Stuart’s GoldWing Blog

Something of a watershed event has just taken place on the GoldWing scene and it’s nothing less than the start of a new era for UK Wingers.

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The Federation of UK GoldWing Clubs began quietly earlier this year with the joining of forces of two newly formed independent GoldWing Clubs to develop a new national structure.  It is now ready to offer the opportunity of involvement to all UK GoldWing Clubs and Wingers, whether they are also linked to other organisations or not.

The revolutionary thing about the Federation is that it is not going to try to become a ruling body, so no attempt to control or tell GoldWing Clubs or Wingers what they can and cannot do, instead it’s going to do things and make things available which will help Clubs and individual Wingers do their own thing – and to publicise them, if they wish, as a way of inviting other Wingers to join in.

So, no rules or restrictions, no costly subscriptions, just useful, reliable services and facilities, either free or at minimal cost.

The Federation’s Website has been designed to present, in simple and clear terms, what’s on offer.  It will help Wingers to find a GoldWing Club to suit their needs and it will also help a Winger to start forming a new Club if that’s what he or she wants to do.  No-one owns any territory or any rights to demand that other Wingers steer clear or should seek permission or pay for the privilege of being a recognised GoldWing Club or to run a recognised event – the Federation recognises everyone’s freedom to do their own thing, whenever and wherever they wish.

So there is a List of UK GoldWing Clubs on the Website, as many as can be found.

And an All Clubs Events Calendar to provide as comprehensive a list of GoldWing Events and Activities as possible.

Any Club or Winger can have an activity or event listed, whether they are affiliated to the Federation or not.  There are no restrictions, no password protection of information – it’s a freely available service for the whole UK GoldWing Community.

There is also an opportunities for Clubs to Affiliate to the Federation to receive additional benefits, like robust and reliable PLI insurance and a free off-the-shelf Club Website of their own.

And there’s an opportunity for individuals to become Associates of the Federation, with help to form a new Club themselves if they wish, or simply to take a more active part in this new national GoldWing umbrella organisation.

No rules, no compulsion, no exclusiveness, not even gentle coercion,  just opportunity and choice.

It’s all about freedom of choice!

The Federation of United Kindom GoldWing Clubs is sponsored by Knutsford Honda, the North West’s new full service GoldWing Specialist Dealer

Eric & Bridget, Owners of Knutsford Honda, have bought Pricedright too

Pricedright Ltd, which started only a couple of years ago but has become the UK’s premier mail order GoldWing Accessory business offering keen prices, stock  on the shelves all the time and a rapid dispatching service.  Now it has been bought by Knutsford Honda.

This is part of their strategy to become a full service GoldWing Specialist Official Honda Dealer.  They are based on the A50 just East of M6 Junction 20 at the site of the former GoldWings International.  The Showrooms have been extensively refurbished so it’s not just a case of GoldWings International being re-born, Knutsford Honda are taking things to a whole new level.

Pricedright’s extensive stock is to be transferred to the Knutsford Showroom as soon as practicable and specially converted accommodation is being built to house an expanded Clothing and Accessory Department.

The new Department will be completed and stocked up fairly soon but Knutsford Honda will also be taking a big chunk of their accessory stock to the Blackpool Light Parade (coming soon, it’s only the weekend after next) and so for the opening offers which there are sure to be, Blackpool is the place to go.

Sean Davis and his Team will be on site at Pontin’s from Friday lunchtime (September 4th) and over the weekend.  They are also bringing along their Chief Techician Paul, who will assist with fitting lighting and accessories on request.

Indoor accommodation is available at Pontin’s for fitting accessories and lights to your bike, so this opportunity to buy stuff at special offer prices and then fit it or have it fitted is going to be very useful.

If you wish to pre-order any accessories and maybe claim your place at the head of Paul’s queue for fitting at Pontin’s, ring Knutsford Honda on 01925 752600.

You can still place internet order using Pricedright’s website.  Knutsford Honda plan to continue the Premier Dealer status which Pricedright have enjoyed with Big Bike Parts and Add On, so they should be very competitive.  They will also be continuing to stock Pricedright’s range of heated clothing and Draggin jeans etc.

So save your pennies  – this year’s real GoldWing bargains are going to be at the Blackpool Light Parade!

The best biking road (and the most dangerous one?) in England

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The Cat & Fiddle is one of the most, possibly the most famous biking road in UK.  On the one hand it can provide a scenic, if somewhat twisty, route over the hills from Cheshire into Derbyshire, on the other it offers an exceptional combination of challenging bends which, if you try to make progress through them, will certainly test your riding skills.

For these reasons it attracts bikers galore – and therefore the almost permanent attention of traffic police.  This is no place to take any liberties.  If the car and motorcycle police don’t get you, the police helicopter will. continues………

Could this be the secret destination?

The Appy Wanderers Duo, Barry and Dave are planning a Treasure Hunt around the Yorkshire Dales for Sunday the 20th of September, ending up (if you solve all the clues) with a barbeque at or near a Dales Pub.

Barry would like to know if there will be sufficient interest to go ahead with it.

It’s not going to be difficult, so don’t worry, and I suspect that if you get lost and get too hungry to bother with any more treasure hunting, Barry will have a cunning plan to help you find the barbeque anyway.

You will be given locations to get to (so bring a decent map of the Dales) and when you reach them you will collect a clue.  When you have collected all the clues, you will continues………

The fantastic Illuminations and thousands of admiring spectators - it's got to be Blackpool!

Lots of things are happening to complete the arrangements for this years BLP and there have been lots of changes recently (mostly very positive ones) hence the delay in publishing the Programme.

But first of all it seems that some Wingers have got a very wrong idea about Pontin’s from somewhere, so I need to correct that.   Staying at Pontin’s for this year’s BLP is NOT restricted to Members of GoldWings North West or Federation Clubs, any Winger is welcome and always has been.

As always this Event is open to any Winger, whether a member of a club (any club) or not. So if you have been hesitating about booking in at Pontin’s don’t.  There’s plenty coming to Pontin’s but there is also plenty of room left too, so don’t miss the party – it’s going to be a great weekend.

Pontin’s booking system has been a real pain this year.  Ring the Blackpool number (01253 340100) and don’t be surprised if you have to wait a few  minutes for the line to be answered.  Don’t hang up in frustration, ring up while you’re watching TV so the wait won’t matter!  It’s a phone line technical problem of some sort.  Don’t ring Pontin’s HQ, that’s even less likely to work well.

There are computer hiccups affecting bookings too.  You can perfectly reasonable try to insist that the deals and prices on the BLP website are honoured because that’s the deal we had with them but there is apparently a computer system block on making one night bookings, so that may prove to be impossible.   Having said that I have just booked two double chalets for friends and got quoted a one night price for two nights, i.e. cheaper than I expected – so if that happens don’t argue!

To kill any other duff information which might have been put about re this years Event:

• The Parade is running on Saturday evening as usual but starting at Pontin’s this year and riding up and down the Prom, so 14 miles of posing, in daylight, at dusk and by night!

• You don’t have to be resident at Pontin’s to ride with us through the llluminations, just ride your Wing into Pontin’s between 6.30pm and 7pm on Saturday evening to form up with the rest of us.

• The Police are assisting us.

• We are having a big static display on the Prom on Saturday afternoon, there will once again be a riding arena and a skilled riding display, Honda UK’s big display unit will be there again, hosted by our Sponsors, Knutsford Honda, so will Honda’s current range of bikes including several GoldWings – and there will be other attractions too, including a Wheelie Simulator you can have a go on and Face Painting for the young at heart.

• There will also be ride-outs on Sunday and a wet weather alternative programme within Pontin’s for Sunday too.

• A short ride-out on Saturday morning to Fleetwood Freeport for coffee and shopping if the weather suits

• and a few more surprise features as well – there will be plenty to see and do.

The details of the programme will be published as soon as they are finalised but we’re adding new things all the time at the moment, as plans drop into place, so please forgive me if there isn’t time to keep the website completely up to date.

It’s going to be a Great Weekend!

For further information about accommodation etc. please visit the BLP website.

Correct size marking for a GL1800 front tyre. Click on the picture for a larger image

A GL1800 was fitted with Avon Venoms recently because there was a temporary stock shortage of Avon Cobras, which are now the preferred fit for a GL1800.

The owner noticed a significant deterioration in handling compared with his previous tyres, which had been Cobras.  This led to discovery that a cross ply (official terminology “bias belted”) front tyre had inadvertently been fitted while the rear one was a radial.  The tyre suppler replaced both tyres with Cobras as soon as the error was discovered.

Avon Venoms used to be made in both cross ply (for the GL1500) and radial (for the GL1800) versions.  Confusion can arise because although the rear wheels are different sizes, both bikes have the same size front tyre.

Cross ply Venoms are still made for the GL1500 but production of the radial versions stopped when the Avon Cobra was launched for the GL1800.  Any radial Venom continues………

Oh dear, hit a tree

In a previous Article on this Blog I wrote about my adventures using a motorhome as a base for GoldWing touring, towing the bike in a trailer in order to enjoy exploring the Alps or some other distant motorcycling area with the advantage of sleeping in your own bed every night.

Unfortunately my motorhome, a Hymer, suffered minor damage a while ago and I had to get it fixed.  The firm who did the repair, Motorhomes UK Ltd,  did such a good job at such a reasonable price that I thought they deserved a bit of public praise.

My “van” has a fibreglass moulding across the top rear and, not uncommonly with production mouldings, must have had an air bubble under the gel coat on the corner, where the underlying woven rovings had not been pressed firmly into contact when it was being constructed.  The result was a very thin and fragile gel coat skin over a hole which was prone to damage.  From feint witness marks near the hole it was probably contact with a tree branch which broke the gel coat “roof” of this hole.  Whatever it was it needed repairing. continues………

Sean Davis - keen to buy GoldWings

Sean Davis, General Manager of Knutsford Honda, is very keen to buy GoldWings for cash as well as to part exchange them, as they try to build up their stock.

Distance is no object either and Sean will consider collecting your bike from anywhere in UK.  Absolutely any GoldWing will be considered, any model any age – even bikes which have been unused and in storage.  If you have a GoldWing you’re not using, this is your chance to turn it into cash.

If you have a GoldWing for sale Sean or his Salesman, Mike would be delighted to hear from you on 01925 752600. continues………

Malham Tarn in the distance - and this parking angle was OK

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This 25 miles circular ride takes in some marvellous scenery and it is not a difficult ride, although there are a couple of fairly tight climbing bends which call for a bit of concentration.

I did it part of this ride a week earlier in company with some IAM rider friends I bumped into at Settle and it was such attractive scenery I couldn’t resist going back with my camera.

From the Market Square in Settle, where the excellent Naked Man Cafe will provide any sustenance you might need before setting off, head North past the car park and petrol station and under continues………