You wanna be in my gang?

Since moving to Essex I have the use of a car to commute and am happy to make the transition to a Sunday pleasure rider, I’ve had enough numb fingers and wet crotches to not mind packing up over the colder months, and this year was the coldest there has been in my lifetime. This winter was the first season I have shut my motorbike, Rex, down completely, he got tucked into a corner of the garage, I drained the oil and put it under cover for 6 of the coldest months we have seen in decades.

Now the warmer weather is approaching I am looking to replace most of my gear with comfy lightweight versions, much to my bike-mad-brothers horror. I already have some un-padded leather trousers (from magical ebay of course!) and hope to get some comfy biker boots as well to replace the old un-comfortable ones. My armoured trousers we very high and stiff, I could hardly sit down in them let alone enjoy a drink in a country pub garden on a day out.

I’ve signed up to a club – The Royal British Legion Riders branch. I was introduced to the branch whilst attending a difficult repatriation last year in Wotten Basset, its one of several positives I got from the trying experience. On the up side I was amazed of the idea of a veterans biker gang but didn’t pluck up the courage to ask if army WAGS could join too. I’ve always wanted to go to biker meets but too nervous to go alone, and now I live so far from my friends who are newly introduced to the wonders of motorbikes (seriously 5 of them have bought bikes this year!) I was keen to learn more. Its taken a while but I have now applied to the branch : )

Along with my new gear I’ve bought some new parts for Rex, the side panel was in a bad way and I fancy some custom decals, I have also just been looking at some patches to sew onto a waistcoat. After all, if I’m in a biker gang I need a waistcoat with patches to look the part! Its not like I can grow a beard, and I don’t really want to tattoo my knuckles either >_>

I’m looking forward to making biking a real hobby; to spend time planning and enjoying the summer weekends. The spring weather has made me appreciate the enjoyable experiences I get from biking and not for the first time I feel I’m out growing my beloved Rex, I have been guiltily looking at second hand bikes online. My husband David wants to do his CBT and I trust him with Rex, which would free me up for a bigger engine ; )