Pranburi Bike Week

[Ryder]

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http://www.ontheroadthailand.com/Images/Pranburi%20Bike%20Week/OTOP%20Pranburi.JPG

 

The OTOP in Pranburi is normally accustomed to the moves of pinneapples, employees and goods vehicles.

On the night of the full moon on the 19th February 2011 the fetching pinneapple monument shook and rattled the sounds of V-Twin's and high-revving Japanese engine power!

 

http://www.ontheroadthailand.com/Images/Pranburi%20Bike%20Week/Harleys%20Only.JPG

 

The medium-sized paddock area soon filled up over the course of the and the OTOP location was transformed from a barren piece of concrete parking with buildings to a colourful event of music, bikes and high-chrome machines.

The day began quite slowly. It wasn’t until the end of the afternoon that things began to take proper form with the gear set-up and the tents erected. Some good things were that the 200 baht price entry (applicable only once the night event started) got you a free beer, T-Shirt and food. Free-food isn’t a given at biker weeks so to get this was a bonus. There were plenty of other food vendors around the areas fringes though.

 

http://www.ontheroadthailand.com/Images/Pranburi%20Bike%20Week/Pranburi%20Harley%20Davidson.JPG

 

I took a wander around before things got crazy and crowded. Inside the OTOP building was a massage room and various shops selling pineapple products. I bought some nice dehydrated pineapple, it was nice, but a bit sugary.

Seeing plenty of these mini-moto things around, great bikes for kids to learn on too.

 

http://www.ontheroadthailand.com/Images

/Pranburi%20Bike%20Week/Monkey%20Bike.JPG

 

At the other end of the scale was this groove toy of a beast!

 

http://www.ontheroadthailand.com/Images/Pranburi%20Bike%20Week/Pranburi%20Custom%20Bike%20Thailand.JPG

 

The bikes were varied. At this event there were plenty of old-school cafe-racer’s and those inspired by them, plus the usual custom machines and sportsbikes. Of the latter there were not so many, but the ones that showed up were to the usual high-standard for the most part.

 

http://www.ontheroadthailand.com/Images/Pranburi%20Bike%20Week/Yamaha%20Vmax.JPG

 

Unlike the Hua Hin event the police presence was restricted to the OTOP entranceway only. Easy-going soldiers took care of the internal arrangements and the mingled with us quite amiably; A semi-auto on the hip and their family and kids around was quite a contrast.

 

http://www.ontheroadthailand.com/Images/Pranburi%20Bike%20Week/Thailand%20Electraglide.JPG

 

Things to buy here were not that many, but variable.

 

http://www.ontheroadthailand.com/Images/Pranburi%20Bike%20Week/Harley%20Parts%20Sale.JPG

 

Badges, badges and more badges. Flags, Harley Davidson motifs etc .

 

http://www.ontheroadthailand.com/Images/Pranburi%20Bike%20Week/Biker%20Badges.JPG

 

A fair few of the enduring buddhist wheels from ancient times and even the swastika (haken cruz) that attracts controversy from those dark days of the 1940s where here.

I took the seller to the question on it, asking him his opinion on it etc. He grinned with a sly look of evasion, knowing where I was going. I couldn’t grill him too much as it was and is lucky ancient emblem here and elsewhere. I asked him if it was good or bad because of the WW2 connection and I got the enigmatic ‘Can be good, can be bad also.’ Ever the duality of Asia... J

Other less inflammatory stuff on offer was motorcycle parts, biker gear and helmets. Interestingly a few stalls had some fairly well crafted weapons on display, even a fully functional cattle prod I got a jolt off!

 

http://www.ontheroadthailand.com/Images/Pranburi%20Bike%20Week/Jacko%20Lives%20On.JPG

 

There were no dancing girls for admiring here or any stunt biking. But the band played pretty good Carabao and some Michael Jackson impersonator did a few brief moves, the crowd went wild but he didn’t stick around for long, guess it’s a busy business being the gloved-one these days...

 

This bike was real piece of work. It was a custom job alright but had something I’d never seen done before on a bike; A manual stick-shift! It worked too as I demonstrate on the video! Top marks to the designer and welder on this artifact!

 

http://www.ontheroadthailand.com/Images/Pranburi%20Bike%20Week/Best%20Custom%20Bike%20Pranburi%20Bike%20Week.JPG

 

Full Review here:

http://www.ontheroadthailand.com/Pranburi%20Bike%20Week%202011.html