Stevenage Old Town was buzzing with the sound of motorcycle engines at the weekend as bikers from across the area descended on the Bike Stop motorcycle equipment store for its first major event of the year.

The Comet: The Spidi Tour poster shows Stevenage right up there with major European cities. Picture: Martin Brown.The Spidi Tour poster shows Stevenage right up there with major European cities. Picture: Martin Brown. (Image: Archant)

The banner for the Spidi Tour Open Weekend event – partly held to promote equipment made by the Italian manufacturers – showed Stevenage alongside such vaunted destinations as Paris and Venice as a location for the promotional tour, something Bike Stop owner Martin Brown said he never thought he would see.

The weekend included a rideout for bikers led by the Institute of Advanced motoring and TV presenter James Haydon.

There were demonstrations of Honda machines, helmet checks and wrapping, talks and demonstrations and a prize draw with the chance to win £1,000 worth of kit.

Bike Stop has been in the Old Town for some 37 years but has been owned by Martin and his family for six. It is now expanding with a popular cafe, a large stock, and a series of events throughout the year.

It also acts as a checkpoint for national rally riders.

Find out what’s going on by searching for Bike Stop on Facebook.