You pretty much know what to expect from The Bike Show at the NEC by now – impressive riding displays, plenty of bargains and a respectable selection of shiny things even if some notable big players don’t generally show up. 2004 was no exception, with some tweaking to the format (the test track going outside, the BSX/dirt jump course getting a whole hall to itself) somehow making it all seem a little less frenzied – possibly no bad thing. The organisers are still working on that tricky balancing act of a show that appeals to all sorts of riders without losing focus – the figures’ll show how well they’re doing. It seemed slightly quiet on Friday when we were there, but then Friday’s always a bit quiet and the riding displays suck large crowds into corners of the hall at regular intervals, making it seem like there are fewer people around if you happen to be somewhere else…

Anyway, here are a few highlights: