So if anyone has touring tips my idea is to put maybe 20 of them on a page with a bit of artwork, we can even credit each one of them. I'm thinking of about 50 words each Actually we can do the 20 golden tips on security too. It's the sort of thing that MCN do but they do it cos it makes easy reading and I believe in poaching good ideas.

e.g. Pack your waterproofs in an outside pouch or have a separate little bag just for your waterproofs that attaches somewhere on the bike so you can get a t them easily and quickly.

Right give me another 19.

When you fit a security ring position it close to a wall so its between the wall and the bike, that way it's very awkward for thieves to get at it.

Another 19 of those please - look how easy it is.

Don't leave your keys in the ignition - there's another one - nothing wrong with having a joke one to finish with.

If I can get June/July feature material sorted in the next month or so then it increases my chances of being able to take a holiday next year which is of course the most important thing of all.

Aug/Sep is custom building so here's another reminder that it doesn't have to be restricted to chops, it can be cafe racers streetfighters or even touring mods like brackets for loading more gear on. Bear in mind that most of my experience is Harley orientated and nearly all my picture collection certainly most of my custom features are Harley based so I am giving long warning - again - if you don't want the paper filling up with Harleys - help me. It's no good telling me there is a nice custom somewhere if only I can go and photograph it as that takes too much time and we can't guarantee the weather. No sun no good.

Oct/Nov incidentally is clothing featured so you can start thinking about your favourite bit of clothing now and sending stuff to me - must have pictures. Try and avoid black stuff; if you look back at the clothing feature before last you will see the problem.

Dec/Jan brings us back to tuning again. I ran late with that stuff (too many dinners) that went in the last issue and wrote it all myself in the last few days straight off the top of my head. It was pretty general of course and there wasn't much detail especially in the handling and braking areas. Nonetheless some mechanic phoned me up to say it was really good advice so I was quite chuffed as I'd thought it might be a real embarassment.

If there's one thing I've learned about pictures it's that you never have enough of them. I swear I have looked through 2000 minimum today trying to find one that fits the requirements for the Welsh Show poster. So I am going to be covering at least the European HOG rally in St Tropez last weekend in May and hopefully the Riders Club Super Rally in Greece the following weekend. My intention is to add about 3000 to 4000 pictures to my collection. We shall see. M

Mutch can be contacted at magnews@mag-uk.org