Motorbikes and Me - Malc (FISH) Hinitt

I. What made you get into motorbikes and when?

Malc:

My love of bikes started very early in my life. I first started riding whilst I was still at school in Sheffield with a group of friends. From there we all progressed to practical riding when I moved to the Hope Valley (Eyam) when I was 17 years old. Like most people at that age, having a motorbike was mainly just a means to travel about to get around the villages where I lived to see friends and to socialise.

II. What was your first bike, why did you buy it and what did you like/dislike about it?

Malc:

At 14 years old I shared a Z50 monkey bike with friends. The first bike I owned on my own was when I got to around 15 years old, which was a Honda CD175. Before you jump to conclusions, I wasn’t a teenage tearaway (much) because I rode the bikes in the local disused quarry at weekends. It was great fun and yes ok, we did spend a fair bit of time trying to avoid the local plod too. My first road legal bike was a Kawasaki KC100, and this was the bike I took my test on, so it will always be a special bike for me.

My KC100

III. What was your favourite and least favourite bike?

Malc:

Having owned a large collection of bikes over the years it is difficult to pick out a worst and best, but I have to say that 900 Abarth Yamaha was probably my least Favourite. Like a great many bikes I suppose, it was a beautiful bike to look at, but it was completely unrideable. I can remember many times even on a short a 20-mile ride it could have me in tears with the wrist pain, especially as it had those café racer style drops.

My favourite bike (48 aside) was my TRX 850 Yamaha which I owned for 23 years. Having had it all that time I decided to move it on only just recently. In fact it was a month ago and I did a part exchange for a 1969 BSA d175, which is awesome.

IV. Why did you buy a Harley-Davidson and why did you buy your current bike?

Malc:

The 48 Sportster I have now has been a purchase I made approximately 4 years ago. I had decided that I wanted a change from sports bikes mainly because I had got the stage where I just wasn’t enjoying the ‘ride it like you stole it’ philosophy anymore. I had financed the bike with a PCP at the time and my last payment due, so I went to the bike shop just to have a look around and boom, there she was in all her glory shouting, ‘buy me Fish!’ I couldn’t resist and I’m glad I didn’t because it been a blast.

My 48

V. What do you enjoy most about the biking community and why did you join Chrome Hill Chapter?

Malc:

Before I joined the chapter, I had been a member of two other riding clubs, and I was in both of them for a considerable amount of time. Derbyshire 623mcc is where it all started for me and this was with regular club nights & meeting friends who had similar interests.

Then I moved to Wozwolf Rally Club as I felt that I wanted to rally more often. Usually, I could manage to do this at least twice a month. This club had a small tight knit membership which was a pleasure to have been a part of. This came to an end due to a change in personal circumstances for me and a move away from rallying on a regular basis. It was then that I joined Chrome Hill Chapter.

It’s been a great decision for me because I love the ride outs and it’s no exaggeration to say that being in the chapter has reignited my love for bikes again. In fact, I am enjoying it so much I decided to become a Road Marshall and Will be attending a Road Captain’s course soon. Also I am fast approaching my 10,000 Harley miles mark which I hope to have completed by the end of the year.

VI. What was your favourite adventure or longest trip and most cherished memory of biking?

Malc:

There are so many to choose from which makes it very difficult to single out even a couple of great memories. However, I am going to take one memory from each club I was a member of, and then a recent one from our chapter.

The Scotland trip – this was the Fury Boots Rally with the Derbyshire 623 MCC around 2002. This was a great experience and one I won’t forget in a hurry. Great scenery as you would expect and really enjoyable time all round.

Also I went to Belgium for the MTC Zedelgem Tententreffen in 2008 near Brugge with Wozwolf RC. This was for my ‘abroad’ stag do. I will leave most of this to your imagination but suffice to say, the biking was phenomenal and as for the rest, ‘what goes on tour, stays on tour!’.

Finally, we did Wake the Lakes last year with Chrome Hill Chapter and this was memorable, not just for the great company and fun times, but for the views on the ride outs which were absolutely spectacular. It’s been great so far and I hope for lots more to come!