Hundreds of Harley Davidson riders from across Europe descend on tiny village

  • ITV News Anglia's Sarah Cooper met some of the Harley owners who have come from far and wide

Around 800 Harley-Davidson riders have descended on a small village - a crowd bigger than the village's population.

They have come from all corners of the UK, and even the Netherlands and France, for the Harley-Davidson Riders Club's annual international rally in Naseby, Northamptonshire.

Many will be camping out there throughout the weekend.

One of the organisers, John Hillyer, said: “We travel round weekend after weekend and this weekend we’re all coming together for our international.

"We’ve got brothers coming from Denmark, Holland and Belgium.

"They’re all coming across to have a good time, to experience the joys of Harley-Davidson ownership and to have a few beers and a chat.

"The bikes themselves speak for themselves - we’re all individuals, but we all look the same.”

Mark Gelsthorp, from Southend in Essex, on his orange Harley Davidson motorbike. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Mark Gelsthorp, from Southend in Essex, is used to turning heads on his bespoke orange bike.

He said: “It’s orange, it’s a lot of fun. I built it about 13 or 14 years ago, I still put it on racetracks, so it’s no ornament, it does go and it’s just a lot of fun.

"It tends to make people smile - I’ve never met anyone yet that it doesn’t make smile - what can I say?”

Harley David Riders Club rally in Naseby, Northamptonshire Credit: ITV News Anglia

Mieke Brinck has travelled 1,500 miles from the Netherlands.

She said: “We like to go to Harley Davidson meetings, parties, always good bants and riding and we have a few friends here.”

Jayne Pearson, 62, a member of the Harley-Davidson Riders Club since 1997, said: "They're not friends, they're family - everybody mucks in together.

"We all do the same things, we all like the same things, we all meet up regularly - it's better than family, because you pick them."

Fellow member Greg Hall added: "They're the best bikes to ride, as far as I'm concerned.

"We say, if you have to explain, you won't understand... it's just Harley Davidson - it's just the feel, the noise and they eat the road."

The festival will run until Sunday, with live music, food stalls and a range of Harley Davison models for enthusiasts to admire.

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