29 April 2025

VJMC MOTORCYCLE SHOW WEARS SUNDAY BEST

The holiday weekend is almost here, and, it being May, that can only mean one thing; the VJMC Motorcycle Show is coming to town.

Well, Swords.

Now in its 11th year and again sponsored by Principal Insurance it’s very much a highlight of Ireland’s busy show calendar.

 

This coming Sunday May the 4^th, (enter Star Wars pun here), the girls and boys at the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club (VJMC) will be putting on their annual show at the National Show Centre in Swords.

While older American and English bikes are always highly regarded along with the German bikes from years gone by, the Japanese stuff has always been left a little in the shadows.

The VJMC team are therefore to be commended for the good work that they do in shining a light on the lineage of some of the greatest examples of motorcycle innovation.

Dapper Gapper

A lot of what will be on display will date from the seventies.

Among the historic eye candy will be the much loved Honda 50, or the ‘Gapper’ as it was fondly known in Dublin.

This wonderful nickname stems from the fact that it was a highly effective commuter bike as a result of its ability to fit, with ease, through the smallest of gaps in Dublin traffic.

The legendary Suzuki Katana as well as Harris framed machines from the nineties will be displayed alongside Honda’s NR and Fireblades. Watch out too for Yamaha R7, the original one not the latest parallel twin incarnation.

Different strokes

Then there are the host of two-stroke engined bikes.

Kawasaki’s KR 1 beasts get a look in as do the RGV steeds, the Yamaha TZR and the bank robber’s choice of bike, the RD 350!

Everything on display will be entered into a best bike of the show competition, which is open to both members and  non-members of the club.

It’s not just the bikes themselves that are the attraction

There will also be a ‘jumble sale’ of sorts which will feature all sorts of bits and pieces that the enthusiastic restorer might find very useful.

In addition, a number of stalls always attract auto jumble and trade sellers.

Getting there, getting in

The family-friendly VJMC Motorcycle runs between 10.30am-4.00pm, with entry a highly reasonable €15 and accompanied kids getting in free.

It’s easy to get to too. The National Show Centre can be found off R132 dual-carriageway (Dublin road), adjacent to Dublin airport, the M50 and M1 motorways. It’s around a 20 minute ride from the city centre. Parking is free.

Naturally, as main sponsors, we’ll be at the show so if you’ve got any motorcycle insurance queries, or just want to say ‘”hi!”, please do drop by. It’d be great to see you!

The Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Show, proudly sponsored by Principal Insurance.

 

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