Dave Myers' bike to be ridden in his memory

Two men are in front of a sandy beach. Si King has long grey hair and grey facial hair and is leaning with his arms on the handlebars of a motorbike. Dave Myers has brown and grey hair blowing in the wind and is sitting on the bike, holding a helmet. Parked behind them is another motorbike.Image source, PA Media
Image caption,

The BSA Goldstar is the last one that Dave Myers (right) rode while filming the BBC's Hairy Bikers Go West with Si King

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The new owner of the last motorbike ridden by the late Dave Myers has said he cannot wait to get out on the road with it.

Si Harrison, who was a friend of both Hairy Bikers, bought the BSA Goldstar for £16,000 at a charity auction.

He said Myers would be "so chuffed" that it had been bought by him.

Mr Harrison said he was looking forward to riding it in memory of his "dear friend" on the second Dave Day event in Barrow, Cumbria, in June.

Myers died in February 2024 aged 66, two years after he revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer.

His bike, which featured in the BBC's Hairy Bikers Go West, went under the hammer at the National Motorcycle Museum near Solihull, West Midlands, on Wednesday.

The money raised will go to children's charity the NSPCC and the Institute of Cancer Research.

Si Harrison is sitting in a bedroom. The black headboard is visible on his left and there is a brown wooden wardrobe behind him to his right. He has curly grey hair and grey facial hair and wears glasses.
Image caption,

Si Harrison said Dave Myers would have wanted the bike to be ridden

Mr Harrison, a keen biker, was unable to ride for three years following an accident and had to attend last year's Dave Day event in a car, but is now ready to get back on the road.

The accident also left him unable to play the guitar - at one time he performed in a band at festivals alongside the Hairy Bikers.

"I had a fantastic time, but all of that is gone," he said.

"I'm registered disabled now, but can still get on a bike, so getting this one just means so, so much to me."

He added: "The first bike I ever reconditioned was an old BSA in Si King's mam's garage when I was in my 20s, so I've got a lot of attachment to the make."

His late friend would have wanted the bike to be ridden, he said.

"He wouldn't have wanted it just sitting there looking pretty, it needs to be out and about.

"So every time I sit on it I'll think of Dave."

The first Dave Day event saw the biking community raise £127,000 for charity, with more than 20,000 bikers riding from London to Myers' hometown of Barrow.

Dave Day 2 will be held over the weekend of 21 and 22 June.

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