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Big turn-out for ‘ Dublin Show ’
Paul Milbourn scooped the International Best in Show prize with Moto Guzzi “ Titanium ”
Record crowds filled the halls of the Royal Dublin Society facility at the beginning of March ( 3 – 5 ) as the 2017 edition of the biennial Carole Nash Insurance sponsored Irish Motorbike and Scooter Show pointed to continued revival in the small but passionate and creative motorcycle market in Ireland . That creativity was apparent again in the standard and number of custom bikes entered in to the AMD World Championship affiliated Ireland International Custom Show . With two winners ( best Irish and best International Guest builders ) winning expenses to represent the show at the 2018 AMD World Championship , a strong field would have been hoping to replicate the success of Mick O ’ Shea and Don Cronin who , after winning the ‘ Dublin ’ Show went on to scoop the AMD World Championship In 2013 with the much admired ‘ Rondine ’ – an exquisitely customized 1971 Moto Guzzi . Last year they again spearheaded an Irish invasion at ‘ INTERMOT Customized ’ that saw Mick and Don take home the Street Performance class win with ‘ Road Fever ’, a 1987 Ducati 750 , and saw Noel Connolly add to the Irish trophy cabinet with an 11th place in the Freestyle Class for the remarkable ‘ Strom ’ – the first ever E-Bike to compete at ‘ The AMD ’. This year Cronin ( Medaza Cycle ) struck again taking the Irish Championship win , with his customized BMW1000RS ; followed by Noel Connolly second with a Harley “ Saltster 883 ” – a Bonneville interpretation of the venerable Sportster with which he also took Best Custom , and Harry Harrison , a new young builder emerging onto the scene in Ireland , was third with a Suzuki GSXR 750 Café Racer interpretation with which he also took the Best Engineering award . The ‘ International Best in Show ’ prize went to Brit Paul Milbourn for his Moto Guzzi “ Titanium ”; his fellow Brit Larry Houghton ( another man with an AMD World Championship “ rap sheet ” as long as your arm ) was second with a re-envisioning of “ Café Rouge ”, his Sturgis 2008 AMD World Championship Freestyle entry ; Ian Cushing of Second City Customs made it a clean sweep of international podium spots for UK builders in third place ( plus the Best Mod Harley class win ) with his FXR . The event was generously supported by Deltran of Florida , the ‘ Battery Tender ’ manufacturer , who provided product contingency prizes for the top three Irish and International builders , and by Zodiac International and their Irish agent Bridge Garage who stepped up with a cash prize
Don Cronin won the Irish Championship with his customized BMW1000RS
fund of € 7,300 ( nearly $ 8,000 ) of cash prizes . All ‘ AMD ’ entrants also received a ‘ Goodie Bag ’ from Ace Café London . Our thanks also go to UK builder and current Las Vegas winner Pete Pearson of Rocket Bobs , Blue Miller of 100 Percent Biker magazine in the UK , Paul Timpson of Zodiac International and AMD ’ s ‘ ShowMaster ’ Neil Blaber for judging and prize giving duties .
www . irishmotorbikeshow . com www . AMDchampionship . com AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - APRIL 2017 31