It also featured some of the biggest, meanest motorbikes in Australia including a sand dragger and the legendary "280+", and the good news is that the Bermagui CRABs are hoping to make it annual event.

❏ Click here to check out a gallery of all the bikes at the bike show

CRABs president Peter Cox said the town was still buzzing on Monday after 1000 people streamed in to see the bikes, all 150 of them gleaming in the sunshine ready to be judged in different categories.

Hundreds more bikes were parked on the main street with some commenting the bikes outside the compound were just as good as the ones inside.

The bikes came from near and far in a myriad of styles, makes and colours – from military police to turbo-boosted moderns, classic vintage, plenty of Harleys and one show-stopping “sand-dragger” that roared in mid-morning.

There was musical entertainment, face painting and jumping castles for the kids, who were admitted free, but many were equally fascinated by the machines.

More than $14,500 was raised on the day.

“It was absolutely unbelievable – I think everybody is still a bit stunned,” Mr Cox said.

“We’ve certainly set the benchmark pretty high for next year.”

“So many people were involved in organising and running the day that it is impossible to thank everyone. However, all of us at CRABs wish to thank everyone who assisted, attended or in any other way made the day such an outstanding success.”

Cancer Council NSW community relations coordinator Mia Roberts said it was fantastic to see the community come together and bring the focus onto cancer research.

“The CRABs are one of our biggest fundraisers, and an event like this shows that you can put the focus on cancer without doom and gloom. It is an absolutely phenomenal effort.”

Bermagui CRABs have raised more than $50,000 in the past three years, and made a $10,000 donation to the Bega Valley Can Assist group on Sunday from proceeds of its hugely successful raffle of tinny, won by young Akolele local James Drakos.

The group will present a further $10,000 to the NSW Cancer Council at the Relay for Life event in Pambula on Saturday.

For more information about the relay or to organise your own fundraising activity, visit cancercouncil.com.au or call the Bega Cancer Community Centre 6492 1805.

Meanest bikes in the land at the bike show

The Bermagui Bike Show might have been a fundraiser for cancer research but it also featured some of the biggest, meanest motorbikes in Australia.

And perhaps the meanest has a surprising Narooma connection.

Known as a “sand dragger”, the massive bike features 600-horsepower, 5.7-litre Chevy engine, boosted up to 700hp with a boost of nitrous.

The massive 16-inch rear paddle tyre is designed to power through the sand drag strip that this awesome machine races on.

The bike exceeds 100 miles per hour over the 120-metre sand or dirt track.

The rider or driver of the bike known only as “Stork” was off in the pub, but crew chief of Mongrel Sand Drags just happens to be Narooma tradesman Steve Henness of Montague Tiles and was available to answer questions.

Steve and the boys travel around Australia competing in unlimited class in the various events and they hope to get the first NSW event happening at Goulburn’s Wakefield Park soon.

Their next competition is on May 19 at the “Bad Penny” event at Penola, South Australia.

While the Mongrel sand dragger is no doubt impressive, the other nationally famous bike was the machine known simply as the “280+” – which denotes its horsepower.

The raw, ugly bike was a complete contrast to the pretty customs and classics that surrounded it, but still it was the one that the hard core bikers wanted their pictures with.

Built by Peter Pulford, who owns the legendary bike building shop of the same name in Canberra, the 280 is apparently well known around Australia.

Peter reckons the bike is the most powerful street registered bike in Australia and it makes regular performances at Summernats, taking seconds to burst the rear tyre during the burn-outs.

“It wins everything and nothing gets within 100hp of it,” he said.

It is not a bike to mess with though as the one time he attempted to take down the quarter mile drag strip, it threw him off and ended up crossing the line itself on its side still clocking 8.60 seconds and 270km/h.

He also brought along three awesome looking chopper-style Harley Davidson bikes, two of which were modelled on the bikes in the movie Easy Rider, including Peter Fonda’s Captain America and Dennis Hopper’s Billy Bike.

But it was not all mean bikes, as there were plenty of classic “Jap” and “Brit” bikes and Harleys young and old loved by their owners, who brought them along to show off.

Your Say….

The Narooma News asked bikers at the CRAB’s Bermagui Bike Show why they attended and what they enjoyed about the inaugural event.

“I love bikes and it is for cancer research, which is a good cause. It is just a good day out.”

Lyle Lewis, Narooma

Kawasaki Ninja 2X-10RR, Yamaha Y2F

“It is good, I have enjoyed it. I came along to support the CRABS as I have a few mates in the club, including one with cancer, and I want to support him.”

Gavin Martin, Bega

Harley Davidson FXD Low-rider

“I am enjoying it. I have a house here and visit regularly and have gotten to know the CRABs members so I wanted to come down for the show and brought 12 mates down.”

Domo Bason, Canberra

Harley Davidson Bobber Springer

“We had to come down the Mount Darragh Road, which was not too bad and we could dodge the potholes on the bike. We do all the bike shows.”

Willy and Kathy Summerell, Cooma

1981 Suzuki

“I am a motorbike enthusiast and like to have a look around and they’ve got and what’s been restored. It is very interesting.”

John Cuzner, Bega

1972 Honda 500 Four

Our Say…

THE Cancer Research Advocate Bikers (CRABs) bike show at Bermagui was a big hit and exceeded the expectations of all involved.

Regardless of it being a great cause that people are always willing to support, just look at the bikers’ successful tinny raffle, I guess it proves there is a great following for any kind of car or bike show.

Some of our winding roads are recognised as top biking roads in the country and as is the case with all wheeled and travel endeavours, the journey is just as important as the destination.

I did notice the Bega highway patrol squad car working the Bermagui Tathra Road on Saturday afternoon looking for any speeding bikers but I did not hear of any fines handed out and thankfully everyone seems to have gotten home safely.

The timing is good too as it falls in a typically slow weekend in the lead up to the busier time of Easter.

I reckon next year it could be even bigger but I would not change the venue as the spectacular backdrop of Horseshoe Bay and Gulaga Mountain just added something extra…

Make sure to catch up on the next spectacular event – the Four Winds Festival feature in today’s News with a highlight for me as always being the free Friday concert, which this year has the theme of “fish” – so it’s got to be good – right?