The Cannon & Ball run

Try to link Burt Reynolds, Bike magazine and comedy duo Cannon & Ball and you might be forgiven for struggling a bit. But that link does exist…

MY FAVOURITE FILM IS THE CANNONBALL RUN, where a bunch of reprobates race across America in and on all manner of wacky vehicles. Sadly the star of that film, Burt Reynolds, passed away recently so what could I do to honour that great moustached screen legend? A typo whilst Googling the movie brought up Cannon and Ball, comedy duo and my childhood favourites, whose last tour date was just days away in Halifax. Surely a great excuse to rope in my Captain Chaos (Tony Hoare) with another excuse for a road trip and a few laughs. Trouble is Tony finishes work at 5pm at the Sportsbike Shop, Boston and curtain up in Halifax,130miles away, is 7.30pm. Z900RS and CB1000R+ full of fuel we hit the A1 and in return we’re hit by Storm Bronagh. A month’s worth of rain in 24 hours, mainly on us two. Actually, it’s so bad I’m actually scared for my life. Traffic is at a standstill and we filter for miles. Max concentration is engaged and we’re constantly wiping visors and getting cold while car drivers are swap lanes to gain inches. When do the laughs start? Captain Chaos is getting a jog on as he has the sat nav and our arrival time is fast approaching. We hit the front of the queue and the standing water is so bad we can’t see the white lines. Nearly two hours of hell later we roll into Halifax where the traffic is gridlocked and it’s still pouring. Then we see The Victoria Theatre, the venue and chain the bikes up. They’ve been faultless and the new Continental Road Attack 3s on the Z900RS plough water with the best of them. It’s 7:11pm and after a quick change at our hotel we dash back to the theatre. It really is the Cannon and Ball run. 7:22pm, tickets and refreshing pints in hand, we take our seats. We did it Burt! As soon as Bobby Ball, another moustached legend, twangs his red braces at Tommy Cannon I burst out laughing, it’s 1982, I’m 10 again. Well worth the truly horrendous trip. As the show ends and the curtain falls we run to the stage door hoping for a selfie with our Cannonball Run bikes, and Cannon and Ball. We got half of the duo. ‘Tommy’s had to leave!’ says Bobby in a familiar Lancashire accent when he emerges a few minutes later. And how does he feel about motorcycles? ‘I used to have a Yamaha Dragstar,’ he confirms smiling for the pic while worrying about his blue suede shoes! Later, over a chicken balti I can’t help feeling slightly disappointed. 50% of the challenge was missing and after so much effort. ‘Wasn’t there a Cannonball Run 2?’ Says Tony. Tommy and Bobby have been a double act for 56 years so don’t push it Chaos.

‘I burst out laughing, it’s 1982, I’m 10 again’