Running over the weekend the main attraction was on the track where classic and post classic motorcycles would be taking on the rolling hills of Cadwell Park. Displays of historic and interesting motorcycles were mixed into the extensive paddock, and an off road course was set up for the adventure bike riders. 

The Cadwell Moto event is organised by Classic Bike Track Days who are no stranger to running events at Cadwell, having hosted the Suzuki Live day for the last few years. Both events are basically track days for older bikes, some pure race bikes but mostly road bikes, so inevitably there were plenty of different machines on show.

The Classic Bike Track Days strap line is “Trackdays for all pre-2000 bikes, plus some newer bikes if in they're in spirit of our events”! As with all track days the programme was split up into groups of different abilities from experienced to novice and subdivided into engine size. Each group got 20 minute sessions on the track.

Standing trackside you would not have noticed the different abilities or classes within the groups unless you know your RGVs from your RVFs. As in all trackdays there are a few fast riders, but the majority were taking it steady so the difference between the groups from the spectators’ viewpoint was minimal. However, for motorcycle photographers this isn’t ideal.

The faster a motorcycle goes into the corner the lower it needs to be, which makes for a great picture. As this wasn’t the case for a lot of the machines on track a different photographic approach was required to capture the action, or lack of it!

Tilting the camera and reducing the shutter speed helps to give the impression of speed on the image. Also, with a slow shutter speed and standing back to include the circuit furniture and trees helps.

This will produce blurred lines when panning with the bikes and adds a nice effect to what would be a rather uninteresting overall image. But, I must say some of the subjects going past were very interesting.

So rather than dismiss this this track day for its lack of action, I approached it in a different manner and challenged myself to produce a set of images I would be happy with. 

As a plan started to form in my head I considered the different locations I would need to be positioned. I also took into consideration the location of the sun so I wouldn’t be shooting into it, which gives washed out images. Fortunately there was some intermittent clouds, so in a few locations I ignored the first rule of photography and shot into the sun.

As there wasn’t what I would call a large crowd it was easy to pick the location for my shots. A lot of the spectators were bikers who had come out for a ride as the weather was fine and dry so were just chilling on the banks around the mountain.

The Cadwell website had advertised the event well, with plenty of information including a list of the star guest riders so I was keen to see if I could spot them. I failed! I only walked through the paddock a few times and looking back at my pictures they appeared to have been on track a lot. 

Identifying riders when they are suited and booted and on a random bike is difficult, but fortunately back in the day helmet graphics were not as complex as they are these days.

Mick Grant was easy to spot as he was wearing a helmet with the same graphics he sported when he was a Grand Prix racer. It was the same for Roger Burnett, Ian Simpson and Alex George with a few slight changes to their lids.

It was also great to see them and other ex-racers riding historic motorcycles alongside the owners of some quite special metal during the lunch time parades. There were two parades - the first celebrating Honda’s 75th anniversary and the second for 20 years of the Aprilia Tuono. 

I had chosen the bottom of the mountain to watch the parade laps as these are very sedate laps, and as this is where the riders exit the track I might be able to capture some detail shots to add to my set. I kind of did, but was more than happy just to watch and listen to a procession of great looking race and road bikes.

The paddock was next on my list to do. I do like to take close up shots and spend a bit of time adjusting them to get the effect I’m looking for when I get back home.

The shot of the BSA tank was from the Poachers Pre65 Classic Trials club stand. This Lincolnshire club caters for British trial bikes from the 1950s and 60s. They host numerous events that replicate the trials of that period and had some great looking bikes on the stand.

The bikes on this club stand, like the majority of the bikes in the paddock, were not the mint historic bikes you get in a museum. They all had the patina of years of use, which in my opinion is what a motorcycle should have.

The Classic Bike Track Day organisation have found a hole in the track day market that brings together some very interesting machines and appeared to me to be a friendly relaxed community of like minded enthusiasts.

The owners of the machines were more than happy to chat about their bikes, so I spent quite a while in the paddock. 

So is the Cadwell Moto event worth going to a a spectator photographer? From the track side it will take some work from you to capture interesting images, but it can be done. The subject matter helps as does Cadwell with its great scenery and access trackside. 

The paddock had plenty of interesting machinery, and as a day out it will tick a lot of boxes for a lot of people, especially if you are interested in modern classic motorcycles. Overall it was a pleasant relaxed day with some very nice bikes to look at in the paddock and watch on the track. I am happy with the images I captured, nothing outstanding but a nice set for my portfolio none the less.