Presentation and Information Board
20 Points

Here we try to make it clear to entrants that should you be seeking a high score by judges; they will be looking at not just your bike for these points but how the entrant is attracting the public to look at it. The public (and judges) want to know what model it is, year and engine size on a clear information board as a bare minimum.
Has it got a story? People want to hear and see that, such as resto before and after pics and any provenance that may be interesting, either for your bike or the model alone.
The best person with knowledge about their bike is you the owner. Judges and the public are not experts on every make and model (although we sometimes declare that we are!)

Car shows are masters of staging with lights, mirrors, even mannequins etc. For a bike, it might be as simple as a paddock stand instead of just the side stand. An elevated plinth is even better. If it is a race bike, show off a poster of it on the track or of any trophies. Maybe period advertising of the model etc.

It also goes without saying that unless the entrant is displaying a bike that is being presented as original and unrestored with patina that Presentation means that the machine should be shown spotlessly clean for maximum points.

Originality and Completeness
15 Points

Difficult criterion to judge as we have machines from brand new to 115 years old so era appropriate judging applies, that is, it is much easier to present a complete and original new bike in showroom condition than a 115 year old bike. The judges will recognise beautiful restorations in this area if they are as if they just came out of the showroom back in their day but also recognise the value and appeal of something that is a preserved “survivor” that is running.

Again, looking at the criteria of Originality and Completeness while the judges do have a lot of general knowledge there is an onus on the owner to point out the lengths they have gone to in making their bike as if it came out of the factory. Period brochures as part of their info board are a great help.
If there are unique aspects about your bike, such as specification for a particular year (such as colours or OEM parts that vary from year to year) then the owner should highlight that.

Paint and Surface Finishes
15 Points

This applies to all surface finishes such as paint, chrome, nickel, zinc and raw finishes such as aluminium.

Firstly, the main paint items that draw the eye are the petrol tank, mudguards (sometimes chrome) and side panels. These are given maximum weight for judging. Anything that is and should be chromed such as exhausts, handlebars, rims etc, also form an important part of surface finishes.

Secondary but also important are frames, cycle parts such as levers, controls, fasteners and the like with both paint and plated surfaces.

In the surface finish category, we also include aluminium finishes on things such as forks and judge either polishing or clean raw/sandblasted finishes here and any clear coatings as they were finished ex-factory.

Controls, Electrical, Lighting, Cables and Levels
10 Points

Again, age and era appropriateness as for example bikes over 100 years old did not all have lights as standard and were considered an extra, so we judge what is appropriate for the class your bike is entered in. We look at presentation and overall originality and a score for condition, neatness, fasteners, wiring types, connectors etc. for the era.

Engine and Transmission
10 Points

An important sub criterion for judging bearing in mind that within some categories might have bikes with fully exposed engines and transmissions and some bikes have them completely hidden by fairings so we judge as appropriate for the class.

So, in general the engine should be clean, not just where you see it but underneath as well. Surface finishes are also judged such as aluminium surfaces that are either as cast or polished or painted or plated. Any damage noted such as broken fins, oil leaks and ancillary parts such as carburettors magnetos and fasteners, clips, fit and finish, neatness and condition is also noted.

Wheels, Tires and Brakes
10 Points

An important criterium, it is often wheels that let down an otherwise great restoration, being difficult to restore and keep clean. As some of the aspects such as originality, surface finishes, cleanliness etc have been covered in the above judging and wheels vary so much in specification and type, we score for general presentation and condition.