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LOOMIES café on the A32 has become a firm favourite meeting place for bike riders, particularly on Wednes-day evenings.

Which is just as well, considering that many of us had been lamenting the loss of that previous establishment near the West Meon Hut where we used to meet up for icky food and mediocre tea. The good news is that Loomies isn't just a convenient spot to get together, the café also provides good food and plenty of it - which is why the venue has been used for biking events.

Last Wednesday the car park was filled with the usual variety of styles and makes with a few very pretty classic bikes parked up for good measure, out of which a Norton stood out due to being in its home environment - a café.

First I have to mention that the Norton café racer - pictured below, right - is, as they say on those antique programmes, a family piece.

Father and son team Barry and Martin Taylor have spent a lot of time and effort on making this a stand out example the British speciality that used to rule the roads.

A 1960s Norton Dominator frame (Featherbed) has been upgraded with a later 750cc Combat engine from the same manufacturer.

Not content with increasing engine capacity and performance through a heart transplant, the engine now boasts upgrades of a higher compression, primary belt drive and lots of other tasty bits. You'll also notice father on his very pretty and purple Norton single, pictured at the bottom of the page - there's obviously a love for bikes in that family.

Please don't get the idea that I've been asked to plug Loomies, I haven't.

The simple truth is that I love going out for a ride and enjoy stopping to look at bikes and chatting - being able to eat is always a bonus.

6:18pm Tuesday 10th June 2008

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