Yes Emily

Yes Emily, girls can ride motorcycles!


Sunday, February 2, 2014

Size Really Does Matter ...

If you're going to hold an International Bike Show and charge $20 admission, wouldn't you think it wise to have enough vendors to delay the average patron (walking at a slow speed) more than 20 minutes (tops) to circumvent the entire venue (twice)?
Not so at the EY Centre, Ottawa Bike Show. In 20 minutes I had time to walk the entire show a couple of times, talk to three vendors, take a number of pictures and stand for what seemed like an eternity, scratching my chin wondering what the logical connection between pole dancers and motorcycles might be, even if, according to one of the vendors, "they're a heck a lot better than the trash they had here last year!"  It was a really small show, and size should ... really does matter. At the price I figure the show cost me a buck a minute plus gas ... but I'm not really complaining. How can I complain about a day without snow, a day with nearly bare roads and a chance for a road trip to look at motorcycles. Just the same, don't think I'll go out of my way to get there next year.
My pick of the litter today - this neat little Bonneville. Clean lines, simple, basic. Nice little bike.
And though I don't really care for the custom machines there's always some morbid fascination that makes me stop and take a picture. Maybe it's all the glitter and glitz ... It's those shiny things.


19 comments:

  1. Karen:

    Wow ! Twenty Bucks for virtually nothing much. I go more to socialize than to actually look at bikes. I haven't been to our bike show for over 2 years.

    It's neat how you did that last photo/gif, but not enamoured with that bike

    where are the photos of the Pole Dancers ?

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast

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  2. Yah Bob, I've seen more motorcycles in the parking lot at Tim Hortons!
    I did take pics of the pole dancers but I'm still shaking my head ... the custom bike thing, I'm on to Google now. Just take a fast series of shots and Google will automatically do that for you. I should have thought of that for the dancers ... NOT!

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  3. The shiny bike in the last photo does look pretty nice. Even though I would not get one I do admire the imagination and workmanship of the builders.

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    1. I'm with you Richard, I wouldn't want one ... but just the same, there's something about the way it sparkles that I just can't help looking at ... And I also admire the talent that goes behind the sparkle.

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  4. Wow. We only paid $14 in Abbotsford and were there for 7 hours. Doesn't sound like Ottawa has their sh*t together to draw in the crowds and get them to hang around.

    Well at least you got out of the house.

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    1. It's never a bad day, when the snow stops and you get out - even if it takes you four hours to get there and back. There were no crowds, of course they were competing with Super Bowl Sunday - poor planning!

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  5. Lovely Bonneville and they sound great with megas!

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    1. Okay Walter ... I'm not afraid to look stupid in front of the entire world wide web ... megas? Do they sound good while you're listening to Megas, The Megas or is there a particular fuel me-gas that really makes them purr??? (Never too old to learn something new.)
      But it was a clean, simple bike - something that really stood out in this particular show (for me.)

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    2. I mean megaphone exhaust pipes aka Norton's Paul Dunstall's. Maybe Brit stuff not so known over the pond. Sorry!

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    3. Ahhhh! Thanks for the explanation. I'm sure my lack of knowledge has nothing to do with the expanse of the ocean ... millions of folks here probably knew what you were talking about. I'm not a 'mechanic/rider' rather I'm a rider who knows good mechanics, who know I like real quiet bikes so they never discuss changing the pipes (on anything) while I'm around.

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  6. Pole Dancers - really? UGH! I don't get the mentality of the people who put these events on and would even remotely think this is appropriate. It seriously fits in with the old stereotypes doesn't it?

    I look at the custom bikes too just to see what people spend all their hard earn bucks on.

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    1. Dar, at least these pole dancers had some clothes on. I (maybe) get the show gals, they're a tradition but I'm all for starting new traditions, bring on the the young guys wearing tight jeans and chaps trying to sell motorcycles?

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  7. Same with me, I am not into shiny chrome custom bikes and wouldn't want to ride one but I really like the look of it, and can appreciate the workmanship.

    About the size that doesn't matter… it's a myth. It does ;-)

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  8. Nice effect on the last photo. We don't have a show here in St.Louis. Some folks head to Chicago. Being the introvert I am it's never appealed to me much. And if I got myself there I would have been sorely disappointed at the size of the show.

    And the pole dancers...there are things that seem to go together with motorcycles in some folk's minds that just don't touch my experience at all.

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    1. Thanks Keith, I'll take credit for what Google does/will do (since I've learned if you take a sequential series of shots they will automatically do that for you!)
      I'm with you - I'm not going to Chicago ... but that's only because last time I went there (by mistake) I was forced (in the name of self preservation) to skip a toll ... I still look in the rear view mirror expecting to see flashing lights.
      I don't mind crowds so much ... they make me feel anonymous.

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  9. Missed the show this year as I was on my way southwest for a few days. Doesn't seem like I missed anything. I don't know what it is with Ottawa - there are enough riders here they should be able to put on a great show instead of an almost good enough show just to strip $20 from your wallet.

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  10. Canajun - it was my first time to the Ottawa Show ... I think, unless it changes drastically, it was perhaps, also my last. Not really much to see that I hadn't seen before, and a lot less of it (okay, maybe the pole dancers were new to me!)

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