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‘The Migrating Nimbus’

E. Dau Hansen - Timaru NZ

As Nimbus owner you most likely ‘She’ had been un-registered for day was wet and miserable, but
are aware that there are Nimbus- more than 12 months an inspec- still enjoyed seeing all the vehicles
ser all over the world which is a tion (syn) was required before reg- and people as well as the ride over
great testament to the manufac- istration. A ‘paper’ one day num- to Germany and return. The next
turer. Of course in some parts of berplate was obtained from SKAT, trip was to attend Vestjydsk Nim-
the world there are more of these however the first inspection facility bus Club’s Nees Træf. The ride to
wonderful machines. Having emi- were unable to inspect motorcycles Nees was on a windy day as was
grated in 1967 to see the world, as the road into their premises was the home trip, however a good
initially just for a ‘couple’ of years, not tar seal and therefore unsafe time was had with an interesting
but stayed on for four before for motorcycles to be tested on! A ride to a museum with super after-
returning to Denmark. Unable to new booking was made at another noon tea. I would like to go there
settle in the colder duller winter cli- inspection facility where the in- every year, the hospitality was
mate it wasn’t long before the spection consisted of the great!
return trip to New Zealand was ‘inspector’ walking around the Nim-
made. Forty years for employment bus once and asking for me to Having now become used to the
went and retirement was depress the brake pedal, sure the Nimbus and the traffic everything
approaching which would give one rear light was working, end of was going well , I felt safe to take
time to enjoy pursuits one had inspection but for payment! Off to on a pillion passenger, my wife Jan
been dreaming about. This SKAT to register, but not easy as I who arrived early July as she
included owning a wanted to see our
motorcycle. first grand child
born before com-
It didn’t take long ing. It was not
before a Nimbus long before she
was on the wish got used to sit on
list and so began the back seat,
the research but not for too
greatly assisted long at a time.
by the use of the We headed off to
internet. After a the DNT annual
couple of years meeting in Tuse
and joining DNT and had a won-
the decision was derful trip there
made to purchase and back, espe-
a NIMBUS Model cially crossing the
C. Through DNT Store Bælt brid-
and with the as- ge. Also it was
sistance and guid- great to catch up
ance of Allan Ny- with people I had
borg a 1954 Nim- met at the other
bus was pur- ‘træf’, including
chased from PH’s Lasse Wallin as
Nimbus Service in well as meeting
Gislinge. As it Preben Herskind
was still 12 ”Well, Denmark is only on the other side of the ocean!” of PH’S Nimbus
months away be- Service and his
fore our trip to Denmark the Nim- do not have a ‘person nummer’, an wife Lise who looked after Jan
bus went into storage at my sisters invention after my departure. So, while the boys were looking at
address, battery disconnected and as to make it simple, the Nimbus Nimbusser at his workshop, the
oil in the bores and covered with was registered in my brother-in- hospitality was great.
blankets. laws name, the same with the
insurance. Now ‘She’ was ready As with most things there is an end
Great was the day in May 2013 for the roads again with a just as and our stay in Denmark was
when I arrived in Odense to see eager rider, but conscious of riding closing in fast and it was time to
and take possession of my first on the ‘right’ side of the roads. geat ready for our departure back
Nimbus. It wasn’t long before the to NZ, but one last trip to visit a
old battery was connected, fresh My first real outing on my Nimbus school friend from 1952 was to be
petrol in the tank, check of the oil was to the Old Timers Rally in had. So, on a Friday afternoon we
was done and she was ready for a Graasten. Weather forecast wasn’t set off on ’Damen’ as she is now
‘kick in the guts’ at which she too good but made it to friends christened to go to Ejer Baunehoj.
immediately sprang into life. As nearby in the dry. But the next Everything was going well across
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