Minutes after the doors opened to the public at this year's NEC Motorcycle Live show, people were enthusiastically slinging a leg over the bikes on the major manufacturer's stands. There are always plenty of bikes on the 'shop floor' so to speak. Encouraging a blizzard of 'look at me' picture-taking which will be whizzed off to bike mates who are not able to be at the show.

There weren't many takers for the free motorcycle parking, including me. The temperature was in the low single figures, and my journey involved about a hundred miles, beginning well before any light would shine on the world. It meant stumping up twelve quid to park the car, not so bad if you can fill the other seats with friends who are willing to share the cost but quite steep if you are on your own.

In the media room a woman from Motor Cycle News was telling her colleague how she rode in on a Royal Enfield that they had on test. Can't have been the best of journeys...respect.

BSA Is Back
It's a personal thing, but I find I'm more interested in the niche manufacturers, and smaller companies who perhaps have more leeway to innovate or try more left field ideas. Having said that two of the bikes I was keen on viewing were the BSA Gold Star, launched just a few days before the start of the show, under the slogan 'BSA is Back'; and Norton, now installed in a brand new factory in the Midlands. Norton are already showcasing a new V4, out of the rubble of scandal that enveloped the previous attempt to relaunch the models.
Both of these bike brands now offering real gleaming new models, are owned by Indian multinational corporations. BSA by Mahindra, and Norton by TVS Motor.

On Monday 6th the show was open two hours early solely for press and media. I only had twenty minutes in the near deserted halls before the paying punters were allowed in, so I made straight for the BSA stand, as I'd been mandated by Wemoto colleagues to procure some pictures.

Having been an active rider when the original Gold Stars roared and thundered across the Tarmac, I wasn't sure on first sight what to make of this 'new' incarnation. But returning later for a second view and a closer evaluation; I like it. With the modern bike the likelihood of sprained or broken ankles is negated , Retro has its limits. How many people that buy this bike will be familiar with a high compression big single kick start? Also the customer base is likely to be in the age range where a kick start would not be a welcome addition to the engineering.

You can find all the specs online on a couple of You Tube videos, including a launch interview with one of the Mahindra directors. Or in your favourite print magazine. As the bike was only revealed to us a few days ago, there is no price quoted, and no availability timetable.

It's interesting to think about the relationship of Indian companies to British motorcycling. Enfields have been established there for a long time, and now two other names from a past in which British manufacturers dominated, has been resurrected by a country making giants strides in the world economy; a former colony. Mahindra has hinted that they want to build a manufacturing facility in the West Midlands, to further their BSA ambitions, but I think this is unlikely.

A New Class Of Norton
A company that has built a new manufacturing facility to produce a new class of Norton is TVS Motor. They have a target of producing eight thousand motorcycles a year at their factory in Solihull. Online it looks the epitome of a very modern base that seeks to combine high quality craft skills and components with production line capacity. On their stand was the gleaming V4CR, which stands for 'cafe racer'. No price quoted for this as yet either, but it's a niche market, luxury brand, or whatever terminology one tags this and the BSA with. Retro plus high quality will not come cheap.

'Change Gonna Come'
While an electric revolution is some way off as far as motorcycling is concerned, the prominence of electric bike manufacturers and importers was very evident. There was even an arena area where you could tootle round a coned road course on one to try it out.

It was mostly lightweight machines that were on display: some in delivery company livery, a phenomenon which seems to be sweeping the country if sightings in London and other cities is evidence. Zero, the leaders in terms of producing larger and faster bikes were there. They gave prominence to a bike that completed a five thousand mile circumnavigation of Britain in 20 days. Cost; just nineteen quid for battery charging (some charge points were free).

Silence Please
On a stand with small bikes logoed 'Silence', I noticed one joined to a sidecar delivery box. Neat. It was explained that this had been put together in conjunction with Watsonian Sidecars to gauge interest and opinion. It looks like a very practical delivery set up, with lots of capacity.

Their representative explained that Silence bikes are imported from Spain where they have been used for some time by the postal service in cities. The UK importers are particularly interested in identifying the increasingly common city areas that are subject to emission zones. These delivery bikes, and those from other electric bike importers can make a significant contribution to the improvement of air quality.

Talking of innovation
Talking of innovation, my eye was taken by a basic, almost skeletal bike. It was screaming 'urban cool' and called a Maeving. This bike is assembled in Coventry from parts garnered from all over the world. What's the innovation? The battery can be taken out of the bike and put on charge; in the front room if you like. That's convenience. It won't change the world in terms of performance. A top speed of just 45mph, a range up to eighty miles depending on throttle sympathy and weighing in at just 98kgs. They'll deliver it to your door too. I want one.