Stuart’s GoldWing Blog

The Federation of UK GoldWing Clubs, which is developing as a service organisation for all UK Wingers as well as a “Club of Clubs”  has released the Minutes of its latest Management Team Meeting promptly as part of its policy of openness in its aims and dealings.  You can view them here.

The accounts for the 2009 Blackpool Light Parade have been finalised and although a detailed breakdown has not been published (because it contains some commercially sensitive information)  a breakdown of how the surplus is to be distributed is given.  No personal expenses of any kind were paid out.

The lion’s share of the surplus goes to charity (North West Air Ambulance and Blackpool’s Children’s Hospice) with modest grants going to GoldWings North West and GoldWings North Wales, the two Clubs which helped with the work of running the Event.  Both Clubs are relatively new and this money will help them to kit themselves out with things like banners for use in future fund raising displays.

In accordance with the Federation’s policy of not accumulating financial reserves only a small amount has been retained by the Federation and that will not be held on to for long.  The Federation has made it clear that any surplus funds will be used for the benefit of the UK GoldWing Community as soon as practicable, for example by making grants to help newly formed clubs get established.

The Federation’s Website, although relatively new, is already getting plenty of hits each week, similar to the hit rates of this Blog, the BLP website and the Federation’s Club websites, all of which are doing well.  The Federation Website will continue to be developed as a source of useful reference information for Wingers as well as helping them to find out what’s happening topically.

As part of what seems to have been a failed attempt to orchestrate spoiling action, a handful of GWOCGB Regions recently asked (in the odd case they demanded) that links to their own websites be removed from the Federation’s List of UK GoldWing Clubs.  This has been done.  If any club or Region wants to shun the free publicity which Listing could help with their recruitment the Federation is not going to force it upon them.

It has also been made as clear as practicable on the List that some Regions are keen to be seen as Regions of GWOCGB rather than as Local Clubs in their own right.  These Regions can of course highlight that sort of thing as clearly as they wish on their own websites.  The Federation’s List does not currently distinguish between individual clubs, they are all given equal prominence on the List.

One or two Regions wanted all mention of their existence removed from the List but this has not been done.  The List uses only information which is in the public domain so it will be maintained as complete a list of UK Clubs as possible as a service to UK Wingers and would-be Wingers.

For example Middlesex Wings, which has been written off by GWOCGB because its Rep (leader) is a non-member of GWOCGB, is still listed because it may be (hopefully is) still operating as a local GoldWing Club and even though no website or contact information is currently available.  (As it says on the List, additional contact information for any club can be incorporated on request.)

If the List is developed in future to allow, for example, popup information about individual Clubs to be added, it might be possible to make useful distinctions between Listed Clubs.  Flagging up those clubs which want to be obscure or those which have belligerent tendencies might be inappropriate but it would perhaps be helpful to give some indication of how active a club is and what sort of activities it favours – a bit like  Michelin Guide!

It’s all about Freedom of Choice.

Stuart's Mosel Tour 2009

The Federation of UK GoldWing Clubs, the UK’s GoldWing Community’s national service organisation, is planning its own set of GoldWing Tours for 2010 and it’s also offering to support and promote any other GoldWing tours being run by individuals or clubs.

You may remembers that Stuart’s Mosel Tour of 2009, promoted and reported on this Blog, was described as a prototype.  This was a one-centre, hotel-based tour but the Federations plans for 2010 are by no means restricted to a particular type of tour – any Tour can be included in the Programme as long as it’s available for GoldWings , so camping tours are also welcome, as are multi-centre and roaming tours, as are Tours planned by commercial organisers.

The aim of the Programme is to broaden and promote choice for Wingers.  As the Federation’s catch phrase puts it – “It’s all about Freedom of Choice!”

A modest number of Tours (UK and abroad) will be organised by the Federation itself, using its own pool of Tour Leaders.  It is hoped that over time the number of in-house Tours will be expanded, as more Wingers gain experience and acquire the confidence to lead a Tour.

Another feature of the Programme is that the Federation’s experience of planning and leading Tours will be offered to support Wingers (or Clubs) with planning, administration and troubleshooting their own Tours.

The Federation’s aim is to provide services for the UK GoldWing Community as a whole and all of its own Tours will be open to all Wingers.

This is an innovative way for a GoldWing organisation to be trying to do things for UK Wingers and if it takes off the Programme could prove to be very popular.  It may take a few years to build in scale but the basic resources are there for a successful Programme so let’s hope the idea does get taken up.  The Honda GoldWing is the best touring motorcycle in the world so giving UK Wingers a broader opportunity to enjoy touring with their bikes has got to be a good idea.

For further information and to express your own interest, as an individual or a club, in this Programme please visit the Federation’s Website.

Better than sipping champagne and talking bollocks!

I have been asking myself this question of late, mostly I suppose because I am pleased with (and proud of) the way things have gone in our new Club, GoldWings North West, this year.

We have a great bunch of people and we are really enjoying what we are doing, so as we come towards the end of our first biking season and look forward to the Birthday Party we’re organising for ourselves (and guests, all Winger welcome) it’s been a time to count our blessings.

So what are the essentials of a friendly motorcycle club?  And how do you capture this essence and then hang on to it, so your club doesn’t encounter unnecessary difficulties, become prone to arguments, suffer declining membership or even start falling apart? continues………

My worn out hip, the cartilage space between ball and socket has gone; bone on bone contact is what hurts when you walk. The extra nobbly bits around the ball are extra bone growth - trying to be helpful but actually limiting movement.

This Article may be of limited interest to bikers, even to those GoldWing riders who might be approaching the age when arthritis creeps up on you.

But I’ve just had a hip replacement, so I can’t do any biking to write about at the moment, and this topic might at least be of interest to some of you.

Normal hip, you can see a gap between ball and socket where the cartilage keeps the bones apart and provides a smooth sliding surface for joint movement

The techniques and technology of modern surgery are pretty awesome stuff.  Infection control is especially important in orthopaedic surgery because if any infection gets going in bones it can be extremely difficult to deal with, even with antibiotics, so they operate inside a sterile tent.

The method of a hip replacement are also very impressive, although in some respects it still pretty brutal stuff.  It is major surgery, it cannot be done bloodlessly, so recovery from hip surgery does involve giving the body time to muster its repair process and deal with the aftermath.

Recovery does therefore take a number of weeks and it does involve a bit of effort on your own part – including the patience not to overdo it, especially during the first two weeks or so, when your skin and muscles are repairing the damage which, of necessity, the operation did.  Too much too soon can aggravate this damage.

Thereafter it’s a question of no pain no gain, so exercises as taught and an effort to mobilise yourself rather than settle for being a couch potato – although fortunately there isn’t much pain really, it’s more a question of putting in the work to overcome stiffness and discomfort, to get yourself going again and to rebuild rebuild the strength in your thigh and buttock muscles to give you the stability and confidence in your new hip that you will achieve.

You are encouraged to resume a fully active life, excepting only such continues………

Click on the picture for a larger image

This luggage trailer is not your usual flimsy thing.  It’s the same moulding and construction as the manufacturer uses for a Trailer Tent, so it’s both spacious and robust.  It incorporates an extended towing arm on which is mounted a cool box carrier.  You can power your coolbox from the bike’s electrics and your beer woill be ready to drink immediately you arrive!

This British-made Micro Gem GoldWing luggage trailer was purchased new in 2006 and has been used only three times, including the time it was used to carry luggage behind the owner’s car.

It cost £2250 new and it is in as new condition.  It has always been dry-stored in a  garage when not in use.  The tyres still have their bobbles on, it has the expensive chrome top rack fitted as well as a spare wheel, a jockey wheel and extra side lights for safety. continues………

Waiting for a second lease of life - Steve';s GL1000

I recently was watching TV with the family, in fact it was the film Charlie’s Angel’s to be honest and I was trying to compare it to the original series in the 70’s (That’s my excuse anyway!).  As it turned out it was a good film, the kids loved it and it had some excellent songs on the soundtrack too.

But what grabbed my attention was a song playing in the background during the restaurant scene.  I had heard it so many times but never knew who sung it.  All I knew was it was sung in Japanese and the tune had been playing over in my mind again and again for years.  It eventually got to the stage in the film where I was eagerly reading down the credits to find out the song title, but it was not there!

Anyhow a few days later I was on line and I thought I would check out the soundtrack through Amazon (being a bit of a computer nerd) and to my dismay the song was not listed on the movie soundtrack CD.   I played the 25 second previews of each track and began to get really frustrated.

So the next step was to Google it and eventually 2 hours later I had found the song I’d been searching for.  Amazing what you find with a little perseverance and patience.  It is called “Ue O Muite Aruko”, or in English “I look up when I walk” and was originally continues………

Polishing Gary Stubbs''s immaculate GL1500 trike

CLICK ON ANY IMAGE FOR AN ENLARGEMENT

A new service for bikers, a really good, professional cleaning, is being launched by a Lancashire biker who is also a professional, full time vehicle valeter.

Shane Hutchinson, based in Garstang, North Lancashire has operated his own vehicle valeting business, Lancashire Valeting, for many years and he drives a purpose-fitted van containing a full range of kit and materials to provide an excellent mobile service.

Shane recognises that many bikers enjoy cleaning their own bikes but not everyone does and not everyone can, especially when it comes to achieving Shane’ s exceptionally high standards and thoroughness.

And his prices are very attractive, starting from continues………

Thousands of bikers honour the Fallen

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The day dawned dark, damp, misty and unfamiliarly early as the alarm clock jangled me from my sleep and catapulted me into Saturday morning, 6:00am.  The weather forecast was hastily checked, sandwiches and flasks assembled, and by 07:00, we were on our way down to Knutsford Services in order to meet the other hardy souls attending RTTW 2009.

For those who may not have heard of the event, and to be honest, it was only just over a week earlier (thanks to a chance encounter at Southport Air Show), that Goldwings North West learned of what was to be a wholly worthwhile and moving occasion, here’s the lowdown.

RTTW or Ride To The Wall, was created last year by Martin Dickinson and his team of volunteers.  The idea behind the event was to give motorcyclists the opportunity to publicly remember those friends and family serving in the Armed Forces who had sadly lost their lives, and to show their solidarity and support for those currently serving in conflicts at present. As they put it: Our vision: ‘To remember those that can no longer ride by our side’.

To do this, they arranged a run from Tamworth Services to the National Memorial Arboretum. continues………

Stunt Riding Display at the 2009 BLP

The Eighth Annual Blackpool Illuminations GoldWing Light Parade will run on Saturday September 4th 2010 as part of a residential weekend of biking and social activities.

The Organisers are actively seeking a new residential venue following the closure of Pontin’s Blackpool Holiday Centre – but if there is one thing Blackpool’s not short of it’s visitor accommodation, so there will be plenty of options.

We will be looking for somewhere big enough for everyone to stay in,  secure parking for the bikes and entertainment facilities.  An announcement will be made as soon as practicable.

Two potentially suitable alternative venues have already been identified and we are already  in negotiations with the proprietors. There is also a possibility that the former Pontin’s Site at Squires Gate may reopen for the 2010 Season under a new banner, so we may end up being spoiled for choice.  Anyway there is no doubt that a suitable venue can be arranged and the 2010 Event will certainly be going ahead.

As already reported, our difficulties with the Police for the 2009 Parade have been resolved and indeed useful experience was gained of an alternative and, as it turned out, better approach to running the Parade.  By starting off just before dusk and riding one way along the Prom in twilight before turning back on ourselves to ride back in darkness we ended up with a longer and in many ways better ride.

The crowds turned out to watch us in droves and by mustering within Pontin’s we had none of the difficulties of previous years with crowds swarming all over the mustering area. Apart from the parade getting fragmented (because Police deliberately broke the Parade up, which won’t happen again) the 2009 Parade worked very well.  Many people commented that the buzz from the spectating crowds was something special this time, so the basic idea of riding the Prom in both directions and starting earlier is clearly worth repeating.

The Organising Team is being strengthened this year too and it’s already well on with the job of making next year’s Event even better.  Members of the Central Florida Drill Team are keen to come back next year so we’re working on that and a number of new features too.

So book your time off work for the weekend of  September 3rd to 6th 2010, it’s going to be a great weekend!

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This 2004 GL1800 is a US model (with ABS) imported new by it’s first owner and now for sale by its second.

Colour: Candy Apple Red (R274)

First Registered: In UK in September 2004

Current Mileage: 35,805

MOT until May 2010, Taxed until  August 2010.

All paperwork relating to the import of the bike by the original owner and its FSH comes with it.  Frame recall checks done in May 2005.  New battery fitted in March 09.

Extras include:  Full Autocom system, Utopia continues………