A BIKER from Buckhurst Hill who died at the weekend has been described as a “really nice bloke” and a good friend by members of his motorcycle club.
The man, who was killed in a road crash in Devon, has been named as 50-year-old James Holland, of The Cedars.
Paramedics, police and an air ambulance were called to the collision between a motorbike and a car on the B3212 at Longdown, near Exeter, at about 11.20am.
Mr Holland was a well-known face at the Bikers Tea Hut near High Beech and a member of the Harley-Davidson Riders Club of Great Britain.
Its representative for East London, Lyn Turner, who knew him well, said that he would be “bitterly missed” by its members.
“He's held in very high regard by the club,” she added. “He was one of the careful (riders). He was a lovely, lovely man.
“I met him when I returned to motorcycling after a bit of a gap and I needed to improve my exhaust system.
“I went to see one he had advertised and he's the only person I know who has bargained himself down. He advertised it for £120 and then said it was only £80.”
Mr Holland, who chose never to hold a car driver's licence, got involved with toy runs for the club, donating treats to deprived children at Christmas and Easter, and also helped bring donated dog food to rehoming centres.
Another friend and fellow biker, Nick Lambert, who knew Mr Hill for 20 years, said: “Jamie was an expert rider, which makes it harder to come to terms with what happened.
“We all miss him and can't believe he is gone. I am proud to have known him and to have called him a friend.”
He added that he and about 25 bikers had ridden to High Beech on Sunday to share memories of Mr Hill and that it had been “a gloomy place.”
Another member of the club, Andy Crafer, known as Geezer, said: “He was just a really nice bloke and a good mate. He was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, without being patronising.
“He was very encouraging to people who were just starting out and did voluntary instruction.
“He was into Harley-Davidsons in his 20s, when everyone else thought they were too expensive and too unreliable.”
Dozens of tributes have been left on an online forum for the club.
One member who posted a message, Tony Draper, told The Guardian that Mr Holland would probably have been going to Perry's Rally in Cornwall.
“Perry's Rally is basically a back to basics rally,” he added.
Devon and Cornwall Police are investigating Friday's collision and have appealed for witnesses.
The driver of the car involved, a Honda Civic estate, is not thought to have been injured.
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