Get well soon Big Darren

[Manky Monkey]

I was on my way to Loony's workshop yesterday morning when a dozen nutters on motorcycles swept past in front of me. They were all dressed in "onesies" with their bikes decked out in tinsel & baubles & loaded with Christmas pressies. I recognised the signs cos I've been there & done that many times myself. The Basingstoke posse meeting up to ride to the annual Reading to Wokingham Christmas toy run.
In the middle of the group was our very own Big Darren on his bright green Kawasaki.
I hear they had a great day, but unfortunately on the way home, someone braked without warning on a roundabout & Big Daz ended up sliding off his bike. No major damage to him or the bike I'm glad to say, but hope you're O.K mate.
-I'd love to have seen the car driver's face when he saw a 6 foot 2 guy in a Superman suit & a green bug eyed monster helmet cover stomping towards him!  

Daz on the right, with ...good friend, Tin Tin in the BananaMan costume.

[bigdarren]

the car driver didn't stop andy !  roundabout was clear and as driver entered for reasons only know to them they broke sharply so I reacted like you do but the road was a bit damp and the front wheel slid out and I was down, bit of a bump to my hip is all. a few day and I'll be fine. bike faired pretty well as was low speed only about 15 mph the crash bungs and engine case sliders bore the brunt of most of it 

[spanners]

after seeing BIG DARREN the car driver made an emergancy stop at the nearest primark  for replacement underwear 

[BikerGran]

Glad to hear you're relatively ok Darren - lot of monkeys in your group I see!

[Olds]

Good to hear, that there is no major damage to you or the bike.

[Manky Monkey]

Tin Tin says:

Yesterday I did the Reading toy run. A Christmas charity ride. I have never felt so proud at something like that before. And what really got me was the crowded streets of children, adults, teens, oaps -all stood there cheering, clapping and thanking thousands of bikers for their charity work. I may have looked like a fool riding up there dressed as Banana Man but all that soon disappeared and made ya feel bloody good!! See us bikers ain't all bad x

I've been doing this run, (from an office carpark beside the M4 in Reading, Berks, to the Dr Barnado's home in Wokingham), on & off for 20 years or more now. It's grown into a 2,000 bike event with at least half the participants in fancy dress. My ex, Tanya, & I last did it about 3 years ago on my Triumph Speed Triple, both of us dressed in Santa suits. A great "feel good" meet & for a great cause. Well done guys.

[Manky Monkey]

.