The nights are getting shorter. The workers among us may now be getting up after the dawn and possibly, finishing the day’s labours before dusk. Soon will come a day when it is noticeably warmer, and possibly even drier, and young men and women will find their thoughts inexorably drawn to, yes, motorcycling.

There are of course those who maintain that to be a true biker you have to ride through the winter months-with a smile. I’ve even seen certain organisations (which shall be nameless) advertising bike trackdays at Brands in January. Admittedly this is at prices so low that it is clear that not too many people take them up on the offer, but some must. Brave souls, rather them than me!

The nearest most sensible trackday riders come to their bikes at this time of year is with a polishing rag, or if they are of a practical bent, with the odd spanner. The black Guzzi is currently sans back wheel, bevel drive and swing arm whilst the friendly local engineering shop fits grease nipples to the universal joints (they’re things that come with a shaft drive) so that it is actually possible to grease them as required by the owners manual. Not greasing them gives rise to alarming symptoms (I suffered them once on the Le Mans at Castle Combe and spent the rest of the day up to my elbows in the stuff fitting a new and hugely expensive drive shaft couriered in from Three Cross in Bournemouth just so I could ride home). Fortunately on that occasion the shaft didn’t actually break but it was a close thing. I have visions of a Guzzi hurtling up the track with the drive shaft whirring out sideways like a blade on Boudicca’s chariot! Guzzi did fit nipples to my drive shaft; it’s just that when it’s assembled you can’t get at them with a grease gun. Useful.

If you are not oil changing, chain tensioning, brake servicing etc you should be, because it’s only two months to Castle Combe and it’s amazing how fast it comes up on you. Just like the chicane after Tower or perhaps, the best example, those nasty Esses at the end of Snetterton’s Revett Straight.

Traditionalists among you will be delighted to hear that we are returning to Castle Combe as our season opener for 2004 after an aberrant start at Cadwell Park last year. As is traditional we will also be doing it on a Monday so that we can gather on the Sunday evening at the White Hart in nearby Ford to renew old acquaintances. With any luck those lovely brolly girls will be there too.

In fact following Herculean effort by Ian Fox we think we’ve got a cracking season, probably the best ever, lined up for you as follows:

Monday 19th April Castle Combe
Thursday 13th May Mallory Park
Monday 7th June Cadwell
Thursday 17th June Brands Hatch (Indy)
Monday 5th July Pembrey
Tuesday 27th July Oulton Park (Full circuit)
Thursday 19th August Mallory Park
Thursday 23rd September Snetterton

You’ve been asking for Brands Hatch so we have provided it. What with Oulton again, but this time in the Summer we are feeling pretty pleased with ourselves right now. We have intentionally not gone for Donington this year-let the noise problems and new system settle down first.

The booking form should come with this Message, if not, it is now available on the website together with details of the hotels that we are patronising on the nights before.

Keen types, with an inside track or prepared to book whatever the date and price have already got their bookings in for Castle Combe and Mallory I. Castle Combe is number limited so that needs booking really early if you want to be sure of a place.

Prices do appear on the booking form but they are still slightly tentative. As you may have read in MCN the whole trackday industry is going through hell trying to sort out the liability insurance we all need for our days this year. It looks as though insurance will be available through a scheme organised by the ACU and that our costs per person per day are likely to go up by a few quid. We have factored that in but may have to increase prices if it goes higher. In that event those who have booked will be given the option of paying the uplift or cancelling for a full refund.

There is also a proposal for an ACU rider’s ID card to be bought from the ACU. It’s not yet clear whether that’s going to be mandatory. We will advise you of any such requirement on the Folly website.

In that connection the web site has a new meaner, cleaner look this year as Peter has been working on it over the winter with the intention of making it less time intensive as far as he is concerned and allowing him to spend more time playing. Go visit www.motorcyclefolly.co.uk.

We have a general drive on to cut down Folly admin time so that we can concentrate on the important stuff—having fun. Part of that is to try and get all communications, except bookings, onto e-mail. If you receive this by e-mail, good; if you get it by post or fax, bad. See the important stuff at the end.

Various other things were discussed at our annual planning meeting in November as follows:

Despite some hairy moments we broke even last year—thanks to you all for your support.

We decided, yet again, to resist the siren call of the credit card merchants and not become one—too expensive and too much hassle for a voluntary organisation. Sorry cheques or cash it is.

A push should be made to encourage more classic bike riders (the machines that is, we’ve got quite enough “classics” amongst the ridership). We do love ‘em when they are there and can get through the noise testing.

At the request of the para-medics at a couple of the circuits we are going to add a few basic medical questions to the sign-on indemnity—so that if you are unconscious we can tell them that you have leprosy or are allergic to sticking plaster. Completing this information will be voluntary.

Otherwise, apart from a couple of minor changes to the documentation all will be as usual.

In my Donington newsletter last year I asked various questions about what you liked or disliked about the Folly. I got lots of responses, thankyou.

In essence it would seem that we are seen (that’s us and you lot too) as a gentlemanly bunch—not too many loonies and much mutual respect on track. We like that. You think that we are good organisers and don’t treat you as customers or wallies (except when you deserve it of course!). Someone said we provided an “unintimidating atmosphere”, someone else that we felt “grown up and safer”. Then there was hospitality, time on track and room on track. Finally I must quote one response to “What do you like about the Folly?” as follows—“A certain geriatric, but louchley loutish air”. Not too keen on the geriatric bit (though he’s not the first to note that a goodly proportion of us are over 30) and he did then point out that loutish did not extend to on-track behaviour.

Those wishing to re-experience all that need only book for Castle Combe and turn up at the White Hart for the Sunday evening. As usual tell them you are with the Folly so they know how big a table to lay for dinner at 8.30. The White Hart tel number is 01249 782213.

Finally to the important bit for those who are not receiving this by e-mail. This is the last time that we will be faxing messages or day reports to anyone so either give us a postal address (at which you will only receive the Spring Message and one booking form) or, and preferably, contact us at email @ motorcyclefolly.co.uk with your name and email address so that you can receive the day reports too.

If you received this by post then you will never hear from us again unless either you give us an e-mail address or you write to us at Motorcycle Folly Limited PO Box 5080 Loughton Milton Keynes MK5 8ZN to tell us that you are a technological dinosaur and we can only communicate with you by post. You will then get next year’s Spring Message by post.

If you want to respond to anything in this message (not booking enquiries) then its .

We all look forward to meeting you again in ’04.

Geoff.