2024, and Kent Event Marshals’ calendar has become as full again as before Covid. New types of events have arrived – a couple of mass runs/walks in support of hospices, and helping British Masters Cycle Racing – BMCR as safety marshals on cycle races in Kent, Surrey, Essex and even Derbyshire. But this one was completely new – marshalling a mass ride out of Kawasaki Vulcans for VRA -Vulcan Riders Association, who gathered from all over Europe at the University of Kent at Canterbury as it was the UK’s turn to host this annual international meeting.

On the day, 13 KEM members arrived near the meeting place at the sports centre at the university at 7 a.m. and just for the photo opportunity rode in fully kitted at 7.15 am.

By this time the first of the 200 Vulcans and their riders started arriving at the sports facility car park, many who were staying in the university accommodation or in motorhomes in the car park. We were invited to breakfast with the riders, and were treated to sausages, bacon, scrambled egg, beans, tomatoes, hash browns, and mushrooms in the main tennis hall.

Shortly after testing our communications (radios which Bluetooth to Sena/Cardo) the rest of the Vulcans started to arrive. We helped marshal them into their ride groups (4, all colour coded and wrist banded) and were amazed at the variety of nationalities. Between us we could manage French, German and Italian, but after that it was Google translate! Finnish, Croatian, Polish, Spanish, Swedish were beyond us, but many spoke English.

Final briefing for KEM from our team leader, Mark Sutton, then a joint briefing with the VRA marshals, who would act as tail end charlies – essential to know who were the last riders for us, so they were the only other riders in hi vis. Each of our four teams then distributed cards among the riders with the postcode of their destination, and essential timings. So where do the European elite heavy bike riders go for their fun? Well apart from riding 800km to get here, and flying in from Australia and America and having a party every night at their base in the university halls of residence, they wanted a ride on.

So at 9 AM the first group set off, followed five minutes later by the next, and 25 minutes later the third, and then fourth. Successive groups used a different one of two routes, so as not cause too much disturbance to traffic and residents.

Return journeys used the opposite route for each group
The journeys were pretty uneventful – maybe because Top Gear rules applied – “If you drop out, You get left behind” (well, apart from crash or injury – in that case a KEM member would stay with
the incident to manage it).
Marshalling differed from our usual cycle events in that the convoy speed was higher, but the big bikes seemed to prefer to cruise at 40-45 mph, so even that wasn’t a problem. Marshalling was by warning and guiding, and the radios were essential for advising ahead when traffic was clear at junctions and roundabouts. When the peloton split, we reverted to dropping off to mark junctions. It was interesting to hear a German biker say he would never complain about German roads again after this event! Also interesting to hear that the convoy “rule of 15” applies to motos as well as cycles in Germany (the convoy is regarded as one long vehicle for the purpose of traffic lights and junctions) and that in several countries the rule at busy roundabouts is zip merge rather than give way.

Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railways welcomed the visitors, and two chartered trains took them to Hythe for Fish and Chips and paddling, before returning them at 3 p.m. to pick up their bikes. KEM looked after the bikes which filled the otherwise closed car park. Fortunately, there was a cafe handy and the sun shone!

We returned to the University at 5 PM. Picking up a few lost Vulcans at petrol stations on the way. Two of our committee members put in a lot of work designing the routes and then riding them. Part of the planning process identified that it was New Romney’s Rural Fair day, with widespread road closures. They were able to route us round those, showing how important planning can be. All in all, it was a fun and satisfying day, and from the many remarks we received, our work was much appreciated.
We are always looking for new members. If you would like to join our team or find out a bit more about what we do. (We have both EKAM & KAMG as members) please visit our website www.kenteventmarshals.org.uk or call Mark on 07801 226117