Douglas Motorcycles

Last Updated on Friday, 11 June 2010 18:33 Written by Oz Warren Friday, 11 June 2010 18:32

 

On Weds 9th June 2010 Bill Douglas, of the Douglas motorcycle family, came along to our club night to talk to us about the history of the family and provide some background to the heritage of this once great marque.

Hearing personal stories from a member of the family painted a vivid picture of the birth of this firm and relived the Kingswood factory's hayday when 5000 poeple were employed there and the plant was the largest motorcycle factory in the world.

 

 

Yet Another First Group Ride

Last Updated on Saturday, 07 November 2009 19:48 Written by Oz Warren Saturday, 07 November 2009 18:41

Sunday 6th September Oz’ half day to Salisbury Plain “Part way to Portsmouth” 09:30 start from Mc Donald’s, Brislington

Cast List

Oz, as himself Simon Jarvis Mike Crew John Cooper John Bowditch Jim Horrod Tony Hurdon + 2 Pillion riders Martyn Rowbottom Charley Thomas J Beer Mike Mullins Mike Walker Pauline Woodhall Simon Whitelock Dan Dowling John Crawford Ian Skulicz Ben Floodpage Tim Rowson

Hardware

7 Honda, 1 Enfield, 2 Suzuki, 2 BMW, 2 Ducati, 1 Triumph, 4 Kawasaki

Gathering

My first group ride. What would it be like? I had not attended club nights, so only had contact with members at the training evenings and my observed rides. They seemed good sorts, very friendly and welcoming, predominantly experienced touring motorcyclists, but I was full of first time uncertainties as to how I would fit in on a group ride. I learned something of what was expected of participants by reading the guidance notes on the Chain Link on-line Forum but I still had many questions. Would my Ducati 900SS be out of place among a mass of BMWs and Pans? Would I make some dumb riding error? What was the riding etiquette? Would the pace be pedestrian? How exactly did the drop off system work? Would I cause the group to be scattered about the countryside to the fury of the chairman?

As planned, everyone turned up ready and in good time for a prompt get away. There were nineteen bikes in the group. I am told it was a respectable number for a half day ride, perhaps due to the period of lousy weather that we had endured having cleared up for the weekend. There were all sorts of bike and rider, even another Ducati. Hurrah!! (Hi Tim). The mix of ages and gender and two pillion riders (sorry I did not record the pillion names – shame on me) was a welcome sight. Oz gave a concise and business like briefing that neatly settled most of the questions I had. The weather was overcast but dry with occasional sunshine throughout the day with just a hint of autumn in the air. Game on!

Off we set from McD’s, Oz leading, John Bowditch tail ending on his Enfield thumper. The flexibility of the drop off system was demonstrated straight away as the group was immediately split (probably twice) by the traffic lights on the A4. Oz
and a few others disappeared past Riders and into the lanes. Eventually the part of the group that I was in was able to follow and presently lo and behold, there was my first sight of a human signpost clearly signalling a turn. With each successive marker, the realisation dawned that there really was no need to keep sight of the bike in front and I began to relax and focus on the pleasure of riding to the system and make my own riding plans. I don’t know many club members yet, so I was mindful that the bike behind me may well be ridded by a Senior Observer for all I knew. I did not want to spoil the overall riding standard of the group, something I suspect holds true for other riders. No one seemed to be keen to overtake at first, but suddenly someone shot past me and roared off. Aha, so we can overtake and ride at a pace that we choose – great. I had no problem in picking up the rôle of marker when my turn came, it’s common sense really.

The Route

We headed to the A37 via Stockwood, but soon turned to take the familiar run past Chew Valley Lake to Chewton Mendip. Then it was off across country to the interesting and picturesque Wylye valley which was traversed on the opposite side of the river to the A36. As promised, the route avoided major roads, weaving a flowing path through countryside and quiet villages with an intermediate leg stretch and fuelling opportunity at about two thirds distance.
The lunch stop was a sociable affair at the Swan Inn at Stoford. What a varied and interesting group of enthusiasts (and eccentrics? No, no surely not). After ordering refreshment from the friendly bar staff (excellent fare by the way) I settled
into a conversation that could happily have drifted on into the afternoon, when suddenly there was Oz to chivvy us along to commence the return leg of the journey.

Off again into the lanes and up a pleasant valley into the unique chalk landscape of Salisbury Plain. Avoiding Amesbury we
passed through the military depot of Larkhill and then lapped up a glorious twelve mile blast across the plain through Shrewton, Chittern and Heytesbury, closing the loop to retrace from there our earlier route out and again briefly stopping for a break and fuel. We stopped at Chew Lake for ices and the team snap and dispersed to our individual weekend activities. I got the impression that the ingenious route must have been developed over some time, possibly with the help of sat nav. It was certainly well crafted to avoid major routes and towns and we encountered light to zero other traffic in most sections. The last section before the lunch stop along the Wylye valley was particularly memorable for the pretty villages and interesting lanes. Impressions of roads travelled. Lanes with no markings and loose surfaces in the centre (no
grass though). Sinuous routes through pretty villages, some in Wiltshire near the Plain with very notable rural buildings. I may go back for a closer look some time.

Small lanes with interesting bends and short open sections. B roads. Fast B
roads, ***** fast B roads. A few A road links. The fully detailed route has been posted by Oz on the Chain Link on-line notice board

Speed

As Oz promised at the briefing there were some “very” fast B roads, especially over the Plain after Larkhill garrison. I indulged myself shamelessly where conditions allowed, but noticed that the bikes following did not fall far behind. On the next stop it did not take long for everyone to regroup, so the objective of “making good progress” was clearly being applied. As for my worry about not complying with the high standard of riding expected, no one complained about me (yet), or reminded me that I stalled the bike at one of the junctions like a learner. In fact, everyone was most encouraging and friendly. It seemed to me that we were riding for ourselves as if alone, but with the support of the group as and when needed especially in providing those splendid human signposts. The perfect situation, for me at least, with my poor sense of direction and route memory (I usually forget observed ride routes after about a mile and
rely on the observer’s early signals).

Interaction

It was noticeable that other road users were not unduly troubled by our progress. Eighteen bikes passing in quick succession makes a spectacle which can be positive or negative, especially in a quiet Wiltshire village full of retired senior army officers who know all about disciplined behaviour. Several times I saw interested observers (small o) watching the group pass. I well remember group rides with non IAM riders where the aim of some seemed to be to make the biggest impression of danger and recklessness on other road users. What a pleasant contrast this was. A couple of occasions demonstrated the smooth and focussed character of this ride to me. On one of the few fast A-road sections a motorcycle coming towards us overtook a stick of cars out of a fast left hand bend without having a “landing space” to get back in. Five or six bikes in our group (me at the rear) smoothly broke our staggered formation and took up a safe position to the left to give him space, having identified the hazard and applied IPSGA instinctively. The view from the approaching bike must have been like watching a synchronised display team in action. Pretty cool I think. The other was (near Binegar?) at a local horse event. The signs of the developing hazard were clear, mess in the road, event signs and then some puzzled looking jodhpur wearing organisers or riders. A succession of skittish horses, pony buggies, horse transporters and pedestrians was then encountered on the narrow lane. All were negotiated in a patient and courteous manner without
fuss or anxiety for any road users, just as our training aims for.

Overall I enjoyed a feeling of trouble free and smooth progress with a friendly bunch who exhibited shared enthusiasm for the interesting riding challenges.

Cows and toads

My lasting memories of pleasant rides like this contain snatched images of passing views. For example, we passed (both out and back) a field of the most sturdy and fine specimens of cows I have seen in a while with a handsome and contented looking bull watching our progress over the hedge in a beautiful rural setting. At the time we were entering the Salisbury Plain region, progressing up a valley between those pleasing rolling chalk hills. All very Freudian I’m sure (sorry
about that, I’m at a “funny” age). Leaving a village, there was hazard warning sign for toads (picture of toad in triangle). What would you do if confronted by a mass of toads on the road? Weave a path between them? Stop and wait for them to cross? Pick them up and line them on the verge, hoping they stay there? Or maybe it was a warning against stopping for hitchhikers dressed as washerwomen. I guess I’ll have to wait for the occasion to arise to find out.

Memories were stirred by sights, sounds and smells. When we entered the Salisbury Plain area the smell of the earth of Wiltshire on the hot engine and exhaust mingled with bike aroma was very evocative of my Territorial Army days, many of which were spent hooning around the Plain in muddy Land Rovers with trailers. It made me quite nostalgic for a while.
It was a really memorable and satisfying long half day out. The distance, about 120 miles I think (I wasn’t measuring) and duration of the ride, about five hours, was just right for me, I consumed a tank of fuel, the low fuel warning light coming
on as I returned home from the ice cream stop. Full of the enjoyment of day I turned right instead of left onto the A37 like a prize turnip! I wasn’t kidding about the sense of direction thing. There were no breakdowns or incidents and no-one got lost from the group; impressive considering the number of bikes the complex route and a contrast to my pre IAM experience of some other group rides (now now, no cheap stereotype jibes about Ducati reliability please). I’ll be back for more. I hope this was a typical ride standard, as I now intend to be regular participant. It’s just a pity I’ve started to play as the season is drawing to a close.

John Cooper