MCN visits the Iron Horse bike night #ride5000miles

Published: 31 March 2017 Updated: 03 April 2017

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Doesn’t everyone love a bike meet?

We headed over to a location near MCN HQ – the Iron Horse Ranch House in Market Deeping, where they’ve just kicked off their weekly bike night that will be running until October, to have a chat with some fellow bikers about #ride5000miles.

We were met with friendly faces and top food from the restaurant on an unseasonably warm March evening.

We had a chat with a few of the riders to find out a little more about them and their riding habits…

	Name Dee From Peterborough Have you heard of the #ride5000miles campaign? Yes, I’ve got the #ride5000miles sticker so I suppose I’d better try. How many miles have you ridden this year so far? Absolutely no idea, I didn’t do too many miles at the start of the year because the clutch went on my bike, and I’ve got a seeping gasket that I still need to get fixed. How many do you think you’ll have ridden by the end of it? 5,000 of course! What are you riding at the moment? A 2007 Kawasaki ZX-6R
	Name Chris From Near Lincoln Have you heard of the #ride5000miles campaign? I haven’t no. How many miles have you ridden this year so far? Not that many, maybe 400-500 How many do you think you’ll have ridden by the end of it? Depends really, maybe another 2000 or 3000. What are you riding at the moment? A K8 Suzuki GSX-R750
	Name Steve From Helpston Have you heard of the #ride5000miles campaign? Yes! As soon as I heard about it I signed up! How many miles have you ridden this year so far? 389. How many do you think you’ll have ridden by the end of it? Well, I think it’s going to be about 9,000. I did 6,000 last year so I want to get up to 9 or 10,000. I’m hoping to ride to Italy for the International Sport Classic weekend, a charity ride from Leister to Peterborough and also do a Lands End to John O’Groats ride for charity to help me along the way. What are you riding at the moment? A Ducati GT1000 Sport Classic. I also have a ’99 VFR800 in the garage too.
	Name Dave From I live in Thorney but I’m from Kent. Have you heard of the #ride5000miles campaign? No, I’m not aware of it at the moment. How many miles have you ridden this year so far? I’ve done 3 rallies, been camping twice, did a few thousand miles in Portugal. So, I’ve probably done about 3000 miles this year so far. How many do you think you’ll have ridden by the end of it? Well, I’ve got a trip to Gibraltar, a trip to Norway, a trip to Ireland with other trips in between, so a few thousand. I haven’t added it up yet. What are you riding at the moment? Tonight, I’m on my Triumph Scrambler, I’ve spent the last few years doing it up so it’s sweet. I’ve also got a S1000XR and an early T509 Speed Triple MkII, the first fuel injected one, and also a 16-valve K100 Café Racer which is 25 years old this year. I’ve also got a BMW 1150GS that I rode to Africa on a few years ago too. I’ll never get rid of the GS.
	Name Scott From Bourne Have you heard of the #ride5000miles campaign? I haven’t How many miles have you ridden this year so far? I’d say roughly 3,000 so far. I’m an all-weather rider. The bike’s looking a bit tired now though. How many do you think you’ll have ridden by the end of it? A lot of it is commuting for work and I’m a member here too so I pop in a few times a week. It’s just fun work and pleasure. I’m always on my bike. What are you riding at the moment? A ‘09 plate KTM 690 Duke. I’ve also got a 20-year-old Kawasaki GPZ R250 laying in bits, it cost me 50 quid.
	Name Michelle From Bourne Have you heard of the #ride5000miles campaign? I have How many miles have you ridden this year so far? Not many. 1000, if that How many do you think you’ll have ridden by the end of it? I’d like to get another 5000 in. What are you riding at the moment? A black 2010 Yamaha FZ1N
	Name Martin From Peterborough Have you heard of the #ride5000miles campaign? No How many miles have you ridden this year so far? About 3000 How many do you think you’ll have ridden by the end of it? At least another 4000 but it’ll probably be at least 6000 more. Heading up to Scotland and the Lake District. I always use the motorcycle though, it’s Bike before Car! What are you riding at the moment? A ’99 Hayabusa that was registered in 2003
	Name Nick From North Kyme, near Sleaford Have you heard of the #ride5000miles campaign? I’ve seen it in MCN, but I put between 20 and 30,000 miles on each year anyway! How many miles have you ridden this year so far? A few How many do you think you’ll have ridden by the end of it? I just ride all the time, every weekend and 2/3 times a week. I don’t commute, it’s all just for pleasure. I go to bike nights Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and then spend the weekend going out with a trial bike club. What are you riding at the moment? I’m on a 2005 Suzuki SV650 today but it’s 1 of 10. I’ve got a GS, 650 Aprilia, 650 Transalp, Triumph Daytona, CBR 250, KLX 250, GPZ 550 and two DT125s.
	Name Hank From Holbeach Have you heard of the #ride5000miles campaign? No How many miles have you ridden this year so far? This is my second outing this year. How many do you think you’ll have ridden by the end of it? Not as many as I used to. What are you riding at the moment? A ’98 Firestorm, its comfy for the pillion and is a great bike. Never had any problems with it. I’ve also got a 2013 RSV4 too, but it’s got a water leak.
	Name Peter From Deeping Have you heard of the #ride5000miles campaign? I’m not, unfortunately I’m a limited on my mileage because of my PCP deal. How many miles have you ridden this year so far? Only 450, but that’s in the last month How many do you think you’ll have ridden by the end of it? My limit’s 4000, so it’ll be around that What are you riding at the moment? A 959 Panigale! It’s really good, I’ve owned it a month now and it’s still limited with its mileage but it’s really nice to ride. I never thought I’d be able to afford one and then when I could it was great! My old Blade got nicked and the insurance pay-off from that paid for the deposit on the Ducati.
	Name Rob From Peterborough Have you heard of the #ride5000miles campaign? I’m signed up! How many miles have you ridden this year so far? I’ve done about 4,500 so far How many do you think you’ll have ridden by the end of it? I usually do about 10-12,000 a year but I’m going to do more! I’d like to do 15,000 this year What are you riding at the moment? A 2014 R1200GS, I love it to bits! Some would refer to them as a Mondeo Man’s bike because they’re common as muck but they do the job! It’s the bees-knees, whenever we do touring or riding abroad it’s always got to be a 1200GS. I had an RSV and a V-Strom, but I traded them both in for the GS. I’m into 60’s classics and pre-war machines though. I’m into specific bikes though, like 350 single cylinder, twin-port Rudge motorcycles from the ’31-’33 era because they were the TT bikes. I’ve also got a ’65 and ’65 Royal Enfield Conti GT and a Kawasaki KLX 125 for playing in the field. The garage is quite big and dark so you can sneak stuff in, but my wife just refers to it as the white bike or the black bike or the red bike, so as long as you buy two bikes that are the same colour then she’ll think it’s the same machine! I’ve also got a ’66 GT Conti250 single in bits too. I like those bikes though because they were the fastest production bikes of the time, and they’re great fun, and cheap as chips! When it comes to the older stuff, all you need is a spanner, a screwdriver and bit of Gaffa tape to keep it running.

By James Archibald

Former MCN Junior Web Producer