PART THE FIRST Gold STANDARD

I first met Chris Williams back in 1991. I’d been out of motorcycling for a year or so and had just purchased a bike to work on. Chris, on the other hand, had a handsome but slightly grubby Honda GL1000, one of the first from 1975. He and I struck up a friendship that grew over the years. Chris loved his Gold Wing, having owned it since May 1984. He used the GL for commuting in his early working years, and the odd trip abroad with his better half, Sue.

As the years passed, Chris purchased more modern motorcycles to tour on but always retained the Gold Wing, although it was rarely used. Each time he did use it, a refurbishment of carbs or brakes was required. In 2006 the Wing was retired and stored in the back of his garage. Chris always intended to have it sympathetically restored and promised to arrange this after his retirement. Sadly, before that could happen he was struck down with lymphoma and within two years the illness had taken him.

During Chris’s final weeks he told me‘I’ve left you the Gold Wing in my will. I know you’ll look after her and get her running again.’ I was speechless, overcome with the emotion of the moment. I was so grateful that he should consider me worthy of taking on his beloved motorcycle, but horrified that I should have to work on a motorcycle that, to be honest, I didn’t really like! I’ve never really been a fan of the big beast. I rode it only once and I wasn’t