Motorcycle Weekend Trip | Netherlands– England– Bike Shed

We chose to ride through the Netherlands to Dunkirk in France, where a return ticket with a motorcycle costs €130. We traveled through the Netherlands by van with the motorcycles in the back, as this part mainly involved highway kilometers. Departing from Groningen, Dunkirk was easily reachable within about five hours of travel. We opted for the van so we wouldn’t have to ride all those kilometers on the bike, and because we wanted to leave early with the ferry (1:00 PM). This went smoothly; parking nearby is free, so it's just a short fifteen-minute drive to the ferry. 

The check-in procedure was clear: keep your passport handy, as you need to show it twice. To check in, they use a barcode you receive with the booking confirmation PDF. This was processed immediately and we received a printed version that we placed in the transparent section of the tank bag (without a tank bag, this would’ve been a bit tricky, according to my colleague). Before we could ride onboard, a part of the ticket had to be handed in. On the ferry itself, the facilities were well organized; a tie-down strap with a cushion in the middle was placed over the saddle, securing the bike tightly so we could enjoy a coffee with peace of mind and a view.

The ferry ride lasted about two hours, after which we arrived in England. From there, we rode to our hotel, Holiday Inn London-Bexley. The first few kilometers in England on the ‘wrong’ side of the road were quite strange, and overtaking someone legally on the right for the first time was also a new experience. This hotel is conveniently located, with good train and public transport connections to London. On Friday, after dropping off our luggage, we visited Greenwich, a historic district where we had dinner at Goddards at Greenwich and enjoyed traditional ‘pie and mash’. 

After exploring Greenwich, we visited the VIP night of the Bike Shed Moto Show. Traffic in London can be busy, but we eventually reached the show venue at Tobacco Dock, built in 1812 and with ample parking. Upon arrival, we handed in our digital tickets and received drink tokens. Helmets and tank bags were safely stored in the cloakroom, staffed by the show team. 

The Bike Shed Moto Show was impressive, with a wide range of custom motorcycles on display by both companies and individual builders. The atmosphere was relaxed and accessible, and we had the chance to speak with the exhibitors about their creations. We saw amazing and very unique motorcycle builds and got great ideas for personal projects and for the webshop! So for us, it was an incredibly successful show.

After the first day, we returned to the hotel, had a beer, and went to bed. The next day, we decided to take public transport to the show, allowing us to see more of the surroundings. The station is about a fifteen-minute walk from the hotel. With a day pass for train and metro, and a debit card for the bus, traveling was easy. Not very typical for a motorcycle trip, but riding in London itself was truly a bizarre experience.

On the way, we got off earlier to explore a market where fresh fish and clothing were sold. We then walked through London, visited Captain Kidd along the Thames, and enjoyed the lovely weather outside. 

Later in the day, we returned to the Bike Shed Show for another visit and met Freddie Dobbs, a motorcycle enthusiast who shares his adventures on YouTube. On his recommendation, we dined at The Devil’s Tavern, a historic location dating back to 1520, where we enjoyed a delicious meal. 

We ended the day with a visit to Big Ben and the London Eye, both iconic landmarks. On Sunday morning, after an extensive breakfast at the hotel, we began our journey back home. Around 10:00 PM we were home again, motorcycles unloaded and satisfied after a weekend full of motorcycle adventure. 

I’d recommend everyone to pack a bag and just take off for a weekend getaway with the motorcycle—and believe us, you really don’t need a big touring bike for that. A nice practical motorcycle with a little bag on the back is more than enough. ;)

For now, a biker's greeting from us—we’ll see you on the road!✌️

Team Motorcycles United