Mallory Festival of 1000 Bikes

[Dogsbody]

Looks like I was the only Silverstone this year again, couple of Greeves entered in the trials demo in the program. Club stands for Francis Barnett and Cotton on the avenue of clubs, can no one be persuaded to cover it? Dogsbody

[Mike Norris]

Festivals and shows.

Together with Dave Bradley we put on the GRA stand for the 2 Stafford bike shows.
I put a request in the Leading Link for members bikes for this years October show and have not had a response. I have spoken to members who showed bikes at last years show and been able to get some bikes for display. But it is always the same friends who help.
There is a lot of time, effort and personal expense needed to organise stands at shows normally requiring over night accommodation.
If you would like to organise a stand for next year using your contacts perhaps you will be more successful.
I wish you well.

[Dogsbody]

Mike, I know how hard you work at Stafford having shown with you for the last two years. Problem for me at Mallory is that the race paddock is on the infield and the club stands are on the outside. The two entered in the trial were Mick Fern and Simon Fredou, are they GRA members? Must be some Greeves riders in the Midlands surely.
Seemed quieter this year generally, comments were not as well organised as usual, less trade stands in the paddock area. I suppose football and F1 at Silverstone, BSB at Knockhill all have some impact as does uncomfortable high temperatures. Also notable is the age of the riders, many like myself the wrong side of 70 and not able or prepared to obtain the ACU parade licence to ride at CRMC or BHR events and only allowed at track day type events such as Mallory.
Dogsbody

[Andy Briggs]

Hello Mike and Db. I agree; perhaps too many events on the same day. My Scottish requires a bit more work, so I wasn't riding, but I was observing at the Golden Valley international trial in Gloucestershire. Lovely day under the trees, keeping cool (until I came out of the woods!) Can't do everything that we'd like to; not enough energy/hours in the day, etc!

[Dick F]

I agree with the reply Mike has posted, Rob, myself and all the enthusiastic committee members attend as many shows, events, that it is possible for us to attend during the year,it is not just turning up at a show either ! it is all the preparation, letters, loads of phone calls to members asking for help and assistance as well, and the hard core members do in most cases turn up.

We all have family's and other things in our lives which also require our attention as well as the GRA, Organization , the expense of Hotels, travel lodges, or camping and caravan accommodation, plus the fuel and running cost of vehicles is huge when you total it up! Committee members expenses only cover us to attend committee meetings on a Saturday perhaps 4 times a year , and that only covers fuel cost based a few years ago. so that is another 4 days we attend Greeves Club work.

We are all retired and in our late 60s and 70s , and myself only get a reduced state pension plus a small private one so we subsidies ourselves for GRA work which i do enjoy, but at each AGM we ask for younger members to help out with the work load , but as happens in all clubs no one comes forward . We attend what we can and that is it full stop.

All the thanks we get is negligible, but the flack we take at times makes one thinks why do we give up are precious time ,some large motorcycle associations have paid staff, and look what a shambles they get into?

[dave higgins]

Dick.....where is all this coming from, Dogsbody was not being critical, just making an observation, at least thats how i read it.
Most members are very gratefull for all the hours the comittee put in, to help run the club, but also you have to bear in mind, that members that are not retired, still have the pressures & time restraints of modern living put on them & for some, having any free time at all is a premium.
Another indicater, seems to be that the interest in bike shows in general seems to be waining, & i think this is down to the ever increasing age of the enthusiasts.
Most of the younger generation do not seem to be interested in the pre 65 era bikes & maybe this is why the crowds are thinning out, at some shows.

[Dick F]

Thanks for your reply Dave, when you retire ( that's just a word) you find that you have even more things to do! and less energy as well combined, being a club that encompasses, all of Great Britain , and beyond spreads members thin in certain areas .

Who will come along and take our places ?

[Dogsbody]

Dick, Dave is correct, I wasn't criticising anyone just asking if midland members could not put in an appearance to fly the flag. It was noticeable this year that the club and auto jumble stands have decreased in number, perhaps the prices have increased? Many race meetings now have to appeal for marshals just to start practice, again the age of marshals is causing concern at club level as youngsters are not coming into the sport. The same concerns also apply to medical requirements, in the case of Ty Croes a late start at one meeting as the doctor was unavailable due to being called in to an emergency at the hospital.
As an aside, what is the average age of the committee? Dogsbody

[Rob]

Now then you lot! We did do the 'Avenue of Clubs' a couple of times back in the original VMCC running at Mallory. It cost me a lot of money! I took my Hawkstone to display and then got dragged off into the paddock to fix something or other. I ended up buying a Yamaha TZ and getting back on the track. Then I bought another one and sponsored my mate. The following year, I ended up buying a Honda 400/4 from a GRA member.

I think we need to see if the VMCC continue with this next year and if so, put on a stand. It really is a great weekend. The track can be a bit hairy as Dick found out when some nutter stuck his handlebars through his screen approaching Garrards!

It would be even better for the GRA if we could get some new members helping out and displaying bikes.

[Colin Sparrow]

Always best to hug the inside line round Gerard's. Make 'em go round the outside!

[Dick F]

Rob was a little out on the position on the track, it was in fact just after the start Finnish point, two Kawasaki riders were mixed up in the parade ,as you know they had all manner of ages of race bikes going round and after the checkered flag , they were continuing there private race, one went each side of me and his clutch leaver ripped my screen off, and deposited green paint no my thigh on the right leg. and then he continued across the grass and ended on the grass at Gerads .Quite amusing looking back now

[Colin Sparrow]

I had a near miss like that at 1000 Bikes at Brands a few years back. Idiot marshall on a plastic rocket clipped me on the entry to South Bank. I think some of them use marshalling duties as a kind of free track day.