Open House 95

Affiliated

ISSUE 95

IN THIS

ISSUE

REGULARS An Introduction to the NABD

2

Chairman’s Chunk

3

TEL

A Rough Guide to Adaptations

24

EMAIL

NABD Affiliated Clubs

27

info@redhenpromotions.com

NABD Merchandise

28

ADVERTISING SALES

NABD Patrons

30

advertising@thenabd.org.uk

NABD National Committee & Representatives

31

TEL

NABD Affiliated Businesses

32

FEATURES NABD Overview 2018-19

5

NABD Annual General Meeting 2020

8

A Triumph of Bikers

14

EDITED BY Vic Hawkes

PUBLISHERS

Red Hen Promotions Ltd PO Box 75 Brighouse West Yorkshire HD6 3WF 01484 400666

0844 415 4849

All enquiries, correspondence and so on to: The NABD Unit 20, The Bridgewater Centre Robson Avenue Urmston Manchester M41 7TE Telephone: 0844 415 4849 Email: office@thenabd.org.uk Web: www.nabd.org.uk

The International Laverda Owners Club and NABD 16

Articles on varied relevant subjects for inclusion in Open House are always welcome from all members.

Email or post your articles to the contact details above.

The Berkshire Egg Run

19

Motorcycle Madness in Marrakech

20

Time Gentlemen Please...

22

Please enclose original photographs or digital images of good quality/size (750kb minimum) on a CD - please do not embed in word documents as we cannot use them. Also images printed on inkjet printers or using plain paper are of no use whatsoever so please don’t send them.

Flash’s Learner Loaners

23

ADAPTATIONS Jimmy Stathearn’s Kliktronik Adaptation

9

Never Give Up

10

Keith Young’s Honda 500 Adaptation

13

Submissions may be edited before publishing. Please remember that articles received after copy dates CANNOT be included Copy Date for the next issue of Open House (Issue 96) is 31st March 2020.

Cover photo Mai Ling, photo by Jim Graves

1

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

an introduction to...

The National Association for Bikers with a Disability The NABD was set up in April 1991 by a group of people in Manchester who believe that disabled people should have full access to the independence and freedom of motorcycling.

During the past twenty years, this unique Association has developed immensely.

The membership of the NABD has increased to over 7,500 individuals from all over Britain, Eire and Europe with well over 150 clubs, groups and businesses affiliating to show their support of our aims.

The NABD has many diverse aspects including: FINANCIAL GRANTS To assist with the cost of special adaption work to bikes and trikes to suit the individual requirements of disabled riders. These grants range from £100 to £2,000 dependant on the type of machine and the specific needs of the disabled rider.

NABD grants are also now available toward the costs of refresher training and assessments.

ASSESSMENTS AND TRAINING The NABD has a number of “learner legal” machines, which are adapted to suit various disabilities.

These machines are lent to disabled riders free of charge for the purposes of professional training/tests and rider assessments.

The NABD also offer financial help with the cost of refresher training for riders who have become disable due to traumatic accidents or who have endured a protracted period of time off the road.

INSURANCE The NABD has negotiated discount rates for members from some of the more reputable companies. Where an individual has difficulty obtaining a reasonable quotation we will attempt to negotiate a satisfactory conclusion.

Bikesure Insurance (part of the Adrian Flux Group) in cooperation with the NABD operate a unique discounted insurance scheme for our members.

It is our belief that; “When it comes to motorcycling, a disability should not be a handicap”.

REPRESENTATIVES The NABD has a wide network of appointed representatives throughout Britain who co-ordinate the efforts of local members and organise regular meetings and fund-raising events.

AWARENESS The NABD is constantly trying to educate the organisers of motorcycle events to the fundamental needs of disabled riders.

Many organisers now ask our advice on facilities for people with disabilities as a matter of course.

NABD information and publicity stands attend a large number of motorcycling and disability events each year throughout the British Isles.

The NABD’s quarterly magazine, Open House, which gives a broad view of the work of the association, is distributed to every NABD member and affiliate and to other supporters and interested parties.

ADAPTIONS The adaptions made to motorcycles and trikes are as varied as current technology will allow.

Adaptions range from simple re-siting of existing controls, to the fitting of specially designed kits or even the building of specialised vehicles where necessary to suit the particular needs of a disabled rider.

Due to the detailed engineering work involved, the NABD utilises a network of professional engineers throughout Britain and Eire.

EVENTS The NABD holds many events around Britain throughout the year. These NABD events range from major annual motorcycle rallies to smaller fund-raising activities.

Although these events are intended primarily to raise funds, they have gained a reputation for being good value, quality entertainment.

Several of the more regular events are now classed as some of the best on the motorcycle scene.

FINANCE The administration of the NABD is financed entirely from the proceeds of membership fees and our own direct fund-raising efforts.

All donations made to the NABD are used solely to fund the adaption grants and other services offered to disabled riders by the Association.

The NABD is a voluntary association. We only have two paid employees, a full-time office administrator and a full-time admin assistant. The gross turnover of the NABD for 2012-1013 was over £275,000.00 OTHER FUNDING The NABD are constantly seeking funding from sources like the National Lottery and the European Union.

We are also seeking sponsorship from commercial interests and the motorcycle industry in particular.

MEMBERSHIP NABD membership is available to anyone with a love of motorcycling irrespective of disability.

Each member receives a members pack, the Open House magazine; discount prices on some items of NABD merchandise.

Also and perhaps more importantly, members get the chance to help lots of people enhance their lives in a practical and constructive way.

Affiliations from motorcycle clubs and businesses are also very welcome. See www.nabd.org.uk for further details, or contact the NABD office (contact details on page 1).

CAMPAIGNING The NABD has several objectives concerning the rights and safety of disabled riders.

This includes a current campaign for the inclusion of both motorcycles and trikes on the Government sponsored “Motability” scheme.

We also work closely with MAG and BMF on many issues affecting the rights of bikers.

THE FUTURE Over the years the NABD has helped thousands of people with disabilities to enjoy the independence and the freedom of motorcycling.

With the continued support of the biking community the NABD will remain the world’s foremost support group for disabled bikers!

NABD Website: www.nabd.org.uk NABD Public Web Forum: www.forum.disabledbiker.co.uk NABD E-Mail: office@thenabd.org.uk The views and opinions expressed in Open House are not necessarily those of the editor or the NABD and no responsibility can be accepted for any action taken as a result of reading any of the information herein.

Reproduction of this magazine in whole or part is prohibited without prior permission of NABD.

2

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

Appologies for the lack of a Chairman’s Chunk in Issue 94 of Open House, which was published online in early December 2019. I have been suffering some quite severe health problems since September 2019, which left me fit for nothing.

I even missed two of our monthly National Committee meetings, which brings my total of NC meetings missed over the past 29 years to about eight.

(Must try harder...)

My health has improved somewhat since the New Year, though it is still quite hard to motivate myself into tackling my huge backlog of work and poor old Vic Hawkes (Club Liaison and Open House Editor) has had to badger me for weeks to get this Chairman’s Chunk written.

My somewhat prolonged illness has also resulted in me still not being quite up‐to‐ date with the daily business of the NABD, though I doubt that the Association has suffered too much because both Ian

Taylor (Vice Chairman) and Julie Williams (Office Manager) have been truly stalwart in taking up the slack left by my absence.

However, my not being fully up‐to‐date means that this Chairman’s Chunk may be a little limited in its content. Hopefully I’ll be back to better form for the next issue of Open House.

Open House Magazine: Though there have been some initial teething problems with getting the online issues of Open House published on time, both Vic Hawkes (Editor) and Simon Freedman (Webmaster) have worked very hard to get everything running smoothly.

Both Issue 93 and Issue 94 are available online at, https://issuu.com/thenabd/docs which can also be reached by clicking the link in the ‘Open House’ section of the NABD website front page at www.nabd.org.uk It would appear that the message about us now having only one commercially printed issue of Open House per year,

with that issue and three more being published online each year, has begun to get to all members and a growing number of supporters.

A small number of members, who do not have easy access to the internet, have requested printed copies of the online‐ only issues and these have been printed off at the office and posted to the members concerned.

Sadly, one member has decided not to renew his membership because of our reluctant decision to only print and post one issue per year to members. I can only reiterate that the NABD could simply no‐ longer sustain the cost of having four issues per year commercially printed and posted to members at a current cost of £18,000.00 per year. Our stark choice was to increase membership fees significantly during a time where many people with disabilities are getting financially squeezed more than ever before, which would inevitably lead to a swingeing loss 3

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

of members, or to make three of our four annual issues ‘online‐only’. I honestly don’t think the Trustees had any other option!

Of course, another advantage of only having one printed issue per year is that it is ecologically more sound, which in these days of ‘climate change crisis’ cannot be a bad thing.

Membership & Membership Renewal Fees: I am informed by our Webmaster, Simon Freedman, and our Treasurer, John Byrne, that the new facility giving people the option for paying membership fees monthly, quarterly or annually is now available via the link on the NABD website.

Again there were one or two teething problems but our two super‐geeks seem to have sorted it out.

Once they have sorted out a few more wrinkles in the banking process we will also be able to offer this facility via the ‘Standing Order’ system directly from your bank. Hopefully the option of paying two pounds per month will make it easier for people to join the NABD and to retain their membership when renewal is due.

The 29th You’ve Been Nabbed Rally: (May 8th – 10th 2020) Back in October 2019 the powers‐that‐be announced that they had decided to move the early May Bank Holiday in 2020 from Monday 4th of May to Friday 8th of May to coincide with the 75th anniversary of ‘V.E. Day’ (V.E. = Victory in Europe) which heralded the end of the European conflict in World War Two. The somewhat short notice announcement has reportedly thrown many people’s long‐standing plans for holidays and weddings etc. into disarray but for the NABD it may prove to be a positive boon, at least for this year.

The weekend of the 8th, 9th and 10th of May 2020, just happens to be the weekend of the 29th You’ve Been Nabbed rally in Cheshire.

In addition to being an event that features more entertainment than you can shake a stick at, including live music on two stages, a huge stand‐up comedy show, three bars (including a eal ale bar featuring 40+ Ales and Ciders) and, of course, a top‐quality bike & trike show sponsored by Back Street Heroes Magazine; the event also has a theme each year to give folk a chance to dress‐up and be even sillier that normal on the Saturday.

4

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

The theme of the You’ve Been Nabbed rally this year is ‘The Second World War’, to coincide with the 75th V.E. Day anniversary celebrations that will be happening around the country.

This should give a huge scope for choice of outfit for those who enjoy getting right into the theme and we are also trying to find ways to ensure that, in addition to honouring the WW2 armed forces, we also honour all of the facets of service that contributed to the allied success; including the Merchant Navy, the Home Guard, the ARP’s, the Land Army and the hundreds of thousands of women who kept industry going while so many men were overseas.

We are also hoping to get some WW2 vehicles displayed on our event site at The Royal Cheshire Showground (just off Junction 19 of the M6 motorway near Knutsford), including some motorcycles of that era. So if you have such a machine, or know somebody who has, we are offering two free ‘VIP Passes’ (worth £100) to anybody who is willing to bring their WW2 vehicle along and display it on Saturday May 9th (or for the whole weekend if they wish).

Interested parties should contact the NABD office via email to office@thenabd.org.uk with a photo of their vehicle, or telephone the office on 0844 415 4849.

Of course, the You’ve Been Nabbed rally is not just a fantastic, fun‐packed event; it is also a showcase of the work being done by the world’s leading support group for motorcyclists with disabilities, so in amongst the wonderful array of bikes and trikes on display in the Back Street Heroes Custom Show on Saturday 9th of May, there will be an appreciable number of machines that have been adapted to suit the needs of their disabled owners. The vast majority of those machines will have been specially adapted with the help of Grants from the NABD. In addition to being the annual showcase of the work of the NABD, this event is also the NABD’s most important fundraising event.

100% of the profits from this event go toward the running costs of the NABD office and the wages of the office manager and the administrative assistant (the only two paid employees of the Association) so that, not one single penny of the donations made to the NABD go toward ‘administration costs’.

You’ll have to look long and hard to find

another registered charity that can honestly make such a boast!

The total in grants awarded by the NABD in 2019 (a very tough year for everyone) to help bikers with disabilities to have their bikes, trikes, or sidecar outfits adapted to suit their needs came to £38,071.86. In 2018 the total in grants was £56,409,74. In total over just the past two years that was 126 bikers with disabilities, many of whom had thought they would never ride again, back in the saddle where they belong with the help of the NABD! And for every one of them there have been another three or four who have been helped by the NABD to gain or regain licences, or sort out legal and/or insurance problems that were keeping them off the road.

It is only with the support of bikers that we are able to continue to improve on the figure of 11,000+ disabled bikers who have been directly helped by the NABD over the past 29 years.

We are hoping that one of the benefits to Friday 8th of May being a Bank Holiday; is that people who have previously been put off attending the You’ve Been Nabbed Rally in the past because of how late they would arrive after working all day on the Friday, will now give it a go due to having the day off.

We have a wonderful site and an event that creates an atmosphere worth bottling and we will be ready and waiting to welcome each and every one, of you, and your friends, to one of 2020’s most iconic and unmissable events.

Advance tickets are on sale for £30.00 each now via http://www.thenabd.co.uk/ or telephone 0844 415 4849.

Personally I can’t think of a more enjoyable way to actively support a registered charity. I’m sure if you come along, you will think so too.

Well, I think that just about covers the things I have to say in this issue. Next week I’m off on holiday for five days in the sun, in a bid to put the past three months firmly behind me. Then, on February 7th I’m getting married to my lovely partner of five‐years Mandy.

I hope your year has a similarly joyous start, and that it heralds a wonderful summer for each and every one of us.

Hasta luego amigos!

Rick Hulse

DETAILS OF TRUSTEES (Including dates if appointed or retired during the year, along with details of any office held).

Rick Hulse, Chairman chairman@thenabd.org.uk John Byrne, Treasurer treasurer@thenabd.org.uk Tina Slesser, Secretary secretary@thenabd.org.uk John Lysons, Public Relations publicity@thenabd.org.uk Simon Freedman, Webmaster internet@thenabd.org.uk Derek Durham, Research research@thenabd.org.uk Ross Lockett, Fundraising Coordinator fundraising@thenabd.org.uk Vic Hawkes, Club Affiliations Coordinator clubliaison@thenabd.org.uk TRUSTEE SELECTION METHODS: The NABD constitution allows that trustees can be appointed by the National Committee until such time as their position can be ratified by the membership in the election of officers at the annual general meeting. However, where possible, incumbent trustees who are considering retirement are encouraged to remain in their post until an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the NABD so that any change of post holder can be ratified by the members immediately.

NB. Those positions detailed above are the positions within the National Executive Committee that are filled by Trustees of this charity.

Other positions within the National Executive Committee and the National Non‐Executive Committee do not require the incumbents to accept the additional responsibilities of being Trustees of this charity.

SUMMARY OF THE MAIN ACTIVITIES IN RELATION TO THE CHARITY'S OBJECTS: To promote the relief of disabled persons by the supply of information, advice, advocacy and practical assistance relating to motorcycling and in particular by awarding financial grants to help with the cost of special adaptations to motorcycles, motorcycle/sidecar combinations, trikes, and quad‐cycles to suit the needs of disabled riders.

Also to develop new methods of adapting motorcycles, motorcycle/sidecar combinations, trikes, and quad‐cycles and to remove any barriers to the freedom and independence of motorcycling for disabled people.

FINANCIAL OVERVIEW: The gross income of the Association had risen slightly in the 2018/19 fiscal year to £246,873.48, which is a 3.5% increase when compared to the gross income of the 2017/18 fiscal period.

Though this increase in income is very welcome, we remain mindful of the fact that this 3.5% increase in gross income must be considered against the 6.2% reduction in gross income that the Association experienced over the previous two fiscal periods.

The expenditure of the Association has also risen by 5.8% to £214,109.84. The majority of this increase is related to NABD grants made to help with the cost of adapting motorcycles, trikes and/or sidecar outfits to suit the needs of riders with disabilities.

Income from memberships has been around £40k for the past three years.

However, we have recently amended the membership subscription payment options on the NABD website to offer the options of monthly payments and

automatic renewals. It is hoped that this make it easier for more people on low incomes to become and/or remain members of the NABD as well reducing the number of members who fail to renew their membership annually due to simple oversight or a temporary lack of funds.

The total in ‘out‐of‐pocket’ expenses paid to NABD National Committee members and accredited NABD Representatives had fallen in the 2018/19 fiscal year to £1,139.84, which is a 35.9% reduction on the previous year.

Thanks to the diligent and dedicated work of the NABD National Secretary we have finally navigated the labyrinthine depths of the Gift Aid system and successfully claimed back‐dated dues going back several years. This resulted in a windfall of £47,775.09 from the HMRC. In a bid to make best use of this Gift Aid windfall the NABD National Committee decided, after much research and expert advice, to invest it in a managed investment fund which will offer significantly better returns than is offered by the banks at present while also allowing instant access to the sum invested, if that need arises. West Riding Personal Financial Services Ltd have very kindly agreed to manage this investment fund free of any management charges.

Now that we have the Gift Aid system set‐ up correctly, we will be making regular claims which should bring in an extra income of £8,000 – £10,000 per annum.

USE OF DONATIONS: General donations received in the 2018/19 fiscal year came to a total of £38,070.32. This was £7,929.40 less than the total general donations in the previous fiscal year.

5

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

Adaption grants awarded during the year totalled £52,959.19 (an increase of £7,388.44 over the 2017/18 fiscal period) and a further £483.24 (an increase of £309.60 over the 2017/18 fiscal period) was spent on adaptations to the 125cc motorcycles in the NABD learner loaner fleet.

As ever maintain our commitment to ensure every single penny of general donations to the NABD will go directly towards grants.

A further £2,015.00 was donated towards the sponsorship of specified aspects of the NABD’s core costs.

We have always been proud to state that 100% of donations go directly to the purpose for which they are donated. In the 2017/18 fiscal year we once again proved that this is no idle boast.

• • • •

Solo motorcycles New motorcycle/trike conversions Existing trikes Motorcycle/Sidecar Combinations

50 11 11 2

The adaptations funded by these NABD grants included a broad range of equipment and an eclectic range of design and fabrication challenges, including: • Kliktronic gear changers 45 • K‐Lever2 twin lever units 15 • Hudson Engineering Thumb operated brakes 3 • PFM twin lever units 1 • Hydraulic to cable conversion 1 NB. Many adaptations have also involved one‐off specialist engineering such as, the fitting of reversing differentials, throttle adaptions, steering dampers, wheelchair racks, modified handlebars, trike conversions etc.

ADAPTATION GRANTS: During the fiscal period April 2018 – March 2018, the NABD approved 74 adaptation grants to help disabled people to have vehicles adapted to suit their needs. This is an increase of sixteen grants compared with the previous fiscal year. These grants totalled £52,959.19 which is an increase of £7,388.44 over the total awarded in adaptation grants over the previous fiscal year.

LEARNER LOANER MOTORCYCLES: The NABD owns ten 125cc motorcycles, which are each adapted to suit specific disabilities. These motorcycles are loaned to disabled people who wish to take professional motorcycle training and tests. There is no hire charge attached to this service but a £150.00 administration fee is charged to cover the cost of delivery and collection of the machines.

NB. Five of these grants (totalling £4,380.00) were awarded to ex‐members of the British armed forces.

All of these grants were funded by the general NABD adaptation fund because there were not sufficient funds in the ring‐fenced AFB fund to cover them at the time the applications were received.

Most of the machines have been out on loan throughout the year (some more than once). Eight NABD members have completed their Compulsory Basic Training courses (CBT) using NABD Learner/Loaner machines. Of these, five have so far successfully gone on to pass their full Category‐A licence test.

The geographical breakdown of grants awarded by the NABD is as follows: • England (South) • England (North) • England (Midlands) • Northern Ireland • Eire • Wales • Scotland

NABD Learner/Loaner machines had also been used successfully in fourteen rider assessments over this period.

26 19 17 2 2 4 4

NB. This demographic simply reflects the geographical spread of grants applied for rather than any form of bias on the part of the NABD. The Isle of Man and the Channel Isles also fall within the bailiwick of the NABD adaptation grant system but no grant applications were received from these areas during the 2018/19 fiscal year.

These grants helped to fund special adaptations to: 6

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

NABD Learner/Loaner motorcycles have also been displayed on a large number of NABD information stands at motorcycle and/or disability events throughout the year.

The cost of maintaining, servicing and MOT testing the NABD Learner/Loaner fleet throughout the 2018/2019 fiscal year was sponsored by a donation of £1,000.00 for this purpose by the organisers of the Hoggin’ The Bridge event.

Rally Secretary, for personal reasons.

Wendy had many years of sterling service in various National Committee posts and we were all extremely sad to see her go but we also understood the pressure she was under and we offer her our heartfelt thanks for all she has done for the NABD in the past.

Dave Silburn retired from his post as manager of the Learner/Loaner scheme due to deteriorating health. Dave’s work with the learner/loaner scheme had been nothing short of heroic over the years. I think it fair to say that he had revolutionised the way in which the scheme was managed and he had been instrumental in dozens of individuals progressing from CBT to full licence in addition to countless more having advisory assessments to identify the best type of adaptations to fit their needs. Our heartfelt thanks go to Dave Silburn for his valiant efforts on behalf of the NABD. He is a true NABD hero!

The Learner/Loaner post is an extremely important facet of the services provided by the NABD so, following Dave Silburn’s retirement the search was on for another worthy stalwart to fill the position. Fortune soon smiled upon the NABD when Gordon Hooper volunteered and was swiftly co‐ opted into the post. He has since proven his worth with some sterling work, both with the management of the scheme and in providing advisory assessments.

More recently Adrian (Lemmy) Straughan has retired from the post of Rep’s Liaison due to health reasons and the post has been taken‐on jointly by Ross Lockett (Sponsorship) and Vic Hawkes (Club Liaison).

OPEN HOUSE MAGAZINE: 2018 ‐2019 was a fairly disastrous year for the Open House magazine with only one of four issues actually being produced in that time‐frame.

The NABD Chairman would like it known that the fault for this lies purely with himself and nobody else.

National Committee Changes: There have been a few changes to the National Committee since April 2018.

Both his paid work as an expert witness for the High Courts and his ‘other’ voluntary work with the Hulse Towers Hedgehog Refuge, which he runs jointly with his partner Mandy, have both grown exponentially to the point where he simply could not find time to produce the quarterly issues of Open House.

Wendy Seddon retired from her post of

It was not until March 2019 that an issue

was produced and that only happened because Vic Hawkes (NABD Club Liaison) agreed to take on the job of Open House editor.

positive steps toward ensuring that issues relating to the safety of motorcyclists on trunk roads and motorways in England are being addressed at the highest levels.

That issue was produced in print form as usual but it also seemed the most opportune time to finally make the move to an on‐line magazine.

This is involvement at the higher levels of decision‐making and it reflects the respect with which government departments and other authorities have for the work and expertise of the NABD.

We have tried very hard for several years to build‐up advertising within the magazine to offset some of the production and circulation costs but sadly this has never raised enough to even come close to covering the printing costs. The fact is that, in its current format, the Open House magazine costs in excess of £18,000 per year to print and post out to members and affiliates. What may surprise people even more is that the cost of postage actually outweighs the cost of printing!

After much soul‐searching and discussion the national committee have concluded that the only way to keep the Open House magazine from becoming an unbearable burden on NABD funds is to publish it in electronic form as an on‐line quarterly magazine just one issue per year being printed as a hard copy and circulated by post to members and affiliates.

It has been decided that the first issue each year (hopefully printed in January each year) will be printed and circulated to members in its current format as a glossy 32‐page magazine. This will also allow us to distribute the year‐bars to members in that issue. That first issue will also be made available on‐line but the following three issues, in April, July and October, will be produced only as an online publication.

Every issue will also be downloadable as .PDF files for those who wish to print‐off any particular article or the whole magazine if they wish to.

For those few members who have no access to the internet we will have a facility to print‐off the .PDF files of the online‐only issues at the NABD office and post them to members free of charge.

CONSULTATIONS: Throughout the 2018‐2019 fiscal period Vic Hawkes and I have continued our work as members of the Highways England Motorcycle Safety Group.

I am pleased to say that the involvement of the NABD in the forefront of this group has enabled us to affect many very

NABD OFFICE STAFF: Toward the latter end of 2018 our office manager Julie Williams was on sick leave for the better part of two months. Though our full‐time admin assistant, Jane Singleton, did her best to minimise the impact of Julie’s absence, it was still keenly felt.

When Julie returned to work just after new‐year 2019 there was an enormous backlog of work waiting for her and over the following three‐months she made a gargantuan effort to get everything back on track.

I mention it here in my annual report because there may still be one or two people who wonder if two paid employees are really necessary for a charity of our size and nature and, having experienced the chaos of being without one of those two employees for a somewhat extended period, I can say on behalf of the whole NABD National Committee that we simply could not continue to operate without their essential skills and dedication to the cause.

NABD INTERNET & IT SYSTEMS: This year has seen the implementation of a few IT related projects, which have benefited the Association.

One was the introduction of the Sum Up card readers to enable the taking of card payments in a mobile situation, such as the National Stall and the National Rally.

This has proven to be successful and welcomed by customers and rally attendees.

The second has been the set up and commissioning of the Video Teleconferencing equipment at the Office.

This comprises of a wall mounted computer monitor, a wall mounted webcam and speakers. Several of the Committee have been able to utilise the facility to attend meetings without having to travel to the Office itself, reducing expenses incurred & maintaining Quorum for those meetings which might not otherwise have been possible. The actual meetings are accessed using the Microsoft Teams app.

After investigation since the start of 2019 I decided that Paypal had the facility we could utilise to implement auto‐renewal for memberships. (Whilst not covered specifically in this reports timeframe, this is now live via the website.)

NABD NEWS BULLETINS: The e‐bulletins produced by NABD Public Relations Officer, John Lysons, featuring updates on the latest NABD news and activities, have continued to enjoy a great deal of positive feedback.

These bulletins are circulated through social media and numerous motorcycle forums and forwarded directly to affiliated clubs and motorcycle press contacts.

BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE CHARITY'S POLICY ON RESERVES: Though the reserves are somewhat depleted at present it is our intention to build‐up new reserves, when the financial situation allows, to act as a buffer to protect the association from the worst ravages of the wildly fluctuating British economy.

SUMMARY: In summing up the 2018‐2019 fiscal year for the NABD I would say was a relatively unsurprising year where a lot of very hard work was put in to make what improvements we could whilst fighting very hard against the effects of the inept handling of the British economy by self‐ serving politicians. With that in mind I believe it fair to say we have done extremely well against terrible odds.

As it has for the past 27‐years the NABD remains true to its aims and its philosophy and more disabled people than ever are enjoying the freedom and independence of motorcycling directly due to of the work of the NABD and, when all is said and done, that remains what we are all about.

Rick Hulse NABD Chairman

7

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

Venue: The Winking Man Pub, Buxton Road, Upper Hulme ST13 8UH. (On the A53 between Leek and Buxton).

After Conference Party: Summerhills Farm, Upper Hulme, Leek, Staffordshire ST13 8UG

Date: Saturday 27th June 2020

6.30pm until late

Time: 10.30am to 4.00pm (Meeting starts at 11:00am promptly)

Summerhills Farm is just over a mile from the Winking Man pub. The farm is off the A53 between Leek and Buxton, just opposite the Winking Man. There will be NABD signposts from the A53.

Representatives of affiliated groups are welcome to attend, each affiliated group carries a single vote.

Tea, Coffee and a buffet will be available free of charge for those attending the meeting. The building and toilets are wheelchair accessible.

Camping Space: is available free of charge for those who wish to arrive on Friday and/or stay over on Saturday night at the after party location.

8

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

(please note the postcode will not take you to the correct farm on your sat�nav, please follow the signposts) Please bring your own booze, as there will be no bar at the after conference party at the farm.

Hot food will be available on Saturday evening only.

Please put this date in your diary and attend if at all possible.

It would be appreciated if you could let the office know if you do intend to be there so that we can gauge numbers for the buffet and refreshments.

Tel: 0844 415 4849 Email: office@thenabd.org.uk Once again the Trustees would like to thank Stuart Gregory for hosting the after AGM party for the 6th consecutive time.

I have been a biker for getting on for 15 years and have had various different types of bikes and loved the freedom of getting out for a blast as well as the daily commute.

Unfortunately in October 2010, I was diagnosed as having Multiple Sclerosis. I tried to stay on 2 wheels for as long as possible but as my MS mainly affected my balance and leg strength, it was only a matter of time before the deterioration started to affect my ability to ride.

After dropping my bike a couple of times when coming to a stop due to weak legs, I decided that it was time to accept that 2 wheels had no future for me.

After a while, I decided that I would look at trikes as an alternative and bought a Phoenix style VW trike which initially felt great to get the crash helmet back on.

However the joy was short lived because

as my MS progressed, it became more and more difficult to operate the foot clutch due to weakened legs.

So I decided to change to a bike based trike which again worked well for a while but as time went on gear changing was becoming harder and harder. As I had now been retired on ill health, financing a new more suitable trike was very unlikely and I was seriously considering hanging up the helmet for good.

I started putting the word out among friends that I was considering selling the trike until one of my friends suggested applying for a grant from the NABD to get the trike adapted as my MS only affects my legs.

After doing some research, I applied for the grant to have the Kliktronic system fitted to cover the gear changes as well as dual levers to cover the rear brake. I am

also fitting foot boards to give me more support for my legs.

My grant application was approved and the work was carried out by Skinners Motorcycles in Dundee.

So now, thanks to the NABD, all controls are on the handlebars, I can now continue to enjoy the trike which would otherwise have been sold.

Jimmy Strathearn Arbroath For further information on the Kliktronic gearchanger and Twin Lever visit: www.kliktronic.co.uk or telephone 01359 242 100.

This NABD grant of ÂŁ1090.00 was sponsored by donations from the Girder Fork & Classic Bike Club, Ilkley, West Yorkshire.

9

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

This is a story about my son Micky Reynolds, who 3 years ago used to compete at Championship Motorcross and IMBA level for the AMCA (West Lancs Group). He was racing one Sunday and had a big off on a downhill section, and as a result it left him with a broken back and paralyzed from the chest down, T6 vertebrae, after having surgery he started rehabilitation at the Southport spinal unit, and 4 months later came home in a wheel chair.

10

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

Then one day he says there's a bike charity called TBEX (the bike experience, run by a great guy called, Talon Skeels Piggins, who himself is a paraplegic. So Micky had a go on an Aprilia 850 Mana with auto gearbox and he had a great time flying round the car park at Donnington. It didn't take long to get himself a Triumph 675 Daytona which we adapted so he could go doing track days and to possibly go road racing.

He did a special test at a circuit to gain an ACU licence and he was ready to go. He's got a couple of helpers to start him off from the back of the grid and to receive him when he comes in, which we have down to a fine art.

He’s had some great results this year on some great circuits, the best coming from a race called The Bridgestone Di Di World Cup which is a once a year race where disabled riders from all over the world

come together and race, the venue for 2016 was Mugello in Italy, some 2400 mile round trip in the race bus, there’s 2 days practice/qualifying which he put his Triumph 675 Daytona on pole for the big race on Sunday which he went out and won! A very proud moment indeed and coming home crowned 600cc seated world champion and to finish a good season off with a good second at the Anglesey circuit.

For 2017 it's much of the same, club racing and the Di Di, which this year is running in conjunction which the Moto GP at La Mans in May, should be a great weekend!

For further information on The Bike Experience visit www.facebook.com/TeamTBEX This NABD grant of ÂŁ360.00 was sponsored by donations from Weymouth Bike Night 11

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

TICKETS NOW ON SALE THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION VITE YOU

FOR BIKERS WITH A DISABILITY IN FOR 2020 TO ATTEND THEIR NATIONAL RALLY

THE CHESHIRE SHOWGROUND, PICKMERE LANE, TABLEY, KNUTSFORD, CHESHIRE, WA16 0HJ. (JUNCTION 19 M6)

usic from

Featuring live m YOU DON’ AVE TO BE DISABLED! FIFTEEN GREAT BANDS IN YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE TO TWO MARQUEES edy BE AN NABD MEMBER. The very best in stand-up com IF YOU LOVE BIKING YOU WILL BE THE SMACKED ARSE WELCOME. DON’T MISS OUT ON COMEDY CLUB THE BEST ‘VALUE FOR MONEY’ (Before May 1st) TICKET PRICES: Advanced tickets BIKE RALLY OF 2020. lability). avai to £30.00, On the gate £35.00 (subject 415 4849.

0844 via BOOK YOUR Passes for cars and vans are available bility disa sed TICKETS NOW!” Strictly no dogs allowed (except licen assistance dogs)

ET HEROES MAGAZINE EET TRE STR KS CK AC AC

BY BA OW BY OW SHO E SH KE K RIK R BIKE/TRI B gh the gate, we have three bars

throu 3 x bars (No alcohol will be permitted s.) and spirits at very reasonable price s wine s beer selling a wide range of nds esta s of trad 2 x discos - 2 x exotic dancers - load rtainer SATURDAY THEME hot showers - kids games - kids ente h more ... muc & ss) acce bled excellent toilets (disa

LIVE MUSIC • COMEDY • COMPETITIONS • GAMES • PARTY ATMOSPHERE • TRADE STANDS • AND LOTS MORE Tickets available from NABD, Unit 20, The Bridgewater Centre, Robson Avenue, Urmston, Manchester, M41 7TE. T: 0844 415 4849 OR office@thenabd.org.uk

12

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

WORLD WAR II

Prizes for best outfits/make-up

I started riding motorcycles in 1968, my first was a BSA Bantam D3 and I progressed to a Triumph 350 speed twin.

It was winter 1970 the roads were fully iced and no sign of a gritter, that morning I had no option but to walk to work. During that walk I was run over and left with crush injuries to my right arm and fingers, a lifelong disability. (For those interested it was a Mercedes Benz 190SL.) My motorcycle licence was then cancelled by the medical profession.

From then until now I have always wanted to get back on a bike but life matters took precedent and it was not until I retired that time became available.

My first bike riding experience came from the N.A.B.D who supplied me with a Yamaha 125 on their Learner Loaner scheme. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and particular thanks to Dave Silburn and the office ladies who between them organised the bike and got it delivered to me on the Kent and Sussex boarders. The guys in the delivery van also need considerable credit, a difficult and arduous journey.

My interest in Motorcycles had now woken sufficiently for me to invest in a bike of my own; however there was the motorcycle test to consider. The last time I took one it was twice round the block and an emergency stop. These days there are a Theory test, Perception test, Basic Training followed by Mod 1 and Mod 2. If that's not enough the bike has to fit a convoluted formulae, a mix of cubic capacity, Brake Horsepower, Kilowatt Rating and a power to weight ratio. Take professional advice before you buy is all I can say.

Honda, Yamaha and Triumph. My contact there is Gavin whose aim in life is to improve the customers experience and is extremely good at it. The dealership have now completed my adaption and it now remains for me to pass my mod1 and mod2 tests.

Finally I must repeat my vote of thanks to the N.A.B.D and to J S Gedge (both engineering and training arm) who between them created a motorcycle that I can ride and pass my test on.

Keith Young

I ended up with a Honda 500 as it seemed to fit all of my needs, its medium powered and smallish in stature. I then approached the N.A.B.D for the adaption kit from Kliktronic. The N.A.B.D assisted with a grant and provision of the K lever.

My thanks to all concerned at the N.A.B.D who progressed my request for assistance.

Locally I contacted the Honda dealer J S Gedge and arranged for the adaption to be carried out there. I had previously taken the little Yamaha there for its service. J S Gedge are main dealers for

For further information on the Kliktronic K lever visit: www.kliktronic.co.uk or telephone 01359 242 100.

For motorcycle dealership, engineering solutions, rider training in the South East contact J S Gedge www.jsgedge.co.uk or telephone 01424 423520.

This NABD grant of ÂŁ650.00 was sponsored by donations from FUMCC of Suffolk.

13

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

In November 2018 I began to organise the NABD’s 28th annual national fundraising event, the You’ve Been Nabbed 28 Rally, which was to be held in a huge paddock at the eastern end of the Royal Cheshire Showground just off junction 19 of the M6 motorway.

Over the following five months, I and Julie Williams, the NABD’s office manager, sorted‐out the site plan, the marquees, the stages, the fire‐fighting and safety equipment, the toilets, the radios, the security systems, the waste disposal infrastructure, the beer orders, the traders, the caterers, the bands, the comedians, the local authority licensing, advertising, ticket sales, and all sorts of policies and plans for everything from Child Protection to Terrorist Attack.

Meanwhile Tina Slesser, the NABD Secretary & Rally Secretary was amassing a list of 140+ stalwart volunteer marshals and organising a timetable of 4‐hour rotating shifts that would have taken a highly‐paid civil servant and several ‘consultants’ a year and at least three ‘fact‐finding missions’ to somewhere 14

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

exotic at the tax‐payers expense.

I have no idea of the total amount of hours we spent putting all of this together, but by April we had just about everything organised and all we had to do was wait for Wednesday the 8th of May when the marquees would start going up.

Then, just two days before we were going on site to set‐up the event, I had a call from one of the showground directors saying, “Somebody has ‘accidently’ ploughed the part of the showground where your event is to be held!”

mile away from the one we used for the past two years and, of course, a whole new site‐plan; which I had to draw‐up from scratch!

At one point during our emergency meeting, one of the showground directors actually said they were thinking of fitting Sat‐Nav systems to their tractors to avoid something like this happening again. My knee‐jerk response was to blithely suggest that it might be cheaper to simple stop employing idiots to drive the tractors in the first place!

I’m still somewhat baffled as to how anybody manages to ‘accidently’ plough any field but, at the time, we did not have the luxury of time to contemplate the possible causes of this somewhat surreal state of affairs.

Fortunately, over the past 28 years, some of us longer‐standing NABD committee members have had quite a bit of practice at reacting to critical last‐minute changes of plan, as attested to by a song written in our honour by NABD Patron, Stevie Simpson; aptly entitled “The Kings of Winging‐It”.

I had an emergency meeting with several of the Showground directors just one day before our set‐up was to begin and it was agreed that we would move to the opposite end of the showground, which meant us using a new entrance over a

As dawn broke over my deeply furrowed brow on the morning of Thursday May 9th, I headed for the new site with much trepidation and prepared for a hellish weekend of frantically reacting to anything and everything going wrong.

Photos by Jim Graves

Both of our big marquees had been erected the previous day, with a certain amount of guesswork in their positioning and, with the help of our two wonderful ladies in the NABD office, we had spent the latter half of that previous day contacting everybody involved in the supply and setting‐up of the infrastructure to give them the details of the new site.

Other NABD committee members had been down to the site putting‐up diversion signs to lead people from the old entrance (and published postcode) to the new one, and a couple of stalwarts had even volunteered to camp at the site that previous night to catch any early traders before I got there at 7:00am to show them where to set‐up.

I can honestly say I was really not looking forward to what would surely prove to be a weekend of stumbling from one major calamity to another. However, despite my 28 years of experience in organising and running large NABD events, I had become so daunted by the task in front of us that I had failed to factor‐in the outstanding quality of the people who volunteer to

marshal at NABD events.

As I expected, we did face all sorts of problems and difficulties during the setting‐up of the event infrastructure, and there were many more embuggerments waiting for us once the event was open to the public, but each problem was dealt with in very timely fashion and I can honestly say that, due to some heroic people going well above and beyond the call of duty, the event itself went fantastically well.

The feedback we have had from many of those who attended the rally has been overwhelmingly positive and many people even expressed a definite preference for the new site over the old one. (Which is just as well, because a ploughed field can take ten‐years to become fit for event use again!)

The Showground directors and the local residents also expressed their admiration for our handling of the event and we have already booked the site again for next year (You’ve Been Nabbed 29: May 8th‐10th 2020).

I salute each and every one of those

volunteers who worked so hard to make the event such a success this year. They proved to be a very timely reminder of the outstanding quality of the people we have supporting the NABD and I was left feeling very humbled by their tireless efforts and indomitable good humour in the face of some extreme challenges.

Many of our marshals and key personnel are people with disabilities and none of them have ever received any payment for their valiant efforts at NABD events.

When we finally sat down together for a drink on the Sunday evening, after a very arduous day of litter‐picking and dismantling equipment, I can honestly say I have never been more proud to be a biker amongst bikers!

Rick Hulse PS. It is worth noting that the Friday of the You’ve Been Nabbed 29 rally (8th May 2020) is a special Bank Holiday to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day commemorations, which also explains why the Theme for this year’s event is World War 2.

15

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

Several years ago, I had the privilege of taking on the role of Chairman of the International Laverda Owners Club (ILOC). The club was formed in 1973 and its purpose is to promote the Laverda brand. Stepping into such a position, I was somewhat surprised to find out that we did not have a nominated charity who would benefit from any money raising activities that we undertook.

Fast forward to the Stafford Bike Show in October 2017, when I happened to bump into a very lovely lady called Penny Bee. She was on the NABD stand with a very nice trike that had caught my eye. Several moments later, I was deep in conversation 16

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

with Penny and intrigued to know more about her fabulous trike. She went on to explain how she had been desperate to find a solution to overcome her particular issues and how NABD had helped her to find a solution that was right for her. My interest had been well and truly captured!

Following on from the meeting with Penny and some of the NABD representatives, I decided to make a proposal to the club that any future events should support NABD. This proposal was wholeheartedly endorsed and our fundraising efforts began in earnest!

For the past three years, we have raised

funds for NABD in various ways. However, by far the most successful has been at our annual rally which takes place near Hay on Wye in Herefordshire. Generally speaking, we raise between three and four hundred pounds at these rallies. The club then matches the funds raised which means that we are normally able to hand over a cheque for something in the region of £750.00. We usually try and do some sort of formal cheque presentation at the October Stafford Show, as can be seen by the photos. (NABD Rep Sue Bocking accepting a cheque from Mark for £750 ‐ Vic) The club is proud to support NABD and the excellent work that it does to help

bikers with a disability to ride safely with an appropriate conversion kit. The conversion kits promoted by NABD give people the opportunity to have the same degree of choice as to which bike they ride as any able‐bodied biker. After all, why should anyone be restricted in their choice of bike?

So if you’re a club that’s looking for a purpose or a reason to raise money, why not consider raising funds for NABD and support people with a disadvantage in following their dreams? We did and it really focused and added value to our fundraising activities!

Mark Hastings Chairman International Laverda Owners Club It is great that the NABD have the support of such great clubs. The fundraising efforts of the ILOC and other clubs really do enable us to help those less fortunate get back, or into, riding.

Not only that, but the ILOC have been Affiliated Club members for over 20 years. That affiliation also means a lot, it contributes to the core running costs of the charity, enabling us to keep up our promise that every penny given in donations goes out to those who need it.

Without the continued support of these

fantastic people, the NABD would not be able to do what we do.

So, on behalf of the NABD and all those living with disabilities, we send our heartfelt thanks to the ILOC for their continued support.

Vic Editor If you would like to feature your club or group, then just send me a few words and pictures to openhouse@thenabd.org.uk (pictures need to be originals, minimum 750kb).

17

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

18

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

Organised by The Thames Vale Vultures, the Berkshire egg run is a charity motorcycle ride across Reading which takes place on Good Friday every year.

Fancy dress included Easter bunnies, Easter eggs and rabbits as well as countless people wearing bunny ears on their Easter decorated bikes.

Riders from all across the south of England converge to ride through the centre of Reading donating Easter eggs to the Reading Rotary Clubs and West Berkshire Childrens Centre who distribute them across Berkshire to those children and adults who are for one reason or another in need of a little help.

Leaving at 12:30 the ride across Reading took around 30 minutes to complete, at one point stretching for almost 2 miles along the main Oxford Road into town.

Marshalls led the way, in bright orange 10th Anniversary T�shirts making sure the procession stayed together. Arriving at The Abbey Rugby Club, the eggs were counted in. (It should be said that in the build up to the event, eggs are collected from various places and businesses including ASDA and Network/Crossrail staff as well as various other organisations). On the day we collected a fantastic 1551 Eggs making a grand total of 10,600 Easter Eggs.

The first run took place in 2006 and saw around 80 riders collect just under 1000 Easter eggs. This year, the tenth anniversary exceeded all expectations.

Waking up to a day more akin to May than March we thanked whoever booked the weather and set off to the meeting point. Probably because of the good weather riders were already arriving as we pulled in. By 12:15 the car park was absolutely full with every type and style of bike, trike and scooter imaginable. Our official 'counter' counted an amazing 527 bikes with many carrying pillions too.

10 years ago, we never thought that the egg run would grow to the size that it has, becoming the 2nd biggest biking run in Reading (we still have a way to go to catch up with the Reading toy run). We never ever imagined in our wildest dreams that

we would be able to bring a smile to 10,600 faces.

The fact that it is as big as it has become is down to the generosity, support and kindness of the businesses, groups and clubs in the area and, last but not least, the amazing biking community that supports the run, not only on the day but during the build up when their kind words of encouragement help us keep pushing when sometimes all we want to do is sleep.

On behalf of the Thames Vale Vultures and all who organise the Berkshire egg run, I would like to thank each and every one of you. We couldn't do it without you and it wouldn't happen without you.

See you next Good Friday.

Colin Hawkins Club Rep The Thames Vale Vultures (Motorcycle Owners Group).

Photos courtesy of Mike, Juliet and Christine 19

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

I and my lovely partner Mandy have recently returned from a holiday in Marrakech, Morocco.

Marrakech sits just a stone’s throw from the Atlas Mountains, which separate the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert, so we knew it was going to be hot but, as neither of us had ever been to Africa before, we were a somewhat taken‐aback by quite how hot it was!

We arrived at Marrakech Airport at 8:00pm and the temperature was a balmy 33 degrees Celsius. Thankfully we had done enough research to be dressed accordingly with Mandy wearing a light floaty dress and myself doing a passable impression of Hannibal Lecter in the final scene from the film ‘Silence of the Lambs’.

The drive into the centre of Marrakech was our first experience of the madness of Moroccan traffic. On the face of it, the only rule seemed to be ‘every man, woman, or child for themselves’!

Bearing in mind the fact that I have, in the 20

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

past, driven and/or ridden in Paris, Rome, Seville, Madrid and Lisbon; I didn’t think there could be a more nerve‐racking free‐ for‐all traffic system anywhere other than perhaps India, where I am told it is truly insane in the bigger cities.

By the time our taxi reached our wonderfully Moorish hotel in the Medina (the ancient walled town at the heart of Marrakech) you couldn’t have got a Rizla paper between the cheeks of my arse!

The following day, as temperatures quickly rose to 36 degrees Celsius, we decided to begin our exploration of the Medina and its legendary ‘souks’, which are narrow streets packed with market stalls and street vendors of an impossibly wide selection of goods from spices to clothing and baby tortoises to tacky jewellery.

Our initial foray into the spice souks was as atmospheric as we had hoped it would be. The wonderful aromas of Jasmine, Amber, Patchouli and a thousand other fragrances were quite intoxicating and the constant questions from stall holders as

we meandered by their precipitously stacked wares were so practiced and smooth that we soon fell into the trap of conversation.

“Hey English! What is this?” asked a young trader, pointing to a pile of small resin blocks.

Of course I couldn’t let his question go by without a witty response...

“Well, you’re the one trying to sell it pal. If you don’t know what it is, I don’t think much of your chance of flogging it to anybody!”

Thirty minutes later we left his stall with all sorts of sweet‐smelling things and we were twenty‐five quid lighter than when we started. Lesson learned, I responded to all further enquiries of this nature from traders with a polite shake of the head and a smile.

As we had started our explorations fairly early in the day the souks were relatively easy to meander around but as the morning wore on they became more

crowded and through those crowds a seemingly constant stream of mopeds and scooters, some piled‐high with goods, zig‐zagged their way through the throng, very rarely coming to a halt as their riders exhibited some incredibly well‐practiced slalom stunt‐riding as if they were born to it!

In the afternoon we sat in a wonderful vegan restaurant near the Palace El Badi with a view out onto a busy intersection of five roads. Here the true scale of insanity was evident to even the most casual bystander. Hundreds of small capacity motorcycles and scooters vied for the right of way with buses, cars, taxis, horse‐drawn carriages, half‐starved donkeys pulling unfeasibly large loads on rickety old carts, little kids on roller skates and, of course, hundreds of pedestrians whose attitude to road safety was on a par with that of the many pheasants that can be seen squashed on the rural roads of Britain.

In amongst this grand‐melee of suicidal driving we were both drawn to the strange ‘rules’ that seem to apply to the

motorcyclists. About 90% of the riders wore helmets of one sort or another, however we never saw a single individual who had actually fastened the chin strap.

Then there were the pillion passengers, often as many as three, and in some cases four pillion passengers per machine plus the rider. Not one single pillion passenger wearing any form of helmet and every single person we saw on motorcycles were wearing either flip‐flops or open sandals on bare feet.

Often a woman wearing some sort of sari would be riding a scooter with a small child squashed between her and her husband with another small child clinging to his back whilst perched on the tiny wire luggage rack. In at least two instances we saw this set‐up with the addition of the man also holding a baby under one arm!

Weirdly, each time there was a near‐miss or the screech of brakes, a smile, a hand to the chest and an acknowledging nod from whoever was at fault seemed to be all that was required to dissipate what in the UK would have engendered a road‐ rage incident.

I can only surmise that, being a quite devout Muslim country, people simply place themselves in the hands of their god and hope for the best. Sadly that trust seems to be somewhat misplaced when the official statistics show the rate of road fatalities in Morocco to be almost four times higher than in the UK! It would be too easy to dismiss the bikers in Marrakech as ‘mad‐bastards’ but here in the UK we still have people who think Crown Green Bowling is an interesting sport and tonight my lovely partner Mandy and I will be talking to a terrifying group of Brownies in Stockport about why they should care about hedgehogs. Ain’t any of us free from the influence of ‘La folie’!

Would I recommend people to visit Marrakech? Hell yes, it’s a fabulously evocative place!

Would I recommend anybody to go there on a motorcycle? Not on your nelly!

Rick Hulse 21

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

During the winter, as a kid, I regularly used to sit on the windowsill of my bedroom using my finger to draw faces in the ice on the inside of the single‐glazed window whilst wearing thin cotton pyjamas.

The only heat source available in the house, first thing in the morning, would be the grill on the cooker; until I (or one of my brothers, depending on whose ‘turn’ it was) had gone through the time‐ honoured tradition of rolling and knotting a dozen pages of newspaper before laying them into the fireplace then piling on some small chunks of coal and lighting the paper with a match.

Using another sheet of newspaper across the back of the coal shovel, I would try to create a seal across the fireplace in a bid to help the fire ‘draw’ into the chimney.

This invariably lead to me chasing a floating sheet of burning newspaper around the front room, trying to bash out the flames with the coal shovel as the draughts from gaps in the window frames and doors sent it floating this way and that.

In those days (the 1960’s) we also had power cuts at least twice a week and, due to the frequency of those events, I got to know every draught in the house that was capable of blowing out a candle.

None of this was thought of as a privation at the time!

Even going out to the coal‐ shed to fill the scuttle

on a snow‐covered night wearing nothing but pyjamas and wellies was no great hardship as a child, despite being somewhat scary due to the trees at the back of the house clacking together in the breeze like the dry bones of approaching skeletons bent on murdering me in the dark!

My home is now ‘A‐Rated’ for energy efficiency, the windows are all double glazed and the whole place has been insulated to within an inch of its life, but last winter I had to dress‐up like a Russian peasant just because my central heating boiler has been broken for 48‐hours!

As I sat miserably at my computer watching my breath condense into clouds of vapour and rubbed my thermal‐glove covered hands together, I wondered idly, “When did I become so bloody soft?”

My mind meandered back to the days when riding from Manchester to Cornwall in the pissing‐down rain without a single item of waterproof clothing on was simply considered ‘an adventure’. Yet now, given the choice on a cold and rainy day, I’ll be reaching for the car keys or even saying “Sod it, I didn’t want to go out anyway!”

Could it be that I’m ‘Getting Old’?

I suppose the signs may have been there for a while…

In my youth, on seeing a patch of pristine untarnished snow, I could never resist the urge to write my name in it while peeing.

Now, on those rare occasions when we get any decent snowfall in South Manchester, I instinctively know that bearing my nether‐regions to the cold night air is more than likely to leave me countersunk. There would barely be enough sticking out to point it at the ground, let alone attempt any discernible form of hydro‐calligraphy!

As an apprentice electrician it was I who would be summoned if one of the older electricians dropped a tiny brass 4mm screw onto a swarf‐strewn workshop floor because, I had “…eyes like a shithouse rat!” (Believe it or not that was classed as a compliment in Stockport engineering factories in the mid‐to‐late 1970’s).

When, just 20‐years later, I discovered that my eyesight had become less than perfect; the need for a pair of prescription

22

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

glasses was a massive blow to my ego.

But now, almost 20‐years further down the road, I require three separate pairs of glasses (four, if you include the prescription sunglasses that get used for less than a dozen days of the year).

As palpable as the physical signs of aging are, they can always be dismissed or ignored but I find the psychological signs of aging can be much harder to discount.

There was a time when I and a group of friends would sit around a pub table and boast about which of us had been taking the strongest ‘acid’ tablets. In recent years I have found myself meeting up with the surviving members of that same group of friends and, as likely as not, we find ourselves compare notes on which of us is taking the strongest ‘antacid’ tablets!

There was a time when all I required for a three‐day drinking session was some good company and a pocket full of cash.

Now I find that a fully charged mobile phone, a debit card, a credit card and a pocket full of Gaviscon tablets have become essential facets of a single night out!

Perhaps the most insidious and cruelly telling part of the realisation that my 59‐ years of existence in this world have truly robbed me of my youth is the way in which my natural instincts have evolved.

While walking through the centre of Manchester recently I happened to pass a very pretty young lady dressed in a denim miniskirt, fishnet stockings, stiletto‐healed ankle boots and a crop‐top that served to accentuate her perfectly formed breasts while displaying her firm flat stomach for all the world to see. There are many thoughts that could, and indeed should, have crossed my mind at that point. I’m sure I don’t need to detail them here, as your own guesswork will no‐doubt be fairly accurate. Sadly, the first thought that actually crossed my mind was; “She’ll be sorry she didn’t bring a coat out with her, it’ll be getting cold later!”

It’s really no wonder that I feel like time is catching up with me is it?

I bid you all a very happy and prosperous New Year, may we all rediscover our youth in 2020!

Rick Hulse

Alan and Gordon Distinguished Gentleman's Charity ride out 2018

The life of the loaner learner officer isn't all sex drugs, rock n roll, loose women and endless parties. Sometimes I have to do some work.

The learner loaner officer has the complex responsibility of trying to match up suitably adapted motorbikes to meet the individual needs of prospective clients. We have a small fleet of 125s adapted to various requirements but sometimes when I receive a new application, adjustments are needed to suit their individual needs.

So to achieve this aim I have to cajole other NABD members into helping me change the adaptions to suit.

One of these poor souls is Alan Fowles who I have worked with in other motorcycle charities. I often ring to ask if he would assist me in adapting a bike. (well I say assist as I am not the most mechanically minded person in the world so I generally pass him spanners and drink tea). He is slowly and very patiently teaching me the basics of motorcycle mechanics. " I have been lucky enough to have had the chance to work with Gordon Hooper on a couple of the 125's that required some changes to their layout for a NABD rider's special requirement.

The adaptation kits are amazing. All the ones I have been involved with are beautifully engineered to a high standard of finish and all work very well.

We fitted a new electronic gear�change unit to a used Yamaha 125 where the previous rider had only needed the clutch lever repositioned on the right handlebar as gear changing had not been an issue.

How marvellous it is that riders with a disability so easily adapt to new riding and control techniques, some of which are possibly unique to operate their bike safely."

Alan Fowles.

This new requirement meant adapting the existing gear pedal by drilling a hole positioned to take the rose joint on the end of the powered operating cylinder.

These cylinders are extremely powerful and a degree of judgment and head scratching was required to get it in exactly the correct place.

Somewhat nerve racking as we didn't want to end up having to buy a new gear lever if we messed it up.

It can be easily disconnected to restore normal gear selection.

The next requirement for this new rider for the bike was to move the gear selection button panel over to the right hand side. So now there are no handlebar controls on the left side. It looks very simple to just reposition but in fact was quite involved.

People often ask if the learner loaners are restricted to new riders. More often than not half the bikes that go out are to people who have stopped riding due to some form of disablement and would like to get back in the saddle. Often these people will go on to apply to the NABD for a grant to adapt their own bike and once again enjoy the pleasure that biking gives us.

Over the last year I have been happy to see a number of people at the office who have been a little apprehensive regarding their suitability of riding a bike. We at the NABD are always happy with regards to helping answer any concerns that someone may have with riding. A lot of my emails are questions that I don't always have the answer for. Luckily we have some very experienced guys and girls who will endeavour to find the answer.

If you would like to contact me my email is loaners@thenabd.org.uk

Nevertheless it all worked out well.

Unfortunately I was not brave enough to do a test ride on the converted bike. My brain would not be able to cope with all the differently positioned controls.

Gordon (Flash).

Learner Loaner officer.

23

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

A ROUGH GUIDE TO ADAP

This is the latest up-date of our “Rough Guide to Adaptions”. Due to the limitations of the available space in the the Open House magazine we can not go into minute detail of each and every option, but hopefully this article will give a fairly good overview of the most commonly available options for the adaption of most motorcycles and trikes to suit the needs of riders with disabilities.

Where possible we have included the web-site addresses or other contact details of manufacturers.

More comprehensive details are available on www.nabd.org.uk or from the NABD office: office@thenabd.co.uk Right Leg: (Amputation, reduced/restricted strength/mobility in the knee or the ankle joints):

This is usually a simple matter of transferring the rear brake pedal to a handlebar-mounted lever.

This can take the form of a thumb operated lever or “twin” levers.

Another method of adapting the rear brake system is to utilise a mechanical linkage or hydraulic extension to transfer the brake pedal to the left-hand side of the machine.

This can be sited either beside the gear pedal or directly behind it for heel operation.

1. Twin levers 2. Thumb brake 3. Crossover to the left side of the motorcycle.

For any type of leg disability you may find it difficult to operate the side stand. This can usually be cured with the simple addition of a hand operated actuating lever or moving the stand to the right side of the machine.

West Twin-Hydraulic Lever Unit www.pfmbrakes.com

Left Leg: (Amputation, reduced / restricted strength / mobility in the knee or the ankle joints): The easiest method would be to use an electrongic gear change system 24

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 94

Kliktronic Push-Button Gearchange Kit www.kliktronic.co.uk

such as the Kliktronic push button gear-changer www.kliktronic.co.uk.

This unit works by pushing two buttons on the handlebars that operate an electronic actuator connected to the gear pedal. The Kliktronic gear-changer is supplied as a complete, easy to fit kit, which can be used on all styles of motorcycle.

Another method is to use a cross over linkage to the right side of the motorcycle, mounting the gear pedal either beside or in-front of the rear brake pedal.

1. Electronic push button gear-changer (to fit 1” and 7/8” bars) (“on-bar” or “under-bar” push-buttons) 2. “Crossover” to the right side of the motorcycle Right or Left Leg: For any type of leg disability you may find it difficult to operate the side stand. This can usually be cured with the simple addition of a hand operated lever/linkage or moving the stand to the opposite side of the machine.

The kliktronic switches, the twin levers and the thumbrake are all available in 1” or 7/8” bar sizes.

Right Arm: (Amputation, Brachial Plexus Injury, reduced strength/ mobility in hands or fingers or elbow & shoulder joints): This is usually a simple matter of transferring the throttle and front brake lever to the left handlebar. The front brake caliper can then be operated by a “twin lever” in tandem with the clutch lever (see www.klever2.com and/or www.pfmbrakes.com for twin lever kits) or by fitting a thumb operated lever below the left handlebar. Some switchgear may require adapting to suit left hand operation.

(www.bitzforbikes.co.uk) If the disability of the rider just involves difficulty with operating a twist grip throttle (i.e. fused or stiff wrist, tendonitis etc) the only requirement may be the use of a thumb-operated throttle (as used on quads). Where it is a matter of reduced mobility or amputation of fingers or wrist problems it may be that a thumb operated brake lever will solve the problem.

A further, though less common option would be to operate the front brake with a left foot pedal mounted behind the gear pedal for heel operation.

1. Left-hand throttle 2. Right-hand thumb throttle 3. Left-hand thumb brake 4. Left-hand twin levers 5. Left-heel brake Left Arm: (Amputation, Brachial Plexus Injury, reduced strength/ mobility in hands or fingers or elbow & shoulder joints):

In most cases this is a simple matter of adapting the clutch operating lever and some minor modification to the switchgear on the left handlebar.

There are several ways to adapt the clutch lever depending on the severity of the individual’s disability. In the case of total loss of/or loss of use of the left hand, the clutch lever must be re-sited elsewhere.

Most commonly this is a simple matter of transferring the lever to the right handle bar using “twin levers” for front brake and clutch (see www.klever2.com and/or www.pfmbrakes.com for twin lever kits) or by fitting a thumb operated lever below the right handlebar to operate the front brake and using the original front brake lever for the clutch.

In the case of reduced mobility or strength in the left hand, further options would be; An hydraulic to cable conversion kit for smaller bikes makes the use of cable operated clutches much lighter. For a limited range of motorcycles, an automatic clutch such as the Rekluse Z-Clutch www.rekluse.co.uk may be available. Recently some of the major motorcycle manufacturers have produced large capacity motorcycles that are available with automatic transmission, thereby doing away with the clutch altogether. The Yamaha FJR1300AS has an automatic

PTATIONS BY RICK HULSE transmission as does the Honda DN01, the Honda CTX700 and the Honda VFR1200DCT. 1. Right hand twin levers 2. Automatic Clutch 3. Thumbrake & Clutch Right or Left Arm: With all adaptions to suit riders with a hand or arm disability we strongly recommend the fitting of a high quality steering damper.

When necessary a Velcro glove to handlebar grip can be used to help keep the affected hand on the handlebar & in some cases for amputees, prosthetics can be specially adapted to enable some handlebar use.

However we must stress the importance of never being too firmly connected to a solo motorcycle.

If you do have a spill while riding you need to be able to separate from the machine very easily rather than be dragged along by it into what could prove to be a more

Kliktronic K-Lever2 Universal Twin-Lever (for operating two cable systems) www.klever2.com

Kliktronic K-Lever2 Universal Twin-Lever (for operating two hydraulic lines) www.klever2.com

dangerous situation.

Reverse Gear for bikers:

Both the twin levers and thumb brake are available in 1” or 7/8” bar sizes.

The vast majority of motorcycles do not feature a reversing facility.

However, for many people with disabilities, a reversing facility is essential when a motorcycle has been converted to a trike. There are several methods of achieving this; perhaps the oldest method was to incorporate an electric reversing motor, but this has generally proven to be ineffecient and ofter a serious strain on the battery. More recently, purpose built reversing differentials and in-line reversing gearboxes have emerged onto th emarket from the motor racing scene. Companies like Quaife Engineering Ltd www.quaife.co.uk and Elite Racing Transmissions Ltd www.eliteracing transmissions.com produce in-line reversing boxes for shaft-driven vehicles and reversing differentials for chain, belt or shaft driven vehicles.

Wheelchair Users & Balance problems: (Bilateral amputation, paraplegia, MS, reduced mobility/strength in legs, balance problems, etc): With these types of disability one obvious issue is that of stability, which usually means the addition of a “third road wheel” whether this is in the form of a bike and sidecar combo or a trike.

In the case of bike and sidecar combos sometimes it is possible to utilise standard outfits when the bike has been converted to “full hand controls”. But there are also some manufacturers who manufacture specialised or adapted sidecar outfits that are specifically designed to suit independent use by wheelchair users such as Motopodd Ltd www.motopodd.com and Unit Sidecars Ltd www.unitsidecars.co.uk In the case of trikes it is always preferable to have a trike fully manufactured specifically to suit the individual rider. Where this is not possible, some second hand machines can sometimes be modified to suit the needs of a disabled rider (i.e. full hand controls, stirrups, foot-plates, seating styles, back support, automatic transmission, wheelchair carriers, etc). www.trikeshop.co.uk and/or www.trikedesign.co.uk and/or www.boomtrikes.co.uk and/or www.rewacotrikes.co.uk

NB. This guide is not intended as an exhaustive catalogue of the adaptions available for bikes and trikes. It is meant as a brief guide featuring the most popular solutions to the most common problems faced by many riders with disabilities when considering adapting machines.

There are always other options available and we at the NABD are constantly working with some highly skilled engineers to develop new alternatives and improvements to existing kits.

There are “drop down” stabiliser kits www.adaptivemotorcycles.com and www.koeltgen.de/kontakt.h tml for solo motorcycles on the market but as yet we have not been able to fully test their viability for disabled riders.

1. Bike and sidecar 2. Trike 3. Stabilisers (for solo bikes)

Kliktronic K-Lever2 Universal Twin-Lever (for operating one hydraulic line & one cable system) www.klever2.com

25

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 94

100% Biker Magazine Now with added NABD support!

100% Biker is THE UK grass roots custom bike lifestyle magazine - the one aimed squarely at and for real bikers, not bottomless pocket wannabes who've watched far too much Discovery Channel.

They are also more than slightly aware of the good work done by the NABD over the years getting bikers back on the road after particularly traumatic episodes in their lives. So, with that in mind, 100% Biker is offering NABD members a very special subscription deal.

Take out a subscription to 100% Biker magazine at any NABD event, or by visiting www.jazzpublishing.co.uk/nabd and they will donate £5 straight back to the NABD. That means that, not only will you be guaranteed of getting the best biker magazine in the country through your door every month, but you'll also be helping your favourite charity at no extra cost to yourself - it's a win-win situation!

Thanks - Dave Gamble

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR BIKERS WITH A DISABILITY Reg. Charity No. 1040907 (SC039897 in Scotland) Are you a disabled person who wants to learn to ride a motorcycle?

Then join the NABD and take advantage of our unique

LEARNER LOANER SCHEME This could enable you to complete a CBT course and both modules of the practical test with the loan of a suitably adapted 125cc motorcycle for up to 3 months. (Subject to conditions).

A small number of adapted bikes are available specifically for the use of disabled riders (subject to a £150.00 service charge).

We will take care of delivery and collection, so you can concentrate on passing your test.

NABD “Learner Loaners” are loaned to NABD members specifically for the purpose of training & tests and for no other purpose.

Users must provide a copy of a fully comprehensive insurance policy and provisional license prior to delivery.

For further details, please contact: Gordon Hooper (Learner Loaners) NABD, Unit 20, The Bridgewater Centre, Robson Avenue, Urmston, Manchester, M41 7TE. Tel: 0844 415 4849

Email: office@thenabd.org.uk

Web Address: nabd.org.uk

Tel: 07761 642107 or Email: loaners@thenabd.org.uk 26

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 94

• • • • • • • • • • • •

AFFILIATED CLUBS

Premium Affiliation Federation of Sidecar Clubs G B MCC Greenman MCC Halfway Heroes MCC Harley Davidson Club Somerset Harley Davidson Riders of GB Moto Guzzi Club GB Rocker Box MCC Royal Enfield Owners Club Tiger MCC Triumph Owners (Berkshire) VRA UK

Standard Affiliation 69 MCC Dover Barrel Bikers MCC Beartown Bikers Beerhounds MCC Bikers Inc MCC Bitter & Twisted MCC Blue Knights England XIV BMW Club UK Sidecar Register • Boston Motorcycle Riders Association • Bridge Rats MCC • Bristol & Avon • • • • • • • •

Roadrunners MCC • Burgess Hill & District MCC • Burnley & District MCC • CAT MCC • Cernunnos MCC • CMA (Bristol Branch) • CMA (N.Lincs & East Yorks Branch) • CMA (North Cheshire Branch) • CMA (West Yorkshire Branch) • Cripple Club Bath • Crown Crazy Cruisers MCC • Dark Squadron • Defunct MCC • Deva Legion HOG • Doggs Bollocks MCC • Dunedin HOG • Eye Of RA MCC • Gawsworth Jesters • Golden Phoenix MCC • Goldwing Owners Club of GB • Harwich MCC • Hedingham Sidecar Owners Club • Hednesford MCC • Highland Classic Motorcycle Club • Hillbillies MCC • Hwicce MCC

• International Laverda Owners Club • Jawa CZ Owners Club Of GB & Erie • Kaos Krew MCC • Knights of Antioch MM • Knuckle Eddz MCC • Meriden TOMCC • Millennium 2000 BC • Minehoff MCC • Moddey Dhoo Mcc • Morini Riders Club • Motorbike Alliance • MT Heads MCC • National Youthbike • N.I. Bikers & Trikers Club • Norsemen MCC Sussex • North Devon British Motorcycle Owners Club • NOTAS • Oakley MCC • Oddballs MCC • Open Air Riders • Pennine Wings GMR • Pinkertons MCC • Police Motorcycle Club N.Ireland • Pyeratz MCC • Quay Vipers MCC • Riders Association of Triumph – Lincolnshire

• Robbers Dogs • Rusty Sprocket MCC • Saddle Tramps Motorcycle Club • Salutation MCC • SANZARU N.F.A. • Shite Shags Geordieland • Six Feet Under MCC • Solent MCC • Southport Cruisers • Tees Riders MCC • Thames Vale Vultures • The A59 ers • The Inner Circle • The Royal British Legion Riders Branch • Tribe MCC (Ayreshire) • Unwanted MCC • Van Dieman MCC • Vespa Club of Britain • Vintage Motor Scooter Club • Virago Star Owners Club • VRCC-UK • West Sussex Triumph Owners Club • Wild Geese MCC • Witch Haven MCC • Wolds Bikers • Wozwolf RC • York Advanced MC • Zx9r.net

27

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 94

NABD

Thanks to Mai Ling (Instagram - Oriental_Strip) for donating her time to model our clothing and to Jim Graves for the pictures

MERCHANDISE

T SHIRT

SWEATSHIRT

Black with White Standard Logo and Sleeve Print Members price inc p&p £18.00 Non Mem price inc p&p £20.00 Sizes M/L/XL - XXL (add £2)

Black with White Standard Logo Members price inc p&p £11.00 Non Mem price inc p&p £13.00 Sizes M/L/XL/XXL

5

4

FLEECE

Black with Silver Celtic Logo Members price inc p&p £24.00 Non Mem price inc p&p £25.00 Sizes available: L/XL/XXL

28

3

2

1

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 94

PADDED JACKET

Embroidered Black with Yellow Standard Logo Members price inc p&p £50.00 Non Mem price inc p&p £53.00 Sizes S/M/L/XL/XXL

HOODED SWEATSHIRT

Black with White Standard Logo Members price inc p&p £19.00 Non Mem price inc p&p £21.00 Sizes M/L/XL - XXL (add £2)

6

BASEBALL CAP

Embroidered Black with Yellow Razor Logo Members price inc p&p £10.00 Non Mem price inc p&p £11.00

8

7

SUPPORTERS PATCH

Embroidered Red with Black Standard Logo Price inc p&p £3.50

10

SUPPORTERS T SHIRT

Black with Yellow Logo Members price inc p&p £13.00 Non Mem price inc p&p £15.00 Sizes M/L/XL/XXL

DISABLED BIKER PATCH

Embroidered Black on Yellow Price inc p&p £3.50

9

ENAMEL PIN BADGE

Black with Gold Standard Logo Price inc p&p £3.00

11

BLUE BADGE HOLDER

Unique design, only available sfrom the NABD Price inc p&P £38.00

You can buy NABD merchandise via the web site www.nabd.org.uk* (click on NABD Shop) or by credit/debit card payment over the telephone 0844 415 4849* or by post from: NABD, Unit 20, The Bridgewater Centre, Robson Avenue, Manchester M41 7TE Cheques should be made payable to NABD * Minimum order value of £5.00 when ordering by phone or internet.

29

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 94

NABD PATRONS SIR BILLY CONNOLLY CBE

Comedian and bike/trike rider

Member of the house of lords and biker (pictured here with his son Gus)

DAVID HOLDING

MARK O’SHEA

Para-Olympic gold medallist

SUZI PERRY

Superbike and supermoto presenter for the BBC (pictured here with fast bloke Eddie Irvine)

MIK SCARLET TV presenter and DJ

LORD ROTHERWICK

Herpetologist, author, TV presenter and biker

GARY HAVELOCK

Champion speedway rider

SAMMY MILLER MBE

Motorcycling legend

30

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 94

NEIL HODGSON

World superbike champion

STEVIE SIMPSON

(One Bloke, One Mandolin) Biker, Troubadour, Singer/Songwriter

NABD NATIONAL COMMITTEE Chairman Vice Chairman Treasurer National Secretary Rep’s Liaison PR/Information Webmaster Affiliated Clubs Liaison Learner/Loaners National Stall Manager National Stall Assistant Research Fundraising Coordinator

Rick Hulse Ian Taylor John Byrne Tina Slesser Ross Lockett / Vic Hawkes John Lysons Simon Freedman Vic Hawkes Gordon Hooper Phil Morris Alma Caviaciuti Derek Durham Ross Lockett

National non-committee administrative positions: Memberships Mark Mayo Rally Secretary Tina Slesser Arbitrator Pauline Chaplin Archivist Gren Russell Projects Co-ordinator Stuart Gregory Open House Editor

Vic Hawkes

NABD Staff Office Manager Office Admin Assistant

Julie Williams Jane Singleton

NABD REPRESENTATIVES ENGLAND Ashton Under Lyne - Tameside Kel Power 07715 350 706 kelpower.rep@thenabd.org.uk Chorley - Lancashire Chris Loughlin 07903 670920 Derby Dave Jackson 07487 888622 Dorchester Ashley Tandy 07942 588 612 ashleytandy.rep@thenabd.org.uk Hinckley – Leicestershire Ross Lockett 07812 657 680 rosslockett.rep@thenabd.org.uk Horncastle - Lincolnshire Steve Ayres 07843 137979 steveayres.rep@thenabd.org.uk London - E11 Steve Wilton 07917 127414 stevewilton.rep@thenabd.org.uk Loughborough - Leicestershire Grayham Johnson 07729 638886 jhnsngrhm@yahoo.co.uk Manchester Brian Wadsworth 07792 089 619 brianwadsworth.rep@thenabd.org.uk

Poole - Dorset Helene Gallimore 07824772167 helenegallimore.rep@thenabd.org.uk

NORTHERN IRELAND

Sheffield - South Yorkshire Stuart Gregory 07974 150 957 stuartgregory.rep@thenabd.org.uk

Portadown (Co Armagh) Alison Winter 07916 142 618 alisonwinter.rep@thenabd.org.uk

Shipley - West Yorkshire Dan Girling 07368 161608

WALES

Somerset Andy Arnott andyarnott.rep@thenabd.org.uk

Chirk - Clwyd Tev Thomas 07584 449483 tevthomas.rep@thenabd.org.uk

Southport - Merseyside Christopher Jones 07958 189 479 christopherjones.rep@thenabd.org.uk

Mid Glamorgan Ian Heyes iianheyes.rep@thenabd.org.uk

St Ives - Cornwall Sean Farrell 07936 153 390 seanfarrell.rep@thenabd.org.uk Staffordshire Sue Bocking 07970 429 949 suebocking.rep@thenabd.org.uk

SCOTLAND Edinburgh Alan Russell 01316 237 124 alanrussell.rep@thenabd.org.uk

Warrington Eddie Hancock 07872 929 869 eddiehancock.rep@thenabd.org.uk Warminster - Wiltshire Phillip Arbon philiparbon.rep@thenabd.org.uk Wellingborough - Northamptonshire Dave Haswell 07445 346151

31

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 94

GOLD AFFILIATED BUSINESSES AAA Motorcycle Training Ltd Amanda & Dean, Compound 4, Saxon Business Park, Littleport, Ely, Cambridgeshire. CB6 1XX Tel: 07384 746025 or 07787 125667 Email: aaamct@outlook.com www.aaamct.co.uk

Belonga Mick Mick Manchester, Les Brouillons, Bethines, 86310, France Tel: 07970 371063 Email: Belongamick@email.fr www.Belongamick.com Dedicated biker accommodation in France

Bucklemania Mike Gregory, 210 Wessex Court, De-Havilland Way, Stanwell, Staines-On-Thames, Middlesex. TW19 7JL Tel: 07568 703387 Email: mikebuckham0416@gmail.com

Casarva Ltd Steve Read, 16 Axis Park, Manasty Road, Orton, Southgate, Peterborough. PE2 6UP Tel: 01733 234942 Email: info@casarva.co.uk www.casarva.co.uk Trike Manufacturers, Trike Kits, Conversions and Adaptations

Datum Motorcycle Trikes Ltd Tony Clack, Unit 2A Merrivale Road, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 1DU Tel: 01837 53658 or 07590 299850 Email: datummotorcycletrikesltd@gmail.com www.datummct.com

Diamond Trikes Derek Winter, 38 Grange Road, Portadown, Co Armagh, BT62 4JD Tel: 028 388 52635xx www.diamondtrikes.co.uk

Mulderrigs (Solicitors) Paul Mulderrig, 72 Bank Street, Rawtenstall, BB4 8EG Tel: 0800 052 3693 www.mulderrigs.co.uk Law Society’s Personal Injury Panel.

Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.

Parkitt Performance Motorcycle Racing Unit 4, Ashvale Workshops, Ashvale Road, Tuxford, Nottinghamshire. NG22 0JY Tel: 07530 928314 www.parkittracing.co.uk

PHAB Janine Williams, Summit House, 50 Wandle Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 1DF Tel: 020 8667 9443 Email: info@phab.org.uk www.phab.org.uk

Principal Insurance Ltd Matt Byrne, Dalton House, Dane Road, Sale, Manchester, M33 7AR Tel: 0161 972 2597 or 0808 178 0181 Email: xinfo@principalinsurance.co.uk www.principalinsurance.co.uk

Trike Design LTD Hank, Unit 2A, Ponty Gwindy Industrial Estate, Caerphilly, CF83 3HU Tel: 02920 880885 www.trike-design.co.uk Trike Builders, Custom & Adaption Engineers

Trikes UK Ltd White Bear Marina, Park Road, Adlington, Chorley, PR7 4HZ Tel: 01257 806045 Mob: 07866549884 www.boom-trikes.co.uk Trike Builders, Custom and Adaption Engineers

Trikeshop Bev Meredith, Unit 10, Waterside Business Park, Lamby Way, Rumney, Cardiff, CF3 2ET Tel: 02920 369420 Email: info@trikeshop.co.uk www.trikeshop.co.uk Trike Manufacturers, Trike Kits, Conversions and Adaptations

SILVER AFFILIATED BUSINESSES Kliktronic LTD Bob / Keith, Unit 2, Station Road Industrial Estate, Elmswell, Suffolk, IP31 3PD Tel: 01359 242100 www.kliktronic.co.uk Electronic Gear-Changers, Push-Button Side Stands etc.

TBPI Group (Traumatic Brachial Plexus Injury Group) Neil Finney, 13 Wemeth Road, Glossop, SK13 6LZ Tel: 07976 317529 www.tbpi-group.org

NSV Caravans Ltd G. Humphries, Unit 4 Westmans Ind Est, Love Lane, Burnham On Sea. TA8 1EY Tel: 07929 767690 Email: nsvcaravans@btconnect.com www.nsvcaravans.co.uk Specialist used Motorhome dealer based in Somerset.

BRONZE AFFILIATED BUSINESSES Belfast DJ’s Don Anderson, 18 Horn Walk, Belfast, BT11 9NG Tel: 02890 289021 or 07790 296461 Email: anderson_don@hotmail.com www.nidjs.com

THE BIKER GUIDE Website for bikers Email: info@thebikerguide.co.uk www.thebikerguide.co.uk

Custom Paints Ltd Saj Khan, 3 Norfolk Bridge Court, Warren Street, Sheffiled, S4 7WT Tel: 01142 752187 Email: saj@custompaints.com www.custompaints.com

The DeJaVu Roadshow Steven Osborne, 382 Bourne Road, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE11 3LL Tel: 01775 711874 Email: dejavuroadshow@hotmail.co.uk www.dejavuroadshow.co.uk

Fatbob Crafts Tony Fulton, 58 Roman Way, Godmanchester, Cambs. PE29 2RW Tel: 07495 901012 Email: enquiries@fatbobcrafts.co.uk www.fatbobcrafts.co.uk

Foxylady Reborn Diane Vane, Sunnyside Cottage, Metherinham Lane, Dunston, Lincolnshire, LN4 2EU Tel: 07541 502197 Email: foxylady1960@live.com www.foxyhatsncrafts.co.uk

J. Byrne Ltd 65 Old Road, Ashton Under Lyne, Lancashire, OL6 9DH Tel: 0161 344 1175 www.jbyrnelimited.co.uk

Karmenz Bike Training Karl Menzel, Billing Garden Village, The Causeway, Northampton. NN3 9EX Tel: 01604 402444 Email: karl@karmenzbiketraining.com www.karmenzbiketraining.com

Rewaco Trikes UK LTD Maria Lodge, 3 New Green Cottages, Newmans End, Matching Tye, Harlow, Essex. CM17 0QX Tel: 01279 730695 www.rewacotrikesuk.co.uk

Union Leisurewear Ltd Sandra, c/o: Flexispace Business Centre, Old Hall Street, Middleton. M24 1AG Tel: 0161 877 7780

32

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 94

Wyrd Tony Pagan Armour & Jewellery Tony Bunch, 43 Deepdale Crescent, Cowgate, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear. NE5 3HQ Tel: 0191 286 6004 Email: fat.tonys@outlook.com

NABD MERCHANDISE NDISE N D DIS DISE ISE IS SE NABD Official Apparel - Available NOW!

Tees £15.00 Hoods £22.00 Beanie £ 7.50

Available to order online now from

urbanteez.co.uk

n o i n u leisurewear r

thing and workwea

Premium custom clo

official supplier of outerwear to NABD

email: nabdsales@unionleisurewear.com or telephone: 0161 877 7780

Union Leisurewear is an NABD sanctioned franchise Flexi Space Business Centre, Townley Street, Middleton, Manchester M24 1AG

PROUDLY SUPPORTING

THE NABD

Here’s what our clients say...

motorcycle

accident? ...donʼt get taken for a ride!

“Service was excellent” K Boules - Sutton Coldfield

“Brilliant” V Thompson - Bacup

“Very efficient case handling” S Hooper - Bury

“Helpful explanations, good sound advice – would use you again and recommend you anytime” J Kenney - Maidstone

“Easy to understand explanations given along with great sympathy and care” A Chattle - Manchester

“Extremely satisfied by how you helped us” S Dunn - Rawtenstall

“Thank you so much for the brilliant service you provided and all the help and information you gave me throughout” J Urmston - Maidstone

. One phone call is all it takes to get a free assessment of your prospects. . Straightforward NO WIN NO FEE guarantee. . Weʼll visit you at home... no problem. . Call 0800 052 3693 . Or visit us at www.mulderrigs.co.uk

“Staff are a credit to your company – case handled superbly – fantastic, thank you” J Wood - Kent

“Came back to you again – speaks for itself” P Harlow - Waterfoot

“Nothing but praise for your efficiency” M Scholes - Burnley

“Everything was explained so easily and in good, clear detail” E Nicholson - Rossendale

experts in motorcycle claims ASSOCIATION OF PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS

34

A member of Law Society Personal Injury Panel.

NABD OPEN HOUSE

ISSUE 95

Accredited Practice

...why settle for less?