It’s time for our AGM Monday evening meeting at Bilton Cricket Club (HG1 3DQ) starting at 7.30pm. If you are a member of Harrogate Advanced Bikes, get there if you can, and take part in the nominations of your committee or indeed get yourself involved in discussions on the future of the club. You can view the official notification sent out on March 12th and the nomination forms also sent out March 16th by clicking on the links below or go to the original messages on the website. If you’ve not been to a meeting for a while, renew your interest, it would be great to see you all, turn up on your motorcycles if you can or join the Ride-In.

How to get there and get your dinner/tea? Well it’s summertime and there is a Ride-In. Meet at The Wetherby Whaler (in Wetherby LS22 6NE) at 5.00pm for sit down fish and chips, or just turn up for the Ride-In at 6.00pm, setting off at 6.15pm for an hour’s ride around some local lanes and back to the Cricket Club in time for our AGM. It would be helpful to know if you are coming along for the fish and chips and/or the Ride-In. Text Barry on 07847 786608. Or just arrive upstairs at the Wetherby Whaler.

Starting point–Meet at Morrisons RIPON –(not Boroughbridge!) HG4 2RU-fuel available. Get there by 9.15am to leave at 9.30am after a chat and a ride briefing.

The ride goes through Masham, Middleham, Redmire, Askrigg, Garsdale and onto our COFFEE STOP – Fairfield Mill Tea Rooms, Sedburgh LA10 5LW (approx. 1hr 40.)

Back in the saddle, eastwards and then northwards towards Kirkby Stephen but nipping to Nateby and east on the B6270 all the way to Reeth DL11 6SY for LUNCH with plenty of eating places to choose from.

After a hearty lunch, continuing on the B6270 to Grinton and onto Castle Bolton, then West Burton, Grassington (Fuel stop @ 125 miles)and finishing at Stump Cross Caverns HG3 5JL. 

Approximately 130 miles in total, Peter McNulty is your Ride Leader and Peter Smith is TEC.

We’ll meet in Ripley village HG3 3AX with plenty of fuel at 9.15am for a 9.30am depart, heading west for Threshfield, north to Arncliffe and over the tops to Settle Market Place BD24 9ED for coffee break. BRING A DISC FOR FREE PARKING.

Suitably refreshed we head north, crossing the Ribble at Stainforth Force and on to Austwick, Gressingham and Caton. Southwards to Quernmore and then east through the Trough for lunch at The Riverbank Tearooms, Slaidburn BB7 3ES

After lunch we’re eastwards via Bolton by Bowland, Nappa, Gargrave and Broughton where we join the A59 for a short run to the Route 59 cafe, BD23 6AF where our 120 mile ride will finish. 

Andrew Pratt is leading this one, with David Haywood on TEC duty and we hope you can join us for what promises to be a great day out.

Our Route is here:- https://www.myrouteapp.com/en/social/route/10786277?mode=share

HAB members will be aware that in the UK we have confusing arrangements for motorcycle use in bus lanes. At the moment we don’t have any bus lanes in Harrogate but it looks like we might be getting one. Motorcycle use of bus lanes isn’t universal though. York has bus lanes and it’s okay to use them where signs permit. In parts of Leeds there is some use of bus lanes allowed. London allows motorcycle use in bus lanes where signs permit. In Bradford it’s now okay. It’s all very confusing.

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

A petition have been started by Colin Brown of the Motorcycle action Group and is endorsed by Nick Lyes, IAM RoadSmart Policy and Standard Director.

MAG’s take on this: “The overwhelming a majority of individual responses to the consultation were in favour of allowing motorcycle access. We believe that large amounts of real-world evidence proves the policy is safe with over 55 local authorities allowing motorcycle access to approximately half of the nation’s bus lanes by length. Our view is that a default policy does not erode the authority to make local decisions”.

If you agree that a default use of bus lanes by motorcycles is a good thing, potentially reducing congestion, pollution and journey times. You can add your name to the petition by clicking on the link below:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/712763

If you agree then please share with fellow motorcyclists or even four wheeled motorists.

Paul Dresser

Meeting at Morrisons supermarket car park, Boroughbridge (YO51 9UR). Sunday 16th March at 9.15am for a 9.30am start. Fuel, a coffee and a toilet available. After a pre-ride briefing we head eastwards towards the Howardian Hills, taking in Easingwold, Bransby, Hovingham, Amotherby and Kirkby Misperton on the way to our morning break at the NY500 Cafe and motoring event centre (YO18 8EA) 36 miles.

After a coffee and possibly a bacon butty, onwards through Rosedale Abbey, Blakey Ridge, Castleton, Commondale, Kildale, Stokesley, Chop Gate and to nearby Lord Stones Country Park Cafe (TS9 7JH) for a welcome lunch. 45 miles.

After a hearty lunch, jack up your suspension, it’s off to Carlton-in Cleveland, Ellerbeck, Northallerton (fuel option if necessary at ASDA), Yafforth, Great Langton, Scorton, Catterick Racecourse, Tunstall, Bardon Moor, Bellerby, Leyburn, Middleham, Masham, Ripon and finishing in Ripley (HG3 3AX). 70 miles.

Ride Leader Andrew (Deej) Di-Giorgio, TEC Bob Hill.

Fantastic day out, there’s something for everyone in this 151 mile spring ride. Click on or Paste the file below into your browser to view the route.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1WcNovBLC0oZKh54Jg8PtDZ0yJwGVm38&hl=en_GB&ll=54.23930614359765%2C-1.320137513483095&z=10

See you at Morrisons on Sunday 16th March. Any questions or comments please use the “Leave a Reply” box below or come to Monday evening’s HAB meeting at Bilton Cricket Club.

Our speaker for this coming Monday evening’s Meeting at Bilton Cricket Club has been arranged by John Blanchfield. Mike Bevington is coming to give his talk entitled ‘Halcyon Days in Oman 1957 -1958′ and covers his experience working for the Oman Defence Force during that period. 

“After spending a couple of months in Bahrain, I volunteered to go to Oman as part of a 4-man secret communications unit to assist the Muscat and Oman Scouts, later known as the Oman Defence Force. Following a brief return to Bahrain, I returned to Oman with the promise of being involved in immediate action. Initially we were based in the Scouts HQ just outside Muscat, but then we set off with our objective of retaking the city of Nizwa the original capital of Oman. It was an exciting journey. I was involved in the communications with Bahrain, RAF Sharjah and acting as a relay with the frigates in the Gulf and also air support, directing the aircraft onto their targets.”

“I have always thought of this period of my life as one of the most exciting and interesting time, particularly at nineteen and a half years old.”

Mike Bevington.

Sounds absolutely fascinating so please come along and welcome Mike to our meeting.

Please get there for 7.15pm with a 7.30pm meeting start.

Hi All.
I’m about to take ownership of a 2024 1250 GS Adventure (Triple Black) and was wondering if anyone has (or knows anyone who has) a suitable set of panniers and or top box for sale? 

I’m keen on the Lone Rider panniers but would consider anything available. 

If you are able to help please feel free to call me on 07 7845 00380. Thanks for your time.

Regards Richard Smith.

Thankfully it’s truly moving into spring like weather and it’ll be great to get out on our bikes again. The HAB ride on Wednesday 6th March will start at the The Curious Cow of Harrogate car (bike) park (HG3 2AP) on the A59. Meet at 9.15am for 9.30am start. The ride heads out west on A59 and then onto the A65 for a coffee stop at Shed 24 Hellifield Station (BD23 4HN). http://shed24h.godaddysites.com.

Continuing on then off the A59 to Ingleton the on the wonderfully scenic road to Dent. From Dent it’s on to Garsdale Head and to Hawes for lunch. Pick where you like to eat, but the Wensleydale Pantry (DL8 3QX) is a favourite. Return journey is over the moors via Buckden Grassington, Pateley Bridge and finally finishing at Ripley.

Here’s a GPX route file:

https://www.myrouteapp.com/route/open/10645738

115 miles of glorious roads.
Ride leader-John Blanchfield. 
TEC -Andy Pratt.

The weather forecast is looking good for Wednesday. We hope you can make the ride.

John

I’ve waited but the bad weather forecast for Sunday has not shifted away. It would be okay to postpone it, but all is not lost, the weather on Saturday is going to be good-up to twelve degrees, sunny intervals and light winds. So let’s take a good weather opportunity to go out on then instead.

Have a look at the post for the ride. You can view it again with this link and just insert Saturday for Sunday. Meeting at 9.30am for a 9.45am set-off at the Route 59 Cafe.

Paul Holmes the TEC for this ride is ill and I do need a replacement TEC. If you are coming along for the ride please consider volunteering. The ride is 85 miles. A GPX file is available within the original post or contact me for a copy.

barry.ring@gmail.com 078 47786 608

This month’s Sunday Ride-Out starts at the Route 59 Cafe near Bolton Bridge. Please arrive at the meeting point for 9.30am for a 9.45am set off after a ride briefing. Ride Leader-Barry Ring 078 47 786 608, TEC-Paul Holmes 077 46 378 175. A route total of 85 miles from the meeting point with approximately 3 hrs riding. If you arrive with plenty of fuel in your tank we won’t need to worry about a refill.

The first leg of our ride takes us westwards towards Skipton on the A59 continuing on the A65 towards Gargrave. Just before Gargrave it’s a right turn on Ray Bridge Lane up to Hetton and westwards again to Airton, Kirkby Malham and on to park in Settle Market Place (BD24 9EJ) to find a cafe for a cuppa. Please bear in mind Settle has a 2 hr disc parking scheme. As usual no information is available for motorcycles. We recommend you bring a disc anyway.

After morning break it’s westwards crossing the A65 and then joining the B6480 on to the Benthams, Wennington, Melling and north on the A683 towards Kirkby Lonsdale and going onto the A65 back eastwards for our lunch stop at Ireby Farm Cafe (LA6 2JH).

After lunch we continue east again on the A65 and nipping into Ingleton and on The Old Road to Clapham, briefly nipping onto the A65 and off again towards Austwick, Helwith Bridge, B6479 to Stainforth, up past Malham Tarn, Arncliffe, Kilnsey, Threshfield, Burnsall, past Bolton Abbey to Bolton Bridge and return to The Route 59 cafe for our goodbyes.

We would have done a recent recce if I hadn’t been scuppered by a bike problem on the day, but I’ve done the route before and don’t anticipate any problems with it. Here’s a route link to Tomtom as MyRoute-app wouldn’t show it correctly. I can send you the GPX (barrya.ring@gmail.com) but the route description is easy to follow anyway.

https://plan.tomtom.com/route/view/723060e0-d193-4473-80af-445c6c41bce9

The weather forecast isn’t great but as we get towards the weekend hopefully it’ll settle down and we can make a decision then. Watch out for further notification.