VSOC Centre 10 Saxon Warriors Newsletter May 2012 What s inside Committee A word from our Rep What s going on Xmas Party All aboard Members thoughts Wanted / Just for Laughs Events XV 750 Virago Were it all began
Committee Centre Rep John (Rodders) Ireland - 07899936675 Email : johnnshaz@ireland41.plus.com Vice Rep East & Regalia Roger Moore - 07840 654565 Email : moore007@ntlworld.com Vice Rep West Mark Barrett - 07724 863266 Email : metusall@hotmail.com Treasurer & Editor Andy Smith - 07738 198980 Email : rosannsmith@tiscali.co.uk Webmaster Neil Moore - 01603 433736 Email : neil@vsoc-eastanglia.org.uk A word from our Rep ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT YOUR FIRST RALLY? This goes out to old and new members. Rallies not everybody s cup of tea, but have you tried one yet? That old saying Don t knock it until you ve tried it. When I first joined the club 5 years ago (yes Mary, 5 years this year), I wanted to meet likeminded people to talk about bikes and go for rideouts with instead of riding on my own, so I joined this fantastic club where there is no pressure. Some of you are happy to go to meetings once a month. That s fine, but if you have ever wondered what a rally is really like then please just try one. If you don t like it then no harm done but at least you will know. My first rally was in Essex, and this year sees us going back to Essex. I did not know what to expect but I loved it, and have one regret about rallies why didn t I go on them sooner
Just a little insight on what to expect on a typical rally: Friday meet up and ride to rally site with other members, or you can make your own way there. My advice please ride with someone just in case of emergency, i.e. breakdown. Once on site, all centres pitch tents together. Once tents are up we then chill and meet old and new friends. Friday evening we go to the clubhouse (usually rallies are held at rugby clubs - fields for camping, clubhouse for drinks and food, and showers and toilet facilities, etc.). Few drinks, dance, make a fool of yourself (I am talking about me), or just sit and watch and chat with friends. But if you prefer, you can chill with a drink in your own tent NO PRESSURE. Read a good book, whatever, even make love (I wish, some of you are thinking). Saturday get up when you wish. Free tea and coffee are always on offer in a tea tent Usually an organised riedout will take place, run by the Centre organising the rally. Again, you don t have to go you can do your own thing but riding into a town with 50 or more bikes certainly turns heads and makes you feel great just try it. Saturday night there is often a theme to the weekend, and the chance to dress up is there but again only if you want and feel comfortable with it. I love it it s a good laugh. Again over to the clubhouse, drink and chat, or if you prefer you can stay in your tent or walk to the local, have a nice meal, come back and join in the fun. Sunday the worst day it s all over. Get up, have breakfast, pack tent and ride home. If you like the sound of this, please please give it a go. When I first joined the club, Kevin (our Chairman) said to me the more you put into the club, the more you will get out he is so right. Again, NO PRESSURE, but if you are just thinking about a rally, give it a go. If you are worried about getting to a rally, give me, Rodders or Mark a ring and I m sure one of us will ride with you. Any other questions, just email me or ring 07840 654565 any time. Go on try a rally see you there? Regards Rog 007 Dep Rep East
What s going on May Centre 6 Rally 25th - 27th May July Centre 19 (Essex) Rally 6 th - 8 th July Meet: Brampton Hut Services A14 10:30 for a leave time of 11:00. (will be taking the M6 toll Rd) (200 miles) June 3rd - Meeting The Wild Man Inn Sproughton Ipswich IP8 3DA VSOC International Rally Hosted by YCC Sweden 7 th - 9 th June 10th - Meeting The Seven Wives Pub St Ives Cambs PE27 5RF 16th - 17th - Show Custom Motorcycle Show Beaulieu 29th-30th Roger & Theresa Wedding The Lion, Ramsey St Mary s July 1st - Meeting The Wild Man Inn Sproughton Ipswich IP8 3DA 8th - Meeting The Seven Wives Pub St Ives Cambs PE27 5RF Meet: Birchanger services M11 13:30 for a leave time of 14:00. (40 miles) 27th-29th Charity Donation weekend Yorkshire August 3rd - 5th Summer Party Tonna Wales 5th - Meeting The Wild Man Inn Sproughton Ipswich IP8 3DA 12th - Meeting The Seven Wives Pub St Ives Cambs PE27 5RF Centre 17 Rally (Western Super Mare) 24 th - 27 th August Meet: South Mims M25 11:30 for a leave time of 12:00. (150 miles) Could everyone please ensure you have a full tank before we leave these meeting points
Centre 10 Xmas Party 2012 15th December 2012 Menzies Cambridge Hotel and Golf Club This year we have found a new venue for the Christmas party, it is a smaller venue than the holiday inn and is more central for everyone at Bar Hill at the junction of the M11 and the A14. It had some good reviews on trip advisor from people at last years Christmas party so should do us just fine. There is one main room for the meal with the disco set up in the middle, to one side there is a smaller room where the bar is situated The price is 36.95 each and include a 3 course meal and a disco, the rooms are 72 bed and breakfast, double or single. There are the usual hotel facilities and an attached golf course which I believe residents can make use of. lf you would like to go just let us know, it would be really helpful if you could do this by 30 May. We will give out more details in the next newsletter but do contact us if you want to know more. It s a good opportunity to get together over the long winter months and have some fun, the Secret Santa is always sure to raise some laughs. Ho Ho Ho Andy & Rosann
Cross Channel Ferries As the centre is getting more new members I thought a quick word about taking a bike on the ferry might be of help. I remember how daunting it was the first time I had to do it, quite scary really, what do I need? what do I do? how do I...? and so on. First thing is getting on the boat, the ramps can be slippery so take it slow and not too much use of the front brake, I use the back brake normally. There will be either chains stretched across the deck or rings let in the deck to tie down to, always go over the chains in a straight line. Second thing, you will need a couple of ratchet tie downs as in the picture, some ferries will provide them but they are normally filthy so to keep your pride and joy clean it is best to buy your own, you can get them from any bike shop or off the net and are about 5 to 10 each. Ferry companies really pack the bikes close together so you won t have much room, even if you have a centre stand use the side stand. Take whatever you need off the bike, for a night trip I take a small bag with jeans t-shirt washing kit underwear etc, obviously day sailing you don t need anything. Now to tying down, I put one strap between the tank and triple tree and tie that one forward of the front wheel, the second one I put over the driver s seat and tie it down behind the rear wheel and ratchet them down tight. Some people will also tie their front brake on but I don t bother. Also a good idea is to leave the bike in gear. Getting off at the other end is really the same as getting on, just take it slow. The main thing is don t panic, there will be lots of people to help if you get stuck with something but you may have to wait till they have done their bike first! Hope this helps and have a good time wherever you are headed be it an overseas rally or a holiday touring somewhere. Rodders Peter Fountain It was good to hear Peter was well enough to attend the Jumpstart party recently. So soon after a major operation to remove a brain tumour is nothing short of marvellous. All at Centre 10 wish him a continued speedy recovery, and best wishes to Linda who was no doubt instrumental in his recovery.
Members Memories Hi all, I thought it would be interesting to find out what got you all into biking, so here is my story. I have always loved bikes and both my elder brothers had them. The ones I remember were a Royal Enfield and a Francis Barnet and my Dad had a moped, a Raleigh Runabout, which I used to ride up and down a dirt track near our house when he wasn't around. Then when I got to 16 I bought a BSA Bantam D7 175cc. At this time I joined the General Post Office as a telegram boy [any one who doesn't know what a telegram boy was than ask Rodders] and they got me through my test. I spent the next two years delivering telegrams on various Bantams and getting paid for it. I progressed from a Bantam to a Lambretta TV200[GT]. Then along came marriage, mortgages, children, etc so no motorbikes for a good few years. Not that I ever regret this turn in my fortunes. (added in by Mary) I was given a Triumph Tiger Cub, that came in numerous boxes, and I did manage to get it running but it was never roadworthy. My next bike was an RD250 that went like hell and frightened me a few times but, sadly, I couldn't really afford to run it so it went too. There was then a long gap, until my 50th birthday, when I decided I would get another bike. There were two guys at work who had Harleys and I really wanted one as well, until I saw the price of them and decided I didn't, so I found a 535 Virago instead. I joined the club a couple of months later and the next summer saw me going to the 1st Welsh rally follow by C4s Hartlepool rally and by this time I was hooked. In 2002 I sold the 535 and got an 1100 instead. This was a fantastic bike and I kept it until 2009 when I reluctantly changed it for a 1300 Midnight Star. I don't need to explain why but if it keeps her happy... I also have a Suzuki GS450 that I use as a runabout. Well that's my biking life, so how about telling us yours. Dave
Be careful out there That was the month that was What a difference a month makes, late March and we had record breaking temperatures which saw lots of us taking advantage of the amazing sunshine. I was no different and so it was on March 24th I took my Dragstar ( the same one I had done all the research for and which you would have read about in the most recent clatter) over to Ramsey to meet up with fellow C10 members for the trial wedding day run. What a wonderful ride - no hiccups and topped off by a good hour socialising at the pub near the registry office (I only had coffee). On the way home my how things changed, a mile or so from my home a people carrier executed a u-turn without looking - totalled the bike and sent me via ambulance to the local hospital, not how I envisaged the day ending. The obligatory checks and mercifully no broken bones but crutches are impossible. Managed to make the west side meet two weeks later and it was good to see Peter Fountain there just six weeks on from his emergency operation to remove a brain tumour. The weather was not as kind on the meet day but we sat outside braving the wind until the clouds looked too dark and we drifted off home. Little did I realise that again this day was to have a violent twist. Tracey and I had been home about 15 minutes when we received a frantic phone call from Theresa saying that she and Roger had come off the bike on a bend which was slippery with the fine rain that had started to fall. All thought of my own discomfort were put to the back of my mind as we raced to the scene- this was not good, two accidents in two weeks. So to the hospital we went and there 'comforted' (and I use the word loosely) Roger and Theresa. The spoon feeding went quite well I think, don t you Rog? After discharge we took Roger and Theresa home and after their neighbours had come in to take over we took our leave. This was not what Rog and Theresa had in mind just 10 weeks before their wedding however they are healing (like me) albeit slowly. And so on another two weeks and off to the first party of the year Jumpstart oop north in Buxton, back I am afraid to the usual British weather, pouring rain nearly all weekend but there were 8 hardy souls who made the journey, so shout outs to Sat-Nav & Louise, Big Chris, Lee and how nice again to see Peter and Linda there so refreshing to know a little thing like a brain tumour will not stop Peter enjoying himself. We had a real good laugh and oh if we had managed to capture Sat-Nav and the hysterical episode with the glass taped up with sellotape, three times he put it to his mouth without realising the top was taped up before he actually tried to take a drink only to get a mouthful of sellotape how we rolled about the place. So my message to you is this - no matter what curve balls life throws at you the glass is always half full See you soon (though I may be in the car as now searching for my next ride) Mark
Wanted I am looking for a Boulevard screen (the proper Yam one) for my Wildstar as the last one got scratched in the accident. I don't mind if the chrome is a bit imperfect as I can just use the Perspex screen with my brightwork. Many thanks, Roger Fletcher Contact Roger at [rogerfletcher1@hotmail.com] If you have anything for sale or need some bits, advertise it here for free, I know lots of you have hidden treasures in your sheds and garages Andy Stopped for Speeding A rookie police officer pulled a biker over for speeding and had the following exchange: Officer: May I see your driver's license? Biker: I don't have one. I had it suspended when I got my 5th DUI. Officer: May I see the owner's card for this vehicle? Biker: It's not my bike. I stole it. Officer: The motorcycle is stolen? Biker: That's right. But come to think of it, I think I saw the owner's card in the tool bag when I was putting my gun in there. Officer: There's a gun in the tool bag? Biker: Yes sir. That's where I put it after I shot and killed the dude who owns this bike and stuffed his dope in the saddle bags. Officer: There's drugs in the saddle bags too?!?!? Biker: Yes, sir. Hearing this, the rookie immediately called his captain. The biker was quickly surrounded by police, and the captain approached the biker to handle the tense situation: Captain: Sir, can I see your license? Biker: Sure. Here it is. It was valid. Captain: Who's motorcycle is this? Biker: It's mine, officer. Here's the registration. Captain: Could you slowly open your tool bag so I can see if there's a gun in it? Biker: Yes, sir, but there's no gun in it. Sure enough, there was nothing in the tool bag. Captain: Would you mind opening your saddle bags? I was told you said there's drugs in them. Biker: No problem. The saddle bags were opened; no drugs. Captain: I don't understand it. The officer who stopped you said you told him you didn't have a license, stole this motorcycle, had a gun in the tool bag, and that there were drugs in the saddle bags. Biker: Yeah, I'll bet he told you I was speeding, too.
Tickets on sale now
OLYMPIC IT S A KNOCKOUT At Centre 17 s SCRUMPY VI RALLY 24th 27th August 2012 WESTON-SUPER-MARE FOOTBALL CLUB WINTERSTOKE ROAD W-S-M BS24 9AA As ever 24hr free tea and coffee. Good food at reasonable prices. D.J. and live bands. And so, so, much more Full details at www.scrumpies.com