We rolled into Bulli showgrounds early Friday morning. We had a trade stall set up for the full weekend and while the skies threatened chaos, not even the rain could wash out the crowd. By sundown, Chopper Night was in full swing. Mud under boots, beer in hand, and a full lineup of wild, period-modified bikes rolling through the sheds.
Despite the shit weather, the vibes were high. People were shoulder to shoulder, checking out bikes built decades ago, each one dripping wet plus a bit of oil also. The soundtrack was engines, tunes and the occasional of someone half cut trying to kickstart a bike. Perfect. From rusty rigid-frame choppers to immaculate ground up show bikes, the night was a full-blown tribute to the old-school era.
Saturday we saw the sun come out which always brings the crowds, and a sea of vintage machines. The swap meet was chaos in the best way, crusty parts, rare finds, and stories getting swapped faster than tools. We had a steady flow of legends swing past the Filthy Leather stall, some looking for gear, others just having a yarn and talking shit and the singer Polly Hazelton playing tunes all day long.
In short: it was the perfect weekend. Rain didn’t stop the riders. Hell, it made it better. If you missed it, you missed something real. But don’t worry, it’ll be back next year, same spot, same grit, same love for old shitty, barley running bikes and cold beers.
