Our Branch stand had its first outing of the year on a sunny Saturday at Bulldog Triumph’s season launch event. We were outside the shop with a few classic bikes, some of our clothing and all the material to inform people what the Branch was all about. We had a great afternoon. There was an incredible BBQ and of course, all the new Triumph’s that Bulldog had in its showroom.
Here are some photos of the event.
It was a bright sunny Sunday morning, so 15 members gathered together to take the scenic route to TJ’s Cafe just outside Swindon. There were a couple of navigational mishaps and the group got split up towards the end of the ride, but we all arrived at the cafe about the same time. We had phoned ahead to say we were coming so the cafe had set up a long table down the middle of the room for when we arrived so we could all sit together. Great service from a nice cafe. We all had an enjoyable ride home as well. It was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday.
Here are some photos of the ride.
Bulldog Triumph will be having a season launch event from 10am to 4pm at their shop in Wokingham on 5 April 2025. We’ll be going there and expect to have our stand and a few bikes on display. See here for more details from Bulldog.
Below is the report published in the April 2025 issue of Nacelle, which covered Branch activities in February 2025
Spring is sprung, the grass is riz,… etc. At last we’ve left winter behind and can look forwards to better days for riding Triumphs.
Our AGM had only one change to committee membership and that was the resignation of El Zorro as Runs Co-ordinator; and with no takers it remains a vacant position. However, the runs continue every Sunday with members stepping up to the plate to lead a ride. So if you fancy a ride to somewhere and would like to lead, you’ll be welcomed with open arms. Talking of which, on Good Friday (18th April) there will be an organised ride for the Easter Egg run; see our website for up-to-date details of the ride.
Looking forward and slightly later than we would normally hold it, is our Spring Meet which will be held on Saturday 3rd May. For this meet, which is free to all, we will be holding a collection for a new (for us) charity, namely Blood Bikes. Our Regalia officer, Chris, is a Blood Biker and put on a presentation at the recent AGM about the organisation.
Finally, I managed to catch our Chairman in his alter ego, a Rock star, a musical maestro, Axe-man and Keyboard Warrior for that little known band Cheap-day return, only kidding Nick, the band is called Off-Peak Return and playing at a venue near you soon…
I’m off to Southern India for a bike tour, but will catch up with you next month, ride safe and fast.
Bibendum
The Jackeroo Cafe has been one of our favourite destinations for Sunday ride-outs. It used to be located opposite the skidpan by the grandstand. It has just been relocated to occupy the cafe area in the Thruxton Centre. So more than a dozen of us turned out on a dry but cold morning to try it out. We even had one rider on a classic. We enjoyed it and I am sure we will be back. Here is a photo of us setting off and outside by the cafe in the paddock area.
We had a packed room full of members eager to hear John Bottomley talk about the development of Ducati GP racing engines. John is a former engineer and has ridden motorcycles off-road and on the track all his adult life. He also started the motorcycle team at Brooklands Museum. It was an interesting evening and everybody enjoyed it and learned a lot. We hope to have John back to share more of his knowledge of motorcycles in the future.
As well as owning a Ducati race, John also owns a 1972 Yamaha TR3 replica. Here is a video of him talking about it.
It might only be mid-March but it felt like the summer riding season had begun. With the temperature rising to 15C and dry roads, 12 of us met up for spirited ride to a new venue for us, the cafe at Lasham Airfield near Alton. Three more members met us there and we enjoyed the refreshments and chat before heading our various directions home. Good to see so many people out on their bikes again and we had one new member going on his first ride with us as well. Looking forward to more days like this going forward. Here are some photos of the ride.
Brooklands Museum are holding a Motorcycle Day for pre-1940 motorcycles on Sunday 6 April 2025.
Enjoy a day filled with pre-1940 motorcycle displays, Test Hill ascents (weather permitting), race starts, demonstrations, 1920/30s style Gymkhana events and talks! Enjoy live music by The Knightingales vocal trio.
All pre-1940 motorcycles are welcome to join.
For more information on this event, click here.
If you are a Berkshire TOMCC member and want to go, there is a discount available. Contact us to obtain the “promotional code” for the discount.
The Annual General Meeting of the TOMCC CIC will this year be held in Rotherham in Yorkshire on 13 April 2025. The agenda and details of the propositions to be discussed at this years AGM together with the financial accounts and the minutes of last year’s AGM are published in the April 2025 issue of Nacelle. There are some important issues to be decided at this year’s AGM, so all Branch members are encouraged to read the information in Nacelle. Several members of the Branch are planning to attend the AGM this year, but all full members of the TOMCC are welcome to attend and are encouraged to do so. See here for more details of the AGM on the main TOMCC website.
We went on a ride to the CTL Cafe, which is named after Cherry Tree Lane, where it is located, just outside Cirencester. A favourite biker venue, it has a large car park, pictures of bikes all over the walls, the lampshades are made of tyres and there is a large garage next to the cafe which you can walk around with has a cracking collection of bikes. We had a great time looking around as well as enjoying the food, and of course, the ride there. Here are some photos of our time there.
