More than thunder from engines

Grim weather was part of this year's FIM Rally in Vorden in The Netherlands, but that didn't take the smile off the participants' faces.

The 70th edition of the main classic Touring event under FIM - The FIM Rally - was again blessed with weather to be told about in various clubhouses in the motorcycling world in future dark winter evenings. Hurricanes, heavy rain, thunder and lightning together with warm sun and blue skies all were present at some time during the event. Fortunately, on the final day, the sun came out for the Parade of Nations ride.

The more than 1000 participants from 27 nations met in the Dutch city of Vorden, which is the homeplace for the host motorcycle club “Grafshaftrijders”. This club has participated in many FIM rallies and organized an earlier Motocamp.

According to the participants' rating from the questionnaire collected after the event, they did a good job despite the weather.

The Rally site was close to the city castle, after which the club was named. Vorden and the neighbouring city of Zutphen gave the many riders a warm welcome.

The Swiss team unfortunately were close to the church of Vorden, when heavy thunder rolled, and lightning struck the church tower. Luckily the Dutch buildings are fit to withstand Mother Nature and the team and others had mostly to endure cold rain.

The same conditions hit the official tour to Rotterdam, but again the participants showed, that true touring motorcycle riders take life as it comes, and the party in the afternoon showed high spirit and good humour.

All in all, the FIM Rally 2015 proved, that the saying “Motorcyclists organising for motorcyclists” has a great deal of truth in it.

Challenge FIM was awarded to Sweden, and complete Rally results can be checked HERE

Next year, the FIM rally will be organized in the Slovak Republic in Liptov County, surrounded by High Tatras. This will be 80 years since the first FIM Rally which took place in Berlin in 1936.