Johns Matchless is going to need a wash. Not to be put off by the fact it was early December, it was cold and daily getting colder, the roads had been wet for days and were covered in crap and at our age we ought to know better, Matt organised and led a Sunday morning ride out to the Stibbington Diner on the A1 near Peterbrough.
Its a weekend and hoping for a ride out in company Matt circulated an email to all members with details of a short excursion.
We were to meet at Matts house in Irthlingborough at a time set late enough so even I was able to get there early.
Turnout wasn't up to the numbers of the Duxford run when seventeen riders turned up, today a more modest five riders assembled at Matts.
As we got ourselves ready to leave we were joined by John Ewes who was on his Matchless venturing out for his first ride in our company.
John was a bit concerned when he saw we were all on relatively modern machinery, we were able to re assure him that we are nominally a classic bike club and that we would go at a pace to suit the only classic bike on the run.
as it turned out his fears about getting left behind or holding us up were completely unfounded as the slippery back roads Matt chose curtailed any thoughts of a brisk pace.
Matt intended that we should enjoy the back roads of East Northamptonshire all the way to the A1 roundabout where the Stibbington Diner is situated.this we very largely achieved apart from arriving at entirely the wrong roundabout on the A1 forcing us to take to the multi lane highway briefly to head a few junctions north.
The diner didn't disappoint and all indulged in various combinations of tea or coffee and bacon sandwiches.
Once outside again we looked at the sorry state of our mud bespattered machinery and knew a wash was going to be required when we got home.
The return trip was done on A roads and was much quicker but still the Matchless was comfortably running in the middle of our group with no struggle. Not bad when the other riders and bikes were of Mark on his big touring Yamaha, Andy on his equally enormous BMW, me on my Triumph Legend, Rod on his Guzzi Breva, Trev on his Kawasaki W800 and Matt on his Guzzi V7.
A good day out.
See Gallery 2 for photos.
Its a weekend and hoping for a ride out in company Matt circulated an email to all members with details of a short excursion.
We were to meet at Matts house in Irthlingborough at a time set late enough so even I was able to get there early.
Turnout wasn't up to the numbers of the Duxford run when seventeen riders turned up, today a more modest five riders assembled at Matts.
As we got ourselves ready to leave we were joined by John Ewes who was on his Matchless venturing out for his first ride in our company.
John was a bit concerned when he saw we were all on relatively modern machinery, we were able to re assure him that we are nominally a classic bike club and that we would go at a pace to suit the only classic bike on the run.
as it turned out his fears about getting left behind or holding us up were completely unfounded as the slippery back roads Matt chose curtailed any thoughts of a brisk pace.
Matt intended that we should enjoy the back roads of East Northamptonshire all the way to the A1 roundabout where the Stibbington Diner is situated.this we very largely achieved apart from arriving at entirely the wrong roundabout on the A1 forcing us to take to the multi lane highway briefly to head a few junctions north.
The diner didn't disappoint and all indulged in various combinations of tea or coffee and bacon sandwiches.
Once outside again we looked at the sorry state of our mud bespattered machinery and knew a wash was going to be required when we got home.
The return trip was done on A roads and was much quicker but still the Matchless was comfortably running in the middle of our group with no struggle. Not bad when the other riders and bikes were of Mark on his big touring Yamaha, Andy on his equally enormous BMW, me on my Triumph Legend, Rod on his Guzzi Breva, Trev on his Kawasaki W800 and Matt on his Guzzi V7.
A good day out.
See Gallery 2 for photos.
