Plymouth Motorcycle Club

Plymouth Motorcycle Club

Editor C

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nne Joh

nson Email ch

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@hotm

ail.co.uk

20152015

PlymouthmccPlymouthmcc Parkway Social ClubParkway Social Club

Ernesettle LaneErnesettle Lane

PlymouthPlymouth

PL5 2EYPL5 2EY

01752 36308001752 363080

FEBRUARY NEWS LETTER

A talk by Neil Gardner from Devon Freewheelers and a bring and buy sale

on the same night and both a roaring success, what you would call a good

club night by any standards.

Neil gave us a talk on the brilliant work that DFW doe’s for the NHS free of

charge, including why and how the charity started and how it has progressed

over the short time it has been going.

After the talk members fired questions at Neil, one of the hardest things for

not just members to understand but any one, was why is the service not

funded? it has to rely on donations from the general public and organisations

that are willing to collect and donate money to DFW.

After the talk and questions a collection tin was passed around and a total of

£56.97 was raised, for the number of members there that night that was a

good sum. Neil sent a message to the club thanking every one for the

donation.

Thanks to Neil and DFW for taking the time to come to the club and give us

a talk.

The bring and buy sale was a great success as well, four big tables full of

bike related gear was put out by members. Helmets, tyres, spanners, coats,

trousers, visors, magazines, boots and books were just some of the items on

offer.

Several items changed hands so needless to say several members went home

happy. Whenever the club has had a bring and buy sale it has always been a

great success so no doubt we will have more in the future.

COMING EVENTS

March

2nd there will be a talk at the club by Mark Cooper from MSC

Motorcycles on MOT’s, Mark will bring along a vintage bike with him.

15th is mothering Sunday so don’t forget that one boys and girls.

16th is meet the charities night when all the charities for the MegaRide,

Plymouth Bikenights and the British Heart Foundation will be at the

club.

30th Protyre and GT Motorcycles will be at the club. Protyre will be

bringing along some tyres and will be explaining to us the different types

of tyres and there fitment. G T’s as usual will bring a selection of bikes

for members to look at.

29th clocks go forward 1hr, and lets hope some good weather as well.

Coach Trips

The club is thinking of running a coach/minibus to different venues in the

near future, The Ace café, NEC, Haynes motor museum, Beaulieu to

name just a few.

These trips will of course depend on the price of the coach/minibus for

each trip, it also depends on whether members would be interested in

going on these trips. There is no reason why non members should not be

able to go, that would make the trip cheaper for each individual and thus

more viable.

The club would like to gauge if members would be interested in such

trips, so if you are interested and you know someone who might be

would you please let John Mac or any member of the committee know so

we can get some idea if it is worth pursuing.

Did You Know

On Monday the 8th of June 2015 the paper counter part of the driving

licence is to be phased out. The paper counter part will no longer be

issued by DVLA.

DVLA has asked that licence holders destroy the counter part you have

on or after the date above.

Your photo card licence will not be affected and will remain the same as

it was including categories on it. If you still have the old green paper

licence this will not be affected and will remain valid until the expiry

date.

By the time the paper counter part is phased out measures will be in place

for car hire company’s, employers, police ect to check directly with

DVLA whether or not you have any restrictions on your licence.

You can check out all these things for yourself by copying the link below

then go to your home page and paste the link in the bar at the very top of

your screen, this will take you directly to the DVLA page dealing with

the paper counter part.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/driving-licence-changes

History Of The Driving Licence

Driver registration was introduced in 1903 with the “Motor Car Act” Holders of the sulphur-yellow coloured

document were entitled to "drive a motor car or motor cycle" The wording changed in 1930 after which

holders were allowed to "drive or steer a motor car or to drive a motor cycle". It was not clear why a motor

cycle would not need to be steered. Shortly afterwards the document cover changed to a dark red colour:

holders were for a period entitled to drive a vehicle of "any class or description" Subsequent changes saw the

document list precisely those vehicle types for which holders were licensed.

Competency tests were introduced in 1934 by the Motor Vehicles Regulations 1935; they were suspended in

1939 for seven years due to the Second World War and in 1956 for one year due to the Suez Crisis. The only

person in the United Kingdom who is not required to have a driving licence in order to drive is The Queen She

also does not require number plates on any vehicles which are personally owned by herself or her closest

family members.

Until 1973, driving licences (and tax discs) were issued by Local Authorities and had to be renewed every

three years. In 1971, the decision was taken to computerise the licensing system to enable it to be linked to the

Police National Computer as well as extending the life of the licence up to the driver's 70th birthday, and

extendable at intervals thereafter, subject to the driver's fitness to drive.

Until July 1998, driving licences outside Northern Ireland did not have photographs. Anyone who holds a

licence issued before this date may retain their photo-less licence until expiry (normally one's seventieth

birthday) or until they change address, whichever comes sooner. The new "photocard" driving licences are a

two-part document, a plastic photocard which has to be renewed every ten years, for a fee, and a paper sheet

(the "Counterpart Driving Licence") which is valid until the holder's seventieth birthday. The Counterpart

details the individual's driving entitlements and convictions ("Endorsements"). Endorsement codes stay on the

licence for 4 or 11 years depending on the offence. This Counterpart was due to be phased out in January

2015; this has now been postponed until 8 June 2015. The information currently recorded on the Counterpart

is accessible online via the View Driving Licence service; a separate service will be made available for the use

of third parties (such as car hire companies).

Licences issued to residents of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland appear only in English, whilst those

issued to residents of Wales appear in both English and Welsh.

Each licence holder in England, Scotland and Wales has a unique driver number, which is 16 characters long.

The characters are constructed in the following way.

1–5: The first five characters of the surname (padded with 9s if fewer than 5 characters)

• 6: The decade digit from the year of birth (e.g. for 1987 it would be 8)

• 7–8: The month of birth (7th character incremented by 5 if driver is female i.e. 51–62 instead of 01–12)

• 9–10: The date within the month of birth.

• 11: The year digit from the year of birth (e.g. for 1987 it would be 7)

12–13: The first two initials of the first names, padded with a 9 if no middle name.

• 14: Arbitrary digit – usually 9, but decremented to differentiate drivers with the first 13 characters in

common.

15–16: Two computer check digits.

• 17–18: Appended, two digits representing the licence issue, which increases by 1 for each licence issued.

Each Northern Ireland licence holder has a unique driver number which is 8 characters long. The characters

are not constructed in any particular pattern.

Specializing in buying and selling classic motorcycles and classic British motorcycle parts. www.sbvclassics.com

FOR SALE

Brand new (never been fitted) MRA flip top touring screen for a Suzuki

1250 GSF Bandit GT, £90. Will fit other Bandit models.

After market link pipe and silencer with removable baffle + the brackets

to go with it £150.

Front mudguard carbon fibre fender extender £20.

All these items are for the above bike or similar models that they will fit.

Interested in any of the items? then Roy Pike is the man to get hold of

and you can get him on 07775470999.