IMTC August 2005

It is with great sadness that the Northern Region of the IMTC learned that a much loved & respected member has died this evening (25 August 2005)Dennis Hannon

An IMTC member for over 50 years,  a member who has probably put more effort into making the IMTC  what it is today than any other member of his generation. Our thoughts at this time are with his wife Doris and two sons Paul & Mark

Click this link to visit a book of condolence

In late July IMTC member Ted Nuttall joined Kevin & Julia Saunders re-tracing the Trans Americas Guinness World Record™ route, an epic motorcycle journey along the world famous Pan-American Highway.

 Riding through the remnants of lost Inca civilisations in the remote highlands of the Peruvian Andes. They will travel from Anchorage, Alaska and head up to Deadhorse, Prudhoe Bay before heading south to the most southerly road in the world ending in Tierra del Fuego.

The adventure will take approximately 19 weeks, starting 1 August 2005 and finish around 11 December 2005, during the journey Ted hopes to be able to send regular email updates about his experiences on route which are posted below.

For another perspective; Julia Saunders has been able to send reports to their website, find all the latest at

 http://www.globebusters.com/expeditions/tales.html

Apparently nick names are beginning to surface and guess who 'Titanium Ted' is.

To read more about Ted's adventure click on this link

IMTC July 2005

East Anglian Ambulance Service have launched a national "In case of Emergency (ICE)" campaign with the support of Falklands war hero Simon Weston and in association with Vodafone's annual life savers award.

The idea is that you store the word "ICE" in your mobile phone address book, and against it enter the number of the person you would want to be contacted "In Case of Emergency". In an emergency situation ambulance and hospital staff will then be able to quickly find out who your next of kin are and be able to contact them.

It's so simple - everyone can do it. Please do. Please will you also forward this to everybody in your address book, it won't take too many forwards' before everybody will know about this. It really could save your life.

IMTC - April 2005

At the BMF Rally this year the IMTC collected some silver ware, Al Smith and his team collected the Cup for 2nd place for the 'Best Club stand', you can see photos taken by Julie Henderson in the website photo section.

IMTC - April 2005

Late April each year is when around a third of club members take a brief look at the past year at the IMTC Annual General Meeting, this year the AGM lasted a minute or two longer than the usual 60 minutes when we were introduced to our new Partitour Co-ordinator, Peter Brindle.

Peter takes over from Ted Nuttall who was standing in after Ted Gray retired from the position after many years being the link between members who are leading partitours and the club committee while also giving assistance and direction partitour leaders.

It was highlighted at the AGM, there will be several committee members retiring in April 2006 and any one who would like to take part in the running of the IMTC should consider coming forward as soon as possible to make the transition as smooth as possible,

IMTC - May 2004

Trans Americas 2003, Kevin & Julia Sanders hold a new official record time of 35 days, This takes 12 1/2 days off the last record (coincidentally the same amount of time by which they broke the Around the World Record in 2002). Riding from Deadhorse, Prudhoe Bay in Alaska to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina in 35 days.

On a warm sunny Saturday afternoon in May 2004 at a Northern Region Club meeting we were pleased to receive a second video and slide presentation from Kevin & Julia Saunders.

On their latest adventure and record breaking ride they took along a video camera so you too can share their experience of riding the Trans Americas. See the www.globebusters.com web site for details of how to buy your copy (each copy sold makes a donation to the SOS Children's Villages UK charity).

 'Miles Ahead' DVD/Video.

Well worth watching if you fancy your chances at long distance touring, this video shows the trials and tribulations of the long distance rider (and pillion) laid bare and how despite four or more setbacks and the endless stream of burocrasy at each border Kevin and Julia still managed to knock 12 days off the previous record.

For anybody who followed their reports on route over the internet this video fills in the picture and shows how the easy sections proved difficult and how they made-up the time lost earlier, and how did they manage to capture the whole record breaking run on video when I only manage the odd photo on my modest touring endeavours? If you have watched Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman's 'Long Way Round' open mouthed then this will have you on the edge of your seat with anticipation.

IMTC August 2003

London Region has a new venue:

Club nights usually held on the third Monday of each month at the Ace Cafe (A406 nr Wembley)
Ace Corner, North Circular Road, Stonebridge, London, NW10 7UD
(Send email for details)

Trans Americas by Motorbike

Kevin & Julia Sanders hold a new unofficial record time of 35 days
This takes off 12 1/2 days off the last record (coincidentally the same amount of time by which they broke the Around the World Record in 2002). they arrived in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego at 12.30pm on Monday 22 September.

IMTC - March 2003

Around the world in 19 days, 8 hours and 25 minutes

In May & June 2002, they broke the Guinness World Record
for the fastest motorbike circumnavigation of the world,
knocking 13 days off the previous record (also beating the car record by 2 hrs.).

On a warm sunny Saturday afternoon at a Northern Region Club meeting we were pleased to receive a video and slide presentation from Kevin & Julia Saunders.

Originally they aimed to do this ride in 21 days, 11 days quicker than previously. In fact they ended up breaking the 20 day barrier, with a final time of 19 days and 8 hours and 25 minutes that means they had to cover an average of over 1000 miles per day.

They had always ridden for fun and holidays and now felt that doing the record would also be a great way to give something back to the countries they had ridden through, they decided to use it to do some good and it became a personal challenge for them to raise £10,000 for SOS Childrens Villages. Read more about how they took on the challenge to gain this world record at the Globebusters website link below.

IMTC - March 2003

Once a year the IMTC has a Club Dinner, it’s the first opportunity each year for most club members have to discuss touring matters face to face with other members from other regions, each region takes it in turn to host the event around February, March time.
This year it was hosted by the Northern Region and held at a hotel in Scarborough overlooking the South Bay, also an ideal location for exploring the North Yorkshire moors.

Recently the IMTC retiring Membership Secretary met members from the
Moto Club Rossano
in York whilst they were in the UK on tour heading for Scotland.

They presented James Clegg with two plaques they had brought with them from Italy.

Shortly we will be sending a plaque on behalf of all the members of IMTC
to the members of the Moto club Rossano.








 

IMTC - Sept 2002

The IMTC had a stand at the Rossendale Valley Motorbike Show,
 the Mini Moto on the supermarket car park was exciting,
the many vintage bikes at the station were well presented by their owners,
but there weren't as many club and trade stands compared with previous years!

IMTC - Jan 2002

"International Motorcyclists Tour Club"
the definitive history in hard back,
written by John Curtis after extensive & tireless research,
it is now available from your regional rep.
your last chance to obtain a copy before its sold out
( £15.50 inc P&P)

IMTC @ BMF 2001

At the BMF Rally this year (held 19 & 20th. May) the IMTC had a tent, on display in the tent we had information for people who may want to join the IMTC., We also had a hospitality area where members can leave luggage and get a cup of tea or coffee. This year we signed up 21 new members along with many enquires from people who may join at a later date.

IMTC - AGM, April 2001

The 2001 IMTC Annual General Meeting was held in a small Cotswold town at the end of April, officers of the club presented their reports for the past year and details of the year ahead, this year there are a few new faces on the club committee, Tricia Hannon now takes on a new role of Hon. Membership Secretary after holding the position of Hon. Club Secretary for many years.

After the usual proposing and seconding of the minutes from the last AGM, Paul Hannon took over the helm (chairman's seat) from Chris Edwards, Paul gave the attentive members a detailed summary of his IMTC membership and motorcycle touring qualifications from pre-natal to the present date.

Dick Hill kept his final report as editor brief, he thanked every one for their contributions to the Tourider magazine and urged every one to send even more copy to the new editor, Bob Luck.

A notable point in the proceedings was the Treasurers report presented by Ken Ball, during questions from the floor one of our more senior members who has a keen eye for detail and who is keen to prevent the IMTC sliding in to the financial mis-management perpetrated by the likes of "Maxwell" he exclaimed, and introduced himself, "my name is Butterworth!, Sid Butterworth by the way!", Ken was cross-examined by Sid into the profit and loss of the IMTC history publication, all was found to be above board with a underlying message to sell more copies of the Club History.

James Clegg delivered his last report as Membership Secretary to the meeting with "I'll tell you a story", a joke about being "hair follicley challenged", which incidentally cropped up later on.

Ted Gray presented the Partitour co-ordinator's report in the heels of James report with "There was an English Irish & Scots man" then he thought better of it and went on to start his report with a bit of uncertainty as to whether Graham Kinch's tour has yet to depart or whether it had been and returned, by the end of Ted's report there was hardly a dry eye in the house with all the joviality.

Under any other business, came Steve Goad with a searching statement regarding the demographic disposition of IMTC members age, in other words we are all getting older and are we attracting sufficient new members in to the club.

We heard statements from Jim Kentish and Shaun Truman representing the two extremes of age range in the club. The conclusion was that to present a younger looking profile to new and potential members we should use more greation 2000 hair colour to mask the grey and white, and in instances where members are follicley challenged a good quality hair piece or wig should be found (tongue in cheek).

Pete May thanked Peter Tyman for the hard work he has put into transporting motorcycles belonging to 14 members of the IMTC (and many from the BSA owners club) to Australia and back (see April Tourider mag). There were several statements thanking Chris Edwards for his contribution to club life and events over the past 5 years and for promoting the rights of the 29" inchers (inside leg that is) within our ranks.

After yet another notable AGM we are all looking forward to next year at Chipping Camden.

If you have any Motorcycle Touring news, Tell the IMTC