The Idle Biker
22-01-13, 10:14 AM
So I spotted this on a Friend facebook page. It relates to a thank you letter sent to the No Limits Trackday team. It's a thank you note from a guy who wanted to let people know what he thougt of the Fast Lane Moto team down in Kent. Have a read and see how it makes you feel?
http://www.fastlanemoto.com/11734/fastlanemoto.htm
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fast-Lane-Motorcycles/449156118455276?ref=stream
It sounds corny but maybe Like the Fast Lane Facebook page if you want. Either way have a read.
Dear Sir/Madam,
First of all let me introduce myself, my name is Carl. I also wish to introduce my best friend Daryl. Daryl and I have been best friends for a long time and our biggest love, interest and passion is riding motorbikes.
In the beginning of Dec 2012, I was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus; cancer of the spine - leading to spinal cord compression. I will lose the use of my legs first and was told this week I will lose the use of my legs in 4 to 6 weeks and will die within 3 to 6 months. Its terminal – not if, but when and my time is short. I am going to die. My final dream and last wish was that myself and Daryl get to have one last big ride out and/or track day together – doing what we love together in each others company – motorbikes!
Being December – cold, wet and miserable, we thought well, if we have to a track day in England it is! With nothing available until March, I thought no more of it. However, while I was in hospital, Daryl found a 3 day track day in Cartagena, Spain. Drier, warmer and closer in time – doable! Excellent! Unbeknown to me, he booked it. I awoke Christmas day to find a Christmas card. Inside the card was a flight ticket and a track day ticket – booked and paid for to Spain – WOW what a friend!
So with everything booked all we needed now are some motorbikes to ride. Not a problem – we’ll hire bikes. Uh-oh, maybe we won’t. He tried every avenue for bike hire: track day hire; and European hire but to no avail. Everyone was either fully booked; hired out or didn’t do European track day hire. Now we’re screwed and time is very short.
What makes this story more remarkable is that back in November 2012 Daryls bike was stolen, but luckily recovered and was in the shop awaiting insurance repair. Daryl paid the shop – Fastlane Motorcycles, Tonbridge a visit hoping he at least would be able to get his bike repaired in time as we couldn’t hire.
Daryl went and saw Justin at Fastlane to ask if they could repair his bike ASAP – what was the chance???! At least we would have 1 bike to take to Spain. The guys immediately stopped what they were doing and made Daryls bike a number 1 priority to be repaired. Whilst at Fastlane, Daryl told Jamie and Stuart my story – that I was terminally ill and our last wish was to have 1 last ride/track day together and that the track day was booked but we didn’t have 2 bikes to ride.
Now, I will pause for just a second and tell you a little bit about Fastlane Motorcycles. Fastlane Motorcycles consists of 3 guys who work there: Jamie; Stuart and Justin. They are a friendly, cracking little motorcycle shop. They buy, sell and repair motorcycles; parts and clothing. They also race motorbikes in their spare time as well. It’s their passion too. They compete in the European Enduro No Budget Cup and finished 1st in their class in the Championship of 2012. This is a revelation as they do not boast and Daryl and I knew nothing of this!
Daryl mentioned to Jamie and Stuart our predicament and how we were struggling to find hire bikes. Daryl asked if they might know someone or a company who hires out bikes/trackbikes for a track weekend in Spain. Stuarts first reply was “can he ride an R1?”……”Errrr, yes, but why is that?”.
Now, being a team of 3 riders in endurance racing, Stuart said he’ll check with his team mates and if its OK with the lads, we can borrow their R1. They came back and said we can use their bike! This is not just any bike but a 2003 R1 with every toy and extra you could wish for: tuned engine; ohlins front and rear; power commander; quick shifter etc etc – the list of bits is endless!
Now, I would like to point out, that these guys don’t know myself or Daryl from adam! Yet, they have lent us their race prepared, race ready championship bike – their pride and joy R1. They have fully serviced it and supplied it with new tyres; spare tyres on rims; wets on rims; sundries and spares – just in case anything happened or it got dropped in Spain. In which case, we could repair and carry on. Its unbelievable, I know – it still doesn’t seem real.
We picked the bike up 10th Jan to take to Swindon. There it was, ready, complete with paddock stands; spares etc. WOW, WOW, WOW! How special are these guys??!
They had only 1 request: If you smash the bike up, please bring back what’s left as we need the spares (ha ha sod the bike – we want the parts)….what guys…..
Now for the reason I am writing this letter and telling you my story – I am asking for your help. After what they have done for me, I want to get these guys names and shop name – Fastlane Motorcycles – any help with business in general and any help with their racing outfit. More importantly to me, I want the story of their kindness and generosity be known to all. I would appreciate ANY publicity we could get for these guys – be it for their shop or their racing – any kind of sponsorship; parts; donation. Anything these guys receive I know would be appreciated - to enable them to be able to do the thing they love the most means all – that is, racing motorbikes.
Jamie, Stuart and Justin have asked for nothing in return except that myself and Daryl have fun and enjoy our track day. They have entrusted 2 complete strangers with their ‘pride and joy’ race bike to go and have one last “Hoorah” and fun.
The guys at Fastlane know nothing of this letter. I will be sending it out to as many papers and magazines that I can think of. This is in the hope that someone, somewhere will read this and will help these guys out in the future and give them the thanks and recognition they more than deserve. Personally, no amount of thanks or money could ever come close to the gratitude and thanks and heartfelt warmth that I feel for what these guys have done for myself and Daryl.
This is the reality.
They are dream makers! They have made a dying man and his best friends last wish come true! I cannot understate or overstate this enough!
They are dream makers who have made a dying man and his best friends wish come true - from the bottom of my heart and the depths of my soul…..from myself and Daryl…
Thank you,
Thank you,
Thank you,
Yours sincerely,
Carl Robson.
http://www.fastlanemoto.com/11734/fastlanemoto.htm
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fast-Lane-Motorcycles/449156118455276?ref=stream
It sounds corny but maybe Like the Fast Lane Facebook page if you want. Either way have a read.
Dear Sir/Madam,
First of all let me introduce myself, my name is Carl. I also wish to introduce my best friend Daryl. Daryl and I have been best friends for a long time and our biggest love, interest and passion is riding motorbikes.
In the beginning of Dec 2012, I was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus; cancer of the spine - leading to spinal cord compression. I will lose the use of my legs first and was told this week I will lose the use of my legs in 4 to 6 weeks and will die within 3 to 6 months. Its terminal – not if, but when and my time is short. I am going to die. My final dream and last wish was that myself and Daryl get to have one last big ride out and/or track day together – doing what we love together in each others company – motorbikes!
Being December – cold, wet and miserable, we thought well, if we have to a track day in England it is! With nothing available until March, I thought no more of it. However, while I was in hospital, Daryl found a 3 day track day in Cartagena, Spain. Drier, warmer and closer in time – doable! Excellent! Unbeknown to me, he booked it. I awoke Christmas day to find a Christmas card. Inside the card was a flight ticket and a track day ticket – booked and paid for to Spain – WOW what a friend!
So with everything booked all we needed now are some motorbikes to ride. Not a problem – we’ll hire bikes. Uh-oh, maybe we won’t. He tried every avenue for bike hire: track day hire; and European hire but to no avail. Everyone was either fully booked; hired out or didn’t do European track day hire. Now we’re screwed and time is very short.
What makes this story more remarkable is that back in November 2012 Daryls bike was stolen, but luckily recovered and was in the shop awaiting insurance repair. Daryl paid the shop – Fastlane Motorcycles, Tonbridge a visit hoping he at least would be able to get his bike repaired in time as we couldn’t hire.
Daryl went and saw Justin at Fastlane to ask if they could repair his bike ASAP – what was the chance???! At least we would have 1 bike to take to Spain. The guys immediately stopped what they were doing and made Daryls bike a number 1 priority to be repaired. Whilst at Fastlane, Daryl told Jamie and Stuart my story – that I was terminally ill and our last wish was to have 1 last ride/track day together and that the track day was booked but we didn’t have 2 bikes to ride.
Now, I will pause for just a second and tell you a little bit about Fastlane Motorcycles. Fastlane Motorcycles consists of 3 guys who work there: Jamie; Stuart and Justin. They are a friendly, cracking little motorcycle shop. They buy, sell and repair motorcycles; parts and clothing. They also race motorbikes in their spare time as well. It’s their passion too. They compete in the European Enduro No Budget Cup and finished 1st in their class in the Championship of 2012. This is a revelation as they do not boast and Daryl and I knew nothing of this!
Daryl mentioned to Jamie and Stuart our predicament and how we were struggling to find hire bikes. Daryl asked if they might know someone or a company who hires out bikes/trackbikes for a track weekend in Spain. Stuarts first reply was “can he ride an R1?”……”Errrr, yes, but why is that?”.
Now, being a team of 3 riders in endurance racing, Stuart said he’ll check with his team mates and if its OK with the lads, we can borrow their R1. They came back and said we can use their bike! This is not just any bike but a 2003 R1 with every toy and extra you could wish for: tuned engine; ohlins front and rear; power commander; quick shifter etc etc – the list of bits is endless!
Now, I would like to point out, that these guys don’t know myself or Daryl from adam! Yet, they have lent us their race prepared, race ready championship bike – their pride and joy R1. They have fully serviced it and supplied it with new tyres; spare tyres on rims; wets on rims; sundries and spares – just in case anything happened or it got dropped in Spain. In which case, we could repair and carry on. Its unbelievable, I know – it still doesn’t seem real.
We picked the bike up 10th Jan to take to Swindon. There it was, ready, complete with paddock stands; spares etc. WOW, WOW, WOW! How special are these guys??!
They had only 1 request: If you smash the bike up, please bring back what’s left as we need the spares (ha ha sod the bike – we want the parts)….what guys…..
Now for the reason I am writing this letter and telling you my story – I am asking for your help. After what they have done for me, I want to get these guys names and shop name – Fastlane Motorcycles – any help with business in general and any help with their racing outfit. More importantly to me, I want the story of their kindness and generosity be known to all. I would appreciate ANY publicity we could get for these guys – be it for their shop or their racing – any kind of sponsorship; parts; donation. Anything these guys receive I know would be appreciated - to enable them to be able to do the thing they love the most means all – that is, racing motorbikes.
Jamie, Stuart and Justin have asked for nothing in return except that myself and Daryl have fun and enjoy our track day. They have entrusted 2 complete strangers with their ‘pride and joy’ race bike to go and have one last “Hoorah” and fun.
The guys at Fastlane know nothing of this letter. I will be sending it out to as many papers and magazines that I can think of. This is in the hope that someone, somewhere will read this and will help these guys out in the future and give them the thanks and recognition they more than deserve. Personally, no amount of thanks or money could ever come close to the gratitude and thanks and heartfelt warmth that I feel for what these guys have done for myself and Daryl.
This is the reality.
They are dream makers! They have made a dying man and his best friends last wish come true! I cannot understate or overstate this enough!
They are dream makers who have made a dying man and his best friends wish come true - from the bottom of my heart and the depths of my soul…..from myself and Daryl…
Thank you,
Thank you,
Thank you,
Yours sincerely,
Carl Robson.