The streets of Jesmond hummed with the sound of vintage motorbikes this weekend, thanks to the Royal British Legion Riders Branch (RBLRB) which ran a classic and custom bike show at the Royal British Legion Club in West Jesmond Terrace, to raise funds for the Legion’s poppy appeal.

Sunday’s event – the third year such a bike display has been held here – was part of the Jesmond Community Festival, and ran from 11 am in the Legion car park until 4 pm, concluding with a competition to find the best in show.

A classic Honda, café racer style, on display at last year’s Jesmond show

The Royal British Legion Club on West Jesmond Terrace hosted the bike show in its car park on May 20

Attendees were given a slip of paper on entry and asked to make note of their favourite motorbike from the three categories: custom, classic and trike.

Before the event, organiser and county representative of the Tyne and Wear branch of the RBLRB Steve Newton told JesmondLocal that he had no idea what bike would win. “It could be a 90-year-old Vincent Black Shadow worth £100,000 or a 20-year-old bike with a custom paint job – it’s down to what the public decide,” he said

As well as the collection of bikes, drinks will be available from the British Legion Club and burgers will be on sale throughout the day.

There were around 30 bikes on show in total, ranging from classic British bikes such as Triumph and BSA, to 30-year-old Japanese bikes such as Honda and Kawasaki. There were also American Chopper-style Harley Davidsons as well as more modern bikes, like Newton’s own Honda ST 1300 Pan-European touring bike.

On display too were custom-built trikes (three-wheeled motorcycles) as well as some vintage scooters at the show, such as Vespas and Lambrettas.

Aside from raising funds for the poppy appeal, the event, Newton says, aims to help break down the stereotypes of bikers who often get a bad press. “It’s a family day as much as a British Legion fundraiser, an opportunity for the bikers to mingle with the public and the public to feel more comfortable around bikers.”

The RBLRB is the second largest branch of the Royal British Legion with some 6,000 members across five continents. Members are made up of ex-armed forces personnel but also people who are passionate about the British Legion and motorcycles. Newton, who has been a member of the RBLRB for eight years, served in the army’s tank division and has ridden motorcycles since he was 17.

For more information about the Jesmond Community festival, visit the community festival website or Facebook page. Alternatively, you can download the festival brochure here .

The RBLRB emblem which features Tommy, a World War One soldier