The next European trip has been set for the 19th to 21st of March.  This will take in the fabulous Ardennes Forest region of Belgium and also a trip to Luxembourg.

The cost of the trip, which will include Ferry crossing on the prestigious Sea France Fleet,  Hotel accomadation, and an experienced tour guide leader, will be approximately £300 per person (for a solo bike & rider – a small fee will be payable for a pillion).  Our chosen Hotel, which is pictured here, offers secure under cover bike parking.

Once the accomadation fees have been finalised I will confirm the total cost.  Each trip is limited to just 10 bikes and they sell out fast!

If you wish to reserve a place please visit our web site where you can make the deposit payment.

As with previous tours, this will be a guide lead trip, using a navigation riding system where each rider can ride at their own pace within the group.  It is ideal for anyone who hasn’t ventured across the channel before.

As the result of a previous request, this will not be a ‘War Graves’ trip, (There’ll be more of those later in the year).

So come on…….you know you want to!

At last the snow has gone.  So dust off your bikes and lets get going again.

Happy New Year to you all.  Here are the details of the next ride out.

Meeting at The Cardiff Hein Gericke store on Sunday the 31st of January for a 9.3o departure and we will be heading for the hills around Llandovery and Llyn Brianne Reservoir.

We had to suspend our training for a few weeks due to the snow and with tests and training sessions postponed we have been working hard clearing the back log.  But there is always time for a Ride Out.

Our thanks again to James and the guys at Hein Gericke who have agreed to open up early for us on Sunday to let us in for a cuppa.  Don’t forget it’s around the back.

Crossing the Channel.

For those who are interested in joining us on our next cross channel tour I am going to finalise a date for March for a trip into Belgium and through the Ardennes Forest.  Our tours have proven popular so far and spaces are limited to just 10 per group.  The format will be as last year with a Friday morning ferry from Dover to Calais and a return on a Sunday evening ferry from Calais.

If you wish to be put on the list let me know as soon as you can if you are interested.  I will finalise the dates and costs shortly.

Come on…you know you want to.

Hi Chums,

For those of you who will be joining us on the Teddy Bear Run to the Heath Hospital….if you haven’t bought your cuddly toy yet then here is an idea that will give a double benefit.

I was at Ikea today (yes…I know… we all have to go…) and they have a range of cuddly toys from just 39p upwards.  So for a couple of quid you can fill a big bag of Teddy’s.

If you do, at the moment, for every cuddly toy purchased, no matter what the price, Ikea will donate 1 Euro to UNICEF to aid Children throughout The World.  So make your pound go even further, all aiding Children less fortunate than they should be.

If you can’t make the run, please remember that you can drop your Teddy off at Hein Gericke and we will make sure it gets to the Children’s Casualty Unit.

Now for a bit of a Group Riding Warning which may have a far reaching effect on our 1st Class Rider Ride Outs, as well as your own riding, if you are riding with a mate or in a group no matter how small!

Have a read of this.  I recieved this in an email so have no details of the Court ruling other than that given here but the petition is active with over 1200 signatures so far.

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Lead-Biker-Fined/

Motorcyclists at the head of a group of riders will face stiffer penalties for speeding under a Crown Court ruling.

Being the lead rider in a group is an aggravating factor making you partly responsible for speeding offences of those behind you according to the decision.

The ruling can be applied in any future cases where two or more motorcyclists riding together are accused of speeding. The head rider might be only a few mph over the limit but could be given the same penalty as the worst offender behind.

Road traffic solicitor Robert Dobson said: “Any crown court decision can be stated in future cases. This is potentially a very dangerous judgement for motorcyclists.

“Riders in a group change position frequently.

“If you are riding at the front any group at excess speed, then the very fact you’re at the front is an aggravating factor.”

Ken Clark, 49, reached 85mph on his Yamaha R1 while leading a group of three riders on the 60mph A272 near Rogate, Sussex, last June.

The speed is within the usual threshold for a fixed penalty of three points and a £60 fine.

But Chichester Crown Court ruled he should receive the same penalty as a following rider accused of going 103mph.

Barrister notes on the ruling given to Clark after the hearing state: ‘Although his was the lesser speed, [the bench] found it an aggravating feature that he was the lead motorcyclist, was setting the pace and he knew that the other two motorcyclists would want to catch him up and would be speeding to do so.’