Newsletter
May 2009
Newsletter
May 2009
Motorcyclists
– who needs them!!
This may
seem like a strange way to start this months newsletter but its
just how I feel. When most of us (over 30’s J
) started biking it was (mostly) on British iron. Mix in engineering practices
and designs from the 40’s or earlier and a adolescent
youth full of testosterone and you had trouble. The bike simply couldn’t take
the abuse and lack of servicing heaped upon them. Servicing was what you done
to the student nurses at
That was
pretty much how we got through our biking apprentiship,
learning as we went along, building our circle of friends and along the way
gaining enough knowledge to help fellow motorcyclists in distress. That was
what I loved about being a motorcyclist, the feeling that although you were out
of the mainstream and eyed suspiciously by Mr average in his Ford Cortina, old ladies and chickens you were part of a club
that had no equal, a club where everyone would help and offer advice and offer
genuine comradeship.
Something
changed then, it wasn’t the bikes but the people, I probably can’t identify
when it happened but I’m pretty sure it was started with the “you meet the
nicest people on a Honda” campaign. Bikes gradually became acceptable. Not in
the way they were in the 50’s and before as bone fide transport but as fashion
accessories. Since the 90’s the squash / badminton and golf club members have
been heading to the bike shops to buy the latest fashions, both in Bikes and
gear.
Now don’t
get me wrong, this has been great for the business and for us, cheaper bikes, insurance,
breakdown cover tyres and clothing due to the economies of scale now associated
with this leisure pursuit. But there is a downside, many people who ride bikes
(and I refuse to call them motorcyclists) know nothing of the etiquette of the
road, there is a lack of the feeling of comradeship, different bike groups
don’t acknowledge each other on the road, BMW groups riding along with their
noses in the air, Harley groups riding along with their noses up their ar*e and if you are stopped with a problem at the side of
the road hardly anyone takes notice.
The point
of this rant is, last week en route to the Lothians
Classic club on the Commando I spotted a bike parked on the hard shoulder of
the slip road of the Edinburgh bypass, it was in a very exposed position with
regard to the traffic so I stopped at great personal risk to myself thinking he
must have a problem. At no point did the guy try to wave me on to indicate all
was under control. I stopped and he came and looked at me quizzically “ is everything OK, do you need a hand?” he looked at me
still quizzically “yes” , “I thought you’d broken down” “Broken down” he said
looking at my Norton, then pointed to his bike (a Honda) “They don’t break
down”
At this
point I realised he was a retard and resisted the urge to slap him across the
side of the head for being a wa*ker and headed off.
The moral
of the story is keep the faith but be careful about stopping for retards who
think the hard shoulder of a motorway is a fine place to stop for a blether to the missus!
Events
George, Sandy and Peter made
up the Norton contingent from the branch to the Notts
branch camping weekend on Easter Bank holiday at Linton-on Ouse and despite the
weather reported a great weekend, other events George has in the pipeline are;
1st to 4th May, Nottingham branch, Linton-on-Ouse
16th 17th May, Yorkshire branch, Dent
5th 7th June, Northumbria branch, Wooler
26th 28th June, Our lot, Applecross. A must attend
!!!!!!!!! (See details later)
11th 12th July, Braemar being organised by a
Norton owner.
8th 9th August,
anyone interested please get in touch with
George, george1045@hotmail.co.uk
or tel 07742852057 so numbers can be sent and places
booked.
Also the
Norton National, International, and Golden Jubilee at Donnington. These are all to be booked by individual see Roadholder.
Applecross
details
If camping
it’s adviseable to pre book with the camp site on +44
(0) 1520 744 268 or e-mail: enquiries@applecross-campsite.co.uk
10% discount will be given
as long as you let them know you are with the Norton Rally, normal rates are
£6.50 per person per night. Saturday a proposed meander around the coast road
which is quite spectacular in itself with a stop for lunch then a run back over
the Bealach Saturday evening we have arranged for a Marquee to be erected
across the road from the pub and we will be having a band to help dance the
night away. The bar will shut at
A list of
B&B’s was in last months Newsletter.
Other stuff
Heid o the
Glen Rally
The Classic
club are organising in conjunction with Norrie Milton the Heid o the Glen
Rally on May 22 – 25 to which the NOC are invited, this will be a combined
sidecar and Classic bike rally to be held at Glen Clova.
Details from Norrie Milton on norman.milton@tesco.net .
International Rally
Alex & I are leaving on the Tuesday 21st
of July from
And As
always don’t forget the Begonia Rally in
Let me know
if you fancy any of these events.
The Small Print
The views and opinions contained within this
publication are not necessarily those of the NOC or of the branch but are
probably mine as I wrote it.
No one accepts any responsibility for
anything, if you have a good time don't say I didn't warn you.
Gino Rondelli