You need to get out more – go watch this lot
It’s one of the great spectacles of the biking year; go see the Pioneer Run
When it comes to eccentricity, no country does it better than the UK. With our rich heritage of daring (and often somewhat bonkers) pursuits plus our spirit of exploration and invention, we are world-leaders in celebrating quirky historic events. From burning oil drums in Devon to cheeses being rolled down a hill in Gloucestershire, us Brits just love to champion the heroes of yesteryear. And when those events involve a petrol engine, the results can be even more entertaining… Inaugurated in 1930 and now in its 81st running, the Pioneer
Run is organised by the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club and can only be entered by two or threewheeled vehicles built before 1915. To put that into context, all the vehicles you see being ridden on the public roads were built before World War I and at a time when most other traffic was either a bicycle or horse! But far from museum pieces, the Pioneer Run attracts an amazing number of veteran (yep, even older than vintage…) motorcycles that are owned and maintained by enthusiasts who come from as far afield as America, Germany and Holland to enter this event. And it is most certainly an event. The largest gathering of veteran bikes in the world, the Pioneer Run regularly attracts over 300 entrants, all with the target of completing the 45-mile route from Tattenham Corner to Brighton. Not that their machines are always quite as enthusiastic to fulfill their rider’s ambitions…
The sheer variety of machinery that attempts the run is staggering and the start line at Epsom is basically a very noisy, smelly, moving museum.
Some bikes carry familiar names such as Triumph, Harley-Davidson, Douglas, Royal Enfield, BSA, Ariel and Rudge, but there is also a huge array of machinery built by brands that were fledgling companies before war broke out and failed to make it afterwards such as Leon Bollee, Humber Olympia and Phoenix Trimo. But what makes the Pioneer Run so special is watching these riders attempting to coax their bikes into action and onto the open roads. And then there’s
‘It attracts enthusiasts from as far afield as the USA and Germany’
‘The start is basically a noisy, moving museum’
the party atmosphere that now surrounds the whole event.
As the route is set, many riders use the Pioneer Run as an excuse to drag out their own bikes and go for a run before stopping and setting up to watch the veterans pass by in a cloud of smoke and shower of parts that have worked loose on the way. All along the route there are pub carparks full of bikes, many of which are classics in their own right, as fans cheer on the brave few taking part on their veteran machines in a similar way to the crowds that cheer on runners in the London Marathon. And the riders themselves also get into the atmosphere, with many dressing up in period riding gear (basically tweed) and honking their horns at the crowds as they ride past, which always gets a cheer and a wave. If you like the Goodwood Revival, the Pioneer Run has a similar feel – just on open roads and free to watch! As the Run is most certainly not a race (you are excluded if you reach the finish line before 10am as that is deemed not riding in the spirit of the event) and the vehicles themselves tend to travel at a maximum of 30mph, there is more than enough time to watch a few bikes go past and then either pick a new spot to view or head to the finish line (another fantastic place to do a bit of machine spotting) to see who makes it to the end of the event to collect their commemorative finisher’s medal. Although previous runs finished on Madeira Drive in Brighton, this year the event will conclude at Brighton Airport – which is actually great news. As well as ample parking for the many spectators, there will also be onsite catering and even a few stands selling merchandise. But best of all every bike will be lined up and you can walk up and down inspecting and marveling at how these machines made the 45-mile ride as well as chatting to their (often rather oily) owners.
If you’re free on March 22, make a date to watch the Pioneer Run. It may involve a bit of an early start, but it is a fabulous event that once experienced is certain to become a regular fixture in your biking diary as there is nothing quite like it in the world. And you never know, it might even inspire you to look into buying a veteran motorcycle to take part in the event yourself next year…