MOTORBIKES in some form or other have been a part of Ian Duxbury's life since he acquired a moped at the age of 16.
"In fact, my father had motorbikes as a young man - a Triumph Tiger and a Bonneville as I remember - but my mother didn't trust them so I wasn't overly encouraged!" said Ian, who grew up in Chatburn and Clitheroe among the bikers' paradise hills of the Ribble Valley.
"However, I did follow up the moped with 250cc and 400cc bikes - then I got married and biking took something of a back seat."
But working with wheels continued as Ian became a volunteer motorbike instructor for Lancashire County Council until, about 14 years ago after marrying his second wife, Lynette, he once again had his own machine after buying a 650cc Honda.
"I really love biking, so I tried to persuade Lynette to come on the back, but to no avail!" he laughs.
Then, one day just over two years ago Lynette - who had received a small legacy from her late father - said she would ride with Ian as long as she could travel in comfort... and for this she wanted a GoldWing.
"I was amazed!" said Ian. "I never ever in my wildest dreams expected to be in a position to have a GoldWing - it was absolutely wonderful and has opened the doors for us to so much more in the world of biking."
The first door was membership of the Lancs and Lakes Wings, which they joined two years ago having bought a Canadian bike in a metallic dark green, imported to the UK and assembled and registered here.
The second was joining the six-man committee of the local group which is within the national owners club and which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year and has approximately 80 to 90 members.
They meet on a monthly basis at the Swallow Hotel on the A59 to Preston road to arrange runs out, displays and social events throughout the year.
And Ian opened the third door by becoming archivist and charity co-ordinator on the committee, overseeing fund-raising for its chosen charity which, for the past two years, has been the North West Air Ambulance.
He explained: "As part of our programme for the year, we decide on a charity which we will support throughout the coming year by taking collections from the public whenever we display the bikes at an event.
"We attend many such events - Longridge Field Day and Chipping Steam Fair are favourites, then there's Tram Sunday in Fleetwood, Woodvale Airfield in Southport, Lancashire Day in Preston to give just a few examples.
"We display the bikes, carry collection boxes and think up different ideas for fund-raising.
"For instance, at Woodvale we had three polaroid cameras and took people's photos at £2 a time - and for the Manchester Toy Run in conjunction with the Salvation Army, we helped to marshal more than 600 bikes taking toys to the Trafford Centre to give to needy children.
"We also do the Wirral Egg Run, which is a 21-miler when we collect Easter eggs and toys for the kids - it's very popular and loads line the route to cheer us all on!"
The group's major event of the year is the GoldWing Light Parade, held in Blackpool in early September in conjunction with the Illuminations Department.
"During this we not only provide a static display of bikes for the public to view, but also a moving parade of close to 400 illuminated GoldWings along the Golden Mile," Ian explained.
"On top of all this, we regularly have organised runs on our GoldWings. Most destinations are within a day's ride, but we also get across to Europe for international GoldWing events."
So, as well as winging their way through many enjoyable events and excursions, the Lancs and Lakes members fulfil the group's aim to raise money for charity. For the past two years they have been supporting the North West Air Ambulance, and at their recent annual general meeting they presented this much-needed, totally voluntary organisation with a cheque for just under £4500.
"In addition, we also collected in conjunction with the NWAA last year in Liverpool, and managed to reach a total of over £1000 on the day. Thus, we have raised in excess of £5000 for them, a total we hope to get near to for this year's charity, Derian House in Chorley," said Ian.
"We back the NWAA in all that they do - it's a marvellous organisation - but, for them, we have been purely raising funds which, of course, are essential for their future.
"With Derian House, however, we'll be doing the same but we also want to give active support by mounting displays at their events, perhaps taking some of the kids out on runs, and even to the Light Parade in Blackpool when they can also see the illuminations.
"In fact, if there is any person or organisation wanting something a bit special for an occasion, if we have space in the diary, we'll go!"
And guests young or old taking up this offer will be driven in those special conditions expressly ordered by Lynette as her proviso for accompanying Ian - travelling in security, comfort and warmth, with fully integrated stereo system, an in-built intercom between passenger and driver, air suspension, cruise control, lockable storage - "everything but the kitchen sink!" says Ian.
But to make sure of that safety and together with 11 other group members, he took the 'First Bike on Scene' course run by the North West Ambulance Service and recognised by the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. It is set to cover all emergencies encountered on the road, not just bike accidents, Ian stressed.
"Having been in the club and met a great bunch of people, it's good to be able to take part in everything that goes on.
"When I'd been on the committee for 12 months, the archivist's position became available and, at this next AGM, Lynette is standing for quarter master.
"We both have such pleasure in being members that it's our way of putting a bit back for the Lancs and Lakes."
The first-ever GoldWing, created as Honda's flagship touring motorcycle, was launched at the 1974 IMFA Motorcyle Show in Cologne, and then introduced to Britain a year later in October 1975.
The Lancs and Lakes GoldWing region began 25 years ago, members ride an assortment of the special cycles including the original GL1000 machine right through to the very latest GL1800. Browse the website on www.lancsandlakes.co.uk for lots more information.