Stuart’s GoldWing Blog

It’s a while since I wrote anything about the Federation of UK GoldWing Clubs, so here’s an update on the progress we’ve been making.

The basic idea of the Federation as previously described on this Blog is unchanged but things have moved on a little and the ideas have been developed.

The Federation has already been formed and its website will be launched within the next few weeks, containing details of the services being offered, i.e. what you get for joining, and of course how to join.

The Federation already exists as a body corporate, as the lawyers would say, in the form of a Club. It therefore has Officers: continues………

Gary's visitor at Tram Sunday

CLICK ON ANY PHOTO FOR A FULL SIZE VIEW.

It was an uncertain weather prospect as GoldWings North West met at 8.30am just outside Fleetwood to ride in together to display our bikes as part of the Town’s annual Tram Sunday.  The skies were very showery-looking indeed and it wasn’t all that warm.  Our thoughts were of coffee and bacon butties and where we could get them, or at least mine were.

As I rode into Fleetwood with the last four bikes, along three quaters of a mile of closed-off main street, it was a slightly spooky experience.  There were people putting up stalls and stands here and there but they were still thin on the ground.  It was a quiet Sunday morning but with only early arrivals among the other display vehicles in position, parked against the kerb.  It was like a flashback to how the street might have looked early on a Sunday morning forty or continues………

Not all red bikes, just lots of 'em!

Click on any picture for a full size view.

Nigel and I haven’t been away with Elite Wings for quite some time (last year was a bit of a write-off due to the building works and Nigel being in and out of hospital!) so we decided we’d join them down in South Wales last weekend.

Nigel and I set off on Friday in the sunshine and he’d very kindly researched the route and planned several stops at craft supply shops he’d found on the Internet. A lot of these were no longer in business but the thought was there and I always appreciate the fact that he’s willing to stop at such places (not very willing to let me buy stuff though!).

We arrived at the Hilton Hotel Newport around 5pm to find Mark and Pam in the bar (where else!) – haven’t seen them for a few years, but always remember continues………

Strawberries and Cream in the sunshine at Tatton Park

Click on any picture to see an enlarged view.

Stars & Stripes, or more formally the annual Classic American Car Show at Tatton Park in Cheshire, is always held on the weekend closest to July 4th and for some years it’s been a favourite for many Wingers, especially Pennine Wings, who have made it one of their main events and have welcomed other Wingers to join them for many years.

This year was no exception and there were 26 GoldWings there on the Display line on Saturday, more elsewhere on the Showground and even more on Sunday, when I forgot to count.  Wingers from several clubs came along , notable Staffordshire Wings and continues………

It takes a lot of work to earn the right to wear one of these

On a recent holiday to Florida I had the opportunity to renew friendships made at last year’s Blackpool Light Parade, when the Team Captain and three other Team Riders came over to show us their skills. They ‘re a great bunch to spend time with.

This further contact also gave me the opportunity to learn more of how they go about things, including how they train up new Team Riders. Training to be a Drill Team Rider is quite a complex and prolonged business and building up the level of skill and consistency, especially consistency, takes quite a while.

The Team, still the reigning World Champions, is thriving and busier than ever, with a programme of twenty or so Displays planned for this year.  And in between Display weekends, a regular weekly Practice Session gets a pretty full turn out ever time, so one way and another getting involved with the Central Florida Motorcycle Drill Team takes up most of a rider’s leisure time.  They’re off to Americade this week, which is continues………

Kevin Crawford, currently detained in one of HM Prisons

Kevin and Betty Crawford, of Childwall, Liverpool, owners of a GL1500SE and described in Court as active Members of a GoldWing Club, were sentenced to imprisonment earlier this week when they were both convicted of Benefits Fraud.  Between them they had fraudulently claimed nearly £50,000 over the past three years.  They started claiming benefits 17 years ago.

But Fraud Investigators were reported to have spotted them on their Club’s website enjoying a biking lifestyle and this triggered suspicion.  They were subsequently observed riding their bike together and camping at a biking event.  Kevin was also seen working up a ladder fitting windows; he has been running his own business as well as claiming benefits for some years.

Kevin was supposed to be barely able to walk because of a damaged knee cap and Elizabeth, as she was referred to in Court, claimed to be unable to walk or climb stairs or even to go to the toilet without assistance because of arthritis.  Yet they attended a series of biking continues………

Our February meeting started with a nice touch – visitors included members of GoldWings North West and a representative of the formative GoldWing North Yorkshire Club. – Looks like we have started a ball rolling here!

To read the rest of Dave Turvey’s Report go to the GoldWings North Wales Chairman’s Blog.

Modern Alternative to a Region

Scotia Wings was formed in 2000 by a small group of GoldWing riders centred on Perthshire, in the heart of the Scottish Highlands.

Our Club is open to owners of Honda GoldWing motorcycles and also to those less fortunate individuals who don’t yet have one but are interested in getting one.

The Club still meets in Perthshire but draws Members from a wider area and over the years has gone from strength to strength.  Scotia Wings has Members from many areas of Scotland including Central, Tayside and Grampian.

Each year there is a busy programme of organised ride outs both home and abroad (not just England!) and we also enjoy turning out for continues………

GoldWings North West website

For those who’ve been visiting GoldWings North West’s new website and have been frustrated to keep finding it in “Maintenance Mode”, our sincere apologies.

Here is a sneak preview. Click on the image to see an enlarged version.

Construction work by Nigel Mackintosh has already finished and Bob Summers had his first driving lesson on it this morning, so it should be up and running with interesting content very soon – hopefully by this weekend if not before.

This website is the prototype for an “off the shelf” Club website which will be available to GoldWing Clubs (or Regions) which affiliate with the Federation of UK GoldWing Clubs – this is just one of the novel benefits we are working on.

It will be very easy to adapt the continues………

It's all about freedom of choice

This Blog has become extremely popular – far more than I expected when it was launched a couple of months ago; its viewing figures have risen very quickly. It’s been getting over 1,500 unique visits per week, so it’s being fairly widely read in the UK GoldWing Community already.

So thank everyone for your interest; you are helping to create a new and useful type of Newsletter for the UK GoldWing Community.  Please keep viewing regularly and keep your contributions and comments coming too. This Blog is for everyone.

Strange then that someone would not want to make use of it, or at least not to continues………