Join the Southend Shakedown

We’re used to roads to the seaside getting clogged up every Bank Holiday. But it won’t be caravans holding up the traffic on the way to Southend this weekend – instead it’ll be a massive procession of 11,000 bikes, and any rider can join in.

This is the first big organised rideout of the year and it’s an amazing event to be a part of. You start off in London’s legendary Ace Cafe and travel the 20-odd miles to Southend in convoy along the A13. The procession swells in size with every mile as more people join it, while drivers get out of your path and people wave from the pavements.

Forty years ago, the residents of the Essex resort would start boarding up their shops if they heard 11,000 bikes were descending on them. But this Bank Holiday Monday they’ll be welcoming in much-needed trade.

Thankfully, things have changed somewhat since the infamous mods and rockers battles of the 1960s and you won’t be expected to join in a mass punch-up when you arrive at the Southend seafront. You may well see the odd Vespa rider, but you can expect to be exchanging pleasantries rather than blows.

The police are more likely to provide an escort than chase you across the beach with truncheons drawn, while impressed pensioners out for a stroll on the promenade will stop and ask questions about your bike instead of cowering in tea shops. They might even recall their memories of the bad old days.

There’ll certainly be plenty for them to look at. The whole front is taken over by bikes, with everything from GoldWings to R1s crammed on to the promenade.

With people to chat to, bikes to look at, fish and chips to scoff and arcade games to play, you’ll have a job dragging yourself home.

Details:

The Ace Cafe is on the Old North Circular road between the A40 and A404 Harrow Road. The Shakedown starts at 10.30am, but if you miss it don’t worry – there’ll be plenty of late-starters. Just take the North Circular to the A13, which takes you all the way to Southend. If you live near the A13, simply join the procession as it passes.

Contact: 020-8961-1000 or www.ace-cafe-london.co.uk