The BMW Club Journal April 2013 £2.50
2 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 The Journal CONTENTS April 2013 The Official BMW Club within Regular/Occasional items the UK and Republic of Ireland From The Editor’s Desk ...... 4 www.thebmwclub.org.uk General Enquiries: 0800 0854045 Club Officers ...... 6 FREEPOST: THE BMW CLUB The BMW Club is the Trading name of The B.M.W. Motorcycle Club Ltd; Registered in England; Registration Number 4261129 President’s Platform ...... 7 whose Registered Office: c/o Veitch Penny LLP 1, Manor Court Dix’s Field Exeter Devon England EX1 1UP Torque Reaction ...... 9 All Rights Reserved Star Letter ...... 15 For problems regarding distribution of The Journal, please contact your Section Secretary. Should there still be a problem then contact the National Membership Secretary whose contact The National Committee Meeting . . . . 23 details are listed on page 6. The Editor reserves the right to alter/amend any item or image German Jottings ...... 45 submitted to The Journal. Such amendments will usually only be to make an item more readable or easier to understand. Submission of items/images will be taken as acceptance of this condition. Mutual Aid (Club member ads) . . . . . 75 We (The BMW Club) are the owner or licensee of all Intellectual Property rights in this publication. You may not copy or distribute its contents without the express written permission of ourselves Small Business Advertisments . . . . . 79 or the original author. The BMW Club - Out and About .53
EDITORIAL TEAM Articles/Features Correspondence on any Journal matter not covered by the officers listed below should be sent The 2013 Rhino Rally ...... 25 to the Editor who will forward it as appropriate. For general Club administration and membership matters please see the list of Club officers on Page 6. The 2012 Tour of Spain ...... 27 Editor: Stewart Lowthian, 29 Wagg Street, Congleton, Cheshire CW12 4BA. A Toasty Idea ...... 47 01260 279 126 [email protected] Features/Articles: Peter Wright. Cooloing an R1200RT ...... 49 [email protected] DISCLAIMER Torque Reaction: Paul Nadin, 49 Berkshire Drive, The BMW Club Journal accepts for publication articles and letters written in good faith; however, Congleton, Cheshire CW12 1SB. 01260 279 443 the views expressed in articles and letters which are published are not necessarily those of the [email protected] Editor of The Journal or those of The BMW Club or its officers or members. The information, including advice and suggested modifications published in the The BMW Mutual Aid: Maurice Weldon, 21 Lawnwood Drive, Club Journal has not been approved, tested or otherwise checked by The BMW Club Journal Goldthorpe, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S63 9GD or The BMW Club. Before acting on information, advice or suggested modifications published 07752 904 334 [email protected] in The BMW Club Journal you should always obtain technical advice, and if appropriate have a professional motorcycle engineer carry out the work for you. Commercial Display Advertisements: Jim Bruce, The BMW Club Journal and The BMW Club cannot accept liability for any loss, damage or The Firs, Bayview Crescent, Broadford, Isle of claims occurring as a result of any modifications or work or other action carried out on the Skye IV49 9DB 01471 820 408 advice or based on the suggestions given in any article or letter published in The BMW Club [email protected] Journal and (save for death or personal injury arising from The BMW Club Journal’s negligence) all such liability is hereby excluded. Small Business Advertisements: Charles Knight, The BMW Club Journal is published for and on behalf of The B.M.W. Motorcycle Club Ltd. 4 Homelands, New Road, Porchfield, Isle of Wight, The BMW Motorcycle Club Ltd, The BMW Club Journal, it’s Editor and Officers accept PO30 4LS ,01983 520 847 no liability in respect of loss or damage occasioned directly or indirectly as a result of the 07521 695 992 [email protected] publication of any advertisement in The BMW Club Journal or Website. Section News: Steve Foreman 01536 722 048 [email protected] This month’s cover photo shows Terry Diary of Events: Bob Barker. Reynolds K1300GTSE at Gmund. The [email protected] Hand of Gmund statue is made from Around The Compass: Bob Barker (see above). chain links and is the gateway to the Club/Section Display Ads: Piers Kurrein. [email protected] Malta Valley
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 3 From The Editor’s Desk
A new layout for Around the Section Advertisements Compass I’ve said before that I’m entirely in favour In response to requests for highlighting of publicising events that members are invited to make event names stand out, I’m trying to. As above, however, there is, unfortunately, a few changes to a limit to how much Around the Compass. space is available for It is, like anything advertising them new, experimental and, in the absence and correspondence of requests to the either for or against contrary, I use the would help me to space available to refine the layout emphasise events in and presentation. the near future, newly This month’s AtC advertised events is something of a and overseas tours monster in size, with where early booking is events for almost all essential. Given that I legal tastes. There is no limit to the number can’t guarantee to print every advertisement in of entries in AtC that an active section can every edition, I’d encourage Social Secretaries have, unlike the number of quarter and half to let me know, as Peter McCombie of the page advertisements, where space is limited Northern Section did at our last section by the need to include content for those meeting, which events are most in need of whose enjoyment of membership is primarily publicity. As a result, Piers Kurrein rapidly gained from reading about motorcycles and reworked their two advertisements and motorcycling in The Journal. everyone’s happy: Peter because a new event is being emphasised and me because at least one person’s happy with my attempts to share the available space fairly. Although I understand that there have been rules imposed in the past regarding how much space is available I would prefer to rely on common-sense and reason, if at all possible, to reach an equitable solution when the social season approaches. The latest models
In desperate need of somewhere to ride to 4 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 for an afternoon, I went to Chester Motorrad, position with no candidate. It’s easy to think my nearest dealer, to see some of the new that attending what might be thought of as models just released. It’s a little petite for my an administrative necessity is irrelevant on towering frame but the F800GT looked really the grounds that one vote doesn’t make much well thought-out, with bars at a sensible height, difference. Your attendance does matter. a decent fairing, enough power and not too Whoever is elected will be expecting to fulfil much weight. It felt like a return to common- their office in accordance with the wishes of sense and reality and I hope it appeals to many. the membership, which is best determined What I went to see, of course, was the new by members attending and expressing those water-cooled R1200GS. My fondness for this wishes. If you do intend to attend the meeting style of motorcycle is well known, and I was then, if you want to join your fellow members expecting this new version of an established for lunch mid-meeting then please fill in and winner to appeal so I was surprised to find that send off the booking form on page 43 to it didn’t. Given how subjective a motorcycle is, arrange it. Pre-booking the mid-meeting lunch and given that this model is already in very was introduced last year to allow the caterers to short supply, my reservations about it aren’t provide enough for everyone without having going to stop anyone from pulling his or her to guess the number of attendees and risk wallet out while stocks last, but it just didn’t wastage or charge more than necessary. You’ll seem right to me. Apart from the indicator also need this form if you want to prearrange switch itself, for which I’ll be reserving at least accommodation or any other meals on site six pages in Torque Reaction for members to over the weekend. fulminate about it, there were just too many small buttons next to it that I found difficult to reach with a bare hand, which doesn’t bode well when winter gloves are the order of the day. The seat, which I assume was the standard item on its lowest setting, was not only far too close to the footrests for me but it dug into me in a way that my own 2006 model doesn’t. Given that the engine has far more output than earlier models, making the speedometer calibrations much smaller seemed to be a mistake, and the tiny tachometer, whose business end was partially obscured by the optional Garmin Zumo, was even harder to see. I suspect that, with 20 sold by Chester Motorrad the day after it’s release, and other dealers, I was told, selling their allocations just as quickly, I’m in a very small minority in planning to hold onto what I’ve already got. This year’s AGM
This year there is a choice of candidate for two of the vacant positions, as well as a The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 5 National Officers & Section Secretaries National and other officers Section Secretaries PRESIDENT: Dick Boyd, Stewart Place, South Road, East Anglia: Secretary Cliff Batley, 46 Newmans Garmouth, Morayshire IV32 7LX Road, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 1UA 01343 870 389 [email protected] 07966 015 607 [email protected] Secretary: Dave Cooper, Greensleeves, Exmouth Membership-Dik Langan 0845 003 6880 Road, Exton, Exeter. Devon EX3 0PQ [email protected] 01392 876 991 [email protected] Irish: Jim Sweeney, Fearna, Straleek, Celbridge, Treasurer: Jim Lepley, 7 Landale Gardens, Co Kildare. Tel: 087 2300736 [email protected] Burntisland, Fife KY3 9HN London: John Lynch, 166 Chaulden Lane, 01592 874 592 [email protected] Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP1 2BT 01442 267694/ NATIONAL Social Secretary: Mark Dutton, 13 07860 663092 [email protected] Greenfield Drive, Great Tey, Colchester, Essex CO6 1AA 01206 212 232 or 07703 179 062 Mercia: John Humpherson, 14 Highmoor Close, [email protected] Willenhall, West Midlands. WV12 5UU 01922 710 694 [email protected] National Membership Secretary: FREEPOST, The BMW Club, Glenthorne, Yeoford Road, Midland: John Winn,16 Ardington Road, Cheriton Bishop, EX6 6JA Northampton, NN1 5LJ. 0800 085 4045 [email protected] 01604 631 043 [email protected] Standing orders: [email protected] North East: Simon Johnston, c/o 5 School Row, POST/5 Tool Hire Secretary: Mike Delacoe, North Broomhill, Morpeth, NE56 9TY 4 Charwelton Road, Preston Capes, Daventry 07702 709063 [email protected] NN11 3TA 01327 360 945 [email protected] Northern: Lynn Tagg, 63 Ambrose Court, Pre/5 Tool Hire SecRETARY: Peter Dunn, Moss Lane, Leyland, Preston. PR25.4XA. 101Station Road, Thatcham, Berks RG19 4QH 01772 431 324 [email protected] 07941 075 165 [email protected] Oxford: Tim Read, 15 The Limes, South Cerney, Merchandise SecRETARY: Cath Broughton, 17 Cirencester, Glos GL7 5RF Strawberry Hill, Northampton NN3 5HL 01285 869 320 [email protected] 01604 416 896 [email protected] See Merchandise advertisment for contact times. Scottish: Marjorie Burnett, Crawick Lea, Glasgow Road, Sanquahar, Dumfrieshire. DG4 6BZ Vintage & CLASSIC Register Secretary: 01659 50091 [email protected] Robin Walker, 37 Heron Drive, Bracken Park, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 1GJ South east: Shaun Mulligan 47, High Street 01427 610 329 [email protected] Halling, Rochester, Kent. ME2 1BP Sporting Register Secretary: Robert Bensley, 01634 241 215 [email protected] Oak Tree Farm, Heath Road, Banham NR16 2HS Southern: Richard Tavener, 34 Nursery Close, 01953 888 415 [email protected] Frimley Green, Camberley, Surrey GU16 6JZ Safety officer: Colin Bembridge. 01252 838 384 02089 538 807 [email protected] [email protected] Events Logistics: Brian Johnston, 10 Saffron South West: Debbie Sampson ‘Trevilla’, Road, Tickhill, Doncaster DN11 9PW. 01302 743 032 18, Ropehaven Road St. Austell Cornwall PL25 4DU. or 07950 319 197 [email protected] 01726 61642 [email protected] Marketing/Commercial Sales: Position Vacant Ulster: Charlie McConnell, 6 Cameron Park, Sidecar Register Secretary: Position vacant. Ballymena, Co Antrim BT42 1QJ. GS Register Secretary: Position vacant. 028 2564 7730 [email protected] Assistant Secretary for America: Western: Sue Ross 7 Pintail Grove Kidderminster Position vacant. Worcs. DY10 4RT. 100,000 MILE AWARD: Jason Goodwill 01847 893 935 01562 820 458 [email protected] [email protected]. Yorkshire: Simon Crossley. C/O 2 Birstwith WEBMASTER: Nick Fearn Grange, Birstwith, Harrogate. North Yorkshire, [email protected] HG3 3AH. 07742 951 610 yorkshire.secretary@ TECHNICAL OFFICER: Mike Fishwick Sirgon, 24250 bmwclubuk.net Daglan, France. [email protected] HQ Register: Dick Boyd, Stewart Place, South Forum Administrator: John King. Road, Garmouth, Morayshire IV32 7LX [email protected] 01343 870 389 [email protected] Forum Address: http://forum.bmw-club.org.uk Delegates to other organisations Vice-Presidents: BMF: Primary contact: Tony Cartmell Cliff Batley [email protected] Other delegates; Jeff Dymond, John Lewis, Mark 01787 373 919 Dutton Graham Walker 21 Whitehouse Ave, Burnhope, Durham DH70AJ 07931710991 [email protected] FBHVC: M McNair Peter Dunn [email protected] DVLA: Steve Perry [email protected]
Please restrict any calls or enquiries to these Club officials to between the hours of 10am and 9pm, and let the Editor know if any of these details need amendment
6 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 President’s Platform Sitting at my computer writing this Presidents and the situation was sorted but it it makes Platform, I realize that I haven’t as yet read all you wonder at times. of the March Journal. This is almost my last WSB and Philip Island got off to a good platform and I will soon be able to wipe the start for Aprilia, while Melandri on the dust off my bikes and get out more. BMW was unfortunate in the first race being Had a complaint the other day about the swept off his wheels by Checa but was able notice on page 41 of the March Journal, to claim a podium position in the second (booking is essential for the AGM.) Well this place. I hear that Massimiliano “Max” Biaggi was started last year 2012 at Moffatt and the (Or the Roman Emporer) has taken up Scottish organized National AGM. The reason commentating, at race meetings a much safer for this arrangement was for the catering occupation, this does not detract from the arrangements at the venue and that the right fact that he was a very successful and smooth amount of food and beverage was produced. I motorcycle racer. If you Google him, he has wonder how many of you realized that David had a very illustrious career and the records Smith, the proprietor of the Buccleuch Arms make interesting reading. Hotel, and his merry 2013 riding season band, all members of and most of you will the club started work at be getting your bikes 05:30hrs baking bread ready for the season. for the sandwiches It is amazing how at that event. So if the winter effects our you are going to the bikes and I had a K75 AGM and want the on the stand in the free AGM Saturday garage the other day lunch please return and was surprised to the booking form , find the propstand with the appropriate Wish List (photo cut from BMW catalogue) just about siezed solid. box ticked. When you start reading between So out with the power washer, which also the lines you begin to see what is going on needed a service after only 20 years, the heat and possibly realize that there is a complete exchanger had sprung a leak. So that took army of volunteers beavering away in the about a week to get the replacement parts and back ground, to make this event an enjoyable fit them. Anyway back to the K75, after steam weekend, just for you the membership. The cleaning, took the stand apart, got rid of the other reason for Registration is to confirm crud and reassembled after giving the item that you are a bonifide member of The BMW a quick lick of paint. Also had a look at the Club and have the right to vote. I remember brakes and made sure that the pads slid freely a story a few years ago where a person was in the calipers. I normally spend a lot of time voted on as the secretary of a section only to playing with my bikes and get just as much fun be found not to be a member. Luckily there fettling the bikes as I do riding them. was only one person standing for the position Hopefully this year I will be able to see more The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 7 of Scotland and renew my aquaintance with the Western Isles by using the Caladonian MacBrayne Island Hopper, when I get away from this computer. The Scottish Section are running a new event in 26-28 July at Resepole Farm, Loch Sunart, which fills a slot and looks interesting. Have a look at http://www. resipole.co.uk/ Went to the launch of the new GS at Calterdons of Inverness this last weekend and enjoyed a chat with some of the Scottish members and a couple of steak pies (Showing my true colours now ) Anyway heard the bike going this time and it is quite different with no torque reaction at all when you blip the throttle. Hopefully I can get a demo of the GS when I put the K1200GT in for a service. Don’t forget the AGM return slip and see you there. All the best and take care. Your President. Dick Boyd BUMOT luggage is now imported by TOP QUALITY & EXCELLENT VALUE The Adventure Bike Shop Two Aluminium panniers size 35, 40 or 45 litre with a 7 lt Toolbox in Silver or Black nish, 2mm welded aluminium constuction, stainless hinged lids with locking catches and tie down loops, quick release tting system R1100/1150GS - Panniers set with Toolbox £650 R1200GS/A - Panniers set with Toolbox £699 R1200GS/A with exhaust cut out 41 & 45lt £699 More info on the website or give us a call
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8 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 Please send all submissions for May’s Torque Reaction to Paul Nadin Torque (details on page 3) before April 5th Reaction please. Reliability trials which is something of an indictment. In fairness, it must be said that we do get GS, and I’ve been reading with interest the recent particularly RT owners, who have done high letters in Torque Reaction about reliability mileages with no problem, but on balance questions on the newer bikes and have a few there seem to be more unhappy owners than pertinent comments to make. happy. My wife and I run a B&B that caters This all raises the question of why? BMW mainly for bikers, so in the course of our have been making these bikes for so long that seasons we have a lot of riders through the they must know by now what works and what doors, from all walks of life, on all sorts of doesn’t. How for example, can a production bikes, and a majority are BMW mounted. It bike be put on the road with an external fuel has been enlightening over the last few years pump that collects water? Are the problems to hear what these owners have to say about simply one of profit margins, whereby designs their bikes, because, historically, if there was are incorporating existing [but not always one complaint you never heard relating to happily transferable] technology from the car BMW’s, it was regarding their reliability. world, or the use of suppliers whose quality Recently, there seems to have arisen two main control is indifferent, as witnessed by the areas of dissatisfaction, the first concerning bearing failures. mechanical and electrical reliability and the Or is it simply the scramble for a bigger second quality of finish on the bikes. market share resulting in designs by engineers Most of these grumbles emanate from the who have little or no motorcycle experience, introduction of 1200cc bikes and we’ve had resulting in too many models suffering from some owners with staggering lists of problems, insufficient testing and development time? particularly the earlier [pre-2010] models with I don’t of course, have the answers but I do seal, electrical and bearing failures, failing know that after 28 years of utterly faultless shock absorbers, peeling paint, rusting fittings BMW ownership [I love them] the last etc. We heard many stories of abandoned fifteen with GS’s, when considering replacing holidays, and bike repatriation, including my aged 1150, a 1200 didn’t come into the [embarrassingly] one tour director who’s equation. I run tours and the last thing I need BMW supplied bike knocked out its rear drive (or can afford with half-a-dozen bikes waiting bearing. for me to lead them) is a small electrical glitch Interestingly, the second largest group whose cure requires a visit to a dealer with who stay with us are Triumph owners and special equipment - and my dealer is an 80 many of them turn out to have been BMW mile round trip away. [particularly GS] owners who said they had My solution was to buy a friend’s very low had enough of problems and transferred their mileage 1150GS, as I know in the very unlikely allegiance. A lot of them have opted for the event of a problem it is entirely owner-fixable. Tiger models and have declared their bikes I recently had a look in MCN and counted to be better finished and totally reliable, twenty four 1200 GS models, and one 1150, The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 9 and that bike was commanding a higher price the unit has no “knowledge” of the road speed than some of the newer, lower mileage 1200’s. of the vehicle. Thus, should the wheel of the One dealer friend said he can always find a drive shaft for any reason speed up to above home for the earlier ones, but had a glut of the setting, the unit will throttle back. used 1200’s because they weren’t selling. As proof of this try setting cruise control An interesting statistic in view of the in say fourth gear at, for example 30 mph, amount of complex and largely unnecessary then change up and press the reset button. If electronics now being fitted to these bikes is the set speed stays the same, and it probably that almost 80% of cars now being scrapped will, then this is the system in use. It is also less are as a result of electrical failure that was complex than trying to link into the speedo. uneconomical to repair. Now that’s food for Theoretically the control signal could be taken thought. Would you buy a 10 year old K1600? from the engine but that would be setting Oh, and thank you to Richard and Eleanor engine speed not road speed. for the tips on using cruise control in wet Thus under no circumstances should a weather, I never knew that! correctly functioning cruise control perform Regards. the actions as described in the warning. Martin Pegler. France. It is unfortunate that there are people around who devise this sort of email to prey Safe Driving in the Rain on the good nature of others to propagate theses fallacies. Can you really imagine any Reference safe driving tips in the rain (Torque manufacturer, in this day and age fitting such Reaction Feb 2013) I immediately suspected a device that was not fail safe? an email hoax by the style of the message. It Below is a link to a very good web site that didn’t make a lot of sense. In the nineties I will confirm the above. fitted a cruise control to a camper van and a http://www.hoax-slayer.com/cruise- control signal sender was fitted to a drive shaft. control-warning.html The modus operandum was that the control This site will also put to bed many other unit adjusted the throttle to keep to a set hoaxes like the email from Simon Ashton that number of revolutions of the shaft. Obviously does the rounds claiming that it will destroy your hard drive.
10 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 Apologies to Andy Stork, Richard and such a machine myself (or I thought I didn’t Eleanor who I am sure acted with the very best – I was surprised to see that my old K100 is of intention. eligible for the register). By the way (and on the question of All interesting stuff and well written too. servicing costs) may I recommend Moto- Well done to all concerned and I hope that we oil. I paid about £43 delivered for 4 litres of can see more of the same every month. Power 1 racing oil, 10W-50 4T Fully Synthetic George Whiteside. Oxford Section. as opposed to £72 if included at the dealer’s service rates. Delivery was in about 48 hours. Mono-wheeled Trailers Orders received by 2pm normally despatched and the Law same day. www.moto-oil.co.uk Regards. 5/23 Great Minster House Pete Fisher. South East Section. 33 Horseferry Road LONDON Well done in February SW1P 4DR Dear Mr Stork I thought that the February Journal was the best one for ages. Nearly all of the content Solo motorcycle towing mono wheel trailer was about the motorcycles and maintaining Thank you for your email of 3 February them, less of a travel magazine. This is not a concerning wishing to know what the criticism of the members that submit their regulations are regarding the towing of a mono travel articles and I admit that I have never wheeled trailer. This has been subsequently submitted anything myself. forwarded to International Vehicle Standards With the increasing sophistication of the division as we have policy responsibility for latest motorcycles it seems that owners are less vehicle safety and as such I have been asked to willing or able to maintain them themselves, reply. but fettling the machinery has always been The towing of trailers by motorcycles is part of the fun for me. covered by the Road Vehicles (Construction I particularly enjoyed the Vintage and and Use) Regulations 1986, Regulation 84. Classic Newsletter even though I don’t own The towing of trailers behind motorcycles
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 11 * with an engine capacity under 125cc is not and this attitude is so off-putting. permitted. As they say, it only takes a few to spoil it for NOW For motorcycles with an engine capacity the rest of us. exceeding 125 cc the regulation states: The bottom line is that I feel that unless AVAILABLE! (i) the trailer has an overall width not you are a wealthy person owning the latest RIDING OTHER exceeding 1 m; exorbitant toys, Mr Average will decline even (ii) the distance between the rear axle of further. the motor cycle and the rearmost part of the I have The Journal and look forward to it MOTORCYCLES COVER trailer does not exceed 2.5 m; every month, but lately you still have those (iii) the motor cycle is clearly and indelibly superior jerks trying to outsmart members marked in a conspicuous and readily accessible who have written into The Journal for one position with its kerbside weight; reason or other with good intentions. They (iv) the trailer is clearly and indelibly should be given the credit for their effort and marked in a conspicuous and readily accessible not just to be sniped off by these clever DICKS position with its unladen weight; and - I feel sorry for the editing team who have to (v) the laden weight of the trailer does not monitor all their argie bargie. exceed 150 kg or two thirds of the kerbside Whether it’s me or not I don’t know, but weight of the motor cycle, whichever is the when it was only the old air heads it had a less. different following. I feel unless you are a Finally we suggest you check with the scholar with plenty of money the BMW club manufacturer that your bike has been isn’t for us, I am sure others will share my designed for use while towing a trailer, in sentiments on this issue. particular they may specify a lower laden I would like to thank Mike Fishwick for all weight than stated above if the vehicle brakes his expert advice over the years. Nothing will are not designed to stop a fully laden bike plus stop me though from the passion to owning a With you every mile a trailer laden to 150kg. BMW! Footman James is one of the leading specialist insurance brokers for I hope this is helpful to you. Many thanks to the editorial team who classic motorcycle owners and collectors. We always go the extra Kind regards. makes each Journal worth while, but sad if it mile to secure our most competitive rates for you. UP TO Fran Simpson (Mrs). ends up as an elite club just for the rich. Am I All Footman James policies offer more of the benefi ts that are £750 Andy Stork. having a senior moment? I am sure someone important to you. will let me know! HELMET & Policies include as standard: Membership Issues David Brooks. Bath. LEATHERS • The agreed value of your classic An old airhead. COVER* An issue that I feel should have been drawn to • Specialist claims repairer – choose a repairer you trust • Limited mileage the attention of the BMW Club from my own Bits and Bobs from Andy AND 24 hour breakdown recovery in both UK and Europe observations. I mix with loads of different types of I don’t know if this of interest to the readers At home in this market, our friendly UK motorcyclist and I say to those that own re leather care stuff, but here it is anyway. Try team is available to quote. BMWs, why don’t you join the club? They Connolly Hide Food for Leather at www. immediately respond by saying SNOBBERY! saddler.co.uk/shop 0843 357 1042 I correct them by agreeing with them Also this may appeal to anyone out there Visit: footmanjames.co.uk We share your passion about the way that I feel regarding the lack of interested in some good biking roads, ‘cause participation joining in on runs etc, which I that’s what we’re here for – riding bikes, isn’t We can also quote you for your Modern Car Modern Motorcycle Household have done, but then Wait for It! They say that it? Go to; http://www.bestbikingroads.com/ Footman James is a trading name of Aon UK Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in respect of insurance mediation activities only. too many suffer from a superiority complex I’ve had a look at a few that I am familiar with, Telephone calls may be monitored or recorded for your protection. * Subject to eligibility criteria. Terms and conditions apply. FP7776.01.13 Aon is one of the world’s largest insurance brokers, providing insurance solutions for thousands of customers worldwide. Aon UK Limited negotiates with all major UK insurers. Opening hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm and Sat 9am - 1pm. 12 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 *
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Aon is one of the world’s largest insurance brokers, providing insurance solutions for thousands of customers worldwide. Aon UK Limited negotiates with all major UK insurers. Opening hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm and Sat 9am - 1pm. they are what it says on the tin and there’s Crescent, at the other end of the shopping area more awesome bits of tarmac out there, pretty is to be similarly equipped and a drop kerb and much all over the UK and some in Ireland too. secure installations are to go in at the train So have a quick look, you’ll be surprised station too. how many and where they all are. The listings This is the essence of what local MAG are very well produced and seem to be endless. activists can achieve. Sean Buckley and all at New set of tyres needed then! Peak and District MAG should take a bow for Just a thought. Some of you might fancy a sticking at it for the 16 month campaign. day out to a do at Abingdon Airfield, Dalton Other great news is that the work of Barracks, Oxfordshire OK13 6JQ. Country Leicester MAG has led the City Council fair thingy with vintage cars bikes aeroplanes to consider trials of bikes in bus lanes. The etc. and me with the GS sidecar outfit announcement comes after Ian Underwood thingy too! Tickets on line at; http://www. and the team at Leicester MAG submitted abingdonairandcountry.co.uk/. Date is the written and oral evidence to the transport 5th of May 10-00am to 5-30pm, £12 bought scrutiny committee. in advance, £15 at the gate on the day. Activists in Coventry continue their Might see ya’ all there then. campaign for the same opportunity, but have Andy Stork. enlisted the help of the local press. After their success getting secure convenient parking The Vintage and Classic in the City, movement on bus lanes has been slower, but now the Coventry Evening We are planning to publish the next edition Telegraph has heard about the local campaign of the Vintage and Classic newsletter along and at very short notice arranged a photo- with the June edition of The Journal, so if you shoot so they could run the story. Baz Price have anything that you would wish to have the Coventry MAG rep managed to pull the included with that edition can you please let troops together for a lunchtime picture at the me have it fairly quickly. dedicated bus lane on Foleshill Road next With thanks to those who have already the inner ring road. This could be one of the contributed we now have a sufficient number routes that would provide safer, swifter access of articles for the June edition but are always into and out of the city centre for riders of all on the look-out for anything new or of types of powered two wheeler and encourage particular interest and would be grateful for more drivers out of their cars and onto fun, any additional material. cleaner, motorised transport. Many thanks. I’m also pleased that activists have even Paul Nadin. Congleton. changed the definition of the word biker! The Oxford University Press who publish the M.A.G. News Oxford English Dictionary, have responded positively to the MAG activist’s campaign Three new secure bike parking sites are to be to change their definition of a ‘biker’. Back provided for riders in Buxton, at the heart in September 2012 MAG activists Tracy of the beautiful Peak District. Derbyshire Hammond from Peterborough and Jenny County Council have announced that hoops Cook from Paignton among others, wrote will be in place within the month on ‘The to the University Press highlighting that Viaduct’ near the main shopping precinct. those who saw themselves as bikers were a They’ve also confirmed that a site on The diverse group of people and not just ‘long- 14 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 StarAs chosen Letter by The Editor Brilliant Thatch. the amorous noises afterwards! Needing help keeping in trim after all I would like to just say what a brilliant Irish the food and good Guinness, there was a Mini Thatch, well done Elaine & Chris. free Spa on site. We have been going to the I think it is the best Mini Thatch mini for years and it just seems to get better Gerri and myself have been to. With great and better. company, good food and accommodation John Chandler. Southern Section. - fire alarm was a talking point along with
The Star Letter is sponsored by Nippy Norman, whose Throttle Rocker as pictured here is awarded for the Editor’s choice of letter. See www.nippynormans.com for their full product range. haired and dressed in dirty denims’ as their original definition stated. After a string of correspondence lasting four months, the OED has at last acknowledged the offence caused and the inaccuracy of their entry. The new definition, as of 22nd Feb, reads “A Test Rides and motorcyclist, especially one who is a member Tribulations of a gang or group” Rather unfortunately its illustrative expansion is ‘a biker was involved I am writing to Torque Reaction to see if in a collision with a car’ so one stereotype has any other members have had the same issue been replaced with another, albeit a marginally as I have had recently. less offensive one! I am sure if you have had your bike It is however, another good example of how serviced recently by a BMW franchised MAG members undertake to achieve change dealer you will have had their promotional and improve the lot of motorcycling and don’t leaflet drop through your letterbox (there is just moan. Well done all. also an advert on the back of this month’s Paddy Tyson Journal) relating to this year’s model line Campaigns Coordinator up and competition that they are running. Motorcycle Action Group Anyway I will cut to the chase. The www.mag-uk.org 01926 844064 premise is that if you contact your local The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 15 master just ferries logo 7/10/09 09:08 Page 1
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16 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 dealership and arrange a test ride on a 2013 And the solution model of your choosing before the end of May this year, after taking the test ride you I think I may now have a solution to my will then be automatically entered into a problem. I contacted BMW UK today and competition to win the use of this model for spoke to a very helpful chap in customer 3 months, courtesy of BMW UK (all you have services, I explained the scenario to him and to pay for is the fuel!). he advised that the amount of excess on the I have long held a hankering to try a insurance was entirely down to the dealers K1300S, so I duly filled in the online form. own insurance arrangements. The next day I was contacted by my local He advised me to try Allan Jefferies BMW dealership to arrange said test ride. The guy dealership in Shipley North Yorkshire, as he I spoke to was very helpful when I explained said they were a very proactive dealership and that I am a fair weather rider, and would it be had a very good relationship with customers possible to leave the ride “open” in other words and BMW themselves. I would check the weather forecast on a Friday This I did and was pleasantly surprised that for the next day, if it looked suitable I would they offered just the sort of arrangement that I ring to confirm that the ride was on! I was had suggested in my previous letter: that is, if I told that this was no problem, however, and pay a small £15.00 fee the insurance excess is a this is where the crunch came, the dealership’s much more palatable £200! insurers required that there would be a £2000 Admittedly they are further away than the excess on the policy! previous dealership (who were in the North I am now somewhat hesitant to take up East), but if the weather is on my side it will the offer, as I feel that having this amount of be a lovely run down there. I think it’s a very excess on the back of my mind during the test satisfactory conclusion to the whole episode. ride will take some of the gloss and fun from Cheers the experience. Obviously the excess amount Phil Myers. only comes into play if any accident that I was involved in was deemed to be my fault! Motor Cycling Have other members experienced this? My Experiences current bike is a R1100S, so I am not unused to riding large capacity machines. I even I received my copy of The Journal this contacted my own insurers to see if they could morning, turned the pages to Torque temporarily transfer my insurance to the test Reaction (my usual first port of call) and was bike. Unfortunately this cannot be done! surprised, nay, gob smacked, to find that there I find it hard to contemplate that BMW were no controversial letters. I always enjoy should go to all the expense of promoting reading these thought-provoking missives and their products but then not to have put better wonder if those regular contributors are still provision into the insurance side of it. I in hibernation (no, they are now waking up, to would even be willing to pay a small fee if it berate me for having the audacity to pen this meant that the excess figure would be a more email). agreeable amount should the unthinkable After a quick glance at Torque Reaction, happen. I read the very informative Articles - “A Bee- Has anyone got any other ideas? Line through Paris”, “Touring - The Second Phil Myers. Wigton. Cumbria. Time Around” and “Why Would I Want to Fit an Intercom?” The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 17 We all think that our Motor Cycling IFA - he had, obviously, forgotten his previous Experiences are similar to those of others and ordeal 3 years before!). we assume that everyone else gets it right first Last year’s tour was Bilbao - Lloret de time, not going through the same (expensive!!) Mar - Segovia - Verin - Ponferrada - Llanes - learning curves as us. We also don’t want Santander, on our N reg R1100R. We never to appear to be silly, in front of others, by cease to be amazed by individual kindnesses broadcasting our mistakes. Having ridden, on our foreign travels, such as free garage and owned, motorcycles for over 45 years (last parking (up to10 Euros per night, for our birthday) I have learnt a lot about the world fellow car travellers), my wife sometimes of 2 wheels and agree with the old adage - if having complimentary drinks after her you have never made a mistake, then you have menu, del dia at truck stops (once she had a never done, or learnt, anything. large whisky poured over her ice-cream) and For various reasons I sold a very nice ex- Carlos at Motos Abuye in Lloret, dropping police R80/7 and rode around on my trusty everything to sort a minor oil leak from a MZ ETZ250. My wife decided that I was damaged filler seal. unhappy without a nice, shiny BM (she also It’s refreshing to be treated as “normal missed being on the pillion - not enough room human beings” - we have never seen signs like on the MZ for 2) and told me that she had seen “No Motorcycles” or “No Coaches”, outside a new (pre-registered - 93K) R80RT in the the UK. I have ridden along the Peripherique local dealer’s window and at a very attractive around Paris with cars moving over to allow price. us to filter unimpeded, but still missing that That was it; the deal was done the next vital exit (it seems that we have just bought Saturday. I let my Independent Financial a mobile phone that has Bluetooth and a Adviser sort out the minor details with SatNav facility, so getting lost may be a thing Colin at SWS in Newport. We had our first of the past). continental touring holiday in northern Spain To be fair to us mere males (I know my that year (1994) and experienced Galicia’s place - having been married for nearly 27 years) summer weather - thunderstorms and we are never lost, we are just unsure as to our torrential rain, in July. I assumed that it would exact position and calculating a better route to be warm (and sunny) so I had persuaded my our destination. We have finally settled on our wife that we didn’t need our wet weather gear, perfect intercom - 2 Schuberth Helmets with hence our saying “Bus shelters of Galicia we the Cardo built-in Bluetooth system - and, have known and loved” - the lasting memory once the two units link we are chatting and of those 3 weeks was arriving at the Hotel enjoying each other’s company along the road. Miraolas in Llanes, in the middle of another It has been pointed out to me that there thunderstorm, dripping water through is a disadvantage (?) with this link, that the reception, in the lift and soaking the room rider must wake-up the system first so that carpet - “Don’t worry” we were told. the pillion can talk to the rider and, at times, We have been there several times since and impart helpful advice (a nudge or two from look forward to staying there this year. We said pillion initiates this communication always regretted part-exing the R80RT for an when required). R1100RT, but if Colin thought that he had The original seats were found to be had a tough time with selling the R80, then uncomfortable after an hour to an hour and he had another think coming when we bought a half and necessitating a stop to restore the R1100 (he had a 4 hour session with my circulation, so an after-market seat or 18 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 modification was needed. Dave Harding at where I was to spend the next 26 years. www.diggerseats.co.uk in Newport made our Clarry remained a dear friend until the riding much more comfortable and numb end of his days. In fact Brenda and I spent nether regions are things of the past - at a very the first night of our marriage in his Bristol reasonable price too. We were so satisfied that flat. Following the death of Sylvia we loaded we had our other (non BMW) motorcycle seat Clarry, our children and all his worldly good modified by Dave to the same high standard into our camper and took him to Austria, of looks and comfort. The usual disclaimers where he had chosen to spend the remainder apply to the above individuals, just satisfied of his life. customers. An ex-POW he spoke German with a Although I am an armchair member I strong West Country accent, which everyone know how much effort is put into the Club had trouble with! He also liked a little mischief by committee members, volunteers and making. A keen gardener he planted a flower contributors to the Journal, for which I am arrangement outside his flat, and when it very grateful. I look forward to the Journal blossomed it became a Union Flag. Some of dropping onto my doormat every month, for the locals were not best pleased! the good read that I know it will be. Fred Williams became the chairman of David Harrington. the Northern Section before he emigrated to Newport, South Wales. South Africa. Brenda and I regularly visited him in SA; he always had a BMW ready for Congratulations to the us when we arrived. In fact more than one, for Western Section another was provided for our son Simon. Gosh, I’d better start saving for our Golden It was a bit of a surprise to see that the Western Wedding, which is only two years away... Section are about to celebrate their 50th Bruce Preston. anniversary for I was at the inaugural meeting. Honorary life member. Surely it can’t have been 50 years ago! At the time I was editor of the club Newsletter (as it was then called) and assisted the late Clarry Williams in his efforts to form a Western Section, although initially it was planned as the ‘Bristol and District’ section. Thanks to the enthusiasm of Clarry and his wife Sylvia the section was soon up and running. I don’t suppose too many of those present that day are still with us. A few months later I attended the section’s first dinner and dance. It was quite a momentous weekend as Fred Williams arrived from Liverpool with his sister Brenda in the sidecar. It was love at first sight and eighteen months later I married her! That same weekend President Kennedy was assassinated and I joined the Daily Mail as a camera operator, The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 19 Calling All Single Robert Freeman, 169 Creek Road, March. Cylinder BMW Owners Cambs, 01354 656569, owns a 1951 R25, MXA 247 for example. Thus register will not One of the objects of the Vintage Register is to become a ‘thief’s handbook’ and the object is assess just how many ‘Older’ BMW’s are still to help each other. around. With this in mind, I have been asked Please Contact; to attempt to compile a Register of Machines Robert Freeman and Owners. March, Cambs To test the idea we are starting with single 01354 656569 cylinder BMW’s, this is all models from the [email protected] 1925 -7, R32 till the 1967 R27. If you own ‘half a bike’ you are invited to register it with Errata and Ferry Prices me on behalf of the Vintage Register. You may provide (in confidence) as much or It is embarrassing to have one’s name put on as little information as you wish. This will not to ‘out of date’ information and I would be be passed on or made available to anyone else. pleased if you could correct this before readers But if someone asks, “Do you (I) know anyone rush in vain to grab cross Channel ferries at with a 1951 R25” we would inform any R25 super bargain prices. owner - it would then be their prerogative if Since I submitted ‘Bee line through Paris’, they wish to contact the questioner. two years ago, Norfolk line has become DFDS Information can be as brief as Mr Freeman and the return price is now ‘from £34’. in Cambridgeshire owns an R 25, or Mr I think this is still good value. I stand by all the rest of the information given in that article, especially about the simplicity of going straight across Paris using the interior peripherique road (BP) rather than the complex, convoluted, and imperfectly signposted outer ring roads, N104 etc. Pat Cammish Kingston upon Thames Editor’s comment: I was recently quoted £300 for one motorcycle and two people for a long channel crossing. Although the time spent in my archives made some of Pat’s article out-of- date, the principle is as valid as ever. Well done Sir Neville!
How comforting to read someone’s thoughts (March Journal, Hi-Vis Rules letter, page 9) on what MAG, to me, now come across as: a cantankerous old buddy who will always say, “Aye, they never did it in my day. So it must be wrong to do it now!” MAG regularly have a cause to celebrate 20 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 when officialdom rethinks a decision. A I first met John, date uncertain, but probably decision that just might have been borne out late 1970’s when I was Chairman of IMTC of a safety necessity. They are like the doctor and John attended committee meetings in who says there’s a 5% chance of death, well I’ll his role of London Region Rep for that club. I try for the other 95 thanks Doc. soon learned to value the carefully considered Come on MAG. Stop being so short contributions which John brought to the sighted, near focused and really stupid. Look committee table, which were considerable in beyond your personal desires and hidden number and all so articulately expressed. agendas, and think longer term, it might get When in 1986 I decided that, having been you members for longer! in the chair for 9 years, it was time to hand on, Don’t be like taxi drivers who never wear I followed the then unwritten rule in IMTC seat belts! Why? Because they can. They that one did not step down from an officer do more miles than most on our roads so role before identifying one’s successor. I asked therefore could be most likely to have a crash. John if he would allow me to nominate him Doh! Isn’t it better to be safe and wear the as Chairman. His natural modesty required thing, seat belts hi viz or whatever, in a higher thinking time but I was very pleased when he risk chance environment than the, proverbial, said that he would allow the nomination to go sorry. Or will my MAG T shirt tucked into forward, and the rest is history, for John has my underpants like superman save me? No, I served in many roles, making a very significant didn’t think it would. contribution to IMTC for over 30 years, as Jim McBriert. Scottish Section. well as to the BMW Club and others to which he belonged. John Hine, a personal So although I was terribly sad to hear of appreciation his death in New Zealand, I drew comfort from the fact that he went out on a high doing It was great to see Mike and Jody writing what he loved, foreign touring by motorcycle. an appreciation of John Hine in the March I hope we will meet up again sometime John, Journal. My greetings to them both. that is if we have both gone to the same place! I too have known John for some 30 odd Barry Arthur. Northern Section. years, mainly in the IMTC context, but in the BMW club scene as well. Our paths BMW Club Mileage have not crossed that frequently on foreign Competition 2013 touring trips, but one such was the FIM Rally in Kuopio to which I had ridden on my new We are off and running from March 1st and R100GS ‘Bumblebee’. I am not sure now currently have 34 entrants, and most have what bike John was on on that trip, but I do sent in their start mileage and so the table has remember how this small but wiry character begun to take shape. handled his imposing (aka damned heavy) Everyone that has entered by email or snail Kawasaki 1000 four with aplomb, and it was mail has been added. There is still time to sign from John that I learnt the trick of having up. As we are past March 1st, you will need your prop stand spreader plate on a length of to send the mileage as it exists on the day you string so that you hoick it up having straddled decide to enter! I can’t backdate mileages! the bike to pick it up off the prop. Old hat Good luck everyone. nowadays when we are all forced to ride 250 Paul Devall kg bikes, but not so common then. [email protected] The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 21 RIDE FOR THE ADVENTURE
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22 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 The National Committee Meeting David Cooper summarises the meeting of 9th February 2013 Presidents’ Opening Remarks: With all this problem is beyond the scope of increased doom and gloom medicine that the media recruitment. However, it is good to see that keep feeding us every day, it was good to membership numbers have not fallen when see the membership numbers keep rolling compared with last year. A new database for in this year. The new and renewed members recording and managing membership details amounted to 3352 on the 6th of February is in the early stages of development. which is 30 less than the membership at the same time last year. Also renewals aren’t over Policy: The NC recognise that the cost of yet as the envelopes keep hitting the doormat. national committee meetings is a significant One thing that has been worrying me one and have decided to propose a reduction and that is the depletion of the savings in the from 3 to 2 meetings annually. Thus there bank. We cannot keep spending money as we would be meetings in the Spring and Autumn have been and I have no doubt that we will be only. At the same time, more use is proposed looking at this during the meeting. The future of electronic conferencing and voting. of the club is in your hands and I think that we need to plan accordingly for the future, Social Matters: Costings for the National otherwise there won’t be a future. Rally 2013 were discussed and the intention is to break even or make a modest surplus. Administration and Financial: The question Framlingham was confirmed as the site. It was of subsidy was raised by a member who decided to support the BMF Kelso event with considered this practice could be in breach a subsidy of £350 as this is considered to be of the ‘rules’ of the Club. The opinion of the primarily a recruitment event. Club’s solicitor is that, provided the subsidy is for the purpose of promoting the objects of Next meeting: Sat 26th October 2013 the Club, as set out in the Memorandum, then such expenditure is legitimate and the NC confirmed their acceptance of this stance. The draft accounts for the year ended September 2012 were presented and adopted. It was noted that an amount of income relating to regalia had been wrongly allocated to subscriptions, to be corrected in the final document. It was noted also, that the trend towards deficit continues and that some remedial action will be necessary shortly. It was accepted that savings will have to be made as the underlying
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 23 24 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 The 2013 Rhino Rally Bob Harrison braved the elements Another Rhino Beddgellert has come and leads and lights; he went home to collect his gone and if you weren’t there you missed trusty K75S. I was to lead anyone interested a cracking event. Disorganisers Rhys and in a tour of Wales to Rhys’ house, located Wulla Jones excelled with the breakfast half way up Snowdon, where the event would frying pan, producing the culinary delight start. I was expecting the five usual suspects of the bacon buttie, a favourite rally food. It to join in but word had spread around the site does complement the pints of expensive beer and riders approached from all directions to from the night before and is always a good head for the Jones’ abode. Rhys commented restorative. Does it for me anyway. “I didn’t say to bring half the campsite with The music at The Saracens attracted you”. I didn’t invite them, they just followed comment from event participants, not to be me. Such is the price of fame when you are a repeated here. Apart from the food, beer and native of the area and renowned for doing a music did anything else happen? Well, Rhys good run. It wasn’t my fault, honest. There volunteered to lead a Saturday ride out and were twelve bikes in total so the drop off having come in the car in order to tow the system was utilised and worked brilliantly Section’s trailer with the marquee, bacon, with no lost bikes. We must be getting good bread, water urn, space heater, chairs, tables, at this. Highlight of the 150 mile day out was gas cylinders, tea, milk, coffee, biscuits, power overtaking a police car, a manoeuvre fraught
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 25 with disaster but skilfully handled by Rhys so no arrests there. I think we went to Aberdovey but I was tail ender so focused on observing riders and not road signs. Wherever we went it was excellent apart from the salt strewn roads but no traffic to contend with. Try this in July at your peril. We had 45 participants on the forestry commission site and an equal number in the Beddgellert hostelries. Weather was good, dry with snow flurries and cold enough to demand double sleeping bags. A personal note; don’t ever remove the polar thermals until you arrive home. Notable participant was Chris Walliss (left) who braved the Irish Sea, travelling from the Isle of Man specifically for the event. Chris’ steed is a well used R80 of late seventies vintage and he rode with confidence, keeping pace with all the GS guys. I was impressed and I told him I wouldn’t ride my ‘78 R100S with such aplomb. Scares me to death most of the time I’m on it. So all you no shows, give it a go next year, the site is booked.
26 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 The 2012 Tour of Spain Derek Proctor and the ‘Boss’ Share the Ups & Downs This autumn we clocked up our fifth tour of arrive at a destination without having a hotel Spain, and I thought it about time I contributed booking, even if the booking is only done to The Journal with some observations on that morning before setting off. We carry a the routes and roads we travelled on and the netbook PC around with us for the purpose. hotels stayed at during this trip. ‘We’ being my Hotels are chosen for their location, bike wife Moira, (the boss), and myself. The bike security and price, in that order. Moira will is a 2009 R1200RT fitted with a high-wide have done her homework during the winter screen from Nippy Normans (which they and have a priority list of three or four hotels don’t seem to do now); heated Kahedo seats to choose from for each destination. This from Touratech; a Wunderlich high-level GPS system works well for us, and the added bonus mount, again from Nippy Normans; a Garmin is the surprisingly good deals that are often to Navigator IV, which came with the bike; and be had at the last minute. a rear box rack by Louis from GetGeared. I Finally, this article mainly comments upon have fitted and replaced other bits-and-pieces the roads, routes and hotels used on this trip. which have further personalised the bike, but If you are interested in our thoughts and views have mentioned these five items particularly on the places we have passed through and as they contribute significantly to the comfort visited, we run a daily blog for our family and and enjoyment of our touring. friends at www.lonelybikers.blogspot.co.uk, Before you read any further I think it only which may help with your own planning, or fair to advise you that this article is written by just amuse you. If there is a day missing from a geriatric for the benefit of other geriatrics - the following chronology it is simply because there are no ‘head-down and arse-up’ routes on that day the bike was also having a holiday. here. I deliberately choose routes for their This autumn’s trip was a combination of scenic content and those which avoid, where beating new paths and revisiting a couple of possible, motorways or roads that have their venues we had been to before, but wished we origins from when the Romans occupied had spent more time at. Spain. I try to limit journey times between destinations to three or four hours, with a Day 1 - Newcastle to Portsmouth – 555 maximum of five hours, but don’t always kilometres get it right! Furthermore, our itinerary is Living in Newcastle upon Tyne we don’t planned before we leave Newcastle, each have much option but to suffer the miseries route meticulously programmed into the sat and the joyless task of motorway travel down nav, with each hotel front door as the last to the south coast, but once there, the real coordinate. We build some slack into the ‘no-brainer’ choice for us is the Portsmouth duration of stay at each venue by not pre- – Santander Brittany Ferries service to Spain. booking the hotels before we leave home. After the six-hour grind down the A1(M)/ However, gone are the days of running around M1/A43/M40/A34/M3/M27, the twenty- like headless chickens looking for a hotel four-hour relaxation on their flagship, the after arriving in a new town or city. We never Pont Aven, is just what is needed to recover The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 27 our composure and get into tour mode. Day 3 - Santillana to Leon – 230 kilometres We have done this route before, only last Day 2 - Santander to Santillana del Mar – 40 time, after passing through Santillana, we kilometres stayed on the CA131 along the coast through This time, just for a change, we decided Comillas, San Vicente de la Barquera to to stay out of town for our first night in Pesues and the junction with the N621 - Spain, and chose the village of Santillana and very enjoyable it was. However, this del Mar, some thirty kilometres along the morning the sky was overcast with some coast, west of Santander. If you are heading drizzle, and the forecast held no prospect west from Santander I still find the ‘cleanest’ of improving until we crossed the Picos de route out of town is to turn right out of the Europa. So we intentionally got back onto port, along Calle de Antonio Lopez and on the autovia, heading west to the junction with to Paseo del Pereda. Then turn north on to the N621, where we turned left and south Calle de Casimiro Sainz, through the Tunel into the Europa. The N621 takes you all the de Tetuan, and at the third roundabout after way through the Europa and is one of the exiting the tunnel, turn left on to the S20 most stunning runs in the whole of Spain. heading west, which eventually feeds you into If this is all you do in Spain you will still go the Autovia del Cantabria and all the way to home contented. The standard of the road Galicia. Leaving the autovia at Jn. 234, the construction and maintenance, at the time CA133 takes you the last few kilometres in of our visit, was excellent. However, in the to Santillana. Billed as a ‘preserved village’, spring, maintenance of the higher sections can Santillana is a funny place in many ways, not be an issue before the repair gangs get on top least for its name. As far as we can tell there of the winter damage. is no saint ‘Llana’, and the village is about About fifteen kilometres after leaving ten kilometres from the coast, nowhere near the autovia you enter the Desfiladero de la the sea, but for all that we enjoyed the stroll Hermida, an incredibly beautiful, narrow around the place on a lovely warm evening. gorge. Still climbing, as you enter the little We stayed at the Hotel Los Infantes, which town of Potes, the N621 turns off to the left, was very nice and had free, secure parking for but, if you have the time, it’s worth continuing the bike, albeit not covered. on into the village centre for a coffee break
Mirador de Llesba
28 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 and a look around, - it’s delightful. After idea. So this morning, leaving Leon and backtracking to the N621, turn off, keep travelling south on the N630, we bore right, heading upwards and onwards to the Mirador on to the CL622, heading southwest towards de Llesba, where the views are breathtaking. the Portuguese boarder. After La Baneza (The photo here was taken on a good day in the we crossed the A6 onto the LE125, then the spring of 2010, not today, when we couldn’t ZA125, and at Puebla de Sanabria the ZA925 see a hand in front of our faces because of the to the Portuguese border. So far so good, and cloud we were riding in.) after Baneza the run down to the border was Continuing on up, the Puerto de San excellent and the scenery delightful. I would Glorio is only a couple of bends away, and at thoroughly endorse this section of the route. 1609 metres is the highest point on this route. My intention from here was to run down Miraculously, today we had only travelled a into Braganca and then down the IP4 to few metres over the pass when we rode out Macedo. Then on some interesting looking of the cloud into clear, dry weather. The run back roads to the border village of Salto down to the Embalse de Riano on the south Saucelle, and then south via the SA330 and side of the Picos is a total contrast to the climb the SA324. It looked like a straightforward up, long flowing bends with lots of forward run into Ciudad Rodrigo. Braganca was where visibility. At the village of Riano the road the problems started. ... turns south and crosses the reservoir. We We encountered road construction works turned right on to the CL626, just before after road construction works and were the village of Cistierna, and cut across to the shunted in every direction except that which N630 at La Robla for the final run south into I wanted to go in. In the end I gave in and Leon. The N630, as many of you will know, just stayed with the N102 (or I think I did) is the old Ruta de la Plata or the ‘silver’ route. to Guarda, and then turned east on the E80, A couple of years back we travelled the N630 crossing the border at Vilar Formoso, and from Leon to Bejar, trying as best we could to then on to Ciudad Rodrigo. keep off the autovia, and thoroughly enjoyed I was far too greedy aiming for this mileage it. On this occasion, I think the best of this on the roads I intended to use. With a little section of the N630 was probably to the north bit of internet research I may possibly have of where we joined it. found the construction works we encountered We stayed in the centre of Leon at in Portugal listed, and given it a miss. In the the Hotel Real Colegiata San Isadoro, a end, what I thought should have been a five- converted convent which we rated highly. hour journey turned out to be six-hours plus. There was free secure parking for the bike, The boss was not happy, and to compound albeit again not covered. This was our second matters the Hotel Molino del Agueda on the visit to Leon and we like it a lot. outskirts of Ciudad Rodrigo was definitely not up to its billing on the booking site. We Day 4 - Leon to Ciudad Rodrigo – 385 would not recommend it. The bike was left kilometres in the communal car park of the hotel free of Today was not my finest hour. Two factors charge, but it wasn’t the best arrangement. On conspired to reach this state, the first being the plus side, we liked Ciudad Rodrigo a lot. greed and the second a lack of research. Combined, they almost resulted in a mutiny. Day 6 - Ciudad Rodrigo to Badajoz – 260 For no particular reason I had thought that kilometres a diversion into Portugal would be a good We left Ciudad Rodrigo heading south on The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 29 the CL526, crossing the Sierra de Gata over the nothing in life comes free, and I’m afraid that Puerto de Perales, at the modest elevation of we had to pay for today’s enjoyment, because 910 metres, and on to the village of Moraleja. when we got to the Hotel Cevantes, in the From here we headed southwest on the EX108 centre of Badajoz, the devil had prepared the and then the EX117 to the border town of ‘bill’! Alcantara. Just before you get to Alcantara It’s not often we get things wrong, but we you suddenly and unexpectedly (in my case) certainly got the choice of hotel wrong today – enter the Rio Tajo gorge, crossing it over the the hotel was the ‘pits’. We should have had the most impressive Roman bridge. The bridge good sense to walk away before we even went has been dated back to 106 AD, but looks through the front doors, but a combination of as if it was built yesterday, with the bonus not having a cancellation clause (unusual for of a massive 20th century concrete dam just us), being poor pensioners, and just being plain upstream in the background. I was awestruck. ‘tight’, we stayed on, not thinking it could be I just wish I had had the sense to get the bike as bad as it turned out to be. I won’t go into in the photo, but nothing had prepared me for the sordid details, (they are on the blog site if this and I was completely thrown. you’re that interested). Just keep well clear of From Alcantara we continued southwest on the Hotel Cevantes in the centre of Badajoz, the EX117, before turning west on the N521 even if they offer you free parking in their and then left on to the EX110, just before secure basement garage. As Moira said after the town of Valencia de Alcantara. From we left, she wouldn’t stay there again, even if here it was a straight run south all the way to they paid us, and even now she is still using a Badajoz. Today’s route took us through some scrubbing brush in the shower. wild and wonderful scenery, on some excellent The ‘bill’ didn’t end there. Badajoz itself biking roads, a lot of it at 50 or 60 mph on is no Ciudad Rodrigo or Leon, and we will long sweeping bends over four mini sierras - not be returning. There is a much better and not another soul in sight for most of the alternative for a venue in this area at Elvas, just time. It just doesn’t get much better. However, over the border in Portugal.
The Roman Bridge over the Rio Tajo
30 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 Day 8 - Badajoz to Aracena – 150 kilometres the mine was at one time the largest man- Today’s journey was quite leisurely. We made hole in the world, and what’s more, it left Badajoz as quickly as possible in a south- was a British hole. The mine itself was owned easterly direction on the N432, and then and run by Brits, and the town for the workers headed south on the N435 after the village of was, to all intents and purposes, a small piece La Albuera, some twenty-five kilometres out of Britain in the middle of Andalucia. So this of Badajoz. As we approached the foothills of morning we departed Aracena in a southerly the Sierra de Aracena, near the pretty village direction on the A479, and then on the A461 of Galaroza, we turned left on to the N433, to Minas de Riotinto. which took us the last fifteen kilometres into The hole in the ground was impressive, but the town of Aracena. the general feel of the area was of depression, The run today was very straightforward which I suppose is understandable, as it was a and took us through some beautiful, rugged very heavily industrialised area and has been scenery, lovely sweeping 60 mph bends on in disuse for a long time now. A run into superbly constructed and maintained roads the residential area was surreal. The workers’ which we had all to ourselves. Again, it doesn’t houses reminded me of the ‘back-to-backs’ get much better than this. Moira reckons that in Walker and some of the mining villages she only counted a dozen cars all morning. in Northumberland, only they were bigger The Hotel Castanos in the centre of the and the sun was shining. Having seen what town is everything we look for in a hotel, we came to see we didn’t linger too long, and smart, clean, quiet and competitively priced headed east on the A476 to join our old friend - with a secure basement garage for the the N433 running southeast towards Sevilla. bike. The attractions of Aracena include the All too quickly, and with no real alternative, extensive limestone caves right in the middle the N433 ran into the A66 autovia, which of the town, and the surrounding villages in delivers you to the northwest edge of the the Sierra de Aracena and the Picos de Aroche. city of Sevilla. Here you can choose to go clockwise or anticlockwise around the city Day 9 - A Ride into the Sierra de Aracena y to the southeast edge in order to pick up the Picos de Aroche – 85 kilometres A376 autovia heading to Utrera, from where Today we had a leisurely ride through the A375 takes you down to a left turn and the Sierra de Aracena, passing through and on to the A384 towards Algodonales. Just stopping at the villages of Linares de la Sierra, before reaching Algodanales, take the slip Alajar, Calabazares, Almonaster la Real, road onto the CA339 and continue the last Arroyo, Cortegana, Aroche and on the way few kilometres over the top of the Embalse de back to Aracena - the villages of El Repilado Zahara dam into Zahara. and Los Marines. Most of today’s run was on The run today was a bit of a ‘mixed bag’. what I call ‘fiddly’ little roads, that is except We had the slowish roads from Aracena for when we were on the N433. However, it through Minas de Riotinto and on to the was all very beautiful and full of surprises. N433, passing through delightful, shaded pine and oak forests, then the fast sweeping Day 10 - Aracena to Zahara de la Sierra – A66 section through open, rolling arable 200 kilometres wheat fields to the north of Sevilla. This was I have wanted to come to the Aracena area followed by the slightly boring section down for a few years now, mainly to have a look at to Utrera, and finally the last leg down to the Riotinto mine. The fascination being that Zahara, on sweeping bends through rolling The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 31 hills covered as far as the eye can see with olive but the scenery and the views back down to trees. All of it very, very enjoyable - except for the reservoir are just stunning. What’s more, the anticlockwise bit around Sevilla. we had the road all to ourselves - not another The Hotel Al Lago on the edge of Zahara is soul in sight, except for two cyclists heading in a gem and the village itself lovely, and a great the same direction as us. Tough guys! base to explore the surrounding area from. We took a photo at a mirador about half The bike was secure enough, parked right way up the climb, and stopped again about under our bedroom window, at no charge. two thirds of the way up and took another photo looking back down the road towards Day 11 - A Trip to Arcos – 120 kilometres the reservoir, with the castillo of Zahara I don’t intend to describe in detail every centre -top and Algodanales just above that. road we travelled on during our stay at Zahara At 1157 metres the Puerto de las Palomas as, in their own ways, they are all superb and is not the highest of passes, but it is one of the all different. Today we were travelling over bonniest we have climbed. The descent from some old ground. We passed through here las Palomas is short and steep, and at some in the spring of 2011 en route, would you time we intend to come back again and do believe, from Sevilla to Jerez, and stopped at the whole thing in reverse. Continuing down Zahara for a coffee. From Zahara we took the from the mountain we turned right onto the back road out of the village into the Sierra A372, which took us over another delightful Margarita, and over the Puerto de las Palomas. pass - the Puerto del Boyar - and on into Arcos At that time I promised myself I would come de la Frontera. We made the same mistake this back and do the climb again, but this time time as we made a year-and-a-half ago. After on an unloaded bike. So here we are! Today, crossing the lake, as you approach Arcos, we coming out of the back of the village and on to turned left and found ourselves climbing the the CA9104 we were straight into the climb. I steepest of narrow, cobbled streets. Last time, enjoyed it the last time on a fully-loaded bike, and this is no joke, the hill defeated us. I had and I enjoyed it even more this time. It’s not to abandon the climb for fear of burning the that challenging, and it’s certainly not fast, clutch. This time, no such problem. But when
Zahara from the Dam
32 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 A Mirador on the climb to Puerto de las Palomas we got to the top we were at the wrong place! Day 12 - A Day Trip to the Fiesta at Ronda – So it was back down the hill, and this time 120 kilometres we took the right at the end of lake crossing, Last night we were told that there is a which did take us into the centre of Arcos. I’m fiesta at Ronda today, so we have put aside making this point because I cannot believe the planned run out to Jimena and headed off that having made the same mistake twice we to Ronda. We left the village on the A2300, are the only ones to have done so. The signage which runs southeast down the side of the at the end of the lake is misleading! Anyway, reservoir and joins the A374 which takes Arcos was worth the effort, and we returned you into Ronda. It’s only forty kilometres, back to Zahara late in the afternoon via the but forty very enjoyable kilometres, and it A384 with big smiles on our faces. whetted my appetite for the run down to the coast planned for tomorrow. On the way back
Looking back down the Las Palomas climb
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 33 from Ronda, which had been a great success, what should have been an exhilarating run I impulsively turned right at the sign for a through some of the best scenery and on village called Setenil de las Bodegas to look one of the best biking road in Europe, was at the houses built under a cliff overhang. The a nightmare. It was Sunday and the last day Spanish do the strangest things, and the two of the bullfighting in Ronda, and everyone photos of the troglodyte houses demonstrate in Andalucia was either trying to get into this excellently. There are even houses built on Ronda or get out of Ronda, according to the top of the cliff overhang! their persuasion. The traffic was bumper- We cannot recommend the Al Lago Guest to-bumper for almost the whole run. The House in Zahara highly enough. Both the A397 through the Sierra Bermeja and Sierra owner and the staff couldn’t do enough for us, Palmitera is a two-lane single-carriageway and the hotel itself was fitted out to the highest road of continuous bends and some very short standards. We like Zahara and this whole area straights between, and no passing places. So a lot, and intend to return here in the near one slow car dictates the pace - and there were future to conclude ‘unfinished business.’ dozens of them going in both directions. In addition, there were literally hundreds of Day 13 - Zahara to Malaga – 170 kilometres ‘head-down-and-arse-up bikers’ out for the We left Zahara this morning with mixed day, all intent on beating the record from feelings. Part of us wanted to stay and squeeze Ronda to the coast and vice versa, regardless in another two runs that we had planned of the traffic conditions. The ‘bad bike day’ for the Sierra Ubrique and the Reserva didn’t end there. ... Nacional de Cortes de la Frontera, but I was Not having visited this part of the coast keen to get on the A397 down to San Pedro before we decided to sightsee, and took the and the coast. As it turned out, it was, apart A7 east and north, hugging the coast to from the last three unplanned days of the Malaga, instead of the inland A7 autopista. holiday, probably the worst run of the tour. I can honestly report that by the time we got It started off well enough, but when we got to Malaga we were both totally depressed. to Ronda, via the same roads as yesterday, I cannot remember having seen so much
Restaurant and Troglodyte bar under the cliffs
34 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 bad taste and mindless development - ever. the west side, I still wouldn’t come back to this It went on for mile after greasy mile - and section of coast. people come here for a holiday - and pay for it! You are by now asking ... “Well why didn’t Day 17 - Malaga to Ubeda – 260 kilometres you get off the A7 and onto the autopista?” ... We have thoroughly enjoyed Malaga and The answer is that there are not that many could have done with another one or two days links on to the autopista, and we kept hoping here, but we are now past the halfway point it would get better, but it didn’t. in the holiday and have to start the trek back The Hotel Salles Malaga Centro was what north. The Hotel Malaga Centro was OK it says, central, or rather just on the edge of and we would use it again if we couldn’t find the centre. It’s a big four-star pile with secure, anything better for the price. covered parking. If you do use this hotel, and The run out of Malaga could not have I wouldn’t dissuade you, pre-book a parking been easier. From outside the hotel we set slot, as they are limited. We only just got the off to the east. After some fifty metres we last one, and you definitely would not want to crossed over a huge open storm drain and be leaving the bike out on the street here. turned immediately left onto the Avenue de la Rosaleda, which took us due north, Day 15 - A Run up the Coast to Nerja – 120 straight through the city, and on to the A45 kilometres autovia. It was then on to the A92 autovia, You are probably wondering why we are then the A44 autovia up to Jaen, then the going for a run out along the coast today after part-constructed A316 autovia to Ubeda. I the experience we had two days ago. Well the know - I’ve just given you an all ‘motorway’ answer is ... the boss wanted to. She had read or dual carriageway route for the whole of this somewhere that there were some ‘nice little journey. However, I’ve been on most of these coves’ along the coast east of Malaga. Well, we roads before at one time or another and they never did find a ‘nice little cove’, and the roads are good biking roads. There are virtually no were, well – roads. Although the development straights and, from experience, no traffic. That on this side of Malaga was superior to that on was still the case this time.
Ready for the off outside the Malaga Centro
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 35 I enjoyed the run today even if the boss the town centre, but is very nice with secure didn’t. The hotel Rosaleda Don Pedro is basement parking. right in the centre of Ubeda and is delightful, with secure basement parking for the bike - Day 21 - A Ride up the Huecar and Jucar accessed by a vehicle lift! Ubeda and the town Canyons - about 45 kilometres of Baeza, a few miles to the west, are beautiful Today’s ride was one of the shortest, but and should not be missed. also one of the highlights of this holiday. None of the roads were fast but they did not need Day 20 - Ubeda to Cuenca – 350 kilometres to be, as the scenery was just ‘jaw-droppingly’ Today’s ride was not the best. Again, I beautiful. We set off across the town and up have been a bit greedy with the distance of the steep hill into the old quarter, through the today’s journey, especially in today’s heat as Plaza Mayor, continuing on right up to the we crossed the La Mancha plain. Heading top of the canyon rim. Here we picked up the northeast out of Ubeda on the N322 things CU9141 and followed this all the way up the were fine, a good biking road through rim of the Rio Huecar canyon, and on to the some lovely rolling country, with hardly a junction with the CU914 in the bottom of the straight bit of road all the way to just short canyon, which then wended its way back down of Albacete. We took the A32 bypass around the canyon to the foot of the town - quite Albacete, and continued on the almost dead breathtaking. Crossing the town we then set straight N322 to the little village of Mahora, off up the Rio Jucar canyon on the CM2105, where I set off across country. First we turned as far as the junction with the CM2110, and left onto the CM3106 at Mahora, then right then back again - a lovely afternoon’s ride. at the village of Tarazona on to the N320, which runs almost due north all the way Day 22 - Cuenca to Soria – 270 kilometres into Cuenca. After Albacete the countryside We could have done with another two was featureless, and as I started out saying, days in Cuenca to explore the surrounding very hot, so we were both pleased to see countryside, but time is not now on our side, the back of this particular trip. The hotel and there is always another holiday. We liked Torremangana is sort of on the periphery of Cuenca a lot and the Hotel Torremangana was
The Castilo Walls at Molina de Aragon
36 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 fine, we would stay here again. I’m in trouble in different directions. However, the views with the boss again today, not because of the from the top were more than worth the effort distance, but because of the time it took me and fear. It was just a pity that the castillo and to do it. There is no direct route from Cuenca the Torre de Aragon, at the very top, were not to Soria, so it was a case of having to go across open. country, as apposed to me wanting to go across If the run up the gravel track got me excited, country. you have no idea what the run down did. ... I’m not going to list all the roads we took It was now one o’clock and we were only to get to Soria as there are a multitude of about a third of the way to Soria, so we headed options available, and my choice may or may off to the northeast on the N211, then took not have been the best. None of them are fast a right on to the A2 autovia, then left on to and I’m sure that almost all of them will be the N111 due north to the town of Almazan. as stunning as the ones I chose, because the Here I headed off across country on the Serrania de Cuenca is riven through-and- CL101 to the N234, where we turned right, through by canyon after canyon, and they taking us all the way in to Soria. Apart from are stunning. I couldn’t help travelling at a the last thirty-odd kilometres this was a great snail’s pace, stopping every few miles to gape day’s ride, through some magnificent canyons in wonder at the sheer magnificence of it all. and over some wild, rugged high passes. It’s If you do travel through here in this just a pity that the weather was a bit dull - the direction, it’s more than likely that you will boss doesn’t like it when it’s cold. exit the Serrania de Cuenca on the CM210 as The Hotel Alfonso VIII, close to the centre, we did, because all the roads feed you in this is yet another four-star pile, very clean and very direction. As you approach the little town of comfortable, with secure basement parking. Molina de Aragon at the junction with the We would stay here again, but an interesting N211, slow down, because as you round a left- alternative is a little B&B that we spotted just hand bend about a kilometre out you need on the east side of the N234 bridge over the to be prepared to stop to take in the vista in front of you. On the hill just above the town of Molina is the most magnificent Moorish castillo. If you miss this spot you will have to run down to the junction to be able to turn and come back up to see it again. I missed it and I didn’t turn around - and I’m still regretting it now. We did ride up to the top of the hill to the castle, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. You GS guys would scoff at it, but the last kilometre or so on a fully-loaded RT, two up, on a very rough gravel and, at times, boulder- strewn track, was ‘focusing’. I can take it when the rear wheel decides to go its own way. I’m not so keen when the front heads off in another direction. But when they both decide to do their own thing at the same time it’s ‘butt-clenching’, especially when they go The Torre de Aragon The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 37 Rio Duero. We liked Soria, but more than two Day 26 - Logrono to Castro Urdiales – 170 nights would be too long a stay. kilometres This morning, before setting off, we opened Day 24 - Soria to Logrono – 110 kilometres up our emails and discovered the bombshell We left Soria on the N111 and arrived that Brittany Ferries had tied up their fleet at Logrono on the N111. It was probably and cancelled all bookings. We were told by the best day’s ride of the whole holiday. The them that we were on our own as far as getting combination of stunning scenery through home was concerned. ... big, wide canyons, wild rugged high ground We had only just booked the next two and fast sweeping roads, with a climb over the nights at Castro Urdiales, and had planned Sierra Cebollera via the Puerto de Piqueras a nice slow cross country run up to the coast thrown in for good measure, was the best. Take today, stopping off at a couple of bodegas in care as you approach the foot of the climb, as Haro. All thoughts of this now disappeared, it is all too easy to miss the slip-road off to the and we both agreed that we would press on to old road and end up in the new tunnel, it’s Castro, where we would collect our thoughts signed the N111a. It’s not the bonniest pass and formulate a plan of action. That’s how we at the top, but the climb up and the descent ended up on the AP68 autopista and the A8 down the other side are not to be missed. On autopista all the way up to Jn. 147 on the A8, a clear day from the top of the pass at 1710 which dropped us on the doorstep of Castro metres you can see for tens of kilometres in Urdiales. Surprisingly, we both enjoyed the all directions. We stopped at the summit for a run - the motorways were empty - apart from photo on the county line. the section around Bilbao! In addition, there The Hotel Ciudad de Logrono is yet were very few straights and they took us another city-centre pile, very clean and very through some lovely scenery - apart from the comfortable, with secure basement parking - section around Bilbao! we would recommend it. The staff were very The Hotel Las Rocas in Castro Urdiales is friendly and helpful. Logrono is a large, clean on the seafront, about ten minutes walk along and vibrant city, with lots of parks and open the promenade from the ‘old-quarter’, and is spaces, and an atmospheric ‘old-quarter’. We very nice. I managed to grab one of the rare, like it a lot and will return at some time. free parking bays right outside the front door,
The County Line
38 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 therefore avoiding the hotel’s parking charges in the basement garage over the road. By the time we reached Castro we had already decided on a course of action. ... Our first reaction was another twenty-eight days around Spain! However, the short and long-range weather forecasts on the internet knocked that idea on the head. I’ve never seen such a large weather system approaching the whole of Spain, and the rest of Europe for that matter, as we saw that weekend. We had also completely run out of clean clothes. The plan is that we will stay here until our due departure date on Monday, in the hope that a miracle will happen and the ferry service will be restored. However, we know that this is most unlikely, as the French are notoriously poor at resolving industrial disputes. They tend to be long, drawn out and bitter affairs.
Day 28 - Castro Urdiales to Cavignac (France) – 420 kilometres No ferry, so we are off to France. I’m not going to bore you with a description of the tedious, mind-numbing and expensive travel on French motorways. Suffice to say that the predicted bad weather caught up with us, just to compound our misery.
Day 29 - Cavignac to Orbec – 530 kilometres If we thought yesterday was bad, today was worse. We started off in light rain, but the last 300 kilometres were ridden in torrential rain - and I mean torrential.
Day 30 - Orbec to Newcastle – 320 kilometres & 610 kilometres Big, big mistake today! We should have stayed the night in Ashford or Maidstone or anywhere, instead of pressing on for home. If we thought yesterday’s conditions couldn’t get any worse, we were wrong. Whether the boss will ever get on a bike again - only time will tell. ...
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 39 40 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 41 42 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 43 44 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 German Jottings
The pages of Motorrad interpreted by John Bentall
Husqvarna, the wild rover sell in great numbers and was more expensive Mottorad magazine recently interviewed than the F800R and did not offer the option the current managing director of BMW of ABS. Ultimately, after investing some Motorrad, Stephan Schaller and the new hundreds of millions of Euros, BMW decided owner of Husqvarna, Stefan Pierer. The to sell the marque on to Pierer and concentrate journalist addressed the question of why, after purely on road bikes. the car group bought Rover for millions of When asked whether BMW would be pounds, and then spent a considerable sum supplying engines to Husqvarna, Herr before giving it away, the motorcycle division Schaller declined to comment. did the same with Husqvarna. Stefan Pierer is CEO of Pierer Industrie At the time of the purchase of Husqvarna, AG and made it plain in his interview that Herbert Diess, the market was high and there he intended to continue development of the were positive signs of growth. Some pundits brand in close association with KTM’s Indian did wonder what BMW was doing, having just partner , Bajaj. Bajaj, a 49% stakeholder in developed its own 450 model. Nonetheless, KTM, was informed of the deal with BMW the original plan was to replace BMW models at an early stage and was not worried about with developments of Husqvarna machines possible competition from within the ranks. and then extend the range. Unfortunately, Husqvarna will focus on its off-road roots and shortly afterwards the current economic crisis may well use KTM know-how to bear on the hit and the global sales of off-road machines development of new models. It is possible that fell by approximately 50% - particularly in the the Husaberg (owned by KTM since 1995) key markets of Italy and Spain. Powerhouse and Husqvarna brands will share technology, Diess also had the R&D department working while the Nuda will certainly be dropped. flat out on the development the development The dealer network will be reviewed, but it of the S1000RR and the 6-cyclinder engine, is certain that KTM dealers will not be selling thus there was little time to spend on Husqvarna’s. Herr Pierer would not comment renovating and re-structuring Husqvarna. on whether the Husqvarna HQ will continue Diess was replaced by Hendrik von to be based in Northern Italy. Kuenheim and different pressures were placed The motorcycle market in Europe in still on the R&D team. The emphasis changed in recession, 50% lower than the peak years to Urban Mobility and the development of 2006 and 2007. Sales of powered two of the petrol and electric scooters plus the wheelers (including 50cc mopeds) in 2012 new Boxer engine. Nor was there any sign were down from their 2011 figures by 22% of an upturn in the pure off-road market. A in Italy, 11% in France and 20% in Spain. In surprise development was the appearance of contrast Germany, down 3.2%, and the UK, the on-road Husqvarna Nuda but it did not down 0.2%, remained relatively stable. The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 45 46 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 A Toasty Idea Graham Parker on keeping your pillion’s hands warm Credit where it’s due - I’ve borrowed this idea auxiliary socket, so no problems with leaving from fellow BMW Club member Jim Beach. .. them switched ‘ON’ and flattening the It’s a simple solution, shown here applied battery. .. The switch (‘OFF’ /’LOW’ / ‘High’) to an RT, but equally suitable for any bike to operate the heating elements can be seen on with pillion grab-rails. It saves all that messing the photo, located under the forward section about with wires and the pillion having to of the left-side grab-rail. ‘plug-in’ when wearing electrically-heated I’m told that they’re comfy to hold onto gloves. too! The solution is based on fitting a pair of ‘wrap-around’ type heated handlebar grips. Those illustrated use Velcro to attach to the pillion grab-rails – so are easily removed when the weather warms up. The Oxford grips illustrated in the photos retail at about £60 or so and are widely available. On the RT they are wired into the rear
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 47 48 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 Cooling an R1200RT Graham Parker on staying cool I’ve been running oil-cooled ‘R’ twins now mounted into the sump drain plug, to turn since 1997, and I’ve never had a problem with on the cooling-fan, once the oil temperature engine overheating. That was until I bought a has risen to the ‘switching’ level. Personally I new R1200RT back in May 2011. ... Overall don’t like this idea, as I think the temperature the bike has been fine, but I noticed that if I got switch is potentially prone to problems due to stuck in traffic on a very hot day, then the bike its exposed position. I think that it is much became very hot in the engine department. better to have a manual switch, so that I have I am not sure why this is, as all the other ‘R’ the option of turning the fan ‘ON’ as soon as twins that I’ve had have been fine in a similar I come to a ‘crawling’ or stationary situation. situation. Maybe the extra compression ratio This manual switching arrangement ensures has taken the engine cooling issue to the limits that the oil is kept cool, which in turn means in such a situation? that there is less work for the cooling system I decided to sort this problem out by fitting to do. a cooling-fan to the bike. On investigation, I The wiring and waterproof switches etc., found that a cooling kit for the RT is available. were purchased from a local store. The cooling- This comes in the form of a fan and ‘shroud’, as fan and ‘shroud’ were obtained from my local fitted to police motorcycles. The only problem BMW dealer. I found that the unit was simple is that the wiring loom on standard bikes to fit once the fairing was removed. After is different to that on police models. More testing the fan running, for current draw, I precisely, the standard bikes do not have the decided to wire the unit via a relay switch. The provision to fit the cooling-fan and associated main feed was taken from the battery, with switch gear. If we want the same cooling an in-line fuse positioned under the seat. A capacity as the police bikes, then it is a case of relay was positioned in the ‘nose cone’, with having to sort this problem out for ourselves! switching taken from the front accessory The police bikes use a temperature switch, socket - providing ignition-switch control.
The cooling fan assembly in position
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 49 50 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 The switch to control the fan was mounted The cooling-fan was then turned ‘OFF’, in the left-hand front fairing panel, where the and after 5 minutes the temperature readings RT’s optional audio controls are fitted. were: Since finishing the project I have recorded Sump – 112°C. some running data. ... Oil cooler ‘IN’ – 81°C. Power consumption at start-up is 3.26 Oil Cooler ‘OUT’ – 80°C. Amps. At normal running this reduces to At this point the instrument temperature 2.77 Amps. ‘gauge’ / display had been raised by two ‘bars’. With regard to how effective the The cooling-fan was then turned back arrangement is at keeping everything cool, the ‘ON’, whereby the oil cooler ‘OUT’ reading results are as follows. ... fell to 70°C, and continued to fall to 58°C. I With the bike located in the garage - then rode the bike into a congested city-centre with the engine running and an ambient after a run down the M1 at speed, with the temperature of 25°C - the cooling fan was ambient temperature at 21°C. (I know that’s switched ‘ON’ after 5 minutes, and the results, not that high, but this year it is the best I could after 20 minutes were: do!) I turned the cooling-fan ‘ON’ as soon as Sump – 108°C. I hit standing traffic and continued onwards, Oil Cooler ‘IN’ – 78°C. with no overheating issues. Job done! Oil Cooler ‘OUT’ – 53°C.
Do you wish that you had not started this project?
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 51 52 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 The BMW Club... Out and About On the following pages, you’ll find details of the Club’s ‘social’ side, including information about past and future events, and where you can get together with friends old and new. Why not try something for yourself this month? 54 Where We Meet 54 A complete list of regular section events,with adresses, dates and contact details 55 Diary of Events - April & May 55 Find out what’s on in the next few days/weeks 59 Around the Compass 59 Events coming up which may need booking, including UK and European Trips/weekends 63 The Social Scene 63 The National Social Secretary invites us to be sociable 65 Section & Register News 65 Keep in touch with what’s happening in the Club’s regional Sections. Includes reports of past (and upcoming) events, and general news about your own area. Contact details are provided at the end of each Section’s entry
2013 BMF Discount Code - BMW13J683
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 53 Where We Meet Please send Where We Meet changes to the Editor EAST ANGLIA: The Shoulder of Mutton, Halstead Road, Chipping Village Hall, Chipping, 2nd Sunday April to October, Ford Street, Aldham, Essex CO6 3LL, 12:00, 1st Sunday. The 1.00pm. The Tynwald Inn, St Johns, Isle of Man, 3rd Shoulder of Mutton, Halstead Road, Ford Street, Aldham, Tuesday, 7.30pm. The Border Rose, Rochdale Rd, Walsden, Essex, CO6 3LL, 12:00, 3rd Sunday. The Three Tunns, Todmorden, 3rd Friday, 7.30pm. The Harraby Inn, London Wethersfield Road, Finchingfield, Essex, CM7 4NR, 12:00, Rd, Carlisle, last Monday, 7.30pm. 1st Wednesday. The Lamb and Flag, Main Street, Welney, OXFORD: The Harcourt Arms at Stanton Harcourt, 2nd Cambs, PE14 9RB, 12:00, 3rd Wednesday. Also various Tuesday, 19:30. The Fox and Hounds at Sunnyside, Theale, meets through the year, so please see the Diary Of Events Nr Reading, RG7 4BE, 4th Tuesday, 20.00. Uffington Village IRISH: Cork - Ride Out meet at 6.30pm TexOil Petrol Hall, Oxfordshire, winter Sundays,14:00. The Churchill Arms Station, Glounthaune, every Tuesday, May-September, at West Lavington (A360) Hight Street West Lavington SN10 Con O’Leary, contact 086 8252774 conor@olearystone. 4JB, first Thursday of the month at 7.00 com. Dublin Meeting – Last Thursday 8.00pm, West County SCOTTISH: 1st Sunday @ Spittal of Glenshee Hotel, Hotel, Chapelizod, Jim Sweeney 0872300736 email: jim@ Glenshee, Perthshire PH10 7QF at 12.30pm. 1st Monday lucanstudios.ie Dublin ride-outs – 2nd Sunday, March- @ Meldrums Hotel, Ceres, Fife KY15 5NA at 7.30pm. 2nd November meet at: Spa Hotel (near Lucan) 10:00am, Jim Sunday @ The Bankfoot Inn, Bankfoot, Perthshire PH1 Sweeney 0872300736 email: [email protected] Limerick 4AB at 12.00 noon. 3rd Sunday @ Buccleuch Arms Hotel, meeting - 1st Thursday, 8.00pm. Woodfield House Hotel, High Street, Moffat DG10 9ET at 12.30pm. 4th Sunday @ Ennis Road, Limerick, Pat Mulcahy 087 2377312. North West Hopeville Social Club, Harlaw Road, Inverurie at 12.30pm. Meeting – 2nd Sunday, Coffey’s Café, Carrick-on-Shannon, 12.00 noon; Patrick Munnelly 086 3383499 email: tapmun@ SOUTHERN: The Rising Sun, 27 Spring Lane, Colden hotmail.com Common, Winchester, SO21 1SB, 20.00 second Tuesday. The Seven Stars, Newark Lane, Ripley, Surrey, GU23 6DL LONDON: Section meets are as rideouts and are irregular, 20.00, alt Tuesdays. The Half Moon, 32 London Road, please see their website and the Journal Diary for meets. Petersfield, GU31 4BE, just North of Petersfield on the old Peter Jones 07710887958, Nick Fry 01438749913 for A3, alt Thursdays. The Horton Inn, Cranborne Road, Horton, advice. Wimborne, BH21 5AD, 01258 840252, 20.00 3rd Thursday. MERCIA: Repton Village Hall, Askew Grove, Repton, “Old Gits” Loomies Diner on A32 at West Meon Hut cross Derbys DE65 6GR, see diary for dates and times. The roads A272 & A32, Hampshire first Wednesday, 12 noon. Clock Warehouse, London Road, Shardlow, Derby. DE72 SOUTH EAST: ‘The Bull’, Lower Road, East Farleigh, nr 2GL, 2nd Wednesday, 1900hrs. The Dog, Henley Road, Maidstone, ME15 0HD, 1st/3rd Wednesdays, 20.00. The Mappleborough Green, Studley, B80 7DR, 2nd Thursday, Golden Cross Inn at Golden Cross Nr Hailsham, on A22. 1930hrs. New Inn. Wolvey Road, Bulkington CV12 9JF, BN27 4AW 2nd Friday 19.30. Borders meet, last Friday, 1st Tuesday, 19.30hrs. Brunch/ Breakfast at Windy Ridge 20.00. Lunchtime meet,noon last Sunday. See Diary for Cafe, Winkhill Leek ST13 7PN, 1st Sunday from May to details. October, 1030hrs. Hoar Park, The Craft Village, Nuneaton Road, Church End, CV10 0QU, every Wednesday at 0930 SOUTH WEST: The Weary Traveller, Station Rd., hrs for breakfast. Last Wednesday of every the month. The Cullompton, EX15 1BQ. 100 yards from M5 J28 on the Bradford Arms, Ivetsy Bank, Wheaton Aston, Stafford. ST19 A318. New meeting places are being looked for. All meets 9QT 1930hrs 12:00 as per calendar of events. MIDLAND: All year round gatherings: The Three Kings, ULSTER: Corr’s Corner, Glengormley, Co. Antrim, 8.00pm Saltersway, Threekingham, Lincs NG34 0AU, 01529 240249, on first Tuesday (except January & July). Wednesday 1st Tuesday 7.30pm; The Old Reindeer, Main St., Edingley evening runs Corr’s Corner, 7.00pm from beginning of April Notts, NG22 8DE, 2nd Thursday 7.30pm; The Horseshoe, 2 to end of August. Sunday/Wednesday morning runs 11am Overstone Rd, Sywell, Northamptonshire, NN6 0AW, 01604 Corr’s Corner throughout the year, weather dependant. 642286, 3rd Tuesday 7.30pm; The King’s Head, Kingsway, WESTERN: The Hood Memorial Hall, Devauden, Chepstow. Tealby, Lincs LN8 3YA, 01673 838347, 3rd Thursday 7.30pm. NP16 6PL, 13.30hrs, 2nd Sunday. New Inn, Claines, Winter gatherings: The Community Centre, Great Lane, Worcester, 2000hrs, 1st Tuesday. The Lamb Inn, Wotton Greetham, Rutland and The Rangers Cycle Clubhouse, off Road, Iron Acton, Bristol, South Glos BS37 9UZ, 19.30hrs, Islington Road, Towcester, Northants occasional Sundays, 1st Wednesday. 99 Neath Road, Rhos, Pontardawe, October to March. Alternating Breakfast meets see Diary or Swansea SA8 3EH, 19.30hrs, 4th Wednesday. Forum for details. YORKSHIRE: Cracoe Village Hall BD23 6LQ on B6265 NORTH EAST: ‘The Travellers Rest’ in the village of Witton north of Skipton through Rylstone, 1st Sunday, 12 noon. Gilbert just off the A691 on the road to Lanchester at The Cubley Hall Inn, Mortimer Road, Penistone, Sheffield, 19.30hrs 1st Wednesday. The Wagon Inn, 3 miles NW of S36 9DF, off A629, 2nd Sunday 12 noon. The Bear Inn, Ponteland on A696, NE20 0DH, 19.30hrs 3rd Wednesday. South Cave, HU15 2AS on the A1034 off the A63, Brough, Unless otherwise noted all runs start from Durham Services, 2nd Monday, 8pm. Squires Cafe Bar, Sherburn in Elmet Bowburn J61 A1(M). LS25 5LQ, on the B1222 from the A1 or the A162, 3rd NORTHERN: The Briars Hall Hotel, Burscough, 1st Friday, Tuesday, 7pm. How Stean Gorge Cafe HG3 5SF north of 8.00pm. Skipton Market Place, Skipton, 2nd Tuesday, Pateley Bridge near Lofthouse, 3rd Sunday, 12 noon. The 1.00pm. Rixton Community Hall, Manchester Rd, Rixton, Bikers Café Fimbar Road Fridaythorpe Driffield YO25 9RX Warrington, 2nd Sunday November to March, 1.00pm. last Saturday, 12 noon
54 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 Diary Of Events: April & May April = May = Weekends = Red Text Diary of Events closing date is the 5th of each month
These activities have been arranged as agent for and on behalf of The BMW Club. All organisers are covered by our insurance, provided the event guidelines are followed.
Museum Phil 07850983144 April Scottish Lunch meet: Spittal of Glenshee Hotel 1 Scottish Natter nite: Meldrums Hotel, Ceres PH10 7QF.12.30 KY15 5NA Southern Prescott Hill Climb - Run organised by 2 Mercia Natter Night 1930 hrs New Inn. Wolvey Chris Tite. See Section website for full Road, Bulkington. CV12 9JF details. Southern The Seven Stars, Newark Lane, Ripley, Western Visit to the Prescott Bike Festival, Surrey, GU23 6DL Gotherington, Cheltenham GL52 Ulster No Club Meeting. 9RD www.prescottbikefestival. co.uk Advance tickets £12.00 3 East Anglia Three Tunns - Finchingfield 12:00 [email protected]. N. East 7.30pm. Travellers Rest pub, Front Yorkshire Cracoe Village Hall. Marigolds Hot Street, Witton Gilbert. Social Evening. Snacks 12 noon Northern Midweek Run to Lakes Vyrnwy & Bala 8 Yorkshire Natter night Bear Inn, South Cave from J&S car park, Oakmere, 9.30 a.m. Market Place. 8pm Peter Wright 01925 762599. 9 Oxford Natter night, Harcourt Arms, Stanton S. East Clubnight at The Bull,East Harcourt 7.30 pm Farleigh.8pm. Southern Old Gits, Loomies Cafe, West Meon Southern The Rising Sun, 27 Spring Lane, Hut, A32/A283 (Lunch Meet) Colden Common, Winchester, SO21 1SB Western Evening meeting 1930 - Lamb Inn, Wotton Road, Iron Acton, Bristol, South Western Evening Meeting – 2000 hrs New Inn, Glos BS37 9UZ No booking just turn Ombersley Road, Worcester, WR3 up for a chat 1900hrs 7DH Bob Dunn – 01384 390344 4 Irish Limerick meeting Woodfield House 10 Mercia Natter Night 1900 hrs Clock Warehouse. Hotel, Ennis Road 8:00 PM Pat London Road, Shardlow, Derby. DE72 Mulcahy 087 2377312 2GL Oxford Natter night, The Churchhill Arms West S. East Midweek run from Coopers Tun. Lavington SN104JB Wells.10.30am Yorkshire Ride for lunch to the Fox and Hounds, Western Lunch at Ms Miggins Coffee Shop & Cotherstone, Durham. DL12 9PF. Meet Restaurant, Countrywide Store, Hazel there or ride out with Peter: 01904 Park,Dymock Road, Ledbury HR8 2JQ 672883 or [email protected]. George and June Lukins 01432 830287 5 Northern Natter Night at the Briars Hall 8:00pm. Vera Hunt on 01257 464429. 11 Mercia Natter Night 1930 hrs The Dog. Henley Road, Mappleborough Green, Studley 5-7 Western Camping Weekend at the Tudor Arms B80 7DR Camp Site, Slimbridge, Glos GL2 7BP Hosted by Alan & Liz of the Hedingham Northern Slaidburn 1:00pm. Barry Warner 01617 Sidecar owners Club Contact 07815 611702. 101925 for info. Southern The Half Moon, 32 London Road, 6 Southern Gail’s Walk, 11am Start Soberton Petersfield, GU31 4BE Village Hall, School Hill, Soberton, 12 S. East The Roebuck at Laughton.7.30pm Hampshire, SO32 3PF 14 East Anglia Flog it at Fornham 10:30 7 East Anglia Shoulder of Mutton - Aldham Irish Leinster Ride-out Spa Hotel (near 12:00 Lucan) 10.00 am Jim Sweeney 087 Mercia Windy Ridge Café. Breakfast / Brunch 2300736 [email protected] 10.30 am Winkhill, Leek.ST13 7PN Irish N.W Area Meeting Coffee’s Cafe S. West Sunday ride out 12.00 noon Subway Carrick on Shannon, 12.00 noon. nr Launceston then on to visit a War Patrick Munnelly 086 3383499
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 55 [email protected] Journal for details. Midland A Ride In For Lunch to Tollemache 21 East Anglia The Chequers - wimbotsham Arms NN6 9NU. Contact Sue Spence. 12:00 N. East Lunch time ride in to the Beehive Pub Northern New members lunch run. Meet at A6 between Earsdon and Hartley, Whitley lay-by, Broughton, Preston. Graham Bay for 1pm. Fell 07545 174777. Northern Section meetings move to Chipping S. West Sunday Pub meet 12 noon Village Hall for the summer 1 pm. Wetherspoons Union Rooms Plymouth Peter McCombie 01228 594792. PL1 2SU Don on 01840 212913 Oxford Ride out Foxton Locks Brian & Lillian Scottish Lunch meet: Buccleuch Arms, Moffat Garforth. Details 01256 474349 DG10 9ET. 12.30 S. East Breakfast at 7Diner from 10am. Depart Yorkshire Alpine Quiz “ The Pennine Way” 11am.for Pauls Cake Run. ETA for details one month in advance only. cakes. 2.30pm (07901 97793) [email protected] or SAE to S. West Sunday ride out with John Dyke see Steve 24, Patterdale Drive. Rawcliffe. website for details York. YO30 5TW Scottish Lunch meet: Bankfoot Inn, Bankfoot, 23 Irish Cork Ride Out. 6.30pm TexOil Petrol Perth PH1 4AB. 12.00 Station, Glounthaune. Con O’Leary, Southern Run to BSB Thruxton organised by 086 8252774 conor@olearystone. Glyn Goodman. See Section website com; for full details. Oxford Natter night, The Fox & Hounds, Ulster Meet and Eat. 1pm Bushmills Garden Theale, Nr Reading, 8.00pm Centre. 24 Mercia Natter Night 1930 hrs The Bradford Western Monthly Section Meeting The Arms. Ivetsy Bank, Wheaton Aston, Hood Memorial Hall Devauden. Stafford. ST19 9QT Those were the days. Bring your N. East Lucky Few Run. Leader is Derek photos of when you were a bit younger Proctor tel. 0191 281 2414 For details for all to see. Promise we won’t laugh. contact him as above. Start at the Yorkshire Lunchtime meet Cubley Hall Hotel. waggon 10am. Penistone. S36 9DF 12 noon Western Evening Meeting 1930 at 99 Neath 16 Irish Cork Ride Out. 6.30pm TexOil Petrol Road, Rhos, Pontardawe, Nr Swansea Station, Glounthaune. Con O’Leary, SA8 3EH. Brian Price 01792 862152 086 8252774 conor@olearystone. 25 Irish Dublin Meeting. West County Hotel, com; Chapelizod. 8:00 PM Jim Sweeney Northern IOM Group. 7.30pm The Tynwald Inn, 087 2300736 or [email protected] St Johns, Isle of Man. Harvey Garton Southern The Half Moon, 32 London Road, 01624 625140. Petersfield, GU31 4BE Southern The Seven Stars, Newark Lane, Ripley, 26 S. East Borders.7.30pm.Kings Arms Biggin Hill Surrey, GU23 6DL BR2 6DU Yorkshire Natter night Squires Cafe Bar, 26-28 S. East Derby Dales, Lion Hotel weekend Sherburn-in-Elmet. 8pm Belper DE56 1AX. (Colin&Sheila 078 17 East Anglia The Lamb and Flag - Welney 7831 2788) 12:00 27 Oxford BMW GS Day. More Info Steve Moxey N. East Waggon Inn, nr Ponteland for 7.30pm. 07771663915 Tyre Kicking session Scottish Lunch meet: Hopeville Social Club, Northern Midweek run from Kirby Lonsdale Inverurie AB51 4SR.12.30 10:00am. Mike Gibson 01229 582787 Yorkshire Lunchtime meet The Bikers Cafe, or [email protected]. Fimber Road. Fridaythorpe. YO25 9RX S. East Quiz Nite with Quizmaster, The Hawk. 12 noon The Bull,East Farleigh.8pm. 27-28 Vintage Stafford Classic Show. S. West Wed. fish and chips 7.30 pm Exmouth 28 East Anglia Cafe Meet - Fairlands Diner 25 sea front Dave Cooper on 01392 Fairland Street Wymondham Norfolk 877886 NR18 0AW 10:00 Western Lunch 1200 at The Tunnel House Inn London Mick Miles`s Cotswold Run for lunch. Tarlton Road Nr Cirencester GL7 6PW Leaving Beaconsfield at 0930 hrs Gordon Williams 01454 317135 Mercia Brian Coopers Run to Lacock Abbey 18 Southern The Horton Inn, Cranborne Road, and Village. Meet at the OK Diner Wimborne Minster BH21 5AD Cannock WS11 0BN, 0915 for a 0930 19 Northern Natter night at the Border Rose, start. Calling at McDonalds, Wychbold, Rochdale Road, Todmorden 7.00pm. WR9 7PA, for approx 1015hrs. Contact Alan Stretton 01706 656606. Brian Cooper on 01785 713565 19-21 All Nat.AGM.The Billing Aquadrome Oxford Curry Colin & Anita. 0208 953 8807 Northampton. Camp&Hotel. See S. East Lunchtime at Hadlow College Cafe.
56 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 TN11 0AL.Run 2pm S. East Quex Park Birchington with John&Joy Southern Breakfast Meet - Shoerham Airport Stewart.Depart 10am Oakdene Layby Café, Cecil Pashley Way, Shoreham- A20/M26 (0208 306 8034) by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5FF S. West Sunday ride out with Don Rolling. Meet Western Visit to the Royal Observer Post 1200hrs at Jamica Inn 12.30 for Lunch then a at Broadway Tower, meet at the Tower trip to Dartmoor to include Kitt Hill and Cafe 1200hrs for coffee and tour at Princetown. Details on website or ring 1300hrs. Tour costs £6.50 for both Don on 01752 833554. Tower and ROP or £3.50 for just ROP. Scottish Lunch meet: Spittal of Glenshee Hotel Jerry Riches 01454 632811 PH10 7QF. 12.30 29 Northern Natter night at the Harraby Inn, Carlisle. Western Westonzoyland Pumping Station and John Bell 01228 535173. Museum of Steam Power & Land 30 Irish Cork Ride Out. 6.30pm TexOil Drainage. TA7 0LS www.wzlet.org Petrol Station, Glounthaune. Con Cafe on site Tea / coffee and cakes O’Leary, contact 086 8252774 conor@ Yorkshire CRACOE HALL IS UNAVAILABLE olearystone.com; we are meeting further on towards Southern The Seven Stars, Newark Lane, Ripley, Grassington just on the left at Jacksons Surrey, GU23 6DL Farmhouse Cafe. They open at 10am Yorkshire Natter night. Gildersome Conservative and do hot food. Plenty of parking and Club. Street lane, Gildersome 8pm outside tables. 6 Scottish Natter nite: Meldrums Hotel, Ceres May KY15 5NA 7 Irish Cork Ride Out. 6.30pm TexOil Petrol 1 East Anglia Three Tunns - Finchingfield 12:00 Station, Glounthaune. Con O’Leary N. East 7.30pm. Travellers Rest pub, Front 086 8252774 conor@olearystone. Street, Witton Gilbert. If fine an evening com; ride, otherwise a social evening. Mercia Natter Night 1930 hrs New Inn. Wolvey S. East Clubnight at The Bull,East Road, Bulkington. CV12 9JF Farleigh.8pm. Ulster Club Meeting 8pm Corr’s Corner. Southern Old Gits, Loomies Cafe, West Meon Western Evening Meeting 20.00 hrs New Inn, Hut, A32/A283 (Lunch Meet) Ombersley Road, Worcester, WR3 Western Evening meeting 1930 - Lamb Inn, 7DH Bob Dunn – 01384 390344 Wotton Road, Iron Acton, Bristol, South 8 Mercia Natter Night 1900 hrs Clock Warehouse. Glos BS37 9UZ No booking just turn London Road, Shardlow, Derby. DE72 up for a chat 1900hrs 2GL 2 Irish Limerick meeting Woodfield House N. East Lucky Few run led by Ernie Draper. Hotel, Ennis Road 8:00 PM Pat 07985 726900. Mulcahy 087 2377312 Northern Midweek run from Kirby Lonsdale Oxford Natter night, The Churchhill Arms West 10:00am. Mike Gibson 01229 582787 Lavington SN104JB or [email protected]. Yorkshire Ride for lunch to the Penny Bank Cafe, S. East Midweek run from Coopers Tun. 19 Market Place, Kirkbymoorside. Wells.10.30am YO62 6AA. Meet there or ride out with S. West Midweek Fish ‘n’ chips Kingsbridge. Peter, 01904 672883 or peterbrindle@ Bryan Boothby 01726 833554 hotmail.com. 9 Mercia Natter Night 1930 hrs The Dog. Henley 3 Northern Natter night at the Briars hall 8:00pm. Road, Mappleborough Green, Studley Vera hunt 01257 464429. B80 7DR 3-5 Southern Camping Weekend - Paignton Bike Northern Slaidburn 1:00pm. Barry Warner 01617 Festival 2013 611702. 3-6 Scottish Hotel Weekend, Rob Roy Hotel, Southern The Half Moon, 32 London Road, Aberfoyle. See AtC. Petersfield, GU31 4BE 3-6 Ulster Scottish Weekend, Nethy Bridge. 10 S. East The Roebuck at Laughton.7.30pm 4 Midland Annual Wolds Run from East Kirby 10 Western Ride Out Bike route Worcester. Meet Aviation Museum, home of Lancaster 10.00 at New Inn, Claines, Worcs WR3 “Just Jane”, for pre-1984 bikes in good 7DH Bob Dunn 01384 390344 condition. Bill Rodgers 01526 834480 10-12 N. East 1st Camping weekend at Bamburgh or [email protected]. organised by Graham Walker. Tel Oxford Ride out Wadworths Brewery Richard. 07931 710991. Details 07765 401111 10-12 Scottish Lochearnhead Log Cabin Bunkhouse 5 East Anglia Shoulder of Mutton - Aldham weekend. See AtC. 12:00 10-12 Midland Joint camping weekend with Yorkshire Mercia Windy Ridge Café. Breakfast / Brunch Sec. Low Farm C&C Park,Folkingham, 10.30 am Winkhill, Leek.ST13 7PN Sleaford.NG34 0SJ. Contact Sue
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 57 Spence 07749 850220 Southern The Seven Stars, Newark Lane, Ripley, 10-12 Yorkshire Joint camping weekend with Midland Surrey, GU23 6DL Sec. Low Farm C&C Park,Folkingham, 15 East Anglia The Lamb and Flag - Welney Sleaford.NG34 0SJ 12:00 11 Western A ride through the Forest of Mercia 10.00 from the Quatford biker food Dean to see the Bluebells. stop on the A442. WV15 6QJ or 10.45 Meet at Taurus Crafts, Lydney GL15 from the petrol station at Harry Tuffins 6BU on the A48 10.00 lunch at Harts supermarket, churchstoke, Powys. Barn Craft Centre, Monmouth Road, SY15 6AR. Gently paced 200 mile trip Longhope, Gloucs. GL17 0QD Nick through some of the borders quietest Robin - 01594 837425 roads. Lunch stop at Lake Bala steam 11-12 S. West South Dartmoor Rally at the Welcome railway station (must eat own lunch Stranger Liverton TQ12 6JA. A pub outside). Keith Wells 07979 525788. with a campsite!!! Mark Coben 01626 N. East Waggon Inn, nr Ponteland. For 7.30pm. 335621 Tyre kicking session. 12 East Anglia Pub Meet The Crossways Inn Oxford Wednesday Wobble Defence academy. Bridge Road, Scole, Diss IP21 4DP Details Dave Hicks 01869 240529 12:00 S. East Old Bike Nite. The Bull,East Northern Meet Chipping Village Hall 1.00pm. Farleigh.8pm. Refreshments available. Peter Western Mystery Ride and Pub Lunch Meet McCombie 01228 594792 Tintern Abbey Car Park (round the Northern Cheese and Choc Run from Barton back) at 10.00am Brian Harrison Grange Garden centre at 10.00am. 01594 530264 Can be demanding. Philip Cosgrove 16 Southern The Horton Inn, Cranborne Road, 01995 61266 or philipcosgrove@ Wimborne Minster BH21 5AD yahoo.com. 17 N. East Fish and Chip ride leader is Phil Oxford Ride out Studland Bay Gary Webb. Oughtred. Meet 7pm at Durham Details 07770 444794 services. S. East ACE CAFE BMW Bike Day and Northern Natter night at the Border Rose, Thames Cable Car Ride with Phil. Rochdale Road, Todmorden 7.00pm. depart 10am Layby opp.Oakdene Cafe Alan Stretton 01706 656606. Wrotham. A20/M26 (01732874939) 17-19 Ulster North West 200 Weekend, Coleraine Scottish Lunch meet: Bankfoot Inn, Bankfoot, Rugby Club. Perth PH1 4AB. 12.00 18 S. West Rideout 11.00 Morrisons Bodmin trip Southern Ace Cafe BMW Bike Day - 90th around Cornwall. Finish at Padstow Aniversary of the Boxer for Rick Steins Fish and chips at 5.00. Ring Don on 01840 212913 Ulster Meet and Eat. 1pm Kilbroney Forest Park, Rostrevor. Western Visit to Arboretum / Falconry. Meet in Cafe (free access to Cafe) at Western Monthly Section Meeting 13.30 at The Batsford Arboretum, Moreton in Marsh, Hood Memorial Hall Devauden. Talk by Glos GL56 9AB. www.batsarb.co.uk the National Escort Group who provide Denis Bradbeer 01454 775786 motorcycle escort for road events such Charges apply to visit Arboretum and as bicycle races. www.neggb.org.uk Falconry (Friends of Westonbirt free Yorkshire Lunchtime meet Cubley Hall Hotel. entry to Arboretum) Penistone. 12 noon 19 East Anglia The Chequers - wimbotsham 13 Irish Leinster Ride-out Spa Hotel (near 12:00 Lucan) 10.00 am Jim Sweeney 087 Mercia Breakfast and visit to Leatherbritches 2300736 email: [email protected] Brewery. Leave McDonalds Junction Irish N.W Area Meeting Coffee’s Cafe of A38 / A52 Derby at 8.45am for a Carrick on Shannon, 12.00 noon. 10 minute ride to breakfast (9-10am). Patrick Munnelly 086 3383499 email: Followed by ride to Leatherbritches [email protected] Brewery. Run leader/organiser Sean Yorkshire Natter night Bear Inn, South Cave Dodds 01332 723843 Market Place. 8pm Scottish Lunch meet: Buccleuch Arms, Moffat 14 Irish Cork Ride Out. 6.30pm TexOil DG10 9ET. 12.30 Petrol Station, Glounthaune. Con Yorkshire Wolds Ride Out with Ross Cameron. O’Leary, contact 086 8252774 conor@ Meet Neros Cafe, Beverley Mkt Place. olearystone.com; 10 am Prompt Oxford Natter night, Harcourt Arms, Stanton 21 Irish Cork Ride Out. 6.30pm TexOil Harcourt 7.30 pm Petrol Station, Glounthaune. Con Southern The Rising Sun, 27 Spring Lane, O’Leary, contact 086 8252774 conor@ Colden Common, Winchester, SO21 olearystone.com; 1SB Northern IOM Group. 7.30pm The Tynwald Inn,
58 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 St Johns, Isle of Man. Contact Harvey [email protected] 07925 102548 Garton 01624 625140. East Anglia Cafe Meet - Waterfront Cafe, Yorkshire Natter night Squires Cafe Bar, Loraine Way, Bramford, Ipswich, IP8 Sherburn-in-Elmet. 8pm 4JS, 01473 833256 10:00 22 Western Evening Meeting 1930 at 99 Neath Scottish Lunch meet: Hopeville Social Club, Road, Rhos, Pontardawe, Nr Swansea Inverurie AB51 4SR. 12.30 SA8 3EH Brian Price 01792 862152 27 Northern Natter night at the Harraby Inn, Carlisle 23 Southern The Half Moon, 32 London Road, 7:30pm. John Bell 01228 535173. Petersfield, GU31 4BE Oxford Natter night, The Fox & Hounds, 24-27 London Hotel weekend in the Pas de Calais Theale, Nr Reading, 8.00pm region of Northern France.Details to Ulster Breakfast Run. 8-30am Stormont, follow. Belfast. 24-27 Scottish Rathaid Run (Boreen Reivers). Watch 28 Irish Cork Ride Out. 6.30pm TexOil Section website for more details. Nigel Petrol Station, Glounthaune. Con Macdonald Tel no. 01387 372727 or O’Leary, contact 086 8252774 conor@ [email protected]. olearystone.com; 24-27 Southern Southern The Seven Stars, Newark Lane, Ripley, 24-27 Western Surrey, GU23 6DL 25-27 S. West Three Section Rally on the Whitson Yorkshire Natter night Gildersome Conservative Bank holiday weekend at Church Club, Street Lane. Gildersome 8pm Farm Camping and Caravan Park, 29 Mercia Natter Night 1930 hrs The Bradford Sixpenny Hanley, Salisbury SP5 5ND. Arms. Ivetsy Bank, Wheaton Aston, Event cost of £7 per person per night Stafford. ST19 9QT or £11 for 2 adults sharing per night. N. East Lucky Few ride, leader John King. Meet See Journal advert for further details at Durham Services 10am. or Sally Robinson 01395 597725 30 Irish Dublin Meeting. West County Hotel, 25 Yorkshire Lunchtime meet The Bikers Cafe, Chapelizod. 8:00 PM Jim Sweeney Fimber Rd. Fridaythorpe YO25 9RX 087 2300736 or [email protected] 12 noon 31 Midland Lodge & Camping weekend Woodland 25- 1 June S. East Dordogne Flight of Waters, Willoughby Road, Ancaster, fancy. Self Catering Apartments/ Grantham NG32 3RT. Contact Graham Camping available. ( Phil & Sue Jones Parker 01623 467852, 078 43211 280 01732874939) or [email protected] 26 East Anglia WSB Donnington Ride in. Contact Oxford Camping Letchlade Dave Hawkins Bob Ibbotson for details eastanglia. 31-3 June Irish Boreen Run - see AtC for details Around The Compass Please send Around The Compass changes to [email protected] with “Compass” as the subject 3 – 6 May. Scottish Section Hotel weekend: Rob 10 - 12 May. North East Section 1st Camping Roy Hotel, Aberfoyle FK8 3UX: £99.00 per person weekend at Bamburgh: Organised by Graham for 3 nights Dinner, Bed & Breakfast including Walker. Tel 07931 710991. Saturday night dance (based on 2 sharing). 10 – 12 May. Scottish Section Lochearnhead (£10.00 per night single supplement) Book direct Log Cabin Bunkhouse weekend: The basic with the Hotel: tel.no. 01877 382 245 email: info@ accommodation is more than made up for by the robroyhotel.co.uk quote BMW Club. Deposit superb location and good company around the of £20.00 per person required when booking, log fire in the old railway station. Cabins have fan balance to be paid 7 days prior to arrival. The Hotel heaters and padded sleeping platforms (extra is located at the gateway to the stunning Trossachs sleeping mattress is definitely recommended). and is set within Scotland’s first National Park. Bedding and towels are NOT provided.Good Aberfoyle is a short stroll along the banks of the toilet/shower block. Cost: £20.00 per person River Forth many attractions in the area more bed/breakfast/dinner for the weekend. Booking is information on Scottish Section website. Contact: essential. To book please contact Judy or Jim by Judy tel.01592 874592 or email: scottish.social@ Sunday 5th May: Tel.no. 01592 874592 or email: bmwclubuk.net [email protected]. There are hotels, 3 - 6 May. Ulster Section Scottish Weekend: Nethy chalets, B&B within easy walking distance. Details Bridge. on Scottish section website. The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 59 10 - 12 May. Midland & Yorkshire camping weekend: Hall Farm, Hawes Bank, Coniston in the Lake At Low Farm Touring and Camping Park, Spring district. Large basic, clean, lake side camping area Lane, Folkingham, Sleaford, Lincs NG34 0SJ. with shop on site. Only 20mins walk into Coniston, Tents, caravans, motorhomes welcome. Village plenty of shops, pubs, restaurants, garage etc. has shop, pub & tearoom. Indoor get together & Fabulous scenery, twisty roads, and walking bbq Sat evening. Info Sue 07749 850220 or see country. Stuart & Elaine 01274 832309. (On the ad in Journal. 8th We will be joining Piers and his ride out to visit the Lakeland Motor Museum at Keswick, see 10 -12 May. S.West Section South Dartmoor Rally: At the Welcome Stranger Liverton TQ12 6JA. A advert in the Journal.) pub with a campsite!!! Mark Coben 01626 335621 13 - 16 June. Vintage Register The Welsh Rally: Llwyngwair Holiday Park, Newport, Pembs, SA42 17 - 19 May. Ulster Section North West 200 0LX Weekend camping: Coleraine Rugby Club. 14 -16 June. Northern Section inaugural Eskdale 24 - 27 May. London Section French Hotel camping weekend: At the Fisherground Campsite, Weekend: Contact Peter Jones for details 07710 Fellside Cottage, Eskdale, Cumbria CA19 1TF.To 887958 or [email protected] book contact Paul Stewart on 01772 679198 24 – 27 May. Scottish Section second Rathaid Western Section 50th Anniversary (Boreen Reivers) Run: will take place in the Great 14 – 17 June. Celebration Rally: Camping, caravans and Glen with Fort Augustus as the centre. Two days mobile homes welcome at Porlock Caravan Park, riding back roads and forestry tracks. Please Porlock, Somerset, TA24 8ND. B&B and Hotel register your interest soon as this event is bound to accommodation available in the village. 3 nights be popular and will book up quickly. Watch Scottish camping for the price of 2 including free hog roast Section website for more details. Organiser Nigel for all attendees on Friday evening. Private bar in Macdonald Tel no. 01387 372727 or email: nigel. Porlock Village Hall, free tea and coffee available [email protected]. all weekend. Guided walks around this beautiful 24 - 27 May. Three Section Rally: on Whitson Bank area and rideouts on some fantastic roads. Live holiday weekend with the Southwest, Western and entertainment, Saturday evening meal, a quiz and Southern Sections, at Church Farm Camping and a grand raffle with some amazing prizes will be Caravan Park, Sixpeny Hanley, Salisbury SP5 sure to keep you entertained all weekend. All Club 5ND, for details Sally Robinson 01395 597725 Members and their families welcome. Booking 31 May - 2 June. Midland Section Lodge & essential. Contact Denis Bradbeer on 01454 Camping weekend: Woodland Waters, Willoughby 775786 or e-mail [email protected] Road, Ancaster, Grantham NG32 3RT, site contact 21 – 23 June. Scottish Section Longest Day Rally: Elaine on 01400 230888. Bar and café on site, In Ullapool. Broomfield Campsite is on the banks 4 and 6 berth lodges, camping, caravans, motor of scenic Loch Broom. No booking required for homes with electric hook up. Sat night Hog Roast camping. Camping price £5 pppn. An area will be and marquee with music. Details, and to book Hog set aside for the club. If you don’t camp there are Roast, Graham Parker 01623 467852, 078 43211 plenty of hotels and B&Bs nearby. The section 280 or [email protected] trailer and marquee will be there as a central 31 May - 2 June. Oxford Section Camping: At meeting place for all attending. Free tea & coffee Lechlade book direct with camp site 01367252348 all weekend. BBQ available for cooking. A superb location with wonderful quiet roads to ride. A good 31 May - 3 Jun. Irish Section Boreen: In Co. walking area. Why not make a holiday of it and Cavan, 3 nights B&B, 1 evening meal Euro 150 attend the Fort Augustus weekend 28th - 30th June OR 2 nights B&B, 1 evening meal Euro 110. as well ? More information on Scottish Section Eenquiries/bookings to: Elaine Simpson Tel: website. Contact: Judy on Tel. 01592 874592 or 00353 (0) 830043775 email: [email protected] all email: [email protected] payments to: BMW Club Irish Section - payments can be made via paypal contact Elaine for details 21 - 24 June. Oxford Section Hotel weekend: In the Champagne region of France. Details Dave 7 - 9 June. S.West Section Blackrock Rally: The and Rosemary Hicks 01869 240 529 Blackcock Inn, Mollard, South Molton. north Devon EX36 3NW 01769 550297 Special rally prices see 21 - 24 June. Ulster Section Scottish Camping website for details. Camping, rooms, B and B static Weekend: caravans, indoor pool and breakfast available from 22 - 23 June. North East Section Reivers Weekend: pub on site, ride outs plus more. Invititation to all Peter Cullen’s ‘Reivers Weekend’. Details to be members including the the vintage section. Book confirmed. with site and jim isherwood on 01769 573258. 28 - 30 June. Western Section: Townsend Touring 7 - 9 June. Yorkshire Section camping: At Coniston Park, Pembridge, Leominster, HR6 9HB. £5.50 / 60 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 person / night for a small tent. Free BBQ on Tel. 01967431235. More information on Scottish Saturday Numbers required. Colin Ross – 01562 Section website. Contact: Judy tel.01592 874592 820458 or email: [email protected] 28 – 30 June. Scottish Section Fort Augustus: 26 - 28 July. S.West Section at the A berdare Rac es: camping and Lodge weekend: Camping - no need camping in Wales, Robin Wale 07791798704 see to book. Cost: £8.00 p.p.p.n. (when checking in website for more details. to the site state you’re with BMW Club for this 9 - 11 August. S.West Section Slimbridge special rate). Part of the camp site allocated Camping: Tudor Caravan Park , Slimbridge GL1 for our use only. Marquee will be there. Free 7BP Keith Hackett 07940531980. see website for tea & coffee all weekend. Stravaiger’s Hostel & more details. Bunkhouse : www.highlandbunkhouse.co.uk is on the campsite. Book direct Tel: 01320 366257 30 Aug - 8 Sept. Northern Section Social or [email protected] Price: £22.00 Secretary’s Bucket List Tour: Centred around the pppn in twin room. £17.00 pppn in a bunk room. Milau bridge area of southern France. Contact Includes light continental breakfast. Office open Peter McCombie on 01228 594792. Easter - September: 8am - 1 pm & 4pm - 6pm. 30 Aug - 2 Sept. Ulster Section Scottish Camping Early booking advised. Plenty of Hotels and B&Bs Weekend: close by. The Great Glen Way and the Caledonian Oxford Section Hotel Tour to Spain: Canal pass through Fort Augustus. Walk along 3 - 16 Sept. Contact details TBA. the canal and watch the boats negotiate Neptunes Staircase. Ride superb roads. More information 6 - 8 Sept. North East Section 2nd Camping on Scottish Section website. Contact: Judy on Tel. weekend: At Bamburgh organised by Graham 01592 874592 or email: scottish.social@bmwclub. Walker. 07931 710991. Final details to be net confirmed. 28 - 30 June. Yorkshire Section camping: Coach 6 - 8 Sept. S.West Section Tavistock Rally: and Horses, Billinghay, Lincolnshire LN4 4DD. Harford Bridge Holiday Park, Peter Tavy Tavistock Contacts Keith or Catherine 01226 763883 PL19 9LS Bar meals near by, Optional Pasty supper on Friday night. Dartmoor ride on the 5 - 7 July. S.West Section Summer Rally: Tiverton Saturday. Debbie and Phil Sampson 01726 61642 Rugby Club EX16 6SG, including a fish and chip 07850983144 supper Chris Crocker01884 252759. 7 - 14 Sep. Mercia Section self catering holiday: In 19 - 21 July. Irish Section Ride To Meat: BBQ, new chalet style units in a holiday park on the South Camping & B+B weekend. Enquiries/bookings to: coast of Brittany in the resort of Benodet. Each unit Elaine Simpson Tel: 00353 (0) 830043775 email: is fully equipped for self catering with sun loungers [email protected] all payments to: BMW Club and BBQ. This is a venue we have used before. Irish Section - payments can be made via paypal The site is quiet with indoor and outdoor swimming contact Elaine for details pools, tavern, restaurant, shop, takeaway and 19 - 21 July. Yorkshire Section camping weekend: gymnasium and is within easy walking distance At Brookside CC Park, Burton upon Stather. This of a large supermarche and plenty of off-site popular site is run by BMW members and offers restaurants. Cost £280 per couple - £100 deposit really good facilities. Its on the river side with Pub. will be required. For further details, contact Colin Contact. Dennis 01924 824088. Ainsworth 07799 653789 - email mercia.social@ 26 – 28 July. Scottish Section Camping weekend: bmwclubuk.net Resipole Farm, Loch Sunart, Acharacle, Argyll, 13 – 15 Sept. Scottish Section Borders Camping PH36 4HX. A beautiful remote location. Superb Rally in Moffat: An excellent Campsite a short walk camping and touring park looking onto Loch from the centre of the busy Borders town of Moffat. Sunart with hills towering behind. Plenty of walks Good riding roads and many attractions in the area. direct from the site. A wonderful area in which to Marquee and trailer will be there. Free tea and observe wild life. Marine Wildlife Safari boat trips coffee. Barbecue available for cooking. No need to available (approx 1 mile from site). Many places book with the campsite BUT they are asking us for of interest in the area. Empty roads, some single numbers so if you intend to join us please phone track to ride stunning scenery. Small well stocked or email asap. If you don’t fancy camping why not shop on site. Bread and milk delivered daily. No join us and stay at the Buccleuch Arms Hotel Tel hotels, restaurants or shops in walking distance no.01683 220003 or Buchan Guest House Tel. of the site. Marquee and trailer will be there. Chris on 01683 220378 Both Club members. More Free tea and coffee. Barbecue available for use. information on Scottish Section website. Contact: Bring your own food. Lodges on site are available Judy tel.01592 874592 or email: scottish.social@ for rent on a weekly basis. www.resipole.co.uk bmwclubuk.net The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 61 19 - 22 Sept. S.East Section Rother Valley Camping: Northiam East Sussex. Book with Section Sec.(Shaun) 20 - 22 Sept. London Section English Country Hotel weekend: Details T.B.C. 20 - 22 Sept. Ulster Section 30th Anniversary hotel weekend: Details T.B.C. 20 - 22 Sept. Yorkshire Section camping: At Serenity Caravan Park,High Street, Hinderwell TS13 5JH. 8m North of Whitby on the A174 betwixt Staithes and Runswick Bay, and 1 Mile to the Cleveland Way. Village pubs and shops. This is an adults only park. Tents just turn up but caravans/ campervans need to book on 01947 841122. Stuart & Elaine 01274 832309 27 – 29 Sept. Scottish Section Glencoe Gathering: Invercoe campsite, Glencoe, Argyll, PH49 4HP. An excellent campsite on the shores of Loch Leven. Spectacular views. Area set aside for our club. Hobbit Houses, static caravans and chalets available for hire. For details of site facilities call Invercoe Campsite 01855 811210 or www.invercoe. co.uk Mention you will be attending the BMW Event when enquiring. Camping: backpacker rate.The marquee will not be there so please take your own cooking stoves to use in the brick gazebo. Many B&Bs and hotels in the area details on Scottish Section website. Contact: Judy tel.01592 874592 or email:[email protected] 27 - 30 Sept. Irish Section Thatch Rally: 30th anniversary in Fethard-on-Sea, Co Wexford. Enquiries/bookings to: Elaine Simpson Tel: 00353 (0) 830043775 email: [email protected] all payments to: BMW Club Irish Section - payments can be made via paypal contact Elaine for details 18 - 20 Oct. Irish Section North West Hotel Weekend: Leenane, Euro 99 per person 2 nights B&B & 2 evening meals. Enquiries/bookings to: Elaine Simpson Tel: 00353 (0) 830043775 email: [email protected] all payments to: BMW Club Irish Section - payments can be made via paypal contact Elaine for details 18 - 20 Oct. Northern Section Hotel weekend: At the Waterfront Hotel, Portpatrick in Southwest Scotland (www.waterfronthotel.co.uk). £70 B&B for the weekend sharing a twin/double room or £100 B&B with single occupancy. To book or for any queries please contact Bob Crawley (mail@ bikecosse.fsnet.co.uk), or on 01573 223203. 2 - 4 Nov. S.West Section Hippo Rally: more details to follow or on website Sally Robinson 01395 597725. 29th Nov. Scottish Section St Andrews Night Ceilidh & Dinner: New Lanark Mill Hotel. See Scottish section website for full details.
62 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 The Social Scene What’ s happening out and about, brought to you by the National Social Secretary
I take this opportunity to promote some could be having your say in Social Scene. forth coming events that are Finally, Thank you to not listed in the Main Events the membership and all the diary but are definintely worth sections social teams for giving attending. me an easy ride whilst in the The BMF Peterborough saddle as your Nat Soc’ Sec’. Motorcycle show 18th - 19th It’s not time to hang up my May 2013. The BMW club motorcycle boots just yet but stand will be on site promoting it is time to move over to other our club to others that have an things. So it’s certainly not interest in BMW motorcycles. good bye just see you soon at If you wish to volunteer to assist in staffing the next event. our stand please call Brian or Anita Johnson. Safe riding If you do not have their number please call or Mark Dutton email me in the first instance (my details are in this Journal). Here is the advantage of helping. Entry is free to stand staff members on a first come first served basis. For those that wish to pay, booking discounts are available this year by quoting discount code: BMW13J683. (I am told the discounts offer closes two weeks before the event so please book early.) The same discount code is applicable to all BMW Club members only and all the BMF shows. The Scottish section has agreed to kindly host the Bikefest at Kelso. 6th - 7th Jul 2013 The tail end show is back at Peterborough and not Lincoln on 14th - 15th Sep 2013 and not surprisingly it is called “The Tailend Peterborough Motorbike Show”. Sadly we have had absolutely no support from the membership to take on the position of National Social Secretary. If you fancy a go at this national role please come along to the National AGM on 20th April and volunteer to take on the position from the floor, as I did in 2010. The National Committee will consider your application and next month you The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 63 64 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 Section and Register News Please send all Section News entries and contact detail changes to Section News (see page 3 for details) - not to the Editor please. East Anglia Section
Bob 07925 102548 [email protected] Irish Section Our annual “Mini Thatch” was scheduled as usual for mid February. Your committee had their fingers crossed that the rain would stay away, as it did last year, when we held it in Wexford. The crossed fingers worked a treat, as the weekend dawned sunny, but bitterly cold. However the cold did not deter our BMW Club members from riding down to our new venue, Dundrum House Hotel and houses, Dermot Carroll blowing out the near Cashel, Co.Tipperary. What a welcome we candles on his birthday cake got. The houses were warm, we were able to thaw out, and then head over to the swimming pool for signs of age ? Hmmm… One of our members, a swim, and a nice warm sauna afterwards, then Dermot Carroll celebrated his 65th birthday that day refreshed we headed over to the bar for nice meal and the section had a surprise cake presentation for and natter. him. He seems to NEVER miss an event, and it was The next day we split into different groups, some great to see him enjoy the surprise. headed off with main group for a gentle run around About 4.pm the alarm went off in the complex, the hills and Golden Vales of Tipperary, some and I am sure not one of us slept through it, and to went to Kerry and Cork (round trip of 400km) to do add to our woes it happened again, and yet again, it photo, and some did photos not too far away. All seems some of the 21st party revellers were a little arrived back safely and bitterly cold, but happy. That too exuberant and set off the alarm. Despite this we evening we had a top notch dinner organised for all soon were back to sleep (it’s amazing how tiring a 72 members and partners. Next door to our dining full day of -5c fresh air can act as a sleeping tonic). room a 21st birthday party was in full swing, and Sunday had most up for a big breakfast before some of our more mature members were in awe of we made our separate ways home from what must the females in their high heels and mini skirts, maybe have been one of the best Mini Thatch rally’s in a
Rory Bradley receiving the furthest Some of the houses and bikes at Dundrum travelled award at the mini where the Mini Thatch was held. Thatch from Chris and Elaine
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 65 long time. Roll on 2014, and more of the same. to Arras or Lille Special thanks to Chris and Elaine for their trojan Bearing in mind the lack of feedback I have work in planning, and organising this event. booked rooms that I am able to cancel without News from Liam Quinlan in Cork is to say that penalty should the trip not go ahead or, if people Con O’Leary is getting good turnouts for the want it, a cheaper ( 2 star ) Hotel could be booked Tuesday evening runs. Andy Deane has bought a instead. new bike,(no makers names allowed here)J Our The next Ride-out will be on the 28th April and section would like to extend their sympathy to our should be to the Cotswolds for lunch somewhere club member Tadgh Barry from Cork who sadly lost nice – I have a “back up” venue if Mick is not leading his dad in a recent accident. RIP Declan. as he usually does but I am working on that. Our next event will be our usual second Sunday I will hopefully have some antics to report on of the month run with the Leinster section, starting following the Pioneer run which will have taken this month (April). Meet at 10am in car park Spa place on the 24th. March – in the meantime – go Hotel Lucan by-pass, outward bound side of dual carefully carriageway. E mail will be sent with details. Hope Peter Jones ( The Lone Rider ) to see a good turnout. Then at the June bank holiday weekend we have our Boreen Run, details Peter Jones in Journal. We have managed to get the price 07710 887958 reduced, so that can only be good news in these [email protected] difficult times. Usual Leinster monthly meet, at the West County Hotel, Chapelizod, last Thursday of the month. Mercia Section Just had this rally report from Alwyn & Barbara Repton Village Hall February Quiz was organised Telford Thanks to the BMW Irish section for a great as usual by Sue Slack. Regular visitors to this mini-‘Polar’-thatch-run. ( I had no idea that Ireland venue will know that Sue is famous for her thought stretched all the way down to the Antarctic, Brrrrrr provoking quiz! . Food supplied by Lorraine this it was cold). However the location was excellent, time was Stew with crusty bread! Very tasty. hotel facilities second to none, great pool ,Jacuzzi ,Sauna, good dinner & breakfasts, really good singer/ entertainment combined with a very warm welcome to all the riders and visitors. The trip out the next day was well organized, we had great run through the local countryside. It was very reassuring for us GT-folks to see familiar road markings, i.e. white lines down the middle of the road, so very different from my last run with the Irish section when the guide on that occasion took us on roads with grass centres, mounds of dirt, piles of gravel and huge cow pats to indicate the central lines, to say nothing about stopping at every farm house to deliver the post. All and all a great weekend The Quiz Winners congratulations to the organizers. Welcome to new members, John Beer, Nigel London Section Morton and potential new member checking us out Gary Cooling. Posing for a Quiz winners photo are, The February ride out to West Mersea was a from left to right, John Taylor, Freda Taylor, Keith disappointment with not a single victim (apart from Jackson and Ruth Jackson with Charlie Hall and me) turning up at Junction 16 ; I gave it until 1025 Ian Scott peeping over their shoulders sizing up the hrs. before returning home to find something to winners goodies! “mend” or do. The Bradford Arms meeting place is starting I have received no feedback for the proposed to grow in numbers, great to see Andrew Taylor- French Hotel Weekend and so I have booked for Hutchinson with wife Christine, Brian & June a three night stay at the La Maison Rouge Qualys Cooper, Andy Sheldon, George & Ann Wick, Leslie Hotel which exists in the small Town of Noeux Les and Doreen Harrison, John Park, Graham Baker. Mines which is near to Bethune. The Room costs Dave Harris also attended and has to take the (for three nights) are €324 for doubles, twins & longest distance travelled to a Natter Night ever! he singles and I have booked three of each. Breakfast and Imir, left New York on Wednesday morning then not included. The Hotel is described as “ Fabulous” and is ideally situated for visiting some of the WW1 a further trip of 36 miles each way to join everyone Battlefields (Vimy Ridge etc) or for a shopping trip for the evening! What a star! For those living near
66 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 to this venue, if you’ve not joined us there yet then you really enjoy doing! Last month was a fairly slow maybe you would be interested to know that they do month with regards to ride outs and events for the 2 meals for £10 section. The normal weekly meets went ahead. With the National launch of the new BMW, 4 of The Midland section had its first regular meet at a the Mercia committee attended to assist Pidcocks new venue in Northamptonshire (The Horseshoe, launch day of the R1200GS Me, John Humpherson, Sywel) which was well attended. The food was Rachel Forder and Jane Scott assisted. I must good and the company better. The section decided have washed a thousand cups? Well perhaps to move to this new venue as it was felt a change I’m exaggerating a little, 980 is more like it! Jane was needed. From the feedback I’ve received it was Scott was working her socks off for the BMW Club a welcome change. pushing memberships. It was good to see so many With regards to change there is just some Mercia members past and present there. things that cannot change! one being our winter Strykers Bowling, organised by Vi Sheldon, again meets at Towcester. Month after month these are a great success, biggest number attended ever. We run by Janet and her team. It does amaze me the all sorted ourselves into teams of 4 or 5. Section amount of effort put in each time, and indeed the Secretary John Humpherson was getting excited amount of people that attend. The last meeting of at scoring a strike only to realise the score was the year (3rd March) attracted over 50 people ! at credited to Gordon Neighbour as John had gone one point I did not think we would have enough out of turn. Rachel Forder, who’s score is generally room for everybody! Although these winter meets very high decided to throw herself down the alley at Towcester are an opportunity to meet friends old hahaha! That’s definitely cheating Rachel! A great and new there is a serious side to these, this being laugh if only at our own inadequacies! The winning to raise money for the air ambulance. This year the Team was John Humpherson, Mark Hyman, winter meetings at towcester raised £680.00 for the Gordon Neighbour and Phil & Jackie Manton. air ambulance which is a fantastic amount of money The individual winners, with a tie in top place was, to raise - especially in the current financial climate. Gordon Neighbour and Gary Cooling. You guys I would like to take this opportunity to personally have either had a mis-spent youth or maybe just thank Janet and her team for the fabulous work they do in ensuring that these winter meetings take place. I look forward to next year. As you will have seen from the journal the section is hosting the AGM this year. From the information I have seen it will be a fantastic event. Emails are bouncing backwards and forwards, acts are being booked and Bill Rodgers has agreed to organise one of his ride outs. The ride will leave the AGM site on Sunday morning. This will be a scenic run to The Coventry Transport Museum where secure parking has been arranged; entry is free & refreshments & light meals are available. Further information on this will be on display at the AGM site, as too will Stryker’s Bowling a booking list. I look forward to seeing as many of you as good at chucking your balls around? possible at the AGM. Coming up this month is our first visit this year Until next time to Windy Ridge, and a breakfast / brunch, details in where we meet folks. And finally for this month, Paul C the National AGM, why not join us for a ride to [email protected] Northampton? If you fancy lunch then please send http://www.thebmwclub.org.uk/midland/ off your booking form in the Journal. See you there; look me up for a chat. Northern Section Colin Ainsworth Hello to one and all members old and new. Well 07799 653789 here we are, April already, hope you all have been [email protected] able to get your bikes out now that the weather seems to be warming up. Midland Section Let me start by giving you a few dates you might want to pencil in to your diaries; firstly to remind Hello one and all, The days are getting longer and you all that April’s section meeting will see us the weather is getting better - soon be time for you returning to our summer meet at Chipping Village all to dust of the those bikes and get back to what Hall between Garstang and Preston at 1 pm, then
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 67 June the 2nd we have been invited to a lunch meet the man on his R1200RT – Derek Proctor. The start and greet with the Scottish and North East sections is from the Waggon Inn at 10ish. You need to speak at the cafe / bait cabin at St. Marys Loch, time to be to Derek on 0191 281 2414 for details if you would arranged. Please don’t forget on 9th of June we’ll like to tag along. be hosting our 2nd ½ day event at Chipping where We also have the AGM of course perhaps we we will be supported by Southport Superbikes and could organise a mini bus if enough were to put their hopefully a few other trade stands. names down to go. Keep an eye out on the forum or It has recently been brought to my attention that the section website for an update. Roy Lyons, the owner of Southport Superbikes Please note:- passed away suddenly in late January so I would In the section diary the BBQ is listed as like to pass on our condolences to them from all of Sunday 28th July 2013, however this clashes us in the Northern section. As far as I can make out with ‘Bikewise’ at Durham Police HQ where we his daughter, Geraldine, will be taking over. always have a stand. The date for the BBQ is For other run out dates, please refer to the now Sunday 14th July 2013 at the same venue Northern Diary of Events which you should all have and time. received a copy of if you have renewed. Ride safe. As far as I know Rhys’s Beddgelert weekend went well. You should find a full report by Bob John King Harrison within the Journal and it’s also on our 07833 705652 section website. [email protected] Not much more to pass on at the moment other than to mention that I now have eight people more or Oxford Section less committed to accompany me on my trip to the Milau Bridge and back. At the moment the outward Firstly I’d like to thank John Broad for doing the route heads from Calais to Rouen, and on to Le journal for me last time as I hadn’t managed to get Mans, Chartreaux, Limouges to end up at Milau, to any of the events to report on them. after a couple of days there we’ll head north via Well due to the nature of another very dangerous Lyon, Dijon, Luxembourg and end up at Amsterdam hobby of mine, it looks like i’ll not be able to to catch the overnight ferry to Newcastle and head participate in bike riding for a while since I managed home. It’s been nearly six years since I’ve had the to break my leg playing Netball!!. Well that’s enough pleasure of venturing onto the continent and must about that. say I’m buzzing already!!!! Sacre Bleux, Mes ami.. In February we had a thoroughly enjoyable and That’s it for this month so keep well, keep safe entertaining talk by one of our members Nigel who and keep on smiling. told us about a few of his exciting Rides/adventures from the Amazon rainforests, South America, North Peter Africa to Norway and beyond (not all in one go) [email protected] Not just endless photos of views but about the real journey, the roads, the people the weather, both North East Section good and bad And not forgetting the video, just a couple of minutes but it was just like something you The outlook is better this month than last. The see on Ice road truckers, this kept the complete nights are a lot lighter, it is a teeny bit warmer and audience glued to the screen, if it was me I would the rain seems to have eased off punishing us a bit. have left my bike and walked back. He showed us In February we had a curry and Chilli night what little you are able to get away with, just two organised by Bradley Gane, this was held at the panniers and a tank bag whether it was for a week Methodist church hall in Wickham. I was unable to or for months, also suggesting you don’t have to get there but I understand that up to 20 souls were be away for months or spend a fortune to have an fed. Thanks Bradley and your good wife of course. adventure with places like Morocco being able to The regular ride in for lunch was at the Hadrian be done in a week. So thanks again to you Nigel Hotel in Wall, just north of Hexham. Surprisingly it for the talk and good luck with your next adventure was very, very quiet with few other clientele, I think to China and the Silk route (which he is doing for we as a club made up most of those who were there charity) although there were not many on bikes just for what was a very nice lunch. Simon, our leader a few hardy bikers but to be fair there were lots of actually made it on his bike (with wife) well done you pretty deep floods about, and Uffington is a bit in I hope it wasn’t too wet on the way back. the middle of nowhere there was a good attendance The Waggon Inn Natter night had 12 gathering which seems to becoming the norm so keep it up. around the central part of the pub putting the biking Next event was the Lunch at Sudbury hotel. world to rights. Thanks to Bob and the others for organising this This month, on April 24th we have the 1st of the event. organised Lucky Few Runs for the section lead by This year we had the highest attendance of
68 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 members to date for this Lunch 60 in total. Many the Mike Reed R100 outfit. I bought Mike’s bike in of the conversations began with ‘I haven’t seen you October 2010, by the time I had sorted all the paper for ages...’ this with the pre lunch drinks (and for a work out I actually had the bike delivered in W.A. change I had a pretty good excuse not to drive) all March 2011, and would you believe it wasn’t the UK added to a chatty warm and friendly gathering. end that was the problem, it was good old Assuie There was a good choice of starters and Puds’ customs, took three months to read one sheet of which were served to us and the main course a very paper and sign it. filling Carvery was self service. The food was tasty When the bike got here it was fine, an old work and plentiful this with good company and a drink or horse, I fixed up the cosmetic problems, tank, fairing two was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. etc. no real worries, the electrics were a problem After Lunch Steve (the Chairman) gave a short because it had been standing for months in a damp speech thanking Grahame Chapple and Dave garage in the UK waiting to be shipped, I suppose Hawkins for all their hard work over the years it’s like an old fridge, runs for years and years turn it whilst on the committee. We had the raffle and the off for a while and it gives up. ‘Austria’ table were quite lucky, mental note to sit on The electrics are all now working, but were quite their table next time. a job, I would like all you solo riders to understand, The launch of the new GS was next and we had when you change an oil pressure switch on an outfit, members at three of our local branches Oxford you are on the workshop floor you wriggle under the BMW and Bahnstormers at Alton and Maidenhead. rotten thing and do the job, we in this country have I was unable to attend but was told the events were ants that can bite a lump out of you and then go well attended and refreshments greatly received away and BBQ it, it only takes about three months and hopefully we’ll have some more new members. to stop itching. Nothing hurts like pain! What’s next? Well with a bit of luck the weather The bike is now licenced for the road and goes will brighten or at least dry up a bit. Apart from the really well, the Australian licencing people were normal natter nights the proper ride outs to start in not that bad, told me I had to change the stainless April with 14th Ride out to Foxton Locks more info steel brake lines because they didn’t have Assie Brian Lillian 01256 474349, April 20th A ride out to compliance on them so I now have rubber ones, oh the AGM to be confirmed April 28th Curry Lunch dear. More info Colin and Anita 02089 53889. May 4th I get a lot of remarks about George and Mildred, Ride out to Wadworths Brewery more info Richard but I don’t care we enjoy it. Peasants ! The outfit 07765 401111, 12th May Ride out to Studland Bay goes good, and if the temperature goes below 42 Gary 07770 444794 May 31st May Camping at degrees I’ll get to ride it. Bob Cartwright, Western Lechlade book direct with Camp site 01367 252348 Australia. Dave Hawkins will be doing a ride out on the Sat 1st June destination TBC. As with all ride outs etc check the Website for any changes. Hopefully see you soon on one of the ride outs Wendy [email protected] Scottish Section Inverurie Gang: 12 folk one gent traveling from Beauly up by Inverness on a K1300GT, a ride of some 100 miles through the snow then into sunny weather. Other bikers were on R80RTand R1150RT the rest in cars. Bill Downey, unusually, was not present due being in Beddgelert. A fine lunch was served with tea & coffee, very pleasant with the sun streaming through the windows. Much talk of plans for this year, one group going to Chamonix for a week, stopping over night as they travel through George and Mildred France, others planning their trip to the BMW 90th Birthday party. Mr. Grumpy goes to Beddgelert News from down under: Hi everyone in the Our esteemed Social Secretary has asked on Scottish Section I assume it is not the best a number of occasions for contributions to section motorcycling weather for you people and for us it news, as a previous social sec, I know all to well sure isn’t so I thought this might be a good time to the onerousness of the position, so thought I would write and update anyone interested in the saga of try and help out with a few words.The first event
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 69 of the year for me is the Northern section ‘’Rhino that it lifts off all by itself – now here is where caution Rally’’ at Beddgelert in Snowdonia in February, so comes in don’t get angry because that DIESEL hose called cause you have to have thick skin to be there! is just waiting to jump into your tank. It cost our rider Myself and other regulars, Drew Nicolson and Bill £150 to get the engine flushed out. The AA guy who Downie have ridden from Scotland for the past arrived to transport the bike to “hospital” said there sixteen years or so (Drew & Bill even more years), has been a large increase in call outs to deal with this is no mean feat, camping in the Welsh forest bikes being mistakely filled with diesel!! in February takes some effort, although I must say Ride safe. weather in general is actually not too bad, if you can take minus four plus at night! I did extend an Judy invitation to Judy to join us, but alas think she must 01592 874592 have been engrossed with computer games that [email protected] weekend!! However we decided a couple of years ago to become ‘’softies’’ by trying a hotel, it’s a long way home on the Sunday, especially having to pack Southern Section up early with a frozen or wet tent and gear. How nice to have a bed and proper breakfast for once as Gerri most of the rest of the year is camping for me.There 01895 446896 (not after 20.00hrs please) is no agenda, nothing organised, you turn up and [email protected] make your own enjoyment, all meeting up at night in the village at the Saracens pub for food and craik. Terry Hartshorn This year another Scottish section regular, Nigel [email protected] Macdonald arrived in his car and very kindly took us a run out to Angelsey on the Saturday, visiting one of Drew’s old childhood seaside haunts, then South East Section on to Treardour Bay, scene of a previous national rally.The ride home on Sunday was fine but chilly, As most will know we’ve not had much of a website heated inner jackets and grips etc help to keep for the last year or so as we were in the transition out the cold.This weekend attracts around fiftyish of moving from one web format to another but with folk, sometimes more, split between camping the hard work and diligent efforts of Lou Warner and accomodation in the village and is always an our section’s new Web Master and Shaun Mulligan enjoyable weekend, after the nonsense of xmas, Section Secretary they have now got our site with plenty to see and do, long live ‘’The Rhino’’ !! operational. We now need members to help them Richard Thomson aka Mr Grumpy! by sending articles of Interest, General Matters of Reminder: Rob Roy Hotel weekend – final information, Technical Hints or Tips, Travel stories, payment needs to be made before 26th April. Best Buys, Photographs, Humour, things to sell Scottish website has been updated and for those etc so that Lou can start to populate our new who do not use the forum will be a way of keeping site which we can then all use to keep ourselves up to date with any changes, news etc. updated and informed on current and relevant news AND finally a cautionary tale from someone who and information about our section, with a bit of fun rides a Kll00LT wears a yellow and white crash thrown in. helmet. On visiting his regular petrol station he saw Please support our new website www. a notice saying that motorcycle helmets had to be thebmwclubsoutheast.com All contributions please removed before entering to pay. He queried this send directly to webmaster@thebmwclubsoutheast. asking if they had problems with roberries etc and com was told no it was just company policy. Our riders Again our Wednesday evening meetings at The solution was to say he would use the pay at pump Bull, East Farleigh are being very well supported, facility – “NO you still have to take the helmet off” with a special mention to Wednesday 20th – RESPONSE “but I have to put my card and pin February where we had an evening of Fondling in before I can extract petrol” – REPLY “we cannot under the watchful eye of Brian and Margaret who activate the pump until helmets are removed”. had arranged very cleverly an assortment of items Our rider’s response was to vote with not only hidden in none see through cloth bags. We then had his 2 wheels but 4 wheels also. A few days later about 30 minutes to try and identify each item by on the way to the Moffat lunch meet he pulls into touch, feel, or smell only. Well some of our answers another petrol station to fill up, the first pump says should I say were a little Riske! But the eventual not available so he moves the bike to another which winners were John Hawker and Debbie Morris both also says not available. There is a tannoy message, scoring near full points and being awarded a nice a guy at the next pump says the message is for bottle of wine each for their skills. you - you have to remove your helmet. There is so Sunday10 February Secretary’s run: much steam fizzing out of the vents in the helmet Due to National Club duties Shaun was unable
70 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 to take charge of this one so asked Mick Foxwell Bikes plus any other topic which arose. to step in. Due to a day of should we say very February 24 Polhill Garden Centre, Halstead indifferent weather only Mick turned up but not On a day that had all the makings of its best to wanting to waste this opportunity decided to have a stay home!!! it astonishes me the enthusiasm that ride down to see George Barlow in Haywards Heath our members have meeting up for lunch on a very for a cuppa, a little over a 90 mile round trip. cold and damp day. Six hardy soles enjoyed a natter Weekend 22-24th February Rhino Rally and a bite to eat. As the weather was pretty awful it Beddgelert Snowdonia: was decided to head for home from there. The Northern Section having arranged this very Forward Planning: popular Rally since the early 80s situated near April 14: 10am Breakfast Meet at the 7 Diner Beddgelert it is close to some of the finest scenery Halstead. Leaving at 11am for run with Paul Ashby in North Wales. Snowdon, being the highest peak for afternoon tea and cakes. in England and Wales, dominates the skyline a few April 17: The Bull Quiz nite with Quizmaster (The miles to the north. Hawk) 8 pm. The beautiful Aberglaslyn Pass and the Nant April 26-28: Darby Dales Lion Hotel W/End with Gwynant valley are near-neighbours. Wooded Colin and Sheila (Book your room direct with Hotel; vales, rocky slopes and mountain lakes fill the 01773 824033 (ref BMW Club Southeast). surrounding countryside, a lovely area to visit. Please note Date Changes: Six of our most hardy members who have French Day Trip will now be Sunday 16 June attended and supported this Rally for many years not 23 June as stated in the Dairy of Events, all again represented us they being Shaun Mulligan, other details for this trip remained unchanged. The John Stewart, Clive Pomeroy, Colin Blisset, Harry Fish and Chip run will now be Saturday 22 June Warwick who came over from the Isle of Wight and not Saturday 15 June all other details remain Andy Warwick riding up from Dibden Purlieu in the unchanged. New Forest. Not wishing to stay in the warmth and For full details of these and other Events comfort of the popular Saracens Head Hotel in please check Diary of Events or go to www. Beddgelert these (loonies) sorry section members thebmwclubsoutheast.com decided to camp in sub zero weather. According Kelvin Duff to barman Adrian at the Saracens Head he recalls [email protected] many a good few pints of their Double Hop Draft and XB Cumbrian Bitter were downed over the weekend “purely for medicinal purposes” to keep South West Section the cold out, Rhys Jones of the Northern Section having the foresight to arrange bacon rolls and coffee for these hardy camper’s breakfast. A great Don Rabson weekend was had with ride outs and walks across 01840 212913 Snowdonia’s National Park. [email protected] Friday Borders: February 8 Roebuck Inn, Laughton East Sussex: Ulster Section Again this Venue has a small but regular group as it appears to fulfil our member’s needs in this area Adelaide Festival of Motorcycling, Belfast 8/9/10 with other members having a ride/drive there from Feb: Kings Hall, was the high point of the month further afield when possible to meet up for a bit to with the section manning a club stand for the first eat and a chat. time at this event. Thanks to those members who February 22 Kings Arms, Biggin Hill Kent: manned the stand, as a result we have several new Our Evening meet at this well known and historic members and details about the club given out to Pub which dates back to the 1580s when it was the many who enquired at the show. A thank you used as a trading station on the road from Guildford to BMW Motorrad and Hurst’s for their support and to Maidstone to it being a regular drinking Venue of help in making this possible, we also had the chance The Air Man and Woman which were based at the to talk to Howard Goldophine on the BMW Motorrad nearby R A F base at Biggin Hill. Which is probably stand, which of course was the biggest and best at best known for its role during the Battle of Britain in the show( back-handers to usual postal address). the Second World War, when it served as one of the The ‘new’ venue at the back of the Kings Hall, principle fighter bases protecting London and South along with the car park, was a bit of a shambles; I East England from attack by enemy bombers. Over can’t understand why you can’t access the car park the course of the war, fighters based at Biggin Hill from the rear of the complex, where the car park is claimed 1400 enemy aircraft. located. 13 of us enjoyed an evening of great food with The section, or approximately one tenth, had an a fine selection of real Ales and a lot of pleasant enjoyable time at The Titanic Experience exhibition banter, with discussions and debates on all things and visitor centre, Belfast 16/2/13. Opened last year
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 71 to mark the 100th year of the disaster of the sinking 18/2/13, and are inspired to visit this race meeting. of the liner, it is well worth a visit if you ever find If so I can highly recommend our sections camping yourself in Belfast; yes I know, hardly likely I hear weekend at Coleraine Rugby Club, see ad: in you cry; but if you do it’s a visit worth doing. GS Journal, yes it does say free breakfasts on Sat: fever reached boiling point on Sat: 2/3/13 at the UK and Sun: for those camping, and an excellent three launch of this much anticipated bike, it’s certainly course meal for £12-50 on Saturday night. You need new, everything from the tyres up have changed, to book early for ferries, and a reminder that our test rides from Hurst’s, from Mon: 4/3/13, please section has some discount with Stenaline, please form an orderly queue!! A good day ensured a large get intouch for details. turn –out, with lots of poking and probing, we even A reminder that there is no meeting in April, had one that made lovely engine noises and lots Tues: 2/4/13, as it is Easter Tuesday, our venue of flashing of lights, LED, and a lot of buttons to Corr’s Corner is very busy and we had difficulty on press, hours of fun guaranteed without leaving your previous occasions trying to have our meeting. The garage. I was so taken by it’s butch,earthy,rustic / next day, however, sees the start of Wednesday rural appearance that I forgot to look at the other Night Runs, 3/4/13, 7PM at Corr’s, continuing until new models at the launch event, ie: the cute looking 28/8/13, with the occasional break for food and F800GT. By the time I got around the showroom sleep. The section sends regards and wishes for chatting to members and friends the refreshments a full and speedy recovery from illness to Bobby looked like someone had walked over them, next Neiney, we hope to see you back in action soon. time it’s goodies first, bike ogling second. Along with the Kevin Ash tragedy at the Press Norman Shearer. launch in South Africa, there is some more press [email protected] regarding the handling under some circumstances, Bike magazine reporting their bike snapping off the Western Section lock stop after a huge tank-slapper; all to be clarified with full road tests of the bike in the UK. At our February 17th Devauden Meeting a pleasant The WSB team had a good start to the season, if not chilly day enticed some 40 members to good if you don’t include each rider crashing; Chas attend,many on bikes, to listen to Paul Rodriguez Davis finishing last as a result of his tangle and (Mr Sore Butt) give a talk on his SCUBA diving Marco Melandri DNF from his misfortune; the flip experiences. Paul made a grand entrance all togged side produced a 4th for Davis on his race debut, up in a dry suit with all the kit however the 12kg of and a 3rd for Melandri. S1000RR not fast enough? lead soon came off. The talk included information You can now purchase race engines directly from of the functionality of the dive gear followed by an BMW Motorrad, Park Lane are the dealers, if you’ve insight into his diving adventures around the UK and got up to £50,000 to spare. in warmer climes. He concluded with an excellent March club meeting saw your hard working video that he had filmed and edited himself showing office bearers and committee outline a raft ofup the delights that are to be seen when diving on and coming events, with a general up-date on wrecks and reefs, our thanks go out to Paul for all club matters, runs, 30th event and a review of the effort he had put into this presentation. recent activities and membership status. We had The kitchen in the Village Hall has now been an appeal for experienced riders to take pillions completely refurbished with enough appliances on a charity run, Mark Shields a fund raiser for to prepare a feast, one new addition being a Cancer Research UK has organised Biker Babes, “dishwasher” so the men can leave their “marigolds” 65 girls who are fund raising and riding pillion from at home in the future. The Ladies and Gents Loos Belfast to Portrush, Thur: 16/5/13; North West 200 including the Disabled facility are all now completely week. The run is from Hurst’s Boucher Road, up refurbished bring the hall up to a high standard that the Antrim Coast to Portrush, a bar-b-que will be we will continue to enjoy in the future. provided, possibly an opportunity to see some of the Please keep an eye on our Web Site www.sites. race activities, and return via main roads to Belfast. google.com/site/bmwclubwesternsection/ for any Contact Mark through our office bearers, or Hurst’s, updated information that we need to pass on to you you do not have to fund raise or contribute, your in between Journals contribution at your risk is providing the pillion seat. The bookings for the Anniversary weekend at Scheduled speaker and his stand-in, both became Porlock are coming in thick and fast we have 92 unavailable to speak on Photography with a view to bookings so far. If you plan to come don’t dilly dally help those who take part in the Photo. Competition; get your booking forms in asap to assure your Sod’s Law strikes again, just as soon as you go to place and don’t forget to book for the Buffet on the press to advertise an evening speaker. Saturday Night, you won’t be disappointed with the If you have been watching the Channel 4 TT quality. Legends programme, I hope you were impressed Jan and Ian write about Tubby’s meeting:- with the coverage of the North West 200, Mon: A pleasing twenty one person turnout for out
72 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 meeting at Tubby’s so thanks to everyone who cafe only, it’s just the newer building that is closed till came - especially Tony who as ususal was the end of March. For all the boxer men just a mention only one who ventured out in the cold on his bike. that on 12th May at the Ace Cafe, London. Is an all Good to see Steve and Sally again who are in day BMW bike day celebrating the 90th Anniversary danger of becoming part of the hardcore regulars. of the Boxer! Also good to see Paul who brought his Mum, hope Thursday 4th April ride in for lunch to Fox and you’re feeling better soon Anne. During the three Hounds, Cotherstone, Durham. DL12 9PF, and hours in the restaurant much tea, coffee, cake, and Thursday 2nd May ride for Lunch to Penny Bank roast dinners were consumed and lots of fat of the Cafe, 19 Market Place, Kirkbymoorside. YO62 6AA conversational kind was chewed. A quick look round Peter is your run leader and contact the attached Garden Centre was a must for most Sunday 21April The Alpine test of skill and and then whilst the rest of left for home, Chris, Tony observation ride “ The Pennine Way” details from and Ali went on to the Canal at Stroud. Janet and Steve Lamb on [email protected] or Patrick went for a walk at Ruskin Mill. SAE to him at 24 Patterdale Way, Rawcliffe,York. Launch of the new 1200GS YO30 5TW. To any new members this event was Over the weekend of March 1st to the 3rd the named when it was held in the depths of winter! It is Motorrad dealers held their special launch of the similar to a treasure hunt with clues and questions new 1200GS, our section was there at all the most can be observed/answered without having to dealers with our stands and leaflets spreading dismount a lunch break is included in the ride which the good word of the Club to encourage people to is mainly on A and B roads. join. Denis was at Dick Lovetts in Bristol, Graham Cracoe meet on Sunday had a really good was at Cotswold in Gloucester, Colin at Clarkes of turnout, the donations you made at the Mariolds Birmingham and Haydn at Riders in Cardiff. 2012 Rally were presented to the Grassington Fell Each dealer had a Friday evening invitation event Rescue who voiced their many thanks, Simon took followed by a Saturday and Sunday open house, some photos which no doubt will be appearing each day was well supported and loads of people somewhere!. Roland our past secretary tells me that took advantage of the free Buffet’s and the chance the Sunday meet at How Stean Cafe is still going to try out the new range of Bikes including the GS. strong so a least some feedback, also the Cubley Dick Lovetts had Bike Safe there escorting the test Hall Hotel is getting more bikes and as the weather riders and encouraging them to enroll for the Bike improves this will be a popular venue. Nothing from Safe Course run by the Police Motorcyclists see the Bear Inn or Squires? www.bikesafe.co.uk All our section events are in the process of being At each event we were in attack mode and put onto the club website so will be available for all there wasn’t many people that left the dealers sections members to see, as it may be that folks without knowing about your club and what we only read their own section news, and we don’t want have to offer them. The interest shown was a great you to miss out on anything you might enjoy. encouragement to us and fingers crossed all the We still seem to be having problems with the information and application forms taken away by the Journal mysteriously not being delivered to some visitors means we will see a surge of new members of our section members. Last week it cost £21 joining us at our events. Please watch out for them in postage to resend them this really is not good and make sure they are made very welcome, I know enough so a letter is being sent to the mailing house you will because that’s the sort of section we are. to get to the bottom of this. These costs should not Denis. come out of section funds or capitation as has been Just as a reminder, don’t forget to look at the suggested. Website as Colin has put a lot of information on Thursday May 2nd its Peter’s ride for there along with photographs. lunch to Penny Bank Cafe, 19 Market Place, From Chris Bates Kirkbymoorside. YO62 6AA. Contact Peter 01904 672883 [email protected]. [email protected] The following Sunday 5th Cracoe Village Hall is unavailable so we are meeting 500yds further on Yorkshire Section the road towards Grassington at the Farmhouse Cafe and Farm Shop. Plenty of seating inside Despite poor weather ( what’s new) Cubley Hall and out and a large flat car park. Better bring your New Year Lunch went with a swing 22 folks enjoyed rucksacks or empty panniers as all the food is home a meal and a good natter. New members Neil and produced, cooked and baked on-site. Lorretta from Notts even stayed over ( please let The following weekend 9th-11th May first me have your e-mail) with long time member Neil camping venue together with the Midlanders at Croft and a special appearance from John Lee it Low Farm Touring and Camping Park. Spring Lane, was quite a grand occasion. Folkingham. Sleaford. NG34 OSJ, indoor BBQ and The Bike Shed is open all year round, the original get together Saturday night. See advert in Journal
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 73 for all information. Some our section will be going to FIM rallies this year, held in Europe, if you want to find out more, get along to our meetings and have a chat. These rallies are open to any make of bike, they are all very well organized so a good introduction to touring abroad if you have never been. The sun is shining the garden is growing hey spring has sprung. Elaine 01274 832309 [email protected]
t: 01333 429451 m: 07734 683429 e: [email protected] w: scotiasidecars.com
UK Importer for TripTeq Sidecars SALES SERVICE BUILD
74 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 Mutual Aid Mutual Aid Adverts are to enable BMW Club Members to buy or sell motorcycles or related items that they own. The service is free but subject to the rules below, and is not normally available to trade advertisers. 1. Note – adverts are NOT accepted over the phone – 7. Please note the copy deadline in the Journal and please send them by post or email to the Mutual Aid understand which edition it applies to before querying Officer whose name and address are on page 3. Please why your advert doesn’t seem to have appeared. Please remember to include your full postal address. submit your advert well before deadline date if at all 2. All adverts should be readable, well punctuated and possible.The BMW Club cannot be held responsible for unambiguous. If writing, please use capital letters for the quality or availability of items or goods or for any clarity. If e-mailing, please only use a simple font such arrangements for delivery or payment. as Arial or Times New Roman. NO ATTACHMENTS 8. Adverts from non- members are accepted at a fixed cost PLEASE! of £16 (including V.A.T.) for up to 65 words plus your 3. The maximum length is 65 words, excluding your phone phone numbers, name and email address. For further numbers, name and email address. If you wish to use information, please contact the Mutual Aid Officer. more than 65 words your option is to pay for the advert at 24p a word (including VAT) for the whole advert. 9. Neither the Club nor the Mutual Aid Officer can advise In that case, we would need payment with the advert advertisers regarding the value of goods offered for sale. when submitted. Note – one advert/month per Mutual Neither can the Club or the Mutual Aid Officer recommend Aid category. Adverts may be edited where deemed suppliers of goods or services to members. necessary by the Editor. Business Advertisement (Disclosure) Order 1977 4. In your advert, please include your forename, phone Any advertiser who places an advertisement concerning number(s) and an email address if available. the sale of goods being sold in the course of business shall 5. You must include your name, full address, Section and clearly indicate this fact. This applies whether the advertiser membership number. These will not be published (unless is acting on their own behalf or for another party. If you have requested) but we will check membership. reason to believe that you have been misled as to the status 6. Mutual Aid Adverts are accepted for a one-month insertion of any advertiser, please inform your local Trading Standards only. Any subsequent submissions are the responsibility Department and the Editor immediately. The fine for breaches of the advertiser. of this order is up to £1,000. Note: Mutual Aid closing date is the 1st of each month 174777 or e-mail [email protected] Motorcycles For Sale (Lancashire). “K” Series K1200LT - 2005 - BMW anti theft alarm. CD player. Electronic centre stand. Heated grips and seats. K75S - 1987 - Genuine 36,000 miles. Naked, Central locking. Electric screen (big fitted, original ‘C’ bars, optional touring screen, heated grips, included). Reverse. 12v socket. Wiring for satellite progressive springs, braided hoses, fuel and navigation and Autocom. Panniers and top box temperature gauges, rear fog and hazards, stainless inners, rack with hi-level brake light. 12,000 mile fasteners. Looks a bit shabby but fantastic runner. service by RGM at 10,371 miles. Mileage now Well looked after. MoT November 2013, SORNed, 12,850. Best tourer ever, bar none. £6,995. Keith garaged. Great commuter or tourer. £990 o.n.o. Jez 01946 725152 (Cumbria). 01727 761947 or e-mail jeremy.brooks@ntlworld. com (St. Albans). K1300GT SE - 2009 - 3,800 miles. Fully loaded. New Battleax BT23 tyres. Garmin Zumo 660 holder. K1100LT SE - 1994 - Fjord grey colour. 69,000 Tax until May, MoT July. Barely run in. Personal miles. Recent full Remus exhaust. Seat refoamed reasons for sale. £8,500. Chris 07899 844389 and covered. Owned by me for 17 years. 12 months or e-mail [email protected] MoT. New BMW forces sale. £1,600 (or nearest (Derbyshire). offer). Dave 01884 829295 or 07792 091758 or e-mail [email protected] (Devon/ “R” Series Somerset border). R60 - 1958 - In good condition. Rebuilt approximately K1100RS SE - 1997 - Black silver. 48,200 miles. 15 years ago but not used on the road since. Dealer serviced up to 43,000. Complete with SORNed at present with original number plate etc. Hepco and Becker top box and standard panniers. Stainless exhaust and silencers. Dual seat. Starts MoT until December 2013, Tax until June 2013. and runs OK. I am open to cash offers but would Photographs available. £1,750. Graham 07545 also be interested in a part exchange with cash
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 75 either way for a more modern RT/RS or GS model. e-mail [email protected] (Romford, Essex). Richard 01327 351577 (Northants). R1150GS - 2002 ‘52’ - One owner since new. 40,490 R65LS - 1983 - 60,000 miles. Churchgate full fairing, recorded miles. Low mileage because GS one of BMW panniers. Taxed. MoT. Garaged. Silver/black. two bikes in use. Non ABS (not the awful servo ABS Very good condition. “Need the space.” £900 o.n.o. system). Set up for 6ft. tall rider, 33in. inside leg, Brian 01364 631350 (Devon). for Continental trips. Long extras list. E-mail for full details. Currently on SORN for winter, MoT valid to R75/6 - 1975 ‘N’ - Metallic blue. 63,000 miles with recent full and comprehensive restoration 24th April. £4,250 no offers. Barry 07787 566475 (photographic record). Including full paint, new or e-mail [email protected] (N.E. stainless exhaust, wheel rims and most fittings, new Lancashire). tyres, battery etc. R90 style cockpit fairing, panniers. R1150R - 2002 - Blue. 13,000 miles. BMW panniers. Superb runner in excellent condition throughout Good tyres. Five months Tax. 11 months MoT. and open to any inspection. Taxed and Tested. Can Excellent condition. £2,995. George 01432 830287 deliver. £3,495 o.n.o. Willie 01383 830866 (Fife). (Herefordshire). R80/7 - 1981 - Mostly complete for sale or break for R1150R - 2002 - Light blue. 35,400 miles in excellent parts. For more information please contact Patrick condition. ABS. Many extras including engine bars, 01280 848885 (Oxford). MRA vario screen, hand guards, heated grips, rear R80RT - First registered 1983 - Purchased by current hugger, DRLs, alarm, fender extender and crud owner July 1987. Dark blue with silver pinstripes. catcher. Decatted (Cat supplied). New Dunlop Totally original. Mileage 41,969, as proven by Roadsmarts. Taxed and Tested September. New continuous series of MoT’s since 1988. Caught in rear suspension unit. Mine for over six years. An rain twice in all those years! New tyres, disc pads excellent lighter-weight tourer. Panniers available. etc., alloy wheels, BMW panniers. Brand new £2,400. Norman 01884 841357 or e-mail nfleet@ battery. Scrupulously maintained by metallurgist/ tiscali.co.uk (Devon). engineer owner. Photographs provided on request. R1200GS - 2006 (November) - Blue/silver. 9,537 Beautiful bike at reduced price of only £1,750. miles. One owner from new. Excellent condition. Trevor 01946 723362 or e-mail trevormarlow@ Full service history, Tax and MoT. ABS and heated btinternet.com (Cumbria). grips, new battery, BMW panniers and tank bag, R100RS -1992 - Black. 39,000 miles. Very good BMW standard seat, plus low seat if wanted. condition. MoT August 2013. Tax January 2014. Reason for sale: three motorcycles in garage - one BMW cases. Stainless steel exhaust. Owned last must go. Graham 01162 531481 or 07973 534652 12 years. £2,850. Gordon 01675 442267 or e-mail (Leicestershire). [email protected] (West Midlands). R1200RT LE - 2009 - Black. 7,000 miles. Full R850R - 2003 - 64,000 kilometres. Black and blue BMW service history (four services). This limited graphite metallic. In excellent condition with full edition model came with all extras: ESA, cruise service records. ABS, heated grips, BMW screen control, traction control, trip computer, heated grips and touring panniers, brand new Metzeler Z8 tyres, and seats, 49 litre top case. Bike also has BMW Datatool alarm system. One owner and garage alarm, satellite navigation and iPod compatible CD housed from new. £2,500. Austin 00353 8794 player, V Stream and standard screen. Excellent 43848 or e-mail [email protected] (Dublin). condition. £8,950. For further details contact Fred 07980 667006 or e-mail [email protected] R1100S - 2000 - Full service history. 43,000 miles. (Perthshire). 12 months MoT. No ABS. Orange. Just had service and 3x brake caliper overhall. Good clean condition. Others First £1,950 firm. Jim 01159 727153 or 07971 236087 (Nottingham). APRILIA MANA - 2009 - 850cc ‘V’ twin. Automatic/ paddle shift gears, ABS, radial brakes, USD forks, R1150GS - 2001 - 34,000 miles. Many extras helmet storage in tank. Sport/touring/rain engine including Adventure tank, Taxed August 2013, MoT mapping modes. Two owners Aprilia and me. 3,300 Octoer 2013. Photographs available. £3,500. Peter miles. Looks and performs like a new bike. Selling 07801 711340 or e-mail [email protected] due to retirement from biking. £3,800. Norman (Halesowen). 01189 833507 or 07939 145555 (Reading). R1150GS - 2002 ‘51’ (January) - Graphite grey. 78,700 miles. Remus exhaust, Sergeant two Bits & Bobs piece seat, Ohlins suspension front and rear. Meta 18” CAST FRONT WHEEL - Comes with bearings alarm/immobiliser, fog lights, twin rear lights, HID and Bridgestone tyre to fit R45, R65, £120. Also headlight, Adventure screen, heated grips, hand RT and standard handlebars, £25 each. Screen guards, BMW side cases, plus many other extras. for GPZ 305, £20. One pair of RS mirrors, £25. RS Taxed until May 2013, MoT to July 2013. Full screen, £25. Ray 07980 210714 (Gwent). service history. Very good condition. Standard parts included. £3,495 o.n.o. Stephen 01708 768263 or ARAI CHASER HELMET WITH PINLOCK - Colour
76 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 pearl black, size XS. Bought 12 months ago, used Albans). once for about an hour. As new in box with bag, etc. OFFICIAL BMW WORKS MANUAL - For R60/6, £150 including P&P. Roy 01179 733168 or e-mail R75/6, R90/6 and R90/S, with full specifications [email protected] (Bristol). and detailed repair etc. instructions. Also ‘Club BITS & BOBS - 21 inch front wheel rim for Journals’ from October 2005 to September 2008. F800GS (21×2·15). Bridgestone Battlewing front Free to good homes on collection, or payment of tyre 90/90×21, 21 inch inner tube with tape. £100 postage costs. Stan 01833 640066 or e-mail stan. o.n.o. Plus postage or collect. Will separate. Offers [email protected] (County Durham). for separates. Stephen 01708 768263 or e-mail [email protected] (Romford, Essex). R80/7 - 1981 - Mostly complete for sale or break for parts. For more information please contact Patrick BMW EXPANDING TANK BAG - In very good 01280 848885 (Oxford). condition, £75 (fits F800 series and K1200/1300 R and S). Mane Event pannier inner bags, in as new R1150GS - Excellent condition MRA screen £45 condition, £35 (fits expanding panniers on F800 and set of Maxton shocks £400. K1200LT screen, and K1200/1300 S). All plus P&P. Photographs £45. R1200GS Cast front wheel and tyre, £65. available. Richard 07771 916231 or e-mail Norman 01189 833507 or 07939 145555 (Reading). [email protected] (Loughborough). R1200GS 2008-2012 - BMW tank bag, little used, BMW TANK BAGS - For R1200GS 2004/2007, £75. BMW three part protection bars, powder large good condition £80 plus postage. R1200GS coated black, £75. BMW top case mounting plate, 2009, small good condition £45 plus postage. Peter £25. BMW handlebar protection raisers, £20. Front 07871 417080 or e-mail peter-metcalfe@btconnect. fork protectors Velcro, £10. BMW head protectors, com (Northern Ireland). £15. Oil cooler protector, £20. Headlight guard with spare lenses, £25. Exhaust valve foot guard, £10. BMW TOP BOXES - One large, £105. One small, Beak extension, £20. All in good condition and plus including the small inner bag for same, £82 and £50. P&P. Adrian 07831 808710 or e-mail adriansellars@ There is a key or loose barrel to enable conversion wenmans.co.uk (Gloucestershire). to your motor cycle key. Side box inner bags, £80 the pair. These were all fitted to my R1200RT R1200GS - Expandable panniers with keys £325 but they are standard fitments for the R1200 and as new. Touratech head protectors, one brand K1200/K1300GT models. R1200RT tank bag, £90. new, with stainless fastenings, £50. Lazer hot cam Ken 01706 360740 or e-mail (for pictures etc.) silencer to fit K1200R/13, could be made to fit most [email protected] (Rochdale). with slight modification, £85 cost £395, absolute CAMPING STOVE - Primus (paraffin/meths) pocket bargain, as new. Dave 01952 223415 (Telford). outfit, number 96, made by B.A. Hjorth, Stockholm, R1200R - Tall Screen (2011 onwards), BMW part Sweden. Outer surface of contents tin tarnished, 71607699604/77337714440, excellent condition, but actual contents, instructions and tools for use, £130 plus £12 P&P. R1200RT 50 litre top box (silver never used. 100% complete. Ideal for vintage and lid), excellent condition, £300 plus £20 P&P. Charles classic camping weekend. Offers invited. Ken 01494 712093 (High Wycombe). 01313 128711 (Edinburgh). FOR SALE - Almost certainly the only complete set Wanted of BMW Club Magazines since the club was formed. BLACK BAGLUX TANK COVER - To fit an R80G/S Most, but not all, are bound or in Club folders. There or R80ST. Jon 01666 504647 or e-mail jon.maisey@ are quite a few of them so the buyer will have to btinternet.com (Tetbury). collect. £150. Bruce 02089 791555 (Surrey). BMW - R65, R80 and R100 Basic, GS, RT and RS Schuberth helmet, S1, multi-colour, FOR SALE - models, any condition, cash waiting, can collect. Ian size 56/57, £30. Triumph motorcycle suit, will fit 01694 723546 (Trader). slim person about 5ft 10in, £30. Triumph tank bag, universal fitting, £30. All have had very little use. 1996 K1100LT/SE - Right hand pannier lid (or the Buy all three and I’ll throw in a Shoei helmet, a full pannier) in red, following its unplanned departure leather suit and two pairs of gloves free of charge. on the M1. The pannier has the round type locks. Fred 01794 501158 (Romsey). Paul 07527 444150 or e-mail [email protected] (Hertfordshire). K75S TANK COVER - Bagster, black, good as new. Cost £110, yours £45 plus postage. Jez 01727 WANTED - Panniers for 2008 BMW 800ST. Gordon 761947 or e-mail [email protected] (St 07729 704844 (Belfast).
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 77 GET BMW PARTS FAST! • Comprehensive stock of new and used parts • Unrivalled knowledge and expertise • Same-day despatch from stock • Enthusiastic and friendly staff
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78 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 Small Business Adverts
Small Business adverts are available to any individual or business. For rates and terms please contact Charles Knight (details on Page 3)
Accommodation & Touring (03/14) SOUTH SHROPSHIRE. Clun Farm House B&B situated in stunning South Shropshire hills.Great UK & EIRE biking roads in to Wales. Secure bike parking. www. B&B GLAISDALE. Near Whitby. 3 x twin clunfarmhouse.co.uk Tel: 01588 640432 (Club rooms, en-suite. Garage for motorcycles. www. Member) (06/13) lanesidebedandbreakfast.co.uk Tel: 01947 897 272 B&B IN THE BORDERS. A68 Jedburgh. Quality Europe 4 Star accommodation. All rooms en suite/private AUSTRIA. S/C fully equipped Chalet & Apartment facilities. Fabulous views over the town and only a (Sleeps 2-6). Superb touring roads & mountain 5 minute walk to the centre. Secure off road bike passes. Excellent amenities. Secure parking. Close parking. Friendly hosts Chris & Amanda, Club Italy/Slovenia Discounts for bikers - phone/mail Members. £29.50 - £45 pppn. Tel: 01835 862216 for details. Liz Cannard. Tel/Fax 0043 4769 26415 Email [email protected] www.airenlea.co.uk www.alpine-dollshouse.com BED AND BREAKFAST MOFFAT SOUTHERN B&B Normandy-France. 3 en-suite SCOTLAND. B & B, garage parking, wonderful bedrooms, great roads, lovely region, perfect for biking area. One mile from M74 J15 on Edinburgh weekend escape, 10% discount on B&B rates scenic route. Why not break your long journey here for club members, call 0033233640023 www. or spend a few days riding the local roads, enjoying maisonlaudiere.com the hills and bends. Club member. Chris 01683 CENTRAL GERMANY B&B. All facilities for Bikers. 220378 see www.buchanguesthouse.co.uk) Great stopover for east south, Great rides, more on GLENCOE – HIGHLANDS. Ghlasdruim B&B.All www.vinecottage. or contact [email protected] ensuite rooms, secure off road parking. Maureen (03/14) 01855 811593 [email protected]. DORDOGNE – self catering and B&B co.uk accommodation with pool and secure ISLE OF MAN B&B. Available for Manx GP. garage. 40 miles south of Limoges. From Near Ramsey. Spacious double / twin with private €25 Euro per night. Tours and Trail Riding. www. bathroom. Secure parking. Tel: 01726 61642 (05/13) dordognemotorcycleholidays.com or phone Charles on +33 (0)553 501 239 KESWICK LAKE DISTRICT B&B. Elegant Victorian town house with a contemporary feel. Run by Robin FRANCE - LOIRE VALLEY. B & B plus ideal gite & Clare (GS & R1100R riders). Situated in a quiet for two - north of Saumur. Tranquil location - Use cul-de-sac in the town centre, with off-street parking of pool/hot tub. Evening meals available. Covered and superb biking roads. Tel: 01768 773347. www. parking. tel: (0033) 241821184. www.theloireaffair. ellergill.co.uk (09/13) co.uk LAKE DISTRICT B&B IN BOWNESS-ON- FRENCH PYRENEES. Self contained apartment in WINDERMERE. Panoramic views of Bowness 200yr old farmhouse near Lourdes. Secure parking. and lake. En-suite. Covered/lock-up parking. Old Gascony, high mountains and Spain on your Leisure facilities. 015394 88658 Web: http://www. doorstep see www.flyride-pyrenees.com Tel: abovethebay.co.uk 0033(0)562354526 LAKE DISTRICT. holiday bungalow – comfort for GERMANY SPECTACULAR HARZ MOUNTAINS four plus garage. Ideal touring location & available TOURS. Biker only B&B established 15 years. Let April to November. Member owned. Tel: 01695 Greg and his R1200S be your guide to some of the 422210 best Biking roads in Europe. 200 year old beamed, newly renovated 10 bedroom B and B. All rooms NORTH WALES - CONWY VALLEY. Detached ensuite. Courtyard garden for drinks and food. bungalow in Llanbedr y Cennin. Beautifully BBQ evening Saturdays in the season. Local beers refurbished, two bedrooms, sleeps 4. Idyllic and wine. Come and meet bikers from Denmark, position, secure garage, private garden and parking. Sweden, Holland, Germany and UK. Large locked Conservatory, central heating, woodburner. Visit garage for 20 bikes. Trained mechanic on call. 2 Wales 5 Star. Web: www.talltreesholidays.co.uk mins walk from lively local town with bars and Tel: 01492 650764 E-mail: [email protected] restaurants. Run by bikers for bikers. Special rate
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 79 for BMW club members. Email gregoryniven@t- Recovery Tel 0151 336 5881 (quote Lynbrook) online.de www.harzbiker.co.uk Tel 0049 5524 3749 (12/13) MOTORCYCLE HOLIDAYS in Brittany Accessories & Spares france. A choice of accommodation , 2 bed cabin, 5 bed wood house or 6 bed cottage. Stainless Steel Fasteners. Part or full kits Situated in Central Brittany in 20 acres of our own available, most models covered. SAE or e mail land including valley, woods and stream. An ideal [email protected] for list. Chris Shaw base from which to explore mystical Brittany along Engineering 24 Station Road, Halton Holegate, uncongested roads. Prices from £30 per night. We Spilsby, Lincs, PE23 5PB Tel: 01790 755515 have garages and extensive workshop facilities. Mobile: 07702 862508 www.shawstainless.co.uk Discounts on Brittany Ferry Crossings. Email: [email protected] Servicing www.countrysideholidaysinfrance.co.uk Tel: 0033 296 365480 ADVENTURE BIKE SHOP. Servicing and repairs, old and modern bikes serviced, bikes prepared for NORMANDY / BRITTANY BORDER - Gourmet that round the world trip, we don’t offer a loan bike Bed & Breakfast. Close to Mont St- Michel but we are about half the price of the local BMW large elegant 200 year old town house restored and renovated to a very high standard. Individually dealer and the coffee is free. The Adventure Bike designed en-suite bedrooms, guests dining Shop, Unit 19 Inca Business Park, Acton, Sudbury, room, drawing room, lounge and conservatory Suffolk, CO10 0BB, Tel- 01787 372901 for the comfort and hospitality of our guests. With ANDREW SEXTON. NORTH OXFORDSHIRE landscaped walled garden and secure garage WARWICKSHIRE, GLOUCESTERSHIRE parking. Gourmet dinners are our speciality let us BORDER. BMW Quality service, repairs, restoration pamper you and tantalise your palate for a truly and special tuning work, on all models. Collection memorable dining experience. In the town of Saint- and delivery arranged. Tel 01608 730111 James just off the A84 auto route, twenty minutes from Mont-St Michel and the beautiful coastline AVON - WILTSHIRE MOTORCYCLE TYRES. with scenic routes and great biking roads. Tel: 0033 Visit Carson Tyres, in Melksham for great deals on (0)233-589025,Email: [email protected] Web Motorbike tyres, ride in ride out service and tyres Site: www.petit-illyria.eu.com fitted to loose wheels. Always at least 100 bike tyres in stock, Bridgestone main agents other makes NORTH PORTUGAL- MINHO VALLEY. Penedes stocked. Visit our web site www.rideinrideout.co.uk Nation Park and Galicia. Interested? We offer for prices or phone 01225 709 335 ask for David or farmhouse self catering and luxury B&B both with Adrian our bike specialists. pools. Come and sample the real Portugal see our Website. www.portugal-holidayvilla.co.uk. Tel B.E.M.W. For competitive prices on: Restorations, Maggie on 00351-251648107 or Mobile 00351 repairs & spares. Spares for vintage/classic BMW’s 911595902 from 1935. CJ750, copies of 1938 BMW R71, from £3,455. Some new 1957 models in stock, LH/RH SOMME B&B AND BATTLEFIELD TOURS. sidecars plus OHV machines available. Machine Our comfortable B&B in a secluded farmhouse tools for the small/home workshop, including just 100 miles from Calais offers beds for 8, plus Chester Multi Function lathe/mill/drill. Parts made secure, covered bike parking, trailer and workshop. to pattern or drawing. S.A.E. for specification and Evening meals come highly recommended! NEW: services or visit our website. 2 Forman Street, fully equipped, self-catering apartment sleeps Derby DE1 1JQ. Phone/fax 01332 298523. Eves & 6. Take a battlefield tour of Somme or Ypres with w/ends 01332 824334, www.bemw.co.uk GS riding author and military historian www. orchardfarmsomme.com or Phone: 0033 (0)3 2286 Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire. and 5672 surrounding counties BMW motorcycle servicing , repairs & restoration Steve Grover t/a Motoscot SOUTHERN BRITTANY. Close Redon 3 spacious, senior BMW Technician (ex service manager at comfortable gites, set in 3 acres of tranquil grounds Slocombes of Neasden for over 20 years) BMW which may be rented separately or altogether for a diagnostic equipment and special tools on site Loan larger group: Sleep 2 – 16. Secure garage parking bike available collection/delivery service arranged. for bikes. Contact: Anne & Dave Chapman Tel: Will also service/repair all makes, models Phone 01732-456459 e-mail: anneanddave.chapman@ 01582 419812 or Mobile 07843 056201 Email virgin.net (12/12) [email protected] www.motoscot.co.uk Services CENTRAL LONDON BMW SPECIALISTS. All models to date 2v, 4v, BMW Diagnostic equipment, LYNBROOK INSURANCE. for Special Member’s ex dealer Tech, 30 years exp. Servicing, repairs, terms including Classic & Modern Motorcycle insurance work.Tyres, spares FROM stock. 5 star Insurance (all makes) Tel 0845 130 4662 or 01277 workshop - full facilities.BMW authorised supplier. 206285. Also Travel and Europewide Breakdown/ Bikes bought/sold - see Biketrader web page. Jap 80 The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 & German 102 Druid St, London SE1 2HQ Tel:0207 radius of Nottingham. Call Jim Hill on 0797 123 237 2299, www.japandgerman.co.uk 6087 or 0115 9727153. www.ifixyourbike.com CRAY ENGINEERING. BMW Twins road & race NORTH EAST. Independent BMW Specialist. Full performance specialist. Fully equipped workshop service & repair for all models up to present day. for servicing, repairs, rebuilds & engineering. Factory trained senior technician. Mobile service Tuning packages to suit your requirements. New & used spares. Tyres fitted & balanced while you wait. within 60 miles of Sunderland. Now breaking bikes. (Callers by appointment only) Phone/Fax 01795 Call Mike Kendrick 0191 510 0265 or 07828 281003 538282 Faversham, Kent PORTSMOUTH HAMPSHIRE. Roger Downey FERALWORKS CLASSICS (BRISTOL) BMW Motorcycles. Independent servicing, repair SPECIALIST. Independent qualified engineer with and MOT work shop. 10% discount on MOT’s over 30 years BMW experience for all your servicing for Members. Very close to Portsmouth Ferry & repair requirements. Specialist in 'Airhead' BMW port. Over 30 years experience. Tel 02392 twins but all models catered for. See the January '12 825515 www.rdowneymotorcycles.co.uk Email: Journal star letter! 10% Labour discount to fellow BMW Club members! Collection available. Large [email protected] stocks of BMW used spares available & BMW's SCOTLAND - NORTH AYRSHIRE. Mostly Bricks & bought for cash. Contact Dave on: 0794 1950 266 Boxers. Independent BMW specialist. Professional or 01454 851 461 email: dave.feralworks@gmail. motorcycle servicing and repairs at realistic rates. com Agreed labour cost restorations. Phone Jim Downie INDEPENDENT BMW SPECIALIST DORSET. 01294 558638 or 07973 326928. bricksnboxers@ Servicing and repair centre. Qualified technician aol.com with 20+yrs experience. Diagnostic testing and after service date resets. Studley’s Motorcycles THE BOXER MAN – THE INDEPENDENT BMW in Dorchester, Dorset. Tel: 07884 180968 www. SPECIALIST. Full Service, Repair & Restoration studleysmotorcycles.co.uk facilities for R and K Series machines. Mobile MOBILE MOTORBIKE SERVICES. Professional service available within an 80 mile radius of repairs and servicing for all BMW models at realistic LEICESTER. Call Phil on 0116 2668913 or 07860 prices. We offer a mobile service within a 40 mile 588076, www.boxerman.co.uk (12/13) www.bmboxer
Looking for a used part for a Boxer or BMW Motorcycles K series ? For spares you can our always rely on, speciality take a look at www.bmboxer.com for over 30 years We service and repair all models from the F650, early airhead & oilhead boxers & K series to the present day twins, fours and sixes. For more information contact Ian on 01694 723546, .com check online at www.churchstrettonmotorcycles.com or visit us at Crossways(A49), Church Stretton Shropshire SY6 6PG
The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 81
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We cover all BMW motorcycles from 1970 to the present day 1200GS etc. Remember-all our sales sta are riders themselves. Between them there is not much they don’t know about your bike! We are quite happy to give you the bene t of this experience and to recommend the best manuals and guides for your needs. There is usually no need to pay somebody else to do your servicing, upgrades or repairs when we can give you a wealth of experience and the choice of new, secondhand and reconditioned parts. Many of our new parts o er a huge saving on dealer prices. We can provide you with service items, replacement parts, accesso- ries and performance parts. We have the largest range of parts available anywhere in the UK - in fact we are not aware of anybody, anywhere in the world, who can o er our range and depth of stock. Planning a trip - ring us for advice on spares etc. to carry. Remember, we distribute world wide so we can deliver emergency parts to you anywhere. If you want it we’ve probably got it! If not and BMW make it we can get it for you. Try us! UTAG datatag • Odyssey Batteries • Remus • Ohlins • Carbtune Tyres • Ultraseal • Keihan • Ilmburger • Rugged Roads • etc. etc.
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The BMW Club Journal • April 2013 83 A NEW BREED.
A new breed of BMW bikes have arrived in UK dealerships, all testing positive for adrenaline. To get your own adrenaline rush and win a BMW bike of your choice for three months* scan below or visit www.anewbreed.co.uk
BMW Motorrad
*Full terms and conditions apply. Competition closes 31 May 2013. To be eligible for the prize, participants must be 21 or over and hold a full valid UK or ROI motorcycle licence. Entry is gained by requesting a test ride on any 2013 model BMW Motorcycle through www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/request-information/test-ride.html or The Ultimate www.anewbreed.co.uk during the competition period and subsequently completing New Season Launch Riding Machine the test ride before the competition close date. Please visit www.anewbreed.co.uk for further information.
27780-01 NSL2013 Club Journal A5 V2.indd 1 14/02/2013 14:04