The first weekend in November is since many years reserved for FighteRama, the largest streetfightershow at Rheinberg (D). Each year with Erwin, with the bikes and with the tents. And each year a success because there's the motorshow, traders, many friends and a firm party on Saturday night; see also FighteRama 2002. This year the concept of FighteRama changed: there were problems with Rheinberg therefore the happening had to be relocated. The organization (Fighters Magazin) found a beautiful place in the former nuclear reactor at Kalkar. The name FighteRama changed to Custom & Trade Show, the date moved to the first weekend in December and the emphasis was placed on the party.

In a mail to organizer Mareike Broix I asked whether there was a place on this location for camping. That appeared to be, although she strongly advised us to book a hotel instead. She could not convince me but still persuaded me to put the CBX on the custom show.

  
       
   

So, on Saturday morning December 6th me and Erwin (with TransAalp in the background) rode to Kalkar and found a small mudfree spot next to the party tent.

 

  
       
   

The trip was chilly but dry. Unfortunately the road was wet and for the first time ever the CBX not only had to endure mud ... but brine as well. Not so bad for the stainless steel but certainly not good for the 105 kilo aluminium below.

 

  
       
   

Organizer Marcus Broix in person arranged a bucket of water; I myself had brought some cleaning products from home. One and a half hours later the bike was salt-free and presentable again. The cleaning-up attracted quite some attention. The atmosphere was good and even the sun appeared. The sun!

The final challenge was to get the clean bike beyond the mud...

  
       
    In the scarcely illuminated hall about fifty bikes were shown.  
       
   

The CBX got a nice place in the centre. My bike was surrounded by dragracers: behind me the Klaus Sarembe's funnybike, next to it Peter Scheepers' dragracer, next to him Aldert 'Fast Frisian' Tjoelkers superstreetbike, next to me Knarfs retro racer. The showbikes were seperated from the visitors by ropes but these didn't prevent many people to pinch, poke or tap (see photograph). It must be irresistable but I'll never get used to it.

 
       
   

The specs sheet was very limited in its information which was a pity.

Click the picture to enlarge it.

  
       
    This gilded Yamaha GTS1000 certainly was striking. Beautiful? No, but striking.  
       
  5   The paintjob of this Fireblade was very good.  
       
 
  A detail.  
       
   

I liked both NOS bottles at the rear end of this Kawa Z1.

 
       
    A real eyecatcher was this bobberstyle Triumph by Peter Scheepers. Certainly not a streetfighter but just a very fine bike.  
       
    I found a movie on YouTube presenting all the showbikes.  
       
   

There were striking many Dutch people this year, both in the trade area as were participants in the motorshow. In the middle you see Jon Tober, organizer of Street or Track and Streetfighterday, an annual event ... except for 2008.

  
       
    In the trade area I ran into Niels Saarloos (r) and Frank Scheepers.  
       
 
  On the left his brother Peter Scheepers and Klaus Sarembe.  
       
 
 

Though FighteRama had far more choice, the Custom & Trade Show had at least one dealer for every bike product you could think of. I took my time to sort out which hose clamps I need for the V8 project.

  
       
    At 17:00 hours the bikeshow closed and the party area filled.  
       
 
  This appears to be a guy named Im. Im offers his help.  
       
   

On the so-called 'burnplatte', outside, bikes and tyres were professionally killed during a burnout-contest. The 'offenders' performed a great show without ever becoming 'un-cool': facing the bike, operating front brake and throttle with the left hand whilst drinking a beer with the right hand.

  
       
 
 

Adding some fire and all your senses are stimulated: deafening sound of engines and spectators, smoke and rubber. And beautiful pictures.

  
       
    Again the Dutch bikes were strongly represented. Once in a while a muffler exploded; well, you cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs.  
       
 
 

This two-cylinder VTR was my favorite, especially because of its noise. The bike itself looked a bit tired afterwards.

  
       
   

Talking about tired: early in the evening the party took its first victims. No wonder as you had to pay a lousy Euro for a beer!

  
       
   

At about 20:00 hour two Belgian bikers became our unexpected neighbours: they put their small tent alongside ours. We could now almost call it a campsite. Threethousand bikers and only three bikes on site; fifty bikes on the bikeshow from which fourtynine trailered ... strange, being a biker party.

  
       
   

The party was one big reunion: I met people from the Leiden Streetfightershow 2000, Assen TT 2002, Geiselwind 2007, Demervalleitreffen 2008 and many FighteRama's. A pity the party pigs from the Finnish streetfighter mag Bomber Magazine were absent. But with a nice DJ and a good atmosphere you could only blame yourself if you didn't have a good time.

  
       
   

Next morning my small tent looked like I felt: a little weak. The night at the campsite was extra cold because the zipper of my sleeping bag was broken.

  
       
    After many years of faithful service I threw the bag in the container.  
       
   

Sunday afternoon the bikeshow's prize giving ceremony took place: each visitor could fill in his/her favorites on a form. The CBX won 'Best Special'.

The movie on the left was filmed by Silberlocke ©.

  
       
 
 

Award number nineteen is an engraved perspex plate in a marble pedestal.

  
       
   

As I came home the weekend wasn't quite over yet: first the bike had to get rid of all the brine. This time no bucket nor small brush but a drastic cleaning with the Kärcher.

In my opinion the organisation of Custom & Trade has entirely fulfilled its expectations: indeed much smaller than FighteRama but still a job well done in every way. I'll certainly be back next year, at Rheinberg, at Kalkar or anywhere else!