A blast from the past

Back in Covid lockdown, I set about digitizing our vast collection of photo prints, slides and negatives.  At best guess,well over 2500 images with a few still waiting to be done.  There are also 2 boxes of slides featuring the 1969 Isle of Man TT and the 1971 Transatlantic Match Race from Mallory Park.  The house elves have hidden these somewhere and I've been unable to find them which is a major irritation.  That aside, a fair number of the motorcycle digital images have appeared in this blog.  As it's a cold winter day in NZ, I thought that it was a good opportunity to showcase the story of my first "big" bike which briefly appeared in the history of bikes I've owned HERE .

Back in 1967 (58 years ago for the mathematically challenged), most readers of this blog weren't even a twinkle in their parent's eyes. I'd just seen an advert for a 1955 Triumph Tiger 100 which had been fully restored by the owner.  He worked for the Reliant car company and had access to professional paint spray facilities, chromium plating baths and so on. Although the bike was 12 years old, I thought it was worth a look.  I'm really glad I did - almost a case of serendipity.

He'd done a flawless job of restoring it but wasn't asking the earth.  I was more interested in sport-oriented bikes at that time but he had gone down the Marlon Brando "Wild One" route with US style raised bars, tall mirrors, crashbars and a white vinyl covered seat to complement the royal blue and white paintwork.  He had also chrome plated the engine mounting plates.  The engine had also received some attention with 10.5:1 pistons, E3134 performance cams, a gas-flowed cylinder head and a tuned exhaust.  I wasn't so keen on the US style treatment but it was such a lovely bike that the deal was done. Incidentally, I still have the Triumph service manual and official Triumph tuning sheet somewhere.  Maybe the house elves are looking after these too. Here we are in 1967, a slimmer and fitter version of me with a full head of hair.

Wearing the approved safety gear of that era

The Tiger was a lot of fun to ride and at that time, was more than a match for most cars on the road, particularly on twisty UK roads.  The major downside was the upright riding position which caused substantial drag at higher speeds and above 70mph or thereabouts, the long stalk mirrors would fold back and trap me between them!  I think that the photo below was taken in early 1968.  The mirrors have clearly been removed and I'm wearing a Belstaff waxed cotton jacket, much favoured today by the chinless horsey set.  Mine was undoubtedly a health hazard thanks to accumulated road dirt, dead insects and god knows what else sticking to the greasy outer layer but it kept the rain out. It didn't smell particularly fragrant either.  It also appears that I'd grown more hair, styled in the "rocker" mode of that era.  A near-neighbour was a "mod" who owned a Lambretta scooter festooned with lights and a fur-trimmed parka for weather protection and a Beatles haircut.  Mickey-taking was good-natured in both directions as we got on really well, unlike the brawls which broke out between the two factions at coastal locations, particularly Brighton.  

The "rocker" image of the 60's (yeah, right....)

I still wasn't happy with the upright riding position and acquired an aftermarket sport fairing. I also fitted dropped "Ace" handlebars to give a forward lean.  These two items made a considerable improvement to rider comfort with the reduced wind blast.  Given that the Tiger 100 only produced about 34 bhp or so, it gave a bit more performance at the top end too.  However, the big drawback was that the fairing was just a fibreglass shell with no infill panels. It magnified engine noise considerably to the point of distraction so it was dispensed with after a few months.  The photo below shows me negotiating a tricky bend near home in Northamptonshire.  There was a humpback stream bridge immediately followed by a 90 degree left-handed corner where it was easy for the incautious motorist or rider to come to grief. Glad to report that I was never a casualty at that spot.

The Tiger with its full fairing

From 1968 onwards, the Tiger was getting less use as I was building a supercharged drag bike and had a Wolseley 6/110 car to tow it when I started competing. However, during a maintenance strip-down of the Tiger, I noticed that one of the cylinder liners had a crack propagating from a conrod cut-out.  I didn't know how long it had been there but decided to replace both liners. Without going into tedious detail, the person who did the job made a hash of fitting them and over a period of a few weeks, they rotated slightly in the alloy barrel.  The first thing I knew about it was on the open road when the engine started misfiring and when I looked behind, there was a wall of white smoke.  The liners have cutouts to provide clearance for the conrods when they are halfway up and down the stroke.  With them rotating, they neatly machined grooves in the conrods as can be seen from the photo below. All that fine aluminium powder has to go somewhere, the "somewhere" in this case being all the oil galleries which starved the engine of oil, wrecking the pistons too. Bugger......

A ruined Triumph engine

Rebuilding the engine was considered very briefly but with all the expensive performance parts, plus the extreme difficulty in getting all the aluminium swarf out of the oil galleries, the decision was made to scrap it.  However, the good luck fairy must have been looking over my shoulder as a chap at work had just written off his Tiger 100 and I was able to buy the engine at a very reasonable price. The engine was in really good nick and ran reliably until I finally sold it to a mate in 1971.  Although it didn't get a lot of use in the 2 years leading up to its sale, I had some great adventures on it with my best mate Rick and his 650 Triumph Trophy. The most memorable one was attending the 1969 Isle of Man TT.  Numerous trips round the 37.73 mile circuit were made, including one at dawn with just Rick and I on the course. I'll leave that ride to your imagination but it will never be forgotten.  The young lady, Anne McGregor whom I met there was from Scotland and arrived on holiday with a mate, not knowing that the TT was being held!  I still have the 80-odd page programme for the princely sum of 3 shillings and sixpence which also helps with the memories. 

At Braddan Bridge on a non-race day, 1969 IOM TT.  Rick's Trophy on the right

I guess this tale goes to show that it's not just the bike, but the memories which go with it which ensures that it's permanently locked inside the skull.

1969 IOM TT race programme

Rehab and Adult Toys

For those of you with dirty minds, you're going to be disappointed!  In this instance, "adult toys" refers to classic cars and motorcycles!

The previous post outlined the circumstances of my mountain bike accident and surgery to repair a broken femur.  A number of people were involved with my rescue, several of whom I hadn't previously met.  I was able to track them down, thank them personally and give them each a gift for Christmas.  As with any small community, (population ~1600), news spreads fast so I've had to endure plenty of mickey-taking since the accident every time we go into the village.  Jennie has received nothing but commiserations for putting up with me but I have a plan in place to show appreciation for her not stabbing me to death during rehab.

Rehab has gone well but it's been painful and slow.  Use of crutches stopped a couple of weeks ago and exercises including pedalling a static bike continue to build leg strength and flexibility.  It will be a while yet before I'm back on the mountain bike, even simple road riding.  Confidence has taken a bit of a knock as the time draws closer but we'll get there.  I'm also somewhat anaemic from the surgery but iron-rich food should help in that respect.

Sincerest thanks for your notes of support, comments on the last blog post and also Facebook.  It genuinely means a lot when you're fighting what feels like an uphill battle in terms of recuperation.

The opportunity to do anything interesting has been a bit limited.  Driving our modern vehicles has been ok but actually getting into our MGB GT has been impossible until recently.  Even now, some minor contortions are required.  It so happened that the Coromandel Classic Car Club held its annual car show last weekend for bikes and cars of all shapes and sizes so it was into the MG to see what was on display.  Perfect weather, good food, a ukulele band and line dancing demonstrations to complete the country atmosphere; plus a stunning array of vehicles.  Here are some of the photos I took, with some narrative where appropriate.

If I remember correctly, the registration sticker said a 1934 F series Morgan 3 wheeler.  It's powered by a side valve Ford engine of either 8 or 10 hp.  The vehicle on the background is a 1933 Essex Terraplane.  

Morgan 3 wheeler and US-made Terraplane

Rear view of Morgan and Terraplane

A modern "classic" this time - a 2002 Ford Thunderbird.  It clearly has a European design influence compared with earlier Thunderbirds but in my humble opinion, looks a bit bland. Apparently had a reputation for transferring road vibrations throughout the car.

2002 Ford Thunderbird

The rear end of a 1964 Ford Thunderbird, complete with streamlined headrests.  All the excesses we've come to expect from a convertible of that era.

1964 Ford T'bird

The next 3 photos are of my favourite car at the show, despite all the wonderful exotic hardware on display.  It's a 1950's Borgward Isabella manufactured in Germany.  One of our UK neighbours had one for years.  What makes it my favourite is that it's a genuine recent barn find from the Auckland region. The paint is original but time and UV has reduced it to an odd brown-pink colour. There's the slightest dusting of rust in a few places but no serious rusting or rot at all.  I hope that it's left "as-is" because that's what attracts attention.  

Borgward Isabella

Isabella dashboard and steering wheel

Isabella engine bay

This is a 1942 Chevrolet Fleetline with an in-line 6 cylinder motor.  Production was deferred in 1942 because of WW2.

Chevy Fleetline

The BMW Owner's Club brought 15 classic BMW's along.  They were from the days when you could actually tell them apart and they still look great.

BMW classic mix

This 1955 Cadillac looks like something out of Toy Story!  The finish was nigh-on perfect. 

1955 Cadillac Series 60

A motorcycle for a change.  A Czechoslovakian Jawa CZ owned by a local resident.  Pretty sure that it's a 175cc twin from the late 50's or early 60's.  I was given one and got it going but never registered it for road use.

Jawa CZ 175 2 stroke

A couple of British 650's.  This particular BSA Lightning was from the early 70's when the British motorcycle industry was in decline.  Designed with American market styling, it was a decent bike but didn't have the good looks of the earlier A65 Lightning and sales were poor.  The Triumph Bonneville was what captured the public imagination in the early days and held a number of world land speed records (hence the name).  This model is probably from 1965.

BSA Lightning and Triumph Bonneville

The HRD Vincent is one of the most famous bikes of all time.  This one is absolutely flawless. It's a generalisation but any Vincent 1000 will probably sell for upwards of NZ $50,000.  Looking on British auction websites, prices vary considerably according to precise model and condition.  There are a few currently being advertised at NZ$130,000 or more - a good investment, eh?

HRD Vincent 1000

The 2 cars below were a mainstay of the 60's in Australasia, the '62 EH Holden Special station wagon and a '62 Chrysler Valiant.  The Holden in particular was a favourite on the surfing scene.

EH Holden and Chrysler (AUS) Valiant

A seriously large Ford Galaxie.  I saw them raced at Silverstone in the late 60's by Jack Sears and Sir Gawain Baille.  They took up a fair percentage of the track width and added another complication to getting past them!

Ford Galaxie, 1968 model with 7 litre engine

Another 7 litre job - a '75 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible.  Looks very presidential before armour plate became necessary.

75 Oldsmobile Cutlass

Some nice local machinery from different eras.  a '74 Toyota Landcruiser, a 1979 Mitsubishi Jeep and a 1936 Ford Coupe in metalflake cherry red.

A nice mix

Arty shot of a 1973 Jaguar E type V12

E Type Jaguar

A flawless finish on this Chevy truck

A Chevy work of art

Orange must be the new black!  '22 Corvette being driven by a local young lady.

Attractive Corvette, equally attractive owner

A V8-powered hot rod which started off as a Ford Prefect with an 1172cc side valve engine!

Originally a UK Ford Prefect

The Ford Prefect origins can clearly be seen from the rear.

The original is just about recognisable

A modern "classic" - a 1990 Nissan (C33?) Laurel.  It looks to be drift car inspired with lots of goodies under the bonnet including a big turbo.  Compliments to the person who engineered it and it was so clean that you could conduct surgery in the engine bay.

1990 Nissan Laurel Turbo

The vehicle below is a 2013 replica of a 1933 Ford. The owner would have had to jump through hoops with transport authorities to make it road legal.  Given the problems I had with the MGB GT for a minor discrepancy, I take my hat off to the owner for perseverance and craftmanship!

1933 Ford replica

The Australian-made Valiant Charger is a personal favourite of mine and only superficially resembles the US-made Dodge Charger.  I'd be very happy to own one but collectors have pushed it out of my price range!

1972 Valiant Charger

Our GT engine bay pretty much in its normal state - doesn't take much looking after considering that it's almost a daily driver.

1972 MGB GT

I hope that you've enjoyed just a handful of photos from the car fair. Exhibits must have been 200 or so, including our MGB GT which earned some nice compliments.  A large proportion of them are owned by residents of the Coromandel Peninsula.  Given our low population density and relatively remote location, I'm always amazed what people have lurking in their sheds.  I suspect this represents the tip of the iceberg!  I'd like to think that we're merely custodians of these cool vehicles and that they'll continue their march through time with future custodians who will love them as much as we do.

A trip down Memory Lane

We left the UK for a life in New Zealand in 1975.  Leaving one's family and cherished friends wasn't something to be undertaken lightly, especially in those days which were well before emails, Skype, Zoom etc.  Nonetheless we managed to stay in touch and the occasional trip back to the UK also kept friendships alive.  Having said that, I guess that true friendships withstand the test of time irrespective of how often we see each other.  How often do we remark that it's like we've never been apart when we meet or speak to close friends we haven't seen for a long time?

One such close friend is UK-based Rick.  We grew up through our teen years together from a shared love of flying model aircraft.  Here's a photo of Rick and I with our free flight gliders in the 1960's.  By all means have a laugh at my woolly hat!

Yours truly and Rick, circa 1966

From our mid-teens, we also shared a love of motorcycles, avidly reading about them before actually getting our first bikes.  In Rick's case, it was a 200cc Triumph Tiger Cub and in mine, a 50cc Suzuki. We read the monthly Mototorcycle Mechanics magazine and others from cover to cover.  For topping the national exams at my school in English and Physics, my chosen book prize was "The Rolls Royce of Motorcycles"; about the Brough Superior.  At the same age as me, Rick still rides a Honda Fireblade and owns a number of classic vehicles so we've both maintained the passion about things automotive for at least 57 years.

We stay in regular touch and recent correspondence contains some lively reminiscences about our youth and whether time has corrupted some of our memories.  Then this week, a package arrived from Rick containing a copy of Motorcycle Mechanics from May 1964!  What a thrill it was to receive it because if there was a seminal moment in our youth, it was reading this particular issue way back in time. From memory, this issue was only a handful of months before getting our first motorcycles and reading about the superbike of that era, the mighty Triumph Bonneville; really got our hormones sloshing about.  Here's the cover.....

Motorcycle Mechanics magazine, May 1964

There's a lot of detailed reading to be done over the coming weeks but as well as awakening old memories, it's interesting to compare all sorts of things between then and now. Flitting through the pages, most of the magazine staff wore a collar and tie - how terribly formal!  In articles on how to maintain a bike, there was an obligatory white coat in most instances!  The other noticeable thing was a relative lack of objective data in many road tests.  Note the 120mph claim on the cover for the Bonneville for example.  Yet we swallowed it, hook, line and sinker!  Even so, the wide range of articles covering maintenance, road tests, equipment reviews etc provided a great introduction to what was to become a lifetime passion and route to personal freedom.

An initial perusal of the magazine has brought forth a few delights to share.  The first was a reader's letter on a hints and tips page. From C Yeo of Warmley:

"To seal inner tubes against slow punctures, first remove the valve and pump in about 2 tablespoons of milk, then spin the wheel and pump up.  I have found this a most effective cure".

Hmmm..... if it were today, Mr Yeo may find himself in trouble with the world's more litigous countries. Personally, I think that his hint is a subtle way of removing certain gullible riders from the gene pool.  Practical Darwinism at work.

The early 60's was a time when motorcyclists were transitioning from the traditional "pudding basin" helmets to a loose copy of those worn by jet fighter pilots.  Interestingly, there was a British Standard for testing, even in those days.  It consisted of a 10lb (4.5kg) block being dropped onto a helmet from 8ft (2.4 m).  There was an penetration test using a steel spike too.  No assessment of frontal and side impacts as full-face helmets were a fair way off.  Prices varied enormously at the time.  A basic Slazenger helmet was a little over 2 pounds and a top of the line Everoak Racemaster jet helmet was a shade under 5 pounds.

Oh dear.....

Motorcycle clothing was ridiculously cheap by today's standards but as with all items, it probably isn't a country mile away from today's prices when taken as a percentage of nett income.  The accompanying photo is for the Belstaff Trialmaster suit.  I had one of these suits.  It was devoid of armour but having hit the deck on the odd occasion whilst wearing it, its toughness and abrasion resistance was pretty good.  The advert says "treated for rot, fungus and water" which was no exaggeration of its performance and longevity.  The waxed cotton construction was hard wearing over a good number of years and because of the wax coating, a secondary layer consisting of road grime and squashed insects built up over the official one.  This might have been unsanitary but resistance to chemical, biological and nuclear weaponry could probably have been added to the list of its capabilities.

I don't recall seeing any motorcylists wearing waxed cotton jackets in recent times but in the UK at least, Belstaff seems to have found a fashion niche among "gentlemen farmers" and folk who attend TV-worthy cross-country horse events.  Green gumboots also appear to be the footwear of choice, probably even in high temperatures with not a drop of rain on the horizon.  But I digress....

A couple of adverts for accessories also caught my eye.  Whilst the early Japanese motorcycles generally came with "all the fruit", British bikes didn't generally have indicators and 6 volt electrical systems posed problems too, not the least being unable to see where you were going in the dark.  However, it was possible to buy aftermarket indicators for the princely sum of 5 pounds 7 shillings and sixpence.  With unreliable Lucas "Prince of Darkness" electrics, this may have been a bridge too far for the limited electrical output.  However, Lucas did offer a 12 volt conversion for some British models for between 7 and 15 pounds.  Perhaps they'd belatedly seen the writing on the wall with their Japanese competitors who had been initially dismissed as not being a threat.

Moving on to the price of bikes themselves, the 650cc Triumph Bonneville was priced at 320 pounds.  Arguably, the pinnacle of modern bike development at that time. 

The 250cc Ariel Arrow Super Sport cost 196 pounds.  With a pressed steel monocoque frame, it's a pity that they weren't developed further.  A friend had one and the handling was impressive.

The surprisingly competent Ariel Arrow

The mid-size 500cc Triumph Tiger 100 was 286 pounds.  I owned an earlier version and apart from irritating minor oil leaks and 6 volt electrics, they were really reliable.  The important feature of most bikes of that era was that they were easily maintained by the average owner with only a small number of special tools required for when more extensive work was required.

Power in hand.... tongue in cheek more likely!

Japanese bikes were just starting to make serious inroads into the market and 250's such as the Honda CB72 Super Dream and the Yamaha YDS2 were more than a match for most British 500's.  With the Yamaha priced at 257 pounds, it was cheaper than the 500 Triumph above with far more features.

Yamaha YDS2 with flashing indicators as standard!

The Japanese made tuning kits for their bikes freely available at modest cost even by the standards of the day. The following photo for a 250 Honda shows a high performance camshaft, head gasket and valves for a total of 5 pounds. Amazing!

Extra performance at a modest price

The magazine covers not only motorcycles but 3-wheelers too.  In post-war UK and many other countries too, family finances didn't always stretch to owning cars.  Three-wheelers could be driven on a motorcycle licence and were comparatively common on the roads in the 50's and 60's.  Unfortunately, most of them were fitted with underpowered small capacity motorcycle engines and were normally found holding up a long line of traffic on the open road or having expired en route to somewhere.  Some of the tales involving 3-wheelers deserve an article in their own right!

Prices weren't hugely more than for a bike like the Bonneville and offered extra carrying capacity and protection, even if performance was appalling.  The Fiat 500 undoubtedly offered the best value for money although it required a car licence.  I guess  that these types of vehicle provided the divergence opportunity for those who rode motorcycles for fun and those who needed them primarily for transport at a modest price.

It's a real thrill to have received the magazine from Rick and I'm looking forward to a thorough in-depth read over the coming week or two.  It represents the start of my motorcycling passion and has unlocked a lot of memories at the same time.

For Nick and Angus MacPhail....

This post was written after I said I'd stopped blogging for an indeterminate period, BUT ..........

I got home yesterday to find a wonderful link to the past in the Comments section of my previous post from Nick MacPhail who lives in the Channel Islands between the UK and France.  We've never met but may well have been within a few metres of each other in the days when I drag raced at the same time as his brother Angus - what a small world it is these days!  Angus' bike, Ag's Barra, was featured in a photo I took and put in an earlier post about innovative engineering HERE .  I won't repeat what Nick said as you can read it for yourself in the comments section of the previous post.  It's well worth reading and also, the YouTube link to Angus' fantastic drag bike "Jade Warrior" HERE  is a rare treat.

Yesterday, I accompanied my mate and riding partner Davey Uprichard who lives near Wellington up to Auckland for his IAM advanced riding first assessment ride under the eagle eye of Philip McDaid, Chief Examiner.  It was a real win-win day as in the morning, we were able to spend a few hours at the annual classic race meeting at Pukekohe, just south of Auckland in the company of another great mate and riding partner, Dave Easey from Auckland.  For a country of around 4.5M population, some amazing bikes come out of sheds at this time of the year, many of them startlingly innovative.  So Nick and Angus, this post is for you guys in recognition of your appreciation of both smart and rare engineering! (This is only a very small sample of the bikes that were present, both in the spectator park and in the pits).

Dave, Davey and yours truly at the track

Rare Morini 350 V twin from the early 70's

Laverda Jota 3 cylinder in what looks like a Spondon frame

Flawless vintage Morgan 3-wheeler with Matchless V twin motor

Weston race bike - looks like a speedway engine is fitted into a Norton frame

Beautiful Triumph Trident late 60's factory race replica

Weslake-engined race bike

XR Harley replicas - superb engineering

The photo below is of a Brough Superior lining up on the dummy grid for a vintage race.  All these bikes are raced hard with no concession for age or scarcity.  Given that the price of a Brough at a classic bike auction would probably be greater than the cost of a modern factory-supported superbike, the owner has exceedingly large balls!  He's also to be congratulated for not wrapping it in cotton wool and for sharing it with the rest of the population.

Beautiful Brough Superior

The bike below is one of the rarest bikes you'll find - a desmodromic-valved Manx Norton.  It was built by a Kiwi called Brian Thomas to a design by Doug Hele, who was a legendary designer at both Norton and Triumph.  It was their correspondence and friendship which led to Doug's bike being re-created.  A stunning piece of workmanship.

Desmodromic Manx Norton

The next bike was my personal favourite - a Kreidler 50cc racer from the 70's.  Winner of numerous world championships, the bike produced in the order of 11-15 horsepower at close to 17,000 rpm!  The engineering is simply exquisite and when you realise just how small it is, finding a talented rider with the weight of a 10 year old child must have been a nightmare!

One of the best examples of engineering perfection anywhere

Kreidler front view - mountain bikes have wider wheels!

Flawless Benelli Sei 6 cylinder from the 70's

Another exceptionally rare motorcycle is the bike below.  The Hesketh V twin was produced in the UK by Lord Hesketh who used to be involved with F1 car racing.  Manufactured in the 1980's, it was overpriced, unreliable and soon went out of production.  Nonetheless, still a good example of someone trying to innovate.

A Hesketh V 1000 in perfect condition

My mate Paul zoning in

Those photos end the relatively short stay at the Pukekohe race track.  We said our goodbyes to Dave Easey part-way up the Auckland motorway whilst Davey and I headed north west for a date with the Chief Examiner of the IAM.  Those who have previously read of the stress I went though to pass my tests will remember that the examination criteria are based on UK police rider standards - a daunting task for anyone!  I was enjoying Davey's discomfort and deliberately hadn't filled him in with the details.  If I had to suffer the pangs of apprehension, he bloody well could too - that's mates for you! It's interesting that one of Davey's first actions on arriving at Philip's premises was a rapid visit to the toilet.  You may well think it was a nervous one, but I couldn't possibly comment, hehe!

However, Davey and Philip are both Irishmen from not too far apart and within seconds, had lapsed into accents which took more than a bit to follow - probably to keep me totally in the dark!  After explaining what was going to happen and equipping Davey with a radio, we set off on an assessment ride of well over 100km covering a mixture of motorway, urban, and all forms of countryside riding.  It was my intention to sit out back, sniggering and chilling out but Philip put a stop to that by saying that it would be good observer training for me!

Philip and Davey about to set off

Half-way through the ride, we stopped for the first de-brief.  Philip told a delighted Davey that he was already riding at an advanced level and that the improvement areas were only small, rather than any major errors in technique.  Hardly surprising to me, given that Davey and I have ridden together so much and that I'd trust him with my life.

For the second part of the ride, Philip put me directly behind Davey to take the main observing role, but cunningly being able to watch me at the same time - no pressure then!!!  Because Davey is such a darned good rider, there (regrettably, haha!) wasn't an opportunity to "ping" him for anything major and it was a thoroughly enjoyable ride in a relaxed atmosphere.  Returning to base, there was a full debrief and Philip asked me to complete the formal report with 3 improvement opportunities for Davey to work on.  He was congratulated again on such a great performance, particularly for first time up and invited to join IAM as an Associate.   All that remains is for me to allocate him a mentor in the Wellington area and enjoy hearing about his rapid progress through the forthcoming check rides.

All in all, one of those sublime days - away from home riding bikes for 12 hours in great company, covering almost exactly 500 km and seeing some fabulously rare motorcycles to boot.  Oh, and returning home to local smoked fish and marinated mussels as an entrée and baked sticky ribs as a main course, washed down with good beer.  Real man-food courtesy of Jennie, bless her!!

Sincere thanks too to Philip for giving up his time on a voluntary basis to spread the message about high level safe riding, it's hugely appreciated.