Stuart’s GoldWing Blog

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.

I kept the filter to show you....

I kept the old filter to show you, said the mechanic, when Nigel had his bike serviced recently.

It was quite a while ago when he saw some evidence of a mouse having been  in his garage and there had been no evidence of any harm coming to his bike or of it moving in long term.  The bike had also been running perfectly satisfactorily so far this year, with no hint of power loss or increased fuel consumption.

Yet when the mechanic took the lid of the air filter housing this is what he discovered.  Mice had clearly been in residence there, tucked away cosily during the winter.  The GL1800 has dual forward-facing air inlets to the air filter housing and these are of course plenty big enough to admit a mouse or indeed something much larger and easily accessible to an agile climber.  There are no grills or other barriers until you get to the air filter itself, which fortunately blocks access to the inlet manifold completely.

Mice have squashable skulls and they like squeezing into tiny dark holes; if a hole is big enough to poke a pencil into, a mouse can get in there too.  Presumably they close their eyes and use their whiskers.  I’m too claustrophobic to be reincarnated as a mouse; I’d quite like to be an albatros next time around, although I suppose if I’m honest my natural physical predisposition would lean towards being an elephant.  Indian rather than African hopefully; I am getting much more docile with advancing years and I haven’t had a proper Musth for many a year.  Anyway, from a mouse’s perspective continues………

It’s the time of year when many of us are booking touring holidays and other trips abroad although maybe, because of the weakness of the Pound against the Euro, not quite so many as last year. As readers of this Blog may be aware, I will be off to Germany for a week in mid June with a group of Wingers.  having a trip like that all booked up gives you something to really look forward to.

However, ensuring you have adequate insurance cover for a trip to Europe is very important.  You have to be a bit of an anorak to enjoy reading about insurance, so I won’t pretend this will be the most interesting or enjoyable Article on the Blog, but there are somethings you should probably know.  So here are a few tips to help you check that your cover is adequate.

I approached two of the major suppliers of insurance to the UK GoldWing market for up to date information and their helpful responses forms the basis of this Article.  Thanks therefore continues………

Barry Walton of Colin Appleyards is selling a pre-owned (i.e.used but serviceable) Hondaline CB Radio (to fit a Gl1800) for a friend.

It was removed from his 2004 GL1800.

This is a Plug and Play fit for a US-spec GL1800 and it comes with the three suppressors supplied by Honda which are necessary to prevent interference from the radiator fan motors and the fuel pump.

This radio CANNOT be installed on UK or EU spec GL1800s.  It’s strictly for US (or Canadian)  Spec GL1800s.

Price £350 ovno.

Contact Barry Walton personally on 07730822374.

Having the blues, BLP style!

We have encountered some planning issues which may affect the arrangements for the Saturday evening Parade along the Promenade, ie the Light Parade itself, so until these are resolved the information about the Route on the BLP website (which was based on last year’s arrangements) has been temporarily removed to avoid causing confusion. This information will be replaced, updated as necessary, as soon as practicable.

There will be a Saturday evening Light Parade along the Prom, it’s just that the arrangements might have to change from last year, so it wouldn’t be sensible to leave potentially inaccurate information on display.

Our administrative difficulties with Pontin’s have been resolved and bookings will open no later than March 20th. You will be able to ring Blackpool Pontin’s directly on 01253 340100 to make firm bookings on that date and in the meantime you can use the same number to make a provisonal reservation, which the staff at Blackpool will note down.

Sorry if the delay in allowing firm accomodation bookings to begin has inconvenienced anyone but the dates of the Event are as previously published, September 4th to 7th, with options for adults to stay for extra nights at Pontin’s either end, as last year.  Pontin’s accomodation rates have also been held at last year’s level providing you book before the end of May. For more details please visit the BLP website.

It can now be announced that the three-night entertainment programme we enjoyed last year will be repeated along similar lines and this year we are guaranteed to have our own private Show Night on the Sunday evening too.

It’s going to be a great weekend!

Two at once is a silly risk at his age!

I must apologise yet again that the Pontin’s booking system is not yet open.  More administrative delays I’m afraid but it should be up and running soon.  Meantime you can still make a provisional booking by ringing 01253 340100, which is the direct line to Blackpool Pontin’s and the staff will take down your details and requirements.  So if you are worried you might not get one of the posh Chalets, that’s the thing to do.

You may have noticed in the newspapers that Pontin’s is planning to make a big investment in refurbishing their Holiday Centres, in spite 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.

Ian and Denise Cardwell, Founders of Elite-Wings (by the way they didn't ride their bike to the top of this!)

Elite-Wings was formed back in 2001 with just two couples, myself and wife Denise and another couple, Derek and Christine.  After buying a GoldWing in 1998 we had all joined an existing GoldWing club but we were disappointed with what was on offer.  We didn’t want to do tents & camping, which was basically all the existing club seemed to do; we wanted nice long touring rides to new places and a decent standard of overnight accommodation en route.

It became clear that nothing like this was on the agenda of the existing Club or ever likely to be, so we decided to do our own thing.

The very first Elite-Wings event in 2001 was continues………

The 2005 Light Parade

The rates for accommodation at Pontin’s have been agreed and the good news is that our special 2008 rates will apply for 2009 early bookings!

So no increase in price at all — providing you book before the end of May.

We are still not quite there, because it will take another two weeks or so for Pontin’s to get these special rates programmed into their bookings computer. So firm bookings cannot yet be made.

Meantime you can make a provisional booking by ringing Pontin’s Blackpool (not their HQ) on 01253 340100 and your requirements will be noted and kept on file.

Further details are being put on the BLP website as I write this, so check there for further information.  The BLP website has been extensively updated recently so have a good look around – there’s all sorts of new information, and not only about the 2009 Light Parade.

It’s going to be a great weekend!

Blackpool Light Parade

Sorry that I haven’t been able to get the details of the 2009 arrangements for the BLP Weekend on to the website yet.  I hope to do so within the next week, if not earlier.

The 2009 BLP will be a three night weekend based at Pontin’s, as in 2008.  You will be able to stay for just two nights if you wish.  You will be able to stay for extra nights too if you wish.

There will be a broadly similar programme to last year’s Event, which successful and popular.  Friday Evening will be Best Lit Bike Competition and Comic and Disco party as usual, Static Display and Parade and a big Tribute Band on Saturday, Sunday Evening Musical and Dance Show.

So if you need to book a day off work to stay on Sunday night please do so, you will not be disappointed.  Don’t try to book Pontin’s yet or you’ll get charged brochure prices.

The first heat of Blackpool’s International Firework Competition will continues………