January 2014 Volume 11 Issue 1
7460
Happy New Year to you all! Hopefully each and everyone of you had a restful and enjoyable festive break. This is the 13th Hoggit I’ve edited and I am amazed at how time has flown, it seems like only a short while ago that I first sat down for my first attempt. I can tell you that the first few months were more than a little stressful, with the sudden realisation that I needed to produce twelve pages of intelligible entertainment and information and had just about a week in which to do it. Firstly, I had to buy a desktop publishing programme, which I did, only to realise that it was incompatible with a later version used by the previous Editor, Jean. I then purchased the correct version and began to put things together. Now I’m not an ‘instruction manual kinda guy’, so it was ‘learn as you burn’ which kept me up late for most nights. Jean very kindly helped me to understand the basics of Page Plus Desk Top Publishing as we sat in a pub outside Hungerford one gloomy December evening and somehow I ended up with the finished article. Phew! What a relief! Then my laptop crashed but luckily I had saved the work on a memory stick, but it meant rushing out to buy a new computer. All well and good, except that there was a problem loading Windows 8 as Microsoft had been hacked and their on-line server was down for a week. No one who was trying to install Windows 8 was able to download the programme for installation. Then finally, after pressurising PC World for about 5 straight days, the programme was installed. But wait! I now had to purchase Page Plus software again, as the previous software was only valid for one computer-the one that just crashed. Another £29.00 and finally I was back to where I had been 8 days previously, and just a few days to spare before sending to the printers. Uh oh! I then found out that the Hoggit had to be approved by the Director and Assistant Director prior to being published. Damn, another two days, just when I was going away for a two-day business meeting in Leeds. This was really going to be tight. I had to have the printed copies for the Monday evening, I would not be back from Leeds until Thursday night, so it would be Friday morning before I could send the copy through. Friday morning bright and early I am up and doing the final edit on the document and saving as a PDF. Great, it looks acceptable and the relief is tangible. I send it to Culham Publications for printing. It won’t send! WTF? The file is too big to send via e-mail. I look at the properties, 87MB; the publishers can only accept 11mb maximum. Doh! What am I going to do. I start to sweat, panic begins to set in, what can I do to sort this out? I look at my watch, it’s already 7.40 am. The printers open at 9 am and they are expecting the file to be waiting in their inbox. I start to randomly push buttons, hoping I can get inspiration from somewhere. I phone Marcus, can he give me any help? His phone rings out. I’m Doomed, dooooomed!
Finally. My pressing random buttons gives me a clue. I can reduce the resolution on the pictures, of which there are many. I reduce from ‘Highest’ to ‘Very High’. I save as a PDF again. I check the properties, 68MB. No problem I reduce further and further, until I am down to ‘Very Low’ and ‘Lowest’. This can’t be right, surely. 10.8MB - Yes! I send the e-mail hold my breath, it goes through, I wait with bated breath to see if it gets bounced. No, it seems to have gone through okay. Breathe out. Relax. Later on the Friday I call the printers to check that everything has gone though okay. Yes, they’ve received it, I can collect on Monday afternoon. Result. Friday afternoon and I am driving home from work when my phone rings. It’s the printers; there’s a problem-I have not left a ‘bleed area’ on the document. What’s a ‘bleed area’? My heart sinks. The ‘bleed area’ is the space left around the outside of the document to make cutting of the paper more accurate and not leave white edges on coloured pages. How do I correct this? I arrive home at around 4 pm and start pushing buttons again. I can’t make it work. I call the printers, “never mind”, they say, they can try to get around it, but it won’t be perfect. I have now lost the will to live. Monday afternoon arrives and on my way to my first committee meeting I swing by Culham Science Park to collect my first Hoggit. It’s okay, not what I wanted, but it will do. I’m just relieved that I have something to show for my efforts. Tuesday dawns and it’s time to e-mail the Hoggit to the Chapter members. I get up super early and prepare to send out the Hoggit to the mailing list I previously created from the membership spreadsheet. There’s something wrong. All my e-mail history has disappeared. There are e-mails coming in from all over asking if I’m alright. What’s going on? Then the truth begins to dawn on me, my e-mail account has been hacked and corrupted. I’ve lost everything. Anxiety level up to DEFCON 4 again. I take a deep breath. I’m not even going to try to rescue the situation. I create a new e-mail account, re-load all the e-mail addresses from the data sheet and attach the Hoggit PDF before sending out. Some bounce back because the file is too big. I try saving the file into an even smaller format. 7.8MB; the lowest I can go. Most go through, though some are bounced because they are not recognised. The vast majority go through. Tuesday night, I hand out the Hoggit at Chapter night. No one suspects the trauma I’ve been through delivering my first publication. The proverbial Swan that’s me, all serene and calm on the surface, but paddling like crazy beneath. Here’s to a trouble-free 12 months of the Hoggit-touch wood. Ride it like you stole it,
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Happy New Year to everyone. What lies ahead for us all in 2014, I wonder? Well some things we already know; just take a look at the calendar. I have to promise myself more miles this year somehow stuff got in the way in 2013, you know how it canlike it or not. We move into our new venue I have a lot of hope pinned on this venue being more to everyone's liking. January is a busy month for Kay with membership renewals, it will also be a new beginning for the new committee members and I wish them all the best but I am aware that committee roles do take some getting used to before it becomes easier and more familiar so please give them your support. Not much time left for reserving your place at the Early Season bash & disco it costs £30.00 per ticket for a three course meal including a chapter subsidy. The venue is a very nice riverside Hotel just down from Benson or the H Cafe. Shillingford Bridge Hotel, rooms for an overnight stay can be reserved at only £50.00 per room including breakfast that is almost half their usual cost so it's a bargain and I hope to see you there. We will have had our 10 pin bowling night by the time you read this 2014 Hoggit, I wonder if Ian has decided to change its appearance in any way it's purely a hunch but let's see if I'm even close. What are you looking forward to most right now? Me? More daylight without a doubt the winter equinox is about passed so the lighter afternoons should be on their way and arriving home in daylight at the end of the day with spring flowers on the shelves to buy are a really positive sign and I can't
wait. Your Chapter needs an activities officer please consider this role it doesn't mean attending every committee meeting so most of it can be done at y o u r own convenience. Likew ise a new Ladies of Harley Officer. Now the ladies have a very support ive following so y o u won't be on your o w n with this plenty of help and guidance is there waiting as the saying goes YOUR CHAPTER NEEDS YOU! After some concern of why my bike refused to start a few times it turned out to be only a duff battery, there's no stopping it now only the salt and wet. Let's all hope we have a great new year to come. It's what you make of it, come along and meet your fellow members, the friends you haven't yet met. One thing this chapter is for sure is a sociable chapter. If we could get our bikes on the same level of sociability we'd go far. Wishing everyone a momentous & safe New Year throughout 2014.
Out of Gas, Cy
As last year’s committee members become “past Officers” so your chapter needs you!
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Happy New Year everyone, hope you all had a great Xmas and got all you asked for from Santa? Well its 2014 now and another year to look forward to, think we are all done now with the Xmas songs tinsel and especially the turkey!!
Ÿ January 11th: 10 Pin Bowling
Yes we all wait with bated breath for the sound of thundering bikes, ah music to my ears. By the time you read this we will have had the 10 pin Bowling night and looking forward to the pre season dinner. This being on 15th Feb, so get your glad rags out ready to party! Shepton Mallett Classic bike show is on the 8th and 9th Feb and is well worth a visit. On the 1st March we have our annual Barn Dance, always a good night very entertaining watching everyone getting it wrong, all good for a laugh. On the Barn dance theme we are planning to have a Summer Barn dance and already have a Barn offered to us for the night with straw bales to sit on and a Barbecue, more details to follow later.
Ÿ 1st February: Road Crew Meeting Ÿ 8th/9th February: Shepton Mallet Classic Bike Show Ÿ 15th February: Pre-season Dinner
Come along to our Chapter Night at the new venue with all your ideas to put forward for new season events. We have a road crew meeting on 1st Feb. Check website regularly for any updates don’t want anyone to miss out on anything! Check out any rally’s you want to attend so tickets can be organized in block booking.
Thats all for now folks..........
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As most of you will know 2014 marks 100 years since the outbreak of WW1. It is also the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings. This probably means vastly increased visitor numbers to northern France and Belgium with a corresponding increase in hotel prices – assuming that the normal rules of supply and demand will apply. With this in mind, and having promised our Director and Head Road Captain that I will once again organise a European ride this year, I have decided to give France and Belgium a miss and instead head for the beautiful Mosel region of Germany. For those of you unfamiliar with the area it is stunningly beautiful with rivers, castles, vineyards, good riding roads and great food. Provisionally the trip will take the form of a long weekend leaving Folkestone on the Channel Tunnel at around 08.30 on Friday 13th June and then riding to the lovely town of Bernkastel. Some of us stayed here a couple of years ago and as you can see from the photo we had a miserable time! Return would be around 15.00 on Monday 16th June. Cost for 2 people travelling on 1 bike staying in a double/twin room is likely to be approximately £420 for the Tunnel, room and breakfast.
We already have some interest in this trip and places will be limited so please let me know asap if you would like to come. A £100 non-refundable deposit will be required once the trip is confirmed.
Contact: Pete “5 Star” Davies fitbear@btinternet.com
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Calling all ladies, have you ever thought about becoming the next LoH officer? Why not think about it now, something new for 2014. What do I need? You just need to be a HOG or associate HOG member, have loads of enthusiasm and want to represent your fellow ladies within the Oxford UK Chapter and on the committee. Why is this role important? It is important to cater for the ladies within the chapter, it’s not all about the riding, we like to get together to do ‘girlie’ things, like shopping, crafts and much more. What would I be expected to do? The role is there to become whatever you want it to become, you would look to organise events that would appeal to the ladies, not only for just the ladies but to include the MoH as well. This could include lunches, shopping trips, and events to raise money for the chapter charity. Encourage other ladies to get more involved and become part of the chapter.
Ladies behaving (very) badly
Do I need to ride a motorcycle: No, riding is not essential although a good number of ladies ride, there are also a large number who don’t and this would be your opportunity to get everybody involved? What else do I need to do? Well you would assist with the raffle draw on chapter nights. Really anything you felt necessary to enhance this role. Take an active part at chapter night in helping to make new members feel welcome. There is also a vacancy for a merchandise officer; this could be combined with the LoH role above. Basically you would be responsible for all of the Oxford UK Chapter patches, pins and other Oxford specific merchandise. This involves keeping stock, ordering and selling at chapter night or via post. Again this is a role that can be developed with new ideas. If you’re interested in either of the these roles contact one of the committee members who will be more than happy to give you more info, or come and have a chat with me at chapter night.
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Hello & A Happy New Year to you all. My name is Ian Ward & I am the new Safety Officer, so I thought I would introduce myself & tell you a little of my background. I was a BSM Car Driving instructor & have recently taught CBT to learners, I have led ride outs in the past when with a previous bike club when I lived in Derbyshire. If anyone has any useful suggestions or hints or tips then please see me on chapter night. Let’s face it: While motorcycles are cool, they just aren’t as safe as cars. To some people, that’s part of the appeal. Living life on the edge and taking risks can be part of what makes riding a motorcycle rewarding. Motorcycles can travel as fast as cars do, but lack car safety features most people take for granted. Motorcycles don’t have an exterior frame to absorb crash forces. Instead, the forces of a collision are born directly by the bike and the rider. Motorcycles also don’t have seatbelts, which increases the rider’s risk of being thrown off the bike in an accident. Finally, there’s that little matter of being on two wheels. Motorcycles are simply not as stable as cars. But, riding a motorcycle doesn’t have to be an exercise in cheating death. Motorcycles may be inherently less safe than cars are, but there are a lot of things motorcyclists and drivers in cars can do to keep everyone safe. 10: Take a Motorcycle Safety Course In most states, if you’re going to get a motorcycle license, you need to take a skills test. In many states, you also have to take a motorcycle safety class – think of it as driver’s education on two wheels. Even if your state doesn’t require you to take a motorcycle safety course, you should. The class will teach you about the traffic safety laws that apply to motorcycles in your state, how to respond to emergency situations on a motorcycle, and give you a chance to try out your new skills in a controlled environment. The instructors will also give you tips about motorcycle maintenance and how to avoid unsafe situations. After all, the time to learn how to recover from a skid on a bike is not when you go into one for the first time. Taking a motorcycle safety course prepares you to hit the road safely and with more confidence. The good news is, most motorcycle dealerships offer motorcycle safety courses, and some even give discounts or other promotional materials to people who have completed their course. If you’ve got your heart set on a particular brand of bike, taking a motorcycle safety class from that dealership is a good way to get to know the brand better, and you may even be able to try out some of their models. 9: Get the Right Gear
We’ve all seen people on motorcycles in shorts and flip flops. Those people are not being safe. Since a motorcycle offers little protection in a crash, what riders wear is part of the crash protection system. Even if you aren’t in a crash with another vehicle on your bike, you could simply lose control and lay the bike down. In that situation, you’ll be sliding along on asphalt. That’s not something you want to do in shorts. There’s a reason a lot of bikers wear leather: it’s strong enough to protect their skin if they slide along the road surface. Plus, motorcycle riders are exposed to other road hazards, like small rocks, bugs and cigarette butts, that people in cars are protected from. At 60 miles per hour (96.6 kilometers per hour), even a small rock can sting. Leather gear can help protect you. Of course, you don’t have to look like a reject from “Easy Rider” to ride a motorcycle. A lot of companies specialize in armored motorcycle gear, and it’s not all leather. You can get vented motorcycle jackets that keep you cool while keeping you safe. These jackets are made of lightweight, breathable material, but have heavy-duty amour panels in key places (along the spine, torso, shoulders and elbows) to protect the wearer. 8: Protect Your Feet The right shoes are also important to riding safely. To shift gears on a bike, you lift up with your toes – so open-toed shoes can become painful fast. Plus, when you’re riding a bike, you’re sitting on the engine and exhaust system, which get hot. It’s easy to burn your feet. Not only do open-toed shoes like flip-flops expose your feet while on a bike, they can slip off, causing a dangerous situation. When riding a motorcycle, you want study shoes. Those shoes are the only protection your feet will have. Look for something with a rugged sole. Shoes with smooth soles make it easier for you to slip. When you’re at a stop and using your feet to balance, the last thing you want to do is slip and drop your bike. Motorcycle shoes should also have sturdy ankle supports and a low heel. You want something that makes it easier for you to balance. Look for shoes or boots in a durable material, like leather, for better protection. 7: Ride Within Your Skills Riding a motorcycle is a skill, and like all skills, it’s something that you need to develop. While you may be fine to go on an easy cruise around town, it takes time to grow the skills you need to be an expert rider. To stay safe, make sure that you always ride within your skill level. Your friends who have been riding longer may be able to go super fast, weave in and out of traffic, or control their bikes on curvy roads, but that doesn’t mean you should. Take the time to build your skills and only ride in situations where you know your skills are up to the job. Of course, you should still challenge yourself — that’s how your skills grow — but you need to do it in a safe, controlled way. Many motorcycle dealerships offer advanced riding courses
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where you can practice more advanced manoeuvres. And, if you’re interested in motorcycle sports, it’s easy to find a racing school. Those schools are not only fun, but they help you safely build your skills so that you’re safer on the road. 6: Avoid Distraction We all know distracted driving is a bad idea, but it’s worse when you’re riding a bike. One of the keys to staying safe on a motorcycle is staying hyper-aware of everything that’s going on around you. Remember, motorcycles are tough for drivers to see –especially drivers in large cars or SUVs. You need to see and avoid them, rather than bet on them seeing you. If you’re fiddling with your phone or iPod, you’re reaction time is cut by several precious seconds, putting you at higher risk of a collision. And running into a Chevy Suburban while going 60 miles per hour (96.6 kilometers per hour) is no one’s idea of a good time. In addition to the risk of distraction, taking your hands off your bike lessens your control more than taking your hands off the wheel of your car. Not only is steering compromised, but so is braking, accelerating and shifting. It’s just a bad idea. If you’re on a bike, remove all temptation for distraction. Don’t wear headphones, and put your phone where you can’t get to it. 5: Leave Enough Space One of the biggest mistakes drivers and motorcycle riders make is not leaving enough stopping distance for bikes. While it’s true that since bikes are smaller and lighter than cars, they need less space to stop and maneuver, they still need more than you might think. Anti-lock brakes are still relatively new on many bikes, and older models don’t have them. That means that bikers can’t just slam on the brakes like a driver could. Their wheels would lock up, they’d lose control, the bike would drop and they’d go for an asphalt slide. Practice stops on your bike in a safe environment and know how much space you need. Then, make sure you give yourself that much space in traffic. Leave a generous following distance between your bike and the vehicle in front of you, and try to keep an escape route open to the side (onto the road shoulder, for example) if you can’t stop in time. 4: Watch the Weather Because they aren’t as stable as cars, riding a bike in the rain is much riskier than driving a car. With only two wheels, you have half the traction of a car. Plus, without windshield wipers, your visibility is compromised. Finally, riding through the driving rain can hurt.
Part of the fun of having a bike is having someone on the back. Having a passenger with their arms around you as you cruise the open road can be quite romantic. But your passenger has a part to play in keeping both of you safe. Make sure anyone you carry on your bike has the right gear. Like you, they should wear sturdy shoes and protective clothes. You should also practice having a passenger, especially if they’re bigger than you, in a safe place, like a parking lot. That will get you used to having the extra weight on the bike and the passenger used to how the bike feels, and how they need to move with you in various maneuvers. Make sure your passenger knows not to distract you, and what things like stopping and turning on a bike feel like, so they won’t panic. If you’re carrying a young child, check the laws of your state. In many states, you need to be over a certain age to ride on the back of a motorcycle. 2: Look Twice This tip is more for drivers than bikers, but it’s so important that it’s worth mentioning here: Look for motorcycles. Motorcycles are small and tough to see. That means many drivers miss them, causing collisions that are often fatal to the motorcycle rider. Keep your eyes and ears open for motorcycles. Lots of bikes have loud exhaust systems specifically to draw drivers’ attention. Use that to your advantage. But you still need to look out for quiet bikes. Look twice before changing lanes, and always check your blind spot. A bike may be there. Also, before pulling into traffic, look for motorcycles. They’re harder to spot than cars, but taking an extra second to look could save someone’s life. For riders, look twice is still a good rule to follow. Never assume that a driver sees you. Ride defensively and take responsibility for staying safe around cars. 1: Wear a Helmet The most important thing you can do to stay safe on a motorcycle is wear a helmet. Helmets protect your head, and head injuries are the leading cause of death for motorcycle riders. Your brain just wasn’t meant to be exposed. Of course, wearing a helmet isn’t enough. You need to wear the right helmet. Lots of places sell novelty helmets that look good but don’t protect you. Look for a Department of Transportation-approved helmet. Those helmets have been tested and provide a minimum standard of protection.
When you’re preparing to go for a ride, check the weather. If heavy rain, snow or ice is predicted, leave the bike at home. If you absolutely must ride in the rain, don’t ride right after the storm starts. When rain first hits the road, it brings up oil and other residue, making the road extremely slippery. If you wait a while, the rain will wash away the oil and slick stuff it brought up. Give the rain time to clear the road for you. Then, when you’re on your way, be extra cautious. Go slowly, leave plenty of space for stopping, and if the weather gets worse, stop and wait it out.
Make sure your helmet fits properly. It shouldn’t be too tight or too loose. It shouldn’t obstruct your vision, but it should cover most of your head. For more protection, opt for a full-face helmet with protection all the way around. A simple windshield can at least protect your face from bugs, rocks and rain, but a full-face helmet will have a piece that goes around your chin, so your face won’t make contact with the road.
3: Educate Your Passengers
Ride safe, Ian
Even if you ignore every other motorcycle safety tip, wear a helmet
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Here's my 1st contribution to the Hoggit. Unfortunately I didn't get many pictures, except for the ones that I just emailed you. I sent to dealership a Christmas card and cheque for membership renewal and patches. I'm hoping that you got it. As you'll see from the attached flyer this was Dudley Perkins 33rd annual New Year run, but it also began a year of festivities to celebrate 100 years of the dealership. Approximately 75 to 100 bikes rode in this 1st of the year ride with the first leg a 20 minute ride beginning at Dudley Perkins in South San Francisco to Highway 280 and then short hop on scenic highway 1 to Nick's in Pacifica. Nick's was the first stop on this ride for brunch consisting of scrambled eggs, sausages, Canadian and American bacon, hash browns, fruit, and muffins. The ride was mostly Harleys, with mine being the only trike, but there were also sports bikes, such as Kawasakis and Hondas. At brunch I sat with a father and son who rode an Indian with a Vincent Black Shadow engine and a Vincent Rapide, respectively. The dad ran a motorcycle repair business focused on British bikes, but is now retired.
highway 1, riding through the new tunnel that bypasses Devil's Slide and then broke off at highway 84 to ride to Alice's at the corner of Skyline and Highway 84. My plan was to stop at Alice's but I was having so much fun that I carried on riding the twisties along Skyline to Highway 92. At this point I was 10 miles away from home along Highway 92, but decided to add another hour to my ride by continuing the ride away from home back to Highway 1 and then took Highway 1 north, passing Nicks and heading back to Highway 280.
After brunch most of the group rode onto Duarte's to toast in the New Year. I rode with the group part of the way along
The author, Jay Sethi sits astride his mount, flying a union flag!
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God, Harley Davidson & Women
How did you do last month?
Arthur Davidson, of the Harley Davidson motorcycle corporation, dies and goes to heaven. At the gates, an angel tells him, "Well, you've been a good guy and your motorcycles have changed the world. As a reward, you can hang out with anyone you want to in Heaven". Arthur Davidson thinks about it and says, "I wanna hang out with God, himself". The befeathered fellow at the gates takes Arthur to the throne room and introduces him to God. Arthur Davidson then asks God, "Hey, aren't you the inventor of woman?" God says, "Ah, yes". "Well", says Arthur Davidson, "You have some major design flaws in your invention: There's too much front end protrusion. It chatters at high speeds. The rear end wobbles too much. The intake is placed too close to the exhaust. "Hmmm..." replies God, "hold on". God goes to the celestial supercomputer, types in a few keystrokes, and waits for the result. The computer prints out a slip of paper and God reads it. "It may be that my invention is flawed", God replies to Arthur Davidson, "but according to my computer, more people are riding my invention than yours".
Notification of the 2014 ‘New Member’s Ride Out’ route. ‘2nd man drop off’ system will NOT be used!
And the winners are:
Elaine & Sheppy
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Team Oxford UK 2014
From left to right: Cy Grieve: Director; Ian Davis: Editor; Ian Ward: Safety Officer; Kay Gibbard: Membership Secretary; Julie Parry: Webmaster; Charmaine Till: Secretary; Jack McCaigue: Photographer; Paul Farmer: Treasurer; Andy Spindlow: Assistant Director & Activities Officer Director
director@oxfordukchapter.co.uk
Assistant Director
assistant-director@oxfordukchapter.co.uk
Treasurer
treasurer@oxfordukchapter.co.uk
Secretary
secretary@oxfordukchapter.co.uk
Head Road Captain
road-captain@oxfordukchapter.co.uk
Editor
editor@oxfordukchapter.co.uk
Activities Officer
activities-officer@oxfordukchapter.co.uk
Photographer
photographer@oxfordukchapter.co.uk
Ladies of Harley Officer
loh@oxfordukchapter.co.uk
Webmaster
webmaster@oxfordukchapter.co.uk
Safety Officer
safetyofficer@oxfordukchapter.co.uk
Membership Secretary
membership-sec@oxfordukchapter.co.uk
Dealer Representative
mike.roachford@bladegroup.co.uk
Merchandise Officer
Not specified @oxfordukchapter.co.uk
Keep in touch with Chapter news and events at www.oxfordukchapter.co.uk & the Chapter Hotline 07876 663327
Culham Publication Services 01235 464 904 www.cps.culham.org.uk