Sent this into Desmo today…

The biggest regular DOC meet in the UK

What a laugh we had the other day, their was Mr R in one corner spouting off about modifying Bevels to his usual huddle of interested club members, while some of the other lads were debating how to improve the club.

“Cheshire cat” and others including myself were putting the world to right and discussing the clubs rallies and how to improve, and across the way, over a few beers some other club members were discussing Musical tastes, which largely revolved around Rock, but their was the odd shout for ABBA, which raised a few eyebrows!

Kev was showing off his new Hydraulic clutch conversion on his 900 Darmah and their was other technical discussions going on all over the place with subjects that included, Rattling clutches, starter motor problems, where to get your bike serviced and Carb Icing.

Best Rumour of the day was that a Desmosedici owner had filled his bike up with Diesel!

Rogers fascinating accounts of his Racing exploits aboard a Ducati single captivated all of us (hope your finger is feeling better!) while the discussion on Nevada’s had a few of us in stitches.

Accounts of and arrangements for all sorts of club meets and rides, stands at shows and rallies were announced and discussed including all the club rallies, The Wirral run, an Mhe meet, a run to Sammy Millers for Ducati Day, Horsham and Bristol Italian Festivals, club run to France for the Classic Bol d Or and other European raids.

Probably the biggest amount of banter came from the bunch of degenerate loonies from the club that had a pretty crazy week on the IOM during TT week, a bunch of lads that should have known better at their ages, but well, who cares!!!

Some of the classic guys had arranged to have some rare parts made, and were able to keep the cost down by getting a few made and I must admit I took advantage of this on a couple of occasions to obtain those hens teeth parts!

What a great event I hear you ask, where can I make friends like these, well admittedly most of us do meet up at club events, but with us all being spread all over Europe, it’s a bit hard to do on a regular basis, but friends we are.

I guess you have worked out by now that in order to chat like this on a regular basis and help each other out I have been taking about the clubs internet Forum. Well worth signing up for and us regulars would welcome a few more members!!!

Its for club members only so its never going to be over crowded, but the point is it’s a great way to regularly keep in contact with your mates in the club, that you might only see once or twice a year.

I regularly get help with my bike via this rout and the more the merrier, so come on don’t be shy, sign up now!

Go to index.php to register and Spaggy will sort you out

well said that man
the more the merrier

Good idea putting it in Desmo, maybe some members don’t know it’s there?
But I think we would get more interest especially from outside the membership, if all, or parts of the forum were open to view by non members, I’ve ended up looking at no end of owners club forums (some I’ve never heard of) whilst searching for stuff on the net.

Well said Kevin,

maybe some people use the forum to see how much fun we are having messing with Dukes and other things, going to rallies, shows, ride outs, meeting up and they then disappear over yonder hill in fright wondering what we are all like. All my best buddies are Ducatisti and long may that continue. Less of the old farts as well. Didn’t see many jap pocket rockets out yesterday when it was pouring with rain, we sheltered in a cafe had a social for a short while and a full breakfast the sun came out at so we disappeared into North Wales just getting home for the euro cup final. Pretty boring day really, not.

Totally agree
Ive been a club member for about eighteen months have enjoyed it tremendously and still do and have brought others to the club.Spoke to Rob the other day about what we both get out of it,think were both fairly active members(given work commitments)and we both agreed good friends, meeting others and a great social side and of course the bikes…
We are going to put togther a complation of photos for the events weve been to in this time hopefully for Northern and it will show what the cub is all about “a good time to be had”-but again I believe you get out what you put in ie.become more active and get involved…
Some of my favorites… Rosie’s spring barbie last year great night ,ride outs,gettin soaked and pi–ed at Northern in Cartmel meeting loads more members from all over the country some who have since become good friends.
October classic bike show freezing in tents gettin pi–ed watchin Rugby world cup in Rosie’s awning.Giving Tony James some stick
The Christmas bash at Ital sports Bury -never drunk so much beer in 48hrs and laughed so much.
Wirral Egg run breakfast at ours on a freezing Sunday morning-sound of all the Dukes in a quiet rural cul-de -ac
Merlin Rally well I wont say too much
TT Bash !!!
If this is what our club is about LONG MAY IT CONTINUE.
Timbo
(45 yrs married two kids,professional upstanding job)
(When with the crew and riding the bikes feel like eighteen again brilliant !!! )

Well unfortunately our beloved Editor obviously does not support the Forum as much as we would like.

Sorry Spaggy, I did my best, but obviously 3 pages of tiny pictures of Daytona 2008 are more important.

Hardly a scandel of DSC proportions, but Fu~king annoying all the same - and just when a bit more activity on our forum would have been welcome, given the state of the other lot…

Keef

What are you on about keef???

Hi,
At the start of this thread Keith called for the forum to be publicised in the Desmo, the latest copy arrived down here in Kernow and I haven’t seen a mention of the forum so far…
But I haven’t read it all yet!
I think that’s what Keith’s on about.

Steve R

P.S. Nice picture of me with my old bevel at the clubs TT Rally though, keep it lads as the fat lad in the picture won’t look the same next year, Mrs R has me on a low fat diet now after the Doc had a shock at my Cholesterol level…
Life may not go on any longer but it will seem like it does!!

Keef,

You’re right, from what I can see there doesn’t seem to be anything promoting the forum in Desmo 179 (I’ve not read it fully yet). I’d suggest that you be persistent and send another article in!

I actually signed on tonight to complement Desmo on the latest issue. Previous criticisms regarding out of date MotoGP results etc, seem to have been addressed - this edition is full of articles written by members about members. Congratulations to the editor and to everyone who put pen to paper (or rather, fingers to keboard)!
Articles on the Bristol festival, BMF show, Bol d’Or, IoM, my own racing, the Merlin, riding Enfields through India.
Promotionals for the Yorkshire Dales dash, Southern rally, Northern rally and the Stafford bike show.
Lots of good photo’s (I particularly like the MHR in Ian’s TT photo’s).
A bit of stuff on the Ace Cafe and MAG.
Branch reports, editorial, regalia, small ad’s, etc, etc.

Personally I think that it looks like the best issue I’ve seen yet.

Perhaps you should add a bit to your article about the differnt sections on the forum, how to sign up, etc, and send it in again.
I do agree with you, the forum is a great place for members to communicate and it’s a great focus for us to feel like we’re all part of the same club. Long may it continue.
As I say, be persistent.

Cheers,

Roger

Roger,
The whole point of this thread was for Jilly/the club to plug the club forum in the Desmo.
Most of the critisisms on the other points have been addressed and corrected, but there still wasn’t a 1/2 or full page on the almost forgotten club forum.
I agree that the latest issue was the best for a long time, but if I’m reading it correctly you’re saying get posting to the critics?
If this’s the case I feel I must point out that Keef has been one of the most regular posters/contributors to the club mag in the almost 30 years that I’ve been a member.
I still have every Desmo I’ve ever recieved and Keef crops up in more issues than most!

Steve R

Steve,

Fair comment, point taken.

I do agree with you both that the forum is a great place for communication - more awareness and participation would be great.

Hopefully this will be corrected in the next issue of Desmo.

Cheers,

Roger

Ah right, so that’s what it’s about!
Keef’s item for Desmo was received the last day for copy, my apologies for not including it (which item should I have left out???) I’ll make sure it will be in 180 …
Incidentally, there were plenty of articles ‘promised’ about the TT - what happened to them??? And we could always do wtih more branch reportsm that’s for sure.

… and the next episode from Team never Prepared’?

Hi Desmo/Jilly,
As we all are, I’m a very busy boy.
Being married to a top Champion Vegetable grower who now writes a rugular column for the ‘Gardening News’, she got a 1st, 2nd and a 3rd at a show today!
I was the conscripted cameraman.
I’m having trouble getting my secretary (The said veggy grower, Ness) to spare some time to write up my adventures this year!
I’ll do my best to put another hat on and try to get something to you.
In my defence Spaggy has put a good write up on the club website and you’ve put your own bit into the Desmo, I didn’t want to cover the same ground…
We don’t want to bore the membership, do we?

Steve R

Yes, the next episode from ‘Team Never Prepared’ will be on its way shortly.
Having trouble sending e-mails so it’ll be in the post this time.
I’ll also send some pictures (which I forgot to do for the last one).
Cheers,
Roger

Just a thought, but as well as promoting the forum it might be an idea to promote a different aspect of the club in each issue of Desmo (if you can get the right people to write something). So maybe have pieces about tool hire, bike dating (singles looking for singles?), etc. Services offerd by the cllub but which many members may not be fully aware of.
Maybe a thought for the future.
Cheers,
Roger

Yes, an excellent idea Roger, I have tried to get this done before - and also to get each CoM member to write a profile - but only one or two respond. I will certainly contact the relevant people again, and maybe a ‘nugde’ from people here wouldn’t go amiss.

Hi Mr R,
no worries, glad you liked the photo, and that’s excellent news about the Champion Veggie grower!!! All being well, I’ll be in Cornwall next month, so I might stop by to see you all, I’ll be catching up with some of the other Ducati owners whilst I’m there … I ran out of time last year to see everyone
Ciao

I’ve just read through the latest Desmo only to find that they haven’t put our West Mids branch on the ‘branch info’ page…Doh!
I’d better let KJilly & Ian know for the next one.

That’ll be great, Kevin, Ian supplies me with an updated branch file for each Desmo. By all means send me the details too