Vines BMW Bikes News

A tale of seven motorcycle riding priests from Portugal and Vines South London Motorrad.

I was asked to write a small piece for the Vines Times about this rather strange story. It started in February when I took a phone call from a very well spoken man but with broken English his name was Eduardo Fernandez. He went on to explain that he and his colleagues are part of the Christian Motorcycle Association and they wanted to attend European Motorcyclists for Christ Rally which this year was being held in West Yorkshire England.

The Christian Motorcyclists' Association is a home based missionary organization which aims to be involved in every aspect of the biking world, and so we welcome people from all walks of life. CMA members are involved in many kinds of ministries, taking the Gospel too many different people; examples include prison visits and youth work, but our main aim is to reach motorcyclists for Christ.

It turns out these chaps were all either Priests or Pastors from various regions of Portugal after several e-mails and checking with Vines Insurance company that we could sponsor them with 5 BMW motorcycles for them to take from Vines South London Motorrad to attend the rally in August.

It was agreed that these chaps would collect the bikes 2 R1200GS , 1 R1200GSA , 1 R1200RT and 1 K1300GT on the morning of August the 4th, so all the bikes were prepared with Vines logos on the bikes ready for the seven priest/pastors to ride away on. I didn’t quite know what to expect when they turned up on they day, I guess I was expecting 7 chaps all with dog collars on. What I didn’t expect was 7 huge burley leather clad bikers all with Back Patches of the CMA, they looked like a chapter of Hells Angels, see photos of the guys.

This was my lesson to never assume!!!!!

They all gathered had a coffee whilst I dealt with all the paperwork required, once that was out of the way we went out to the motorbikes so I could go through all the technology on the BMW bikes, none of them had ever ridden BMW bikes so this was going to be a great experience for them.

Before they left they surrounded me and said a safe riding prayer and blessed me for all the help and blessed Vines for the Support, which for me who is not at all religious found this rather strange.

They returned having a fantastic rally in Yorkshire on Sunday the 8th of August all present and correct with all Bikes undamaged and cleaned. Eddie and the boys stayed for a while had coffee and a look around the showroom, they were totally blown away with the Bikes and with Vines Hospitality, just before they left Eddie asked me if everything was ok as he said I looked troubled I went on to explain that the Friday whilst they were away I had found out that my Grandad who is 85 had had a Stroke so I was a little concerned. He said that’s not a problem we will all pray for his speedy recovery and pray again for Vines as a Thank you; again I found this very strange!


They all returned to Portugal and since then we have had 1 enquiry for a F800GS from them and Eddie wishes to purchase a R1200GSA early next year.

To end this story my Grandad left Hospital today the 25th after making a full recovery to the amazement of the Doctors and for the 1st time we have managed to get 1 of the VSLM departments into the green(Profit).

So maybe there is a God out there looking after us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darren Hodgson
Franchise Manager
Vines South London Motorrad.



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Labels: Christ Rally, Christian Motorcycle Association, motortradesolutions.net, Portugal, Twitter, Vines BMW Bikes, Vines Motorrad, Vines South London Motorrad