RAF Odiham Motorcycle Club

Ryan McMenamin with FS Gary Baker

The RAF Odiham Motorcycle Club (OMCC) has grown over the last 20 years to become the largest and most active of its kind across the UK armed forces. We are a friendly community of motorcyclists from freshly qualified beginners through to club racers and round-the-world adventurers, and membership is FREE to serving personnel. Over the last 12 months our members have enjoyed plenty of events at Odiham and around the country, honing their riding skills, raising over £8000 for charity and having a terrific time on two wheels. Here’s a flavour of what we’ve been up to...

Airfield Riding Days

Every year the OMCC aims to run three Airfield Riding Days (ARDs) here at RAF Odiham. Motorcycling is a complex skill, and the ARD gives members an opportunity to develop their riding abilities in a safe environment, free from traffic, road obstacles and (of course) speed limits. On a Friday evening the airfield is transformed into a high-speed circuit, and Charlie dispersal into a pit area ready for the event. Supporting vendors such as Tyres 4 Bikes, R&G, Love Life and Ride (sellers of the excellent Helite airbag vests) and of course, the Big Tasty food van also set up shop.

Riders are separated into Novice, Intermediate and Advanced groups. With free expert tuition on hand from our instructors, riders see a marked improvement in their riding, making them faster on the racetrack and safer on the road, as well as enjoying a terrific day out. In 2022 ARDs ran in April, July and October, assisted as ever by volunteers from the station, who man the marshal points, as well as pitching in with the setup and teardown of the circuit. Without these fantastic people the events simply can’t run, so thank you all who pitched in during 2022 to make the magic happen.

Those interested in getting involved visit www.omcc.co.uk to find out more. Money raised from the ARDs funds the bulk of OMCC’s charity donations, which are shared between station charities and those selected by the OMCC committee.

Off-roading

Not all OMCC events are confined to the racetrack of course. In May an intrepid group of novice offroaders from the club travelled to Wales for a two day adventure with Trail Riding Rhyadar.

Subsidised by the club, it was an inexpensive but immersive introduction to off-road riding against the awesome backdrop of the Wye valley and the Welsh hills, where all members learned a great deal about riding in the dirt and had a fantastic time. Bikes and all riding gear were provided, so all our members had to do was turn up and twist the throttle! OMCC’s head of off-roading Mark Rayner also laid on two days with the excellent Champions Flat Track School in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. Again, aimed at novice flat track riders, Champions laid on the bikes, kit and lunch to ensure a complete experience learning to race a motorcycle sideways.

More off-road events are planned for 2023, including more trail riding, another Flat Track extravaganza with the Royal Enfield Slide School and even a partnership with DIO to gain access to local MOD training areas for off-road riding on weekends.

So, if you like your motorcycle experience a bit muddier, join up at www.omcc.co.uk to get involved!

Charity Events

The OMCC also ran an array of events to support charitable causes in 2022, including the now infamous “Mopedathon”. Held on an extended layout of the RAF Odiham kart track, the Mopedathon pits scooter vs scooter in a six-hour (noncompetitive…ish) endurance event for 50cc twist & go machines. With prizes awarded for best fancy dress, some teams really went for it with costumes for both themselves and their 50cc stallions. With over 100 attendees the 2022 event was the biggest yet, raising money for Combat Stress, as well as the

Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre. By popular demand, this year the OMCC will run two Mopedathons, so if you and three mates from your section feel up to the challenge, get hold of a fixerupper moped on the cheap and get stuck in!

Close to the hearts of the committee and membership for many years now is the Children’s Ward at Basingstoke Hospital. In the past year the OMCC committee and membership organised an Easter Egg run for patients stuck on the ward at what should be such a happy time of year, as well as a Christmas present drop for those who were unwell during the festive season. These are permanent fixtures in the OMCC calendar, made possible by the club’s community spirit. This year the OMCC will also participate in the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, a sharply dressed rideout on classic and classic-styled bikes (smoking pipe optional but encouraged) to raise money for The Movember Foundation.

To get involved, don your best tweed jacket and visit: www.omcc.co.uk

Track Events

2022 also saw the OMCC run two-day club-only track events at Cadwell Park and Snetterton racing circuits. Run in conjunction with circuit owner MSV, these events gave our members all the thrills of a commercial track day, but for a much-reduced price and with all the community spirit of the OMCC thrown in (and a hog roast of course!). These were, as ever, a roaring success and both venues have been rebooked for the 2023 season.

The club also entered a team into the Freetech 125cc Endurance Racing series.

Possibly the easiest and least daunting way to get into motorcycle racing, OMCC entered its own Honda CBR125R, ridden by members who had applied to get involved (no racing experience required, just a sense of fun!). Organised through the year by Cpl Dean Pyle, a team of ever-changing faces competed at venues from Mallory Park, to Wilton Mill, Rowrah, Pembrey and Teesside Autodrome, in races ranging from 6 to a full 24 hours. The team will race again in 2023, and race slots are available to all members (find out more at www.omcc.co.uk).

Wheelie School

For those who enjoy a bit of hooliganism when off-duty, OMCC arranged a full day “Wheelie School” at North Weald airfield, laid on by the professional nutters at Stunt Asylum. Members learned to hoist the front wheel on a set of specially prepared

What’s coming up...?

This year will see an even more ambitious calendar than last, including the post-covid return of the OMCC’s overseas tour. This year we will head to Morocco for a week of exploring along the stunning North African coast, again subsidised by the club to reduce costs. So, if you have an adventure bike but no adventure to ride it on, join the

Get involved

Yamaha FZR600s. The bikes cleverly cut power to the ignition if the wheelie angle gets too high, ensuring even the bravest OMCC members didn’t “loop” their machines. Great fun had by all, but no practicing on the road of course!

club and come ride Africa with us! For the track fiends, this year the club will rent the Andalucía race circuit in Spain for a Euro track event like no other! Including transport of bikes and kit as well as accommodation, the OMCC overseas track-attack represents far better value than commercial euro track days, with the added bonus of enjoying it with an all-OMCC rider line-up.

If any of the above sounds like a good day out to you, we’d love to see you at one of our monthly club meetings! Held on the first Wednesday of every month at the RAF Odiham Families’ Club at 20:00, there is money behind the bar and plenty of like-minded bikers to meet. You’ll also get early access to club events as they go live on the website.

To get involved, get in touch with FS Gary Baker (OiC; gary. baker150@mod.gov.uk ) or Flt Lt Seán Ahearne (2iC; sean. ahearne100@mod.gov.uk), or join up for free at www.omcc.co.uk. Don’t forget our RAF Odiham Motorcycle Club SharePoint page as well! We hope to ride with you soon!

www.omcc.co.uk

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Crondall Village Hall is the perfect location for Weddings, that special event or party. If you want to put on a show then the 300 seat capacity Hall and Stage will fit the bill.

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