About Ulysses Durban
The office bearers are from left to right -
Terry Donnelly – Vice President
Sue Perros – Treasurer
Jaco Jordaan – President
Harry Rice – Secretary
Lance Waberski – Road Captain
We are situated in Durban on the East Coast of South Africa.
We provide a friendly forum for like-minded biking enthusiasts, aged forty years and over, even if they are members of other Bike Clubs and associations, they can apply.
We stimulate interest among motorcycle riders and enthusiasts who gather regularly, and enjoy motorcycling for leisure. One thing we are known for is riding regulary.
Meeting and Rides
Our Chapter is governed by common sense and mutual consent where participation is regulated by the members own discretion and needs, rather than obligations and pressures, from the Chapter.
Our monthly meeting is held at the German club in Westville on the second Thursday of the month 06h30pm for 07h00pm (S29 49.892 E30 57.162 = 6 Barham Rd Westville). Visitors and non members are welcome. We ride from the NPN Shell garage in Pinetown (S29 49.234 E30 51.947 = 4 Saint Johns Avenue) every Sunday, weather permitting (07h30 for 08h00).
Click on this URL to look at our calendar, Rides, events photos, etc.:
We also have an active facebook page, click for 'Ulysses SA Durban'
We do have a probation period where a prospective member must attend 2 meetings an 2 rides in a 3 month period. However you can join us as a visitor for as long as you like.
Your joining fees and our Ulysses National annual subs of R 140,00 per annum (R70 if joining after 1 October for 6 months to 31 March) and the once off joining fee of R200,00
You ride at your own pace, we have a sweeper and we regroup whenever the route changes, so you'll never get lost. Our quarterly rides are the only formal, regulated rides and we try and combine this with an existing event to show our patches and numbers.
Durban Chapter History
(Memories by:- Gavin Foster, Les Timlin, Kevin Temperton, Penny Penny)
The Durban Chapter of Ulysses SA has had a chequered past, originally reputed to be one of the biggest chapters around.
'Somewhere around the middle of 1998 Simon Fourie packed his passport and ventured into the Last Outpost to spread the gospel of Ulysses. The preliminary meeting at the Assagay Hotel attracted a couple of hundred interested bikers, who, fuelled no doubt by beer, elected a motley crew to the committee for the new Ulysses Natal Chapter. If memory serves me correctly, those roped in included Gavin Foster (Chairman), Richard John (Vice Chairman), Dick Philbrick (Treasurer), Cheryl John (Secretary) and a bunch of other willing helpers.
Apart from a couple of rides, our first task was to organise the inaugural Ulysses National Rally at Drakensville near Bergville in 1999. I think we had about 350 bikes pitch up for that, and it was a huge success - some people complained that the weekend was too quiet, while others complained about the noise, so we must have achieved some sort of balance. Ulysses also picked up the Gasoline Alley Street Party that had been started by Chris Bretter and Vic Lotter of Ace Motorcycles, and ran it for three or four years.
Gavin served as Chairman for two years and then stood down, with Chris ??? taking over for a year from the end of 2000. At the next AGM a local motorcycle dealer was voted into the Chairman's position, never to be heard from again. After two years of inactivity Dick Philbrick passed the remaining funds on to Ulysses National and the club was quietly buried in Natal.
In the intervening years a couple of people have attempted to kick-start the organisation again, and about three years ago (2007/8) there was a small get-together at Hebron Haven organised by Carl Prinsloo and his band of Midlands Ulyssesians. Interest waned, though, and when the horse was once again found to be dead nobody bothered to flog it - until the current mob got together (Dec 2009) and reformed Ulysses in Durban. They seem to have done it properly this time, and the club is looking strong once again.' (Courtesy, Gavin Foster)
2003-2004
Saturday 7 June 2003 Simon Foure of BIKESA and patron of Ulysses SA, with Mauritius Meiring, Chairman of Pretoria and Dolf Deneys travelled to the Gasoline Alley Street party in Pinetown.
They met with Dick Bodley with a view to getting the Natal Chapter started up again. Peter O'Berg then revived the Durban Chapter in 2003 and was successful for about a year, when interest again waned.
Peter O'Berg on far right. The Rest; Ulysses Norway with their flag.
Durban
Beach Front, 2005
The Members Then:
2004-2008
During the period of closure there were nationally affiliated members in Durban. Those I know of are Des Pistorius, Jan Putter, Harry Rice.... (PLS CORRECT AND ADD)..
2009 = >
The Chapter was again revived by Ian Stenson & Kevin Temperton who rounded up sufficient biker friends to qualify the reopening of the Chapter.
he initial meeting took place at 'The Sticky Fingers' pub in Pinetown during December 2008, and was attended by Ian Stenson, Kevin Temperton, Les Timlin, Des Pistorious, Boswell Pistorious (K9), Denise Meyer, Doug Mac Olive, Peggy Mac Olive, Terry Donnelly, Denise Allen, Chris Allen, Trevor Bruce, Rick Brocco & Chrissie Brocco. Ian naturally assumed the role of regional co-ordinator.
Then in May 2009 with the growth in numbers, it was voted and agreed that a committee should be established. Kevin Temperton was democratically voted in as chairman, Ian took the Vice Chairman, Les The Events Co-Ordinator / Ride Captain, Jan the Treasurer and Terry von Berg the secretary.
About this time the Chapter agreed to use the Westville German Club as a base.
The members grew at a rate of approximately 4 per month and at the end of 2009 the membership stood at 45 plus. The first year saw the establishing of the constitution, many Rallies attended, Sunday rides galore a birthday bash and a Xmas dinner dance with style.
Since 2008 a few pot holes and humps encountered on the way. Persistence and common sense have rewarded us with a lot more memories and friends. The Chapter has around 90 members of which 40 odd are active. We still ride more often than any biking bunch I know of.
2011 = >
A tribute to our very own legend, Des Pistorius who has travelled well over a million km on his Honda Gold Wing. On top of that he and his dog Boswell (also a paid up member) have completed a 6,500km tour of South Africa, on his rebuilt 1978 Vespa 200cc scooter, towing a trailer @ the age of 76 (without socks).
WELL DONE DES!
It is very sad to record that Des passed on 19 April 2014. The biking fraternity will miss him dearly, but we have relief in knowing that he is happy and pain free. Cheers Des.
Rick Brocco has adopted Boswell. A good home, but not sure about the master?
The National Committee judged Boswell to be 70 years old in dog years, and that makes him a paid up Platinum member for as long as he rides. Boswell has signed proof and a certificate to prove this.
Terry Donnelly and a merry band of Durban Ulyssesians, delivered Des's old Wing to the Motor Bike Museum in Deneysville on route to the 2014 Rhino Rally in Parys. This is a loan arrangement with the Museum. Well done on your promises, Terry D.
May 2014 the Durban Chapter accepted the challenge to host the National Rally. Which became known as the KZN Rally once Zululand and South Coast agreed to jump in. Des's pub crawl around the little known pubs of the area was a highlight, and could become a annual memorial run to all the Durban Ulysses members who have ridden on.
We had about 365 Ulysses members at the Natalia Resort in Illovo. I believe that it was a big success!
2014 = >2015
I know that the next question will come up in discussion many times in Ulysses's future, so I'll record it here for easy reference:- Natcom put forward a motion for the Chapter Reps designation to be changed from Chairman to President. This was adopted at the 2015 Klein Kariba AGM.
A great time in our history where, events and activities have been bettered and repeated and become tradition in the Chapter. I refer to the Quarterly rides, Birthday Bash, Xmas Dinner Dance and so on.
An amicable split occurred, with 6 members leaving to form the Dolphin Coast Chapter. The Durban membership hovered around the 95 mark for a long time, still patching new members every month, but also losing members to transfers and natural attrition, which balanced the gains.
Here is the milestone; in October 2015 we grew to 102. We eventually crossed the 100 mark and became the biggest SA Ulysses Chapter.
There has never been a recruiting drive by Durban, just active every Sunday riding, visibility at rallies and day jolls, articles in BIKE SA magazine featuring the Chapter and members escapades (Thanks Simon & Sharon), all have resulted in attracting the most amazing, no bull shit, good fun humans, you have ever met.
This along with good transparent governance has guided the chapter over the last 7 years, and has attributed to the sustained growth.
We have been part of the Ulysses SA, winning biggest Club at the Parys Rhino. Not that we needed to throw our numbers in with the rest of the chapters to achieve this. Standing alone with nearly 40 members from Durban Ulysses, we were the biggest Chapter / Club present at the rally.
The WhatsApp form of comms, has also revolutionised the Chapter communications and helped keep everyone abreast of happenings.
Members Ridden On
Ashley Hamer
Denis Meyer
Rusty Clark
Des Pistorius
Chris 'Shrek' Bouwer
Compilation by Terry von Berg, February 2014. Last update: October 2015