Pembrokeshire pickers
2012 WAS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE OF Pembrokeshire Classics. When a friend informed me of its existence I was keen to investigate, as motorcycle shops in this area are scarce. When I checked the address, I realised I’d been down that rural back road before but had never noticed a bike shop... the shed was so innocuous that even when I went looking for it, I rode straight past. It was only on my second pass that I noticed the purple sign – the only clue to the treasures within.
My jaw dropped when I first peeked through the gap in the enormous sliding door. Inside this humble-looking shed in the middle of nowhere was sea of classic motorcycles, tightly crammed together, wall to wall. The floor was oily, there wasn’t much space to move, memorabilia covered every square inch of walls, and large model planes hung from the ceilings. It was like entering a museum; there was no entry fee but every bike had a little white tag offering a tantalising price to own a piece of history. I’d have to run a gauntlet of temptation if this visit was to be truly cost-free.
In the corner, a young mechanic in his oily vintage overalls spannered away at Vincent Black Shadow on the workbench, surrounded by piles of spare parts and ancient tools accumulated from years in the trade. Every now and then the bike was fired
