Twister hits NE Scotland!

Riteo, that's the official announcement bit out of the way, down to the nitty gritty now. The job, as I understand it, involves getting out and about, visiting sections and VMCC events all over Scotland (just like I have been doing for the last 6 years or so), and being a point of contact between the Scottish sections (all 6 of them) and HQ. There are meetings at head office several times a year, which is where I can raise any issues that are troubling members north of the border, and I'll probably be the messenger who gets shot when I return with the answers! It's not up to me promise to change the world or make the Scottish part of the club exactly what everyone wants, because that is not only impossible, but its not my job! I'll just do my best to help things run smoothly, and help to do away with the misguided idea that the VMCC is only for very mature (what can I put there that starts with C C....) gentlemen who smoke pipes but don't ride bikes. Let's show 'em, c'mon, look lively, chop chop! Looking forward to working with you all.


And in other news.....
Our Grampian classic club meeting last night hosted our annual talk from Timmy "Twister" Hastings, our sponsored 16 year old racer who is the current British GP125 ACU Academy Cup CHAMPION. He gave us a good talk about his 2008 season, the ups of getting pole position and places on the podium, followed by the downs of flipping over the 'bars at 133mph! We watched a couple of videos of his racing and then the poor lad to had answer loads of questions, followed by a mingle with the old guys who tried to tell him how best to go faster than the opposition. Give Timmy his due, he spent a good couple of hours chatting and mixing with the Grumpyones - I'd say he has earned our sponsorship for the coming season, but he still needs to raise a heck of a lot of money, and given the financial climate, that might be tricky. So if you can help him out, pop on to his website at www.timhastingsracing.co.uk

You might be wondering why a classic club would want to get involved with a racer of modern bikes - well, just think of all the publicity we'll get. Our club logo will be on show all around the country and possibly even abroad, not to mention it'll be on TV from time to time. The lucky little beggar, he's off to Spain very soon to start testing his KRP bike and to ride in the first round of the Catalan Championship at Barcelona - good luck champ, same again but better this year, eh!

Cubbies Counties stuff - I plan to nip off and 'do' another two counties this weekend, have Cubbie already fettled and ready to go. Took the primary chain case off, removed all the old remnants of sealer, cleaned the joints thoroughly and let it all dry off before applying some new silicone sealer, that special stuff for engines ya know. Bolted it all up, re-fitted the foot peg and the rear brake pedal, satisfied that the huge drip discovered on the Orkney trip would be cured. No sooner had I turned my back, but there was a new drip underneath - and it wasn't the primary wotsit 'cos I hadn't even put any oil in there yet. Looks like this is the next cover / case / whateveryoucallit in, the bit next the main body of the engine. Humbug. Well I'm not taking the primary chain case and the clutch off just yet to sort it, so it'll have to drip, and I'll have to remember to keep it topped up. While I was in the mood I also checked the gearbox level, using that stupid set up where you grovel around upside down, trying not to get an eye full of debris from underneath the bike, and trying to find a spanner of some sort that you can get on the bolt and turn, avoiding the oil pipe, the frame tube, the zorst and, you get the picture? Undid the smaller of two bolt things (there's one inside the other, sort of). If oil comes out the hole you're ok, but if it doesn't, it's time for a top up, which it was, so I squirted another 50ml or so in. Now I'm happy that all I have to do on Saturday morning is fill the primary case and top up the main oil tank, and it would be a good idea to stick some air in the back tyre I spose. Just before I left Cubbie in peace and quiet, I couldn't resist flicking the lights on.....and they still work!