January hoggit

January 2014 Volume 11 Issue 1

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Happy New Year to you all! Hopefully each and everyone ofyou had a restful and enjoyable festive break. This is the 13thHoggit I’ve edited and I am amazed at how time has flown, itseems like only a short while ago that I first sat down for myfirst attempt. I can tell you that the first few months were morethan a little stressful, with the sudden realisation that I neededto produce twelve pages of intelligible entertainment andinformation and had just about a week in which to do it.

Firstly, I had to buy a desktop publishing programme, whichI did, only to realise that it was incompatible with a later versionused by the previous Editor, Jean. I then purchased the correctversion and began to put things together. Now I’m not an‘instruction manual kinda guy’, so it was ‘learn as you burn’which kept me up late for most nights. Jean very kindly helpedme to understand the basics of Page Plus Desk Top Publishingas we sat in a pub outside Hungerford one gloomy Decemberevening and somehow I ended up with the finished article.Phew! What a relief!

Then my laptop crashed but luckily I had saved the work ona memory stick, but it meant rushing out to buy a newcomputer. All well and good, except that there was a problemloading Windows 8 as Microsoft had been hacked and theiron-line server was down for a week. No one who was tryingto install Windows 8 was able to download the programme forinstallation. Then finally, after pressurising PC World for about5 straight days, the programme was installed. But wait! I nowhad to purchase Page Plus software again, as the previoussoftware was only valid for one computer-the one that justcrashed. Another £29.00 and finally I was back to where I hadbeen 8 days previously, and just a few days to spare beforesending to the printers.

Uh oh! I then found out that the Hoggit had to be approved bythe Director and Assistant Director prior to being published.Damn, another two days, just when I was going away for atwo-day business meeting in Leeds. This was really going tobe tight. I had to have the printed copies for the Mondayevening, I would not be back from Leeds until Thursday night,so it would be Friday morning before I could send the copythrough.

Friday morning bright and early I am up and doing the finaledit on the document and saving as a PDF. Great, it looksacceptable and the relief is tangible. I send it to CulhamPublications for printing. It won’t send! WTF? The file is toobig to send via e-mail. I look at the properties, 87MB; thepublishers can only accept 11mb maximum. Doh! What am Igoing to do. I start to sweat, panic begins to set in, what canI do to sort this out? I look at my watch, it’s already 7.40 am.The printers open at 9 am and they are expecting the file tobe waiting in their inbox. I start to randomly push buttons,hoping I can get inspiration from somewhere. I phone Marcus,can he give me any help? His phone rings out. I’m Doomed,dooooomed!

Finally. My pressing random buttons gives me a clue. I canreduce the resolution on the pictures, of which there are many.I reduce from ‘Highest’ to ‘Very High’. I save as a PDF again.I check the properties, 68MB. No problem I reduce further andfurther, until I am down to ‘Very Low’ and ‘Lowest’. This can’tbe right, surely. 10.8MB - Yes! I send the e-mail hold mybreath, it goes through, I wait with bated breath to see if it getsbounced. No, it seems to have gone through okay. Breatheout. Relax.

Later on the Friday I call the printers to check that everythinghas gone though okay. Yes, they’ve received it, I can collecton Monday afternoon. Result.

Friday afternoon and I am driving home from work when myphone rings. It’s the printers; there’s a problem-I have not lefta ‘bleed area’ on the document. What’s a ‘bleed area’? Myheart sinks. The ‘bleed area’ is the space left around theoutside of the document to make cutting of the paper moreaccurate and not leave white edges on coloured pages. Howdo I correct this? I arrive home at around 4 pm and startpushing buttons again. I can’t make it work. I call the printers,“never mind”, they say, they can try to get around it, but it won’tbe perfect. I have now lost the will to live.

Monday afternoon arrives and on my way to my first committeemeeting I swing by Culham Science Park to collect my firstHoggit. It’s okay, not what I wanted, but it will do. I’m justrelieved that I have something to show for my efforts.

Tuesday dawns and it’s time to e-mail the Hoggit to theChapter members. I get up super early and prepare to sendout the Hoggit to the mailing list I previously created from themembership spreadsheet. There’s something wrong. All mye-mail history has disappeared. There are e-mails coming infrom all over asking if I’m alright. What’s going on? Then thetruth begins to dawn on me, my e-mail account has beenhacked and corrupted. I’ve lost everything. Anxiety level up toDEFCON 4 again.

I take a deep breath. I’m not even going to try to rescue thesituation. I create a new e-mail account, re-load all the e-mailaddresses from the data sheet and attach the Hoggit PDFbefore sending out. Some bounce back because the file is toobig. I try saving the file into an even smaller format. 7.8MB;the lowest I can go. Most go through, though some arebounced because they are not recognised. The vast majoritygo through.

Tuesday night, I hand out the Hoggit at Chapter night. No onesuspects the trauma I’ve been through delivering my firstpublication. The proverbial Swan that’s me, all serene andcalm on the surface, but paddling like crazy beneath.

Here’s to a trouble-free 12 months of the Hoggit-touch wood.

Ride it like you stole it,

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Happy New Year to everyone. What lies ahead for us all in2014, I wonder?

Well some things we already know; just take a look at thecalendar. I have to promise myself more miles this yearsomehow stuff got in the way in 2013, you know how it can-like it or not. We move into our new venue I have a lot ofhope pinned on this venue being more to everyone's liking.

January is a busy month for Kay with membership renewals,it will also be a new beginning for the new committeemembers and I wish them all the best but I am aware thatcommittee roles do take some getting used to before itbecomes easier and more familiar so please give them yoursupport.

Not much time left for reserving your place at the EarlySeason bash & disco it costs£30.00 per ticket for a three course meal including a chaptersubsidy. The venue is a very nice riverside Hotel just downfrom Benson or the H Cafe. Shillingford Bridge Hotel, roomsfor an overnight stay can be reserved at only £50.00 perroom including breakfast that is almost half their usual costso it's a bargain and I hope to see you there. We will havehad our 10 pin bowling night by the time you read this 2014Hoggit, I wonder if Ian has decided to change its appearancein any way it's purely a hunch but let's see if I'm even close.What are you looking forward to most right now? Me? Moredaylight without a doubt the winter equinox is about passedso the lighter afternoons should be on their way and arrivinghome in daylight at the end of the day with spring flowerson the shelves to buy are a really positive sign and I can't

wait. Your Chapter n e e d san activities officer pleaseconsider this role it doesn'tmean attending e v e r ycommittee meeting so mostof it can be done at y o u rown convenience. L i k e wise a new Ladies of HarleyOfficer. Now the l a d i e shave a very supportive following so y o uwon't be on your o w nwith this plenty of help and guidance is there waiting as thesaying goes YOUR CHAPTER NEEDS YOU!

After some concern of why my bike refused to start a fewtimes it turned out to be only a duff battery, there's no stoppingit now only the salt and wet. Let's all hope we have a greatnew year to come. It's what you make of it, come along andmeet your fellow members, the friends you haven't yet met.One thing this chapter is for sure is a sociable chapter.

If we could get our bikes on the same level of sociabilitywe'd go far.

Wishing everyone a momentous & safe New Year throughout2014.

Out of Gas,

Cy

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As last year’s committee membersbecome “past Officers” so your chapter

needs you!

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Happy New Year everyone, hope you all had a great Xmasand got all you asked for from Santa?

Well its 2014 now and another year to look forward to, thinkwe are all done now with the Xmas songs tinsel andespecially the turkey!!

Yes we all wait with bated breath for the sound of thunderingbikes, ah music to my ears.

By the time you read this we will have had the 10 pin Bowlingnight and looking forward to the pre season dinner. This beingon 15th Feb, so get your glad rags out ready to party!

Shepton Mallett Classic bike show is on the 8th and 9th Feband is well worth a visit.

On the 1st March we have our annual Barn Dance, always agood night very entertaining watching everyone getting itwrong, all good for a laugh.On the Barn dance theme we are planning to have a SummerBarn dance and already have a Barn offered to us for thenight with straw bales to sit on and a Barbecue, more detailsto follow later.

Come along to our Chapter Night at the new venue with allyour ideas to put forward for new season events. We have aroad crew meeting on 1st Feb.Check website regularly for any updates don’t want anyoneto miss out on anything!

Check out any rally’s you want to attend so tickets can beorganized in block booking.

Thats all for now folks..........

� January 11th: 10 Pin Bowling

� 1st February: Road Crew Meeting

� 8th/9th February: Shepton Mallet Classic Bike Show

� 15th February: Pre-season Dinner

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We already have some interest in this trip and places will belimited so please let me know asap if you would like to come.A £100 non-refundable deposit will be required once the tripis confirmed.

Contact: Pete “5 Star” Davies

[email protected]

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As most of you will know 2014 marks 100 years since theoutbreak of WW1. It is also the 70th anniversary of theD-Day landings. This probably means vastly increasedvisitor numbers to northern France and Belgium with acorresponding increase in hotel prices – assuming that thenormal rules of supply and demand will apply.

With this in mind, and having promised our Director andHead Road Captain that I will once again organise aEuropean ride this year, I have decided to give France andBelgium a miss and instead head for the beautiful Moselregion of Germany. For those of you unfamiliar with the areait is stunningly beautiful with rivers, castles, vineyards, goodriding roads and great food.

Provisionally the trip will take the form of a long weekendleaving Folkestone on the Channel Tunnel at around 08.30on Friday 13th June and then riding to the lovely town ofBernkastel. Some of us stayed here a couple of years agoand as you can see from the photo we had a miserable time!Return would be around 15.00 on Monday 16th June. Costfor 2 people travelling on 1 bike staying in a double/twinroom is likely to be approximately £420 for the Tunnel, roomand breakfast.

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Calling all ladies, have you ever thought about becomingthe next LoH officer? Why not think about it now, somethingnew for 2014.

What do I need? You just need to be a HOG or associateHOG member, have loads of enthusiasm and want torepresent your fellow ladies within the Oxford UK Chapterand on the committee.

Why is this role important? It is important to cater for theladies within the chapter, it’s not all about the riding, we liketo get together to do ‘girlie’ things, like shopping, crafts andmuch more.

What would I be expected to do? The role is there tobecome whatever you want it to become, you would lookto organise events that would appeal to the ladies, not onlyfor just the ladies but to include the MoH as well. This couldinclude lunches, shopping trips, and events to raise moneyfor the chapter charity. Encourage other ladies to get moreinvolved and become part of the chapter.

Do I need to ride a motorcycle: No, riding is not essentialalthough a good number of ladies ride, there are also alarge number who don’t and this would be your opportunityto get everybody involved?

What else do I need to do? Well you would assist with theraffle draw on chapter nights. Really anything you feltnecessary to enhance this role. Take an active part atchapter night in helping to make new members feelwelcome.There is also a vacancy for a merchandise officer; this couldbe combined with the LoH role above. Basically you wouldbe responsible for all of the Oxford UK Chapter patches,pins and other Oxford specific merchandise. This involveskeeping stock, ordering and selling at chapter night or viapost. Again this is a role that can be developed with newideas.If you’re interested in either of the these roles contact oneof the committee members who will be more than happy togive you more info, or come and have a chat with me atchapter night.

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Ladies behaving (very) badly

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Hello & A Happy New Year to you all.

My name is Ian Ward & I am the new Safety Officer, so Ithought I would introduce myself & tell you a little of mybackground.

I was a BSM Car Driving instructor & have recently taught CBTto learners, I have led ride outs in the past when with aprevious bike club when I lived in Derbyshire.

If anyone has any useful suggestions or hints or tips thenplease see me on chapter night.

Let’s face it: While motorcycles are cool, they just aren’t assafe as cars. To some people, that’s part of the appeal. Livinglife on the edge and taking risks can be part of what makesriding a motorcycle rewarding.

Motorcycles can travel as fast as cars do, but lack car safetyfeatures most people take for granted. Motorcycles don’t havean exterior frame to absorb crash forces. Instead, the forcesof a collision are born directly by the bike and the rider.Motorcycles also don’t have seatbelts, which increases therider’s risk of being thrown off the bike in an accident. Finally,there’s that little matter of being on two wheels. Motorcyclesare simply not as stable as cars.

But, riding a motorcycle doesn’t have to be an exercise incheating death. Motorcycles may be inherently less safe thancars are, but there are a lot of things motorcyclists and driversin cars can do to keep everyone safe.

10: Take a Motorcycle Safety CourseIn most states, if you’re going to get a motorcycle license, youneed to take a skills test. In many states, you also have to takea motorcycle safety class – think of it as driver’s education ontwo wheels. Even if your state doesn’t require you to take amotorcycle safety course, you should. The class will teach youabout the traffic safety laws that apply to motorcycles in yourstate, how to respond to emergency situations on amotorcycle, and give you a chance to try out your new skillsin a controlled environment. The instructors will also give youtips about motorcycle maintenance and how to avoid unsafesituations. After all, the time to learn how to recover from askid on a bike is not when you go into one for the first time.Taking a motorcycle safety course prepares you to hit the roadsafely and with more confidence.

The good news is, most motorcycle dealerships offermotorcycle safety courses, and some even give discounts orother promotional materials to people who have completedtheir course. If you’ve got your heart set on a particular brandof bike, taking a motorcycle safety class from that dealershipis a good way to get to know the brand better, and you mayeven be able to try out some of their models.

9: Get the Right Gear

We’ve all seen people on motorcycles in shorts and flip flops.Those people are not being safe. Since a motorcycle offerslittle protection in a crash, what riders wear is part of the crashprotection system. Even if you aren’t in a crash with anothervehicle on your bike, you could simply lose control and lay thebike down. In that situation, you’ll be sliding along on asphalt.That’s not something you want to do in shorts.

There’s a reason a lot of bikers wear leather: it’s strong enoughto protect their skin if they slide along the road surface. Plus,motorcycle riders are exposed to other road hazards, like smallrocks, bugs and cigarette butts, that people in cars areprotected from. At 60 miles per hour (96.6 kilometers per hour),even a small rock can sting. Leather gear can help protect you.

Of course, you don’t have to look like a reject from “Easy Rider”to ride a motorcycle. A lot of companies specialize in armoredmotorcycle gear, and it’s not all leather. You can get ventedmotorcycle jackets that keep you cool while keeping you safe.These jackets are made of lightweight, breathable material,but have heavy-duty amour panels in key places (along thespine, torso, shoulders and elbows) to protect the wearer.

8: Protect Your FeetThe right shoes are also important to riding safely. To shiftgears on a bike, you lift up with your toes – so open-toed shoescan become painful fast. Plus, when you’re riding a bike, you’resitting on the engine and exhaust system, which get hot. It’seasy to burn your feet. Not only do open-toed shoes likeflip-flops expose your feet while on a bike, they can slip off,causing a dangerous situation.

When riding a motorcycle, you want study shoes. Those shoesare the only protection your feet will have. Look for somethingwith a rugged sole. Shoes with smooth soles make it easier foryou to slip. When you’re at a stop and using your feet tobalance, the last thing you want to do is slip and drop your bike.Motorcycle shoes should also have sturdy ankle supports anda low heel. You want something that makes it easier for you tobalance. Look for shoes or boots in a durable material, likeleather, for better protection.

7: Ride Within Your SkillsRiding a motorcycle is a skill, and like all skills, it’s somethingthat you need to develop. While you may be fine to go on aneasy cruise around town, it takes time to grow the skills youneed to be an expert rider. To stay safe, make sure that youalways ride within your skill level. Your friends who have beenriding longer may be able to go super fast, weave in and outof traffic, or control their bikes on curvy roads, but that doesn’tmean you should. Take the time to build your skills and onlyride in situations where you know your skills are up to the job.

Of course, you should still challenge yourself — that’s how yourskills grow — but you need to do it in a safe, controlled way.Many motorcycle dealerships offer advanced riding courses

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where you can practice more advanced manoeuvres. And, ifyou’re interested in motorcycle sports, it’s easy to find a racingschool. Those schools are not only fun, but they help you safelybuild your skills so that you’re safer on the road.

6: Avoid DistractionWe all know distracted driving is a bad idea, but it’s worse whenyou’re riding a bike. One of the keys to staying safe on amotorcycle is staying hyper-aware of everything that’s goingon around you. Remember, motorcycles are tough for driversto see –especially drivers in large cars or SUVs. You need tosee and avoid them, rather than bet on them seeing you. Ifyou’re fiddling with your phone or iPod, you’re reaction time iscut by several precious seconds, putting you at higher risk ofa collision. And running into a Chevy Suburban while going 60miles per hour (96.6 kilometers per hour) is no one’s idea of agood time.

In addition to the risk of distraction, taking your hands off yourbike lessens your control more than taking your hands off thewheel of your car. Not only is steering compromised, but so isbraking, accelerating and shifting. It’s just a bad idea.

If you’re on a bike, remove all temptation for distraction. Don’twear headphones, and put your phone where you can’t get toit.

5: Leave Enough SpaceOne of the biggest mistakes drivers and motorcycle riders makeis not leaving enough stopping distance for bikes. While it’strue that since bikes are smaller and lighter than cars, theyneed less space to stop and maneuver, they still need morethan you might think.

Anti-lock brakes are still relatively new on many bikes, and oldermodels don’t have them. That means that bikers can’t just slamon the brakes like a driver could. Their wheels would lock up,they’d lose control, the bike would drop and they’d go for anasphalt slide. Practice stops on your bike in a safe environmentand know how much space you need. Then, make sure yougive yourself that much space in traffic. Leave a generousfollowing distance between your bike and the vehicle in frontof you, and try to keep an escape route open to the side (ontothe road shoulder, for example) if you can’t stop in time.

4: Watch the WeatherBecause they aren’t as stable as cars, riding a bike in the rainis much riskier than driving a car. With only two wheels, youhave half the traction of a car. Plus, without windshield wipers,your visibility is compromised. Finally, riding through the drivingrain can hurt.

When you’re preparing to go for a ride, check the weather. Ifheavy rain, snow or ice is predicted, leave the bike at home. Ifyou absolutely must ride in the rain, don’t ride right after thestorm starts. When rain first hits the road, it brings up oil andother residue, making the road extremely slippery. If you waita while, the rain will wash away the oil and slick stuff it broughtup. Give the rain time to clear the road for you. Then, whenyou’re on your way, be extra cautious. Go slowly, leave plentyof space for stopping, and if the weather gets worse, stop andwait it out.

3: Educate Your Passengers

Part of the fun of having a bike ishaving someone on the back.Having a passenger with theirarms around you as you cruise theopen road can be quite romantic.But your passenger has a part toplay in keeping both of you safe.Make sure anyone you carry onyour bike has the right gear. Likeyou, they should wear sturdyshoes and protective clothes. You should also practice havinga passenger, especially if they’re bigger than you, in a safeplace, like a parking lot. That will get you used to having theextra weight on the bike and the passenger used to how thebike feels, and how they need to move with you in variousmaneuvers. Make sure your passenger knows not to distractyou, and what things like stopping and turning on a bike feellike, so they won’t panic. If you’re carrying a young child, checkthe laws of your state. In many states, you need to be over acertain age to ride on the back of a motorcycle.

2: Look TwiceThis tip is more for drivers than bikers, but it’s so importantthat it’s worth mentioning here: Look for motorcycles.Motorcycles are small and tough to see. That means manydrivers miss them, causing collisions that are often fatal to themotorcycle rider.

Keep your eyes and ears open for motorcycles. Lots of bikeshave loud exhaust systems specifically to draw drivers’attention. Use that to your advantage. But you still need to lookout for quiet bikes. Look twice before changing lanes, andalways check your blind spot. A bike may be there. Also, beforepulling into traffic, look for motorcycles. They’re harder to spotthan cars, but taking an extra second to look could savesomeone’s life.

For riders, look twice is still a good rule to follow. Neverassume that a driver sees you. Ride defensively and takeresponsibility for staying safe around cars.

1: Wear a HelmetThe most important thing you can do to stay safe on amotorcycle is wear a helmet. Helmets protect your head, andhead injuries are the leading cause of death for motorcycleriders. Your brain just wasn’t meant to be exposed.

Of course, wearing a helmet isn’t enough. You need to wearthe right helmet. Lots of places sell novelty helmets that lookgood but don’t protect you. Look for a Department ofTransportation-approved helmet. Those helmets have beentested and provide a minimum standard of protection.

Make sure your helmet fits properly. It shouldn’t be too tightor too loose. It shouldn’t obstruct your vision, but it shouldcover most of your head. For more protection, opt for a full-facehelmet with protection all the way around. A simple windshieldcan at least protect your face from bugs, rocks and rain, but afull-face helmet will have a piece that goes around your chin,so your face won’t make contact with the road.

Even if you ignore every other motorcycle safety tip, wear ahelmetRide safe, Ian

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Here's my 1st contribution to the Hoggit.Unfortunately I didn't get many pictures, except forthe ones that I just emailed you. I sent to dealershipa Christmas card and chequefor membership renewal andpatches. I'm hoping that yougot it.

As you'll see from theattached flyer this wasDudley Perkins 33rd annualNew Year run, but it alsobegan a year of festivities tocelebrate 100 years of thedealership. Approximately75 to 100 bikes rode in this1st of the year ride with thefirst leg a 20 minute ridebeginning at Dudley Perkinsin South San Francisco toHighway 280 and then shorthop on scenic highway 1 to Nick's in Pacifica. Nick's wasthe first stop on this ride for brunch consisting of scrambledeggs, sausages, Canadian and American bacon, hashbrowns, fruit, and muffins. The ride was mostly Harleys, withmine being the only trike, but there were also sports bikes,such as Kawasakis and Hondas. At brunch I sat with a fatherand son who rode an Indian with a Vincent Black Shadowengine and a Vincent Rapide, respectively. The dad ran amotorcycle repair business focused on British bikes, but isnow retired.

After brunch most of the group rode onto Duarte's to toast inthe New Year. I rode with the group part of the way along

highway 1, riding through the new tunnel that bypassesDevil's Slide and then broke off at highway 84 to rideto Alice's at the corner of Skyline and Highway 84.

My plan was to stop atAlice's but I was havingso much fun that Icarried on riding thetwisties along Skyline toHighway 92. At thispoint I was 10 milesaway from home alongHighway 92, but decidedto add another hour tomy ride by continuingthe ride away from homeback to Highway 1 andthen took Highway 1north, passing Nicks andheading back toHighway 280.

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The author, Jay Sethi sits astride his mount, flying aunion flag!

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God, Harley Davidson & Women

Arthur Davidson, of the Harley Davidson motorcyclecorporation, dies and goes to heaven. At the gates, an angeltells him, "Well, you've been a good guy and your motorcycleshave changed the world. As a reward, you can hang out withanyone you want to in Heaven".

Arthur Davidson thinks about it and says, "I wanna hang outwith God, himself".The befeathered fellow at the gates takes Arthur to the throneroom and introduces him to God.Arthur Davidson then asks God, "Hey, aren't you the inventorof woman?"God says, "Ah, yes"."Well", says Arthur Davidson, "You have some major designflaws in your invention:

There's too much front end protrusion.It chatters at high speeds.The rear end wobbles too much.The intake is placed too close to the exhaust."Hmmm..." replies God, "hold on". God goes to the celestialsupercomputer, types in a few keystrokes, and waits for theresult. The computer prints out a slip of paper and God readsit. "It may be that my invention is flawed", God replies to ArthurDavidson, "but according to my computer, more people areriding my invention than yours".

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How did you do last month?

And the winners are:

Elaine & Sheppy

Notification of the 2014 ‘New Member’s RideOut’ route. ‘2nd man drop off’ system will

NOT be used!

Keep in touch with Chapter news and events at

www.oxfordukchapter.co.uk & the Chapter Hotline 07876 663327

Culham Publication Services 01235 464 904

www.cps.culham.org.uk

From left to right: Cy Grieve: Director; Ian Davis: Editor; Ian Ward: Safety Officer; Kay Gibbard:Membership Secretary; Julie Parry: Webmaster; Charmaine Till: Secretary; Jack McCaigue:Photographer; Paul Farmer: Treasurer; Andy Spindlow: Assistant Director & Activities Officer

Director [email protected]

Assistant Director [email protected]

Treasurer [email protected]

Secretary [email protected]

Head Road Captain [email protected]

Editor [email protected]

Activities Officer [email protected]

Photographer [email protected]

Ladies of Harley Officer [email protected]

Webmaster [email protected]

Safety Officer [email protected]

Membership Secretary [email protected]

Dealer Representative [email protected]

Merchandise Officer Not specified @oxfordukchapter.co.uk

Team Oxford UK 2014