Robin was a keen motorcyclist who was in awe of what fellow club members had achieved be it manufactured or rebuilt, or the rides they had undertaken both near and far. During his latter years as you know he had been unable to ride his pride and joy, his Honda VTR Fire Storm, but he always dreamed of one day being able to swing his leg over the saddle and being free again, A dream that was sadly never to become a reality.
Robin started riding at an early age and would tell many stories of his riding backwards & forwards to Norwich whilst undertaking an apprenticeship at Morgan’s Brewery as a sign writer.
During National Service in the RAF he was lucky to be enlisted into the Police Escort Flight which enabled him to ride motorcycles whilst escorting high ranking officials and several dignitaries all over the country or escorting large equipment e.g. Queen Mary’s, or Queen Elizabeth’s from one camp to another.
After National Service and with the help of his father he started repairing automobiles that had been involved in accidental damage but nothing pleased him more than tinkering around and making things.
He made Fairings, large and small, Panniers, Dummy Exhausts initially all out of steel and then produced in glass fibre. He enjoyed a challenge. He would purchase a motorbike and would sit looking at it for ages, chewing a cigarette, deciding what he could do to make it unique.
Robin was one of a breed, someone who was both my father and my friend, someone with whom I had enjoyed many hours riding and joking with and will be sorely missed by both myself, my family but also I believe other people he had met during his life.
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Our friend and fellow biker Robin Howard died on Sunday morning at 0300hrs. He passed away at his home with Michael at his side.
Like many of you, I see Robin as a constant presence in the club and a biker in the traditional mould - someone who I have always looked up to and relied on for his sound advice and unfailing humour. I will miss him - he was my friend.
I'm sure you will all join me in passing on our sincere good will to Robins family in this testing time.
Graham Woolfenden
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1 comment:
One of the good guys.
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