It’s earned its spot as one of the truly great shows on the custom motorcycle calendar, but events literally of biblical proportions have kept the Machine Show on hold for the last few years. Ferocious bushfires, fearsome flooding, and a once in a hundred-year global pandemic have given organiser Matt Machine endless headaches and some extra grey hairs; but the man simply cannot be stopped. Last weekend, the faithful gathered in Braidwood, NSW, and, always with a sense of humour, Matt told the crowd, “Luckily there wasn’t a locust plague this year.” And the event didn’t disappoint, with the ‘vintage motorcycle camp-out weekend’ a cacophony of incredible custom bikes and cheerful chatter, interspersed with fantastic food and beverages.
Just like events of recent years, the 2024 show nearly didn’t happen either, with flooding rain forcing an agonising last-minute cancellation in April. But that didn’t stop the devoted last weekend from making the trek, tents in tow, to the showground in rural NSW, just over an hour outside of the nation’s capital, Canberra. Part of what makes the show so great is the simple philosophy behind it: “We are trying to promote a very laid-back weekend of motorcycles, camping, and hanging out around a campfire out in the country. We don’t pretend to be a music festival.”
If it’s glitz and glamour you’re after, this isn’t it; the Machine Show is an event that exemplifies the ethos of “built not bought,” with a host of incredibly talented, hands-on motorcycle lovers hanging out and admiring each other’s rides. As Matt explains, “We are about motorcycles, motorcycle history, veteran, vintage, and classic motorcycles, and the rich culture that goes hand in hand with that. We have always respected and admired all types of motorcycles of all marques, and The Machine Show is a celebration of that. Amazing things happen when motorcycles and owners of different ages get together in one place.”
The epitome of this ideal is the Build Comp; the entrants are drawn largely from the most talented backyard builders in the land, and they never fail to disappoint, with an eclectic mix of truly marvellous machines. To add even more authenticity to this year’s competition, the winner was voted for by the other builders, and what more valuable a trophy can you earn than one decided by those with the talent and bloody knuckles to prove they know what it takes to create a showstopper? The podium places were won by Craig Baum with his appropriately coloured orange and gold Honda chopper in first place, Kelvin Drummond and his dustbin-clad Moto Guzzi grabbing silver, and bronze going to this week’s Pipeburn feature bike, ‘SR540MX,’ by Gio of GM Motorcycles.
The truth is, wherever you look, there is a motorcycle worthy of feasting your eyes upon! The show caters for pre-1940 builds all the way up to post-’94 customs, and there were machines from just about every manufacturer you care to name. Vintage Harleys? Check! Classic motocross machines? Check! Mini three-wheeler with ape hangers? Check! And some of the best examples of custom building and innovation you’ll see anywhere on the planet. A standout for me was Amanda Campbell’s Build Comp entry No.19, a 1987 Harley-Davidson Sporty. A true rider’s bike, with a host of tasteful modifications, and stunning paint, a bike that looks right at home on a show stand and can then be toured or simply given some stick on a weekend blast.
The vintage area didn’t disappoint, with some icons of Americana in attendance that really get the nostalgia going. Equally so, the wonderful collection of classic Honda dirt bikes reminds us country kids of fun-filled days out on the farm, throttles pinned, dust in the air, and the sweet sound of hooting and hollering. A Ducati Paso next to a classic Norton framer flat tracker? Why not! If you love motorcycles, the Machine Show ensures there is literally a history lesson of bygone hot rods and all the knowledge and insight from the men and women who ride and love them.
Surely 2024 has appeased the motorcycle gods and given Matt Machine and his team the energy boost to do it all again next year. Because if there is one event you have to lock into your calendar for 2025, it’s the Machine Show—a place where the faithful make the pilgrimage, egos are put aside, and the very best of the custom bike scene is on full display in man and machine.
[ Photography by Marc Hoyler, Scott Hopkin & Cam Rogers ]
