The Long Way Over charity ride will cover 400 miles by ST70 and C90 in aid of the Lymphoma Association and will take now place in October 2009 (See news on Rod's illness). The intrepid trio, Phil Turner (left), Malc Wheeler and Rod Gibson are getting geared up for the great Honda step-thru run and will make two overnight stops after leaving Lincolnshire and before arriving at Cavan, Ireland for the Culchie Festival.
The Long Way Over charity ride has been put on hold for a year following the recurrence of an illness which has sidelined its driving force, Classic and Motorcycle Mechanics editor Rod Gibson.
He was due to be joined by Phil Turner, Motorcycle Sport and Leisure editor, and editor of Classic Racer Malc Wheeler, the intrepid trio riding from the east coast of Lincolnshire to Ireland on Honda 70s and 90s in an bid to raise funds for the Lymphoma Association.
Speaking for the team behind the stunt Malc Wheeler said: “The important thing is to get Rod back on song.
It’s quite a major service he needs, so the chances of him being fit enough to enjoy, if enjoy is the right word, the ride by the October deadline look slim, so the whole team have decided to put the run on hold for a year until the old lad can join us.”
The raffle which is being run as a build-up to the fund raising and which has an impressive and growing list of big prizes, will continue and be drawn by star guest Kevin Schwantz at The Classic and Motorcycle Mechanics Show over the weekend of 18-19 October, with all funds raised going to the Lymphoma Association. More details of the raffle can be found HERE or by calling Sarah or Charlotte on 01507 529342
Checked and Approved for Charity Ride
Brendan Morrissey (left) and Paddy Rock (front) check the bikes meet the stringent safety standards for Irelands Culchie Festival. Malc Wheeler and Rod Gibson look on.
Plans are well under way for the Long Way Over charity ride by three Mortons editors in October 2009. Malc Wheeler, Phil Turner and Rod Gibson from Classic Racer, Motorcycle Sport & Leisure and Classic Motorcycle Mechanics will be riding the 400 miles from Mortons base in Lincolnshire to Cavan in Southern Ireland to raise money for the Lymphoma Association. The ride is timed to coincide with Irelands annual Culchie Festival and the Great Honda 50 Run, and the intrepid trio will be riding a raggle-taggle collection of old Honda step-thrus and an ST70 Dax.
To make sure the ageing bikes (and their riders!) met the stringent safety standards required, Paddy Rock and Brendan Morrissey from the Culchie Festival visited Mortons to give the bikes and riders the once over.
Paddy and Brendan stayed at Tennysons favourite Inn, the White Hart, during their visit to Mortons, and enjoyed the Lincolnshire hospitality so much they ended up missing the plane back to Dublin by three minutes from Doncasters Robin Hood airport. A rapid cross country drive to catch an alternate flight from Manchester finally got them home safely. "That's one long distance run we couldn't have made by Honda 50," laughed Brendan afterwards.
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The great Honda step-thru runfor the Lymphoma Association
For the last few years the folks behind Ireland's Culchie Festival have been organising a gathering of Honda step-thrus each October. Last year almost 500 bikes turned up, and won the event a place in the Guinness Book of Records. This year three intrepid editors from Mortons Media Group will be making the long distance trek from Lincolnshire to Southern Ireland to join the festival, aboard two ageing step-thrus and an ST70 Dax. The trip will be raising money for the Lymphoma Association.
Phil Turner, editor of Motorcycle Sport and Leisure, said "I've never ridden a C70, 50 or 90 before, I'm sure I'll be used to it after 400 miles! I'm delighted to be able to do my bit to help the Lymphoma Association and as crazy as it sounds, I'm actually really looking forward to the ride."
Malcolm Wheeler is editor of Classic Racer, and will be riding the 1974 Honda ST70 he formerly used as a pit bike on the Isle of Man. “I’ve done some daft things in almost 35 years of motorcycling but riding my ST70 from Lincolnshire to Ireland must rank amongst the daftest,” he said.
The third bike will be a borrowed C90 ridden by Mechanics editor Rod Gibson. "One of our readers suggested it was a good idea and I agreed, so I guess it's my fault. Now the other lads have come on board I can't chicken out!"
You can meet the trio at various events throughout the summer including the Stafford Shows in April and October 2009.
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Malc’s ST70 Dax has a distinguished career as a former TT pit bike, but hasn’t run since 1990. Can we fix it? Yes we can!
Do you ever have conversations at work that start with the phrase ‘If you get
a minute…’?
Over the years I’ve learned to nod, smile and avoid breaking stride to avoid getting lumbered with daft jobs that can eat into the weekend, but the tale of Malc’s old Honda Dax tugged at my heartstrings.
Once used as a pit bike during his assault (and considerable success) on the Isle of Man TT, the little Honda had laid ignored in the back of his garage since 1990, and had recently come to light during a clearout.
With a service and a drop of fresh fuel, it should be ready to roll again. We hope…
Rod Gibson
Going full circle
As an aspiring young TT racer in the 70s it was important to have a paddock bike. Obviously nothing as refined as the ones superstar racers all buzz around on these days, but something practical and reliable to cross Douglas, Isle of Man, without being stuck in the traffic jams that existed, even way back then, at the TT.
A paddock bike of some description was an essential tool for chasing from the downtown garage, which was our base at the TT, to the paddock to collect paperwork, tyres or race fuel. Time was always at a premium.
So, when the chance to buy a neat and tidy Honda ST70, at a knockdown price, from one of my sponsors, Grimsby dealer Freddie Frith Limited, came along I grabbed it. The little ST had done next to no miles – having been used by a wealthy local estate agent to hang on the back of his motor home.
That little bike served us well. We must have looked a sight, me and the ST, wobbling around Douglas with a jerry can full with five gallons of high octane race fuel jammed between my knees. Thinking back it must have looked even more ridiculous mono-wheeling up the hill out of Creg with my mates Cranko and Mart aboard, heading for Windy Corner clutching a signal board on race day.
Used and abused, the little Honda was never sick or sorry. It went to every race meeting with us through the 70s and 80s and it finally got to retire in 1990 when my race career ended. Because the only time it ran on a road was in the Isle of Man we didn’t worry about niceties like tax. No one seemed to care back then.
Since the racing ended it’s been sat in the corner of the shed – well three sheds actually, as it moved house twice with us – and hadn’t run for 18 years. Not until Rod got his hands on it that is.
Malc Wheeler
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Video - Malc on his ST70 Dax in action!
This is Malcolm Wheeler testing out his ST70.
• More videos to come shortly!
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Photo Gallery
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How to donate...
To donate to the Lymphoma Association, you can make a donation online with a debit or credit card. Just follow these simple instructions:
First decide how much you would like to donate.
Then, enter this amount into the box below.
Next click on the 'Continue' button which takes you to a page where you enter your details. When you are happy simply click the 'Send Payment' button and the donation is complete.
Contact us
If you would like any further information, please email us at:
info@longwayover.org.uk
If you would like to support the riders and this cause, please make a donation >>
The Long Way Over charity ride will cover 400 miles by ST70 and C90 in aid of the Lymphoma Association and will take now place in October 2009 (
