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Pete247 is a clever guy…he has been a forum member for 6 years and with the exception of Gix he had managed to avoid us all! Even then she only tracked him down because he was in hospital with a broken back!
Well he could void us no longer! So last Friday, despite being a typically dank, damp and miserable November day in the UK Pete climbed aboard his 6 day old Guzzi V7 and headed to middle earth to finally meet some more of us.I had dragged my Thundercat out for the occasion and we initally met up at the National Motorcycle Museum just adajcent to Birmingham Airport. Toggs and Gix joined us here too. Amusingly despite having a fleet of bikes that would put a courier firm to shame none of them are currently legal so Toggs rolled up in his Triumph Stag which was emitting a lovely V8 burble. Gix can’t ride at the moment anyway so we will let her off!
It was great to fianlly put a face to a name and we quickly headed into the museum and away from the cold and damp outside we were greeted by the sight of in excess of 800 British bikes. The variety is amazing, all ages, shapes and sizes and so many different engineering ideas. The sight was mind blowing and makes you realise just what a rich engineering heritage this country has. Modern Triumphs and the amazing Saetta electric bike made in London makes you understand that the British bike industry is still thriving and not just about leaky 1960’s/70’s Bonnies that so tarnished my impression of the Brit bike in my early days riding back in the early 1980’s. Pete certainly seemed to be enjoying himself taking it all in.
I will let the pics do the work for me here for a while:
Togsy, Gix and the man himself Pete 247!
The action starts as soon as you get in…the still born Norton V8 of 1998…it was all good until I noticed the Land Rover tail lamp!
Ice cool Norton
Bang up to date, the electrically motivated Saietta…not sure
Check out the huge rear lamp…
Memories of the terrible 2003 fire that nearly destroyed the place
Check out the one at the back!
I love the Scott Squirrel and the influence on the RD350LC is clear
Small front wheel that also carries the engine, transmits the power and deals with the steering…how dangerous does that look??
Yay! The compulsory trike shot!!
I had a few dealings with people riding these back in day…
Nicely proportioned, this pair from NVT didn’t make production sadly. They would of sold really well in the 1970’s
Loving the Jules Verne spec speedo…
Touted as the best bike in the world when launched in 1981..the Hesketh V1000…sadly a terrible gearbox and disappointing performance meant the great British bike revival was not to be until the Hinckley Triumphs of 1990. Production continued at a trickle until as recently as 2008
One of several twin engined drag bikes on show
The first of the Norton rotary racers from 1987
Gix, Toggs and Pete take in the detailThe museum was brilliant, but from here it was onto Toggs and Gix place for a quick cuppa to check out their collection! It was good to riding in company witgh Pete. but the murky conditions were not helping, we cut up some cars at an island with a late direction change (my fault) before somebody tried to punt me and Pete off at various points!
Once at Toggs and Gix’s the welcome was warm and Pete was rather blown away by their collection of bikes and other toys: GSXR1000 (everybody needs a winter hack), Fireblade, RGV, RD, GT550, a DRZ, XL a couple of Quads and a variety of mopeds and huge selection of go-karts! Then the is the Spitfire (the rusty sportscar…not the WW2 fighter!) and the Stag. It stops them getting bored I suppose!
But the collection that really took Pete’s eye was their collection of weaponary….
I am so glad Pete turned out to be a regular bloke, you hear so many stories about strange people on the web…
Gix is not a lady to argue with…the rifle has laser sighting too…the slippers allow her to move more quietly…..!Pete and I escaped with our lives and headed for Kidderminster about 60 miles away. The M42 was packed and we picked our way through mile after mile of standing traffic. It was not the best ride of my life and I am so looking forward to next spring. The new Guzzi was taking it all its’ stride.
Once in Kidderminster Imperial Data and ses310 joined us. Less weaponary at my place, but I do have a swiss army knife somewhere…We all piled into Imperial Data’s deisel people carrier (he used to have a MZ too you know…) to head over to The Running Horse pub on the outskirts of Bewdley for a few beers and some eats
Pete didn’t mind being shoe-horned into the third row of seats, he was used to small spaces having spent 3 months in a tin tube under water!!
Chatting away as the beer and laughter flowed. Toggs and Gix joined us as did Mrs Radar and our daughter, known as Zippy on here…another member met for Pete
The food was pretty good too…We had an excellent evening and it was really good for us all to finally meet Pete in person
The next day the original plan was to do a 50 mile loop on the bikes over Clee Hill, but the weather still wasn’t great and the low cloud would of ruined the view, so we went for plan B…head for the famous bikers cafe at Quatt. Kat joined us for this run, but in his Quantum kit car as his Blade is tucked away for winter (wise man!)
Katana joins us. For the first time ever when we rolled onto the car-park at the cafe there were no other bikes about, some rolled in later, but that shows how crap the roads and weather were that day!
At least I make him look tall…
Champs and his lovely wife and son joined us here too for a cuppa, butty and a chat..good to see them all
Pete and I swapped bikes on the way back from the cafe, I loved the V7…but I will post about that elsewhere. Later Pete had a go on my FZ1S too, but I will let him tell you what he thinks. The RD threw a bit of a strop so he didn’t get a go on that sadly…one for next time! He even tried Zippy’s beloved moped, aka ‘Gino’ for size!That wrapped up a pretty hectic and highly enjoyable day and a bit! Pete has now met Gix, Toggs, Imperial Data, Ses310, Champs, Katana, Zippy and Radar (me!) from the forum…and a variety of family members too!
All set for the journey homeWell Pete it was a pleasure to meet you, thanks for the blast on the V7 and for making the effort to come and see us all….I just wish the conditions were better for the riding! Look forward to the next one!
Mate, you seem always able to put words in the order that fits best!
The museum was awesome, totally blew me away. The lil scooter was so scary when we thought about it, but looks so very familiar to what I was sitting on outside your house…. times have changed…. but not by much!!!
The Purple Fury was a fav and a few others you have not posted up too, I will add some of my photos when I have some decent internet hopefully at the weekend.
I have to say it was a very welcome sight to see Gix and Togsy when I pulled in to the car park, although it was only 150ish miles I was feeling a lil saddle sore which would have been 10 times worse on a different bike, the V7 really does suit my needs and is a delight to ride even without a fairing.
LOL at me being a regular guy… Am not sure who’s eyes lit up more when the bows, guns and knives came out… yours or mine! lol. I loved them all but that Machete was outrageous!
As said the food in the eve was spot on, I’ve not had such a tasty steak in a long while and hope to return there next time we all meet up unless you have any other eateries as good?
The weather was not ace and it did mean we needed to wrap up properly, gave me a perfect excuse to do some miles in my RUKKA, Daytona and Held winter kit which was spot on… I only had under suits on under the textiles and was warm and toasty as if it were summer except on fingers and toes… and lets be honest no winter kit is really totally warm on the extremities except for heated stuff!
The Chundercat (as I previously thought of them) was a delight to ride, light, responsive and natural… totally different to how I imagined a bike of its era to be. It was always a pretty bike but its stature hides its nimbleness and it would not be shown up by far more modern rides IMO. Lovely bike.
The Fazer 1000 took me a while to get used to…. it seemed to not do counter steering and I felt at first like it was taking me round the corners not me directing it. Once we had covered a few miles tho I got on better with it and found it just needed telling what you wanted from it which then showed it as a very capable bike. The engine was very gutsy and allowed me to acclimatise to the bike without falling behind by just winding on the throttle a little louder. I kind of felt the handling was similar to the Ducati Streetfighter which was possibly why it took me a while to get used to. Once dialled in tho it was far easier to ride than my SF was even with all its rider aids and I was quite happy throwing it around chasing Radar down the twisties which I’d never of been able to do if on the Ducati.
It was a shame the RD was having a grump, I must say I have a total soft spot for 2T silly-bikes and hopefully wiull get to have a go another timeRadar – Don, looked really comfy on the Guzzi, really suited him and I think the ride may have cost him some money lol… but there are a few other bikes in class he should probably try for size, even if only to rule them out
(You know you want a V7 really) I was sad to be leaving after such a welcoming visit, everyone made me feel proper at home and I can’t wait for the next meet I get to.
Thank you to everyone who I was able to meet up with, you are all lovely people and to those that wern’t able to make it I look forward to a re-run where I get to meet you guys and gals too
Top times
Glad I could make it along to the meal, gutted I had to work on the saturday. Will make the next one though
haha was good to see you again Pete! Hopefully the weather will be better next time tho so you can try a few of the toys out (I’ll sharpen the machete especially for you lol), maybe a bit of karting and biking too (and horse riding if you are up for it lol)
Ses it was nice to meet you too, and good to see the usual suspects as well
I have a hunting slingshot as well now (it even has a sight pmsl), but Andy wont let me play with it in the garden, so not tried it out yet lol
I so have to come up for a salad again soon mate!
You really must, we need to get the two cafe racers out together!
My trouble is the weather, means I can’t come up on it if it is even slightly wet as the lack of rear mudguard makes that a miserable journey. Am soon going on a new shift pattern and also have some leave booked so if we have a nice bit of weather around the first 2 weeks of october and I am not on a cruise ship around Spain I’ll come up for a brew or somit!
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