Moto Club Indianos organized its sixth edition of the International Meeting of Classic Motorcycles of Colombres. I will try to summarize the amazing seven days we spent there.
If you have never experienced a continental event this is a great introductory event for you to try. The rally has route sheets but also has directional arrows to back up the route sheets if required. There is also a breakdown service for added piece of mind in a European Country.
History of Moto Club Indianos
In 2011, a group of Classic Motorcycle enthusiasts decided to rekindle the International Concentration of Classic Motorcycles in Colombres, an event which was in the Classic Motorcycle Calendar in Spain for many years. The former organizer of the Event decided to move the event to the city of Santander. The members of the event who lived in Colombres wanted to see the bikes back again. So they organised a small committee and they founded the Moto Club Indianos based in the Restaurant La Parra, La Franca (Asturias) with Amable Dobarganes as Chairman.
The Moto Indianos Club Committee consists of 6 members, who all work and who in their spare time arrange and organise the event and are extremely passionate about keeping the rally successful every year. Motorcyclists visit Colombres from many Countries around the Globe and they keep the Celtic Spirit in this part of Asturias passionate and welcoming to all who all have a common two wheel bond. It is held in a spectacular location with amazing scenery and organisation. “The routes every day travel through some of the most beautiful places in Spain, through the mountains of the Picos de Europa beside the waters of the Cantabrian Sea, miles of roads crossing valleys, beaches and ports, which represent "paradise" for our classic bikes. “Colombres is genuine, unique, unrepeatable.”.
The Rally of Colombres is open to motorcycles manufactured before 1988 with daily runs between 120 and 150 miles. The team have a lunch stop which serves traditional Spanish food, ham off the bones, blue cheese from the region, cooked meats including Chicken, Pork, Chorizo, Spanish Sausage, Spanish Tortilla and fresh baguettes to fill with whatever food is appealing to you.
They aim for your rally to be trouble free and so provide a breakdown vehicle, tools and even a garage at the Parra Hotel for you to complete repairs in the evening. Their goal is that you do not worry about anything but enjoying your motorcycle experience.
Since 2011 it has grown into an International event with the Hill Climb and Motorcross events at the weekend now making it now recognised in every International Calendar throughout Europe. Year after year they try to improve the rally so the Colombres Classic Motorcycle event is recognised in the place it deserves.
On Thursday it was a Spanish Bank Holiday and there were many new Spanish riders from all over Spain - probably about 250 riders in total on the Thursday and Friday routes.
Riders can choose to do several options for the rally. The Northern Spain Rally which next year will be 7 days. A 4 or 7 Day Colombres Rally.
Por supuesto hoy también rodamos, pero a la vuelta comeremos en la plaza para estar listos cuando comience la Subida en cuesta Bustio-Colombres 12+1, que este año ha tenido que cortar inscripciones debido a la gran afluencia de pilotos. El evento ha contado con lo más granado del mundo de las clásicas de velocidad, con el actual campeón de España de 2t así como el campeón en La Bañeza 2017 en 4t y varios campeones de anteriores ediciones. En la categoría de exhibición contamos con la presencia del campeón en gran cilindrada en La Bañeza y con el veterano piloto César Gracia campeón de España de 125 c.c. en 1959 que deleitó al público con unas pasadas en su preciosa Lube de competición.
On Saturday the Town Square in Colombres is alive with bikes from all surrounding areas coming to see the Classic Bikes on display in the Square. This coupled with a Hill Climb from the town of Bustio at the bottom of the hill makes things are a little manic.
These bikes and their riders are amazing to watch and the square becomes a real mecca of activity.
Also in the Leisure centre, there is a genuine Spanish Autojumble and all the men disappear for a few hours to look through the various stalls to find the bargains of the day. It is worth mentioning that giant dishes are being cooked in the square of paella and fabada for participants to tuck into. Also, Thursday night at the Leisure Centre a celebration buffet and drinks night for socialisation takes place. (More free red wine! Such hardship)
Mientras tanto en la plaza de Colombres se celebra la carrera de corre pasillos para los futuros campeones, que siempre emociona y divierte a partes iguales a cuantos asisten a tan peculiar prueba.
On Saturday and Sunday, there are shorter 70-mile routes to allow you have time to take part in all the celebrations. Sunday sees the start of a Motorcross event and a Children’s Toy Motorcycle Race to find the Spanish Moto GP riders of the future.
La prueba ha crecido muchísimo en los últimos años alcanzando los 86 participantes venidos de 14 provincias distintas y que desplegaron un gran abanico de modelos pertenecientes a nueve marcas diferentes. Cuatro categorías que tuvieron al público ocupado casi todo el día con entrenamientos en la mañana y carreras toda la tarde.
Most of the hotels have staff that speak a little English and the hospitality is overwhelming.
If you want to try something a little different next year give this rally a try. They are really passionate about their motorcycles and they are keen to share a little bit of this part of Spain which has a real Celtic feel with you. Don’t forget that the Isle of Man is also featured in the Celtic Flag and they really enjoy their motorcycling as much as the people in the IOM, on roads that have fantastic hairpin bends and flowing roads, but it should also be noted that cows with big horns take priority and have right of way!
To conclude if you love motorcycling, this part of Spain is defiantly worth a visit. The welcome you get when you arrive at Colombres won’t disappoint you. They are desperate for you to have a good time and enjoy their Country. You will see a different Spain with dramatic scenery and you will have a truly memorable experience. The Inscriptions or Application forms come out in January. See you in 2018.
