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YetiHunter

Member
My wife and I will be in London next month for a couple of weeks and I'm wondering if there is anything in particular that a dedicated Triumph fan should see or look into while I'm there.

We don't have much in the way of a Triumph dealership here, so I thought it might be worth looking around when I'm in England. Or maybe anything really cool that is just generally motorcycle related?
 
What ever you do DON'T miss the Ace Cafe, you'll kick yourself if you don't go. I've been there many times and it's brilliant, as is the food. Try to go on a themed day if you can, all the information about these themed days can be found on the Ace Cafe website. You may already have the link to the website but just in case you don't here it is http://www.ace-cafe-london.com/default.aspx, another place that you should consider is The London Motorcycle Museum it's 4 miles from the Ace Cafe and again is worth a visit, here is the link for more information http://www.motorcycle-uk.com/lmm/beginning.html. Another one to consider is the 59 Club this is aproimatley 17 miles from the Ace Cafe, here is the 59 Club website http://www.the59club.org.uk/ The following link is to the location and opening times of the 59 Club http://www.the59club.org.uk/address.html. Another place that you might like to visit is Ace Classics http://www.aceclassics.co.uk/ about 18 miles from the Ace Cafe.
A dealer that might interest you is Jack Lilley website coming up http://www.jacklilley.com/ I've never been there but the range of goodies that they have in stock is by all accounts massive. When are you going to be in London and what date will you be departing ?, the reason I ask this is because if I find out about any more events that I think that you might like to see I can post them here for you before you go. One thing, and this might surprise you, don't forget your brolly :y23: and with all this rain we're having at the moment, you also might want to consider a rubber dingy as well.
I don't live in London but if I can help you out in any way feel free to ask. If I don't know I'll say so, the last thing that you'll need is duff information from me.
One last thing if you go to my home page and look up the albums section, you'll find lots of pictures of the Ace Cafe and the Brighton Burn up, this I'm sure will wet your appetite.
Also there are 2 great books that you might want to take back home to Canada with you, one is The Ace Times ( This is a hard back book and in my opinion is one of the best books I have ever read, make room in your suitcase for this one ) and the other is a bookazine called Celebrating Ace Cafe Culture- London 75th Anniversary here is the website for more information http://www.mortonsbooks.co.uk/acecafe.htm Both should be available to buy at the Cafe.
Hope that this helps you out
 
That's great info Mad....thanks for taking the time to post. I'm going to be in London from the 20th to the 30th of March, so hopefully all the rain and flooding that is going on will be done with by then. (A guy can hope....right?)

There is a bike nite at the Ace on the 24th, so my plan is to visit then if we can. Also really want to see the Motorcycle Museum and visit the Jack Lilley dealership. That is probably the limit of what my wife will stand that isn't on her list of "culture". If I can get to those 3, I'll be a happy guy.

I will definitely make room in my suitcase for a book or two and maybe a sweatshirt from the Ace.
 
In addition to the excellent advice given above.....

If this were MY first visit to London, I would also do the tourist thing. The bus tours are actually quite good and you get to see all the highlights (Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Carnaby Street, Parliament & Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, Trafalgar, #10 Downing Street, Buckingham Palace, etc.....). I would also recommend the boat tour on the Thames.

A place I fancy eating at is Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese which off of Fleet St. (kind of in an alleyway).
 
If as Seeker rightly says if it's your 1st trip to London, you should try to do the sights, below is a link to a marathon day trip the wife and I did last year. We had perfect weather and it was an all day event ( 10 AM till 20.00 ). We were knackered at the end of it, but you just have to get on and see these things. We walked everywhere, as we felt that by going by underground we'd miss such a lot, but you might have time constraints that won't allow you to walk this route. If you decide to go up the London eye, it is well worth the wait to get to the top. If it's nice weather ( And I hope it is ) this really is a must to be on your to do list.
If the link below doesn't work go to Road trips and ride outs on this forum and go half way down the page till you see Day trip to London, click on that link on the 1st page and that will work OK

http://sdrv.ms/1dHeivl
 
Thanks for the help Seeker and Mad. My wife purchased passes for a week that include public transport, a Thames cruise and a whole list of tourist venues, museums, etc. She will no doubt have a schedule ensure we see all the major sites and a day by day plan, so I am sure the ones you mentioned will be done. I am or course looking forward to my first visit to London, I have heard such great things about the city.
We also have friends who live in Cornwall who are coming up to spend a couple of days with us, so hopefully, they will know their way around a bit.

However, I was more concerned about any "extra" stops that I would enjoy as a Triumph owner motorcycle enthusiast and that wouldn't be on her list or included in the passes. It seemed like there should be some places of interest to me - as there certainly are. I wanted to make sure they get included in "the schedule" in advance.
 
Well you have enough ammunition now, for God sake don't forget the Rose's this Valentine's Day or your good lady may make you suffer in London, with none of your to do list trips being achieved. This should do the trick for your good lady :y58: :y2:
Have a fantastic time and don't forget to post your photo's of your trip on the forum for all to see.
 
I'm way ahead of you Mad....already bought her earrings and made reservations for a fancy supper at her favorite restaurant. With all the nonsense she puts up with from me, including toys in the garage and the bike and fishing trips I take, she never so much as raises her eyebrows at me.

I think I'll keep her...and try to keep her happy.
 
If the British Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham is open, it's well worth the side trip. I was there in '96, before it burned, and really had a great time. Also, Beaulieu and Sammy Millers' museums are worth the time. But, if your wife isn't interested..............well, what can I say? Mine didn't come on the trip......................I was free to spend my time as I liked.
 
I actually saw the site for Madame Tussauds when I was wondering around tourist attractions online. I think it looks really cool, not sure my wife will agree.

Here is a list I found of what are supposed to be the top attractions in London. I have no idea if it is accurate, but they all sound familiar.


Thames River Cruise
Tower of London
Wesminster Abbey
London Bridge
Windsor Castle
Kensington Palace
Shakespeare Theatre
Tower Bridge
Hampton Court Palace
Churchill War Rooms

Add to that the ones the Seeker suggested - Tower Bridge, Carnaby Street, Parliament & Big Ben, St Paul's Cathedral, Trafalgar, #10 Downing Street (and I hear the Queens Gallery is worth a stop by.)

Plus the Ace, the Motorcycle Museum and Triumph dealership.....I think that's a fair bit of sightseeing for a start.
 
YetiHunter said:
I actually saw the site for Madame Tussauds when I was wondering around tourist attractions online. I think it looks really cool, not sure my wife will agree.

Here is a list I found of what are supposed to be the top attractions in London. I have no idea if it is accurate, but they all sound familiar.


Thames River Cruise
Tower of London
Wesminster Abbey
London Bridge
Windsor Castle
Kensington Palace
Shakespeare Theatre
Tower Bridge
Hampton Court Palace
Churchill War Rooms

Add to that the ones the Seeker suggested - Tower Bridge, Carnaby Street, Parliament & Big Ben, St Paul's Cathedral, Trafalgar, #10 Downing Street (and I hear the Queens Gallery is worth a stop by.)

Plus the Ace, the Motorcycle Museum and Triumph dealership.....I think that's a fair bit of sightseeing for a start.
Click to expand...

That's a good list you have there. Madame Tussauds is very expensive to get into £30 on the door or £22.50 on line. The War rooms are well worth a visit too. It's a shame that you won't have time do do everything, but there's always a next time. London as you more than likely know isn't the cheapest, but where is these days. I was impressed with the day long walk we did last year, and we both enjoyed it a lot.
 

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