1 LEOMINSTER CLASSIC MOTOR CYCLE CLUB NEWSLETTER
Transcription
1 LEOMINSTER CLASSIC MOTOR CYCLE CLUB NEWSLETTER
LEOMINSTER CLASSIC MOTOR CYCLE CLUB NEWSLETTER Website: www.leominsterclassicmcc.co.uk Email:[email protected] July 2013 “THE COLOUR SUPPLEMENT” Following appreciative comments about the colour photos in last month’s Bush News, here’s some more of recent club events. The online/email version has had colour photos throughout for some months now, so to benefit from full colour every month please choose to receive your newsletter that way instead of by post. JUNE CLUB NIGHT The excellent weather drew out a lot of members, friends and motorcycles. These two caught your editor’s eye in particular. On the left is a replica of a Benelli 500/4 racer and on the right an unusual Yamaha FZX, a model that I’d never seen before as I think they were never officially imported into the UK. CARDING MILL VALLEY MID-WEEK MEET Another well attended club event, one of the busiest mid-week meets yet, again it was probably the weather that encouraged so many to come and have a chat and a snack at this beautiful National Trust site. Members arrived on a wide variety of motorcycles ranging from David Leppard’s new model BMW F800GT to Eddie & Sheila Whittingham’s faithful old Douglas and Velocette. 1 THE WOLF RUN As most of you know I like my wildlife: kites, ospreys and wolves in particular. So it was with great pleasure that I lead yet more interested members into ‘The Valley of the Wolf’ to visit Wolf Watch UK’s sanctuary again. We were met and given a short talk by Tony, our host, before we were taken on a stroll through his valley. We were told about the badgers, red deer, visited the pond and had our first sight of the wolves. Tony got them howling (and us!) – It still seems strange standing in the English countryside listening to wolves howling! The Valley of the Wolf We then met Kgosi, a 130lb grumpy male, and his sister Madadh, a mere 90lb! While we stood outside their compound, Tony went inside and had some ‘play time’ with them – well he did bring them up from pups! Play time over we then met Callow and had a brief sight of Poppy who is very shy and doesn’t like men. Next we came upon Pepe who was enjoying the sun. He really is a very pretty boy but is a very free spirit so must be respected!! Then it was off to meet Madadh again, hand feed her treats and make a fuss of her. Even after 5 visits it is still a great thrill to have a pure bred 90lb wolf taking food from your hand. Play time! Hello Madadh Is that lead strong enough? After a brew we took our leave of the Valley of the Wolf and headed for the Watering Hole café for tea and scrummy cake. A big thank you for coming and supporting Wolf Watch – I trust you enjoyed your visited. Thank you also to Tony for giving us a great afternoon and to Lynn for without her we would not have known about this Valley of the Wolf. I for one will be returning, so if there are enough of you who fancy another visit let me know and I will try to arrange one in 2014. (Bigfoot). 2 CHAIRMAN’S WITTERING Well what a few weeks, enjoyable Sunday runs, June Club Night was the best this year and one of the best for a long time, excepting the annual Open Night, talking of which is our next Big Event on July 3rd. Everything is organised and we are praying for a nice balmy summer evening, be there early to bag a good spot – See you there! Charity Run: What can we do to encourage more club members to this annual event? Thank you to the members who entered and had a thoroughly enjoyable day out and thank you to Sue Price who must have spent a considerable amount of time out and about collecting clues and checking the route. So let’s have some suggestions please, remember this event is to raise funds for your chosen charity which this year is for the Wales Air Ambulance which incidentally covers Herefordshire as well as the Midlands Air Ambulance. Please email your suggestions to [email protected] or speak to one of our committee members. (Terry Bass). PRESIDENT’S PLATFORM We chose to do the Bob Bufton Memorial Run organized by the VMCC, mostly to pay our respects to Bob and also it seemed the ‘easy option’ – a half day gentle 60 mile ride around the lanes of Pencombe and Bromyard as told by to Colin Osbourne…… It was a beautiful day. At the start we were issued with run sheets as they do in the VMCC, but with no mention of Pencombe. After reading the second page we eventually found lunch was at Dylife near Machynlleth. Well, we’ll go for it we thought. Journey to coffee at Knighton via Orleton Common and Goggin was superb. Lanes we never knew existed and scenery to die for. Coffee to lunch was ‘interesting’ to say the least. For example the route sheet used the words “loose gravel and sheep”, “steep hill through ford”, “not suitable for large vehicles”, “hills under dark trees”. This gives no idea of the actual terrain! We got lost several times – Chris was gripping on so tight trying not to slide into me or fall off the back there was no way she could read the route as well! However at about 1.30pm we found the Star Inn and a very pleasant remote spot it was too. To cut a long story short, after lunch about 3 miles on we broke down on the Triumph T110. We waved the rest on by – no problem, we had our modern technology mobile phones didn’t we? Having decided it couldn’t be mended on the spot I decided to phone for recovery. No signal, no network! So Ron sends Chris to this isolated farmhouse to use their landline. No one in! But a puppy dog arrives out of nowhere looking for a friend and proceeded to follow us to the main road to try to get run over. After thumbing for a lift for some time a van stops and Ron throws Chris in the back with this delightful hippy family including three kids and six chickens flying loose. They take her back to the Star Inn and leave her – they’re in a hurry. Eventually someone comes grumpily to the door and lets her use the landline. Recovery reported, but now how to get back to Ron and the bike? Chris set off walking but the young waitress appeared and said she’d phone her mum to give us a lift. Back with Ron, there’s now another car with a young couple – they nearly run over the puppy and insist on taking him home with them to keep him safe. Another hour later they returned with a ‘Not Happy Dad’ saying there’s no way they’re keeping the dog and left him again. Soon a kindly RAC man arrived and trailered the bike home. Every cloud has a silver lining. The recovery driver turned out to be a trained motorcycle mechanic. We told him about a problem with our Yamaha outfit back at home. He immediately diagnosed the problem as needing a new ignition ballast resistor. After three weeks getting the original off this has now been fitted and we’re back on the road. The moral of this story maybe: a) go on Terry’s run next time: b) don’t listen to Colin Osbourne: c) take a map (we didn’t think we’d need one going to Pencombe!!). (Ron & Chris Moore). 3 AUGUST NEWSLETTER DEADLINE Due to the printer’s holiday all items for the August newsletter must reach me no later than the committee meeting on 10th July. This includes any run reports, photographs, advertisements etc. If you are organizing a run please make sure Sue Price has your run sheet before that date too. (Will Morgan, email: [email protected] or via the club: [email protected] ). SECRETARY’S SNIPPETT Our ‘Top Box/Car Boot Sale’ was good in that loads of people turned out, but not many bothered to bring items to sell. Perhaps you don’t think this is a good idea? Let us know! Thanks to Trevor Ruth for bringing his tannoy system, we will use it again at Open Night. In memory of Bob Bufton the club has donated £25 to St. Richard’s Hospice in Worcester. We all enjoyed Dave Peake’s ‘Postman Pat’ run, well documented in last month’s newsletter. Again the club donated – a raffle prize of a £10 Marks & Spencer for the two respective charities. Despite the economic gloom we have just topped the 150 total of club members. Thanks to Lynn Longman in her first year as membership secretary. Well done to Alan Spencer for organizing the May mid-week meet – fantastic scenery and venue – and really good value and very tasty food. Alan was the instigator of these mid-week meets for those who can’t attend Sunday events and he has been to just about every one. It was particularly good to see Dave Leppard turn up, all the way from Machynlleth (riding through snow – in May!!) and hope to see more of you Dave. (Chris Moore). Above: club members at the mid-week meet at The Red Cow Inn at Pontsticill. 4 NEWS SNIPPETTS Welcome to new club members Martin Cowell and John Hargreaves (good to have you back John!) and we look forward to seeing you both at future club events. June club night was one of the busiest for years. It was our ‘Bring and Buy Top Box Sale’ but perhaps it was the fantastic warm sunny weather that really attracted the huge crowd of members and their friends? The raffle prizes were donated by ‘The Old Rockers’, Mike England, Len Bullock, Alan Kiley and Tony Adamson. According to her husband the ‘Raffle Person’ was ‘Mrs Bass’ who of course we all know better as ‘Raffle Babe Frances’. With so many members present she managed to raise £61.58p. As always thank you all! It is a most important contribution to our club funds. Charity Treasure Hunt Run: Terry Bass has reported that £125 was raised for the Wales Air Ambulance. Well done to everyone who took part! New club shirts: There has been little response to last month’s offer of new club shirts, so we will have to carefully consider if it is viable to go ahead or not – so lets us know if you want one! Rusty metal time again: It’s our local autojumble at Ross on Wye cattle market on 20th July. Steel Horse Café: I mentioned this new bikers café in last month’s News Snippetts and on Dave Peake’s run we tried it. It’s about 3½ miles from Abergavenny on the B4598 to Usk and is really rather nice – definitely a great improvement on a lot of establishments that claim to welcome motorcyclists. We were too late to try their meals, but the refreshments we did have – teas, beers* & biscuits – were reasonably priced (*Yes, as an ex-pub it is licensed but when we were there they only had bottled beers). Anyone who makes the effort to cater specifically for the motorcycling fraternity deserves to be supported so why not call in? – even if it’s just to admire the rather smart Triton on display in the bar! Make your own rubber: I am told you can now buy a product called ‘Sugru’ which is ideal for repairing or making small rubber ancillary components for motorcycles (Note: it is probably unsuitable for mechanically or safety critical parts!). It is like play-dough or plasticine which can be moulded to shape in your fingers and will ‘cure’ overnight into flexible silicone rubber. It is available at B&Q and costs £8.00 for either a pack of black only or 5 colours (red, yellow, blue, black & white). Free tea & biscuits: In New South Wales Australia to help reduce crashes caused by driver fatigue a biscuit company is sponsoring community groups, local emergency & breakdown services etc. to provide road users with free tea, coffee and biscuits. The scheme is supported by the state government and operates over bank holidays and other busy times at various ‘Driver Reviver’ sites throughout the state. A track of your own? The world famous Nurburgring has run into financial problems with debts estimated at €400m and is up for sale. The 12.8 mile circuit with 73 bends nicknamed ‘The Green Hell’ could be yours for a paltry £100m. But any new owners would not be liable for the debts and would benefit from the estimated £50m annual turnover generated by various motor sport events and activities, on site research facilities and of course public track days. And after buying the Nurburgring…..you might want to buy a bike to ride on it with the spare change you have left. Peter Williams is manufacturing a limited edition of 25 replicas of his ground-breaking 1970s Norton monocoque racers. A snip at £65,000 each! 5 CHARITY TREASURE HUNT RUN I would like to thank the organisers of this year's Charity Treasure Hunt - it was a thoroughly good day out. I took my old 1932 Blue Star, complete with its original Sat Nav fitment (though some wouldn't believe me and say they weren't invented back then!). BSA were pioneers in the field of invention, their bikes even had 'Anti- lock' brakes too. I covered 111 miles altogether and enjoyed gathering up the clues at the interesting locations, (they even had a bit of background history to them on the direction sheet too). I love this event- you can go on your own as I did (Billy No Mates) or team up, and you get to see others as you go around too. So, well done the organisers and here's looking forward to next year. (Steve Worth). 2014 PRESCOTT BIKE FESTIVAL We have been invited back to Prescott next year for the Bike Festival (see below). This year was their best to date despite the cold start to the day and they are hoping next year will be better still. As the year goes on I will keep you informed but I do know that already MotoGP and World Super Bike star Carlos Checa's works 4 Cylinder Ducati the same as Casey Stoner won the World Championship on has already been entered. If you haven't heard this thing in the real it will be worth the entry fee alone. I can guarantee you would hear it in the next county! It is loud! (Terry Bass). Invite from the organisers of The Prescott Bike Festival April 6th 2014: “I’d like to formally invite the Leominster Classic MC to join is for what is promising to be our best Festival yet. I can offer you overnight camping (if required), a pitch size as you have taken before, two runs up the hill as the ‘Leominster Classic Stars’ during Happy Hour and space in our Supporters web page that would allow you to some 100 words or so to promote the Leominster Classic MC. I would like to extend the supporters webpage free of charge although any donation you would wish to make to the charity would be gratefully received. I can block book out Run the Hill places for you at normal rates (all held at 2013 prices) for any of your members wishing to take to the hill”. TRACKWORD PUZZLE COMPETITION Find a track from letter to letter in the puzzle below to find a motorcycle related word. The member with the most correct answers at the end of 2013 will win free membership for 2014. R A H A L N B E D Send your answer to Steve Hackett by email to [email protected] or phone 01432 272244 or text it to him on 07731509995 Remember there are probably other club members with the same Christian name as you so please identify yourself clearly! Alternatively give him your answer in person at the next club night. The answer to May’s Trackword was CRANKCASE 6 BOURTON ON THE WATER / COTSWOLD MOTOR MUSEUM RUN A few days before this run I found myself suffering from motorcycle withdrawal symptoms, a free day and fine weather so decided to ride off and double check one or two bits of my route to Bourton that I wasn’t very familiar with. It was good thing I did! My route was to use a pretty little lane that is the only one across a remote part of Gloucestershire wilderness. This goes over a little level crossing with no other way of crossing the main railway line for miles in either direction. Arriving there on this pre-run reconnaissance I was confronted by notices that due to ‘infrastructure improvements’ the level crossing would be closed on the day of my run. Darnation! – or ‘similar exclamation’, but at least I knew we would have to use a longer main road route – I cannot imagine it would have been popular to have to re-trace our steps quite so far, even if it was a very pretty little lane! Now to the day of the run – on the run sheet I had said it was a suitable run for older motorcycles as long as they could cope with some long steep hills. Above Stanway there is one – a long twisting road up through Newhill Wood on to the top of the Cotswold plateau. Showing everyone how it should be done I unleashed all 18½ of my Moto Guzzi Falcone’s horsepower and romped up the hill with Neil in hot pursuit on his 98 horsepower BMW. After a few of the bends I looked back and saw no one was behind us, so slowed down. Half a dozen more bends and we were still alone. After a couple more bends, by now at almost walking pace, we pulled into a lay-by and waited. After we had waited some more – quite a lot more – Neil turned back to see where everyone was. I carried on waiting some more until I felt lonely and turned back down the hill myself. Sure enough almost immediately the others passed by – it was now their turn to wait in the lay-by until I could turn round and take up the lead again. It transpired Denis had had dirty fuel problems (you know the old joke: “S**t in the carb? How do you do that?”) but once the float bowl had been drained his Triumph was running sweetly again. I knew Bourton on the Water is a tourist trap but when I booked the date for the run I hadn’t realized it was a Bank Holiday weekend – and had only hoped for good weather – but on such a sunny day we arrived to find the town heaving. It was rammed to the gunnels with coach loads of tourists – and it seems it is a popular place for natives to set up picnic chairs and tables on the village green to spend the day gawping at ‘Johnny Foreigner’ too! It was a relief we were allowed to park on the museum’s forecourt as every other space was full. Outside the museum, from the swarm of humanity appeared a familiar leather clad figure – it was Frank. He said he’d been looking for us. He’d looked for us at the run start – unfortunately the wrong run start at Leominster not Hereford. Phoning home confirmed his mistake, so he then rode to look for us at the morning coffee stop at a garden centre near Newent – unfortunately the wrong garden centre near Newent! So now he’d found us was he going to come into the museum with us? No, he’d been before! But he did say he had enjoyed his little 125 mile chase around Gloucestershire ‘looking for us’! The museum? Well it’s packed full to the rafters (literally!) with interesting relics of the last century or more of motor transport, and jolly decently they let us in cheap although there wasn’t really enough of us to qualify for the group discount. I hope everyone enjoyed it, and I can recommend it to any petrolhead of ‘a certain age’ as it will have something hidden away somewhere to bring memories flooding back. (Will Morgan). Left: An idyllic English scene outside the museum – idle chat amongst good company under a weeping willow next to a babbling brook. 7 RUN SHEET Title: Welsh Variety Date: 7th July Start: 10.00am, Raven’s Yard, junction of A458 & A490, Welshpool General Route: approx. 80 miles of variable going. Meal/drink stops: Breakfast-Woollen Mill, Dinas Mawddwy. Lunch-visitor centre, Coed-y-Brenin. Tea-Bala. Organiser: Dave Browning Contact: 01691 791467 RUN SHEET Title: Vyrnwy (but not Bala) Date: 14th July Start: 9.00am, BP Filling Station, A49, Leominster (next to OK Diner). Finish: 16.00 Additional pick-up point: Presteigne (Recycling Centre, B4355) approx 09:30 General Route: 170 miles (if you keep tight-in on the roundabouts). Little A, mainly B, C and worse! Lakes, valleys, views, cakes; and a few automata Meal/drink stops: Breakfast/fuel- The Halt Café, Doldowlod, 10:05 (41 miles). ElevensesMachinations, Llanbrynmair 11:30 (72 miles). Lunch-Lake Vyrnwy picnic areas (own lunch) or Old Barn Cafe or Artisans Centre 12:30 (98 miles). Fuel-Llanfair Caereinion 14.15 (126 miles). Fag/toilet stop-Montgomery 15.00 (138 miles). Cake & cuppa-Watering Hole, Aymestrey 15:45 (169 miles) Special Requirements: A comfy seat, camera and no dawdling. Organiser: Steve Hackett Contact: 01432 272244, on the day 07731 MID WEEK MEET Date: Wednesday 17 July. Venue: The Bell Inn, Pensax, (on B4202) Worcs, WR6 6AE Meet from 12.00 noon for lunch or just a drink and a natter. th RUN SHEET Title: Mystery Run In Search of a Cuckoo Date: July 21st Start: 10.30am, Queenswood Visitor Centre Dinmore Hill A49 Points of Interest: A gentle meander around West Herefordshire looking for a Cuckoo Suitable all Bikes Meal/drink stops: Lunch: Midday With a Cuckoo and a tour of his habitat Afternoon Coffee Stop: The OK Diner Leominster Total Miles: Approx 65 Organiser: Terry Bass Contact: 07968 648237 RUN SHEET Title: Glyndwrs Country Date: 28th July Start: 9.15am, BP Garage, A49, Leominster Finish: Approx 5pm at Kingsland General Route: Approx 140 miles on A, B & C class roads to Sycharth Glyndwrs family home. Meal/drink stops: Coffee & pick up at The Old Wheelwrights Tea Room, Little Brampton on the junction of the B4368 and the B4385. Lunch- The Wynnstay Inn, Llansilin, basic bar meals (chips with everything) £5 or picnic. Tea stop-Llanfair Caereinion Railway Station. Organiser: Bigfoot Contact: 01432 277720 / 07967 350254 Please bring lots of sunshine and warm temps with you. A Full Tank Please 8 RUN SHEET Title: The Three Musketeers Run Date: 4th August Details yet to be finalised, will be in next month’s newsletter MID WEEK MEET Date: Wednesday 21st August. Venue: Elan Valley visitor centre, Rhayader, LD6 5HP Meet from 12.00 noon for lunch or just a drink and a natter. RUN SHEET Title: Sue’s Remembrance Run Date: 25th August Start: 9.30am, BP Garage, A49, Leominster General Route: approx. 75 miles, a mix of roads, some narrow lanes and gradients around the South Shropshire borders area Additional pick-up and comfort stop at the car park by Clun bridge 10.30am Meal/drink stops: Brunch-cafe at Tuffins, Churchstoke Finish: Approx 2.00pm at Craven Arms Organiser: Sue Price Contact: 01432 882231 / 07890 375505 CLUB SHOP Club book: Copies of Sheila Whittingham’s history of the club can be ordered direct from Blurb. The webpage to order is http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2563482 & the current price is £13.95 + p&p. Club regalia: Enamel lapel badges £2.00. Club stickers £1.50. Club drinks coasters: £1.00. All available from Frances Bass at club nights or phone 07968 648237. MEMBERS SERVICES Eric Rees Motorcycles: Barton Road, Hereford. (Run by club member Ray Griffiths) offers discounts on MOT’s to Club members £23.00 (25% discount, normally £28.65), MoT sidecar outfits £26.50 (normally £38.55). General repairs and servicing on all types of bikes. Phone 01432 266164. John Baber sells Car Components, Service Equipment, Motorcycle Batteries and makes Car Number Plates all at Discount to Members. 07798 573337 or 01981 250004 Richard Logan provides welding services 01886 888419. Terry Bass: Chainsaw chain, ultrasonic cleaning for motorcycle carburettors, stockist of Peek Metal Polish, genuine parts available to order for Hinckley Triumph & Honda 1990 to date, including bikes, mowers, generators etc. Up to 10% discount on genuine parts and massive savings on pattern parts (normally in stock for lawnmowers generators etc). Phone: 07968 648237 or see www.terrybass.co.uk Ned Potter Ltd, Beech Business Park, Tillington Road, Hereford HR4 9QJ. Phone 01432 270201. Car MOT's for LCMCC club members for £42 Club membership cards must be shown to take advantage of this special price which is normally £54.00. Bill Wilson operates his own transport business. If you need anything moved please ring Bill on 07791 751954 (anytime). Mike Watkins for discount car MoTs. Current price £35 on production of your club membership card at MW MoT Centre, Unit 8 Sweetman’s Yard, Plough Lane, Hereford. Also servicing, mechanical repairs, welding etc for all makes & models. Phone: 01432 344311. Mike Benfell “Man & Van” motorcycle collection & delivery service, DIY and auction collections. Handyman services 07866 564431. 9 FOR SALE Triumph Bonneville, 1968, immaculate condition, selling due to old age & back problems, £10,500. Phone Mike Lewis 01432 820391 Triumph Bonneville, 1962, immaculate condition, 5 speed gearbox, won 1st prize for Best Duplex Bonneville at the 50th anniversary celebration, selling due to old age & back problems, £16,000. Phone Mike Lewis 01432 820391 Honda CB175, 1973, red, 20,000 miles, garaged before 1998 & not ridden since, rescued & given TLC, now sweet runner & ready for MoT. Open to sensible offers. Phone 01432 820394 or email [email protected] BSA A10 650cc 1960, owned by present owner 11 years, in near concours condition, original gold & black paint work, 12v electrics, electronic ignition, tax & MoT until August. £5000 ono. Please contact Gavin on 01981 570670 or Alan 01981 252966 for viewing details. Bike is in Hereford. CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2013 rd Wed 3 Sun 7th Wed 10th Sun 14th Wed 17th Sun 21st Sun 28th Sun 1st Wed 4th Sun 8th Wed 11th Sun 15th Wed 18th Sun 22nd Sun 29th rd Sun 3 Wed 6th Sun 10th Wed 13th Sun 17th Sun 24th JULY Club night-Open night Dave Browning’s run Committee meeting Steve’s Vyrnwy run Mid week meet-Pensax Terry’s run Bigfoot’s Glyndwr’s Country SEPTEMBER Dave Browning’s run Club night Will’s run Committee meeting Bigfoot’s Great Oak Run Mid week meet-Three Shires ** ** NOVEMBER Bigfoot’s Brass Monkey run Club night Remembrance Day Committee meeting ** Winter meet th Sun 4 Wed 7th Sun 11th Wed 14th Sun 18th Wed 21st Sun 25th Wed 2nd Sun 6th Wed 9th Sun 13th Wed 16th Sun 20th Sun 27th AUGUST 3 Musketeers ? Club night ** Committee meeting ** Kington Show Mid week meet-Elan valley Sue’s Remembrance run OCTOBER Club night The Memorial run, Bigfoot AGM & Committee meeting Terry’s birthday run Mid week meet-Dean Heritage Centre Winter meet Malvern Show DECEMBER Sun 1 Bigfoot’s Winter Idiot’s run th Wed 4 Committee meeting Sun 8th ** th Wed 11 Club night th Sun 15 ** Sun 22nd ** th Thurs 26 Boxing day Sun 29th ** Note: ** indicates spare day for a run. (Events in italics are non club events) st Disclaimer: The Leominster Classic Motorcycle Club and committee cannot accept liability or be held responsible for any loss, accident, injury, death or loss of claims due to tips or suggestions given in this newsletter. The articles in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or club committee. Note: Any information that Leominster Classic Motorcycle Club holds remains confidential. Your personal data is stored on digital media in accordance with the provisions and requirements of the Data Protection Act of 1988 and will only be used to contact you on club matters. 10 11