Dear HAB Members.

Our 11th December meeting is at the our usual venue, Bilton Cricket Club and it’s that fun time of the year again! I will be hosting a Christmas biking quiz. It’s the usual fun event with teams of up to 4 members, depending on numbers, with prizes on offer. Meet at the Cricket Club from 7.00pm and get your team together for a 7.30pm start as usual.

Partners are welcome, so bring them along and make it a great evening. It’s our last chance for a club social evening this year and as usual there will be a splendid buffet with Festive Treats provided by Bilton Cricket Club.

Looking forward to the next year we have lined up speakers taking us through to Spring and are as follows:

Monday 8th Jan – Chris Hood – IAM and RoSPA car and bike examiner-Talk on Information and Hazards.

Monday 12th Feb – Julie Emmett – Biketrac – With all you need to know about trackers and motorcycle security.

Monday 11th March – Alf (Ian) Garnett- IAM Masters, RoSPA, Examiner, Motorrad Tour Leader and AG Rider Trainer with a Touring Workshop for us.

Looking forward to seeing you all on December 11th.

Paul Dresser
Chairman

We are running out of month’s in 2023 to indulge our riding passion. Here comes Trevor Cooper with another opportunity this coming Sunday.

Meet at ATS Euromaster garage on Leeds Road, Pannal HG3 1EP. You can fill up with fuel next door at BP/M&S, get some breakfast or a coffee at Costa over the road. Arrive from 9.00am and setting off promptly at 9.30am.

Our route is through Tadcaster and Riccall to Osgodby for our breakfast break at the Garden Gate Cafe, at Selby Garden Centre, Hull Road, Osgodby YO8 5HG.

Setting off again through the East Riding of Yorkshire and northwards into The Wolds. Through Wetwang and Sledmere back into North Yorkshire, crossing the A64 and westwards, finding the A169 northwards to the NY500 Malton Road, Pickering YO18 8EA for lunch.

After lunch retracing our route south on the A169, across country, past Flamingoland, Butterwick to Hovingham and through the Howardian Hills back to Boroughbridge where the ride will end.

All in all we should cover 127 miles, if as Trevor says “if I stick to the route!!!!”

Our November Harrogate Advanced Bikes meeting is at Bilton Cricket Club. Get there for a natter and a catch-up 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start.

The clocks changed last week, the kids have gone back to school and there also seemed to be a marked increase in road traffic. A welcome coincidence then that Chris Hood, former police motorcyclist, East Yorkshire IAM and RoSPA Examiner for both cars and bikes, has agreed to give us a presentation about “Information and Hazards”. Some members will have met Chris before at IAM meetings and as he is a high mileage rider, marshalling cycle races and touring Europe, you may also have spotted his selfies in Motorcycle News’s MCN5000 stopping for a well earned break.

Bilton Cricket Club’s buffet will be served as usual after the presentation.

Look forward to seeing you all on Monday.

Our Christmas Lunch this year will again be at the Bay Horse in Great Broughton near Stokesley.

Last year was the first time we had to abandon the official ride-in owing to wintry weather. I’m hopeful this year we can ‘do it properly ’ and once again arrive at the Bay Horse in style! If you decide to arrival on four wheels anyway of course it won’t be held against you, much.

A table has been booked for 12 noon Wednesday 6th December – earlier than other years so as to leave time to get home in reasonable light.

The pub requires meals to be pre-ordered with a deposit of £10 per person. As I’ve made the reservation, can you choose from the menu below and let me have your requirements as soon as possible, along with your deposit, so I can place the final order. Thanks!

Hope you are able to join us.

David

07 779 214 331

Ladies and Gentlemen.

Last year, 22 of our number enjoyed a rather pleasant “NTCD” at Papa’s Mediterranean Restaurant in Harrogate.

The format was simple – we asked chef Ronnie to bring us a selection of the house favourites – and not allow us to go hungry!

I think he hit the target on both counts and I believe that everyone attending thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

For that reason, we’ve elected to repeat this for 2024 and have booked the same venue, for 25 people, on the evening of Saturday February 17, 2024. Cost will be £30 per head, including gratuity.

The table is booked for 7:30 pm and I’d suggest meeting in the bar area from 7:00.

Karen & I will be away for much of January and early February so I’d like to get as much as possible arranged before we leave.

Could I therefore ask members to let me know initially:

1. If you would be interested in attending as described (Yes/No).
2. How many places would you like?
3. If you have any food allergies that I should be aware of?

Your early indication by email to peter@plus-point.co.uk  with a subject of: NTCD would be very much appreciated and enable us to get the details broadly settled before the end of November.

Many thanks, Peter & Karen Smith

Meet at Conyngham Hall Car Park, Knaresborough HG5 9AY from 09:00am for a prompt 09:30am departure.

We’ll head north through Thornton Bridge, Asenby, Topcliffe, Northallerton, Great Smeaton and Crathorne followed by a brief spell on some faster roads up to Hartlepool.

Coffee stop at Hartlepool Marina TS24 (63 miles, 2 hrs) N.B. Parking at Hartlepool Marina is £2. CARD PAYMENTS ONLY. 

After coffee we’ll be travelling around the coast for a while through some of the changing skyline of the industrial heartland of Teesside and then back to the seaside at Redcar. Then via Skelton in Cleveland, Guisborough and Great Ayton.

Stopping for lunch at the Rusty Bike Café in Swainby DL6 3EW (45 miles, 1 hr 30 min).

Returning home past Cod Beck Reservoir and through Osmotherley, Thimbleby, South Otterington, Skipton on Swale, Ripon and finishing at Ripley (via Fountains Abbey if there is still time and enthusiasm!) (37 miles, 1 hr 15 min).

In total 145 miles and approx 4 hr 45 min riding time. Geoff Hale your ride leader with David Haywood performing TEC duties.

GPX files available text your email address to 07847 78 66 08.

Meet at Ripley (Main St.) at 9.15am to depart at 9.30am.

1st Leg, Ripley-Masham-Middleham-Redmire-Askrigg-Garsdale.

Coffee stop at Fairfield Mill Tea Rooms, Sedbergh LA10 5LW (approx 1hr 40).

2nd Leg, Sedbergh-Nateby-Reeth.

Lunch at Reeth (plenty of eating places to choose from) DL11 6SY.

3rd and final Leg, Reeth-Grinton-Castle Bolton-West Burton-Grassington.

Stump Cross Cavern to Finish. HG3 5JL.

Distance-130 miles approx.

Ride Leader-Peter McNulty, TEC–Martin Pettitt.

This month we have a speaker who is a traffic officer for Highways England and will be talking about their operations across the UK Motorway Network.

There will also be a chance for a catch-up and natter and as usual Bilton’s excellent buffet. The meeting will start around 7.30pm.

Look forward to meeting you all Monday.

Paul

I began riding back in the early 80’s and passed my test in 1981. I had a Honda H100 followed by 2 Honda Superdreams – 250 and 500. My eldest Son was born in 1989 so the bike had to go!! Nappy costs were high in those days!

I then didn’t really ride much until deciding to have a go again last year…. I did a refresher course – took a few test rides and then realised I still had the bug! I purchased a 19 plate Suzuki V-Strom 1000 in April this year. Took it up to Scotland in May and had a great week in the highlands.

My latest purchase was a few weeks ago again whilst visiting Scotland. As you can see I’ve treated myself to a BMW 1250 GS Rallye TE. Love it and looking forward to some nice leisurely rides out before the winter sets in!