Young Andy Donald.  Only 69.

I’m sure it must have been the same for all of us who knew Andy, that it was a huge blow to find out that Andy had passed away.  I really couldn’t believe it. I’ve known Andy for over 30 years, phoned him 2/3 times a week, chewing the cud as you do.  And we all do.

My first thoughts were the fact that other great guys had passed away young, Steve Stevens and young little Alan Gould, whose passion was Indian Motorcycles. Both the best of guys, and now Andy.

He always said to me he felt absolutely marvellous.  Well, not the day after he’d been drinking a wee too much, if you know what I mean.  Boy, he had some bad hangovers.

I’ve had some great rides with Andy over the years.  I’m sure a lot of you have a story to tell as well. There was one time Andy, little Alan and myself rode out to the Old-Timers and managed to sleep upstairs in the school house.  Alan snored and snored so loudly both Andy and I put our helmets on to make it quieter.  It was so loud.it didn’t help.

Andy had a wealth of knowledge, both engineering and architecture were his passions. Did you know he not only taught at Oxford University but Cambridge University on historical architecture .It was only 3 to 4 times a year but he loved it. Especially having a beer with the students when the work was done. Andy loved it. I think he was very proud of the work he was doing.

He has built some great bikes over the years including his well-known 1948 chief, which he has left to the Indian museum in the states.

I will miss Andy big time. He has been a great friend for a long time. I’m still finding it hard to realise that I can’t ring him up.

Cheers to a fine man. I always said he was, and always will be, a gentleman and a scholar.
Cheers to you Andy

Kenny Alton