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After a couple of aborted attempts the Forum meet at Bassetts Pole finally took place this Tuesday evening (12/04/05). Now for those of you who do not hail from the midlands this is a huge meet for bikers that takes place throughout the year every Tuesday at the bassets pole pub just off the island that marks the junction between the A38 and A453 between Sutton Coldfield and Tamworth. At the height of summer upwards of 1,000 bikers gather here, and at the adjacent McDonalds, to meet up and talk all things biking.
The forum members who graced the evenings proceeding were ‘Gixerchic’ aboard her freshly re-engined Suzuki GSX-R600, which was sounding sweet after a pit stop a MotoGP team would have been proud of! ‘Scouser’ rolled up on his Honda XLV1000 Valerdaro, ‘Thumper’ was aboard his screaming Yamaha TDR250 while ‘Toggsy’ brought his Kawasaki ZX6R along and even managed to go around the island without incident! My transport for the evening was Thumper’s Yamaha SRX600 ( I had come straight from work – no time to get my own bike out), and non member Simon, an old mate of mine, brought his Yamaha FZS600 Fazer out to play.
However the real star for the night was packing pillion with Toggsy on the ZX6R, ‘Imperial Data’ himself!! See he is real, he DOES exist! I don’t know about you lot, but whenever I read his online nickname my mind conjures up images of Imperial Star Cruisers fro the Star Wars films! Perhaps he ought to adopt the storm trooper Avatar I have seen in the options list! His GPz900R is off the road at the moment hence the need to go two-up.
Anyway we spent a happy 30 minutes or so checking out the bikes on show. Largely the kind of machinery would expect lined the pub and McDonald’s car park. R1’s, GSX-Rs , Ducatis, Blades etc. I was quite taken with a V-Max and a beautifully turned out 1970’s Suzuki GT750 ‘Kettle’ that looked so distinctive and boasted that uniquely raspy/burbling 2-stroke exhaust note. What a lovely bike.
Amusingly Scousers huge XLV towered above the rows of Sports bikes like Ayers Rock in the Australian outback. That bike really ought to have a red flashing light on top of the fairing to warn any passing aircraft!The atmosphere was friendly here, but we voted to go for a bit of blast before the light gave out completely. Gixerchic led off, seemingly trying to ensure her new engine was thoroughly tested before the 28 day warranty expires! In hot pursuit was Thumper extracting the max from the TDR, I tucked in behind on the SRX followed by Simon, Toggs with ID on the back, and finally Scouser aboard the block of flats (XLV) tucked in at the rear of our high speed chain.
As usual I hadn’t been listening properly and I thought we were going to ride for ten minutes or so and hit the first reasonable pub. Gixer had other plans! We rode for about 20 miles or so over some fantastic A and B roads, bend after bend swept under the convoys wheels and at good brisk 70-90 mph pace. The SRX is a joy to ride on such roads where its superb handling can be exploited and thus mask the bikes meagre top end go. I was having a ball. [Ask Gixerchic for road details – I don’t have clue where we were!].
Finally at the end of a long, long undulating straight we reached the New Inns pub on the outskirts of Barton-under Needwood (www.Newinn.co.uk). We all pulled up neatly inline and as we all dismounted our machines everybody was buzzing from the blast, great fun had been had by all obviously. Good to see such a mix of bikes out together too, rather than your more normal line of sports bikes.
The New Inns is a biker friendly pub that Gixer often visits here on summer Sundays when they put on a free bar-be-cue I believe. Once inside we had an entertaining evening as Gixer, Simon, Scouser and ID had never met up before. Everybody had a good laugh and ID even owes Scouser his life when he nearly tipped over backwards on his bar-stool, but was heroically saves by our resident Liverpudlian! Life on the edge….
Scouser and Simon headed home happy while the remaining four bikes headed back towards Tamworth. ID took the controls of Thumpers TDR while he help me kick the SRX into life, as getting the 600cc single fire up is a bugger when warm especially when compared to my RD. So that meant poor old Thumper was forced to go pillion with Toggs on the ZX6R. More fun followed now as we speedily retraced our route back home. Gixer had to peel off at Tamworth so we took the opportunity to stop and have another swap about. ID leapt aboard the SRX with me so Toggs could have some solo fun on the ZX6R for the last 10-15 miles to home.
The extra weight on the SRX really slowed things up a bit and I was reminded me of riding my CB100N in desperate pursuit of mates on RD250s etc many years before. Meanwhile, up ahead Toggs and Thumper were thrashing about to great effect their tail lights just disceranable in the distance as I pushed the little Yam hard. At one point I was even airborne for a second or two as I launched the SRX over a hump back bridge just a little TOO enthusiastically!
Made a nice landing though!Back at Thumpers house I reluctantly gave his bike back and headed home in the car (boo!). All in all this was an excellent Forum evening ride out. Can’t wait to the next one!
Donate – Or Imperial Data will have you sorted!Sounds a blast Radar as I`ve spoken to scoucer and he agree`s,he and I will deffo join in on the next one which I hope will be in the near future.
Take it easy out there
Good report Radar, but you forgot to mention that we all hummed the tune to ‘World of Sport’ on the way home, except for Thumper who was humming ..”there was an old lady who swallowed a fly, I don’t know why she swallowed a fly perhaps she’ll die..”
Be seen and be Safe!
Yeah it was a scream wasnt it???!!!
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The roads were ones I know like the back of my hand, done them so often to go to the pub, the owners are bikers and friends of mine. Must try and organise a ride up there on a Sunday for the BBQ too, all free!LOVE IS GIVING SOMEONE THE ABILITY TO DESTROY YOU, THEN TRUSTING THEM NOT TO.
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, Vodka in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming…….WOO HOO, what a ride!
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