Story by Kendrea Rhodes.
Weekends in the Adelaide Hills resound with the low hum of motorcycle engines of all kinds — vintage, classic, modern, sports, cruisers, scooters and more — it’s a tune of tradition, inclusion, and camaraderie, ringing through the hills and valleys. For nearly a century, many motorcyclists have appreciated the ritual of riding through the Adelaide Hills, enjoying local communities and landscapes, particularly the many scenic roads to Lobethal.
The Amberlight Motorcycle Café in Lobethal has been a traditional stop enroute since the early 1930s and on Sunday March 6th, riders will stop for longer than usual to partake in the 2022 Amberlight to Bierhaus Motorcycle Show & Shine.
Along with the many and varied motorcycles, visitors can also enjoy trade displays, sausage sizzles, local business cuisine, and historic exhibits. The Sellicks Beach Historic Motorcycle Race exhibit will be on the front lawn of the Lobethal Bierhaus with many pre-1963 motorbikes that currently race at Sellicks.
The Amberlight to Bierhaus Show & Shine 2022 is all inclusive, with trophies for many categories including cruisers, sports bikes, naked café racers, classics, sidecar, chopper/bobber, trail/motard, adventure, scooters and kids’ bikes of all kinds. And these trophies are not only sponsored by the Lobethal Bierhaus, but they embody that unique local touch with labelling using the Bierhaus’ custom printing equipment.
And yes, you read it correctly, “kids’ bikes of all kinds.” This competition category is available for children to enter any bike they ride. One of the organisers, Daryl House, understands that looking at these wonderful machines from all eras is a great day out for many people, including families, and a dream for many children.
Daryl said, “Kids are the motorcyclists of the future and many ride bikes right now. They get missed in other show and shines, but not this one.”
Children can enter free of charge, with trophies allocated on the day. They can enter a pushbike, scooter, electric scooter or bike, motorbike or even a four-wheeler. Daryl said the kids’ bike section is a deliberately selected secure position, easy to access and safe for children and their bikes, away from the busy traffic areas.
Amberlight Motorcycle Café owner, Joe Knight said that last year, at least one km of the Lobethal Main Street was lined on both sides with an array of motorcycles of all sorts. The event was bigger than imagined with over 3,500 motorcycles visiting the area.
Joe said, “It was such a family event and brought many people to the Hills. They were positive, respectful, and everyone did the right thing. Many motorcyclists also brought their families to show them the places they ride through each weekend.”
There were so many people that the love fanned out to neighbouring towns who also reported an influx of visitors. Joe said, “A positive event like this challenges stereotypes and displays the broader spectrum of everyday people who ride motorcycles. It’s such a diverse culture of all walks of life.”
The idea for the Show & Shine came upon Levis Motorcycle Club member, Daryl House, on a ride just after the Cudlee Creek bushfire. He said the devastation, empty towns, and general feeling inspired him to try to do something to help, something that might bring people back to have fun in the local area and boost local businesses at the same time.
Daryl approached the Levis Motorcycle Club who proceeded to organise the Club’s first Motorcycle Show & Shine event with the Amberlight Motorcycle Café and the Lobethal Bierhaus. Unfortunately, covid hit in 2020 and plans were stalled, but this did not stop the Club, who recognised that the double whammy of covid would generate more devastation for a community already struggling to recover from the bushfires.
The Levis Motorcycle Club run Acusa Park, a motorcycle park in Harrogate. Despite bushfire damage at Acusa Park, the Club raised over $2000 at the 2021 Show & Shine and donated it to the Lobethal Bushfire Recovery Fund.
In 2022, visitors can pay a gold coin donation which once again, will be collected for local community initiatives through the Lobethal Community Association. Motorcycle competitors can enter on the day for $10 (kids’ competition is free) from 11am to register for the show and put their bike on display.
The Show officially starts for the public from 12 noon until 3pm. As an outdoor event, it is not only covid-safe, but you’ll also get a nice Sunday walk up the Main Street of Lobethal, enjoying motorcycles, a great atmosphere and lunch at local venues, including the Lobethal Bierhaus and Amberlight Motorcycle Café. For more information, please visit the Facebook pages of the Levis Motorcycle Club, the Amberlight Motorcycle Café, and the Lobethal Bierhaus (also on Instagram).
