Over 30,000 bikers come together to celebrate Dave Day 2 with thousands raised for good causes

Tens of thousands of bikers came together over the weekend to take part in the second annual Dave Day – a gathering that celebrates the life and legacy of the late Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers, with money raised along the way for good causes.

• Related: Recap of the action at the original Dave Day celebration

In 2024, Dave lost his battle with cancer aged just 66, two years after revealing his diagnosis to the world. His passing inspired the inaugural Dave Day – which saw 46,136 bikes join the ride from across the UK and beyond.

Last year’s festivities also raised £127,000 for the NSPCC and the Institute of Cancer Research, with NSPCC Childline and CancerCare selected to benefit from this year’s efforts.

Following eight months of planning, this year’s event saw an estimated 30,000 riders from around the globe take to two wheels, heading into Dave’s hometown of Barrow-in-Furness for a weekend of festivities and community remembrance – although the official count is yet to be announced. Many thousands more came out in support of the riders.

Kicking off from London’s Ace Café on the morning of June 21, the cavalcade was led by Dave’s best mate and fellow Hairy Biker, Si King. He was joined by Dave’s widow – and budding biker herself – Liliana Myers, who took went pillion behind him.

Following the pair up the country was a colossal stream of motorcycles stretching for miles.

The procession, already thousands strong at its beginning, covered just shy of 300 miles after leaving London, with almost every bridge over the route packed with supporters who waved flags, held signs, and donned bright Hawaiian shirts as a tribute to the TV star.

• Related: Last bike ridden by late Hairy Bikers star heads to auction

After funnelling into the Cumbrian coastal town, attendees were greeted by streets lined with onlookers – despite the wet weather, plus a host of activities laid out for the weekend ahead.

“It’s a fraternity of kindness and friendship,” Si told MCN. “A bunch of lovely, like-minded people coming together to celebrate Lil’s husband and my best mate.”

“[Dave] was a Barrovian first and foremost. To have Barrow this committed to celebrating one of their sons is a lovely thing.

“We’ve got all sorts of people from all different walks of life, and all kinds of different bikes – from custom choppers to bikes straight out of the showroom. There’s no agenda. It’s just real, and it’s honest,” he added.

“There’s something magical about sharing that space on a bike, seeing all those people on the bridges along the motorway – the joy, the smiles, the waves, the banners – it was just magical,” Liliana added.

The weekend’s schedule included family entertainment, a food and drink festival, a motorcycle stunt show, a dedicated Dave Myers exhibition at the Dock Museum, and a charity football match at Barrow AFC – with North West Community Stars FC facing off against a team of bikers.

Saturday night’s concert was headlined by Hells Bells – a long-running AC/DC tribute act – and included performances from local bands and Thin Lizzy tribute act Renegade.

The festival also played host to a charity auction, during which a one-off Royal Enfield Shotgun 650, customised with artwork inspired by Dave, fetched £11,520. Meanwhile, an ongoing JustGiving campaign, launched by organiser Jason ‘Woody’ Woodcock, had reached over £14,000 at the time of writing.

Among Saturday’s crowd were biking personalities Henry Cole and Allen Millyard. Cole, who rode with Millyard and Guy Willison as far as the National Motorcycle Museum, said: “It just shows how incredible motorcycles are when it comes to fundraising.

“Is there any other tribe of people who come together in this amount every year to celebrate Dave and do stuff for charity? I am really proud to be a part of it.”

Now in its second year, Dave Day has grown into one of the biggest events on the UK biking calendar.

“This event just highlights the strength of the biking community,” Liliana said. “Let’s not forget this is also about remembering Dave’s health journey. I’ve spoken to so many people today who have found this to be such a positive place to express their own grief and loss.”

Si added: “Cancer touches all of us. There’s not one family that I know of that cancer hasn’t impacted.

“That’s what this is about. We’ve all been through it. When you’re as relatable as Dave was, then there’s some comfort for everyone here who’s going through that.”

Despite the positivity, organisers are keen to stress the importance of people signing up in advance. Just 4300 people attending had officially registered and paid the £10 entry donation.

“We need your help,” said Si. “It’s a tenner. We’re not asking it for us – it doesn’t go into anyone’s pockets other than the charities.” Click here to donate today.

The Hairy who?

The Hairy Bikers were a household name long before the launch of Dave Day – with Dave Myers and his long-time friend Si King fronting more than 30 BBC cooking and travel shows over almost two decades.

Combining a shared passion for food and motorcycles, the pair became one of the most recognisable presenting duos in British television.

Their debut show, The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook, aired in 2006, with further titles including Meals on Wheels, Best of British, and The Hairy Dieters – the latter helping the duo document their weight loss journey.

Far from being born for the big time, however, both came from everyday beginnings. Myers, who originally trained as a prosthetics make-up artist, and King, a former locations manager, first met behind the scenes on a TV drama in 1995. A shared interest in cooking and motorcycles led to their first show together – and the rest is history.

“Both Dave and Si have come from humble origins,” said Liliana Myers. “[They] became part of people’s living rooms, part of their families.

“Dave always said to me – what are the chances that a lad like me from Barrow would have the chance to do what I do? It’s less than winning the lottery.”

“We’re not extraordinary people,” said Si. “It’s just being in the right place at the right time, recognising the opportunity, and grafting it – which is what working people do day in, day out.

“We just kind of blew a big hole through the glass ceiling. Normal working people don’t normally get the kind of opportunity we did.

“We never thought that hard about it – we just did it. We happened to like riding motorcycles, drinking beer, and eating. If people liked it then great, if not, then we’d get the sack – simple as that.”