheath maybe? Or maybe biker hangouts have had their day, and today's motorcyclists prefer to have everything served up to them, possibly in a tiny bucket with a side of Shed-built sauce?
I think you're correct about the patrons making the atmosphere rather than the location. I do think, however, patrons more and more want/expect the establishment to tell them something about themselves - instead of individuals discovering themselves through self-discovery.
eh the ACE doesn't recreate anything - it's the original hangout brought back to life.... but all these places tend to get a crowd who think they are cool - and are a bit cliquey - your only in if they think your cool.....que sera - ride your bike and enjoy and stop when your thirsty or hungry - who cares....have fun.
Beetleything well said.
@@beetleything1864 - the Ace is a total re-creation, it might be the original building, but that's as far as it gets. Let's not forget it closed as a transport cafe in 1969 and didn't reopen until 2001. In the intervening years the A406 moved, becoming the traffic clogged dual carriageway it is now and Ace Corner became a place to go if you wanted new tyres.
But I do agree with you all these places have a crowd, or in the case of the Ace several crowds, and if you don't quite fit, or turn up at the wrong time, it's very easy to feel like the outsider.
Like you say, ride, enjoy, repeat.
The American equivalents to this - Brother Moto, Engine and Frame, Dunn Lewis, and many more - all have a DIY collaborative workspace ethos for everything from Harleys to supermotos, instead of the cafe/barber nostalgia shtick for rich self-termed hipsters in open face helmets, and I feel that makes all the difference
Thanks Dick, a well considered video commentary. I wonder if my Chinese 125 would be welcome there.... Les
Thanks for the comment. I didn't get the sense that they were tank-badge snobs, as longs as you have money to spend.
Ride safe.
I love how you sampled the free parking, critiqued the entire scene, including the "too cool for school" comment on the owner and 'moll' - and then left without dropping a dime.
Totally agree with your assessment bro. And there's an old version of me who would have designed that entire setup - in the precise style, for the client and loved everything about it. But that was the 1980s version of me who owned a London ad agency, drove fast cars (Saab 900 Carlson, Ferrari, Aston V8) and wore Savile Row suits - when everyone else was wearing Armani.
As you walked us around, I was running a markup tally in my head. Old habits die hard!!;) You're right, t's far more themed than real. But the up-front money must have been huge. I really wouldn't have minded stepping in front of that one!!
But I was a real biker WAY BEFORE EVERYTHING I now reject. I learned on an ex GPO BSA Bantam (stolen DKW really). And now I've gone full circle having just spent £2,000 - on FOUR BIKES!: One to repair and sell on to part fund the other three (needs a piston and some paint); one to repair and ride because it's an awesome little bike (needs battery, clutch cover and water pump); one to restore to original condition and ride; one to turn into a cafe racer - so I can be regarded as cool by the patrons of BS, and share the build experience with the other real bukers at the Ace!!
The bike list: CBR125; XL125 Varadero; 1983 VF750F Interceptor (US spec); 1983 CBX550F.
Moderate Fkr Thanks for the comment. Sounds like some neat and carried bikes in your current line up. I’d love to see how you get them resolved. Which one is the keeper?
I hear the Shed cost near £4million... I too would not complain about the fee, but I think I’d have more to offer about the intent and actualisation.
Glad you noticed I didn’t spend a dime. My dimes don’t drop easily.
I’m glad you enjoy the videos. More to come. If you haven’t already, please consider subscribing.
Also let me know how the bike projects come along.
Ride safe!
Thanks Dick Whistles. Already subbed a few weeks ago.
Still trying to figure out your actual I tent behind this typo:
" neat and carried bikes in your current line up."
To be fair, the CBR125 is a pretend pocket rocket favoured by kids. It's too small for me, but feels like a race bike to sit on. Seems wrong to break it.
The Varadero is too heavy and underpowered, but it has real big bike presence, handles great, and is so damned comfortable it's ridiculous. That seat is better than the next 20 600cc bikes combined. And the riding position is do close to perfect, it's almost as good as the BMW F650.
"Which one is the keeper?"
Well, the Varadero - because apparently the new consensus is that everyone needs a 125!! I'm not a Gomm fan. Will probably use it as a winter bike and shopping trolly!;)) Well, it came with a Givi top box so why not?
The VF750 V45 Interceptor is tempting to keep, but it will eventually be the funding for a VFR750 Streetfighter project. That one will be a radical show bike - with several ideas that haven't been done yet.
The CBX550 cafe racer will be tempting to keep, but if I'm offered enough to fund a standard VFR750 or early 800, I might sell.
"I hear the Shed cost near £4million..."
Fuck a duck! London money huh?
" I too would not complain about the fee, but I think I’d have more to offer about the intent and actualisation. "
You and me both. It's easy to see where their thinking was and is. It's a top down operation. That's the Apple/Harley model. It worked for Apple because their products WERE always 5 years ahead of the Windoze boxes. It works for Harley because their following is more cult than Joseph Smith an L. Ron combined!!!
On the subject of dropping dimes, the modern way seems to be to boast about spending excessive amounts of money, as if there's some shame in being financially prudent. That really began well before the 1980s (with Edward Bernays actually), but has got worse and worse since. Coffee houses for instances used to be run by hard working individual Italian families and they all had their own character. Now they've all been replaced by the chains operating on an off shore version of Ray Croc's model. I refuse to frequent any of them.
I might vlog my projects, but I'm more likely to blog when they're complete.
Yep, Ride safe bro!
Right on observation Dick. Their You Tube vids showcasing bikes are cool. But 35 (I'm sure more in USD) for tee-shirt. Not even Harley has that big of balls. FYI, cheap motorcycles are just as much of a hoot as one costing 4-5 times as much. With plenty of cash left for that cup of coffee.
$46 for a t-shirt sound good? I am the king of cheap motorcycles. Slow-Fast is the name of the game in a country that has speed cameras everywhere.
Thanks for the comment.
Ride safe.
You are so right. Which is why I might pop down on my £800 second hand taiwanese scooter, wearing my £14 ebay jacket, and £3 charity shop gloves. I might even stick my head in the barbershop, even tho I'm bald. Just to see the reaction.
I like the way you make your videos!
the place looks to be too contrived, especially when they're charging £50 for a haircut and beard trim...WTF!
:-)
rsmf
Thanks for the kind comment. If ever I get the notion to pay 5o quid for a bear trim, shot me!
Dick Whistles
buy some clippers from argos for £10
:-)
The odd thing about the Bike Shed is that I'm absolutely sure that the guys and gals behind it are keen bikers with plenty of miles on the clock.
It's just that they happen to be keen bikers who also work/worked in marketing, new media and graphic design.
Is it a cool place to hang out? Well it looks it, but ultimately the coolness comes from the people not the decor, doesn't it?
Maybe it's us, maybe we don't think we're cool enough to be there, to touch the toes of the Bike Shed gods. Not cool enough, not wealthy enough.
Then again Ross works there, and he's ginger, so there's hope for us after all.
Still not the Best Biker Bar in West London though 😉
The term 'worked in marketing, new media and graphic design' doesn't exactly endear them to me to begin with to be fair.
I think "Worked in Marketing" is more like "Works in Marketing" it is all marketing. It feels a tad empty to me.
Thanks for the comment.
By the way, did that fender work out at all?
More or less I think the same
A bike club for the "well heeled", by the look of those prices. Most of my gear comes off of eBay, when the "well heeled" sell it and move on to another hobby. ::: Are you or have you been a motorcycle courier? You ride like one.
Geoff Halsey Thanks for the comment. I take the courier comment as a compliment, although I don’t know if that was the intention... never one though.
I too buy my gear second hand, when the trends have past. Also buy most of my electronics that way as well.
Are you a courier?
@@DickWhistlesI was a courier, and the comment is a compliment. It's clear, you know what your doing and know your bike too. I don't know what courier rates are now, as I left the job some years ago, but it's well paid. I used to get £1 a mile for each item carried during the day, £1.50 between 6pm and 8pm, night runs £2. I've a degree in Computer Science but in terms of employment these days isn't worth the paper it's written on, but at least I know my way around a circuit and can build my own PCs. I've usually got a some project off eBay to work on, like a £10 junk laptop or an old amplifier, mostly just for fun. Nice to bring them back to life.
Hipsters have a lot to answer for. However they are part of what has made retro stuff popular & trendy. But yeah, i ant got time for yuppies with a poor attitude.
I had sleeve tattoos in 1981. I've been wearing lumberjack shirts since 1976. I've worn shit kicker boots and dirty greasy jeans all my life. I had a beard & long hair until 2000. I still get black greasy broken fingernails. I still own my Meriden Triumph i bought new 40 years ago. My point is i go my own way and i don't need a 50 quid haircut nor a 40 quid t shirt to show people who i am.
Maybe i was a hipster all along before i even knew it.....
Oh yeah, forgot to add - great vid. Anybody tell you you sound a bit like the great YT bike reviewer Cal Moto (r.i.p)?
Michael Hayward thanks for the comments. Never been told that. I’ll look up Cal.
Ride safe.
Think your spot on ..... there's a trend in supporting the lifestyle of others when your made to think your supporting a club or Bike group .... not quite Bait and Switch huh !
More like hook line and sinker for Posers .
Which I'm sort of ok with ha ha !
Thanks for the comment. I call it the Poser-tax. Personally, I prefer to get something for my money - I customarily don't pay to feel good about myself. And If I'm going to finance anyone's lifestyle, it is damn-well going to be my own.
Ride Safe.
Guess the cash for the haircut, kills the electronic, trace from the tax man , do ten hair cuts , tell mr tax man only 1 haircut ,, mums the word ,, 50 quid ,, blimey 10 quid every were I go blimey cheers Shane uk 🇬🇧
Yep... not my scene either. Definitely NOT cool.
Thanks for the comment. I think I'd prefer this place over a McDonald's or a Little Chef, but not for the reasons the proprietors would want me to like it.
Ride safe.
If that were around here, I'd be there ... the cool is that it exists.
Thanks for the comment.
If you ever make it to London and you stop in, let me know your take.
Ride safe.
damn hamsters.... with their furry faces and vegan diets ...no wait these are hipsters...furry faces and little feet....& lattes...
Good review of the shed! What kinda' bike are you riding there? I like it's sound!😃
Wow, yea, that is not the kind of biker thing I think you would ever see in the USA. First off, I would want a nice biker hangout that is on a great scenic route for bikers, not in the middle of a damn city. Honestly, it would actually make a lot more sense if it was a hangout for Vespa (Piaggio) and Aprilia scooter enthusiasts. No insult meant there, as I have owned both and enjoyed them for city driving, but that place looks that it caters more to a scooter crowd (The Mods) then bikers. Especially with all the fashion on view and the fancy barbershop!
ChuckVT clearly you’ve been out of the scene for a while. Thanks for the comment.
@@DickWhistles Well at least not seen in the wilds of Vermont! Lol!