York Motorcycle Festival in Western Australia will return on April 14-15, 2018, with a vintage hillclimb added to the schedule.
More than 6000 people and plenty of riders were attracted to the festival last year when it was co-ordinated with the launch of Avon Valley as Australia’s first motorcycle friendly region.
York is 100km east of Perth and is at the centre of the Avon Valley Motorcycle Friendly Region consisting of seven council areas.
Festival Director Peter Woods says the York Motorcycle Festival began in 2012 as a charity ride from Perth.
“Now it has grown to attract national attention, and everyone wants to get involved which is great,” he says.
“Motorcycle Festivals are extremely popular, and this has been proved by the growth over the York Motorcycle Festival.
“The 2018 Festival will be huge, with new attractions and activities, old favourites, plenty of new bikes and products on display.”
Saturday festival schedule
The vintage hillclimb at Mt Brown will be the highlight of Saturday’s events.
Riders will be given two timed passes and will need to replicate the next three timed passes as close to their nominated time as possible.
The event is run by the Western Australian Vintage motorcycle community and will feature a selection of vintage and classic machines from the 1920s up to the late 1970s.
The Avon Valley region is popular among riders for its winding roads through magnificent scenery in a temperate climate so there will be three Saturday-afternoon bike rides led by local Ulysses Club members who know all the best routes.
Meet at 1pm on Avon Terrace and you can choose routes to Beverley, Toodyay or Meckering.
Saturday night will feature a Harley-Davidson free family concert in the main street with music from The Chris Gibbs Trio at 5.30pm, then The Rough Housers. The concert will be licensed with a pop-up bar.
Other attractions on the Saturday include the Show and Shine display in the York Town Hall, and children’s motorcycle rides in Peace Park.
Sunday festival schedule
York’s main street will close from 10am-4pm on the Sunday for markets, food and live music.
Harley-Davidson, Indian and Victory, Yamaha, BMW, Ducati and others will display new models and there will be trade stalls for motorcycle accessories, clothing, bike clubs, jewellery and toys, plus food and drink stalls and musical entertainment.
South St will also close for a motorcycle stunt show with stunt legend Dave McKenna and Western Australia’s FMX stunt riders plus race demos by Super Moto WA.
The Show and Shine will continue in the York Town Hall.
Motorcycle WA will conduct children’s test rides on a specially designed track in Peace Park.
The Vintage Collective Markets will also set up in Peace Park with displays of vintage and recycled goods, plus food trucks and live music.
Charity
The York Motorcycle Festival was originally set up as a charity event and in 2018 it will raise money through a Charity Ride for BeyondBlue on Sunday from Midland to York.
Meet at Midland Gate Shopping Centre carpark, Great Eastern Highway, Midland from 8.30am to leave at 9am and 10am. Cost is $10 per rider, $5 per pillion. All money collected will go to BeyondBlue.
York camping
Riders can camp on Friday and Saturday nights in the grounds of the York Recreation Centre with toilet and shower facilities available for $10 per adult per night and children free.
Register on the York Motorcycle Festival website.
Australia’s motorcycle friendly regions
- Avon Valley Motorcycle Friendly Region, northeast of Perth (April 2017);
- Crows Nest (March 2017).
- Wauchope, New South Wales (November 2016);
- Texas, Queensland (July 2013);
- Glamorgan Spring Bay, Tasmania (July 2007).
The Avon Valley Motorcycle Friendly Region has pledged to:
- create an online list of more than 70 participating motorcycle friendly venues (eateries, accommodation and attractions);
- produce and install 95 branded Avon Valley road signs and noticeboards;
- create, print and distribute 2500 pocket riding maps;
- make advertising banners and noticeboards for information points; and
- administer a busy Facebook group with more than 600 members as a space to share up-to-date information and business promotions.