Fancy riding one of these in the French Alps as Honda's guest?

Happy Christmas from Honda with a free smartphone App and a chance to win a place on a free European Tour to try out the new Crosstourer for yourself.

Honda’s all-new Crosstourer, an adventure touring bike which will compete with the BMW R1200GS, was shown at the recent NEC Motorcycle Live Show is due to go on sale in March 2012.  It will be available at £11,475 for the manual version and £12,325 with Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT).

To coincide with this launch Honda has released the ‘Go Touring’ free smartphone app, available for both Android and iPhone. It helps users find the best motorcycle touring routes across Europe and the UK, as well as Mobike Hotels and Honda dealers along the way.

Go Touring can also be used to help prepare for tours; it has a handy equipment checklist and a weather forecast function.

Honda is also offering the chance to win a free place on an eight day Epic Tour across Europe, taking in everything from the high speed of Germany’s autobahns, to the stunning coastal roads of northern Italy and the beautiful mountain passes in the French Alps.   Honda describe this as a true money-can’t-buy experience aboard the Honda Crosstourer.

You can fill in an on-line entry form for this tour by clicking here.

The free Go Touring App can be found by searching ‘Go Touring Honda’ in the Android Market or Apple App Store – and if you are into smartphones you’ll understand what that means.

I’ve had a quick go at using it but this was not successful;  this is unlikely to be the App’s fault and it’s much more likely that I will need either a grandchild or a sociable geek to show me what to do.

Victoria of HondaUK viewing this Blog on her IPad. Brains and beauty, poor Bob was completely outclassed

I made it to the NEC after all this year, my troublesome hip having responded well to an injection and a jolly good day out it was too, in the Company of Federation Chairman Bob Summers and GoldWings North West Chairman Ian Duxbury, who kindly substituted for Frank Goodman as male model for my photos of the lycra-clad ladies.  Since Ian’s wife was stuck at home with no transport and serious toothache I thought this was very brave of him.

HondaUK had very kindly offered me some free tickets and so we were met by the lovely Hannah at the gate who handed them over.  Straight to the Honda Stand we then went of course, pausing only briefly to collect a coffee from their splendid Honda Cafe before making a beeline for the 2012 Model GL1800.  A white pre-production model was displayed as one of an arc of bikes behind rails around the back of the Stand but I was nevertheless able to get around the back and do a bit of sniffing about as well as take some photos.

Then the delightful Victoria accosted us with an offer of a prize drawn for one of everything from the Honda range – i.e. one car, one motorcycle, one generator, one lawnmower etc etc for the prize winner and no entry fee.  I’d been wondering what to get Management for Christmas so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the lawnmower will be small enough for her to handle.

We had to register our personal details to enter of course but handing these over to a pretty and personable young lady is never much of a chore so all three of us meekly complied, indeed I would have happily stayed there for ages doing it repeatedly.

Honda's My First Licence was popular with the children

The Honda Stand was a happy sort of place and we spent quite a while there before venturing elsewhere.  Prominence was given to the Crosstourer, Honda’s new VFR1200-based competitor to the BMW1200GS and, of course the Fireblade and the trio of scooter/motorcycle variants which share a common engine and frame.  Honda had also made room on their Stand for a display by a volunter group who deliver blood samples out of hours for NHS hospitals which they are sponsoring, which was noble.

The Show was bigger this year and occupied three Halls plus another one where a spectacular display of skilled motocross riding was laid on.  It was simply awesome to watch as six riders did all sorts of aerobatic manouvres, including in formation, using huge ramped-up mounds of earth built for the occasion.   One of them was only 13 years old!  The admission price, had we paid it, would have been worth it for this display alone.

Triumph Explorer

The new Triumph Explorer was attracting a lot of attention and the Norton Stand was popular too.  Indeed because it was Saturday when we went to the Show it was pretty busy all over and there was plenty of footfall even in the further reaches among the smaller stands.  We were however able to find a table to sit and eat our sandwiches – or in Bob’s case, because he’s on a diet, a tupperware box of salad and chicken.  Quite how most of a buxom chicken constitutes a weight reducing diet I’m not sure but he didn’t eat all the couscous, so maybe that made up for it.

Click on the image to see where Ian's hands were

And talking of buxom, or rather nubile wenches, we did of course notice the odd one or two around the Halls, some of whomwere a bit reticent about wrapping themselves around ian in response to my request.  The Kawasaki Girls were however most cooperative and made Ian’s day; I was asked to be sure to send him a copy of his picture with them so he could take it to work today to claim bragging rights.

The NEC Show is worth spending two or three days wandering around because there is an awful lot to see and there’s only so much you can take in at once and before your feet start to get sore.  None of us bought anything in the way of riding gear despite some incredible bargains.  Ian spent ages trying to find a souvenir Show Badge but failed, so he eventually settled for a wheel brush costing £2 as his take-home momento.

The Federation invades the GWOCG Stand

We bumped into a familiar face on the GWOCGB Stand in the form of Barry Walton, who was every bit as dynamic (and garralous) as usual and as well as giving us his guided tour of the 2012 Model GL1800, which he’d by then spent a full week crawling all over and playing with, was very informative.  Tony Perkins had imported a US Spec 2012 Model in blue and loaned it to the Club for display on their Stand.  It was more prominent and far more accesible that the white one on the Honda Stand so we spent quite a while looking it over.

New snout is attractive

Barry demonstrated some of his discoveries including the awkwardness of removing and replacing the redesigned side covers (i.e the battery cover and its opposite number) but on the brighter side he is convinced that these Japanese-built GoldWings have taken a quantum leap back up the scale of build quality, which was surprising.  Little things like the quality of finish on the polished bolts holding the front mudguard in place and the thicker, better quality rubber washers under some of them.  The plastic material of the redesigned cover strip for the joint between the front fairing and the top shelter is also more flexible and resilient.

The redesign of the seat seems to have moved the butt-rest backwards, allowing a little more room for the rider, which will help taller riders for whom earlier GL1800s were a tight if not untenable fit in this respect.  There might be noticeably less room for passengers as a result of this change so unless you are brave enough to trade the large wife in for a smaller one or alternatively leave her at home, you might get some additional earache when you ride one of these restyled GoldWings.

Bigger saddlebag, same sized access hole

And restyling there certainly has been and this is noticeable when you see the bike in the flesh.  The one thing everybody seems to like is the revised windscreen garnish with it’s twin angles slits instead of a single horizonatal “scoop”.  The rest of the restyling is a matter for the eye of the beholder and those who have seen plenty of the new 2012 Model, including Barry, all says its growing on them.

Bigger lids more vulnerable to damage if you drop it?

So far it hasn’t grown on me but this was the first time I’d seen it.  I quite liked the new bulging sides for the front fairing on the photos but in the flesh, or rather the plastic, I like them less.  There is now almost no chromed plastic anywhere on the bike and instead the panels which were chromed are now either matt black or grey.  I suppose it’s important to think back to the time when the new GL1800 looked like a plastic bath tub and more like a PC800 that a proper GoldWing, compared to the stately and magnificent GL1500 which it replaced.  But we certainly got used to the Gl1800 and few if any Wingers will now think of it anything othet than a proper GoldWing, even if they do still prefer the overall style and presence of its predecessor.

New cover strip, lots more matt black

In the flesh, or rather the plastic, the restyled saddlebags have their merits but I still see then as profoundly discordant with the unchanged trunk, as if Honda ran out of budget to finish off the restyling by changing the shape of that too.   Compare it for example with the stylish back end of the Victory, which whether you like it’s appearnace or not does at least look as though the trunk and the saddlebags are a matching set.

Less chromed plastic, new shaped fog light hole

Whether you like the re-styling or not the 2012 Model is an audible step forward for those of us who to play music as you ride because as well as providing for connection of your music player in the trunk, the new Model has a powerful new sound system and the UK Specification includes rear speakers, which is a first.  Listening to Barry’s IPod playing on Tony Perkins new bike was genuinely very impressive.  It’s certainly a conspicuous improvement on previous UK-spec models and if you want to enteratin the whole community with your musical taste as you pass through villages – or even large towns – this sound system will do the job.

New Sound System where the obsolete CD Changer used to go

The Navi system has taken a leap into the 21st Century too, with 3D mapping and the option to search for a desitination using a Post Codes – although probably only on UK-spec models, personally imported US-spec bikes like Tony’s can’t be converted to operate in this way, or at least not yet.  The really useful improvement in the Navi system for UK and European riders is however the option to load pre-planned riding routes intot he bike’s system, which earlier the Navi system wouldn’t accept.  The Navi system on 2012 Model bikes has two SD card slots, the second one being usable for this purpose.  Routes created using Garmin’s Mapsource on the PC at home have been successfully downloaded on to an imported 2012 Model to which European maps have also been successfully installed.

Victory rear end - styled as a matching set

Honda also claims handling and wind-sheltering improvements for the 2012 Model but until UK riders have reported their experiences of riding the new bike we should perhaps avoid high expectations in these areeas.  The lower air vents in the front fairing (blowing on to yoru shins) have now gone as well so the vent in the windscreen is all you get.  Fitting extra wind deflectors to the side of the fairing might be problematic too because the new fairing bulge wraps around the back of the fairing, covering the fastenning points which were used on earlier models – but doubtless the accessory models will think of something and fitments for the 2012 Model will appear in due course.

Stylish touch in way of rear lighting

The restyled 2012 Model seems to have taken a quatum step away from being the sort of GoldWing that you can look forward to fitting extra shiny bits to in that with this one there is almost no chrome at all to start with, except for the name badges  on the side covers, the valve cover strip and on the snout.  Manuafacturing the exhaust system in matt black or grey plastic might one day be possible but fortunately not yet so thankfully that’s still chromed metal.

Adaptive headlights on the owlish BMW K1600 series

I suppose it might be a reflection of my own age that I like chrome on a GoldWing and I resent the idea that there is now even less chrome on the GL1800 you buy from the manufacturer and it looks even more like a clip-together plastic kit bike.  But for £24,000 I expect something with a bit of class about it for my money rather than something which looks like it’s been redesigned in a cheaper, all plastic finish.

Anyway, on we went to the BMW stand where they had a line up of four K1600 models, three of which you could sit on and play with.  Compared with  HondaUK sticking their new big tourer at the back of the Stand as one of a row of bikes providing the backdrop to the Stand, BMW looked to be taking touring motorcycles seriously.

An impressive and accessible line up of K1600 BMWs

But then Victoria was a very nice young lady, more of a thinking man’s crumpet than the dolly birds on the Kawasaki stand, and HondaUK were serving remarkably good coffee.

Thanks for showing us the 2012 Model GoldWing ahead of UK deliveries in March 2012 Honda, but please start taking the marketing and selling of touring bikes more seriously.

I suppose it might be force majeure because of the Japanese tsunami but if not then bringing only 80 of these 2012 Model GoldWings into UK isn’t really trying to sell them in any active way – it’s not even one bike per Honda Dealership.

Stylish Coffee bar too

The place to take the wife shopping before Christmas has to be Knutsford Motorcycles, where Paul and his staff will be offering bargain prices on shiny bits for a whole week and a day in early December.

Kuryakyn stuff will be 20% off List and everything else 30% – and these are genuine discounts on normal list prices, not some artificial price, so a real bargain.

A Burger Van will be in attendance on both Saturdays and the Coffee Machine will be free all week, so a hearty welcome too.  Knutsford Motorcycles do of course also have the most civilised ladies toilettes in the motorcycling hemisphere so she’ll be well catered for too.

Knutsford Motorcycles are in the GoldWing Accessory business long-term and they carry very big stocks of Show Chrome, Add On, Superbrace and Hopnel as well as Kuryakyn, all well displayed on wall racks and similar so that you can drool in comfort whilst sipping a free beverage.  This is the place to bring her indoors along in order to drop hints about Christmas presents for the bike.  Alternatively of course you could leave her at home and bring the credit card instead.

Accessory fitting services will be available as usual.

Open 9am to 5pm daily except Sunday 4th December when it will be 11am to 4pm.

For further details ring Paul on 01925 752600 or visit www.knustfordmotorcycles.co.uk

Appleyards Open Day in the glory days of 2001

If you missed the big discounts on shiny bits at Knutsford Honda’s Chrome Crazy Weekend at the beginning of the month there’s a chance to make some Yorkshiremen happy in Keighley this coming weekend by spending your money at Appleyards Open Day instead.

This has been a popular start-of-season meet-up for Wingers for many years and weather permitting there should be a decent turn out this time as usual, although perhaps not quite as many as in the past.

There will be the usual very nice packed lunches, specially prepared by local maidens – well maybe not strictly maidens but very nice local ladies nonetheless and there is a choice of sandwich.  Even better these lunches are free – well, almost free, this is Yorkshire, so you are expected to make a small donation to charity.  Nonetheless Appleyards are generous in laying on this hospitality each year and it always goes down well.  Wingers have been known to eat more than one, or take an extra one home for Tea!

And if the prices of the new stuff upstairs aren’t cheap enough for you there will be the usual auto-jumble of used accessories and left over bits somewhere downstairs to rummage through for a real bargain.  Appleyards have sold a big batch of their used stuff abroad this year but I’m told there’s plenty left, especially stuff from trike conversions.  A lot of it comes from the used bikes they take in which go through the workshop to have dodgy accessory wiring etc removed and sometimes it’s slightly damaged or scratched.  But sometimes it is unused stuff which is simply old stock or has incomplete packaging or instructions.

Despite no longer being a Honda dealer Appleyards are still very active in the GoldWing market and they have continued to sell lots of used bikes and to supply some new ones by cooperation with other, properly franchised dealers.   They have become something of a specialist in trikes in recent years too and turn over quite a few of them – although not literally of course, indeed they offer training courses to help new riders learn how not to do that.   Some of the trikes might be hidden away discretely somewhere for this weekend because Appleyards have been selling, shock horror,  Harley Davidson trikes too!

Barry Walton will be audible as usual and although the highly respected Stuart Feeney has now retired from his full time role as Sales Director, he is still involved in the business and he’s probably be there as well.

Sadly I will probably be missing the Open Day this year myself (unless I can get a last minute leave pass) and there there are also conflicting attractions such as the Wirral Egg Run to which some Wingers will give priority but Appleyards Open Day should still be a good “do”.   The GWOCGB Club Stall will be an additional attraction.

Eric Warburton and his wife Bridget, proprietors of Knutsford Honda

This is your reminder that it’s Knutsford Honda’s Chrome Crazy Weekend, so the discounts are going to be tempting as Wingers gather for this popular early season Meet.

The weather is supposed to be getting brighter as the day develops, so it’s going to be a pleasant experience meeting up with Winger friends, especially on Saturday afternoon.  If you don’t make that there’s always Sunday, if you can square it with your Mother.

I’ve had one phone call already saying he going later but we’ll see who turns up for our Club rendezvous.  Sooner or later, we’ll be there.

Directions: leave the M6 at Junction 20 and take the A50 towardsKnutsford.  Knutsford Honda appears on left after about 2 miles.

Just one little corner of their huge GoldWing Accessories Showroom

Once again Knutsford Honda will be offering big and genuine discounts to Wingers on their huge stocks of GoldWing accessories at the first Chrome Crazy Weekend of this new season.

No nonsense involving jacking up ticket prices to make the discounts look better, as you might have seen elsewhere, Knutsford Honda plays it straight and the discounts are real.

They also carry the largest stock of GoldWing accessories in UK by far, so even as a browsing opportunity it will be worth making your way there.

It’s easy to get to them (only 2 miles form M6) Junction 20) and there are displays by specialist suppliers as well as catering laid on – what better opportunity will you have this coming weekend to meet up with your old GoldWing buddies and enjoy a bit of company and oggle at the shiny bits, even if you’re not planning to buy any right now.  There’s bound to be something new to look at; there’s new stuff coming out all the time.

The Event runs all day on both Saturday and Sunday so you can take your pick or come on both.  There’ll be a big crowd turning up on both days so to meet different people and to fill your trunk with shiny bits twice and spend a bit more of the kid’s inheritance that they don’t really deserve.  Why not?

No named biking celebrities this time but Eric Warburton, the Proprietor, will be on hand and is always worth a friendly chat – and it’s nice to see the boss supporting Events like this in person isn’t it? And if Eric’s stunningly beautiful niece is on hand to meet and greet again, who needs a biker celebrity anyway?  She was much nicer to look at than Fast Freddie!

So, especially if your biking season hasn’t got going yet, next weekend at Knutsford Honda is definitely something to aim for.

For further details or directions visit their website at www.knutsfordhonda.co.uk

or telephone 01925 752600

GoldWings North West Members with Freddie and Eric

CLICK ON ANY IMAGE FOR AN ENLARGEMENT

There was an excellent turnout at last nights ‘do’ at Knutsford Honda, when World Champion “Fast Freddie” Spencer made a personal appearance and owner Eric Warburton laid on not only an excellent buffet but a bevy of beauties to make everyone welcome.

We arrived very early and had a chance to take some clear photos but the place soon filled up nicely so there was quite a party atmosphere.  Celebrity Freddie turned out to be a really nice, friendly guy with a wonderful Southern drawl and he wandered around and chatted amiably to all comers throughout the evening.

Mixing socially in that way with someone who has won two motorcycle World Championships (250 and 500cc) in the same year doesn’t happen every day.  Mind you Eric’s wife Bridget and his niece Victoria  were quite an attraction too.  And then of course there were the bikes, including Eric’s own immaculate Honda 1978 CB750 and a stunning Honda Rune.

It was fairly obvious as you arrived that, in contrast with a lot of other motorcycle dealers, Knutsford Honda are flourishing and have been shifting a lot of bikes lately.   Eric is now a hands-on proprietor of this business and it shows.  They’ve apparently also been doing well selling GoldWing Accessories over the winter, including via their on-line shop and by mail order.

Bob always stands out in a crowd

There’s a lively air about the place and the Showroom has been “de-cluttered” and re-jigged very nicely – there’s a new airy spaciousness and it’s a bright and pleasant place to spend time looking at the bikes.  Bridget has been responsible for some of the re-styling and she’s done it very well.

Gary Stubbs being made welcome by Victoria

It was nice to meet the Honda UK Area Sales Rep too, Pete Swift, who’s also a nice guy.  Getting the Manufacturer involved in an event like this is very welcome.  I didn’t get a chance to dig for information about the new GoldWing and I don’t suppose for one minute I would have been allowed to get a scoop of that sort but Pete was forthcoming about how HondaUK plans to develop better relationships with the GoldWing community and we’ve exchanged contact details and will be in touch again.

There was quite a spread of food available and a choice of decent red or white wine (Rioja and White burgundy for goodness sake!) and Budweiser beer as well as hot and soft drinks – it was a very good buffet.

GoldWings take pride of place in the Showroom

Knutsford Honda are HondaUK’s best selling GoldWing Dealers but the evening wasn’t just for Wingers of course, which was nice because we got a chance to meet the local Honda Owners Club folk as well – and we got on like a house on fire, to the extent of inviting them to join in with our Club’s annual ‘do’ next year.  They meet fortnightly at Knutsford Honda and Wingers will be welcome to join them; there’s a notice with meeting times in the Showroom.

"Who is this old fool?" wonders Freddie

It was noticeable that almost all the non-Honda part-exchange bikes have been sold and the Showroom is now stocked overwhelmingly with Hondas.  I counted only two or three non-Hondas and as far as I could tell they stock the full Honda range.

The biggest GoldWing Accessory stocks in UK

They have three new GL1800s and because one of them is an unused 2006 model, another is a stock 2010 new one and the third is also new but has had £5,000 worth of accessories already added, there is effectively a choice of three different GL1800 models, all at attractive prices.   Starting at £15,995 – for a new GL1800!

There’s also a used GL1800 but only one at the moment, a 2004 red one, so they’re looking for used GoldWing stock at the moment if you want to sell or swap yours.

All in all it was a really good evening – well organised, generously hosted and very enjoyable.   I shall certainly be looking out for the next one.

Knutsford Honda’s next event will be their first Chrome Crazy Weekend of the season on April 2nd & 3rd when special discounts on GoldWing Accessories will apply.

You can contact Knutsford Honda on 01925 752600

"Fast Freddie" Spencer, MotoGP Legend

Eric Warburton and his Team at Knutsford Honda, the UK’s best selling GoldWing Dealer, invites all Wingers, and indeed bikers generally, to an Open Evening next Tuesday, 8th February 2011, when Fast Freddie Spencer, former World Champion racing motorcyclist, will be  on hand for you to meet and chat with.

There will also be a FREE BUFFET and, for Wingers, their equally attractive GoldWing Accessories Showroom, which carries the biggest stocks of GoldWing shiny bits anywhere in UK.

As a pleasant way to spend a few hours on a winter evening, what more could a Winger ask for?  (Silly question – yes  there will be free drinks as well!)

Fast Freddie is widely regarded as the very best motorcycle racer of the nineteen eighties, when he rode for Honda and good enough to beat both Kenny Roberts and Barry Shene on occasions.  He won three GP World Championships and won 27 Grand Prix races and had 24 fastest laps.  Freddie will be around for the evening from about 5pm until 9pm.   Early birds will be offered a signed photograph but these are in limited supply so don’t be late or you could miss out.

This is not the first time Knutsford Honda have provided an opportunity to meet a top class biking celebrity and scoff some free food at the same time and hopefully it won’t be the last – and of course there are always the bikes, accessories and clothing to drool over too.

Their Showroom is very easy to find, only 2 miles along the A50 towards Knutsford from Junction 20 of the M6 and there’s plenty of parking.  Bikes get to park in pride of place outside the door but there plenty of room for four-wheeled transport too and anyone interested in bikes will be most welcome so bring your friends.

For further information ring Knutsford Honda on 01925-752600

Malcolm's Underground Lair (before tidying up)

The ever-helpful Malcolm Wright and his team live underground at Colin Appleyard GoldWing Centre at Keighley and therefore rarely see sunshine or even proper daylight.  But they nevertheless remain cheerful and welcoming and they have been tidying up and brightening the place up too in the expectation of winter visitors.  I barely recognised it when I called in last week to say hello.

The workshop is still busy, especially building trikes which is more or less a continuous process these days, but they’ve nevertheless put together some winter special offers.  I’d not appreciated they did before now, so I have decided to pass it on.

It’s a range of servicing and other services, including dry storage of your bike all winter if you want it, and collection from and delivery back to your door too if you wish.  And, since presumably even their workshop gets a bit quieter over the winter, they’re offering reduced labour rates on all servicing and repairs as well.

Ideally of course we all ride our GoldWings regularly over winter to keep the oil flowing and the electrics alive, but the idea of getting salt spray from our winter roads in UK anywhere near my bike is a serious discouragement and the thought of trying to ride a GoldWing on snow or ice seems completely crazy – so one way and another, despite the best of intention, I find myself riding only infrequently and sometimes not at all between December and March or early April, then it’s time to turn out for Appleyards Open Day (which is on April 17th in 2011) then off we go again, hopefully with another enjoyable biking season.

So professional mechanic services for under £40 per hour, MOTs for under £20 and winter-long dry storage complete with a charge-up and checkover for under £100 are not to be sniffed at.  There’s even an option to have the bike valeted for you before you either collect it or have it delivered to your door.

Ring Malcolm (or Barry) on 01535 606311 for further details.

Salesman Mike will be on hand to help

Federation Sponsors Knutsford Honda are holding another Chrome Crazy Weekend this coming weekend, Saturday September 25th and Sunday 26th.

There will be special discounts of up to 25% on GoldWing Accessories as well as the usual refreshments and opportunity for a chat.

Knutsford Honda have been working at establishing themselves as a Specialist GoldWing Dealer and their upstairs Accessories Showroom has racks and racks of shiny bits from all the major manufacturers for you to browse through.  They stock accessories for Classic GoldWings as well as for the Gl1500 and GL1800.

They usually have a selection of new and used GoldWings in stock too and they have a flexible and very helpful approach to part exchanging any GoldWing when you buy a new or used one from them.  They also grab every opportunity to offer special purchase GoldWings such as the batch of unregistered 2006 Model Year US Spec GL1800s which HondaUK imported recently.  Knutsford Honda had four of them on on offer.

GoldWings North West will be riding there on Sunday so that’s the day to meet and greet while you’re about it.  Take the A50 East from Junction 20 of the M6 towards Lymm and it’s two or three miles on your left.