Norwich: Dave Barkshire Motorcycles celebrates 40 years

It's been a busy career - spanning almost five decades - for Dave Barkshire.

He opened Dave Barkshire Motorcycles on March 31, 1983 after nine years working in various yards around Norwich and "never looked back".

"When you enjoy what you do, you never work a day in your life," said Dave.

Dave Barkshire at his St Augustines Street shop just before moving to Rackheath (Image: Bill Smith)

"What a life, what an adventure. I've enjoyed the journey and still am.

"It just doesn't feel like work. It's in my blood and what I've done all my life."

Dave Barkshire Motorcycles' first workshop was in Lenwade, before moving to Bowthorpe Industrial Estate and opening a small shop in Oak Street.

Dave Barkshire with son Aaron at Dave Barkshire Motorcycles, which celebrated its 40th anniversary on March 31, 2023 (Image: Denise Bradley)

The business then moved once more to St Augustines Street before moving to its current Rackheath home.

Dave recalls one of the stand-out days of his career being when an explosion ripped through Rackheath Industrial Estate in January 2011.

Dave Barkshire outside his motorcycle centre in St Augustines Street, just before he moved to Rackheath (Image: Bill Smith)

READ MORE: Insurance battles start for Rackheath companies after blast

Their all-new site was less than 100m from the blast.

"We were lucky that the explosion happened in the evening," he explained. 

"We were just open by a week or so when it happened. If it had been a week earlier we wouldn't be here today. 

Dave Barkshire Motorcycles is some 100m away from where an explosion ripped through Rackheath Industrial Estate in 2011 (Image: Antony Kelly)

"The explosion was huge. The shockwave ripped straight through the building, and the suction back destroyed all the internals. We were tremendously smashed up.

"We were lucky to come out relatively unscathed. We rose like a phoenix from the ashes and it was a case of 'here we go again'."

The 64-year-old, who last week became a great-grandfather, said he has no intention of slowing down and said: "I'll die in my chair".

Dave Barkshire with two of his five children. Dave is now a great-grandfather (Image: Paul Hewitt)

READ MORE: Dave Barkshire Motorcycle Centre celebrates 35th anniversary with charity day

"We're a family business," he added. "But it's about handing over the mantle to the family when you feel it's controllable.

"Although we're busy it's difficult times at the moment. This is very much a leisure industry now.

"I've worked with and met some wonderful people - that's the best part of it, the customers themselves.

Dave Barkshire outside the house where he was brought up, pictured in 2008 (Image: Paul Hewitt)

"We've seen generations of families being in the business for 40 years."

Dave will celebrate the anniversary with a party on July 15.