This was my first BMW Club event since returning from the US and the BOGOF approach of two events on one day seemed to work out very well. John Ottaway had been quite worried about the deluge that was promised but in the end it did not start raining until we were safely back home! Bahnstormer provided some excellent bacon rolls and a 20% discount on parts and accessories. Business seemed to be brisk on both fronts and we finished off all the rolls which I think is an average of 2.2 rolls per member as we were about 18, but a few did go to the starving Bahnstormer mechanics.

Whilst at Bahnstormer decided to do a sound test of the Akrapovic exhaust on the new R1200GS LC compared to the standard exhaust on Willem’s R1200GS. The Akrapovic certainly won the aesthetic contest but did not have the baffles fitted so it might have been accused of cheating a bit on the sound test?

Having stocked up on accessories at Bahnstormer we departed for Calne. Unfortunately in Basingstoke I decided to thwart the drop off system by failing to follow the run leader, I must have been dreaming of riding on the right! No problem John expertly collected us together again and we blasted down the A303 and up to Devizes to reach Calne. The BMW Club stand was in our usual location and was very well stocked with older machines.

With the contingent of bikes from Bahnstormer we pretty much swamped this part of the show, the largest number of bikes I can remember at Calne. The star older bike was Liam’s excellent R60 and Steib sidecar, he restored both of these himself and has done an amazing job!

John Russ did an excellent job of organising the Calne stand and with Dave & Rosemary and Tim recruited five new members. With a couple recruited by Geoff at Bahnstormer that was a good day for new members, welcome to the club! Many thanks to John for the excellent ride out.