Mike & Jayne Winstanley – enjoying the ride, Harley style!

I remember as a young girl I quite fancied myself as a bit of a biker, thinking that I would learn how to ride rather than drive a car. I don’t quite recall what the fascination was back then, but I do remember that upon mentioning it to my parents, it was met with disapproval and a deep concern about the safety of such. Needless to say, the bike didn’t happen, the idea forgotten. Today, as a mother myself, I understand that concern completely, but a few years ago I did end up learning how to ride and indeed rode perhaps not the large motorcycle I had in mind back then but the coolest ever Big Boy Revival 150cc. It was awesome and, branded with the ShowMe East London logo, I zipped about all over town and absolutely loved it. The safety aspect was, of course, always at the back of my mind and I not only grew eyes in the back of my head, but the sides too. And I can now fully support the ‘rumour’ that motorcyclists are probably the safest drivers of them all when it comes to cars…there is that added caution that you wouldn’t ordinarily have and it’s not a bad thing, at all.

The other thing I discovered through riding, my work, and meeting members of the East London biking community, is that bikers are not really very scary at all, as once lead to believe on the back of many stories.  The truth is that bikers are no different to the next person and should not be judged on their personal preference of vehicle and their love of riding.

Here in East London, it’s impossible not to notice the number of motorcycles on the road and the amount of biking events happening in and around the city. And it’s awesome. It’s exciting, it’s interesting and, slowly but surely, it’s changing mindsets when it comes to our very awesome motorcycling community.

Two people who form part of that community is Mike & Jayne Winstanley, a salt of the earth couple who have been members of the Harley Davidson East London club (HDEL) for a couple of years now. I sat down and chatted with them recently and, over many cups of tea (yes, tea… I do believe it’s the preferred beverage of bikers worldwide?), found out a bit more about the purpose of the motorcycle clubs in our city and the absolute sterling work that they carry out. I also chatted to them about the exciting Black Rock Rally, an event now in its 11^th year, and the advent of the Africa Bike Week.

I don’t think there are many places that Mike & Jayne haven’t seen. My goodness have they travelled (I have travelled quite extensively myself but their travels make mine seem like a trip around the corner to the local shop). Whether through work or biking rallies, they have seen places that most of us only dream of and their stories are plentiful. The two have of course, always been avid bike fans, with Mike hooked after trying out his uncle’s Triumph in 1967 and then owning his very own in 1971, and Jayne almost born on the back of one (her Dad thought it a good idea to take her heavily pregnant Mum for a ride to try and move things along a bit).

Basically, bikes were always going to feature in their respective lives, and never more so than when they met and their passions combined.

There are approximately 20 independent motorcycle clubs in East London, some of which you’re no doubt very familiar with. No matter how established or well-known though, all the clubs share the one purpose which is to bring like-minded people together, just as a social club would do. What you may not know however, is the amount of fundraising and charity events carried out and organised by these clubs. Work that should, by rights, change the mindset that some might still have.

As mentioned, Mike & Jayne have been members of the HDEL club for the past couple of years, with Mike on committee playing the role of Road Captain and being responsible for planning routes for rides and the safety of the motorcycling pack. Events held frequently are numerous and include the annual Toy Run, an event which last year saw a turnout of several hundred bikers in East London and close to a million nationwide. Laying on buses to collect underprivileged children in and around the city and taking them to a local venue where they receive kindly donated gifts and basically have the time of their lives, the Toy Run has become huge and indeed grows bigger with every passing year.

But where the Toy Run incorporates ALL motorcycle clubs, the Black Rock Rally is run solely by HDEL and is the only Harley rally in East London. It really has gone from strength to strength over the years and the event has become a date to diarise, not only for those involved in the rally itself but by members of the public, always keen to check out the absolutely beautiful bikes on display. Named after Black Rock in Gonubie, the event was always held at the Gonubie Hotel until recent years when it was staged at the Blue Lagoon Hotel in Beacon Bay and last year at The Venue@Hemingways in Cambridge. This year will see it back at its original home in Gonubie and is expected to draw quite a crowd.

Orchestrated by Pierre Gonneau, the rally will be held over the weekend of 31^st March to 2^nd April this year and is open for entry to anybody and everybody who owns a Harley. There are certain activities limited to entrants only over the weekend but members of the public are then invited to watch bikers on the Mass Ride, be seriously impressed at the Sound Competition and of course, head along to view the many beautiful bikes on display and vote for your ultimate favourite. Personally, I find this part incredibly difficult given the sheer amount of stunning motorcycles to choose from and if we were allowed to vote for every single one, that’s exactly what I’d do!

This event is so much fun, I urge EVERYBODY to check it out. And trust me, if you weren’t a Harley fan to begin with, you certainly will be once you leave. I promise you, even your Gran will want to ride one they’re that hot. And, whilst there, when you bump into Mike & Jayne, have a cup of tea or two with them and ask about their far flung adventures on their Harleys, you will be enthralled I promise. The rest of the club members are simply awesome too, and if you’re really lucky, maybe you’ll be invited to go for a ride on the back of one of their beauties (or if you’re as bold as I am, just invite yourself!)

And as if the Black Rock Rally isn’t enough to get excited about, it is followed by the Africa Bike Week, ordinarily held in Durban but this year coming to our fair city. This event is going to be HUGE and East London will be buzzing with excitement and of course, the roar of beautiful motorcycles.

In addition to all of this, Mike & Jayne and the HDEL club members still manage to find the time to involve themselves in a number of different fundraising events, doing the very best they can for organisations such as the NSRI, Berea Gardens, Manor House, the McClelland Centre, and of course underprivileged children in and around East London.

Members of the club are, quite simply, pretty marvellous people… always willing to assist where they can and further dismiss the stereotypical image of bikers that seems to have been around since forever.

Mike & Jayne Winstanley are but two of those marvellous people and they are an absolute pleasure to get to know. Head to the Black Rock Rally next month and you’ll find that out for yourself. And if you do get to climb on the back of one of the beautiful Harleys with one the HDEL guys, you will discover exactly what it means to ‘enjoy the ride’… 😉

By Karen Herman