Vintage motorcycle displays at south-west's largest festival of transport - Classic Motorbikes

The Gloucestershire Steam & Vintage Extravaganza makes a welcome return to Cotswold Airport (previously known as Kemble Airfield) this year. From Friday 6th - Sunday 8th August 2010 the extravaganza will see through its 36th year, raising money for The Cobalt Appeal Fund, Diabetes UK & The County Air Ambulance.

The show was originally conceived for steam enthusiasts, but the range of exhibits has grown year on year. It now boasts a huge array of vintage transport, from buses & coaches, commercial vehicles, classic cars and motorcycles through to military vehicles, tractors, aircraft, engines and historic caravans. A live action arena will be an integral part of the show with interactive demonstrations taking place every day, and the popular vintage fun fair is sure to keep the children amused. Hundreds of curiosity stalls should also keep visitors engrossed for hours with displays of Victorian memorabilia ranging from antique sewing and knitting machines and model dolls houses to vintage garden tools and 1940s - 1950's home wares.

The huge motorcycle display area will contain more than 150 models - surpassing last year's record entries. There will be motorcycles from England, Italy, Japan, India and the USA with all the great makers represented - Honda, Yamaha, Harley Davidson, Moto Guzzi, HRD, AGS, James, Triumph, Royal Enfield, Rudge, Baker, BMW, Norton, Velocette, BSA, Panther, Francis Barnett, Matchless, Greeves.

There are numerous motorcycles and mopeds of special interest including the 1925 Matador Bradshaw and a 1970s' Yamaha FS1E 49cc limited edition. A single cylinder, 350cc motorcycle, the Matador has been restored recently - with some missing parts taking more than two years to track down. The Yamaha is also fully restored, having not been ridden for 27 years! Plus a Brockhouse Corgi originally designed to be dropped by troops in the war.

John Grange, the director of the motorcycles section of Gloucestershire Steam & Vintage Extravaganza, says: "Motorcyclists come to the show to meet friends, talk bikes and study the exhibits. They like the show because there are also things to see other than motorbikes."
A free vintage bus service will be operating to and from Kemble railway station throughout the show to connect with selected First Great Western Trains. A courtesy bus will also shuttle guests to the Bristol Aero collection. Formed in 1990, this collection records 95 years of Bristol aviation and space heritage.

Based in a large wartime hangar, the collection includes aircraft, helicopters, missiles and engines. For details of the bus schedule, please refer to the website www.steamextravaganza.com. Buses will depart from outside the main show entrance.