IfirstmetDaveandRonnie(Veronica)Hebblethwaiteinthe late 1980's when they joined the Suzuki Owners Club(SOC)shortlyaftermyself.Dave,withhisbackgroundof localpoliticalorganisations,quicklybecameinvolvedwith hislocalSOCCentre-Yorkshire.Hetookontherollof CentreSecretaryandwithRonnie'shelpdevelopedthe YorkshireCentreintooneofthelargestSOCCentresinthe country.DavethenprogressedtoNationalChairmanofthe SOCwhichsawhimbecomeinvolvedinorganisingnational andinternationalevents.Myself,DaveandRonniegaveup alotofourtimeandmoneytostaffbigeventssuchasthe InternationalMotorcycleShowheldannuallyattheNEC Birmingham.Wewouldspend10daysattheShowtryingto persuadeSuzukiownersandriderstojointheSOC.The onlyrewardforthiscommitmentwasthesatisfactionof signingupnewmemberstotheClubandtalkingallday about motorcycles with like minded people.AfterDaveandmyselfhadconcludedourSOCNational Committeemembershipwebothcontinuedtoparticipateat locallevel.BythistimeDavehaddiscoveredtheCavalcade andhadpurchasedhisfirstCade.Davewasthefirstperson toshowaCavalcadeattheprestigiousClassicMotorcycle MechanicsShowheldannuallyinStaffordeveryOctober. DavewantedtoknowhowmanyCavalcadestherewerein theUK(theywerenotavailabletobuynewintheUKand wouldbeimportedfromtheUSAorEurope)soheformed theSuzukiCavalcadeClubUK(SCCUK).Hegathered togetherasmallbutenthusiasticgroupofUKCaderiders andorganisedseveralnationalandinternationalevents. ThisincludedatourofScotlandwhichwaswellattendedby severalCavalcaderidersfromSweden.Afterafewyearsof littleactivityintheSCCUKDavewassurprisedtohearthatI hadpurchasedaCavalcadewhichhadbeenownedbya formerSOCNationalCommitteemember.Ihadactually riddenwiththisCavalcadeonmanyridesnotknowingI wouldeventuallyownitnearly20yearslater.Thisinspired DavetoorganisemoreSCCUKeventsasAndyWainwright hadnowcontactedDaveandwaskeentoridewithother Cadeowners.AfterseveralUKridesandmeetingsduring whichonlyoneotherCavalcadehadattendedwethoughtit mightbeagoodideatotryandorganiseaEuropeanevent inacountrywherethereweremoreCavalcades.Thisledto theorganisingoftheEuropeanCadeRaid2007inthe Netherlands(Holland).Wewereonlyexpectingahandfull ofCadestoattendbutwewerepleasantlysurprisedtohave 15Cavalcadesfrom5countries.TheEuropeanCadeRaid attendancepeakedin2010inSwedenwhere31 Cavalcadescametogether.Thiswasalmostcertainlythe largestgatheringofCavalcadesoutsideoftheUSA.Many oftheregularattendeesoftheCadeRaidshavenow becomegoodfriendseventhoughthemeetingsareonly onceayear.DavehassuccessfullyencouragedotherCade riderstoorganisetheEuropeanCadeRaidintheirown countries.HehasalsoassistedinorganisingtheEuropean Cavalcadewebsiteandnowhasanewproject-The Cavalier E-Magazine.DaveisclearlyamandedicatedtotheCavalcade-If SuzukimadeamodernversionofthebikeDavewouldown thefirstoneintheUK.ThankyouDaveandRonniefor inspiringallCavalcaderiderstocometogetherandenjoy their bikes. Tony Taylor, SCCUK
Yves Rummens
French translationsSCCB - Driving two tone maroon Cade LXE 1988. My motto: If you don’t come to tomorrow’s Cade Raid, others will not come in the future and the Cade Raid’s will perish.
Nettisamurai
WebmasterSCCF - Driving red Cade LX 1986 since 2009. Webmaster of SCCF