8th -11th of November 2002: Germany's biggest streetfightershow 'FighteRama' in Rheinberg.
Thursday the 7th of November I rode the CBX to the show. It rained on the way, but what's new ;-(
After a few hours cleaning the bike looked fit to be shown again.
Together with Max Croot we boozed and slept in Mick Hüby's shed annex living accomodation. Mick is the editor-in-chief of the German streetfighter magazine 'Fighters Magazin' organizing FighteRama. And (don't forget!) the builder of the turbo-NOS-Kawa Gpz 'NOSfearatu'.
Around midnight four Finns from the Finnish motorcycle magazine 'Bomber Magazin' arrived. They participated in heavy drinking until the lights went out ;-)
After which we climbed this kamikaze-stairs to our sleepingplace.
Next morning (more than slightly hungover) Max, Erwin and I visited the motorshow 'MotorSale' in Rosmalen, Holland. Staring our eyes out on very extravagant and flashy customs. I sure was impressed by the bike on the left.
Saturday morning: back to FighteRama. This show is far more lively, varied and noisy ... well, just simply better than MotorSale.
On the left you see a Guzzi-ratbike, and like with most ratbikes you see some new details every time you look at it.
This Fireblade attracted attention with its agressive fenders and headlight ...
... but especially with its skulled tank being constricted by six chains. A professional job.
Talking about professionals: nothing beats Spondon. You don't see these bikes very often in Holland. Perhaps it has something to do with its prize...? Here you see an R1-engine Spondonned: aluminium frame, aluminium tank, aluminium seat, no paintjob, just simply perfect.
And look at this Spondon onesided swingarm; VFR, eat your heart out!
Never seen before: four-into-eight exhaust.
A Boss Hoss? No, it's a Kannon V8. This cruiser is powered by a Chevy 5,7 liter V8 engine. Wouldn't it be great to make something radically different with an engine like this? Hmmm...
Mick Hüby's 'NOSfearatu' was introduced to an interested audience on Saturday and Sunday. Here you see him being interviewed by Barry "The Voice".
In a hall next to the show there were some stuntshows by A.C. Farias. Here you see the master at work.
(picture: Sabine Welte)
The show attracted about 32.000 visitors!
Saturday evening, the prize giving ceremony: I won 'Best Special 2002', just great.
(picture: www.moto-bikes.com)
Click on the image to watch a clip of the prize giving (2,8 Mb).
Talking about clips: German television DSF made a report of FighteRama a few months (!) after the event. Click the image to watch a clip (1,0 Mb).
We were all in a good mood at the party. At my right you see Max and the Finns from Bomber Magazin. Between us you see my just won stainless steel trophy: an 'F' with a knuckle-buster.
The organization wasn't too pleased with the fire spitters. It looked great though.
If a party like this starts at 6 p.m. you see the first 'casualties' about 11 o'clock. These guys sat there motionless for hours; aren't they cute?
Saturday night Max and I planned to sleep at Mick's place again but at the end of the party (about 03.30 a.m) there was no sign of him. Well, what do you do? You walk in the freezing cold to the village of Rheinberg, open the lobby of the local cashpoint with your credicard ...
... and try to sleep on the marble floor. Not too comfortable, but it's something different ;-)
To my surprise I saw the pictures shown above in the February 2003 issue of BSH.
Click for an enlarged view of the page.
On Sunday, after being interviewed by Sabine Welte, she made a photoshoot of the CBX. Afterwards another photoshoot was made by 'der Wikinger' ('the Viking'). We agreed that bunnies might not be suitable with my bike.
He took some nice portraits ...
... and some details.
On one of them you see a totally hungover bunny. The sidestand is out, being afraid to loose my balance ;-)
Short before the end of the show some Lunatics burned and split their tyres. Not bad!
Finally the journey home to Nijmegen: rain, rain, and even more rain. No more showroomcondition. But it sure was worth it. Or: how a weekend seems to last like a week.