Branch Grants & General Rants

Last year we spent £650 of our Branch funds to put on a great weekend at Applecross, nobody was charged for the event as we wanted to do our bit for the Golden Jubilee year. I was encouraged by Kev Feltoe to put in for a grant (which is normally limited to £75 per Branch) and I was quite pleased to be given £100 until I saw some of the other branch grants given out (look in last months RH), to be fair Kev’s own branch only got £100 as well so no favouritism there but what did the rest do for the money? Answers on a postcard please!

Anyway Hot news straight from the Horses mouth, Danish John called me to let me know he is going to be running the 2012 International in Denmark, details will hopefully arrive in Roadholder soon. That still leaves us a problem of where to go for next year, we had thought of putting a rally on again, perhaps along the lines of Stirling but I feel its too soon after the last one. Geoff Scales gets this newsletter so Geoff what about you guys putting on a Rally for us to all go to next year, South of France sounds good either that or ask to do the 2013 International, we all enjoyed the last one!

I think we should do Applecross again next year but maybe a bit more formal so that we don’t take a hit with the money. I’m open to ideas.

New Norton News

It seems an acquaintance of Hectors took delivery of a new 961 Commando a couple of weeks back. Hector met the guy and he had problems getting it started, I was hoping for a scoop if Hector had managed to get a run on it but when the thing did start it sounded like a bag of nails and they were afraid to ride it so its now gone back to Donnington.

Now I may have been a bit negative about the new bike but for gods sake guys why do this, why send out a bike so early on in its production life that’s clearly faulty. Hopefully Hector can keep us posted as to progress and more importantly customer service.

Now had I been writing this in 1971 we could be blaming dodgy main bearings and highly tuned Combat motors and all before CNC machining had been invented. There are no excuses for not getting this right. I can’t wait for Richard from Belgium to get his and put it to the test (although not hopefully the test he put his Commando to last year in Austria!)

I see it won the Thundersprint so at least it can do 440 yards quickly and reliably, next maybe 4400 miles even and hopefully soon they can build up to 10,000 miles. If you read the press release it reads as if they have done the equivalent of winning the TT, sorry lads this was a race along a track in a public car park and although good to see its in the same league as the Ramsey sprint NOT the TT.

Scottish Tour

Fiona and I took two Commandos on a tour of Scotland last week, we met eight of our Belgian friends off the ferry and dropped them at the Famous Grouse experience in Crieff before meeting up with them again on the Tuesday in Applecross. Peter’s sidestand bolt snapped as soon as he came off the ferry (the result no doubt of the ferry guys strapping it down with ratchet straps too tightly ) and Alex came to the rescue by posting a spare up to Lochinver for us to collect when we got there. My Clutch cable was breaking and Alex once again came to the rescue by posting one up to me at Rogart. Why didn’t I have a spare I hear you all ask, basically because I forgot it! Sods law says that the only thing you will need on a trip is the part you left in the garage. We stopped on the Ardnamurchan peninsula on the Saturday, worth a trip to this largely ignored part of Scotland, then on to Mallaig and the ferry to Skye for a very Cold night. Stunning ride on Wednesday from Applecross to Lochinver following the coast road, no traffic , sunshine and spectacular views. The bit round the top Durness, Tounge then down to Lairg was with a heavily leaden sky, dark, foreboding and not that enjoyable as every time I had to pull over for the occasional motorhome another strand in the clutch cable would break. The run from Rogart to home was good after we deviated off the A9 to Dingwall and came down the A82. Just over 900 miles in total and both bikes performed well.

I have to say after the trip I have compiled a hate list of people who annoy me on the road, they are in no particular order.

Cyclists, think they own the road and wobble about all over the place being a danger to themselves and all other road users.

Caravans, well what can I say just a bunch of Bas*ards holding up everybody while they occupy their own little world

Motorhomes especially the ones driven by retired people with no concept of time, speed or consideration for other road users.

Cars full of Hillwalkers or tourists, drive at 45mph in general and no consideration for other roadusers.

Harley riders, especially over the Bealach, they are the same size as a bus so ban them!

Guys doing end to end runs on Honda 50’s, passed a gaggle of 20 of them on Saturday doing 43 MPH and acting like a mobile roadblock, some waved expecting some biker to biker Camaraderie, I just glowered and swore under my helmet.

In fact I’ve decided that I hate everything else on the road except me but then I don’t see a day when I’ll be the only one on the road and then I suppose I’d have nothing to moan about!

For Sale

Ian Corsar is selling one of his Commando’s :

I would like to sell my 1973 MK 1 850 Commando, the one that I bought from Alan Kroesen in 1998, it is currently in Roadster trim, new peashooter silencer, new seat, Boyer micro digital electronic ignition, alloy rims, I will fully service it shortly and put a new M.O.T. on it, please find attached a photo of the machine (e mail myself or Ian for it) cash only,no swaps for plasma tv's, pet donkeys, worn out wives etc and no silly offers of 50p and a pile of washers, offers relative to market value, look on ebay. Ians E mail is ic1340@hotmail.co.uk

Events

Next up at the end of the month

Heid o the Glen Rally May 29^th – 31^st

A combined Sidecar and Classic Rally organised by Norrie Milton at Glen Clova, well worth a visit, contact Norrie on Norman.milton@tesco.net for details

Don’t forget the International in Spain (hopefully see some of you there!) and the Begonia at the end of August

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

May 2010