Old News 2008

3rd November 08     See the New XVS950A Midnight Star

(From Yamaha UK's website) The handsome new XVS950A Midnight Star is Yamaha's latest addition to our head-turning cruiser line up. Powered by a gutsy V-twin engine, and equipped with a low seat height and a full-sized, easy-handling chassis, the long-and-low Midnight Star 950 is designed for the rider who wants heavyweight looks and lightweight feel. At the heart of the Midnight Star 950 is a newly-designed 942cc air-cooled 4-valve engine featuring a compact 60 degree V-twin configuration. Featuring an uneven firing interval of 300º and 420 degrees, this belt-drive V-twin delivers a powerful pulse feeling – and the gutsy engine character is accentuated by the fact that no balancer shaft is fitted. With its XV1900-influenced 'new style classic' bodywork and large-diameter 18-inch front wheel, the Midnight Star 950 offers heavyweight looks with lightweight handling.

See Yamaha's website here:
http://www.yamaha-motor.co.uk/products/motorcycles/star_range/xvs950a.jsp#

For even more information, videos, and pictures go to this link.
http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/2009-yamaha-vstar-950-review-87474.html

Also, the January 09 issue of BIKE magazine has a full review of this new bike - Go on get a copy and see what you might be missing out on.

24th October 08     Doncaster Custom Show (part 2)

Following the Judging at the recent Doncaster Custom Car and Bike show we are pleased to announce that our own Nick Lappage gained another somewhat unusual trophy gaining a 4th place in a very high standard contest with the 30 + bikes that were on show for the judges scrutiny.

A large group from the VSOC were there to congratulate Nick in gaining this award.

The Green Harley took the top award, 

Terry (Yorkies Centre rep)

Not as good as getting a snog from Samantha Janus though.... pictured getting Best Paintwork trophy at Brightona 2008 (ed)

20th October 08     Doncaster Custom Show

Can I just say a big "THANK YOU" to all the VSOC members who attended the "Doncaster Custom Show" and helped out on the club stand over the weekend. We had a great time and got lots of enquiries from potential new members who had never heard of us and a new member for C9 (thanks to Rachel)...The new look stand was well received by all.

Following the Judging at the recent Doncaster Custom Car and Bike show we are pleased to announce that our own Nick Lappage Gained another somewhat unusual trophy gaining a 4th place in a very high standard contest with the 30 + bikes that were on show for the judges scrutiny.
A large group from the vsoc were there to congratulate Nick in gaining this award.
The Green Harley took the top award, 

Cheers
Tony

20th October 08     Centre 11 Fundraiser

Centre 11 would like to thank all members of the V.S.O.C. for their support at the packhorse pub on the 27th September 2008. We would also like to thank mad products and JCS clothing for their generosity with raffle prizes.

The total for Centre 11 fund-raising evening was £666.57 this is a fantastic effort we would like to thank everyone for their support.

Thanks again

Chris Bemrose.

6th October 08     DVD from International Rally Finland

Hello folks

At last the DVD is ready.( They student who made it had summerholliday.)

But now you can order it for only 15 € /disc plus postage.

Send me your address and tell me how many you will have. 

Thank you, see you all next summer, the season is over here...

greetings Stig

YCCF Embassy
Stig Lindström
Romsarbyntie 288
10300 Karjaa FIN
email [email protected]
tel. +358 40 709 5468

UK Members: Let your Centre rep or Janet Butterworth (Clatter editor) know you want one. Once Janet knows how many we want, she will work out a way to send the money over there and how to get them back to you. It's  suggested that we just get them all sent to Janet and she will send them on to Centre reps or individuals.

15th September 08     Jen and Kev Villiers Wedding News

After a very successful wedding for Kev and Jen Villiers and the Yorkies bonding party we would also like to thank the 300+ VSOC and guests that traveled up to Yorkshire, for a fantastic weekend at Doncaster Rugby club. The couple had many surprises in store over the weekend as you can see by the photos and to their surprise local papers and Yorkshire television wanted their story.

Please check out the following links:

.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjv18JQv2uc
and http://www.itvlocal.com/yorkshire/news/?player=YOR_News_15&void=234310 please be patient with this footage,as the 3min footage is at the end. Terry and all the Yorkies

and from Jen and Kev Villiers

We would just like to say a huge THANK YOU to everybody who attended the Yorkies bonding party and our wedding. Words are not enough to say how grateful we both are. Without the fantastic turn out the weekend would not have been anywhere as memorable. Money could not buy what we experienced and it was all thanks to the amazing VSOC members. 

28th July 08     Thanks from Helen and Tony

Hi everyone

Just got back from honeymoon (3000 mile trip around France and Spain) and wanted to say a big thank you to all those who turned out to our wedding even in the pouring rain and made Helens day perfect (and mine too !) Luckily the sun came out as we got there and all went fantastic, couldn't have wished for better...also a big thank you to John Evans and all at C19 for letting us invade their rally and for the great gifts and to everyone for the cards and gifts we received... made us proud to be part of such a great club...THANK YOU !!!

Helen & Tony

17th July 08     Invitation to ride a motorcycle in Colombia

Cordial greetings YCC friends around the world and loving our beautiful and powerful Yamaha Custom. 

I Carlos Julio Acevedo Arroyave and Isabel Zapata Mejía, presidents of Yamaha Custom Club, we invite you to ride a motorcycle in our beautiful country, the second happiest in the world and with very beautiful women, as the second Miss Universe. I want to know how many people would like you to come to our country in July of 2010 for 20 days to film a beautiful sites in our geography. 

I want to know how many people can come with their motorcycles by ship or plane to Colombia and here only have to pay for their food, everything else will be free, fuel, asleep, entry to parks and cultural sites among others. 

We will have free a big bus for people who want to take a break or rest, a truck to transport materials around the country, technical service professional and an ambulance.

You can send their motorcycles by ship and air travel and Colombia will receive their Yamaha motorcycles at the port and will be received 1 or 2 days later by you. 

We can also travel with their motorcycles in air. 

We invite them to spend the best vacation of their lives, as it did our friend Cindy Florez Kentucky USA. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4c-rE092Fw

http://www.youtube.com/user/kybikerck

We hope all people wishing to come or if it is not possible, a representative from each of the YCC in Europe and Mexico, and other Yamaha clubs in the world . 

After this experience You are welcome and guests again in the year 2014 to return to Colombia and then travel by motorcycle to Brazil for the World Cup .

Excuse my English is not very good 

I hope you please reply. 

Colombia is passion http://mx.youtube.com/watch?v=pXtvGsYS0UM

Sincerely,

ISABEL ZAPATA MEJIA
CARLOS JULIO ARROYAVE ACEVEDO
Yamaha Custom Club Colombia
[email protected]
 www.yamahaccc.com
Cel. 3202315961. Cel 3173243424 

7th July 08     YCC Columbia

Friends Yamaha Custom Club Sweden, Finland, Norway, Belgium, Denmarc and México, invite you to look at some pictures encounter Medellin - Colombia the YCCC

http://www.yamahaccc.com/encuentromedellin2008.htm

I would like a comment in the guestbook in:

http://www.yamahaccc.com/librodehuespedes.htm

Thanks for your help.

CARLOS JULIO ARROYAVE ACEVEDO
Yamaha Custom Club Colombia

23rd June 08     Yamaha Custom Group - Europe

All,

Just to put you in the picture, I attended the International Meeting in Finland recently whereby the main topic of conversation surrounded Yamaha.

To this end, collectively we have founded "Yamaha Custom Group - Europe". Countries involved are: Holland, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland & the UK.

The aim of the group is to unite and tackle Yamaha head-on to encourage and entice them to manufacture & import a variety of models into the European market. The lack of models seriously impacts on the success of all our clubs and has detrimental effects on all countries getting new members on board.

Yamaha Europe is based in Amsterdam so it was decided that Peter Lucas who is the VSCN's club secretary in Holland, should head the group as our "Representative". This makes sense due to geographics as well as Peter's excellent use of the English language which is essential between all clubs.

Peter's initial focus will be to meet Yamaha in Amsterdam and encourage them to recognise our group who currently represent 6500 members. 

Next steps will be to tackle the limited models Yamaha produce for our markets. Yamaha Scandinavia also answer to Yamaha Europe.

If anyone feels there are questions we should ask Yamaha Europe please filter them through me.

There will be a Yamaha Custom Group website in time, so watch this space.

Personally, this does seem to be a positive move for all clubs, as all Yamaha Importers report to Yamaha Europe.

Regards,

Kevin Hoyte
President - Virago Star Owners Club
Tel: 01438 316095
Mob: 07711 073477
e-mail: [email protected]

19th June 08     Bike Assistance

Hi my name is Chris. I live in Yeadon, currently a firefighter in Leeds and am a biker of many years and many bikes. My business started after being ripped off whilst broken down, and has gone on from there and now includes many trips to the Nurburgring. I have a web site currently under construction www.motorcyclemover.co.uk  I offer a first class service in the event of a mishap or if you have a meet, ride out, trip, I can follow carrying extra equipment i.e. tents or arrange to provide cover for your members, then everybody gets there and home and you certainly wont feel fleeced. 

Regards

28th May 08     Possible Problems with Insurance Database

The following paragraph which appeared in BMF Campaigner might affect some of you so here it is: 

A problem with rider only and multi-bike insurance policies has meant that many members' motorcycles are not listed in the official insurance database ( http://www.askmid.com/ ). Police are beginning to make more use of this database in stop and seize operations so make sure your bike is listed. If not, please contact your insurance company urgently and also contact Cathy Phillpotts ([email protected]) outlining the problem using the subject line "Multi-Bike Policies".

I used the askmid bit to check all our bike registrations and mine wasn't there. You might want to check yours. 

Janet Butterworth 

19th May 08     BMF Show 2008

Hi all. Just a short note to say what a great time we all had at the BMF this year. Tony Santos and all his assistants did a great job in setting up the VSOC tent. Particularly well I might say as it looked fab. And the judges thought so too, since the VSOC won a trophy for runner up Best National One Make Club Stand. WELL DONE!!!! It was presented at the stand by Anna Zee, (Chair of the BMF) to a quite bemused Mr. Santos.

In case you didn't see the stand, Tony has made up a few new boards that show the range of club shirts, patches and rally patches - but he'd like more. If you have any spare. please send one to him.

Here's a picture of Tony and the trophy inside the stand.

19th May 08     Cruise on Route 66?

Have the holiday of a lifetime. Who fancies 'CRUISING'?

Route 66 on a Harley-Davidson from Chicago to Santa Monica in August 2009?

In August 2005, Susan and I enjoyed a wonderful holiday cruising part of the Historic Route 66, the Mother of all roads! We would now love to ride what is left of this road from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica Pier, California. Who better to do this with than a group of like minded friends? 

If this sounds like something you would like to do then I am hoping to arrange a group booking with H-C Travel for August next year.

(H C Travel) 

Highlights include:
Riding across the Old West Indian Country
Breath-taking views of the Grand Canyon
Crossing the Devil's Playground to the Mojave Dessert
Visiting the authentic Old Wild West town of Oatman
Averaging 200 miles a day!

Approx Cost: Rider & Pillion £3700, Solo Rider £2845 
Includes: tour guide, accommodation, bike hire & insurance (bike), baggage & support vehicle
Excludes: flights (approx £700 pp), travel insurance, meals, drinks & fuel
These prices are a guide only, confirmation of actual cost will be provided on booking.

INTERESTED?
Then please contact Roger Went
email: [email protected] 
phone: 01206512617 
Mobile: 07990998107
and have a look on H-C Travel web site www.hctravel.com  (USA & Canada - USA - Guided Tours - Route 66)

6th May 08     Check Your Bike

Hello

I don't know if this would interest the users of your website....

A friend of mine was stopped in his car by the police, as they said he had no insurance. (Auto registration number check from a camera in a van by the side of the road, followed by a police bike chasing after him.) He did have insurance but his insurance company had failed to put his details on the Motor Insurance Database. They took his car away on a trailer etc. You might want to check to see if your details are on the database. (It's the same one the police use) See: http://www.askmid.com/askmid.aspx

You might also want to check to see if the police think you have a current MOT. (You will need an old MOT number, but the police don't.) See: http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/internet/jsp/ECSID-Internet-Status-Request.jsp

Whilst your doing all this checking, see what the DVLA knows about your vehicle, and when the tax disc is due etc. Click on 'Vehicle Enquiry' and enter your details: 
http://www.vehiclelicence.gov.uk/EvlPortalApp/index.jsp

Regards to all - Andrew Gadd

2nd May 08     Nick Lappage's Winning Bike

Just a quicky to say what a fab time I had at the London International Custom Show. It was held at Earls Court on 25th to 27th April and had some great machinery on display. Even better was that my new custom bike had made its first showing and grabbed a great deal of interest.

It's a 2007 registered one off custom bike with frame and sheet metal by some company in Chesterfield. Engine: Yamaha XV1600A - now a 1795cc polished and diamond profiled. Intake: Spike Air filter on Mikuni 45HSR polished carb. Paint: Percy Badbrush Dezigns. Wheels: Caroline Custom Battle Axe. Handlebars and speedo: Climax Cycle Controls. Forks: Storz Performance. Yokes: Phil's Choppershack. Rear Suspension: Tricky Air. Seat: Outback Saddles. Side Mount Plate/LED rear light: Alloy Art. Various Parts: Thunderbike. Electrics and Build: Joe Millership.

 
It's taken nearly five years to get this project on the road so I’m eager to show the UK what can be done with the best (in my opinion) Japanese air cooled V-Twin engine so far, so you may not see me at all the rallies this year, but I will be making it to some - so there's my advanced apologies for my absence.

Anyway, the real reason for writing is to say a big thanks to those who voted for my bike at the show. The result of all my hard work is that I was presented with Best Low Rider and Joint 1st Place for Best In Show. I now have two big trophies on our mantelpiece. Brilliant!!!

See you all soon.

Nick Lappage

18th April 08     YCC Columbia Videos

Friends of YCC in the world. 

I want to share two videos of our foundation and first activity in Colombia YCCC. 
We need your help and support to continue growing in this activity that unites us as brothers 
I invite on the following link: 

Part One

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=8Eh3tU7f2z8&feature=related

Part Two

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=0b_7Y3XvDUE&feature=related

Sincerely, 
ISABEL ZAPATA MEJÍA
YAMAHA CUSTOM CLUB COLOMBIA
http://www.yamahaccc.com
Móvil: 317-3243424

4th April 08     VSOC Trailer Revamped

Hi, 

Since taking on the roll of Events Organiser I have implemented some changes so as to get our Owners Club known and have enclosed some photos of how the VSOC trailer looked and how it looks now thanks to Athena Signs here in Hull www.athenasignsltd.co.uk

I thought the members should see what their hard earned money is spent on...

 

Regards

Tony Santos (Events Officer)

3rd April 08     BMF Gets New Biker Friendly Service Areas

Issued by Jeff Stone: t: 0121 709 1040 m: 07802 763094 e: [email protected]
Details on this and other BMF activities can also be found on our web site: http://www.bmf.co.uk

© 2007 British Motorcyclists Federation

03rd April, 2008

BMF Gets New Biker-Friendly Service Areas Thanks to BMF representations, motorcyclists are set to benefit from the provision of secure motorcycle parking bays and the free use of clothing lockers at motorway and major trunk road service areas. The announcement by the Highways Agency, contained in their 'Policy on Service Areas and Other Roadside Facilities on Motorways and All-Purpose Trunk Roads in England', follows a consultation process last year in which the British Motorcyclists Federation asked for such facilities when service areas were being planned or developed. The policy now adopted fully meets with the BMF's requested facilities, i.e: "Operators should provide dedicated signed parking spaces for motorcyclists, enabling the rider to secure the bike to a sound structure. They should be located close to the amenity block for security reasons. A number of free lockers should be provided for storage of helmets and clothing, so that riders may rest comfortably." The BMF also welcomes a new policy on service area spacing based on median traffic speeds of 30 minutes traveling time between service areas. Commenting, Chris Hodder, the BMF's Government Relations Executive said: "Its good to see the authorities responding the needs of road users and particularly motorcyclists. These new facilities will be a boon to those of us who travel long distances by motorcycle". The 'Policy On Service Areas And Other Roadside Facilities On Motorways And All-Purpose Trunk Roads In England' can be found at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/network/policy/roadfacilitiespolicy.pdf   Note: The policy applies to all new facilities and to any sites which wish to increase their floor space by 50 per cent or more. Relevant sections will also apply when any specific elements of existing services are redeveloped, such as parking or toilets Ends

27th March 08     East Leeds Rally

Groups from The North Stars / CAT / Yorkies / lost riders / and Centre 8 braved the ridiculous weather forecast and headed for the East Leeds Lions Rally in Yorkshire, with over 1000 attending this event its always worth making the effort, the reason for writing this, is that a Virago trike won : best trike and the coveted best in show. It was up against some awesome bikes, and its a credit to the virago range and the owner to win these awards.

Sadly the owner is not a member of the VSOC, but he has been informed of the club and what's events are coming in 2008, 

Keep those viragos on the road, they are respected.

Thanks 

Terry (Centre 5, Yorkies rep) 

18th February 08     Parts Available from Spares Stockist in Holland

I am a small trader based in the Netherlands (Amsterdam), I have a large selection of classic Japanese bikes and parts for sale. There is a large selection of bikes in various conditions (bad to very good).

I can supply parts for most Japanese models from the mid-seventies to late-nineties. This includes two and four strokes.

All inquiries I shall try to send photos on e-mail 

For more information please contact me at [email protected] or Tel +31 652 116 890 

15th February 08     New Yamaha Raider

From the website www.starmotorcycles.com there are three videos, loads of pictures and a load more information on the new model. Take a look and see if you can import one.