Words: Rich Orriss
Photos: Peter Kuiper
This is a short article on a small but intimate motorcycle event that took place at the end of November in the Netherlands. It is an event run by Stichting Rondom Gees, and it featured a load of fantastic old motorcycles.
As dusk settled over the Drenthe village of Gees and thousands of lights flickered to life, the village transformed into a living Christmas postcard. The village shut the roads to traffic, and so Gees belonged entirely to pedestrians, glowing lanterns, crackling fires and the sound of conversation drifting through the cold evening air.
At the heart of the atmosphere stood Stichting Rondomgees, present both days with its own stand and a clear mission: bringing people together, celebrating heritage, and supporting the foundation’s cultural and community-focused objectives.
With a twelve-strong team of volunteers, Stichting Rondomgees ran a bustling culinary hub serving freshly prepared hamburgers, mulled wine, coffee and tea, and cake. Visitors queued patiently, hands wrapped around steaming cups, while the volunteers worked flat out to keep pace.
The effort paid off. Not only did the stand become a popular meeting point during the cold evenings, but all proceeds directly support the foundation’s activities, helping to preserve local history and organise future events that celebrate craftsmanship, tradition and community life in and around Gees.
One of the weekend’s highlights took place on the Saturday, when Stichting Rondomgees organised its now much-anticipated historic motorcycle tour, reserved for machines built between 1904 and 1935.
This year, 22 remarkable motorcycles lined up for the 40-kilometre route, turning the village square into a lively atmosphere full of clatter and smoke. Riders travelled from across the Netherlands and Germany, underlining the growing international reputation of the event.
Before setting off at 2:00 pm, participants gathered to warm up with a hearty homemade soup prepared by Hilda, a small but much-appreciated tradition.
The route itself wound through the surrounding countryside, offering quiet roads and winter landscapes perfectly suited to these early machines. On return, riders and spectators alike clustered around the foundation’s wood-fired stove, sharing stories, warming cold hands and admiring the motorcycles up close.
The verdict from participants was unanimous: the tour was exceptionally well organised and thoroughly enjoyable, blending camaraderie, scenery and mechanical history in equal measure.
If you are in the process of planning the event calendar for 2026, have a think about Stichting Rondomgees. The next major Rondomgees event is scheduled for 18 April 2026, promising another carefully curated gathering centred around historic vehicles. This event will be for motorcycles built from 1900 to 1920.
Details and registration information will be made available in due course, but keep an eye out on the website: http://www.rondomgees.nl.
an article by The Girder Club
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