20 replies to this topic

[trevini]

With the passing of a great mate and fellow biker, I've started this thread to share your happy memories of the big man. A kind of book of condolence if you will, but with a happy theme.

 

I'll start the ball rolling. 

 

First time I met Moose was at the Red Lodge cafe just before one of the early East Anglian g2gs. He turned up with Stormy and had bloody tractor tyres on his TDM. The last time I saw him was just a few days ago, out for a birthday meal with me and some other friends. He demolished a huge plate of ribs, ordered a dessert that arrived in a very fancy looking pint glass stacked several inches above the top...and a diet coke to go with it. 

[TDMick]

I first met him on one of the E Anglian G2gs.

 

A BIG bloke in all senses of the word, with one switch, full on.

Loved Bikes and riding and something called "Foot the ball" IIRC.

 

The pic below, is typical of the photos of Andy, smiling. They rode down to the Ace for coffee, and it was a freezing cold day!

 

Mad as a box of Frogs, but a lovely guy.

 

 

 

 

 

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[ChrisG]

RTT 12, Moose, Trev and myself stopped at the cake shop at Ballintoy harbour, Moose was so impressed he proposed to the owner

[chrisr]

Terrible news, haven't seen Moose for a while but he and Trev were very welcoming when I first got my Tdm and ventured up to East Anglia for a g2g. Later went with them to N Ireland and had a great time, we'll all miss him, condolences to his family. Take care!

[leehenty]

I first met Moose on Carpe and then in person at Grantham Honda where he handed me a brake caliper with a seized pin that the engineer at his work said was scrap.

 

He was the first Carpe member to have stainless brake pins made, as I had to put something back after drilling out the rusty ones. Moose used to pm me with ideas about things he wanted and very often ended up with the first prototype ones on his 850 and later his niner. 

 

When he had his niner it had stainless nearly everything as he wanted it to be shiny. It was Moose who started it all off, making bits for TDM's.

 

He visited many times and was also a visitor at the master engineers (aka my dad) when he wanted a part turned for the VFR for which I didn't have the right tool.

 

It was Moose who called it the House of Henty when he came to have the c/s mech fixed. I'll never forget his face when one bolt was so seized, that I took off the entire throttle body assembly and put it on the miller.

 

It was only at that point he asked " er you sure you can put this all back together ?"

 

He had the strange knack of being able to snap off bolt heads in an instant to begin with, but we trained this out by giving him a torque wrench.

 

He was fascinated by helicoils and some of the tools we came up with to get out of a problem. He was always willing to give anything a go, even turning some bits on the lathe himself.

 

Moose was a big lad and lived life full on all the time. I have never seen him not have a smile except the day when the VFR stator died and it was going to be major surgery to get the new one in.

 

We got the tools out and and got stuck in all day. He had a smile as wide as the horizon when it was all back together and running.

 

I'll remember the enthusiasm and optimism he had that we could fix anything. He was always in the thick of it at fettle days and gave his time to help others generously.

 

The cakes he used to bake himself were awesome, he used to bring one along every time he visited.

 

Baking is something I could never master, but Moose made fantastic cakes.

 

Moose, one of the good guys, sorely missed.

[TonyDevil]

Out on a ride out, I forget date and location, he couldn't decide on which dessert to have so ordered all 4.
Where everyou are i hope the roads are twisty.

[dandywarhol]

I remember on the ride out on the Antrim coast in Ireland when Moose had that VFR with open pipes. I was sitting behind him for a bit but the reverberations from these pipes gave me a blinding headache, so I just had to get past him! Wasn't long til he came past again to play more of his pipe crescendo.

 

From memory, it wasn't til we got out of Glenarm and a fast righthander came on the horizon that I managed to finally get past Moose and I think Trevor too - just to escape the howling V4.

 

Everything was loud about Moose - seemed to live life to the full 

 

Keep 'er lit, wherever you are!

Edited by dandywarhol, 11 February 2016 - 12:52 pm.

[dablik]

Although i knew Moose through this Forum it was'nt until i went to one of the G2G when i 1st met him in person, he was late getting there of course, his wingman had a rear puncture as they set off and it was Moose did the running around to get him sorted, he got his tent up only to find he'd forgotten his sleeping bag, could'nt believe he actually slept in the tent that night it was bloody freezing, so it was on the second night i had the pleasure of letting him in my caravan and that was the start.

 

God could he talk, so much in fact i sometimes felt like i was married to him, well that along with the snoring, i've had the pleasure of going down sarf and a bit wonky on a few occasions and stopping with Moose, a big man hug was always the greeting when you arrived along with that big chubby smile of his, he's been to visit a couple of times and we even managed to cook enough food 

 

We've spent a couple of weekends riding North Wales  together, some of the best riding in years in his company he did'nt care which route you took him on so long as he was riding, shame he rode a Honda by then else he wudda kept up 

Sounds cheesy when people say what a wonderful person he was but it's a fact which many on here can testify, Diamond geezer 100%

[AliG]

Although i knew Moose through this Forum it was'nt until i went to one of the G2G when i 1st met him in person, he was late getting there of course, his wingman had a rear puncture as they set off and it was Moose did the running around to get him sorted, he got his tent up only to find he'd forgotten his sleeping bag, could'nt believe he actually slept in the tent that night it was bloody freezing, so it was on the second night i had the pleasure of letting him in my caravan and that was the start.

 

God could he talk, so much in fact i sometimes felt like i was married to him, well that along with the snoring, i've had the pleasure of going down sarf and a bit wonky on a few occasions and stopping with Moose, a big man hug was always the greeting when you arrived along with that big chubby smile of his, he's been to visit a couple of times and we even managed to cook enough food 

 

We've spent a couple of weekends riding North Wales  together, some of the best riding in years in his company he did'nt care which route you took him on so long as he was riding, shame he rode a Honda by then else he wudda kept up 

Sounds cheesy when people say what a wonderful person he was but it's a fact which many on here can testify, Diamond geezer 100%

 

Met him at the same G2G in East Anglia. Larger than life just about sums him up. Definitely one of life's characters and as has been said above, he will be sorely missed.

Ali

[Catteeclan]

I remember that G2G. Small campsite on the end Mildenhall airport I think. He'd just got the VFR. As the night went on and beer flowed he got louder and funnier. Took the piss out of everyone but mostly his mate, sireastwood?

Climbed in my tent and chucked for most of the night.

[sidestand]

First time I met him was in a McDonalds by the A1 - he was on that yellow & silver Mk1 ......we had to wait for him after the side panels flew off - he laughed it off & zip tied them back on.

 

Loved that time we all camped at Trev's house & went to watch the group down the pub.

 

Regret not going down to see the ZZR, looked lovely ..............Great bloke & a sad loss 

[trevini]

Wasn't that the time when Jolly tried to reach across and put the brake on? I'm pretty sure I have a video of the panel flying off somewhere.

[Studley Ramrod]

I remember the flying panel, think we'd only done a couple o miles and off it flew across the road.  Luckily Jolly had some tiewraps to hand.  Later on we all stopped in a lay-bye and Moose cracked open a carton of homemade cookies.  Sorry if they're a bit dry mate, he says, I think the eggs were too small.

First time I met him I'd gone down to his for a fettle day, along with Trev and Kaustic, we were all treated to a fantastic homemade full brekky for our troubles.  Even though we failed to diagnose the problem with his bike.

I also met up with him on the A1 at Blyth when he was bringing home his shiny black 9'er.  Reckon I saw his big grin before I saw his bike pulling into the services.  Strangely enough, not, food was also included in the meet, we both had a maccy d's and fries.

Difficult to mention Moose without mentioning food.  I'll be thinking of him whenever I raise a slice of cake.

 

Taken from Moose's sig

Without cake, we are merely just people who ride bikes

[TDMick]

First time I met him was in a McDonalds by the A1 - he was on that yellow & silver Mk1 ......we had to wait for him after the side panels flew off - he laughed it off & zip tied them back on.

 

Loved that time we all camped at Trev's house & went to watch the group down the pub.

 

Regret not going down to see the ZZR, looked lovely ..............Great bloke & a sad loss 

 

I think this was then, My first G2G with you guys back in 2011

 

RV was McD's car park.

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For a munch.

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For a change of pace.Burger King.

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Happier times.

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Edited by TDMick, 11 February 2016 - 10:36 pm.

[Geordie Guy]

Here is the cable tie incident on video.

 

http://vid174.photob...zpscqhwgzfi.mp4

 

 

Also a few more clips with Andy in them of the same GTG

 

http://vid174.photob...zpsoraylq7o.mp4

 

more to follow

Edited by Geordie Guy, 12 February 2016 - 07:04 am.

[sidestand]

Carpe History there !

 

Thanks for posting, all -  Especially Ivan for the vids -  Back in the days when we all rode TDM's 

[trevini]

Some of us still do lol. Daniel sent me a txt earlier saying he'd foundva video thhat had Moose and Stormy in it. Must have been the first EA g2g.

[CaptainSlow]

Here it is.  Pretty poor editing and footage, but memories is memories.  A good day.

https://www.youtube....h?v=ROn4F75kLBA

 

And 2010: https://www.youtube....h?v=ykp516fpnj0, features Jolly picking bits of fairing up from the verge as mentioned above!

Edited by CaptainSlow, 12 February 2016 - 08:35 pm.

[Catteeclan]

Here it is.  Pretty poor editing and footage, but memories is memories.  A good day.

https://www.youtube....h?v=ROn4F75kLBA

 

And 2010: https://www.youtube....h?v=ykp516fpnj0, features Jolly picking bits of fairing up from the verge as mentioned above!

 

Haven't seen them before, good work. 

[Geordie Guy]

Saw this post about Andy written by his family.  http://www.huntspost...crash_1_4430772

 

I did write a post in here before but admin must have removed it. (no explanation needed)

 

Andy was one of lifes true characters, a big bloke and personality.

 

I enjoyed his whitty banter and will miss him.

Edited by Geordie Guy, 25 February 2016 - 07:14 am.