We just happened to be in Manchester taking photos anyway, and just happened to be on the Buell too, which added a little variety to the massed ranks of Harleys of most shapes and sizes.

There's a nice symbiotic relationship between Harley-Davidson and the Hard Rock: neither company is known for selling itself short and understand the benefits of promotion, and both have rock solid brand images which dove-tail nicely together – and should continue to do so happily at least until Harley-Davidson export their own eateries more widely, and even then there is nothing wrong with a little healthy competition. This relationship manifests itself with a number of HOG chapters using their local Hard Rock for monthly meetings, as well as arranging joint events like this which bring people together to mutual benefit, and to the benefit of preferred charities: in this case, Muscular Dystrophy.

On this occasion everything centred around the Hard Rock's restaurants in London and Edinburgh for breakfast, with diners from both sites converging on Manchester for late afternoon for an entrance en masse. It took a full half an hour to get the bikes parked up, and to get the owners away from them and into the Café to partake of the Hard Rock hospitality.

The Hard Rock in central Manchester's Printworks building, close to the heart of the rejuvenated city, allocated its upper seating area to the HOG run and soon started bringing out trays of ribs and dispensing a cold beer or two, courtesy of the Miller Brewery. Early festivities, and the announcement of the total of the charity cheque over, a quick ride round the city back to respective hotels was called for, to put on party frocks for a heavier session in the evening.

The Rainy City chapter ferried the out-of-towners in and out of the city, but the most visible group were the Scots contingent in flamboyant mode. The Cross of St Andrew was very much in evidence among the HOG flags, and a high percentage of kilts elicited gasps from the assembled groups of commuters and tourists, and a few winces from those of us who have had occasion to be glad of our leathers when used in anger. It was as much show as anything, and the ride-in had actually been from the hotel to the Hard Rock.

So what was it all about then?

Well, it was 30 years ago that the Hard Rock café opened its doors in London for the first time, and it was deemed to be an appropriate way to celebrate. It was marked by special pin-badges, and the original idea was to give pin badges at each of the three sites involved as a memento, but ultimately all three were given in a presentation case to all those assembled: the three individual badges combining to form a single – and larger – map of mainland UK.

The run itself generated £697 for Muscular Dystrophy which the Hard Rock bumped up to an even thousand quid for good measure so by the time it was all over a good cause had benefited, the folk of Manchester had enjoyed the spectacle of the ranked masses of Harleys, the riders got a good feed, a party and a run out, and the Hard Rock got to celebrate its birthday in grand style.

Not a bad day's work, all round.

Makes a Kinder Surprise's chocolate, toy and a surprise look a little cheap.