The New BMW s1000RR

The New BMW S1000RR has been launched. I received an invitation from Riders of Cardiff but the weekend found me in Plymouth so I paid a visit to an Old Friend, Peter Cramp of Ocean BMW.

The launch was pure drama.  Meet at the Mayflower Steps I was told.  So to the Mayflower Steps I went on a dark wet windy night.  There I was met by a stranger who handed me a torch (A BMW torch at that).  You’ll need this for when you get off the boat.  Please climb aboard.

A boat??  So with forty other equally confused looking potential BMW punters! we set off from the Mayflower Steps, (not to seek out new lands) but for a bumpy 20 minutes across the Ho!

We stepped ashore at a dis-used Naval Store Yard where we were greeted by Fire Eaters, and Jugglers and supplied with Christmas Cake, Mulled wine, Christmas Cake, more juggling, Christmas Cake and just one more piece of cake for me please.

Then in out of the cold for more Christmas Cake and for the unveiling of the New BMW.  Photographs were not allowed but I managed to get this picture on my  phone before eating some more Christmas Cake.

It looks just like this, only the real bike had a young lady with hardly any clothes on, stood by it.

The new S1000RR is a new concept for BMW.  It comes a long way from the old boxer engine.  Gone are the pots, gone are the BMW ‘either love em or hate em’ indicator buttons, gone is the shaft in favour of a chain.  Gone is the Christmas Cake so I’m off now too.  Oh yes, I got this photo before I left.

Now for the technical stuff:  It’s shiny and it goes fast but I can’t fit on it!

The Teddy Run.  Thank You.

Last weekend we did the Teddy Bear Run to the Children’s Casualty Unit at the Heath Hospital in Cardiff.  A total of 17 bikes went along, and we delivered over 100 teddies to be handed out to kids who find themselves in the Casualty Unit over Christmas.  This is a fantastic amount and I want to give a heartfelt thanks to all who came along, and also a big thank you to those that couldn’t make the run, but delivered teddies to Hein Gericke in advance.  They were all delivered safely to the hospital staff, who were very grateful for your efforts.

This picture shows just a few of the teddies who made it!  Thanks again.

So I hope that we can make someones Christmas a little happier.

Now all that remains for me to do…is to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Safe New Year.  For all of you who have joined me on the ride outs through the last year, thanks for your company and I look forward to riding with you in the New Year.

If you haven’t joined us yet……Come on…You know you want to.

Have a 1st Class Christmas.  Now where is that Christmas Cake.

I have now been able to arrange a date for the Christmas Teddy Run to the Children’s Casualty Unit at The Heath Hospital, Cardiff.

Saturday the 12th of December.

Meeting at Hein Gericke, Cardiff store on Wellington Street, Cardiff for ‘tea and toast’ before a 10.30am departure to the Children’s Casualty Unit at the Hospital.

This is not the Children’s Hospital but the Children’s Casualty Unit who deal with any children unfortunate enough to find themselves needing emergency treatment over the Christmas period.

Please bring a Teddy (or 2.. or more).  There is no need to wrap them and nothing too big please.

I can’t guarantee that there will be a child there when we arrive !!  In fact I hope not…., but the Staff know we are coming and will gladly accept the  Teddies from us.

It is believed that if a child gets attached to a toy whilst in hospital, it aids the recovery process if they can then take the toy home with them.

So we want Teddies of a size that is easy to handle, not too big and cumbersome that it will get in the way of any treatment the child is undergoing.  It is hoped that the Teddy will be a welcome distraction for the child from any treatment which they may find unpleasant such as stitches or injections.

So please support this event and if you can’t make the actual date of the run on the 12th you can deposit your Teddies at the Hein Gericke store in advance,  and we will ensure the safe arrival at the Hospital.

So come on….You know you want to…..  It’s Christmas…come on you know you’ve GOT to…

I’d like to add a big Thank You to James and Alan at Hein Gericke for letting us in early on Sunday morning and for the excellent catering that they put on for us before our soaking on the way to the NEC Bike show.  A few of us braved the elements to go and see the promo girls….I mean new bikes.

Hi Chums.  All still Riding?  All getting Wet? Well come and get wet on the next ride out to the Annual Bike Show at the NEC at Birmingham on Sunday the 29th of November.

Hopefully the meeting point will be the Hein Gericke store in Cardiff, for a 9.30am departure. (to be confirmed…) Did you know that 1st Class Rider ’students’ will get a 20% discount on purchases at Hein Gericke.  Get a voucher from me & Happy Shopping!

This ride out will take us up the A465 to Hereford for a stop at the Golden Arches on the way into Hereford before travelling cross country to Worcester and joining the M5 -M42 for the final run into the NEC.

So come and see whats new in bikes, clothing, kit and all those shiny bits and pieces that you just know you can’t live without. It’s always a great day out.

What’s This Ear?

The up date on the Ear Plugs is that we have managed to get the price down from £99 to £85 and apparently it’s ‘buy one…get one free’.  You buy the left one for £85 and you get the right one for nothing.

The impressions take about 10 minutes to take and the plugs get delivered to your door within approx 10 days.

I have the choice of 2 dates and we will go with the majority so please let me know your preference as soon as possible.  A venue will be set as soon as we can pick a date. The choice is;  Saturday the 21st or Wednesday the 25th of November.

December Ride Out

Our usual Christmas Trip to Bethlehem would be due to be made on the weekend of the 5th of December but unfortunately I can’t make this date.  (This is the date of the Christmas Fayre at the Old School in Bethlehem) and your Christmas cards (1st Class stamped only) will be given the Special ‘Christmas Greetings from Bethlehem’ hand stamp to give your Christmas Cards that special touch. So if anyone wants their cards done then that is the time to go…but you will have to find your own way.  (I’ve heard that following a Star from the East works!)

So as this date is so close to the NEC trip I wanted to do something else a little bit special for Christmas.

It is hoped that I can resurrect or Teddy Bear Run to the Children’s Casualty Unit at the Heath Hospital in Cardiff.  All I would ask is that everyone attending buy a teddy (or 2..0r 3.. or – You can get a bag full of teddys for about a fiver from Ikea)  Big or small it matters not.  It is hoped that we can ride to the Hospital and hand our teddys to the staff to be given out to any child unfortunate enough to find themselves in Hospital over the Christmas period.

It has been proven that if a child becomes attached to a particular toy whilst in hospital it aids the recovery process if that toy can be taken home with the child.  Obviously the NHS can’t fund such a thing so I’m asking you to dig deep and go to the shops to pick your favourite teddy.

So if you haven’t joined us on a ride out yet, or haven’t been for awhile then this could be the one to get you back out on your bike.

The date will be confirmed and for this one I would need to know how many will be joining me so I can let the hospital know, and to make the necessary arrangements.

Come on… you know you want to…..