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Here you can scroll down through our events from October - December
Pioneer Run
October 5th
Eleven Howlers met up with three friends to enjoy a sparkling Autumn morning watching the Pioneer Run as the riders pulled in for a coffee stop at Leonardslee Gardens.
We had a tea/food stop at Ryka's beforehand and afterwards. To show our impartial support for biking caterers and the event itself, we frequented the tea/ bacon bap van at Leonardslee as well.
The bikes which had to be pre 1915 - all seemed to be running really well. Cindy found one particularly comfortable
Altogether a great day out in the Autumn sunshine!
MOTO-UNION
October 12th
HOWL organised a ‘last minute.com’ branch stand at the Moto Union Show at Ardingly, South of England Showground.!
Visitors were drawn by Simon Butler’s rare VF750 Sabre and Jude’s own 400/4 OTO with its unique flecked Candy Red paintwork.
The good weather ensured the show was well-attended on the day where our impromptu - but professional stand attracted loads of people!
A young visitor and her two soft toy sloths tried out 'OTO' for size!
The Moto Union show has grown hugely from last year. It gave us the opportunity to spread the word about HOWL, promote our website, publicise both branch and national events, sell branch regalia and national HOC memberships. It is primarily a collection of Japanese and Italian bikes. The centrepiece was an extremely impressive stand featuring 11 bikes - all the same model - the CB400F – aka the 400/4 - marking its 50th Anniversary – with cakes!
...Birthday brochures
...Birthday stickers
...and Birthday cakes - F1 and F2 😄
The display included the F1 and the F2 models across all the colours that were available during the short lifespan of 1975-1978. Given that it was only produced for a very few years, it is quite remarkable how so many bikers have such a soft spot for this iconic machine.
And there was one unique bike on display raising lots of doubletakes – a Guzzonda – a Guzzi engine fitted into a 400 Super Dream frame finished off with an excellent paint job.
Simon was delighted to get best ‘80s Honda’ for his VF 750 Sabre. Charles’ Deakin’s F2 took first place as the ‘judge’s personal favourite 400/4’ over all the other fine examples of this iconic model - Charles’ third award of the summer!
Huge thanks to the enthusiastic HOWL Moto Union team - Charles for logistics, van hire and transport, Simon and Karen for stand set up /photography, Gary, Vaughan, Deborah, Petar, Michael and Marilyn for their support in spreading the word and chatting to the many visitors - and Jude for coordinating the whole enjoyable event.
With some encouragement from Michael, Marilyn tries out a 400/4 for size
Saddlesore Winners celebrated
at our Magpie Club Night
October 23rd
Thurs 23rd October brought a bumper turnout at The Magpie for our club night as HOWL members celebrated winners of the Saddlesore competition.
Howler Simon Butler took 1st place on his Crosstourer covering 1400 miles in visiting 13 locations.
Karen Butler was a clear winner of the pillion award joining Simon in well over 1000 of those miles.
And Ian Gasson took 2nd place in the rider category on his 350cc Forza. The competition is organised by Charles Deakin Charles kindly donated extra prizes to add to the HOC winner’s shield and plaque
It didn't take long to get their names engraved-
they're now in the Hall of Fame
👏
To top it off, Ian’s recent birthday meant we just had to ‘call for Colin’ (the caterpillar) plus some of Ian’s favourite - fruit cake.
Congratulations to all concerned.
A great turnout enjoyed a fun Club Night
Biker Down
October 26th
Twelve HOWLERS somewhat unusually assembled in West London (first time we’ve been there in ages!) for a Biker Down course organised by the Heston depot of the London Fire Brigade. Gary had suggested the course way back in the summer and the uptake was very high.
Some of us had attended a similar course nearly three years ago in West Norwood, so an updated refresher course was overdue and very worthwhile. The entertaining presentation by Firefighters Stav and Glen, bikers themselves, encouraged some very enthusiastic group participation including practising CPR on dummies
The controversial point of whether to remove a helmet in the case of an accident was clarified.
If you haven’t attended one of these before, even if you consider yourself to be an experienced rider, I urge you to enrol – if you come away having learnt just one thing, I think it will be time well spent. Courses are free and you receive a compact trauma pack to carry with you.
One of our Members Michael Keeler was prompted to add this
''I did biker down at Horley fire station a couple of years back and a 1st aid course that dealt with various scenarios which you had to then deal with.
On Fri 4th July this year, coming back from a Bowls match as rear passenger, a rider on a CB500 overtook us at a rate of knots just about hanging on. High Beeches Lane/high St Handcross. Low and behold, a mile or so further on, the bike was lying in the road in a high speed collision with a Volvo SUV.
The 24 year old biker hit the screen and landed 10+ metres further up the road.
My wife and I got out and went to the biker who was still conscious but in a lot of pain. No one with him. The training came in and we managed to remove his full face helmet. Buckle was the tricky bit. A bystander telling me I shouldn't be removing the crash helmet. A so called trained 1st aider/paramedic came along and wanted to put a cushion under his pelvis to make him more comfortable so I told them no.
Eventually ambulance and paramedic finally turned up, seemed like ages, I had to chase the police up as the road was closed. Very disappointed in their response.
Tried to find out how the rider was but still don't know''.
Thanks very much for your contribution Michael
Tex Mex
at Smith & Western
November 2nd
Six hungry Howlers returned to the Smith & Western Tex-Mex restaurant at the Top of Box Hill
As you can see one of the staff thought Nicole was getting a bit too familiar
- so she and Peter ended up in Jail -
but they were bailed and released in time to tuck into their BBQ ribs !
Southsea Remembrance Day Service
November 9th
Thirteen HOWLERS joined the Southsea Remembrance Service. Hosted by the Royal British Legion Riders Branch (Hampshire), the largest act of remembrance on the South Coast specifically for the motorcycling community.
The occasion was made all the more poignant because original HOWLER Andy (Navy) Brown who was involved in the organisation of the event delivered the Kohima Epitaph: ‘’When you go home, tell them of us, and say - For your tomorrow, we gave our today’’.
After the main ceremony we went on to the nearby Falkland’s memorial where Simon Butler laid a wreath to his fallen shipmates from the HMS Glamorgan. Fourteen were killed when the destroyer was hit by an Exocet missile on 12th June 1982.
We felt privileged to particularly support Falklands veterans Andy and Simon and join this great show of biker support for all those who have fought for us be it on land, on the sea or in the air.
HOWL Branch AGM
November 27th
A busy Club Night/Branch AGM at The Magpie on Thursday when we welcomed new member Jo Shepard for the first time.
Karen and Simon were awarded ‘Bloody Sore Arse T Shirts’ for their huge efforts in winning the HOC Saddle Sore competition organised by Charles
17 members attended upstairs at The Magpie. We ran through the normal AGM procedures.
Our new branch display equipment was on show.
It should provide a very professional background at the upcoming Classic Bike Show at Kempton Park on December 6th where the branch have a stand
Jude, who stepped down from committee last year, was appointed Branch President – a new role and well-deserved recognition of her efforts over the last 45 years!
Jude pictured here with motorcycle journalist and long-term friend, John Nutting whose recent article in Classic Motorcycle Mechanics featured her love of 400/4s
...and Petar blew out the candles on a selection of pre-Birthday cakes - and then got to work on them, rounding off a very enjoyable club night with a great deal of member interaction
HOWL at
The Kempton Park
Classic Show
December 6th
Twelve Howlers plus 18 day-old Oliver were among the 3000+ enthusiasts at The Kempton Park Classic Bike Show.
The stand assembled by the West London branch, aka HOWL, attracted a constant stream of visitors.
Visitors came from as far afield as Luton, Wiltshire, Folkestone and …Aberdeen.
This was very much a show for people who actually ride their bikes- they recognised all the - ‘biking venues’ featured on our impressive new display equipment
The bikes on display SS50,400/4, CBX550F2 and VF750S generated huge amounts of interest and affection. The response to the question ‘did you used to have one of these ?’ was usually either ‘yes - great bikes’ or ‘no - but I always wished I had’.
For us it provided as brilliant opportunity-an established show in ‘our own back yard’ literally a mile away from our meeting place The Magpie pub, TW16 6AF
18-day old Oliver made his HOWL debut at the show - the youngest of the 3000 attendees.
In fact if you look closely at his pram you can see he's already signed up
Next door to us was a Bultaco 'Barn Find' stand (complete with straw bale and a Little Red Rooster!)
Outside was a huge Autojumble and display of classic bikes firing up - this Yamaha was as noisy as it was smoky.
There was something for everyone
It all made for a well-organised friendly show and a really enjoyable day for the HOWL team
Reading Toy Run
December 7th
On a wet December Sunday West London Branch members joined over 1000 other bikers and 250+ pillion riders for the Reading Toy Run.
Anne arrived dressed in a very elaborate Xmas Tree costume. The scores of Santas, Reindeer, Snowmen and Elves seemed oblivious to the drizzle.
Gary came dressed for the part
...in fact he won 2nd prize for furthest distance travelled
Petar got into the Santa Spirit
Snowmen and Snow-women complete with carrot noses, joined the Santas
Bikes were decorated with tinsel, flashing lights and even Xmas trees.
The spirits of the townsfolk of Wokingham were not dampened either - they turned out in their thousands lining the route, cheering and waving as the cavalcade of bikes took 20 minutes to pass through.
This annual event, in aid of Barnardo’s, features in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest motorcycle Toy Run. Afterwards, we marvelled at the collection of toys and games which had been donated. The organisers laid on some welcome hot tea and refreshments.
If you’ve never taken part before - join in next year
...and this was just the soft toy contributions...the Lego was just as impressive
HOWL Xmas Meal
Sunday December 14th
Howlers finished off the year in style with their Xmas Meal at The Magpie. This year’s charity raffle was on behalf of Mental Health Motorbikes.
There were 10 prizes of hampers full of seasonal goodies donated by branch members. These were being skilfully put together on the Saturday by Karen, Jo and Jude
They raised a very creditable £246. There were generous contributions from some Howlers who weren’t actually at the meal - and so it was fitting that three of them had winning tickets - Brian, Michael Keeler and HOC Chairman Marcus (who generously ‘re-donated’ his prize back for a re-draw).
Charles as MC tested us all with some quizzes to get our ‘little grey cells’ working and devised some games which had everyone in stitches. A brilliant way to end the year.
Well done to all …and so on to an early call for ’Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year’
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