I will add to this, but, what a load of shite the MCN bike show at excel was
I really feel I have wasted a day of my life - it was dire.
Bar BMW, KTM and Ducati, there were no manufacturers stands
so much for out growing Ally Pally - 2/3 of excel was closed off
The facilities may have had carpets, but were a ripoff - I refuse point blank to spend 3.50 on a pint of fosters, and as for any sign of a bitter... no chance
The food options were crap - unles you wanted some corporate bollocks that was awful. and there were no other options
If you are going on sunday, and find as I did - go complain at the MCN stand - I made them get some suit who pretended to know what he was doing and I, along with the people with me, vented our fury
Unless it is VERY different next year, I will not go again - and unless i have a few guarentees about what will be there next year - thats it - I won't go
I will spend sunday writing a choice email to MCN
What a load of ****ing tripe
Moderators: Aladinsaneuk, MartDude, D-Rider, Moderators
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Aladinsaneuk
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By the way, your football team lost.. 
I used to go to Ally Pally (on a stand) however I would never have paid to go there otherwise, similarly I dont think excel would get my coins either. I feel the last bastion of decent motorcycling shows resides at the NEC. Anything in London has been proven to be just a waste of time and effort.
I used to go to Ally Pally (on a stand) however I would never have paid to go there otherwise, similarly I dont think excel would get my coins either. I feel the last bastion of decent motorcycling shows resides at the NEC. Anything in London has been proven to be just a waste of time and effort.
Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly
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Aladinsaneuk
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went yesterday as well and both myself and friend i went with were very disappointed by what we saw (or didn't) in total it cost the 4 of us £64 to get in + £9 for me and the missus on the train, which is a lot of money to get into a show with nothing to see,
the food and drink was ridiculously expensive (im a chef and know what things cost) and very lacking for the number of people that could've been there,
the only slight saving grace is i picked up a shoei raid II templar for £140 and back protector for £15, the 2 main reasons for going
the food and drink was ridiculously expensive (im a chef and know what things cost) and very lacking for the number of people that could've been there,
the only slight saving grace is i picked up a shoei raid II templar for £140 and back protector for £15, the 2 main reasons for going
After all, Windows is only a virus with mouse support
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yello
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Agreed, it was a huge disappointment. I spent just over an hour there and was done. Ally Pally used to take me 3. A bloke at one stand commented that the big manufacturers (Honda et al) didn't want to pay the money to be at Excel! If that's not reason enough to go back to Ally Pally then I don't know what is. Without the draw of the new bikes from main manufacturers, I really don't see the point of the show. If you wanted good deals on kit, then you'd go to one of the BMF shows. I like Excel but I somehow don't think it's suited to the bike show. I also thought the layout was poor - too cramped in places. It was busy enough on Friday morning so I think it'll be madness today.
yep, i just got back. it was OK and no more.
cost me £16 train, £16 to get in and £7+ for a large roll and coffee! £40 quid before I got in.
very lack of new bikes, not that much in the way of bargains.
I bought a pair of gerbing heated gloves, but only got £10 off std price with a bit of haggling.
got a couple of extra connectors thrown in though.
of the bikes that were there, a fair few were scooters, race bikes, and even a couple of push bikes (Ducati !) not much from the mainstream manufacturers.
i wouldn`t bother again.
cost me £16 train, £16 to get in and £7+ for a large roll and coffee! £40 quid before I got in.
very lack of new bikes, not that much in the way of bargains.
I bought a pair of gerbing heated gloves, but only got £10 off std price with a bit of haggling.
got a couple of extra connectors thrown in though.
of the bikes that were there, a fair few were scooters, race bikes, and even a couple of push bikes (Ducati !) not much from the mainstream manufacturers.
i wouldn`t bother again.
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Aladinsaneuk
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letter I sent to the MCN editor this evening:
Well, what can I say?
Lets start with “Lesbian coppers made me misbehave on a dodgy roadf surface and even though I was doing 80 odd it weren’t my fault guv” so we have some brief idea to publication….
Now I apologise about this letter – well, some of the language at any rate, but I really am angry.
Probably in common with many of your readers, I am married and have to negotiate the odd day off – and one of the days I negotiate off is the MCN bike show – I have been going to ally pally for several years, and my wife knows it – and because of that, I plan around it – ie, I ensure I have days off (As a nurse, not the easiest thing in the world!), and I make sure that I have a few shekels in my pocket to have a good time, and may be bag the odd bargain.
Next year, this is not going to be a problem – I won’t, if it is the same sort of thing as this year, be going.
That simple, that honest.
This years show was crap.
Now whether or not people/companies dropped out is not my problem – that is YOUR problem, not mine. That is, at the end of the day a fact – now deal with it J
What is my problem is what was there – or, to coin a phrase, what wasn’t there. Yes, you did try and dress things up by doing different areas etc, but not one of the major manufacturers was there.
(You can argue all you like about Ducati/KTM/Hardly MovingSon but they are not major bike manufacturers are they? Where were Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha Kawasaki etc?)
Where were the custom bikes – last year at ally pally there were many through out the halls, and a separate room with a fair few bikes in – this year I saw two – nice bikes, but 2?? In Total??
Where was the variety of traders – most were selling the same crap as each other – I have no doubts they shifted a lot of last years stock, but my how hard they had to work…
Now whether or not you could have any control over what food/drink is sold in Excel is a moot point – but what was there is a travesty. The only food available was crap, over priced and corporate. Despite what the excel owners may say, some people do drink other stuff than Fosters.. and I bet the champagne bar must have shifted a lot of units….. And the food – lets be totally honest here – your average biker is not likely to go for a foie gras butty when there is a burger in sight – IF we had the choice!
I arrived at 0915 and had left inside two hours – there was nothing else left to see or do, no incentive to stay and all I got was an overwhelming thought that I had been ripped off.
So, Mr editor, grab the bull by the balls, read your forums and realise something. Then when you have done that, use your own balls to stand up and say:
“We screwed up, the show was not as we wanted, and we will make a lot of changes for next year”
If you don’t, then you are obviously choking on the cock of corporate orders, and don’t care that the vast majority of those that attended this year won’t attend next year
Go Figure, and Go Deal with it
Pete
*****
quite mild i think - and I bet the cocksuckers ignore it in print - not my letter, but the debacle itself - the MCN forums are full of complaints in the main
Well, what can I say?
Lets start with “Lesbian coppers made me misbehave on a dodgy roadf surface and even though I was doing 80 odd it weren’t my fault guv” so we have some brief idea to publication….
Now I apologise about this letter – well, some of the language at any rate, but I really am angry.
Probably in common with many of your readers, I am married and have to negotiate the odd day off – and one of the days I negotiate off is the MCN bike show – I have been going to ally pally for several years, and my wife knows it – and because of that, I plan around it – ie, I ensure I have days off (As a nurse, not the easiest thing in the world!), and I make sure that I have a few shekels in my pocket to have a good time, and may be bag the odd bargain.
Next year, this is not going to be a problem – I won’t, if it is the same sort of thing as this year, be going.
That simple, that honest.
This years show was crap.
Now whether or not people/companies dropped out is not my problem – that is YOUR problem, not mine. That is, at the end of the day a fact – now deal with it J
What is my problem is what was there – or, to coin a phrase, what wasn’t there. Yes, you did try and dress things up by doing different areas etc, but not one of the major manufacturers was there.
(You can argue all you like about Ducati/KTM/Hardly MovingSon but they are not major bike manufacturers are they? Where were Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha Kawasaki etc?)
Where were the custom bikes – last year at ally pally there were many through out the halls, and a separate room with a fair few bikes in – this year I saw two – nice bikes, but 2?? In Total??
Where was the variety of traders – most were selling the same crap as each other – I have no doubts they shifted a lot of last years stock, but my how hard they had to work…
Now whether or not you could have any control over what food/drink is sold in Excel is a moot point – but what was there is a travesty. The only food available was crap, over priced and corporate. Despite what the excel owners may say, some people do drink other stuff than Fosters.. and I bet the champagne bar must have shifted a lot of units….. And the food – lets be totally honest here – your average biker is not likely to go for a foie gras butty when there is a burger in sight – IF we had the choice!
I arrived at 0915 and had left inside two hours – there was nothing else left to see or do, no incentive to stay and all I got was an overwhelming thought that I had been ripped off.
So, Mr editor, grab the bull by the balls, read your forums and realise something. Then when you have done that, use your own balls to stand up and say:
“We screwed up, the show was not as we wanted, and we will make a lot of changes for next year”
If you don’t, then you are obviously choking on the cock of corporate orders, and don’t care that the vast majority of those that attended this year won’t attend next year
Go Figure, and Go Deal with it
Pete
*****
quite mild i think - and I bet the cocksuckers ignore it in print - not my letter, but the debacle itself - the MCN forums are full of complaints in the main
So, are you called "Pete" then ... or was it a cunning alias to stop them tracking you down?
I'm convinced that most of us thought you were called Aladdin
Well said anyway. The NEC show was disappointing enough but this sounds the pits.
I spent 3 days at a Congress and Exhibition at the Excel earlier in the year and concluded that it was a rubbish venue - entirely inconvenient location for most of the country. London is bad enough but stuck where it is on the East side is hardly convenient for most people (my brother excepted who lives 10 mins away).
Facilities seemed poor ... so the bike show never got close to my list of "must do's"
Let's hope the Bikefest at Donny is the sort of show we want it to be. Mind you, I think that if it is too successful in terms of numbers, it will be a disappointment as you'll never get to interact with things because of the crowds. Anyway, I'm hoping to go to that as I do think it has potential.
I'm convinced that most of us thought you were called Aladdin
Well said anyway. The NEC show was disappointing enough but this sounds the pits.
I spent 3 days at a Congress and Exhibition at the Excel earlier in the year and concluded that it was a rubbish venue - entirely inconvenient location for most of the country. London is bad enough but stuck where it is on the East side is hardly convenient for most people (my brother excepted who lives 10 mins away).
Facilities seemed poor ... so the bike show never got close to my list of "must do's"
Let's hope the Bikefest at Donny is the sort of show we want it to be. Mind you, I think that if it is too successful in terms of numbers, it will be a disappointment as you'll never get to interact with things because of the crowds. Anyway, I'm hoping to go to that as I do think it has potential.
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Gnome
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Took the car to the London Motorcycle show at Excel in case there was anything worth buying. Parked up, 3-5 hours should do it . . . . . . nine f**king quid to park. . . . THEN get charged another sixteen pounds each to get in, 2 halls full of crap, end of line / seconds leathers, boots, overpriced alloy parts, nothing woth looking at bike wise apart from the 'stupid' V8 supercharged thing. No new Suzukis / Yamahas etc to sit on, point at and laugh and £1.60 for a teaspoon sized coffee.
Just over an hour, walked around twice and came out feeling like we had been robbed - next year I think I will just throw £41 out the window and sit in front of the telly.
I am so f**king annoyed I cant even put it into words.
mail sent to letters editor of MCN.
GNOME
Just over an hour, walked around twice and came out feeling like we had been robbed - next year I think I will just throw £41 out the window and sit in front of the telly.
I am so f**king annoyed I cant even put it into words.
mail sent to letters editor of MCN.
GNOME
Power corrupts - Absolute power corrupts absolutely
As I live on the Isle of Man, it never entered my mind to go. Reason 1; its a long way, reason 2; its got the letters MCN in front of it. Any self respecting Manx biker will not buy or support MCN in any way. The paper is a rip off every week; content based on rehashes, dumbass reviews, made up exclusives and artists impressions of bikes we will all see for real sooner or later anyway. I have not bought the rag since last TT and and I have not missed it.
So, if you thought the show they organised was going to be value for money and worth seeing rather than another excuse to rip off bikers, I can understand your dissappointment. But you shouldn't be surprised.....
So, if you thought the show they organised was going to be value for money and worth seeing rather than another excuse to rip off bikers, I can understand your dissappointment. But you shouldn't be surprised.....
Falcopops wrote:I didn't go but a mate did on Sunday and said it was crap, butgger all to look at little or no bargains to be had and so packed he just had to shuffle about with the crowd. Gald I didn't go now.
Did anyone try the Ally Pally show the week before?
Yes.
More like the old road race show, without all the studded leather and chaps and such.
Bought a pair of boots and new back protector but didn't save anything on what I could have bought them for elsewhere.
Not many bikes there (but not why I went) - Hawk Kawasaki had a stand, and people like AR racing, Rod Harwin, the Fiesty girls and the MZ racing club had stands, but and all the traders I talked to said it wasn't worth their while - probably due to lack of adverts in MCN.
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Gnome
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Just called the organisers and have been given the following name and contact details for any one to complain / request a refund. Don't know how much good it will do but if enough people write then they might just get the message that they can't rip us off and get away with it.
Contact:
Peter Ward
Emap Automotive Ltd.
Media House, Lynchwood
Peterborough Business Park
Peterborough PE2 6EA
United Kingdom
My letter is in the post, so come on and get writing, otherwise you will just get a repeat of the same next year.
.GNOME.
Contact:
Peter Ward
Emap Automotive Ltd.
Media House, Lynchwood
Peterborough Business Park
Peterborough PE2 6EA
United Kingdom
My letter is in the post, so come on and get writing, otherwise you will just get a repeat of the same next year.
.GNOME.
Power corrupts - Absolute power corrupts absolutely