p3 Diary of Events p6 Five Get Wet... p8 Driving on the Sub- Continent p10 Thrills & Spills INSIDE MAKING progress Registered Charity No. 1097558 The IAM Aims To improve the standard of driving (and riding) on the UK roads. The Advancement of Road Safety. The Administration of an Advanced Test. SOLENT ADVANCED MOTORCYCLISTS March 06 sam p11 Sam Run 05.02.06 to BMW or not to BMW... F or a good many years now I have been in the very fortunate position of owning two bikes - one for trail riding and one for greater distance on the road. But, like so often happens, you forget just how privileged you are and want something different. I sold the DR350 (something I regret as it was a competent, quiet and comfortable trail bike) and I gave the ZZR600 to my son, who was without a bike at the time. The ZZR had not lived up to my expectations, particularly in the comfort and handling departments. In particular, I found that journeys of an hour or more caused considerable pain to the wrists and, after a little longer, my back. So, I gave thought to what I wanted a bike to do, which was tour, with some off tarmac capability (the ZZR was not ace at this, but has seen many a lane) and provide everyday transport. continued on page 7 ▼ By Dave Tilbury
Transcript
P A G E 12
p3Diary ofEvents
p6Five GetWet...
p8Driving onthe Sub-Continent
p10Thrills &Spills
I N S I D E
MAKINGprogress
Registered Charity No. 1097558
T h e I A M A i m sTo improve the standard of driving (and riding)on the UK roads.
The Advancement of Road Safety.
The Administration of an Advanced Test.
Help us make progress with a contribution towards the next issue. Pics in jpeg format please.Newsletter email address is [email protected]
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SOLENT ADVANCEDM OTO R C Y C L I S T S
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sam
DISCLAIMERMost of the views expressed in this SAM Newsletter are personal to the author andpublication does not imply endorsement of any article, any author or any organisation.Views expressed are those of the authors, and are not necessarily in accordance with thepolicies or the views of the IAM or SAM. Where articles are reproduced from otherpublications or authors, unreserved acknowledgement is given to the source. Noresponsibility is accepted by the Editor or SAM for any damage to intelligence or ridingabilities, howsoever caused, which might result from reading this publication.
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S A M S O L E N T A D V A N C E D M O T O R C Y C L I S T S M a r c h 2 0 0 6
toBMWor not toBMW...For a good many years now I have been in the very
fortunate position of owning two bikes - one fortrail riding and one for greater distance on the road.But, like so often happens, you forget just howprivileged you are and want something different. I soldthe DR350 (something I regret as it was a competent,quiet and comfortable trail bike) and I gave the ZZR600to my son, who was without a bike at the time.
The ZZR had not lived up to my expectations,particularly in the comfort and handling departments.In particular, I found that journeys of an hour or morecaused considerable pain to the wrists and, after a littlelonger, my back. So, I gave thought to what I wanted abike to do, which was tour, with some off tarmaccapability (the ZZR was not ace at this, but has seenmany a lane) and provide everyday transport.
10% off all items to SAM Members
MANSELL TAKESTHE WHEEL AT THE IAM F1 Racing legend Nigel Mansell is to be the newPresident of the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists).Mansell passed his Advanced Driving Test last August, 19 years after scoringhis first Formula One victory at Brands Hatch. As IAM President, Mansellbrings a lifetime of driving experience to the IAM.
“I believe driving expertise isn’t just for the race track,” said Mr Mansell.
“My grandfather always told me that it is no good lying on a hospital bedsaying ‘But I had the right of way’.That is why drivers can gain so much frompreparing for their IAM test.
“I am honoured to take the Presidency of such a well regarded organisationand I hope that in this, its 50th Anniversary Year, we can inform and educatemore drivers and riders than ever before,” he said.
Welcoming the appointment, IAM Chairman John Maxwell said:
“I am delighted that Nigel has accepted the invitation to be our newPresident. He is a well respected public figure, with immense drivingexperience. As well as his legendary track record, Nigel has consistentlycampaigned for safety on the road and I know that drivers of all ages willregard him as a leading proponent of safety, both on and off the track.”
With 31 Grand Prix wins, Nigel Mansell already has his place in the FormulaOne Hall of Fame. He has joined racing drivers John Surtees, the lateGraham Hill, Sir Stirling Moss and motorcyclist Geoff Duke who have allpassed their IAM test.
The first IAM President was Lord Sempill and the most recent was HRH TheDuke of Gloucester, who held the position for 32 years.
A lady biker has
a heart attack
and is taken to
the hospital. While
on the operating table,
she had a near death
experience. Seeing
God, she asked, “Is
my time up?” God
said, “No, you have another 43 years, 2
months, and 8 days to live.”
Upon recovery, the woman decided to stay in
the hospital and have a facelift, liposuction,
and tummy tuck. Since she had so much
more time to live, new roads to ride, she
figured she might as well look even nicer.
After her last operation, she was released
from the hospital. While riding her
motorcycle home, she was run into by a
delivery truck and killed. Arriving in front of
God, she demanded, “I thought you said I had
another 40+ years? How come you didn’t pull
me out of the path of that freakin’ truck?”
God replied, “I didn’t recognize you.”
continued on page 7 ▼
By Dave Tilbury
SAM cover Mar 06 13/3/06 6:03 am Page 1
S A M S O L E N T A D V A N C E D M O T O R C Y C L I S T S M a r c h 2 0 0 6S A M S O L E N T A D V A N C E D M O T O R C Y C L I S T S M a r c h 2 0 0 6
P A G E 2
Qual ity Motorcycle AccessoriesOur objective is very simple -
to provide the best products at the best priceswith unrivalled customer service
www.GOBYBIKE.com
Advanced Motorcycle Instruct ion“As good as training gets”
As I made myself a cup of tea this morning a little voiceasked “Have I got time to get dressed and come withyou?” Given the ice on the water outside I wasn’t sure ifshe was serious. She was!So it was that two of us arrived at the statue of King Alfred in Winchester.Mike gave the usual pre-run briefing (whilst one person took a greaterinterest in the kitchen shop) and we were promptly off in the direction ofRomsey. Through Ampfield and right into Jermyns Lane; right again and onthrough Braishfield, taking the back road (Furzdown Road) to King’sSomborne.
We followed the A3057 towards Andover, turning right to Wherwell on theB3420, to take in the hairpin. There’s not many like that in Hampshire. Wefollowed the Test up to Hurstbourne Priors, where we turned onto theB3400, which we followed through to Basingstoke.
Now, we see some pretty odd things when riding around but to be stuckbehind a car at a roundabout, where the young driver stalls the car, then slipsbetween the seats into the back, as an older woman slides across into thedriving seat was one of those little gems. I was keen to get alongside the carto see just how young the original driver was, but it was not to be.
A short drive down the A339, turning left at Cabbage Patch Corner, took usto Lasham Flying Club and a coffee stop. Here, as the sun shone hot throughthe windows, we watched as gliders were winched into the sky.We ate cake,drank warm drinks and chatted.
Two left the main group after coffee and the remaining six bikes returned tothe A339 and rode down to Alton.We finished with a bit of the A32, as far asthe West Meon Hut, where we went our separate ways. A good ride wasmade complete when some silly s*d in front of me made an indicator freeright turn into the restricted access at Fair Oak.To my immense satisfactionI rode past the other end of that ‘short cut’ to be in front of that same car.As childish as it might be, I enjoyed that.
So what were the roads like? It was a cool ride, until the sun came out.Theroads were damp and initially at least, there was the risk of ice. Personally Ifeel I gained in confidence in the handling of the current bike, riding at a pacethat I might not have attained had I been two up and alone with such surfaceconditions.
Our thanks to Mike for a good ride.
SAM Run - Sunday 05 February 2006
A Member of West SussexAdvanced Motorcyclists has set up a
company in Tuscany, runningmotorcycle tours around that region
of Italy. The details are below - just check out the website:Dave Marsh, Tuscan Moto Tours, Via Roma 46,
SAM Polo-shirtsBlack long or short sleeve shirts embroidered with the Club name - always available to buy at Club Nights. Sizes XXL to Small.Long Sleeves £18.50 Short Sleeves £15.00Books and Videos
The Assessment of Advanced Motorcycling £4.50Know your Traffic Signs £3.00How to be an Advanced Motorcyclist £7.99Motorcycle Roadcraft (Blue Book) £11.99Mike Waites Video £14.99Top Rider Video£14.99Contact Kate Davies Tel 01962 840954
P A G E 11
Strictly Come BikingSOLENT ADVANCED MOTORCYCLISTS CELEBRATE THE 50thANNIVERSARY OF THE INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED MOTORISTS
on Sunday 7th May 2006 atTHE ROSE BOWL Function and Conference Centre Hampshire CountyCricket Ground
Botley Road,West End, Southampton. SO30 3XH50 MOTORCYCLISTS FROM HAMPSHIRE, each a member of the IAM, will ride theirmotorcycles in small groups through the beautiful Hampshire countryside.
Joining them will be many personalities and celebrities from the world of Politics, Sportand the Media.To enhance the profile of motorcycling in Hampshire, local MotorcycleDealers will be providing some VIPs with loan machines for the ride.VIPs will be served a Lunchtime reception buffet at 12:30 and High Tea at 4.30. in THE HAMPSHIRE SUITE and SAM members will be invited to join our guests.
The Ride will commence at 2.00pm.
THE SOLENT ADVANCED MOTORCYCLISTS ARE DEDICATED TO IMPROVING RIDINGSKILLS IN HAMPSHIRERegistered Charity No. 1097558. www.solent-advanced-motorcyclists.co.uk
Hi Each
Well it’s now March and the winter is nearly behind usagain, time to dust off the bike, check the tyres etc -
remember POWER - Petrol, Oil, Water,Electric and Rubber. Get the boots andleathers out to see if they still fit! Nowcheck out the Diary in this Newsletterand pick some dates to join in theactivities being laid on for you by SAM -both serious and social.
Don’t forget we have our AGM in May, the50th Anniversary of the IAM in May, and we have theBeaulieu Show in June - so much going on and so muchfor you to get involved with, and all the time, in thebackground; the main function of the Group is quietlygoing on - Observed Rides by a team of dedicated andsometimes unsung workers - the Group’s Observers andSenior Observers led by the Chief Observer JohnGoodson. So, think about all the hours and miles thatthey have done in order to get you your Green Badge -now see if you can put something back into the Group.
On the subject of unsung heroes - I personally would liketo thank our Assistant Editor, Graphics Designer andSAM Member Kim Formhalls of KF:D Ltd for herbrilliant work on this Newsletter and thanks also toClaire for her help with proof reading. Also thanks go toGraeme, Kim and Colin who are currently upgrading thegraphics for the MDU.
Nigel GraceEditor
SAM cover Mar 06 13/3/06 6:03 am Page 3
P A G E 3
S A M S O L E N T A D V A N C E D M O T O R C Y C L I S T S M a r c h 2 0 0 6
MARCH Sun 19 SAM Social Run - Ower - David Charlton
Tue 21 SAM Committee MeetingSun 26 SAM Social Run - Winchester -
Dave Tilbury
APRIL Sun 2 SAM Social Run - Meon HutSun 2 BSB Brands HatchSun 9 SAM Social Run - Wickham -
Dave BarrettTue 11 SAM Club NightSun 16 SAM Social Run - OwerMon 17 BSB ThruxtonTue 18 SAM Committee MeetingSun 23 SAM Social Run - Meon Hut -
Paul NolSun 30 SAM Social Run - Winchester -
Darren Mansfield
MAY Mon 1 BSB Oulton ParkSun 7 IAM 50th Year Event by SAM -
Strictly Come Biking - Rose Bowl
Tue 9 SAM Annual General Meeting -at The Centre 2000, Hedge End
Sat 20 Motormart Autojumble -Beaulieu
Sun 21 SAM Social RunTue 23 Evening Ride - 1930 King
Alfred’s Statue Winchester or Sainsbury’s Fareham
Sun 28 SAM Social RunSun 28 WSB SilverstoneSun 28 BSB Mallory Park
JUNE Sun 4 SAM Training Day - The PoliceSystem of Motorcycle Control
Sat 10 SAM “Making Progress”publication day
Sun 11 SAM Social RunSun 11 BSB KnockhillTue 13 SAM Club NightSun 18 SAM Social RunTue 20 SAM Committee MeetingSat 24 Motorcycle World - BeaulieuSun 25 Motorcycle World - BeaulieuSun 25 SAM Social RunSun 25 BSB SnettertonTue 27 Evening Ride - 1930
King Alfred’s Statue Winchesteror Sainsburys Fareham
DIARY OF EVENTS 06
• All Social Runs are conducted in line with the ClubGuidelines Doc 10 and Doc 11
• Full details are announced on SAM Announceshortly before the run
• Full details are also available from the Run Leaderor Ian Cooper -Social Runs Co-ordinator
• We cannot guarantee that the details of the run willnot be changed before the event, but every effortwill be made to adhere to them.
• Please check if in doubt with Ian Cooper -SocialRuns Co-ordinator
02380 410 690
There is a feeling of spring inthe air as I write this column.
The daffodils are bursting upthrough the soil and the roadsbeginning to shed that winter feeland SAM is a hive of activity withthe Officers and committee working away like beaversplanning the events and activities for the comingseason.
I am a `Biker` at heart and becoming Chairman wasnot really my intention when I joined SAM, but here Iam and I must say that at first I did not think I wouldenjoy it very much. However, that has all now changedand I find that I am actually enjoying myself doing thejob.What makes it all so much better is the splendidcommittee members that SAM has at this moment. Ihope that they, like me, are also enjoying themselves.
Our Free Assessed ride/Training Days, that will beorganised by Colin Backhouse this year, will start inMay and we must be prepared for the sudden increasein membership that will surely occur as these getunder way.
The MDU is being refurbished with new graphics anda full mechanical check over, so we are all lookingforward to seeing it in use very soon.
The IAM are celebrating their 50th Anniversary thisMay and SAM is having a big party to celebrate theevent on Sunday May 7th at the Rose Bowl and everysingle member of SAM is invited. We have space for240 so don’t let us down. Put it in your diaries nowand send off the booking form with your cheque forafternoon tea and also the Buffet Lunch if you wish tojoin us for that as well.
Several of the Club nights at the Fleming Arms havebeen full to bursting and this has prompted us to movethe venue for the AGM on the 9th May to Hedge End.We are expecting at least 100 of you to attend. Icould say that there will be `free beer`, but we don’thave space for 240!
If you would like to become involved in running SAMand you have the skills required, why not join our busycommittee, now is the time to get yourself nominated.
Talking about skills, several members have approachedme recently saying that they would like their ridingskills re-assessed as several years have passed sincetheir IAM Advanced Test. Of course, we do have ourSAM Advanced Plus Test, but perhaps there is a gapthat needs to be filled. The IAM `Skills for Life`package does not stop us from getting a bit rusty andno doubt we do need to polish up our riding shillsnow and again. So perhaps we could expand ourTraining to include full members and not justassociates.
Well, that’s enough writing for now, I’m going out onmy bike for a nice ride.
Gerry Gooch.
CHAIRMAN’SchatJUNE 30-3 SAM French Trip
(Fri 30th - Mon 3rd Jul)
JULY Sun 2 SAM Training Day - AdvancedCornering
Sat 8 SAM Bar-B-Q at HordeanWoods and ride-out
Sun 9 SAM Social RunTue 11 SAM Club NightSun 16 SAM Social RunSun 16 MotoGP Donnington ParkTue 18 SAM Committee MeetingWed 19 Ride to Work Day, see
AUG Sun 6 SAM Training Day - Aims ofAdvanced Motorcycling
Sun 6 WSB Brands Hatch (TBC)Tue 8 SAM Club NightSun 13 SAM Social RunSun 13 BSB CroftTue 15 SAM Committee MeetingSun 20 SAM Social RunTue 22 Evening Ride - 1930 King
Alfred’s Statue Winchester or Sainsburys Fareham
Sun 27 SAM Social RunMon 28 BSB Cadwell Park
SEPT Sun 3 SAM Training Day - MakingProgress Safely
Sat 9 SAM “Making Progress” publication day
Sun 10 SAM Social RunSun 10 BSB SilverstoneTue 12 SAM Club NightSun 17 SAM Social RunTue 19 SAM Committee MeetingSun 24 SAM Social RunSun 24 BSB Donington Park GP
OCT Sun 1 SAM Training Day - ObserverTraining
Sun 8 SAM Social RunSun 8 Brands Hatch GPTue 10 SAM Club NightSun 15 SAM Social RunTue 17 SAM Committee MeetingSun 22 SAM Social RunSun 29 SAM Social Run
NOV Sun 5 SAM Social RunSun 12 SAM Social RunTue 14 SAM Club NightSun 19 SAM Social RunTue 21 SAM Committee MeetingSun 26 SAM Social Run
Dec Sat 2 SAM “Making Progress”publication day
Sun 3 SAM Social RunSat 9 SAM Club NightSun 10 SAM Social RunTue 12 SAM Christmas Social EventSun 17 SAM Social Run
SAM b/w Mar 06 13/3/06 6:23 am Page 2
S A M S O L E N T A D V A N C E D M O T O R C Y C L I S T S M a r c h 2 0 0 6
P A G E 4
ANNOUNCEMENTSOLENT ADVANCED MOTORCYCLISTS
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGat
2000 Centre, St Johns Road, Hedge End Southampton SO30 4AF
Tuesday 9th May 2006 8.00pm
Riding buddiesIs it me, or are there three main types?
GAVIN
Met at college years ago due tomutal love of bikes, he now owns asuccessful company. He is veryfocused & driven. Never married,but has a stream of prettygirlfriends - who can only put up
with him for a few weeks.Owns a big housewith a dream garage
of fast cars, a jetski,quads, moto-x
bikes. R1 roadbike is never
more than 12months old with
a stack of expensivemodifications. Warms upengine by taking it up to the
limiter 1st thing Sundaymorning, Absolutely impossible toride with, rides flat out everywhere- except 30mph towns, but thenwheelies while overtaking throughon-coming traffic. His latest trick isto pull fast rolling stoppies throughspeed cameras.
No matter how psychotic he rideshis bike, there are no points onlicence & never crashes.
MAURICE
Great bloke, rides a Guzzi Le Mansat a good pace but safe, hilarious offthe bike can keep people in stitchesfor hours, very down to earthlikeable, laid back - very laid back -infact hopelessly unreliable.
Never ever ready, if you are luckyhe will only be very late - usualscenario is to go to his flat twohours before the ride starts to: -Get him out of bed find his ridinggear, sort his hangover, search forbike keys, wallet & mobile only tofind the Guzzi in the shed with aflat front tyre & a cylinder head off.
1ST TIME FRED
Is a work colleague who has always‘fancied a motorbike’ - wife ismortified Fred will die on the 1stgentle ride out (that you promisedhim all those weeks ago). He hasspent all the money his wife wassecretly saving (for a new threepiece suite) on the 5 day Testcourse, a wicked Dianesse Leatherjacket & a down payment on abrand new ER5. Fred’s cash poolhas now run out & is getting bywith a cheap open face, grindinggoggles, yellow nylon waterprooftrousers, brown office shoes withblue diamond pattern socks tocomplete the ensemble! Hequestions me seriously on eitherski mittens or gardening gloves - itsmid August.
Time for the ride & his two be-freckled kids are looking worriedlyat their dad “Now don’t worry kids,you’re dad & I are going for a niceshort gentle ride that’s all” I say.
Fred astride the ER5, starts up theengine - Fred looses his footing fallsover with the familiar splinteringsound of a smashed mirror,indicator & snaps the brake lever,the throttle jams wide open. PoorFred is stuck under the bike, enginewailing & backfiring - now wife isverging on hysteria the kids startscreaming..............
“ Its OK, its OK” I say killing themotor & hauling the bike off Fredwho is now hopping around thegarden, minus one brown shoe! Thestubby brake lever points at me likean accusing finger. I just want to gohome.
So when you see a Johnny No-mates (me) solo rider, this isprobably why.
SAM SUMMERBARBECUE & RIDE
Another great social event for SAM
SATURDAY 8th JULYCLANFIELD WOODS HORNDEAN
The venue is in natural unspoilt private woodlands owned by SAMmember Alvin Wilby who says that responsibly ridden trail bikes will be
welcome to explore the private paths around the 9 acre site.An air pistolshooting range will also be provided and children will enjoy the freedom ofthe woods that have many wild flowers, butterflies and deer.
This will be a double attraction event.An afternoon ride starting fromWickham Square at 1.00 and arriving at the barbecue at 3.00.
Other members travelling with their families and friends may make theirown way, by car if preferred, to the Barbecue that will start at 3.00.
Maps and instructions will be provided. Cost will be £3.00 per person withunder 16s at half price. (families and grandchildren very welcome).
The menu, that will be subsidised by SAM, will offer a good gastronomicchoice and include a cold drink. Please bring your own chairs, beer orwine.
Send your reservation with cheque to made payable to, `Solent AdvancedMotorcyclists` to,The event Administrators Phil & Trisha North,1 Ivy Court, Purbrook,Waterlooville, Hants. PO 7 5JT
S A M S O L E N T A D V A N C E D M O T O R C Y C L I S T S M a r c h 2 0 0 6
SURVIVALREACTIONS -Our biggest barrier toconfident ridingby Andy Ibbott California Superbike School Director (Europe)
COMMITTEE MEMBERSAND OTHER CONTACTSChairman: Gerry Gooch 01329 832416
Vice Chairman Colin Backhouse 02380 871642
Secretary: Rex Brittian 01489 784398
Treasurer: Godwin Calafato 02380 253109
Chief Observer: John Goodson 02380 692959
Membership Secretary: Paul Nol 02392 710929
Web Master: Kevin Parsons 01329 280902
Events: Mark Bowley 02380 675979
Public Relations: Neil Davies 079200 57686
Social Rides Co-ordinator: Ian Cooper 02380 410690
Skills Development: Colin Backhouse 02380 871642
Regalia: Kate Davies 01962 840954
Newsletter: Nigel Grace 01425 472021
IAM Headquarters Chiswick 020 89969600
www.solent-advanced-motorcyclists.co.uk
TENSINGThe Problem
When we enter a situation that weare uncomfortable with, whether itbe speed, place in a corner or anunpredicted hazard one of the firstreactions we have is to tense up,brace or impact if you will.
This means we lose some of ourcontrol of the machine we areriding. If your arms are locked solidthere is no way you will be able totake avoiding action because youhave just lost the ability to steeryour bike!
The Solution
Relax! Take stock of the situationand take control of what you needto do to avoid the hazard.
The Drill
When was the last time youchecked to see if you were reallyrelaxed and at ease when you rode?Some riders will tense on everysingle corner they ride - and holdtheir breath from enter to apex toexit! Check your breathing as themoment your hold your breath youwill be too tense. Do this in themiddle of every corner you rideuntil you can recognise the instantyou start to stop breathing.
SHUTTING THETHROTTLEThe Problem
This is one of the big ones, gettinginto trouble in a corner andslamming the throttle shut. It isguaranteed to send your bike offline and combined with the tensionthat creates you are very likely toend up running wide unless you canadd a steering input of some sort tocorrect that - and run in too tight!
The Solution
Keep on line by keeping the throttlerolling on through the corner,allowing the bike to remainbalanced.
The Drill
When was the last time you actuallytook notice of when you startedapplying the throttle? The idea hereis for you to think when you got iton, and how much you rolled it onbefore the exit. This will allow youto identify when you stop doing itand how the bike feels at that point.Closing the throttle transfersweight to the front of the bike anddoesn’t allow the suspension towork correctly as it has too muchto cope with. This in turn canoverload the front tyre. Byrecognising what we are doing withthe throttle we are less likely tosnap it closed improperly.
I remember when motorcycleswere dangerous and sex was
safe! - A Biker’s T-shirt
Fifteen Grand and Fifteen Milesdon’t make you a biker
Forget about WorldPeace.....Visualize Using Your
Turn Signal !
Get a new bike for your spouse -it’ll be a great trade!
Relax ! Take stock of the situation and take control ofwhat you need to do to avoid the hazard.
SAM b/w Mar 06 13/3/06 6:23 am Page 4
S A M S O L E N T A D V A N C E D M O T O R C Y C L I S T S M a r c h 2 0 0 6
P A G E 6
Here we are again with anotheredition of making progress,
also making progress are the testpasses a big increase on last yearsfigures. At the time of writing thisreport on 26th February we havehad a total of 44 passes since theAGM in April 2005, I hope that wecan achieve 50 plus passes by thetime we have our AGM this year.
It goes with out saying that withoutthe input from all the observers wehave we wouldn’t be in this fineposition, I thank you all for yourdedication and commitment ingiving of your time and expertise. Itis with regret that I have to reportthat Chris Robinson has decided toresign from being our training co-ordinator, thanks Chris for all your
CHIEF OBSERVER’S REPORT MARCH 2006
Five Get Wet inDorset by Nigel Grace
Sunday 19th February started wet and it just did not stop raining. It wasimpressive to see 5 big touring bikes lined up ready for the off at Ower,
and funnily enough the single Honda Pan European did not look too out ofplace alongside the 4 BMWs. We had a leisurely trip over Godshill toFordingbridge before the pacegot just a little warmer towardsBlandford and then on to deepestDorset. The pace remained justunder “Moderate” as theconstant rain was working it’swonders by lifting all the dieselfrom the roads - this was not thetype of conditions for anythingtoo brisk - it was just so wet.
Onwards and upward traveledthe five through the twists andturns from Blandford to Lydlinchon the A357, A3030 and then theA352 to Longburton for a welldeserved coffee stop. (Note TheRose and Crown at Longburtonis so very friendly that I will beleading another ride in thesummer to have Lunch there.Well worth it - Watch for dates).
Still raining and it was off to thebeach for lunch at the Hive Beach
Café - great food and a chance todry the visors and change thegloves for another dry pair. Thenup and over the hill to Abbotsbury,Portesham, Dorchester, Blandford,Horton and Ringwood beforedrawing to a halt at the Little Cheffor a large hot coffee and a 3rd pairof dry gloves. It was a good ridedespite the foul weather and Ithank all four riders for turning out.It was a good opportunity to testthose biking bits and see how theyfaired in such weather - lots of talkabout waterproof gloves and I mustadmit that once the water wasinside my gloves there was no waythat it wanted to come out !, butthe two piece waterproofs I hadrecently purchased from BikersYard - brilliant. Thanks again for agood day out and thanks Eddie forTail-ending.
PS. I only carry spare glovesbecause there is only one thingworse than putting your handsback into cold, wet gloves...... andmy children have grown up now soI don’t have to do that anymore......
Nigel
hard work that you have done overthe last couple of years. Butalthough Chris will be missed weplan to go forward and ColinBackhouse has offered to try andcontinue where Chris left off, I amconfident that Colin will continueto see that SAM progresses in theway it has over the last few years.
This edition will be the last beforeour training sessions begin in May,so I hope that we can look forwardto receiving as many willing newassociates as we have in previousyears. I will not be present for theMay 7th training as my newestgrandchild is being christened onthis day, so for once I am underorders to put family first.
I took Steve Clothier out recentlyfor his re-qualification as seniorobserver, needless to say noproblems on that and Stevecontinues in his role as S/O foranother 3 years.
We also have Kevin Parsons asQualified observer and PeterJohnson as Senior due for their re-
qualifications in April.
I would also like to congratulatethose who have passed theirtests since the last news letter,they are as follows up too 26thFebruary.
Petra Willoughby, GraemeSmith, Sam Watts, RussellParslow, Paul Middleton, DanielMurray, James Cole, StephenHunt, Peter Friend, MartinJenrick, David Maddock,Clifford Small, DavidWoolston, Ken Kenyon &David Parr.
Also to let you all know Ihave traded my faithful oldPan European in for a newBlackbird, which I purchasedon 21st January so still inthe process of running inand total enjoyment withthe bike.
Well that’s about it for thisedition other than toensure you all ride safe.
John Goodson
There’s a fellow whois an avid rider.Actually he’s amotorcycle fanatic.He has not missed a weekendof motorcycle riding in years.Every Saturday and Sundaymorning he gets up veryearly and goes meets hisbuddies for a nice long ride.On this one morning, he getsup early, gets dressed, getshis riding gear out of thecloset and goes out to thegarage to prepare to leave.While out there it startedraining a torrentialdownpour. There was snowmixed with the rain and thewind is blowing at 30 mph.He comes back into thehouse and turns the TV tothe Weather Channel. Fromthere he finds it’s going to bebad weather all day long. Sohe puts his bike back intothe garage and comes backinside. He quietly undressesand slips back into bedwhere he cuddles up to hiswife’s back, and whispers,“The weather out there isterrible.”
To which she replies, “Canyou believe my stupidhusband is out riding hisbike today?”
SAM b/w Mar 06 13/3/06 6:23 am Page 5
P A G E 7
S A M S O L E N T A D V A N C E D M O T O R C Y C L I S T S M a r c h 2 0 0 6
I looked at a Tiger, at a big KTM and at a BMW GS.The Tiger didn’t really hitthe spot and the vile colours gave me the excuse to strike it from the list.The KTM was, for me, too trail oriented, and it has a one-piece seat, which Ithought would be a source of contention with my wife on the back. So I hadto take a look at the BMW.
continued from front cover ▼
to BMWor not to BMW...
As I rode up to the nearest BMWdealership I pondered the expense,the height, the expense, the factthat the ZZR wasn’t too bad, really,and that the BMW would beexpensive. After all, here am Ipottering along at 80 - absolutelyfine. I don’t need to go any fasteron nice B roads like this...
And so it was that I arrived at theBMW dealer in a negative mood. Ishowed my license, signed thewaiver, threw my leg over anR1150GS and pottered off downthe same road that I’d been sohappy to ride on the ZZR justminutes before. Hmmm, verypleasant, thought I. Less wind thanI’d expected, Wonderfullycomfortable. Spot on ridingposition, and it does seem toovertake and pull away quite well.After all, I want the change becauseof riding position and comfort, and,at my age I can cope with bimblingalong like this.... %*@% me!!! I’mdoing 90!
Forty miles later I signed the saleagreement for a second handR1150 GS.
So, what is I like? This bike gave methe most memorable day of 2005(don’t tell my wife that). I left homeearly on the morning of 2ndSeptember and rode up the A34 tothe Ridgeway. Along the Ridgewayfor a short distance and then, bycountry lanes and byways, mademy way down to Inkpen. Wishingto avoid certain lanes, for obviousreasons, I discovered the village ofKintbury - a delightful and veryphotogenic place - a place that Iwill return to one day.
Up to the gibbet and on to the A4at Hungerford.The A4, or the OldBath Road, is a classic road to ride.The history, the horse troughs andmile stones, the good surface andsight-lines, not to mention (bewarned) the newly installed speedcameras - not that I needed worry.
Not long ago I was peripherallyinvolved in a rights of way case,which pitted byway users againstthe Secretary of State for theEnvironment over a decision madeby one of the Lord Chancellor’sIndependent Inspectors. This casecentred on an old carriageway justto the west of Hungerford and as‘we’ had won I thought I’d take alook at the route, known asPreshute 12. I headed in thatdirection. Passing throughMarlborough, that delightful but car
choked town in the downs, Ispotted a parking space on thesunny side of the street, right outside a coffee shop, and took this asa sign from the great sky pixy tostop for a quick cake and coffee.
Preshute 12 looked a tad tooovergrown from about halfwaydown and so I turned around andheaded south, over Knap Hill to theWessex Ridgeway, down to Lark Hilland on down the byway pastStonehenge to the A303. I lefttarmac again at Shipton Bellingerand did a circuit of Tidworth,dropping south to the last ‘green’lanes of the day at Broughton.
I’d covered 203 miles at speedsvarying from 10 mph to, well.... towhat is known euphemistically as‘making good progress’. I was notstiff or tired. I had not dropped thebike, or even come near it. If theBMW has a fault it is that for trailriding, first gear is a bit high,especially when approaching those‘decision time’ bits of lane - ormaybe I’m just getting mentally slow.
The only other fault, if you can callit a fault, is the lack of anyimpression of speed. This isfortunately compensated for in thebikes ability to go round bends.Theriding position gives a commandingview of the road for overtaking andthe acceleration is ‘quiteacceptable’.
It has proved to be a useful meansof transport. With panniersattached and full of video kit, I canremove the pillion seat and strap afair sized tripod across the back. Ihave received no complaints aboutthe comfort of the pillion seat andthe gentle impact of my wife’shelmet on my shoulders indicatesthat the ride is smooth enough forher to doze off on the M25, despitethe lumpy surface.
And, as if that wasn’t enough, theheated grips are now showing theirworth....
Regrets? Well, other than selling theDR350, I guess I should have boughtthe newer 1200GS.
The 441cc BSA Victor was not going at allwell.A few minutes earlier I had to resort
to a bump start after running out of kickingenergy and, even now, it was a rather reluctantrunner, spitting back through the carb when Iattempted to open the throttle. However, witha little help from the clutch I was managing tokeep it alive as I made my way through thebusy High Street.As the engine warmed, I evenmanaged to get the odd “wheelie” for which theparticular machine was renowned.
I was so intent upon my test ride that I was paying littleattention to my rear, so perhaps I should not have beenquite so alarmed when the police motorcyclist appearedat my right elbow. The first finger of his left hand,oscillating to and fro signaled me to pull over. I knewthat I was really for it this time. I began to add up all therules I knew I was breaking: no insurance, no tax, nosilencer, speedometer, horn chain guard, etc.
Have you noticed the way that a policeman gets off hisbike when he pulls you over? The left heel nonchalantlyflicks out the side stand and in one slow movement heplaces his left foot on the ground, transfers his weight toit and gently swings his other leg over the seat, swivelingslightly to end up facing you.
Although I had spent the best part of half an hour tryingto start the BSA, now I could not stop the damnedthing. The ignition had been by-passed by twisting twowires together.All I could do was stall the engine in firstgear, resulting in a rather ungainly lurch towards theapproaching officer of the law.
The Long Finger of the LawBy Gerry Gooch
He came to a standstill just one pace from my left handlebar. Iwas still astride the machine, since it had no side stand. Heslowly removed his glove from his right hand and raised hisfinger up to my chin. Until then not a word had passedbetween us. I had been struck dumb with severe apprehensionand he was obviously biding his time.“In Zambia it is an offenceto ride a motorcycle with the strap of your helmet undone.”With that he turned about, remounted his Honda 750 andzoomed off down the High Street at great speed.
In the end we did manage to get the 441cc BSA to run a bitbetter, so together with the other two BSA`s and a Bultacothat the Zambian National Trade Fair committee had providedus with, we were able to give our two performances a day for6 days.
To this day I can’t believe my luck in not getting arrested on thespot, particularly as only two days later, one of the riders of myMotorcycle Display Team was languishing in jail for taking aphotograph of Livingstone town centre oblivious that the shotincluded a Bank.
I could tell you how I got him out, but that would be anotherstory wouldn’t it.
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Bikes free to f ilter without fearCourt overturns ruling on crash blame
SAM CLUBNIGHTORGANISERMark Bowley, current Club NightOrganiser, will be standing down atthe next AGM in May 2006.
We therefore require someonewith flare, imagination and who is
self-motivated and willing to takeup this post. Our idea is to seek areplacement as soon as possible inorder to give the new organiser agood handover period withinstruction in the support he/shewill get from the Committee andMembership.
Our requirement is for a goodmixture of Speakers; from Dealersand Manufacturers and a few purelysocial fun things. (Skittles, generalget togethers etc).
Once the forthcoming eventsprogramme has been worked out,the membership need to be keptinformed by way of the SAMAnnounce system. The neworganiser will of course join adynamic Committee with lots ofnew challenges and an everincreasing SAM membership.
If this looks like the sort of thingyou could handle please contactthe undersigned and we willarrange a meeting toanswer questions andgive you help in makinga decision.
In a landmark court case last week, a motorcyclist’s victoryoverturned a long-standing ruling that has robbed many ridersof compensation in the past. Jamie McColm, 28, fromCheltenham is the first motorcyclist in the UK to come awaywith a zero blame after he was knocked off his bike whilstfiltering through traffic.
The court case, lasting over three years,marks a major victoryfor British Bikers - the previous legal precedent (Powell vMoody 1966) favoured the car driver in such accidents and thebiker was always deemed to be mostly at fault.
According to the Driving Standard Agency: “Its finefor motorcyclist to filter through traffic as long asthey don’t breach the rules on overtaking in theHighway Code, and they ensure any filtering they dopast traffic is safe”
Note: There is no specific mention of filtering in theHigh Code, so motorcyclists must read the rules onovertaking. Sgt Brown from Durham Police agrees:All road users should read the Highway Code again.In the Rules for Motorcyclists section, rule 71 is
often used to argue filtering cases.It states: “When overtaking trafficqueues, look for pedestrianscrossing between vehicles andvehicles emerging from junctions.”The overtaking section says: Stay inlane if traffic is moving slowly. If thequeue on your right is moving moreslowly than you, you may pass onthe left.
For full article see MCN 22ndFebruary 2006 Page 2.
wanted...Driving on theSub-Continent
We arrived in Kolkata in theearly hours so the roads
were relatively clear. When weventured out of our hotel indaylight, we experienced for thefirst time the chaos and cacophonyof Indian traffic. The city roads arepacked with cars, trucks, buses,auto-rickshaws, rickshaws,motorcycles, bicycles, people andcows. Out of the city, you can addcamel carts, goats, monkeys andelephants to the equation.
Drivers seem to loosely obey trafficlights but have no concept of thepurpose of white lines. Even inmajor cities, anything goes. Therewas no consistent view on whetherroundabouts should be taken in aclockwise or anti-clockwisedirection; the concept of lanediscipline seemed entirely alien withcars drifting all of the time and theuse of the horn is constant. After awhile we started to understand thepurpose of the horn; it’s usually awarning that you’re about toovertake. It means keep an eyeopen and don’t drift into me.Trucks and buses generally have asign on the back saying “pleasehoot”.
Yet in spite of the continuous use ofthe horn we saw no road rage at all.We were equally surprised by howfew accidents there were in thecities and the skill of drivers and
riders at avoiding other vehicleswhile squeezing through impossiblysmall gaps. Driver skill is exercisedto the limit each day at 14:00 whenthe flow of many one-way roadschanges direction. No hazard andrisk assessment, no coning-off andnot even any police supervisionduring this risky procedure whichtakes place on hundreds of roadsevery day up and down the country.It’s quite amazing, the traffic justalters direction all on its own sothat the evening rush hour can beeased a little!
During our visit, we were drivenfrom Delhi to Jaipur - a trip of some5 hours, much of which was down anew dual carriageway with asubstantial Armco barrierseparating traffic in each direction.Heading South, we noticed howmuch heavier the North-boundtraffic seemed. Those headingNorth made the same observationand several cars decided that itwould be quicker for them to useour side of the road. By now it wasdark and Mr Singh, our driver,seemed to take all of this in hisstride while simultaneously avoidingcows sleeping on the tarmac,elephants and camel carts. Night-time driving gets even moreinteresting due the reluctance ofmany drivers to use lights.
Fortunately traffic does not seem
to go much faster than 85kph whichcertainly increases reaction times.Any quicker and I suspect it wouldbe carnage.
India is a massive construction site.With 10% GDP growth year on year,the requirement for infrastructureprojects is relentless. As aconsequence, there are hugenumbers of trucks on the roads Wesaw several truck crashes - mostlyinvolving them turning over. Whilethe quality of maintenance is highlysuspect,we were told the main causeof these crashes is driver fatigue -definitely no tachographs in India.
Motorcycles are probably the mostcommon form of transport. Due tothe heat nobody seems to wearwhat we would describe as effectiveprotective clothing. Helmetsseemed to be used in Delhi but lessso in Mumbai, Kolkata and Goa. Themost common bikes were 125cc ofJapanese or Indian origin. I wouldguess that Enfields account for lessthan 5% of machines.
Personally, I would not entertaindriving in Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur orDelhi. Mumbai seemed a little easierand Goa appeared relativelystraightforward. I considered hiringan Enfield in Goa but never quite gotaround to it. I guess it was acombination of the heat and the IAMprogramming kicking in. I just couldnot quite bring myself to ride inshorts and sandals.
Mike West
I have driven in Paris, Berlin, LA, Detroit, Chicago, NewYork and Singapore. I have also been driven in Cairo,Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Shanghai. But none of thisprepared me for the roads in India this February, when we visitedKolkata (Calcutta), Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Goa and Mumbai (Bombay).
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One Last Check .....then Relaxby Nick Sanders (MCN Jan 18, 2006)
Nick Sanders (www.motochallenge.com) knows a thingor two about long-distance riding, having ridden aroundthe world several times. Here is his advice on what tocheck on your bike when you arrive home after a longtour.
When you’ve been for an epic trip (or even a short one) it’s easy to feel thatthe first thing you should do after parking the bike is get inside, pat yourselfon the back and start downloading your photos to send to MCN.
For most people, giving their bike a once-over is far from the top of their listof priorities - but it shouldn’t be. Spending a little time when the trip is stillfresh is a lot easier that coming back to your bike days later. If you wheelyour bike straight into the garage there are things you’ll forget to do. It’s agood habit to stick a checklist to the garage wall before you go, and gothrough it when you arrive back. My top recommendation is to get to knowyour bike a bit better before you go. In the last mile or so before I stop Ilisten as best I can to how the bike sounds and also how it feels.
In particular, does anything feel loose? When I get home, I park up the bikeand leave the engine running for a couple of minutes. I then listen againwithout my helmet on and in this way I get to know the sound of my bikewhen it’s healthy. If at any point it stops sounding quite ‘right’, you might notknow what the problem is, but you can take it for a more experiencedsecond opinion as soon as possible.
Getting back to our spot-tour checks, the first of these is the chain; to get anexpert opinion on the matter I called Mark Celino, technical expert atScottoiler. I used a Scottoiler, which lubes the chain while the bike is running,but for those who don’t he recommends spraying it with a good chain oilwhile still warm, as the lubricant still automatically thinned by the heat of thechain so the oil penetrates better into the rollers and links. If you do havean oiler, don’t forget to top it up regularly.
As far as anti-corrosion products go, the well-known FS365 spray fromScottoiler does a great job of neutralizing salt spread on the road in winter.Salt is such a powerful agent when mixed with moisture that it can causecorrosion on exposed metal in less than 300 miles of riding. So, wash yourbike down with fresh water and then spray on the product. The watercontent evaporates to leave behind a thin protective film. But wait until thepipes cool otherwise the oil will evaporate as well.
As a word of warning, DO NOT be tempted to stop by the jet wash on thefinal leg of your trip; the power of the jet wash will push all that foreign gritthat you’ve accumulated over the miles right back into wheel and suspensionbearings.
Another really important item that needs specific mention is your tyres. Ifthe tyre has been worked at its full operational temperature for long periodsof time, check for visual signs of wear, as a long trip might see you rack upthe better part of a year’s mileage in one hit.
Pat Keen at Cambrian Tyres explains that although the legal minimum treaddepth is 1mm across three-quarters of the tyre’s width, they recommend achange at 2mm because much below that most riders will notice a distinctchange of feel. Road-holding performance in the wet will deteriorate as well.
Check the rims carefully and make sure that the tyre is seated well. Also,look at the side walls - if they are at all damaged anywhere, the tyres shouldbe replaced. Lastly, look for nails.
If you need to use your bike before you can get a new tyre, sort it out atnight with a plug or tyre sealant. I use Punctureseal which is a decentproduct. Finally take a moment to do a quick check of your fluid levels. Oiland coolant will have hard time if you’ve done a long ride, so make surethey’re all topped up.
Grumpy Old BikerWho’d have thought it - our
Nige as President of theIAM. It’s an interesting appointmentand presumably a further attempt toshake off the Institute’s “pipe andslippers” image as it reaches itsfiftieth anniversary. I rememberwith great affection watchingMansell and Senna battling wheel towheel when Formula One was stillinteresting to watch. I alsoremember Mansell receiving a sixmonth ban in January 1998 forspeeding in his turbo-charged Bentley. He was a Special Constable for theDevon and Cornwall police at the time, which presumably explains why hewas dealt with so harshly.
On balance, I think that the Mansell appointment is OK but it got methinking again about the IAM attitude to Associates with points on theirlicences. Perhaps, I thought, the ivory tower has changed its policy so I gavethem a call and was told that six points is the maximum permitted to starttraining. Funny old world, isn’t it? We can sustain a president with 9 pointson his licence and appoint a new one who has been banned from driving.But we won’t allow new associates with more than 6 points to start training- the very people who, arguably, would most benefit. Heigh ho.
You may recall amongst my grumblings last time that I suggested SAM wasbecoming older, greyer and failing to attracting younger members. Well Icouldn’t believe my eyes when I saw an email on SAM Announce invitingmembers to go line dancing or “some-such-thing” at a local village hall. As asequel could I propose a beetle drive, coach trip to Bognor or perhaps alecture on “advances in incontinence pants” (presumably these things havewings too)?
And one more thing! A recent blast down the A272 reminded me of howfed up I get with some horsey people. I am not labelling them all, as someare good eggs. It’s the ones with double standards that really tick me off.You know the sort of thing; they expect total consideration by bikers whenthey are riding their beasts (quite right and proper) but as soon as they arebehind the wheel with a horse box in tow things change. I understand thatthey must take things very smoothly for the sake of Dobbin but that doesnot preclude some reciprocal consideration. Pulling over once in a while toease the congestion they have caused behind would be a good place to start.
After the unseasonably cold weatherof February the Grumpy Old Biker islooking forward to Spring and theopportunity to clock up some mileswithout losing sensation in thefinger tips.
As always, ride safely and keephoning those skills.
The Grumpy Old Biker.Disclaimer: Grumpy Old Biker isa periodic column written for theSAM newsletter. It is highlyunlikely that the views expressedhere are in any way representativeof the IAM or SAM.
Remember ... use your mirrors.
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P A G E 10
SAM - Sunday Training 2006Sunday JUNE 4th The Police System of M/C Control Peter Johnson
Sunday JULY 2nd Advanced Cornering Kevin Parsons & Chris Robinson
Sunday AUG 6th Aims of Advanced Motorcycling Colin Backhouse
Sunday SEPT 3rd Making Progress Safely Steve Clothier
Sunday OCT 1st Observer Training Chris Robinson
KAWASAKI - by Gary
GriffithsFROM THIS ...............
It was a Saturday morning, it was the 10th of
December 2005, it was my 3rd ride with John
Goodson who is passing on
his skills as an observer to
me.
I read somewhere that
when turning up to an
observed ride, make sure
your bike is all squeaky
clean, fuelled up, and
looking professional. So
when I had a ride with John and his associate on this
Saturday, I had to clean my bike. So to the jet wash
it was, because the bike was in great need of some
TLC in the cleaning department.
Bike out of the garage and I ridden about 100
Metres to the Junction at the top of my road, and
was just waiting for a break in the traffic, that was
the easy bit, pull out, this was the hard bit, EASE
on the throttle because of cold tyres and cold damp
road surface.
I didn’t quite get that part right because the back
tried to overtake the front and spat me off like it
hated me....THWACK...my poor bike hit the road
and so did I.
So its cost me about £600 to sort the bike, and a
broken wrist and elbow on my Left arm, but the
good part is that the panels and paint have now
arrived and the Green machine should be on
the road at the end of the month
The funniest thing I could find in all this was the
thought I had while in hospital, and if I were a full
observer the phone call
would go something like:
“Hello Mr Smith, your
Observer won’t be coming
today because he’s dropped
his bike while turning right at
5MPH”
.....TO THIS - AT THE
FLICK OF THE WRIST from
0 to 5MPH
BMW by Nigel Grace
My episode was not on ice, as was thecase last year but a pair of brand new
BT020s fresh on the day before and withonly 56 wet miles on them, a very cold dayand leaning over during a right hand turn outof the office car park. My speed very lowand I lost the back end on the concretehaving traveled just 20 feet. I ended up onmy back listening to the sound of 266kg ofBMW R1150RT making it’s steady progressacross the road - on it’s side - not a pleasantsound that !
Then the reassuring sound of it coming to ahalt against the kerb - ouchhh. The damageto the bike was light and other than aswollen ankle and a very bruised ego I wasOK (yes, you guessed it - everyone waswatching from the office windows....)Lesson learnt - don’t buy new tyres inJanuary and park around the back.
TRIUMPHThree Cross Motorcycles and Me:Cold Tyres - Cold Road!! By Hilary Thompson
Iwent back to work at Three Cross Motorcyclesin August last year and was lucky enough toland the job in sales at the Triumph Centre, forthose of you who know me, you will know justhow much I enjoy my job!! Having beenpassionate about Triumphs for so long and havingowned four Daytonas as well as a few more inbetween I couldn’t be happier. Selling bikeshowever is not always as simple or easy as it mayappear from the punters side of the desk - butit’s always a lot of fun.
Unfortunately getting to do a demo ride isn’talways possible especially as the Company hasdedicated “demo riders”, however when goodfriends ask if it is possible for me personally totake them out I always try and oblige. So acouple of Saturdays ago, bright and early in themorning, Jason (955i) and Colin (Pan European)both good friends and members of SAM arrivedto take out the Daytona 675 Triple and the SpeedTriple 1050 respectively. It was a bitterly cold daybut bright and dry so I opted to take my favouritebike, the demo 955i. I didn’t get very far!! Coldtyres - cold and shiny road, meant I met thetarmac almost immediately, resulting in a hole inthe right elbow of my jacket and great scrapemarks up the right side of my leathers.I must say thank you to everyone who helpedme, picked me up, dusted me off and helpedrepair my pride. Jason and Colin were brilliantand fed me hot tea and doughnuts and I didn’tfeel my poor sore bruises until Sunday when Ihad to nurse my aching body and was feeling verysorry for myself. I guess even with thousands ofmiles of experience, advanced training and withall the will in the world we still have to respectall conditions and realise that these spills areoften down to temporary lack of concentration,which of course we can’t afford to have.Definitely a wake up call for me! I am glad toreport, thanks to my friends at work, the bike isnow fully restored, I have got back on my bikeand all is well. Of course I would be delightedto see anyone who would like to come to see thefull range of Triumph bikes and I will be happy toarrange a test ride for them :) Tel: Three XMotorcycles 01202 810107
Thrills & Just a Few SpillsThis winter appears to have been a little “fun packed” for a few ofour riders.First of all there was Gary Griffiths (see his item below), he came off a lot worse than I did (yes,yes yours truly dropped his BMW again this year and during the same month as last year - maybeI should stay off the bike in Januarys). Thirdly there was rumor that our Hilary parted companywith a Triumph 955 demonstrator fresh-out-the-box.
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P A G E 2
Qual ity Motorcycle AccessoriesOur objective is very simple -
to provide the best products at the best priceswith unrivalled customer service
www.GOBYBIKE.com
Advanced Motorcycle Instruct ion“As good as training gets”
As I made myself a cup of tea this morning a little voiceasked “Have I got time to get dressed and come withyou?” Given the ice on the water outside I wasn’t sure ifshe was serious. She was!So it was that two of us arrived at the statue of King Alfred in Winchester.Mike gave the usual pre-run briefing (whilst one person took a greaterinterest in the kitchen shop) and we were promptly off in the direction ofRomsey. Through Ampfield and right into Jermyns Lane; right again and onthrough Braishfield, taking the back road (Furzdown Road) to King’sSomborne.
We followed the A3057 towards Andover, turning right to Wherwell on theB3420, to take in the hairpin. There’s not many like that in Hampshire. Wefollowed the Test up to Hurstbourne Priors, where we turned onto theB3400, which we followed through to Basingstoke.
Now, we see some pretty odd things when riding around but to be stuckbehind a car at a roundabout, where the young driver stalls the car, then slipsbetween the seats into the back, as an older woman slides across into thedriving seat was one of those little gems. I was keen to get alongside the carto see just how young the original driver was, but it was not to be.
A short drive down the A339, turning left at Cabbage Patch Corner, took usto Lasham Flying Club and a coffee stop. Here, as the sun shone hot throughthe windows, we watched as gliders were winched into the sky.We ate cake,drank warm drinks and chatted.
Two left the main group after coffee and the remaining six bikes returned tothe A339 and rode down to Alton.We finished with a bit of the A32, as far asthe West Meon Hut, where we went our separate ways. A good ride wasmade complete when some silly s*d in front of me made an indicator freeright turn into the restricted access at Fair Oak.To my immense satisfactionI rode past the other end of that ‘short cut’ to be in front of that same car.As childish as it might be, I enjoyed that.
So what were the roads like? It was a cool ride, until the sun came out.Theroads were damp and initially at least, there was the risk of ice. Personally Ifeel I gained in confidence in the handling of the current bike, riding at a pacethat I might not have attained had I been two up and alone with such surfaceconditions.
Our thanks to Mike for a good ride.
SAM Run - Sunday 05 February 2006
A Member of West SussexAdvanced Motorcyclists has set up a
company in Tuscany, runningmotorcycle tours around that region
of Italy. The details are below - just check out the website:Dave Marsh, Tuscan Moto Tours, Via Roma 46,
SAM Polo-shirtsBlack long or short sleeve shirts embroidered with the Club name - always available to buy at Club Nights. Sizes XXL to Small.Long Sleeves £18.50 Short Sleeves £15.00Books and Videos
The Assessment of Advanced Motorcycling £4.50Know your Traffic Signs £3.00How to be an Advanced Motorcyclist £7.99Motorcycle Roadcraft (Blue Book) £11.99Mike Waites Video £14.99Top Rider Video£14.99Contact Kate Davies Tel 01962 840954
P A G E 11
Strictly Come BikingSOLENT ADVANCED MOTORCYCLISTS CELEBRATE THE 50thANNIVERSARY OF THE INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED MOTORISTS
on Sunday 7th May 2006 atTHE ROSE BOWL Function and Conference Centre Hampshire CountyCricket Ground
Botley Road,West End, Southampton. SO30 3XH50 MOTORCYCLISTS FROM HAMPSHIRE, each a member of the IAM, will ride theirmotorcycles in small groups through the beautiful Hampshire countryside.
Joining them will be many personalities and celebrities from the world of Politics, Sportand the Media.To enhance the profile of motorcycling in Hampshire, local MotorcycleDealers will be providing some VIPs with loan machines for the ride.VIPs will be served a Lunchtime reception buffet at 12:30 and High Tea at 4.30. in THE HAMPSHIRE SUITE and SAM members will be invited to join our guests.
The Ride will commence at 2.00pm.
THE SOLENT ADVANCED MOTORCYCLISTS ARE DEDICATED TO IMPROVING RIDINGSKILLS IN HAMPSHIRERegistered Charity No. 1097558. www.solent-advanced-motorcyclists.co.uk
Hi Each
Well it’s now March and the winter is nearly behind usagain, time to dust off the bike, check the tyres etc -
remember POWER - Petrol, Oil, Water,Electric and Rubber. Get the boots andleathers out to see if they still fit! Nowcheck out the Diary in this Newsletterand pick some dates to join in theactivities being laid on for you by SAM -both serious and social.
Don’t forget we have our AGM in May, the50th Anniversary of the IAM in May, and we have theBeaulieu Show in June - so much going on and so muchfor you to get involved with, and all the time, in thebackground; the main function of the Group is quietlygoing on - Observed Rides by a team of dedicated andsometimes unsung workers - the Group’s Observers andSenior Observers led by the Chief Observer JohnGoodson. So, think about all the hours and miles thatthey have done in order to get you your Green Badge -now see if you can put something back into the Group.
On the subject of unsung heroes - I personally would liketo thank our Assistant Editor, Graphics Designer andSAM Member Kim Formhalls of KF:D Ltd for herbrilliant work on this Newsletter and thanks also toClaire for her help with proof reading. Also thanks go toGraeme, Kim and Colin who are currently upgrading thegraphics for the MDU.
Nigel GraceEditor
SAM cover Mar 06 13/3/06 6:03 am Page 3
P A G E 12
p3Diary ofEvents
p6Five GetWet...
p8Driving onthe Sub-Continent
p10Thrills &Spills
I N S I D E
MAKINGprogress
Registered Charity No. 1097558
T h e I A M A i m sTo improve the standard of driving (and riding)on the UK roads.
The Advancement of Road Safety.
The Administration of an Advanced Test.
Help us make progress with a contribution towards the next issue. Pics in jpeg format please.Newsletter email address is [email protected]
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DISCLAIMERMost of the views expressed in this SAM Newsletter are personal to the author andpublication does not imply endorsement of any article, any author or any organisation.Views expressed are those of the authors, and are not necessarily in accordance with thepolicies or the views of the IAM or SAM. Where articles are reproduced from otherpublications or authors, unreserved acknowledgement is given to the source. Noresponsibility is accepted by the Editor or SAM for any damage to intelligence or ridingabilities, howsoever caused, which might result from reading this publication.
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S A M S O L E N T A D V A N C E D M O T O R C Y C L I S T S M a r c h 2 0 0 6
toBMWor not toBMW...For a good many years now I have been in the very
fortunate position of owning two bikes - one fortrail riding and one for greater distance on the road.But, like so often happens, you forget just howprivileged you are and want something different. I soldthe DR350 (something I regret as it was a competent,quiet and comfortable trail bike) and I gave the ZZR600to my son, who was without a bike at the time.
The ZZR had not lived up to my expectations,particularly in the comfort and handling departments.In particular, I found that journeys of an hour or morecaused considerable pain to the wrists and, after a littlelonger, my back. So, I gave thought to what I wanted abike to do, which was tour, with some off tarmaccapability (the ZZR was not ace at this, but has seenmany a lane) and provide everyday transport.
10% off all items to SAM Members
MANSELL TAKESTHE WHEEL AT THE IAM F1 Racing legend Nigel Mansell is to be the newPresident of the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists).Mansell passed his Advanced Driving Test last August, 19 years after scoringhis first Formula One victory at Brands Hatch. As IAM President, Mansellbrings a lifetime of driving experience to the IAM.
“I believe driving expertise isn’t just for the race track,” said Mr Mansell.
“My grandfather always told me that it is no good lying on a hospital bedsaying ‘But I had the right of way’.That is why drivers can gain so much frompreparing for their IAM test.
“I am honoured to take the Presidency of such a well regarded organisationand I hope that in this, its 50th Anniversary Year, we can inform and educatemore drivers and riders than ever before,” he said.
Welcoming the appointment, IAM Chairman John Maxwell said:
“I am delighted that Nigel has accepted the invitation to be our newPresident. He is a well respected public figure, with immense drivingexperience. As well as his legendary track record, Nigel has consistentlycampaigned for safety on the road and I know that drivers of all ages willregard him as a leading proponent of safety, both on and off the track.”
With 31 Grand Prix wins, Nigel Mansell already has his place in the FormulaOne Hall of Fame. He has joined racing drivers John Surtees, the lateGraham Hill, Sir Stirling Moss and motorcyclist Geoff Duke who have allpassed their IAM test.
The first IAM President was Lord Sempill and the most recent was HRH TheDuke of Gloucester, who held the position for 32 years.
