Westhoughton Motorcycle Club
Westhoughton Motorcycle Club
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CLUB RUNS . Club runs carry 1 point for the run leader and 1 point for each rider. An extra point is awarded when an individual has led 3 runs. Points are totalled at the end of the season for presentation trophies
Any reports on club runs should be emailed to Details of Coast to Coast Bum Buster Run March had arrived and once again it's Plank Run time. Where have the last 12 months gone? The morning of March 11th dawned overcast but dry and 15 bikes met at the Lane Head meeting point for a run down to Betws-y-Coed. A quick blast down the M6 and M56 to Frodsham was followed by a complete circuit of the roundabout on the Runcorn road (meant to do that!). Following this brief excursion we joined the correct route and made our way on good roads through pleasant countryside to our first stop at Ruthin. When everyone was fed and watered we continued through the Coed-y-Brenin forest to the A5 and Betws-y-Coed. Here we did the customary quiz which was won by Steven Hook and Sheila Halton. When the group had recovered from the excitement of the quiz we headed back home via the Ponderosa Cafe on the Horseshoe Pass for another drink. When we got there it was packed. It seemed that all the bikers of North Wales had turned out, it was standing room only, except for Chris and Gav who seemed to have got there earlier than anyone else. From the Ponderosa we headed over the hills to Broughton near Chester where we picked up the Chester south bypass to go to the M56. When we arrived at Helsby the motorway was at a standstill. So with lots of judicious filtering we went through Helsby and Frodsham to Daresbury where we managed to get on the motorway and get home. It was a good day out and fired everyone up for the summer time.
Salvation Army Toy Run 2006Well it’s Saturday morning and I’m havin me “Cornies” and toast and I’ve put on my video of Paul Weller live at the Electric Proms BBC2, I love that track “from the floorboards up” I’m getting a bit carried away and now I’ve got milk all down me new M.C. Hammer jimjams what my beloved bought me. The tops fine but the shorts are massive, it’s a bit like Les Entwistle’s shirt size and John Allen’s arse size if you can picture that Anyway they’re ok behind closed doors. Joanne comes in to give me a whack cos the milks gone on the new carpet, have you got nothing better to do she asks and so I have a look outside and it’s dry so I’m thinking I’ll have a ride on my bike. Then the penny drops – bloody hell Sally Army toy run I’m sure that’s today, so I check it out on our tinternet site and it says - Toy run TBA. So I think must be 10 o’ clock Cross Guns I then checks my watch and it’s 10 o’ clock now, so then I get moving, washed, changed, bike out of hibernation and I’m ready to go. Well I’m too late to catch our gang up and I can’t remember where exactly the Salvation Army headquarters are but I have a cunning plan. Basically I will drive down the M61 get off at the East Lancs. Road pull into a lay-by and wait for any old gang of bikers to come along and I’ll follow them, - clever stuff this. So I’m going down the M61 in this howling wind and at the Bolton junction I spotted these four bikes, cruisers to be precise, you know them feet first loud as you like things. They’ll do, I’m thinking they’re probably going to the toy run, my cunning plan is falling into place, so I pulls off at the A580 and slowed down to let them catch up - and them feet first bastards stayed on the M61. Well all is not lost it’s back to plan A, find a lay-by. Having found a suitable lay-by I decided my hands were still cold even though I had the heated grips on, so I opened my top box and found my winter gloves and put them on (bloody Pan European riders have everything don’t they.) Then after a few minutes I spotted all these lights in my mirror - plan A has kicked in and we’re off, I swiftly pulled out of the lay-by behind them only to find I was now with a gang of mods on bloody scooters. There was the one with the “Who” logo on his parka, then two of them had the England flag on their parka’s another two had “The Jam” and then at the back on the biggest scooter of them all was the “Jim” or to be more precise I was feeling like the Dork. Some of them had no mirrors on but the bloke up front had enough mirrors for a coach load of transvestites to put their lippy on. Anyway at the next lights I shouted to this bloke next to me – you going on the toy run, yeah mate, I’ll follow you then ok – yeah mate whatever, At the next lights he shouts cold init, I said I ‘ve got heated grips mate, at the following lights he shouts it might rain. I said I’ll put my screen up mate, then at the next lights he said why you following us, and I said cos I don’t know the way and he said, what no sat nav then mate. As he took off again I think he said his other bikes a Crosser but I didn’t quite hear him, When we got to the Sally Army barracks I was choking on the fumes of Lambretta mixed with a tinge of Vespa. It was nearly 11o’clock and the run was leaving at 11.15, I spotted Allan and Jill and just had time to register and we were ready for the off, no time for the usual bacon butty. Just before departure there was two minutes silence at 11o’clock for Remembrance Day, a lone bugler played the Last Post in the middle of the bikes, it was very chilling. I was in the middle of the pack leaving Manchester and we were bound for the Trafford Centre, the Police were out front with Santa and Mrs Santa on the Goldwing followed by every manner of two-wheeled transport you can think of. There were lots of people dressed up and most bikes had balloons fastened on them, the noise was incredible with engines revving and horns blasting all the way from the city centre to Trafford. Traffic was stopped, shoppers and passers by had their cameras and phones out recording the event, it was great. At the entrance to the Trafford Centre I spotted Rex with his video camera and a bag of toys for donation, I gave him a wave for the camera when he spotted me and then got parked up. Then I met up with Brian and Alison (you know, yon mon what spakes all funny) there was the usual grand entrance by the bikers and the Salvation Army Christmas carol service. So we had a poor turn out only 6 members, and I wasn’t late for the Cross Guns because it was never arranged, so I shall take it on myself to fix that next time. A final word has to go to the Marshal’s who did a fantastic job, Manchester Police only provided 3 men up front, anymore would have been an additional cost, so various bike clubs provided marshals and they were just as good. Well done to all the organisers. Jim Lunt N.E.C. Bike Show 2006Me Mike and Billy had agreed to meet up on Monday at 08.30 for a ride out to the NEC, we had agreed to meet at Mike’s house in Hindley and take off from there. I was last to arrive and Mike and Billy were ready and waiting along with James, Billy’s 17yr old grandson, they all put on those stupid balaclava things which makes you look either like a convict off Crime Watch or one of Robin Hood’s merry men. Those of you who know Mike and Billy will know that the latter is not relevant in their case. Before we took off Mike insisted on telling us that he had not been well ( man flu ) and we were lucky to have him with us this morning, he then insisted that we should take it easy as he was still feeling a little weak. Mike said he would lead us up to the M6 and I should take it from there, I agreed and off he went, by the time me and Billy got to the first junction 50 yards away Mike was nowhere in sight, Billy raised his eyes skywards and that said it all. We got to the M6 and the traffic was at it’s usual standstill for the Thelwall Viaduct, traffic was pretty busy all the way and there was plenty of filtering to be done, Billy’s BMW along with panniers looked even wider than our Pan European’s and it’s surprising how many car drivers are still not prepared to move over for bikes. It was very noticeable how few people were arriving on Bikes even though the weather was mild and dry. We got to the NEC just before the 10am opening time and we were early enough to get secure undercover parking. As we got off James was in agony with square arse syndrome, it never occurred to me that maybe we should have had a little stop on the way down. They all started stripping off and getting changed into T shirt, jeans and trainers, I couldn't be arsed with all that and preferred to stay as I was and leave my jacket and helmet in the panniers ( that’s the beauty of a touring bike.) I tell you what, this was not a pretty sight especially for the faint hearted, can you picture it Mike and Billy stripped to undies and socks balancing on one leg like over weight pot bellied pink flamingo’s having been on Baccardi all night. Anyway I got an inspirational idea of what to buy Mike for Christmas, a back, sack and crack waxing voucher. Anyway once inside the show I started to get excited and as soon as I saw the futuristic cruisers on the Carol Nash stand I knew this was the NEC bike show. The styling on the bikes on this stand was amazing as good as anything you see at Daytona Beach Florida. There was plenty of new stuff on offer for next year – the new Honda Hornet looks fantastic and could knock the sales of the 600 Bandit and Fazer. The new Triumph Sprint ST was well worth a look, an exciting looking sports tourer that comes complete with panniers this time. But check out the new Suzuki GSX-R1000 with the secret power switch on the right had side of the bars, this switch can increase engine power from 120 to 150 bhp with one flick of the button. ( Come on Hookey get your arse on this and try chucking this down the road.) If it’s a tourer you’re looking for check out the Kawasaki GTR 1400 a 160bhp continent cruiser with some sophisticated technical stuff tucked onboard like variable valves, tyre pressure sensors and electric screen to name but a few. Then you have the new Yamaha R1 with a fly by wire throttle, now what the fluff’s that all about, I asked Mike ( big mistake ) he started to rabbit and putting it plainly – it was a crock of shit. If you really want to know ask Bob McClellan. I sat my arse on every big cruiser I could find cos I might get one of them next. So Billy led me to the Harley stand were he said he had found my ideal bike, a Fat Boy. Well 4 hrs passed really quickly and after Mike had clocked all the Brolly Dollies we had dinner in the café and Mike and Billy had given James a bit of stick about getting a proper job and learning a trade ( he’s 17 and doesn't know what he wants to be, and I thought bloody hell neither do I , I hope they don’t start on me next) Back to the bikes and time for the numpties to get undressed and dressed into bike gear again – yawn yawn, hurry up lads for fluff’s sake. So we hit the motorway again and had a nice sunny dry run back stopping for a little break this time to ease the square arse syndrome, we had the biggest muffins in the world with a drink, reflected on the good and the bad in this years show, had another go at James over youth of today bla bla bla and filtered back to Wigan and Bolton. All in all a good day out and something for everyone. Jim Lunt.
The first evening ride out of 2006 took place on the 21st of June and as it turned out it made up for all those winter ride outs that we missed. Eight bikes turned out on what should have been a fine balmy summers evening, it was the longest day after all. What it turned out to be was a cold dull evening accompanied by strong gusty winds and heavy grey clouds scudding overhead. The riders went straight for the M61 and headed north to the M55 and the Broughton turn off. At Broughton lights we turned left and went towards Blackpool through all the backwoods villages like Inskip, Elswick and Singleton. The back lanes were nice and twisty made all the more exciting by the viscious cross winds which were determined to push us into the bushes. We didn't go to Blackpool of course. We turned into the countryside again, went through Hambleton, Stalmine and Cockerham and ended up at Glasson Dock. The cafe at Glasson which has featured on the tele as being a favourite destination for bikers on evening runs was closed, thank God the toilets were open because the cold had really got through. It was now decision time. Some wanted to go somewhere else, others wanted to head for home. I elected to go home. Because of the wind the motorway was not an option so it was A6 and A49 to Wigan then local roads home. It wasn't a bad run home really because all the sensible people had stayed at home so the roads were clear. However this didn't put off the policeman with his mobile camera near Broughton traffic lights. He was still nabbing people at 9 pm. Lowlights of the run:- it was cold, it was windy. Highlights of the run :- clear roads, twisty lanes, other members turned out, I rode my bike. Highlights win 4-1 Details of Coast to Coast Bum Buster Run This run has now
established itself as an annual event and is run by Ian Claire.
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