Rider of the month

This month's rider of the month is - Nigel Reid - Life member

The interview was taken at Devil's Corner winery on Sunday 21 April

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Hi Nigel, have you had a good ride up today with its perfect weather today for our ride!

Yes, it couldn’t get better.

And how did your granddaughter enjoyed being on the back?  She’s a bit of a keen pillion by the look of it?

Yes, she is!

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You’ve been involved with the club for a very long time and you’re an honorary life member - what are the big changes that you’ve seen over the life of the club?

The size of the group has picked up over the years and we’ve got a greater variety of bikes on our club rides now.

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(Nigel’s granddaughter arrives to see what’s happening):

Hello what’s your name?

Mia

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Do you like riding on the back of your grandpa‘s bike?

Yes.

(To Nigel – are you Grandpa or Grandad? – No Pop).

To Mia - will you want motorbike when you’re older?

Mia -Yes.

Oh dear that’s a bit dangerous, isn’t it Nigel?

She’ll be fine.

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You’ve obviously made many good friends over the years and lost a few as well on the way which is very sad.

Yes, we have - but none of us are getting any younger.

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So how did you get into riding?

Through my Father. It was a case where it happened very quickly.  One day he took me see an  Ariel bike for sale.

So was your Dad was a bike rider?

Yes, he was.

And how old were you then when you went to see the Ariel.

About 17.  We bought the aerial to do it up, which we did.

How many years did that last?

Quite a few!

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Your current bike - that beautiful Triumph cruiser- is it an easy bike ride?

It’s quite a heavy bike to somebody like me, although when you are going you don’t notice the weight.  Parking sometimes.

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Just back to the club Nigel, how do you see the new membership coming through the club?

Hopefully we can get Family involved and bring them up to be riders as well as encouraging new members to join.

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I think one of the issues though for the younger generation is that the modern bikes don’t lend themselves to being pulled apart and serviced and stripped and rebuilt in the way that motorcycles did when we were young men and of course we all grew up with access to dad’s shed.

Yes, I think in the current generation the lifestyle has definitely changed the way we do things now.

Now you are retired do you have any plans for a big road trip on the bike again?

Yes.

(Your granddaughter’s picked up what you said and asked “can I come?”)

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Lunch has just arrived so - thank you very much for talking to me today and again - thank you for all of the years you’ve devoted to the club. I think the honorary life membership is absolutely just and fitting for you! Thank you.

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