Swap meets: the human element
Swap meets are love affairs for anyone into motorcycles, and swaps meets that cater specifically (and exclusively) for motorcyclists, even more so. For about 35 years, I’ve been attending motorcycle swap meets to sell parts, ephemera or, occasionally, a bike.
I always look to buy something at the same time, whether it’s a book, or a “must-have” part for a current restoration. It’s a great way to catch up with old friends. In a good year, I come away with that much-needed part, or at least have made contact with someone who has it. On a “bad” year, I get just a handful of fasteners and a steak sandwich. But, always having had a thoroughly enjoyable time talking to friends and, occasionally, long-lost acquaintances.
People talk about eBay and other Internet sites replacing swap meets, but there’s no human element to that. How do you network with likeminded enthusiasts on eBay or Gumtree? Buying or selling parts on Facebook is fraught with risks, with scammers around every corner. To handle a part that you want to buy has a sense of satisfaction to it. Being able to take the part home, and maybe even fit it the same day, is an immediate reward, as opposed to waiting months for the part you’ve bought to turn up (if it turns up at all).
A swap meet is a great social event. Friends sometimes help sell parts at my site. A highlight for all is seeing a bike being ridden around the grounds, either to advertise that it’s for sale, or it’s a prospective customer taking a bike for a “test ride”. The Balhannah Motorcycle Only Swap Meet, run by the Veteran and Vintage Motorcycle Club of South Australia (V&V) has it all. You don’t have to walk mile after mile past boring car parts to find
someone actually selling a motorcycle part. There are no stalls with kids’ toys or old china ornaments either – it’s a dedicated motorcycle swap meet. The club’s been running the annual event for 19 years, and despite the corona virus drama, will still be holding it this year, with the requisite social distancing and other measures in place, of course. There’s going to be a great display of restored bikes to lust after at the coming V&V Swap Meet. The display should be even better than usual, as it’s part of the Festival of Motorcycling 2020 (FOM2020). The BSA Owners Club is leading a FOM2020 ride to the swap meet and entrants will be on bikes of all years and makes. Their bikes will be displayed alongside the V&V club display.
It was disappointing to hear that the Bendigo, and other, swap meets have been cancelled this year, due to the corona virus. But the V&V club’s swap meet at Balhannah in South Australia is still on in October. We’ve been very lucky in SA to have escaped the worst of the virus crisis. To answer Victorian Premier Dan Andrews’ question, “Why would you wanna go to SA?” the answer is simple – to go to the Balhannah All Motorcycle Swap Meet! The SA-Vic border might even be open by then. Here’s hoping so.
Rob Elliott
Secretary V&VMCCSA, South Australia