Stuart’s GoldWing Blog

Also useful for GoldWing rallies?

This Article develops the topic introduced by John Gratton in his recent Article, describing the cost effective solution he found in his quest for more comfortable camping.

Camping rallies of various sorts are an important part of many Wingers’ enjoyment of their hobby and many are perfectly happy camping in a tent; tents needn’t cost much and they can be small enough to pack on to the bike.  But as one Winger said to me recently, as we were sitting and chatting outside his tent in sunshine at a camping event, there comes a time when you’ve had enough of tents, even when it hasn’t been wet.  He’d reached that point and was thinking very seriously about the alternatives, even if it would mean towing his bike to the venue in future rather than riding it there.

It was this conversation coupled with seeing how well John Gratton had done, kitting himself out with a continues………

This is a Black US- spec 2008 Airbag Model GL1800, first registered (new) in UK in March 2010.

One owner and only 5,500 miles.

Because it is the top of the range, US-spec Airbag Model it also has ABS, the Honda/Garmin Navi system (with European Maps) , heated grips and seat, hot air foot warmer flaps, the Premium, 6 speaker, 80W per channel audio system (more powerful than the UK equivalent) and the uprated 1KW alternator.  It is also fitted for (but not with) the Hondaline CB radio, which can therefore be installed very straightforwardly by plugging into sockets which are already built into the bike’s wiring loom.

The bike is dripping with accessories, most of which are Hondaline or Kuryakyn, as listed here: continues………

Refurbished and ready to tow a GoldWing

Editor’s Introduction: John Gratton is a long time member of GWOCGB and the Regional Rep for Staffordshire Wings.  He wanted to continue taking his GoldWing to camping events without having to pitch and sleep in a tent and this is the story of his search for an affordable alternative.

It was last August I decided that my old bones had started to tell me that my days of camping under canvas were drawing to a close. I considered buying a caravan, a lot more ‘bang for the buck’ basically and I could take my little dog Pip, with me, the downside of that option being that I could not take my beloved Wing with me so that option was quickly dismissed.

The only other option was purchasing a motorhome, so I started my research (well I logged on to Ebay) continues………

Graham and his Custom GL1100

CLICK ON ANY PICTURE FOR AN ENLARGEMENT

This Custom GoldWing is unique as well as exceptional in terms of finish and presentation because its owner, Graham Whittaker, designed and constructed it himself to create a radically modified bike; it’s fundamentally still a GL1100 but this is no ordinary GL1100.

As one of the professionals we used as judges at last year’s GoldWing Light Parade said, you can recognise some of the parts as coming from other GoldWing models and some which clearly don’t, but you can’t see the joins. The parts have been assimilated into an impressive whole and the bike looks like it was factory designed and built.  And indeed it was professionally designed and constructed; Graham is after all a very talented and experienced motorcycle mechanic and his knowledge of GoldWings, especially Classic GoldWings, is unmatched.

The actual building of the bike took less than a year but as Graham says, the thinking about how it could be done took more like four.  Its creation and its relatively rapid construction was provoked by his wife’s enthusiasm at a winter social gathering for a European Tour they were invited to join.  Graham’s objections that he didn’t have a suitable bike were swept aside: “You’ve got all this bits in the garage, continues………

Tempting but increasingly tight for a GoldWing?

I have referred to a helpful internet article written by Biker/Solicitor John Measures of Barratts Solicitors previously and this Article was provoked by another one of his.  Filtering past or through standing or slow moving traffic is common practice in UK but is it safe and is it legal?

With our busy and often traffic-clogged roads, the option to filter through standing or slow moving traffic is a potentially valuable aspect of life on two wheels, providing you have the confidence to do it and the perceptiveness to appreciate when it’s a bit too risky.

Not all GoldWing riders are confident enough to take their big bike into the relatively narrow gaps which filtering often involves but plenty are.  When I get the chance to make progress while cars and trucks are stuck in traffic I do so, with contentment which sometimes verges on smugness at my good fortune at being a motorcyclist.  Not only am I riding continues………

Team GoldWings North West

Firstly being part of the GoldWings North West Team and successfully completing the RBLR 1000, I’ve read some of the other reports and decided to stray slightly from the norm and talk more about preparation leading up to and including this event.

Returning back to last year when Lesley and Barry Halley mentioned the RBLR to me, I was to say, slightly apprehensive about taking part and I spent a day or two pondering the pros and cons.  Eventually I made the decision to go ahead and do it.

Months later there were various entries on the Goldwings North West website about tactics and the first ideas were being talked about between Lesley, Barry, Crezz , Dave & Tonia, Ted, Jimmy  and me and it was agreed the best place to start was going to be a meeting at the 1^st Anniversary Ball in Leyland.  As we all know now sadly events over took us and we all mourned the passing away of our beloved Lesley.

Besides taking the children and family members out as pillions the only other person I’d taken on the continues………

Getting this close for a photograph was not ideal

Motorcyclists are more vulnerable than most other road users, who are usually surrounded these days by a protective steel cage, within which multiple airbags are poised to come to their aid if they have a serious collision, even from the side.  So it makes sense for a motorcyclist to feel relatively vulnerable.  Ride a motorcycle like everyone else on the road is actively trying to kill you, so they say.  And sometimes of course that’s precisely what someone is trying to do, even if he or she doesn’t quite realise it.

I was attacked (the only word for it) by a car driver recently who decided he needed to teach me a lesson of some sort by passing very close and cutting in sharply at high speed.  He passed within less than two feet of me and was clearly doing it quite deliberately.  There had been no previous encounter or altercation, so presumably it was because I had dared to be on his road and in his way.  I wasn’t riding as fast as he was driving and I had therefore put him to the trouble of changing lanes to overtake me, so maybe that was it.

But would there be any point in reporting it? Would the police be interested? continues………

Also available with black lettering on an orange ground

2010 Pose on the Prom Patches and garments are now available for purchase on line.

They are both available in two colours, black and orange, so orange on a black background or black on orange .

The Orange colour scheme chosen for this year honours Blackpool Football Club, which plays in Tangerine Orange and has just won promotion to play in the Premier League next Season.

The garments come with the 2010 Pose on the Prom Badge embroidered, without a border,  on the left breast.  Orange garments get black lettering and vice versa.  The bike is red this year as a change too.

You can place you orders now by visiting the Regalia Page of the GoldWing Light Parade at Blackpool Illuminations website.

The regalia is being supplied by Alan Mason’s Storm Embroidery.  Alan is a Winger himself and has supplied regalia for many years.  Both Patches and Garments can be ordered on line and paid for using any credit or debit card using the PayPal system.  Alan’s phone number is also provided in case you need to ask for more information.

The prices are very keen and there is also a maximum postage charge of only £2 per order, so it pays to buy everything at once rather than doing it in dribs and drabs.

If the cap fits?

There has been a debate – or rather an attempt at debate – on the GWOCGB Forum, in the context of the Club’s declining membership.  It was about what constitutes “politics”, often cited by Wingers as something they really don’t like.

“Politics” seems to be a pretty important membership factor – especially in membership retention, which has been a serious problem for GWOCGB for some years.  The Club has suffered steadily declining membership and took a particularly big hit last year. Generally speaking the new independent clubs are thriving and the older ones are also doing very nicely too; it’s really only GWOCGB that’s in serious membership decline.

So if “politics” is what turns Wingers say causes them to leave the Club, what exactly do they mean by it and what can be done to improve things?

This was potentially a very useful question for GWOCGB to pose to itself and in the privacy of the Members-Only Area of the Club’s Forum it could have led to constructive discussion and maybe thereby to ideas for turning the Club’s fortunes.

Unfortunately it rapidly degenerated into challenging personal criticism and argument and it got quite continues………

Click on any image for an enlarged view

First registered April 2001, UK spec, ONE owner from new. Odometer = 39,993 miles

Cherished Registration Number H18 00G is included

Accessories include:

Garmin Zumo 550 GPS ,  Honda 6disc CD changer,  Front fog lights and upper Spot Lights, Utopia rider Backrest, SpyBall Alarm, Superbrace ForkBrace, Muth Mirror indicators, Memphis shades blue tinted windshield, PLUS various chrome accessories and LED lighting accents.

This bike is Taxed until March 2011 and has an MOT until May 2011.  Brand new Avon Cobra tyres have been fitted.  Full service history and complete paper trail from new, excellent condition.

This bike is being offered for sale by Ian Cardwell on behalf of the owner who is treating himself to a new GoldWing.  Ian has known this bike from new and can vouch for its excellent condition.  Ian is going abroad on holiday shortly and would like to sell this bike before he sets off.

Now sold to B&M Honda.  Please address any enquiries directly to them.

More pictures……………………. continues………