By Eileen O. Daday   Daily Herald Correspondent   Monday 12/22/97     Santa made a surprise visit Sunday at the home of a disabled Hanover Park Girl, though he arrived in a rather unconventional manner.   There were no reindeer pulling his sleigh, Instead a cavalcade of motorcycles make those Honda Gold Wings roared up, with  Santa and his elves on board.   Members of the American Gold Wing Association chapter in Carol Stream, Ill arrived carrying wrapped presents, all pieces of a special voice-activated computer for the Hanover Park teen. Jenny Thomas, 15, suffers

"This is very cool," Jenny said of her new system. "It was the only thing I wanted, but I thought it would never happen."

The severe swelling and pain often renders her unable to do such simple things as walk or climb stairs. She suffers the same symptoms in her wrists, hands and fingers, and consequently cannot type out her class assignments.

"That's what hit us, that she's trying so hard to get her education," said Marla Malett of Streamwood, one of the Gold Wing Chapter representatives.

Jenny is the only child of Ralph and Debby Thomas. He works as a night warehouse clerk, she as a teacher'' aide at Glenbard North High School, where Jenny is a freshman.

"We've been trying to get a computer for her for a year and a half now," said Debby Thomas. "We've tried to find a used one, and other agencies have tried to get one, but so far she's been disappointed. This is like a miracle; it's a dream come true."

Out of desperation, Debby Thomas wrote a letter to "Clause and Effect," a non-profit organization run by donna Hinrichs of Bartlett. She matches groups and individuals, who want to provide gifts to children with families in need. Hinrichs knew the Gold Wing members had raised enough money to underwrite a small computer, so she gave Thomas' letter to them. The bikers took it from there.

They appealed to officials with Comark Computer Sales in Bloomingdale. The store matched the money raised by the bikers to outfit Jenny with a voice recognition computer complete with color monitor, color printer, Internet access and pre-programmed games and other software.

The voice-activated IBM program already recognizes 22,000 words, but has the capability to learn up to 64,000 words, and should type up Jenny's instructions as soon as she tries it.

"It's loaded," Mallett simply said of the computer, obtained with the help of Steve Kunberger, a government and education sales representative with Comark.

This is the fourth year the Gold Wing members have sponsored a family during the holidays. They raise funds for needy families through a special road rally, called Christmas in July, that features a 125-mile benefit motorcycle trip.

Last summer's rally was so successful, the 84 area bikers also were able to make holiday donations to Marklund Children's Home in Bloomingdale, Schaumburg Township senior center and Kids' Help in Chicago.

"Besides riding our bikes, charity work is about all we do," member Dale Stewart of Carol Stream said. "Most people don't think of bikers in that way; we're trying to dispel that rumor.