The Pan Clan

When my OH still owned the ST1100, he came across the website for the Pan Clan, which it the Pan European (ST1100 and ST1300) owners club. Now, while looking at their website photos, frankly, it looked like if we were to join, we'd be socialising with people old enough to be our parents. This may not be a bad thing; experience, knowledge etc. My main doubt about joining was the riders (who would mainly, if not exclusively, be male - the Pan is a big bike), would spend time talking bike, while the pillions talked cooking and about their grandchildren.

Consequently, we hadn't joined when we owned the 1100. However, joining was brought up again when we got the 1300. I still had my doubts...Now I am about to digress, but there is a point to this.

A couple of years ago, our church acquired a projector. This is used during the service to show the words to songs, pictures, notices and basically anything the minister wants displayed during the service. It's also used by other organisations using the church for presentations etc. My OH, along with another member of the congregation, runs the projector.

About 2 weeks after we bought the 1300, the church was to be used for the local Scout district's centenary service. As it was my OH's turn to run the projector for the morning service, he was running the projector for the Scout service. He had taken the bike so I didn't have to hang around in Kirkcaldy until after the Scout service. Besides, a motorbike parked outside a Church of Scotland kirk does make a statement.

I'm getting to the point, honest...

The Scouter in charge of organising the logistics of the service is a Pan Clan member and got talking to my OH. I used to be a scouter, so know the guy, but have known him for a long time. He's a good guy, so we thought if he was a member, they might not be that bad a bunch after all.

We decided to go along to one of the club's monthly meetings, to see what the rest of the group were like. They couldn't have been more welcoming, though I think they're like the black pudding industry - always on the lookout for fresh blood!

After the meeting, we decided to join. We've now been on 3 runs. All different, but a good bit of socialising and a great way to see the country.

The Pillion Seat Part 1

When I first met my husband, he owned a Suzuki Bandit 600. He did take me out on it once, but I was glad I wasn't on it very long - lets just say the pillion seat has got significantly less padding than my backside requires.

About a couple of years ago, my husband decided we needed a more coupley bike. Besides, he wanted a bike that was a bit more a mile muncher than a sportster. Finally, he decided a Honda Pan European (ST1100) would fit the bill:

There's plently storage space;
it can go some when required;
it has a shaft drive - so no more chains to oil, clean and replace
and it has reasonably seats.

To name a few advantages.

So, after a couple of months looking, he finally found an L reg ST1100, which required a little (or so we thought) TLC. The exhaust needed replaced and the fairing was a bit tired, but nothing that a few hours with some T-cut and colour matched wax would sort. After a bit of discussion, which went along the lines of:

My husband: "So, what do you think?"
Me: "Well, I'm not going to be driving it and I don't know much about motorbike engines"
My husband: "You know enough about car ones - it's still an engine. Will you come with me on it? There's no point me getting it if your not going to come out on it with me"
Me: "I have no kit"
My husband: "Er...you can get some"
Me: "Seems a reasonable bike; do you think I'd be able to get a red lid?" (NB a lid is biker speak for a helment)
My husband: No words, but an interesting expression!

So, he said goodbye to the Bandit and hello to the Pan. And the task of restoring it to its former glory began...

Unfortunately, it needed a little more than TLC. After about 2 months, the centre stand broke when my husband was parking it. The way it broke, part of the remainder on the bike was rubbing on the (now new) exhaust, so the bike was, in effect, off the road. This was also the end of October, we don't have a garage and in order to get the remainder of the stand off, my husband had to lie under the bike with a hacksaw...as you can imagine, he didn't do it in a hurry.

Consequently, we didn't use the 1100 Pan very much, as my husband had lost faith in it. Apparently, the condition of the centre stand is a good indication of the condition of the swing arm.

As regards getting me kitted out - I did get my red helmet...
I also got trousers, gloves and a jacket. All of which with so much padding I couldn't bend properly when I got the kit.