Terry aka Yellow Terry Short Pants, can’t wait for Summer. Sporting his birthday present from the Boys at Kent Wings.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 1 GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 2 WELCOME TO THE CLUB If you are interested in visiting your nearest Region’s monthly meeting,phone up the Rep (see list of Regional Reps) or just turn up and make yourself known. March Gary and Ruth Bryan Shropshire Damian Lockley Wiltshire Victor and Janet Bevington Staffs Ian and Mel Crockett Sussex Andrew Bennett Wiltshire Ian and Judith Pritchard Preston Peter Phillips Banbury Alex and Stacey Groves Kettering Social Members John Griffiths Pontypool Mark Kepler Bramford Suffolk David Trotter and Gillian Munroe-Trotter Durham Robert and Lesley France West Midlands Darren and Juliet May Cornwall Harry and Gaynor Beese Newport SW Kevin and Lindsay Close Whitby Ray and Jeannie Walton Rochdale Robert Hendry and Dawn Pattinson Bexhill on Sea Brett and Julie Colquhoun Egremont Cumbria Andre Ravary Littlehampton Sussex Peter and Linda Ford Basingstoke Ken Major Edgware Patrick Donnelly and Marie Middlemass Cumbria William and Gabrielle Hurley Herne Bay

March

Evan Thomas (South Wales) will be 13 on the 9th Suzanne Hackett (West Wales) will be 6 on the 24th

Happy Birthday GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 3 Obituary: Tim (Tiny) Dix

Sadly, William (Tim) Dix, passed away on the 14th Feb at 9.05pm. Tim was an active member of the club in years gone by and has a lot of friends in the club. I have taken the liberty of copying an image posted by Anne & Rab Strang from FB. Our condolences go out to Bev (his widow) and his family.

Tims funeral is to be held on Friday 3rd March 3pm at Harrogate Crematorium. The family would love bikers to come along and join the convoy of bikes, meet at 2pm from home (11 Branton Court, Great Ouseburn YO269RJ ) and travel to the crematorium. Dress how you want but this is not a suit and boot job. Family flowers only, a collection will be held for the kidney unit at Yorkshire hospital. R.I.P. my friend.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 4 Announcements

GWOCGB AGM

The next Annual General Meeting will take place on Sunday 23rd April 2017 THE HOLIDAY INN Address: 20 Wolverhampton Rd W, Walsall WS2 0BS Phone:01922 618800 10am Reps Meeting 11am Start of AGM (There will also be a NC meeting on Saturday 22nd Apr)

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 5 Announcements

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 6 CALENDAR of EVENTS 20162017 Date Event Type Location 24th- 26th Mar Hunstanton Light Parade Hunstanton 8th Apr Shrewsbury Light Parade Shrewsbury 9th Apr Appy’s Open Day Keighley 23rd Apr GWOCGB AGM Meeting Holiday Inn M6 j10 Walsal 4th - 7th May Portugal Treffen Porto Covo 5th- 7th May Wessex Wing Ding Charmouth Dorset 18th- 21st May Belgium Treffen Vosselaar 25th-28th May France Treffen Vendome 41100 19th-21st May Broadlands Wing Ding Bury St Edmonds 24th- 31st May(BH) Border Wing Ding Redcar Rugby Club 1st- 5th Jun Holland Treffen Schorfvenweg 3, 5976 PL Kronenberg Kranjska gora,Gozd Martuljek - Avtocamp 8th- 11th Jun Slovenia Treffen ŠPIK Harkány, Bajcsy-Zs. street 6. Termál 15th-18th Jun Hungary Treffen Camping 15th- 18th Jun Spain Treffen Empruriabrava 16th - 18th Jun Devon & Cornwall Wing Ding Newquay 22nd- 25th Jun Switzerland Treffen Engelberg 23rd - 25th Jun Sussex Wing Ding Eastbourne 29th Jun - 2nd Jul Italy Treffen Rieti (Rome) 30th Jun - 2nd Jul Essex Wing Ding Southend on Sea 6th- 9th Jul Czech Republic Treffen Zákupy 13th- 16th Jul Poland Treffen Wrocław Topacz Castle 14th- 16th Jul Center Wing Ding Alcester Warwickshire 20th- 23rdJul Latvia Treffen Riga (Krasta iela 89) 21st - 23rd July Tudor Rose Wing Ding Yardley Gobion 24th-26th July Russia Treffen TBA 27th- 30th Jul Finland Treffen Karjalohja, Päiväkumpu SPA 28th- 30th Jul Lincolnshire Wing Ding Market Rasen 3rd- 6th Aug Norway Treffen Leira (Fagernes) 4th - 6th Aug Yorkshire Wing Ding Farsley 10th- 13th Aug Sweden Treffen TBA 18th- 20th Aug Norfolk Wing Ding Banham Zoo 17th- 20th Aug Ireland Treffen Drumshanbo. County Leitrim 24th- 28th Aug (BH) Great Britain Treffen Driffield, Yorkshire 31st Aug - 3rd Sep Luxembourg Treffen Eischen 6th- 10th Sep Greece Treffen Alexandroupoli 14th- 17th Sep Bulgaria Treffen Aheloy on Black Sea 20th- 24th Sep Turkey Treffen Canakkale-Kum Hotel 30th Sep Skegness Light Parade RNLI Skegness 27th -30th Oct Belgium Friendship W/E Hotel Event Nieuwpoort Belgium

GWOCGB Wingspan October 2016 Page 7 GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 8 GWOCGB National Committee

NATIONAL COMMITTEE GWOCGB Registered Address: Chairman TIM BROOKS 21 St Andrews Crescent, Tel:01233 820682 Cardiff, email:[email protected] CF10 3DB General Secretary JANET CROSS Tel:0118 981 2311 CO-OPTED POSITIONS email:[email protected] MAG/BMF Rep Position Vacant Membership Secretary PAT HELM Tel:01924 824323 Minutes Sec MARION ROWDEN email:[email protected] email:[email protected]

Treasurer BARRY HAWKINS HONORARY POSITIONS Tel:07736433384. Founder & Former President email:[email protected] HARRY WARD (1929–2001)

International Rep BOB SIMPSON Honorary Life Member ALLAN FOSTER Tel:07899 864167 (co-opted) Tel: 014577 63038 email:[email protected] email:[email protected] STA Award cards can be sent to: R Simpson, 87 Crossways WINGSPAN Peter church, Hereford HR2 0TQ Wingspan Editor CHRIS EASTER email:[email protected] Treffen Coordinator NIGEL WHITEHOUSE Tel:07919 554749 email:[email protected] KEEP YOUR REGIONAL CONTACT DETAILS UP TO DATE Events Secretary MARK PHIlLIPS Tel:07787 108578 email:[email protected] or [email protected]

Committee Member / Classic Section It’s very important for Regions to keep the PETE FISHER Committee (Gen Sec, Events & Membership Tel:0790 6478570 Secretary) as well as the Wing Span Editor up to email:[email protected] date with any contact changes. This is one of the duties of the Regional Rep. Please bear this in mind when Regions are organising their Annual Webmaster DEREK HENDRY General Meetings. Tel:0191 567 0303 email:[email protected]

COPYRIGHT NOTICE:All material, information and images used in the WingSpan are the property of the originator and may not be reproduced or published in any way, shape or form without the written permission of the Wing Span Editor. DISCLAIMER:the opinions expressed in the articles in Wing Span are the opinions of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Gold Wing Owners Club of Great Britain, its Committee or its member’s. No liability can or will extend to the Club in relation to the contents of such letters and it is only on this basis that we can publish such correspondence. In addition, the Gold Wing Owners Club of Great Britain has no knowledge of the condition or merchantability of any of the items offered for sale in this Wing Span. The Purchaser must rely on its own enquiries

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 9 Welcome to my report for March 2017. Following on from last month’s report, I took the Trike to Kent Motorcycles at Barham, near Canterbury, Kent on Thursday 12th January for the brake recall. I am glad that I trailered it there as the rain was very heavy. At least they managed to carry out the works.

My trike is 2010, interesting to see that in America, the bulletin in May 2016 regarding the Airbag Recall, is 2006-2010 bikes, some 2,700 bikes affected, but only some specific models. (USA owners have several different build options and can have an 1800 without airbag). In January this year they state 2006-2009 plus 2012 bikes, adding a further 882 bikes to the list in what Honda call “the second phase” This is just America, Pete Rakestrow informed me of (if memory serves me right) a further 900 or so Wings in Japan. I haven’t seen figures for the UK, but I know some have had the airbag fuse removed by the main dealer. I suggest concerned owners call their nearest main dealer and give them your VIN number to check. Mine came back, clear. Honda America stated that there hadn’t been any fatalities globally.

My thanks go to Cheryl and Alan Roulston for another great Trent post Christmas bash in Derbyshire.

On the 26th February, we held the Rep/Members meeting at the Holiday Inn M6 J10 Walsall, (as it is now Sunday 5th Feb as I write this report ) I hope it was informative and thank all who attended.

The clocks will be changing shortly and the weather should get better. Hello Spring. Tim

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 10 Greetings! The unexamined management accounts for the twelve months ended 31st December, 2016 were presented at the February, 2017 Member’s Open Meeting and hard copies were made available at the time. I therefore enclose for wider circulation in the Wingspan the usual two documents, namely money in and out and bank balances at the year-end.

I have excluded all income and expense relating to the Treffen as we previously considered a separate financial report on the Treffen. Also, as previously, transactions on the Friendship and Charity accounts have been excluded. (See accounts at end of report)

A few comments on the management accounts: Money in: membership subscriptions have now really taken off in the year’s last quarter because of the 2017 Membership subscription renewals for 2017 that have been received. This situation happens every year which is great news for the Club, but it does somewhat skew the year end numbers. The £21,599.29 can be compared with the 2015 Management Accounts number of £23,071.15 so we are down a little. Wing Ding surpluses continue to bring in a good sum and are up on last year.

The Club Shop continues to bring in small amounts throughout the year; the new GWOCGB decals are improving this number.

Money out: No real surprises there, these are all items that regularly feature throughout the year. We are yet again awaiting some additional bills for equipment storage to the end of the year, which are late, so this will mean that those costs will appear in the 2017 first quarter management accounts. Generally, by the action that has been taken we have reduced our outgoings this year and I have not had to dip into our reserves to meet our day to day running costs.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 11 The Bank balances at the year-end still continue to look healthy, the Treffen account helping considerably. Nothing really to add here. If you have any queries concerning the twelve months management accounts, please get in contact with me.

It is at this time of the year that all my accounting documentation disappears to our accountants to enable them to prepare the statutory limited company accounts. If you recall, these accounts are those that have to be prepared on a formal basis and take into account any adjustments to provide for payments made in advance, known as prepayments (such as 2017 membership subscriptions) or invoices that are due in the year but have not been received, known as accruals (such as equipment storage costs). I anticipate that the finalised accounts will be printed in the April 2017 edition of the Wingspan. They will need to be formally considered by the membership at the AGM on 23 April, 2017 at Walsall.

And now my usual advert – as you must all now know that the National Committee have re-launched the GWOCGB logo on a vehicle decal - 75mm (3”) will cost you £2.00, just the thing to brighten up your Wing and if you want one for your trailer that will cost you £4.00 for a 175mm (7”) one or there is a ginormous one 255mm (10”) at a cost of £5.00 is you have something even larger to stick it on. (All profits are going to the Club.) I hold the stock of these wonderful additions to your vehicles and therefore you can contact me if you have not yet had yours.

We have also looked at the introduction of a GWOCGB ‘GB’ vehicle sticker and guess what, they are now available at a cost of £3.00 each, they will be available for sale at the AGM.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns about any aspect of the Club’s finances, please get in contact - my door is always open. That’s all for now folks.

Ride safe. Barry.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 12 Goldwing Owners Club of Great Britain Management Accounts 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016 (12 Months) UNEXAMINED

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 13 Goldwing Owners Club of Great Britain Management Accounts 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016 (12 Months) UNEXAMINED Balances at Bank

Hi all, can I remind members that the positions of GWEF Chairman and GWEF Secretary are up for election and the closing date for application is 19th March 2017, applications should be sent to GWEF Secretary.

I would also remind members that the competition for the design of the GWEF Anniversary Patch has a closing date of 30 July 2017. The winner of the competition will receive free entry to all 2018 Treffens.

I would also remind members if you are intending to travel and use any of the ferries to Europe the closer you get to your travel date the more likely you are to pay more. As an example, I booked travel to Hook of Holland earlier in the year and at the time of writing the fare has gone up £80.00.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 14 Very little else to report on the GWEF side of things other than countries continue to add locations and flyers on GWEF web page: www.goldwing-european-federation.eu.

Bob

Hi All, typical January, a quiet month, had a few events to go to, first was Tony Walton’s birthday party. Talked about this last month. The following weekend, I donned my Royal British Legion Riders cap and headed off to Scarborough for their post Christmas bash. This happened on the same time that the storms had hit the UK but apart from a few road closures, it did not affect us really. We had a walk into Scarborough, amazing how much sand was on the road, lots of diggers involved putting it back on the beach. Then finally another post Christmas bash, this time for Border Wings. Great weekend, thanks to all for the company.

It’s that time of year for me to adjust who is a member and who is not on the website. This will be happening now, so if you lose access to the website members only areas including access to the Wingspans then this may be the reason why. But do not worry, send in your application forms and let me know and I can reinstate your full membership.

We will have just been back a week or so from the first Open meeting this year. I am hoping that it was like the previous meetings, well represented by the Members and Reps. It really makes it all worth while when we see the support for the club. Please remember this is where the club is formed and changed hopefully for the good.

One thing that keeps coming up is members asking why addresses cannot be put on the Wing Ding flyers when they are in a public area like the Facebook public group page. I am far from a jobsworth but I would be

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 15 negligent of my duties if I do not follow the constitution. This states that no addresses can be entered in public areas for Wing Dings. Why?, well apparently years ago a couple of bikes sat all weekend and watched the bikes going in and out of a Wing Ding, for this reason, THE MEMBERS decided that the addresses would not be displayed to members of the public. Treffens having an increased security were felt OK to put on the addresses. Now please don’t shoot me, I am only doing what is in the constitution. This very topic may have been discussed at the open meeting.

As you can imagine, as Webmaster, I get a huge amount of emails, letters, phone calls etc on information needing to be passed on to members. I am asked for help to do certain things like adding photos etc. I have to deal with various changes of Reps, meeting places, I get adverts in for flyers, one day events and so on. One of the key things at the moment is getting over the details of the various events. I got an enquiry from a member asking why some information was on FB and not on the website.

Please remember that the website is the OFFICIAL communication device for members. When I checked, the info had come from a member who had just recently come from a regional meeting. Now I do on occasion pick up on things like this but if I am not informed then I cannot put it on. One other thing on this, the person passing on the info had given the wrong weekends date. This was because the Wing Ding date had been changed as it had conflicted with some other event. Actually it has happened twice now this month alone.

One thing I ask all members to do is please check the website and Wingspan for details but it’s a two way street. Yes I know you who know me could never even dream that I could make a mistake, haha but it does happen, so please if you see anything wrong then let me know. Also please check that the information you have in your diaries has not changed. At least 2 Wing Dings have changed weekend for example.

I would like to take this opportunity as well to thank all the people who I work alongside with, mainly Ian Martin aka Koxxy who continues in

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 16 the back room with myself to ensure the safe and secure running of the website. We cannot forget the top editor Chris Easter who sorts out the Wingspan for us and also Elaine White and Cheryl Roulston who make sure that the FB page is ticking over correctly. I would also like to thank all the contributors who take the time to write the reports etc.

I will finish now on a top secret event, how on earth Emma managed to keep it quiet is amazing really. Yes it was back down that Yorkshire place and help Wayne celebrate his 30th. Great night again surrounded by fellow wingers.

Ride safe. Derek

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GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 17 Member’s Nominations For Committee Positions

Position: Treasurer

Name: Barry Hawkins Members No: 0008

Nominated by: Robert Carter Members No: 0036

Seconder: Lester Kenting Members No: 0206

Position: International Rep

Name: Robert Simpson Members No: 0006

Nominated by: Barry Hawkins Members No: 0008

Seconder: Lester Kenting Members No: 0206

Position: Treffen Co-Ordinator

Name: Paula Cross Members No: 0025

Nominated by: Keith Cross Members No: 0024

Seconder: Brian Brown Members No: 0019

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 18 Member CV’s For Committee Positions

MemberCVfor International CV’s For Rep Committeeposition from Bob Positions Simpson

Please find below my application for position on GWOCGB Committee as International Representative. Proposal form to follow.

Hi to all members, I wish to put myself forward to continue in the position of International Representative for the club. Back in February 2016 when the post of International Representative became vacant in sad circumstances, I made it known to the Committee that I would be interested in filling this position. At the AGM in April 2016 I was co-opted onto the Committee until the AGM in April 2017.

Before going any further I would like to thank the Committee for giving me the opportunity to represent the club and hopefully there weren't to many complaints. I would also like to thank those members who supported me in this position and to the few doubters I would say that hopefully I have managed to change your minds and would look for your support should I be re-elected.

To those that do not know me all that well I have been in the club for 16 years and in that time I have travelled extensively throughout Europe and attended well over 100 Treffens. In 2013 and 2015 I attended all Treffens for those years. I also attended the first Treffens to be held in Ukraine, Russia, Slovenia, Hungary, Greece, Belarus, Bulgaria, Turkey and Latvia. On my journeys I have built up a friendship with other Goldwing riders who I can call on for information and help. In 2014 I managed to obtain a discount for members traveling with DFDS on any of their ferry routes.

Some members may disagree with me but I believe that GWOCGB should be in GWEF. The countries in GWEF have a lot to offer and I would encourage members to visit a Treffen in another country and by this I mean that members should try to travel a bit further than Belgium, Holland, France and Spain. Look further North, East and South, the people are friendly, roads are generally of good quality and believe it or not what you eat in GB is readily available throughout Europe. A cow,

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 19 Member CV’s For Committee Positions

Membersheep, pig and CV’shen are theFor same, Committee no matter what countryPositions you are in. You never know you might just enjoy the new experience and come back with some great memories.

Should I continue in the post of International Representative for GWOCGB I will continue to put forward the wishes of the club members at GWEF meetings and I will also help members with relevant information on travel in Europe.

Bob Simpson CV for Treffen Co-Ordinator position from Paula Cross

I would like to be considered for the position of Treffen Co- Ordinator!!

While I have not been in the club that long, my husband, Keith (Dougal) Cross has been a member for over 30 years and I can, if necessary draw on his knowledge of things GWOCGB as well as having his full support in this role.

The reason I believe I am suitable for the role is my vast experience of eventing in both my professional and personal life.

The events I have organised from conception to completion are: - Trade shows which included large household names such as - Kenwood/Tefal/Brita/Stanley tools/Energiser to name a few. The last trade show being half the size of 'The Ideal Home Exhibition'. - Award ceremonies and dinner and dances, arranging and working with celebrities and after dinner speakers. - conferencing and team building days both in the UK and overseas including the accommodation requirements for 520 people events that lasted 5 days which included shows/dinner and dance and presentations arranging transport to and from events for 200 people. Weddings both traditional and the unusual this included a Muslim wedding where the venue, a large hexagonal conservatory had to be dressed to look like an Arabian

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 20 Member CV’s For Committee Positions

Night Tent with the tables and chairs dressed to match a wedding reception in Belfast Castle which was a combination of shabby chic and Indian

I also arranged my own wedding which was based on a farm in field, and ran for 3 days

- I had to arrange and organised the marquee, porta loos, bar, catering and camping accommodation for over 100 guests - all of which I did on my own whilst working.

My smallest event has been 6 people to my largest of 1,500 people.

All of the above experience is transferable to this role and will help me, with the help of the membership, to organise and run successful Treffens.

Paula Cross CV for Trefasurer position from Barry Hawkins

My name is Barry Hawkins and I have again been Nominated to the position of Treasurer of the Goldwing Owner’s Club of Great Britain by members of my Region, South Wales Wings. I therefore set out below for your consideration, some brief details about me and my qualifications, I have deliberately not provided you with detailed background information about myself - that being provided in April, 2015.

I joined GWOCGB in 1998 having purchased a solo 1988 GL1500 which I have called “The Preachers Dream”, in 2016 I purchased a further solo 2001 GL1500 called “The Preacher’s Delight” – those Wings are my pride and joy. Becoming a member of South Wales Wings in 1998, I have been and still am very actively involved with the business of the Region both supporting events and the officers of the Region. Indeed, I became the Region’s Treasurer and Quartermaster in 2006, positions which I hold to this day. During the Winging season you will often see

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 21 Member CV’s For Committee Positions me at Wing Dings around the country and occasionally I wander overseas. I am generally the mouth piece at our own Wing Dings. I am fully committed to the success of the Club and have accordingly again volunteered for this position to ensure its continuance.

I have now been retired for just over three years and following my appointment as Treasurer in April, 2015, I have since July, 2015 had sufficient time to do the work involved. Since my appointment, I have tried to introduce simpler ways of communicating to the Membership the sometimes difficult to understand reports of company accounting.

I have therefore introduced Quarterly Management Accounts setting out the money received and paid out by the Club in what I believe to be an acceptable format. From the responses that I have had to date this seems to have been well received by the Membership.

I have also been able to improve my understanding of the SAGE computer based accounting software which the Club uses by attendance at free SAGE training sessions, provided by our local auditors.

This has helped me operate the software and I intend to continue, with your support, to make further use of this tool to provide both the National Committee and the Membership with additional accounting information. The Income and Expenditure Report on the 2016 Treffen at Oswestry is an example of what is possible.

I think you can now agree that my principal strength is my ability to regularly communicate sometimes quite complicated financial information in an easy and interesting way. My principal weakness, some continue to say, is that I am a stickler for detail.

I therefore invite you to support my application to be re-appointed as the Treasurer for a further two-year period; this will enable a continuity of office and allow me to further explore accounting systems to communicate extra financial information and data to you. February, 2017. Barry

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 22 Tony Dean has kindly given permission to put this article into the wingspan about his GL1100 restoration. This is the final parts 6 to 10 of his build. Missed parts 1 to 5 ?, Look in last months Wingspan. Part 6 Hello there, my literary starved chums! Although it seems like ages since last we chatted, I have been a busy boy, although not regrettably busy with the bike but with yet more holidays and sheds.

You remember, when last we joked about the semi-permanent stream running through my workshop at the pub, that something had to be done and that the first step was to replace my two sheds with one larger workshop?

Well, I had no idea of the expense or upheaval involved. Every guy out there with a shed I challenge to investigate the deepest, darkest corners of his timber empire and not be amazed at the years of accumulated junk that we “will need some day”.

I’ve had a sort out. I started quite timidly and kept my dad’s old brace and bit and chisels with nicks in them for sentimental reasons. I also kept a box of 33 kitchen unit hinges and 6 pairs of butt hinges from over 20 years ago.- for precisely two days. After trying to find places to store this lot, I gave up and threw most of it out!

Chris’s dining room was converted to a temporary shed and out of bounds for dining in. My old workshop was corralled into service as a ‘lock-up’. Pete, next door, claimed the 2 sheds as niece Claire, who was first to claim them, couldn’t arrange removal quickly enough, and then Pete and I took them apart. So far, so good.

Steve and his son came round and advised that instead of a mini-mix of concrete, we would be better off going down the pavers route and he would make sure it was ‘absolutely flat, guaranteed’. It isn’t – but still cost a grand.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 23 The workshop (I started typing ‘shed’ but prefer ‘workshop’. More professional I feel, don’t you?) arrived and was erected in half a day with Steve lads’ help. So, a total cost of workshop re-housing - £2.5K; 13ft X 11ft of heaven.

The lads out there know what I mean. Anyway, the walls don’t flake, there is no resident stream of rainwater marooning me and communica- tions are such that the telephone rings when lunch is ready. What’s not to like? In between this state of play we have been with the family to Cornwall for two gloriously sunny and warm weeks, a week with sister- in-law and the wife to Wensleydale and a trip to Whitby.

Ah yes! The bike! Well here are a couple of photos of progress to date. I lapped the valves for hours....

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 24 I am told by Tony at A.J. Restorations that the rest of the bike including the frame, final drive, carbs and front forks will be ready, hopefully, by this week-end (6th and 7th Sept). Problems with 2 and 4 cylinders big- ends (they wobbled from side to side on assembly) has meant ordering larger sized shells. After plastiguaging the old green coded ones I found they were only in tolerance by .003 of a millimetre. I have ordered brown ones which will give a little more. If necessary, as no other shells are available, I may need to shave a sliver from the end cap surfaces but they haven’t turned up yet so this is the right side of the engine and gearbox....

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 25 And this is the left

All the ducks are in a row now, and the last parcel with bits from David Silver Spares should be arriving in time for my return. Oh! Did I not mention that this Sunday we are off again for fun in the sun for 9 weeks. Time for golf, bowls, boating and sun. Lovely. I will miss the family and the bike though. Time is beginning to look short for a completion date of June 2015 but I feel sure it is still achievable. Toodle pip for now young and old things, and kindest regards, Tony. Part 7 Hi there, my avid little readers! Brrr! Back from sunnier climes for the last two weeks and the best things to happen, apart from my mate Mally coming down to the workshop to check out my wiring and make sure I don’t go up in a puff of smoke are Barry’s joke and seeing the family – not necessarily in that order. Barry was telling me that his mate was a couple of hours late down the club the other night and when he asked him where he’d been he said “Defrosting the fridge...... or foreplay she calls it!”

I started with a call to Tony at AJ Restorations which went well as all of the bits he had were ready, including the frame and the fork sliders. I spent the next couple of days, after collecting them and handing over a wad, sorting post out and other stuff that accumulates when you’re away.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 26 I could have papered the lounge with all the advertising stuff that came through the letter box. I then fitted the new, and greasable, main stand (the last having fallen apart with rust) so it could stand on its own, put the forks back together by clamping the top nut in the vice and using the weight of the rest of it, upside down on top, with my modest weight added, to compress it and turn it to screw together. Repeat fork 2. I then fitted them, with the brackets, to my powder coated frame. Front brakes and handlebars were next, which in turn necessitated fitting the instru- ments and cables. The joy felt when looking at this phoenix was worth all the doubt and expense.

You remember when last we spoke the problems I have had with tight and slack big-ends – no coarseness from the back, please! Well, the general consensus was to engineer the problem out professionally, so that’s what I did. I took the crankshaft and all 4 pistons to Alex Carr engineers who were reticent at first when I mentioned it was a motorcycle I was restoring but a little more perky when they saw the size of the thing. Look, I’ve told you once, stop giggling. I had a call from the engineer dealing with my parts a couple of days later which resulted in me taking a copy of the Honda workshop manual and Haynes’s to him. Strangely, neither had the technical information he wanted so I posed the question on the Goldwing Forum. I had replies from Norway, Texas and Nebras- ka but no-one was a lot of help. For those of you who are curious, the information I needed was the diameter of the hole made to host the big-end shells, by bolting the end-cap on to the con rod. Most workshop manuals for cars give this, but not Honda. Ian wanted to machine a sliver off the end cap surfaces, bolt them to the corresponding con-rods and re-machine the right sized hole. He ended up using trial and error and found that it should be 43 mm. Valuable information for all GL1100 Gold-Wing fettlers.

While this was all going on I was negotiating with 11 dealers for a new car. The old Volvo had been a great steed and friend over the last 9 years but she was creating more squeeks, groans and moans of late. Whilst this is to be expected with the missus, and indeed tolerated for a quiet life, not so with the car. She regrettably had to go. I mention this in order to garner a little sympathy and understanding that the two weeks available

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 27 to me to get on with motorcycle renovations were beset with side issues too so don’t be too hard on me for rate of progress, right?

Oh, by the way, the main loo broke when the plumber came to fix a small leak, and is still broke 5 days later. He tells me it will be sorted soon. Plumbers eh?

On top of that Stiffy said “Tony, you’re going to have to do something. There’s a pigeon half-way up the chimney. I can hear it coo-ing. Remember Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer and “The Dove From Above”? No amount of coaxing worked. In desperation I fixed my ‘swimming towel’ across the fireplace with a box over the grate, displacing the brass surround in the process and left the thing to sort itself out. It turns out the damned thing was sat on top of the chimney all along but could not be seen from the back garden. Bah! I now have to repair the fireplace.

Sanctuary from this madness was only to be had down the workshop. However, the dealers had better ideas ‘cause the moment they know you are “in the market” they descend like wolves and the ‘phone was red-hot. Doesn’t it always happen that you have grease all over, or you are struggling to juggle three bits of bike and a nut and bolt when the nice man from the garage rings. This happened three times in an hour one afternoon and on the fourth ring I picked up the receiver and said “What” rather brusquely. “Oh hi, Anna, sorry about that.”

However, I fitted the rear shockers after the differential and drive shaft to the back end, and followed that up with brakes, battery box and rear mudguard inner. I also had bought little William a work-bench of his own as he likes to have a cup of tea with granddad in his shed.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 28 The vice works, as well as the little electric drill/screwdriver. Jealous granddad.

Anyways up, got a call yesterday from Ian at Alex Carr to say the crank and pistons were ready. When I got back I took them apart again, cleaned and oiled them and installed them in the right side crankcase. However, when lowering the other half of the crankcase onto pistons 2 and 4 which run on the left of the engine, one of the piston rings snagged and broke. *^**@~!! The language. Worse than “I’m a Celebrity”. I’ve now ordered another set so the engine stays like this for the time being.

Keep healthy and the right way up. See you soon. By the way, my new car is lovely. Tone

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 29 Part 8

First of all a huge apology to my long suffering trouble and strife - there was a pigeon up the chimney! I was wrong to doubt her. I found out the day after I sent you the last edition of Tony’s mechanical machinations. “Tony, Tony. You’re going to have to come here and do something with this pigeon which is sat in the hearth, bloody thing!” Indeed, there it sat as large as life. Of course, as soon as it saw me it took flight and in the process decorated the ceiling of the lounge with rather attractive charcoal feather impressions and ditto to the wall next to the curtain pole, where it eventually settled again. Enough.

I grabbed the ‘swimming towel’ from the hearth, which had spectacularly failed to contain the beast when it eventually fell down the chimney, and skilfully launched myself, arms outstretched with towel encompassing the errant bird and fell back to earth victoriously clutching my prize. Now then, it has to be said that the thought of a pie did cross my altruistic mind.

However, calculating the weight of the towel and mentally subtracting that from the total weight of my prey and the towel, showed that the emaciated beast was not worth the effort. I let it go outside the front door and watched it take to the skies, then I saw it was flying back to me, I thought, to thank me. It then swooped and pupped right in my eye. “That’s bloody rude” said Chris and “I’ll get a bit of paper.” I said “Don’t be daft, he’s miles away by now.” That last bit was courtesy of Benny Hill but the pigeon did fly straight back onto the bloody chimney. Now I can’t swear that it was the same bird but two days later a pigeon came down the chimney again, at velocity and head first, and pranged into the false coals much like a feathered Evil Knievel. It was obviously dead with it’s feet and bum sticking perpendicularly out of the coals. How can one concentrate on fettlin’ with this lot going on.

We left the last episode of this journal of torture with the back wheel in, awaiting new piston rings as I broke the last one. Both lots of brakes were also fitted but not bled or working. I spent hours with different methods of recommended bleedings for the brakes to try and get the fluid

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 30 to all bits without air. None of them worked. In desperation I bought a suction automatic bleeding machine. Brilliant. I now have working brakes with new seals in master and brake cylinders and new pads. New dust seals should ensure a long life.

The new piston rings arrived courtesy of David Silver Parts and Paul, my youngest, helped me fit the two halves of the crank together. It seemed to go together well. We retired for a well earned home cooked meal and a glass of wine. The following day I smeared the two crank halves with silicon gasket sealant and bolted the lot together, torqueing the bolts to the recommended settings. However, on trying to turn the oil pump it was solid and would not turn. $£%**!!

At times I have to wonder about religion. Surely, if there were a munificent Lord of all of us up there he’s either falling about laughing or teaching me a lesson. Sometimes, though, it all works out for the best as when I pulled off the left side of the engine, freeing 2 and 4 pistons yet again, No. 2 came out with a broken top ring, half of it falling into the end of No 3 upturned piston.

Back on the computer to David Silver Spares who are now on first name terms. You can see the problem with the top ring in this piccy.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 31 Anyway, while I was waiting yet again for a set of piston rings I got on with cleaning out the petrol tank. It’s not easy as I had looked at the cleaning and lining of pitted tanks on the net. I had it repaired with brazing when it was originally blasted on the outside and developed a couple of leaks. Mmmm.

Maybe a lot of it is thin and rusted through. I, in preparation, bought some lining liquid as recommended by brilliant fettlers as being ‘the best’. I then put a handful of nuts and bolts in the tank swiftly followed by 3 litres of white vinegar and rattled the whole lot round till my arms dropped off, or at least felt like it. I kept going back and having another rattle. When I emptied the tank of shrapnel and dirty vinegar I was left with a watertight (i.e., petrol tight) tank which looked particularly clean. The pick-ups for the petrol main tank and reserve (lower down) are small bore metal pipes with wire mesh on the ends.

I’m thinking that if I pour lining down there I’m going to end up with blocked pick-up pipes and no fuel coming through. I therefore took the decision to just clean it out with detergent, then clean water a few times and then dry it out on one of my heaters. If it starts to leak it will be a bother to sort but I’ll have to do it then.

This is now where I get embarrassed and show myself as unworthy to occupy the hallowed halls of the Old Fart Fettlers Association. I could not get the tank in the bike unless I took out the rear wheel, swinging arm and rear mudguard. Should I not have known that? This is the thing. When I read all these magazines everyone warbles on in technical terms about tolerances and such.

Photos are shown of guys welding bits of cranks together to convert 2 V4s to one V6 and how to fit a BSA Gold Flash engine into a Norton featherbed frame. Why? Mind you, right from the start I admitted to you that I was no mechanic and my awe and respect for these grimy, oily fettlers is undimmed but my shame at not realising I couldn’t get the petrol tank in without much tussling was a low moment. Not the only low moment just before Christmas, I might add. I also, around the 18th December, decided to fill the two rear shockers with oil through the air

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 32 pipe holes. Let me tell you it is a long job of drip feeding unless you blow the seals out again with a compressor air-line, covering yourself in hydraulic fluid in the process, and pouring the stuff in. I thought I will feed it in. It doesn’t work. I tried this rig.

By the time I got 365 mls in by jigging the thing up and down all the time for 3hrs I had had enough. The right side shocker came off short time and it went in the vice. I predictably got covered as I blew apart the seals. Anyway, job eventually sorted.

The 3rd set of rings arrived and Paul dutifully came round for another feast and to help his daft old dad. This time there was no difficulty with liberal dollops of grease and breath-holding, and the two case halves slid together beautifully. I torqued up the bolts the following morning and then started the assembly of the cylinder heads, accompanied by the cams, rocker arms, timing belts, carbs, wiring loom, radiator etc. Wow. She is now really looking like a bike.

Fingers crossed and the oil goes in. Well, half of it did. In trepidation I looked underneath but it didn’t dribble out at all. Great. The other half of the oil went in. The antifreeze and water, 50/50 went in next, all at once. Imagine the horror when it didn’t fill the radiator, never mind the header tank. I then heard water falling onto the workshop floor. I could have cried but I didn’t have time.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 33 Alternating between mopping, putting containers under all the leaks and swearing liberally again, I was busy for 10 minutes or so. When I had time to think things through I thought “This is when I would have had a ciggy when I smoked!” That was an all-time low.

The leaks came from so many directions that in order to try and keep track I was scurrying about identifying them and marking with a red marker the spot. One source was the drain bolt which I had stupidly not tightened up. Other leaks came from the radiator hoses which had not been tightened either.

More worrying though, was the upward seepage from between cylinder head and block on BOTH sides. I worried all night. A.J. Restorations, who did my vapour blasting and coatings is piloted by a very nice bloke called Tony, perchance. I poured out my troubled soul. “Don’t worry ‘T’” he said, “I’ll be round this afty.” Tony, true to his word, appeared around 4. By 5 he had taken apart the heads and discovered some prise marks (well, the heads were stuck solid with the gaskets when I took it apart.

When I originally did the marks I made a mental note to flatten the ridges when they came back from cleaning but then forgot, as you do). He filed and fettled very gently until satisfied. He then put both heads back on and tightened up the bolts to recommended settings. He assured me that all would now be “Sweet”, a favourite adjective, and relieved me of a few quid.

We are now between Christmas and New Year and the priority of family commitments rather than bikes are paramount to friendly relationships all round so it was a few days after New Year before I put the bits back together again and gingerly poured the antifreeze/water in again. No apparent leaks so the rest went in. This time it filled the rad and the header tank in the right proportions. A couple of hours later, J.D. and coke in hand I wandered down to the workshop to admire the bike. Oh heck! Two tell-tale pools of red liquid on the crankcase tops plus two more drips underneath. “Tony, I go to Portugal next week-end. What do

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 34 I do now?” He agreed that he needed the bike at his workshop to “Straighten everything out.” He probably meant to “put right all my cock-ups.” She went on the trailer as she was and was duly delivered to the workshops on 14th January. Tony says she will be running when I return from Portugal. I hope so as the workshop looks very bare and sad without her.

A bit blurry, I know but this is her just before her trip to ‘hospital’ and my hand must have been shaking. At least Tony has the right equipment for diagnosis. I write this in the sun having been prompted by two recipients of these missives that my journalistic rate of production had slipped. I hope that in March I can send a short movie of a “Smokin’ Wing”.

By the way, in an effort to research who the bike was owned by and where she had been, I asked for the history from the DVLA in Swansea, accompanied with a £5 fee. This enquiry duly came back with a list of 11 owners, including me. Taking into account that 6 of these were dealers or ’short term owners’ it left 4 others and me. I have written to 2 of the 4 to date and intend to write to the other one on return to the UK. I know, you have spotted the deliberate mistake that it only adds up to 3.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 35 However, the first keeper is hard to track and I telephoned a guy with the same name in the same town who was highlighted on Google as being a well known and much published author of the Potteries area. He advised me that although he had ridden many bikes in his time he was not the same Brian ----. He said he had been a professional Speedway rider in the day but was now in his eighties and wheelchair bound.

He seemed to live on his own and pledged to help research where his namesake had got to. He came back to me after the New Year and he had been to the original address and spoken with the householder who had heard of the original Brian but did not know where he went.

My contact also enquired with many other local contacts and then remembered that he had once been chased by bailiffs wishing to claim debts from a person with the same name. He thought it was in the eighties. We both think it could be the same man and don’t wish to pursue it further. However, Brian refused any recompense of expenses and asked to receive a photo of the finished bike. What a lovely man to have gone to all that trouble for someone he had never met. Keep smiling you lot!

Part 9 Yer know, sometimes I could really spit! friend said the other day, “You seem to take one step forward and three steps back with that bike.” He’s absolutely right. What have I done to suffer so many setbacks? I tell you, other lesser men would have thrown in the towel and visited a quiet retreat with a pint, a mucky woman and a darkened room.

Not your hero though! I just keep banging my head against the wall, or the shed door, to be more accurate, for everyone else’s amusement, it seems. It really tests levels of enthusiasm and patience.

By way of explanation, we parted last time with the bike in ‘hospital’ at J Restorations and me on my way to the sun. The sunshine was very welcome and a bit of golf went well with piri-piri and cataplanas, washed down with local brandy and coke.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 36 I was, however, rudely interrupted in my revelry by a mail from Tony to say that while ‘firing up’ the bike it had inadvertently literally done that – fired up I mean. The whole thing caught fire! He explained that he had not put the exhaust pipes on and there had been a leak on the fuel pipe which then dripped petrol down the engine block. “Bang” went the first piston and a flame shot out. “Whoosh” went the bike. Tony then said that he had thrown a few quick moves which any disco dancer would have been proud of, and stopped the engine through a wall of flame. He then unleashed a powder extinguisher over the conflagration. He said there was no damage but that it had taken him a full day to ‘clean up’ his workshop and my bike. He had finally got the bike to work but it was running ‘raggy’ he said. Chris and I flew home.

On my arrival at his workshop the bike looked OK but Tony was unable to start the thing. I commented that it sounded like a one stroke, with the occasional ‘bang’, rather than the four stroke it’s supposed to be. Tony assured me the problem was in the idle jets of the carburettors. A few days later, he said that I should really buy some more carburettors at £150!!! “The idle jets are pressed in to the aluminium body of the carbs”, he said, “and I can’t get them out.” Aren’t these forums on ‘tinterweb amazing? A guy in Amity in Arkansas (“Squeal like a pig” country for those of you who are ‘Deliverance’ film fans) wrote to say that if I used a 3½” drywall screw in the top of the jet, just to get a purchase, the jet

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 37 can be lifted out. I relayed that info to Tony and he set to work to remove the jets and clean them.

Chris and I went for a couple of days to York in the caravan. By this time I was hobbling about a lot on a gouty foot (“That’s the local brandy and coke you’re always suppin’,” Chris helpfully chimed in with.) Well, whatever, but the pain was quite severe and culminated, after a sleepless night, with me literally hotfooting it down to the local A & E. They gave me something for the pain. When I was called by the nurse for attention it meant I had to traverse a large waiting room, tap-tapping with my stick. I commented that I felt like Blind Pugh and she would have to wait a bit until I got to her before I could tip her the black spot. Nothing. Blank face. Is it me or has nobody read Treasure Island recently?

Back home and I went straight to the workshop to see how the bike was doing. “The gearbox has a problem, T,” Tony cheerfully mentioned, “as she won’t go into neutral or first.” This would be major asit would mean another full engine strip to get to the gearbox. “I have cleaned the jets, though, and had her running and balanced all the carbs. Sweet.” “

The starter-motor won’t work now and we had to‘bump’ her off. Oh, the radiator fan is not kicking in also,” he cheerfully added. I paid Tony off and dejectedly loaded the bike onto the trailer. I’m sorry about this but I had little enthusiasm for taking photos. My mate, another Tony (yeh, confusing isn’t it?), helped me offload the bike and move it into my workshop. We put her on her centre stand and after he wiggled the gear pedal a bit he said “Well there’s neutral and there’s first.” Bless him. We then tried to bump the bike off but a combination of my gouty foot and the gravel in the drive losing grip on the rear wheel meant failure. It would have been nice to hear her go and may have lifted my spirits a bit.

Back on her centre stand and I diagnosed a faulty neutral switch and a faulty starter motor, not to mention a doubtful temperature sensor and trigger switch, necessitating the removal of the 4 carb set and all the accompanying wires and cables. Bah again. We now have this state of play ~

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 38 while waiting for – starter motor repair or renewal and the delivery of 3 switches for replacement.

Chris and I then went to the Gold Wing day at Colin App- leyard motorcycles at Keigh- ley and had a damp and chilly visit there. We saw some gorgeous Wings, though, and we each bought a helmet with intercom and a jacket. Heady days, eh? Chris tends to be of the school of thought, which I am slowly coming round to, of “Why not buy a bike which works?”

By the way, all this has been happening with a back-drop of my daughter-in-law suffer-

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 39 ing with an illness which has necessitated a trip to Newcastle hospital, (thankfully much better, thanks for asking), builders dust everywhere in taking out the famous pigeon fireplace ~ decorators for a week.

News on the previous owner front.

(see earlier reports), fitting new patio windows and the

One of the owners I wrote to replied with a lovely letter and a copy of a photo which I include here.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 40 She looked well 15 years ago, eh? This is how I want her again. Just compare what I bought 18 months ago for £720. –

Up until now she has been de-rusted, de-oxidised, new forks, stock bearings and seals, new brake calliper seals and pads, new ignition, new piston rings, valves and seals. The chrome has been re-done,the frame powder coated, the aluminium vapour blasted and the panels should be out of the paint shop in a few days.

Easter Sunday is here and so are some choccy eggs. What’s not to like?? See you all soon with a smokin’ bike, I hope. Be safe. Tony (Mad Dog) Dean

Part 10 Way back in September, 2013, almost 2 years ago, I chose to renovate the above mentioned motorcycle, which I paid good money for, under the assurance that “It’s all there, mate”. Yeh, right. Remember?

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 41 To be fair, I could have chosen an easier project than a 4 cylinder, water filled (not in the rad, unfortunately, but in the pots) bike, mostly in bits. I have never seen so much rust and aluminium oxide! Well, today she passed the MOT test! However, don’t run away with the idea that she has given in to my ministrations and huge amounts of cash thrown at her with new stainless exhausts, new big-ends, new piston rings, new steer- ing head bearings, new brake seals and callipers and pads, new battery, repaired rad, stove enamelled frame, suspension seals front and back, vapour blasted carbs and engine, starter motor, £1,700 of re-chroming, and new paint job. Oh no! The bitch has fought me every step of the way and although she has passed her safety test today, she runs as rough as the proverbial badgers bum! Aside thought ~ why do badgers take all the stick? “Gay as a badger” springs to mind. Do you know any others? Answers on a postcard, please!

I was saying about it not being easy and you will realise, having read earlier editions of this tale of woe, that every time I think I have done everything right I end up going back over the same ground time and again. The engine has been out and stripped 4 times now. The MOT man today said he thought the carbs needed “re-jetting” and perhaps that may sort out the rough running.

However, let’s go back to a month ago and I was touched by the offers, simultaneously, from two individual good friends who Chris and I know from Portugal, who suggested offering their time and expertise by travel-

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 42 ling from their summer homes in the UK and staying here for a few days. Great friends and generous to a fault. Peter Wilson, from Norwich came first and joined Chris and I for this year’s Barton Bike Night. Out of interest, Google it! It was fantastic. Chris and I went on the GL1500SE and Pete went with Mally and Lynne in their car. The following couple of days Peter helped enormously and shoved the work-rate on tremen- dously. Peter Moss, from Alnwick, came down on the Thursday and helped then and on the Friday. Cottingham Day was on the Saturday and Pete Wilson had already gone back to Norwich on the Friday, but Pete Moss joined us for a fun-day, a few swigs of frothing ale with ‘the girls’ and a look over the vintage bike and car exhibition. He also found himself very popular with the mini-Deans.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 43 Mr. Moss on the left (BSA Rocket Gold Star) and Mr. Wilson (Yamaha Virago) busy fettling. Sincere thanks to both you guys. I really enjoyed your company.

Oh! I don’t think I mentioned the GL1500SE which we went to Barton on in previous editions, did I? I was getting a bit anxious that my first deadline, Barton Bike Night, was drawing near and I had doubts that we could finish the bike for her ‘maiden voyage’ there. Also, if this thing dragged on much longer I wouldn’t have transport to the Isle of Man TT Classic in August – the second deadline which Chris and I are going to with Norwich Peter and his very good lady, Margaret. Here she is then, after collecting her from Wallsend.

She has 6 cylinders, weighs even more than the GL1100 and sports trendy led lights round the front wheel rim, TomTom navigation, cruise control and full comms with the pillion. Following on from that I have sorted and had sorted the electrics on the 1100. I did most of the lights and stuff but I couldn’t fettle the radio and indicators so I hired ‘Darren’, a local auto-electrician with a van, to do it. The way things were going, I could easily have tried to turn right at a junction and blasted out todays’ “Archers” episode, or turned the radio on and heard a strange rhythmic ‘clicking’.

Well, as I originally stated, I am not a mechanic and I didn’t choose the easiest bike to restore, but it has given me, as well as the frustration and

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 44 need of a course in anger management, 2 years of interest and joy and I regret none of it. We still have a way to go to perfection and I am not putting a time-line on it. Because of the newly acquired GL1500 Chris and I have a trusty steed for the Isle of Man and the 1100 can await final tinkering to put right. I must admit though, the 1100 is a lot easier and lighter to ride than the GL1500, which handles like a block of flats!

Finally, thanks to you all for your patience with my obvious amateurish- ness and poor attempts at humour, to Chris for her forbearance and increasing enjoyment of ‘biking’.

Also, many thanks to everyone who contributed with help, tips, cups of tea or just a general natter during this difficult and storm-tossed voyage. I leave you with this.

Live by the mantra – HAVE FUN AND SMILE! GL

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 45 Region: Alba Region: Centre Rep: Janet (Jinty) Mawer Rep: Phil Woodall Tel: 0141 584 9867 Tel: 07877581329 (Phil) Mob:07960 087470 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Meet: Cradley Heath Liberal Club Meet: The Steam Wheeler Address: 60 Upper High Street, Cradley Heath, Address: (next to Dobbies Garden Centre), WestMidlands, B64 5HU Braehead Time: Every other Wed 8pm Time: 1st Sun Apri-Sep 11am Region: Cheshire & Merseyside Region: Avon Rep: Position Vacant Rep: Chris Johns Email: [email protected] Tel: 01275 790069 Meet: The Egerton Arms Mob: 07811 616926 Address:Hermitage Road, Saughall, Chester Email: [email protected] CH1 6AF Meet: The Lord Nelson Time: 1st Sun Noon Address:58 Main Road, Cleeve, Bristol, BS49 4NR Region: Cumbria Time: 1st Sun Noon Rep: Gail Ewin Tel: 01697 475846 Region: Border Email: [email protected] Rep: Dave Henderson Meet: Dobies Garden Centre Tel:0191 3857890 Address: Near Carlisle Email: [email protected] Time: (Nov-Mar) 2nd Sun 10.30am Meet: Durham Prison Officers Club Meet:The Red Rooster Address:The Hallgarth, Durham Address: Penrith DH1 3AX Time: (Apr-Oct) 2nd Sun 10am Time: 2nd Tue 7.30pm Region: Devon & Cornwall Region: Broadland & East Anglia Rep: Chris Easter & Bill Burke Rep: Tony Spinks Tel: 01822 615262 (Chris) Tel: 01284 788297 Tel: 01752 843704 (Bill) Mob:07775 736046 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Meet: Poldark Inn Meet: The Park Hotel Address: Delabole Address: Diss Time: Contact Rep for details or visit D&C Day: Contact Rep for Details Website for Meetings and Events

Region: Cambridgeshire Region: Essex Contact Gen-Sec for details Reps: Colin Ellis & Mike Condon Tel: 01277 655616 (Colin) Region: Capital Mob:07757080973 (Mike) Reps: Ray (Yetti) Brooking & Chris (Rocky) Email: [email protected] Sidaway Meet: The Old Kings Head Tel:020 8884 1418 (Ray) Address: Stock Rd, Ingatestone, CM4 9PQ Mob:07867 971054 (Chris) Time: 1st & 3rd Tue 8pm Email: [email protected] Meet: The Railway Tavern Address: 131 Angel Lane, Stratford E15 1DB Time: 1st Wed 8pm Meet: The Woodbine Address: Honey Lane Waltham Abbey Essex EN93QT Time: 3rd Thu 8pm Region: Hampshire Region: Lincolnshire Reps: Colin Burns & Ian Kane Rep: Mark Sands Tel: 01420 488579 (Colin) Mob: 07889 211579 Mob: 07986836425 (Colin) Email: [email protected] Tel: 02392 356796 (Ian) Meet: Contact Rep for Details Mob: 07775 678909 (Ian) Address:Langworth Memorial Hall, LN3 5BB Email: [email protected] Time: See Lincs Website Events page for details Meet: The Angel Inn www.lincswings.co.uk Address: Privett, Alton GU34 3NN Time: 3rd Sun Noon Region: Norfolk Rep: Roy Penn Region: Hertfordshire Tel: 01366 324396 Rep: Position Vacant Mob: 07918 820310 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Meet: The Chequers Meet: The Cross Keys Address: Church Rd, Wimbotsham, Downham Market Address:Gustard Wood, Wheathampstead, Time: 1st Sun Noon Herts AL4 8LA Time: 1st Fri 8pm Region: North Wales Rep: Position Vacant Region: Keltic Contact Gen Sec for details Rep: Jake McNab Tel: 01506 438816 Region: Pennine Mob: 07770 696100 Rep: Gary Jackson Email: [email protected] Tel: 01204 796138 Meet: The Green Hotel Email: [email protected] Address: 2 The Muirs, Kinross, Perthshire Meet: Urmston Masonic Hall Time: 2nd Sun 10.30am Address: 15 Westbourne Road, Urmston, Manchester M41 0XQ Region: Kent Time: 3rd Sun 10am Rep: Peter Fisher Meet: Manchester Rugby Club 1st Wed Tel: 01304 330390 Email: [email protected] Region: Shropshire Meet: Dancing Dog Saloon Rep: Kerry Rigby Address: Shepley Way, Sittingbourne, Kent, Tel: 01691 656252 ME9 8QP Mob: 07763 935612 Day: 1st Sun 12.30pm Email: [email protected] Meet: The Horseshoe Inn Address: Uckington, Shrewsbury, SY4 4UL Region: Lancs and Lakes Time: 2nd Mon 8pm Reps: Malcolm Peak & Christine Prescott Tel: 0161 900 0329 (Malcolm) Mob:: 07958 690487(Malcolm) Tel: 07715 055653 (Christine) Email: [email protected] Meet: Hartwood Hall Hotel Address: Preston Rd, Chorley, PR6 7AX (Just off M61 at jct 8) Time: 2nd Sun 10.30am Region: South Wales Region: Tudor Rose Reps: Bob (Vlard) Carter Rep: Val Coode & Karen Hodges (Assistant Rep) Tel: 01933 673651 Tel: 01443 477068 (Vlard) Mob: 07899 691719 Mob: 07730 073978 (Vlard) Email: [email protected] Mob: 07875 717222 (Karen) Meet: Sports & Social Club Email: [email protected] Address: Yardly Gobion Meet: Taffs Well Rugby Club Time: 1st Sun 12.30pm Address: Maes Gwyn, Glan-y-Llyn Square, Taffs Well, CF15 7JD Region: Wessex Time: 2nd Sun 6.30pm Rep: Keith Thorogood Tel: 01202 573208 Region: Staffordshire Mob: 07533 156829 Rep: Michael Rushton Email: [email protected] Tel: 01782 769669 Meet: Social Club Mob: 07732 508725 Address: Bryanston Social Club, (a mile from Email: [email protected] Blandford) Meet: Toby Carvery Time: 4th Sun 11am Address: Longton Road, Trentham ST4 - 8BU Region: West Wales Time: 1st Sunday 8-8.30am Rep:Vaughan Roberts Tel: 01558 668452 (Vaughan) Region: Sussex Email: [email protected] Rep: Roger Lewis Meet: Hagans Cafe Tel: 01323 6424390 Address: Pensarn, Carmathern Email: [email protected] Time: 1st Sunday 10am Meet: The Alma Address: Framfield Road, Uckfield Region: White Horse Time: 2nd Sun Noon Rep: Roger & Claudi Cooper Tel: 01793 480023 Region: Thames Valley Mob: 07977 598053 (Roger) Contact Gen Sec for details Mob: 07875 389872 (Claudi) Email: [email protected] Meet: Contact Reps for Details Region: Trent Address: Reps: Alan & Cheryl Roulston Time: Tel: 01773 856221 Mob: 07976 523624 Region: Yorkshire Email: [email protected] Interim Reps: Chris Snowden & Mat Helm Meet: The Spanker Inn Tel:01132 539737 (Chris) Address: Spanker Lane, Nether Heage, Tel:01924 824323 (Mat) Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 2AT Email: [email protected] Time: Contact Rep or check on FB or Meet: Squires Cafe Trent website for details Address: Newthorpe, South Milford, Leeds, LS25 5LX GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 49 Hi everyone, up ‘til February most of us haven’t been up to very much. At least at our meetings we catch site of some members on bikes. You can’t miss them when they come in as they are either bright red with the cold when they thaw out, or dripping wet.

It’s strange because we all come from different points of the compass, yet not hundreds of miles apart, and we can all travel in different weather conditions. It’s a fact, when you live in GB we can get four seasons in the one day (well we can !).

By now the GWOCGB Scottish Bike Show will have been and gone and another good weekend will be had by all. Three classic 1000cc this year (hopefully) 1800 & 1500 solos and a wee surprise from Barry (Appys) along with Chris Hunters cut away engine. How good is all that? Amazing, as far as I’m concerned.

The Open meeting will also have “been and gone” with I hope, a good outcome. Especially with Facebook postings which should be to help prospective new members see what a great club they can join.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 50 Oh yes, “Happy belated birthday” Mr. Chairman Brooks, and all those with birthdays in February. Makes you think about what all those parents were doing, nine months previously!!

I’ve added a couple of photos of Ian McGurn’s wee surprise birthday celebrations. I hope you’ll all join me in wishing Ian a wee belated happy birthday and wish him many, many more.

Further down the line in June, we have another invitation to display at a Classic Car show in a village. I think I’ll rename charity collections days to…… Pay(up) and Display? Display and Pay? Whichever way round we say it, that’s what we hope the public do.

Must say, I enjoy all those that still write a bit, it helps keep your Region’s name going, no matter what.

For that I thank you. I wish you all trouble-free riding. Jinty x p.s., (If it gets added) A wee saying for all those who don’t do Facebook. “OLD BIKERS NEVER DIE, THEY JUST ADD ANOTHER WHEEL!!”

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 51 OK Lads & Lasses, another Christmas has gone, a memory in the past but not forgotten as the bills roll in. A very quiet month up here in Border Land, some salt on the roads have kept our bikes wrapped up in their blankets and in the garage just waiting for the good weather to come.

On Saturday 7th January Derek went to Barnsley for Tony Walton’s birthday bash so Derek will report on this.

On Tuesday 10th January our monthly meeting at Durham City went well and on Saturday and Sunday 28/29th January we had a weekend on the lash at the Floaters Mill Pub near Durham.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 52 Some of Border Wings took their camper vans and stopped the weekend at the pub, and some just turned up on the Saturday night. It was a good weekend, we all had a meal on the Saturday night which was finished off by a great band; a good social night was had by all.

That's all for now. Remember-- Ride Safe. MICKY.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 53 Oh, whenever will Spring to life? Today it is wet, grey, cloudy and all over miserable. I can hear the bikes in the garage pining for a run somewhere, anywhere. But not to be downhearted life continues in East Anglia. At the end of January we had a bowling practice in Lowestoft where there were some really topsy-turvey scores. In the first set Eunice and Brian S. achieved the highest scores and both Sonia and Ann both beat their respective other halves. Things changed during the second set and Sonia and Ginge as overall winners 2017 Broadlands Dinner Brian and were awarded the “top class” skittles Tony with scores of 98 and 146. However, whilst Bryan C. beat Sonia’s score, Ann continued to trump Keith who was having an off day!!! To cheer everyone up a group then departed to a nearby hostelry for a carvery and a restorative glass of something. Good company makes up for almost any disappointment.

On 28th January we held our AGM and celebratory dinner in Diss. Committee members submitted their reports regarding a successful years for the BEARs – especially when the treasurer recommended that newsletter subs should remain at £10 per couple. All committee posts were up for election and there being no other names 2017 Broadlands Dinner Pam, Ginge, forthcoming the committee was re- Tony

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 54 elected unopposed for another year. BUT all the committee members stated that this would be their last year representing Broadland Wings so the members have twelve months to think about either putting themselves forward to a post or encourage others to take on a post. Also don’t forget that our Web Master who has not been in the best of health is also resigning at the end of 2017.

On a happier note it was voted that Pricilla Bacon Lodge in Norwich which offers end of life care to patients would remain our charity for the coming year. Tony gave out some dates of events this year starting with our very own Wing 2017 Broadlands Dinner Proff. Diane Ding 19th – 21st May in Bury St. Edmunds – a must for everyone. The Bury Show is on 18th June, the Lowestoft Classic Car Show is on 16th July, the Club Treffen in Driffield is 23rd – 28th August and the old favourite of Copdock Motorcycle Show in on 1st October. There will be others so always bring your diary to our meetings.

At 7.30 we retired to the dining room for our meal, lots of chat and good company, after which Diane gave a recitation – the theme this year getting old and in some cases getting old disgracefully. Tony presented the annual trophies – Sonia and Brian S. getting the bowling shields, Pam and 2017 Broadlands Dinner Shirli and Tony Ginge receiving the “most attended

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 55 2017 Broadlands New Year Dinner

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 56 Broadland events” shield and Ginge also picking up the infamous DipStick award for the 3rd or 4th time. Age doesn’t seem to mellow some folks!!!!! Tony and Eunice generously handed out gifts of coffee mugs to the ladies and alarm clocks to the chaps and then gave bouquets to his little helpers i.e. Hannah, Shirli, Diane and Eunice. Finally thanks must go to Bob and Jan for the innovative and decorative place names and menu reminders for everyone who can never remember what they ordered in December!! Thanks to Ken for taking incriminating photos. 2017 Bryan Cocker plus ice cream All in all an extremely pleasant evening.

Whilst typing this I am remembering the very first report I wrote in 2006. What a lot of water has flowed under the bridges during those 10 years – new friends, new places to visit in GB and in Europe and a host of memories – and alas the loss of some dear biking friends.

One day when I have nothing better to do I might print off all of those 120 or so missives just to remind me what we have got up to.

No more for now. Ride safely:- it’s a busy world out there. Sent from the depths of East Anglia by an ageing Rebel rider.

Diane XXX

As a follow-up to our Lights Run, I forgot to mention in last month’s Report our tribute to HM The Queen on the occasion of her becoming the UK’s longest-reigning monarch. We don’t have a photo taken by David Bailey but one taken by our Johnny of Elizabeth Street in Belgravia.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 57 Even in the quiet season before motorcycling begins again in earnest, the Moles continue to meet up either at The Railway Tavern or The Woodbine. Some have also been roaming around London and further afield. It’s been lovely to say hello to Mo and Julie, Ray and Rose and Roy and Kim. Conversation topics lately have covered our pets and favourite dishes. We’ve even resorted to telling jokes and it’s way past Christmas. Joe’s historical effort was, “Who invented the Round Table?”. Answer: “It wasn’t Elegant Elizabeth Street King Arthur but his best mate, Sir Cumference.” Ho, ho! Stuart responded with his culinary effort, “What do you call a chicken looking down at a lettuce leaf and pieces of tomato and cucumber?”. Answer: “Chicken caesar salad.” Ho, ho, ho! Now I know that caesar salad doesn’t generally contain tomatoes or cucumber but Stuart had to take a recipe liberty in order to give us a laugh.

Mo Green has recently achieved his long-held ambition to own a Morris Garage (MG) car. I think this ploy is designed to help him remember his name! Along with Margaret, Mo is a great dog walker. Whilst Margaret has two and goes to the park down the road, Mo has three dogs that he transports in his MG to suitable locations. He is a very dogged person and the conversation between him and Yetti, Taz, Wayne and Joe soon reached doggy heights when the dogging word was mentioned. I’m not

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 58 going any further on this topic here except to say that very silly and hilarious banter ensued. I shall leave the rest to your imagination. Similarly, Chris and Yetti both enjoyed eating the cottage pie at The Woodbine and they mentioned this to the same crowd. Chris then dared to say that he was buying a cottage in Norfolk and what with everything, the cottaging word was said. I think Capital should enter a word association quiz. I think we’d be good at it. Elsewhere, some Moles have been sampling their own food and drink - we just had to do it. Here you can see me queuing for a taco

Mole Taco Bar

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 59 and later chatting to the barmaid as she poured me half a pint.

For the real ale afficionados, Moles Brewery Gold (3.8%) is ‘derived from the Brewers Gold hops which balance the Maris Otter malt flavours’. I think a visit to the brewery has to be arranged after this. Our congratulations go to Ray Thorogood who reached the magical 70 in January. He kept that birthday quiet from us but we hear he celebrated in deepest France with friends, and Rose of course. Lots of frogs’ legs, snails, champagne and cognac. Birthday best wishes also go to Gordon Rowe who was 60 in January. There are lots of Capital Capricorns. Moles Gold

We’re still waiting for real snow to arrive in London but whatever the excuse the skiers amongst us are always keen to get out on the slopes and this means queuing for a lift or two first. Johnny and I found ourselves by Tower Bridge in January, hoping to set a record for the largest number of people in a ski lift queue in London. It was a fun morning although we didn’t see any more Moles tunnelling around. The hot chocolate was delicious.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 60 Snowy Moles Finally, good luck to the Capital lads and lassies on March 19th when they hope to repeat their 2016 success in the Inter-Region Bowling Competition at Ipswich. They have been practicing very hard. Miss (Helen) Whiplash

It’s all gone quiet after all the over indulging at Christmas and the New Year. I don’t know if it’s a good sign or not, having a hangover the morning after our first club meeting of the year? It was great to see Roy & Linda at the meeting, unfortunately Christine W and Ruth had to give us a miss due to this rotten bug going around. Apparently Ruth had lost her voice and was using a chalk board to communicate with the family and I am told she was doing a lot of SHOUTING! Lol.

The meeting room was nice and warm when we arrived but it became a little uncomfortable for Aitch who had his thermals on and was becoming a little Clammy!

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 61 Aitch This year’s Christmas party has been quickly agreed on and booked again here at Cradley Heath Liberal club. It will be held on Saturday 9th December, so get this date put in your diary anyone who wishes to attend! Tickets will be £5.

Anyone who has seen The Lord of the Rings will know what a Hobbit’s second breakfast is. We all put on a few pounds at Christmas and Ian was no exception (we think?)

As he arrived at the meeting a few of us noticed this and a comment was made (by myself, I take the blame!) that he must have had a second Christmas!

Those of us who knew what I meant were in stitches. Poor old Ian did not know what was going on. Never mind Ian I know it was probably all the real ale consumed over Christmas, lol.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 62 Image on Left: Ian

Finally had to put this picture in of Graham who managed to spill his glass of coke into my bag of crackling! Apparently the look of shock on my face urged him to buy me another bag, lol.

Graham

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 63 Chris and myself have now started to add all the upcoming Wing Dings, Treffens etc to our planner and hope you are all doing the same. It’s time to get planning! We are going to try and get to as many as we can this year, circumstances and finances permitting, so we are looking forward to meeting up with you all.

Please add our Centre Wings Wing Ding to your calendar for July 13th to 16th and come and join us at Alcester Rugby club. We will have real ale and other beers on at the bar. Disco and drink till you drop! Also we will be arranging a BBQ. Breakfasts and afternoon meals will be available as usual.

Phil has done the flyer for our Wing Ding and it should be in the events guide by the time you read this. That’s all folks, Ride safe. John & Chris.

To start the year on a confusing note the Tuesday Rendezvous was a week later than normal – just to let us get over the festivities before gorging ourselves again! We tried another new venue, suggested by Mike & Tracey – The Dolphin Hotel at Bovey Tracey – and it fitted us very well. A dozen turned up and were variously planning trips to Ireland and Norfolk, reporting back on winter projects and discussing the change to ethanol in petrol.

Attentive Audience

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 64 We met again on the Sunday for our monthly meeting at the Poldark Inn where we revised the calendar, talked about the forthcoming Wing Ding (June 16-18 @ Monkey Tree) and 1800 airbag recalls, raffled off surplus Christmas items and a refund on the Christmas meal (the organizer gets a free one) and generally looked forward to the coming year. We welcomed three new members, Darren who turned up on his trike and seemed really keen and Dave & Jenny who only managed to ‘pop in’ for a brief hello. After the meeting and lunch we had a ‘Tech Talk’ from Barney on how he turned a solo 1500 into a trike “engineered not butchered” was a phrase he insisted on even though he admits to “making it up” as he went along.

The accompanying photographs were taken by his granddaughter and assistant Bonita who definitely has her eye on it once she is old enough! Following that we tried a photographic “Review of 2016”; several members had provided images which Bill turned into a presentation covering holidays, Barney + Bonita breakdowns, book signing, Honda’s factory in Japan, the Stelvio Pass and Highway Agency fees. This all created a lot of discussion and good natured banter and it was generally agreed well worth doing again next year.

We had hoped to visit Dingle’s Steam Museum and ride on the carousel as something a bit different but Bonita's trike

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 65 it doesn’t open that early in the year so we have had to postpone it until later in the year.

Dates for March:- 7th Tuesday Rendezvous, Bowling @ Trethorne; 12th visit to Sandy Bay; 19th Rideout and monthly meeting Wendy Rakestrow

Hi all, not a lot seems to be happening at this time of year; I expect the weather may have something to do with it, still while the bikes are off the road it gives us time to do maintenance and clean places you can’t easily get to.

I did a lot to my GL1500 last year, well she is now over 18 years old but does look good for her age (see pictures). I replaced everything I could think of that would need doing maintenance wise, also I had accumulated a lot of replacement chrome accessories at various Wingdings/Treffens and so replaced the ones that have deteriorated over the years.

I also added a few, well you have to don’t you, but forgot one major important thing and having worked in the motor trade felt a bit embarrassed when reminded, perhaps it’s

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 66 because all of the cars I have owned for as long as I can remember don’t have them (poor excuse I know). Yes I forgot about the cambelts, as I said bike is 18 years old and has done approx. 72,000 miles so I set about looking into replacing them. All car manufactures have a recommended mileage or time to change cambelts now.

I may be wrong or didn’t ask the right person but I couldn’t get a definitive answer to Honda’s recommended interval change, although one thing I do know is they perish over time so 18 years in my mind is probably 8 to many. I am now happy to say I got them replaced last November and many thanks to Dave P for his help and service. Why am I waffling on about this you may ask? Well the reason is I know there are a lot of knowledgeable people in the club who know all about this, some I know myself and others I don’t and having said this, of all the people I know and my knowledge of the motor trade I still managed to forget about them so my advice is if anyone is unsure get them replaced (p.s., for those who might be wondering why my cars don’t have them – they have timing chain’s).

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 67 On Friday 24th February we had a quiz night at The Angel organised by Lesley (& Mel of course) which I’m sure we all enjoyed with food, drink and fun (pic’s to follow in next month’s Span). If our quiz knowledge was not as good as it should have been hopefully it is better now so many thanks to Lesley & Mel.

Well that’s all so bye for now

Phil ‘The Fiddler’

Hi everybody and welcome to March. Not long now till the season kicks off properly.

We had sad news this month as one of our ex members sadly passed away (Ray Burrell). Our thoughts go to his wife Dot. R.I.P. Ray Burrell.

Well what have we been up to in January? A very positive meeting in January as we planned rides and events for the coming season. We welcomed new(ish) member David Wood who brought along his pal George.

In spite of the atrocious weather George travelled from Llandudno on his recently purchased Wing. But what are Wings for? Welcome also to Ian Pritchard who has re-joined with Judith. David and his wife Angela joined at the Irish Treffen last year and he was still buzzing about the good time he had there.

The minutes of our AGM were unanimously accepted. Members voted for Lancs and Lakes to join MAG as a group affiliated member so that we can receive all the latest info, get onto the North West Mag website with our logo, be involved with the area and last but not least, raise our GWOCGB profile within N.W. MAG. An L&L member who is a full MAG member has donated the subscription so there is no cost to the region. Congratulations to George Wheatcroft on being our nominated person (regional MAG Rep.)

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 68 The men had a good biking chinwag afterwards as Biker’s Corner spilled over after the raffle. We had a meal at Romney’s in Kendal where we were joined by some of Cumbria wings. It was well attended but with some sad excuses for not being able to come for the meal. Hope all is soon ok Silvia and Jimmy.

Our joint rep, Malc, was also missing with family business in Bradford. Denise and I decided to go on the bike as, in Morecambe, it was quite mild, however, the Kendal weather lived up to its reputation as when we arrived it started snowing!! It was only a few tiny flakes but had shot the temp down quite a tad to about 2 degrees.

Lancs and Lakes are now affiliated to North West MAG and are on the affiliated members’ page at http://www.mag-uk.org/en/members/a6522 We also have our new L&L logo with links on the North West MAG affiliated list at http://north-west-region.mag-uk.org/links.htm. The

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 69 website link takes you to the L&L Landing page on the GWOCGB website- (Weblinks-Regional Websites - click on L&L Logo). Thanks to Derek for re-linking the Landing Page and making the Regional link public and to Tony Cox and Carol of MAG for all their help.

We also welcome to the club and L&L Region, Ray and Jean Walton and Tom and Aneta and look forward to sharing many happy times with them.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 70 Trent’s drop out also happened in January and here is a short report from our Joint Rep, Christine.

“Allen and Christine checked in to the Holiday Inn, sorted luggage and then had a lovely surprise to then see George and Carol in reception with Cumbria Wings. They took a cancellation (you have to be quick replying to e-mails to get to Trent’s party).

After hugs all around and a general sorting out of rooms etc, we all parked ourselves in the comfortable reception/lounge area where we were eventually graced with the presence of our esteemed Chairman and his lovely wife Janice. After a meal in the evening Cheryl hosted a quiz.

The following day, we (A&C) had a quiet restful day in the hotel reading the Saturday paper before heading off for a siesta. Allen commented as he was carrying a glass of red for me,“£9.25 this cost” pointing to the glass.“£9.25? Which one is it?”“I don’t know. I forgot what you said so the chap just ran down the list of bottles and I just said ‘that one will do’.” Happy Hour hadn’t started you understand.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 71 (I had asked for Cabernet Sauvignon but not the make and it turned out that there was another dearer and more full bodied one further down the list. Needless to say, I had a good sleep that afternoon. (Casillero Del Diablo was on sale at £6.50 a bottle in our local Spar on Sunday night so 3x£9.25 makes £27.75 a bottle.)

We all gathered for the party after buying raffle tickets etc. Cheryl and Alan had again done themselves proud with the organisation leaving no detail out. Cumbria and Lancs and Lakes had the perfect table – No 1 – on the edge of the dance floor where eventually the music drew Carole and Christine to jig a few steps to the excellent singer/guitarist.

Allen and I turned in just before what I believe was a ‘loaded buffet’ was served. We all had chance to catch up again at breakfast before heading off to the motorway. Once again, thank you Cheryl and Alan”.

Well it certainly sound as if Trent’s party went off well as usual. Thanks to Allen & Christine for the report.

Dates: Next meeting: Sunday March 12th. 10:30am Hartwood Hall. Chorley. M61 J8

Manchester Bike Show Saturday March 25th.

Shrewsbury Light Parade Saturday April 8th. The Quarry, Shrewsbury. Camping available.

Appleyards. Sunday April 9th.

GWOCGB AGM Sunday April 23rd. 11:00am (Reps. 10:00am) Holiday Inn, Walsall, M6 Junction 10

That’s all for now, don’t forget that we meet at The Hartwood Hall, Chorley second Sunday, every month, 10:30 am prompt. See you later folks. Ian Clowes.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 72 The Lincs Wings AGM was held at Langworth Hall on 8th January.

First of all, Sandy greeted new members to GWOCGB and the Region: Dave & Elaine and Jayne B.

Election of officers resulted in Sandy agreeing to continue as Representative. Sue stays on as Treasurer, Jayne B volunteered to take over as Secretary, Mark stays on as Rideout Co-ordinator, Pat will look after our tea bar and Stephen continues as Webmaster and Wingspan Reporter.

Sandy said that he would need some assistance in organising Lincs Wings functions and so a Wing Ding Committee was appointed consisting of: Martin, Christine, Mark and Doug.

Our regular monthly meeting followed the AGM, where we agreed that Lincs Wings will hold a Wing Ding in 2018 but we will look for a different site so that visitors will get to see some other aspects of Lincolnshire. We also looked at the program for this year to decide what events we can include in order to better motivate people to participate. The events for this year are already shown on our website and we expect to add more when Mark proposes his ride-out program.

In addition, Sandy presented Lincs Wings awards: Winger of the Year went to Trevor and Marion; Furthest travelled went to Steve and Marie for their 5858 mile trek last year; and Whoops of the Year went to Stephen, just because he chose the scenic route back to the Wing Ding instead of following the drop-off marshals’ directions.

As expected, January was not the best month to be out on a bike, but a few of us did participate in the Spalding Bike Show held on 21st & 22nd January: Andrew, Larry and Stephen (although Larry was in his car !!). On return from the day (temperatures were only around 3 degrees C) Stephen had to take 2 hours to clean all of the winter salt and crap of his bike.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 73 Doug and Sue took a trip to Skegness on 28 January to witness the arrival of the new RNLI Lifeboat. The delivery came earlier than expected due to very generous donations by Joel and April Grunnill and the new boat has been named after them as a lasting monument to their generosity. The new lifeboat arrived on a cold January morning but was greeted by waving crowds lining the beach. It has been our privilege over the past few years for Lincs Wings to help raise some thousands of pounds towards the RNLI charity and it is great to see how these funds are being used to improve the RNLI’s equipment and their ability to help others.

Check out our website at www.lincswings.co.uk. Ride Safely Stephen

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 74 Hello lovely boys and girls, where do I start; well we have been very busy since the last report here, there and everywhere; despite the very cold but mostly dry weather there has been a lot of activity. Planning for the coming Wing Ding season my gratefull thanks to the team that run the club website. With their efforts all of us can access all the information to plan and use the site to enjoy all that our club has to offer; well done, keep up the good work; a most useful aide to all members.

Pot noodles - as you may know our region has helped all the dispossessed in the City of Cardiff with food and clothing and we try to meet all their other needs as we can. Over the last 10 weeks or so there has been a very cold snap followed by wetter spells. Not weather you need when you don't have the basic need to get by day-by-day without a place to stay so as you have heard "every little helps". Not disappointed, as the photo will bear out, after a number of trips I can now be assured that at least there will be a hot meal available and with the gift of four large pump operated vacuum flasks that we received from Tony and Helen Webb,

Roy Noble radio Wales presenter and producer with Sion

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 75 owner of A1 Tacographs, the Christian Minister can now make available hot water for teas, coffee, and readymade pot noodles

First Aid, has been a concern of mine. As a Region we need to update all the skills that are needed at all the events we hold throughout the year and now there are many. With the help of Tony and Helen Webb, who offered the premises of their business to hold a first aid course, this course was offered to all members of South Wales Wings. Six volunteers came forward me, Sons of Arthritus Barry, Karan, Jeff, Lesley and Eddy. The day started off with a great welcome and a good cup of coffee, we settled down to business around 8:45am. We all had an education with lots of myths erased. It is a long time since I attended a similar course and I found it fascinating. There was a point when it turned out to be totally hilarious watching five 60 year+ and a younger lady get to grips with all the day had to offer. After lunch we sat down to a few “You Tube” videos; most informative. This was followed by a recap and we all finished around 2:30pm; a day well spent. Now we can use the skills gained

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 76 and apply them to all we do at Treffens Wing Dings and static displays without sourcing similar help, usually at a cost. I will take the opportunity to thank all who attended well done.

Film day, I received a call from Roy Noble to ask if I would be available to help out at a film shoot for a Welsh television unit based in North Wales. As I had done this before I agreed to help out with all fees going to charity I meet ROY at his home at 10am where I found out that the film was a remake of "WHO LIVES IN A HOUSE LIKE THIS". I won't put the welsh translation Sons of Arthritus down as it is somewhat rude!! After the film work at Roy's home finished we moved on to Penderyn at a famous pub called "The Red Lion"; famous for serving the strongest real ale that is available and nothing had changed. On the bar were some very wicked brews, some 9%proof!!!!!!! No wonder it is a UFO hot spot? The crew did what was needed to get three minutes in the can as they say, but it took six hours. We sat down to a late lunch enjoyed by all. Not to be left out Sion, our mascot, got into the action and insisted on grabbing a little of the lime light,

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 77 see photo. A good day but the weather did impact on the film. Afterwards, there was a discussion about when the trike might be needed and I found out that the pilot will be shown to a backer and if approved a date later this year will be set and I will be informed with a plan with dates and times. Watch this space.

Now is time to dig out all your camping gear and renew and replace all the bits and bobs ready for the coming season. Don't leave it too late, easier to do it now rather than wait till the day before you want to go to that “must do” Wing Ding or weekend away.

Two Street Ministers with Alan colcomb and his grandson taking charge of a van full of pot Well folks that's all for now, may noodles donated by the region for distribuiton your God grant you all of your to the homless of Cardiff needs and some of your wants.

Vlard Carter, South Wales Wings GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 78 We had a good turn out for the Sussex AGM in January. Roger gave a quick reminder of all the things Sussex had taken part in during 2016 which always whets the appetite for the forthcoming year’s riding. There is one major change in the Region for 2017. Little Alan has had to step down as Events Organiser as he and Linda will shortly be emigrating to the wilds of deepest, darkest Kent! We are hoping that they will still be able to join us during the next year. I’m pleased to say that Peter Maxwell has come forward to take on the Events role for the next year. So if you have any ideas for ride outs or statics then Pete’s your man!

Also at the AGM the award was presented for Sussex Wings, Winger of the Year. This time it was to Gadget who has worked tirelessly for a number of years on the Sussex Wings website and also collating slide shows and albums of photos that he has taken and have been sent in by other members. Congratulations to Gadget It was good to see that a number of our members managed to get to the meeting on their Wings. We even contemplated the ride ourselves as it was a not too bad a day weather-wise.

Unfortunately Mike was suffering with a cold and we all know how difficult it is to blow your nose while riding with a full-face crash helmet…. Anyway Del was there with his shiny, new, blue GL1800 – and very proud he is of it too as can be seen in the photo. I understand that Del has taken delivery of his tent and is now sourcing a trailer in time for the Winger of the year Wing Ding season.

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 79 Also new(ish) member, Ian Crockett, was there with his unusually dressed Wing. It is reminiscent of Valentino Rossi’s Honda ride in the Repsol Moto GP team in 2002/3 with 46 being his race number. Ian is a big Rossi fan which explains all! Mel and Ian affectionately named it Marmite – you either love it or hate it.

A couple of weeks after the meeting it was once again time for the Region to defend its ‘honour’ in the bowling match against RBLR. This was a return match Del and his pride and joy to last year’s but sadly the scoreline was similar with honours being taken by RBLR. By all accounts it was a fun afternoon anyway.

Finally sad news from elsewhere in the Region is that Lord Geoff Barber and Chris have sold their beloved trike. Apparently it was sold to a buyer from Nottingham who we hope might join GWOCGB in the future so we can keep track of the trike’s new adventures. Hopefully even though they will now be Wing- less they will still be part of the club. In addition our perennial buyer and seller of all things Wing, Captain Mark Phillips, has Ians Rossi bike GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 80 also been busy with one sold and another purchased. This time he has added an 1800 to his collection.

Champion bowlers

Whilst there isn’t much on the cards for the early part of the year I can see it will get very busy in the later months with return invitations from Bexhill Motofest and the Uckfield Show, together with plans to return to Kingsfold in September.

Most importantly of course is our Wing Ding in June with a revisit to sunny Eastbourne. Our Wing Ding committee are busily getting the plans underway so all we’ll have to worry about is whether the weather will be kind to us. Don’t forget our meetings at the Alma in Uckfield on the second Sunday in the month with – weather permitting- a ride after. See you there!

Jill

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 81 For those of you new to our Region, we welcome you and hope to meet up with you either at a meeting or an event, please make yourself known to us. To find out what’s going on both nationally and regionally, we have a Trent Region website www.trentwings.com, we have a Trent Region Facebook page (please ask to join), we also have a GWOCGB Facebook page (please ask to join), we have a GWOCGB website (please join the members section, there's lots more on there than the public section). I also have an email list, please ask to be added to it if you already haven't been. Please remember if you change your email address during the year to let me know too. Well done to all at Team Trent; you are always there to help Alan and myself out whenever we put on an event. Another fantastic time was had by all that attended at our January "Christmas party weekend" where 95 people came along. A big thank you to all our friends who came along and supported us. On the Friday night 36 of us sat down for a 3 course buffet followed by our customary quiz which was won by Tim, Janice, Bob and Anne; they won the biggest ever box of chocolates, 2nd place also won a smaller box of chocolates. Eight members from Tudor Rose went along and spent the evening in Ilkeston with Steve, Anne, Lauren, Tammy, Chris, Carol, Liam and Erica. The main event was on Saturday night where we had Christmas dinner, fun, games and lots of dancing to Andy Walker and the resident DJ. Katie Mordecai won £35 in the game of heads & tails and Carole Armstrong won £40 in stand up bingo. Again we had over 100 prizes in the raffle and to everyone that brought prizes along "thank you so much".

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 82 One of the highlights of the weekend was to see the look on Jeff Brooks face when we announced that we have put £146 into his fundraising for Huntington’s disease; this was taken from the raffle and also by Helen Perkins donating back the monies she won on the raffle (a wonderful gesture ). Alan and I thank each and every one of you and we really enjoyed your company all weekend xx I have also just been notified by Mark Pratley, the gentleman (in the kilt) who is doing the sponsored bike ride that he raised £160 over the weekend for disadvantaged children; that is absolutely fantastic. If you took any photos during the weekend could you please either put them onto our Trent Wings’ Facebook page (if you're not on at the moment just ask to be added and I will put you on) or email them to me and I will add them to our album. Again a massive big “THANK YOU” to you all xx For those Trent members that took the time out to attend our GWOCGB Open Meeting at the end of February, thank you for supporting the Club. Date of our March meeting is Sunday 26th at 5pm at the Spanker Inn, Spanker Lane, Nether Heage, Belper, Derbyshire

Images on the next pages are from the Trent Christmas Party

GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 83 GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 84 GWOCGB Wingspan March 2017 Page 85 Hi Folks The February meeting was going well until we got to A.O.B. when Sean Stanhope announced he was standing down as Yorkshire Rep after the meeting and asked if anyone was prepared to take over the reps role. After a deathly silence I stuck my head above the parapet and said to keep the Region going I was prepared to take on the role on a temporary basis, this was agreed by members present and I then swiftly roped Mat Helm in to assist me before he had time to think and could say no. I would like to thank Sean and his family for all the work they have put into the region over the past 17 months as rep and wish them the very best for the future on behalf of the Yorkshire members. It's going to be a very busy few months with a Wing Ding already booked at Farsley Leeds in August and the Treffen at Driffield 3 weeks later. Meeting, Sunday 12th March, 10 am Squires Biker Café. Meeting, Sunday 2nd April, 10 am Squires Biker Café, moved from the 9th April due to Appleyard's Open Day. Regards. Snowy & Mat. Temporary Reps.

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