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Motorcycle Challenge: Lands End to John O'Groats in a day
09/04/2019
he Challenge is to travel from Lands End to John O'Groats on the longest day of the year between sunrise and sunset.
I've spent my life selling and promoting motorcycles so when one of your oldest friends is killed on one it hits you hard. Rob was killed in July last year on his bike. As motorcyclists we all know its a possibility. But my friend was a confident rider I rated him. He had crashed before, years ago, so he knew it hurts when you crash a motorcycle. Yes sometimes you can be lucky but often your not. Maybe this for some people is part of the attraction, the risk, the knowing that what your doing is potentially lethal. But the up side is well worth the risk, well for me anyway and I know Rob felt the same. He was motorbike mad riding off road and loving the whole scene his life revolved around bikes.
We grew up together, lived in the same village went to the same schools, then like bolt from the blue he's gone. In the summer last year we had a small gathering for friends and close family at our house. Rob attended with his wife Cath; Rob had fitted it in with doing the Longest day up challenge. Now considering he lived on the IOM this was quite a feet. The Longest day up requires you to ride from Lands End to John o Groats on a bike that you've paid less than three hundred pounds for. Although a small amount of flexibility exists as now a days three hundred pounds really doesn't buy you much. You start from Lands End at day break on the Longest day and have to arrive at John O Grotes before sun set an the longest day, the 21st of June. Rob did it on his old CBR600 he'd paid considerably more than three hundred pounds for it but it was looking a bit tatty and considering he'd his ferry fair to pay for he really did want to complete the ride. Which in fact he did. After an amassing night where Rob became friends with some of my friends that I've made over the years through the Motorcycle Industry. Rob and Cath slept in the tree house ( that was just him to a T ) he was dead a couple of weeks later.
So on the shortest day December the 21st I receive an email forwarded from George Dennison who had made friends with Rob saying how do you fancy having a crack at the Longest day up. Ping instant reply yep I'm up for that. Why wouldn't you be I love riding, ok its a long ride but what could go wrong so we put our names down. Then there is a group of us that go to the TT every year. We message each other most days on a What's app group and you know all the banter some of it you know is funny some is probably better deleted immediately. I posted anyone fancy the Longest day up. Big does and little does Taylor was straight in. Taylor lives near me he's a few years older than me and we go off-roading together. Taylor drives a wagon so he's used to the roads and he managed to find a peach of an XJ600 on Facebook for £250 pounds. We went one Sunday morning to collect it and ive given him a bit of help sorting it but hes quite capable and am sure the XJ will make a super little steed.
Garney soon piped up with a second pitch and Tony wasn't far behind. Then Danny, Tony Campbell ex Piaggio and now running the MCIA ( Motorcycle Industry Association) and Charlie. Im not going to go through each ones individual bike but there is an eclectic mix all bought in the spirit of the event and all purchased for below or bang on the pre requsite £300 ish this being one of the rules of entry. The bike must not be more than £300 ish it says. So a small amount of flexibility exists. Bikes can be prepared with things like new tyres brakes etc being fitted.
So Im needing a bike I sort of had one in reserve but It was a Kawasaki and I didn't want a Kawasaki. Nothing against them but we don't sell them. We sell Triumph Piaggio and Suzuki. Well not much luck on the buying a Triumph for £300 Piaggio possible but id like at least a 250 so still probably struggling. But Im in no rush so just bide your time me says. One will come it always does. Then Andrew our Manchester sales exec comes to me with can you look at this SV 650 that a customer is trying to part ex. He's had it for years but its not been on the road since 2008. Its totally seized solid and wont move. My ears prick up, Im getting excited now. This just doesn't happen to me, I buy motorcycles every day. Some worth thousands some the latest thing some just pure un adulterated beauty's. Yep I appreciate them I love motorbikes its just like crack cocaine to me I'm addicted. But I don't loose my head I cant. Business is business but this SV is ideal I say stupid things to Andrew like "do you think he will take £500 for it" without even checking what he's looking to buy. The thing is if he's looking to buy something we've no margin in then really we shouldn't be over allowing on the px. Andrew can see Im keen and thinks £500 is fair. Ive blurted it out now and its going to have to be £500. I check the deal and we can just make it work. I say get it collected tomorrow first thing. Andy has this he's lost the plot look. All the bikes in here and he's getting excited about a piece of SV scrap.
I was I was genuinely excited couldn't sleep excited. Was booked with the family on a Skiing holiday and couldn't mess with me new bike excited. Now Ive a Speed Twin on my ramp at home that Im re building the top end on so Ive that to finish then Ill be straight into it.
The ride is being done in memory of Rob this year and we are all keen to support his memory and Cancer Research so yep I will put up a just giving page and yep would be cool if you just put a few quid in. But I need to do this ride for Rob his Widow Cath and two kids Emily and Andrew. Above all he would be made up that we are all doing it. My little blog is for me just a record and a reconciliation of everything in my head. Ill go through the preparation and the ride lets hope we make it all of us safe and sound. Ive had Andrew forward some pictures of the bike so here it is. I will go through it front to back and record everything in this blog over the coming weeks.
