THE COFFS Harbour and District Motorcycle Restorers’ Club has donated $500 to the Coffs Harbour Men’s Shed to use as they wish.

With a membership of 230 and growing, The Motorcycle Restorers’ Club had “swelled funds” and the members decided they wanted to give the Men’s Shed a helping hand.

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Rob Popplewell, President of The Motorcycle Restorers’ Club, said there’s a synergy between the two clubs.

“Some of our members call our club a Men’s Shed on wheels,” Rob told News Of The Area.

The surplus funds have come about through increased club membership thanks to a change in vehicle registration.

Rob explained, “With the introduction of the Log book system to the Conditional Registration Scheme for historic vehicles (aged 30 years or older), offering a reduced rate from the normal rego, made the use of conditionally registered bikes more flexible.

“This came in about five years ago and is the reason more people are riding older motorcycles.

“To qualify for the rego, you have to belong to an accredited club which means our club’s membership has been increasing for a few years.”

The club started in 1982 with nine members, now there’s over 230 members.

“It’s social and keeps old motorcycles on the road and being used and maintained.

“‘Restore and ride’ is our motto.

“Most of the members do their own restoration, they share skills and call out if they need parts, that kind of thing.”

They have a club meeting once a month, and ride out three times a week.

There’s the Morning Tea ride on a Tuesday – a short ride to a local café around Coffs Harbour.

“The idea of that was for those with very old bikes who don’t want to take them on very long rides.

“The Wednesday ride is somewhere 30kms, 40kms or 50km out of Coffs Harbour to a cafe, hotel or have a barbeque.

“Sundays is the main ride for those with what you’d call modern old bikes, and we cover a couple of hundred kilometres over the day.”

The club covers the Coffs Coast – with members coming from as far north as Maclean, south to Macksville and west to Dorrigo.

Chris Hansen, President of Coffs Harbour Men’s Shed accepted the cheque on behalf of his group.

“It’s fantastic,” he said.

“We will use it to further men’s health and wellbeing in Coffs Harbour.

“We will provide whatever they need.

“That’s the basis of the Men’s Shed – all this construction is a sideline, it’s a catalyst to get the conversations going.”

The Motorcycle Restorers’ Club has its rally coming up on May 27 – 29, but that’s another story, another day…watch this space.

By Andrea FERRARI