Post by Dave on May 4, 2019 18:36:14 GMT
BMAD Bike Festival Paignton 4th May 2019
There once was a time over fifty years ago if a large group of mods or rockers drove into a seaside resort, there was likely to be trouble. Back in the sixties many seaside resorts were the locations of mass brawls between the mods who rode scooters and the rockers who rode motorbikes.
It was in the May of 1964 that one of the biggest battles between the mods and the rockers took place in Brighton where battles ran well into the night but although there were weapons – knives, chains and makeshift knuckle dusters – most scuffles involved fists and boots.
Thankfully such events are a thing of the past and we seldom see groups of scooters riders anymore, but that is not the case as far as motorbikes go. Since 2003 from the beginning of June to the end of September there as been regular BMAD bike meet nights on Paignton seafront.
Due to the success of the Paignton Bike Nights in May 2005 BMAD held their first Bike, Band & Beer Festival weekend called Paignton Bike Festival which is still running to this day, but it did look like it would not happen this year due to a lack of finance.
BMAD Mission Statement
The objectives of BMAD (Bikers Make a Difference) are to raise money for public benefit in providing funding to sick, disabled and disadvantaged young people up to the age of 19 in the TQ area; and other charities that also provide services to the local TQ communities which directly or indirectly benefit young people.
Examples of charities we have supported because of the services they provide locally are: Devon Freewheelers (Blood Bikes), St. John Ambulance, Torbay Young Carers and Devon Air Ambulance.
As you can see BMAD do so much good in the Bay and have earned so much respect that is fully deserved. It is an amazing sight to see thousands of motorbikes all parked up on Paignton seafront and so many people all enjoying themselves. Mind you one or two groups dressed up in their leathers might look a bit frightening to some, but they are all here for the right reasons., well most of them.
I attended myself today and loved looking at all the wonderful bikes parked up and it was good to see so many people of all ages on the seafront and the green. This is a three day event and must bring lots of money into the Bay. There was no fear, nothing to be afraid of as I walked around as these are real bike enthusiasts and you only need to look at their bikes to know that.
I did say most were here for the right reasons as sadly a few have let BMAD down by their driving behaviour while in the Bay. There is a video on one of our local spotted facebook pages that show a group of them driving through red lights on the path into Hyde Road.
When I was leaving I was waiting at the crossing near the Vue Cinema with at least fifty people on each side of the crossing waiting for the lights to change. A group of about one hundred bikers turned into the road from Torbay Road and most drove through the red light. Some people were stuck in the middle of the road and it was a rather dangerous situation that should not have happened.
Thankfully the other 99% of the bikers here for the BMAD Festival have been a credit and will always be welcome back in Paignton again next year. A big well done to everyone connected with the BMAD Festival, I hope this event will be here for many more years to come.
Brighton May 1964
BMAD Festival In 60 Seconds