Tug April 2014 online

Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group

Welcome to the New Tug

April 2014

Chairman’s Ramblings 2

Test Passes 5

Membership Renewal 7

Observer Coordinator 8

Concorde Evening 12

Dates for the Diary 20

Membership Form 22

Consider your Riding 29

Born Yet Again 31

Emergency Braking 37

Further Training 42

Dear Members

Welcome to my first edition of tug and hopefully not my last! As you may have noticed there have

been a few tweaks hopefully for the better but please bear in mind it has been a job to get this finished in time! I hope that in the months to

come I can bring new content & a bit of humour. I could really do with a supply of content and

with spring now officially here any photo’s, sto-ries , articles, how to’s or any other sharing of information that would benefit other bikers will

be gratefully received so don’t hesitate to email me. Ride, ride some more & stay safe!

Colin “Grey haired riders don’t get that way from pure luck!”

What’s happening next?

Log into www.eamg.org.uk, then Runs and Rides Forum

And follow us on Twitter.


Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982

Page 2

www.eamg.org.uk

After what seems like a very

short break it’s nice to be back as Chairman. I’d like to thank Nigel Barton for the splendid job he’s done over the past couple of years and also to Laura for her work as newsletter editor. Now though, we have a new TUG editor, Colin Childs and I’d like to welcome him into the role and look forward to his style of newsletter. Articles for inclusion in forthcoming issues of TUG can be sent to him. This winter, thanks to the Atlantic jetstream dropping south, we have had the stormiest and wettest season in recorded history. I cannot remember ever having ridden through such heavy rain for such continual periods in over 34 years riding. Strangely though, I have, somewhat perversely, really enjoyed riding in the rain other than trying to get kit dried out in time for the next day’s dose of the same!! However, I have to say that for the vast majority of this winter, other motorcyclists have been remarkably absent from the roads and to my mind, missed out on a great opportunity to hone wet weather riding skills. But then again I have always been a bit of a motorcycling saddo!!

Throughout it all, my trusty little Honda CB500 has continued to take everything in its stride – apart from wearing out the starter motor brushes – and is now just a few miles short of 140,000 miles, the equivalent of over 6 times around the circumfer-ence of the world. Not bad for a budget commuter and a bike that is certainly far better than the sum of its individual parts. The best £900 I ever spent! Coming up soon, on Easter Saturday, 19th April, I

shall be organising and leading one of the groups on the annual Super Sausage Run to Potterspury, north of Milton Keynes and then on to the Siverstone Loop and back through the Woburn Deer Park. Round trip is around 150 miles. Meet at McDonalds

Chairman’s Ramblings

April 2014

Page 3



at the M11 junction 7 / A414 interchange for Harlow / Hastingwood . Meet at 09:15 for a prompt 09:45 departure and please remember to arrive with a full tank of fuel. All members, Full and Associates, are welcome and all abilities will be ca-tered for. Come along and have fun. Ride well, Ride safely Chris Remember it’s not how fast you ride, It’s how you ride fast!!

www.eamg.org.uk

Jill Wynn 15th March 2014

RoSPA re Test (Gold)

Examiner Mick Jones

Congratulations!

Page 4

Welcome New Members!

David Davies who joined us in February

What is RoSPA?

RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders aim is to reduce road accidents by encouraging an interest in road safety, by improving driving standards, knowledge and skill. In order to do this RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders have over 60 local groups that will provide free training to help you improve your driving skills and prepare you to take the ultimate Advanced Test. It is a deliberate, skilful and responsible riding technique admired by others. As an

advanced rider, you are able to anticipate and control situations to reduce your ac-cident risk. An Advanced rider is equipped with the knowledge and skill to ride safely and effectively in all conditions.

Chris Reed 17th March 2014

RoSPA re Test (Gold)

Examiner - Paul Roberts

There's a fellow who is an avid rider. Actually he's a mo-torcycle fanatic. He has not missed a weekend of motor-cycle riding in years.

Every Saturday and Sunday morning he gets up very early and goes meets his buddies for a nice long ride. On this one morning, he gets up early, dresses quietly, gets his riding gear out of the closet, and goes out to the garage to prepare to leave. While out there it started raining a torrential downpour.

There was snow mixed with the rain and the wind is blowing at 30 mph. He comes back into the house and turns the TV to the Weather Channel. From there he finds it's going to be bad weather all day long. So he puts his bike back into the garage and comes back inside. He quietly undresses and slips back into bed where he cuddles up to his wife's back, and whispers, "The weather out there is terrible."

To which she replies, "Can you believe my stupid husband is out riding his bike today?"

All Weather Rider?

Page 6

www.eamg.org.uk



Page 7

Membership Renewal Due!!

Membership Number

Full 101

Associate 20

Total 121

Dear Members,

Please don’t forget it’s time for membership renewal. The form is right here in the centre of TUG or you can find it on the website.

If you have paid up and haven’t received your membership card please let a committee member know.

Please also note the feedback form on page 18 it will be most helpful if as many members as possible can fill one in and get them to John Tullett.

Also please remember to spread the word about EAMG, recommendation is such a valuable tool and current members are always the best advocates for what a good group this is.

Membership Fees for 2014

New Associate Members ...£55.00 (Includes AGT Training)

Associate Member Renewal ...£40.00 (Includes AGT Training)

Full Member Renewal ...£25.00

Social Member ...£25.00

Full Member Training ...£20.00 (For more information on Full Member Training see page 42)

www.eamg.org.uk

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I was seriously beginning to wonder if I would need to write this column (which would no doubt have elicited a sign of relief from quite a few members...) as Laura did not seem to be having much luck in attracting a new TUG Editor prior to the AGM. Luckily, however, by the time we reached March's Group Night this situation had dramati-cally turned around with Colin Childs having stepped up to fill this vital role within the Group. Having once edited TUG myself I know how important it is for Group members to assist the Editor by supplying a good selection of articles/letters/pictures/jokes/etc. for publi-cation, so please support Colin by sending in your contributions! Associate Group Training (AGT)

I was really pleased to see such a good turnout of As-sociates & Full members and one Guest at the March AGT day and I hope that this level of interest will con-tinue throughout the year. AGTs provide Associates with the opportunity to attend a short Roadcraft sessions followed by an observed ride with a different Observer over different routes and are held at 09:15 on the first Sunday of the month after

the Group Night meeting on the first Tuesday. Our venue is Moulsham School, Chelms-ford, post code CM2 9ES. Associates should be aware that they may attend AGTs at no additional cost, as this is covered by their standard membership fee. I would also like to reconfirm that all Asso-ciates are eligible to attend AGTs, as I spoke to one Associate last year who was unsure if he could still attend AGTs once he had been allocated to a 1-to-1 Observer. Full members attending an AGT have a choice between joining a social ride or, if they have signed up for Further Training for Full Members (FTFM) and there is spare Ob-server capacity, they may participate in an observed ride - on the understanding that we

Observer

Coordinator



Page 9

will give priority to Associate members. Full Members participating in an observed ride at AGTs will be requested to make a £10 contribution towards Observer expenses.

Essex Motorcycle Show/Bikesafe Launch - Sunday 4th May This year the Essex Motorcycle Show, incorporating the Essex Bikesafe launch, will be held in conjunction with the Herts Air Ambulance Motorcycle Run on Sunday, 4th May at North Weald Airfield, CM16 6HR. Hopefully the new venue will help to attract greater numbers of visitors, more in line with previous Burnham based events rather than those held more recently at Colchester. Looking at the re-lated flyer it appears that there will a good selection of dealers,

with an opportunity to participate in assessed rides on a range of demonstration bikes (if you remember to bring your driving license and credit card) and to purchase cloth-ing/merchandise. EAMG's promotional stand will be at the show and our Observers will be running road-craft presentations in the Fire Bike Team's Community Wheels vehicle. Any members who wish to assist on EAMG's stand, even if it is just for an hour or two, will be more than welcome. If you need any more information please have a word with a Committee member beforehand. Boys Toys 14 - Sunday 15th June Another important diary date for EAMG's promotional team is the Boys Toys event to be held at Hylands Park, Chelmsford, on Father's Day. Graham Simpkins is overseeing this event for the Group so if you are interested in assisting on the EAMG stand please make Graham or another Committee member aware of your interest and availability.

Slow Riding Day - Sunday, 22nd June For 2014 we have been careful to avoid a clash with Father's Day for our first Slow

www.eamg.org.uk

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Riding Day of the year, so we are hoping for a really good turnout. We charge a very modest entry fee of £5 to cover the provision of biscuits & water and help off-set our expenses. We will endeavour to offer as wide a range of activities as possible, including emer-

gency braking; manoeuvring exercises; and the slowest rider race - to win the much coveted 'snail' t-shirt. If you wish to attend please let me know beforehand to help ensure we have suffi-cient numbers of Observers available. Observer Training We are always keen to hear from Full members who are potentially interested in giving something back to the Group, whilst developing their riding skills further, by becoming an Observer. If you want to know more about what is involved please get in touch with me and I will be happy to supply more details. John Tullett

RIDEMASTER

PO BOX 859

Aylesbury Bucks.

HP22 9FJ

T: 0844 888 0999

F: 0844 888 4190

www.ridemaster.co.uk

“If you have a crash and it wasn’t your fault we can manage your claim free of charge. That means we will represent you and communicate with your insurance company, the at-fault insurance company, your repairer and, most importantly, YOU to resolve liabil-ity in your favour and manage your claim until your bike is back with you, fully re-paired.

In the unfortunate event that a bike is damaged, bikers may not be aware that once their insurer is notified, the insurer will arrange for their approved repairer to collect their bike. This may not be ideal for a number of reasons, that’s why Ridemaster will work with your chosen local repairer where they know you and know your bikes’ his-tory.

Call Ridemaster first and we’ll take the pain out of a bad day.”

http://www.ridemaster.co.uk

www.eamg.org.uk

Page 12

Essex Advanced Motorcycle Group

Group Night Talk, 6th May 2014

The Barn, Channels Golf Club, Pratts Farm Lane East Little Waltham, Chelmsford, CM3 3PT

John Hutchinson, Concorde Captain

Last year I was privileged to spend an evening with John Hutchinson listening to his fascinating talk on Concorde. I’ve always been interested in aviation, more the mechanics than actually flying, often describing it as motorcycling in 3D. I spent the evening glued to my chair, captivated when hearing the truth behind that fateful crash in July 2000. There’s no denying that Concorde ran over a piece of debris causing the tyre to burst and

the resultant fire but experts say the fire was survivable. John is open and frank about his views. The following is extracted from a forward written by ‘Flying Lawyer’ when introduc-ing John’s fascinating biography, The Wind Beneath my Wings: Although best known as a senior BA Concorde captain, John Hutchinson started his flying career in the RAF. He served from 1955-1963 (Harvard training in Canada, Shackleton pilot in Singapore, QFI/IRE) and was a corporate pilot for three years before joining BOAC in 1966. He was, successively, a 707 and 747 co-pilot and then a captain on the VC10 before being selected to be a Concorde captain. He remained on the Concorde fleet until retirement, and was a Route Check Captain. The magnificent supersonic airliner was the love of his avia-tion life and Concorde fans (like me) will find the tales from the sharp end interesting, informative and enjoyable. Those who have the privilege of knowing John 'Hutch' won't be surprised by his own description of his distinguished career: "I have never worked in my life. I've been paid to enjoy my hobby in the company of some of the finest people I have ever met - my fellow aircrew." His very interesting life hasn't been all happiness. He's experi-enced tragedy and great sadness, and some genuinely 'near death' experiences - not only in aviation. I don't exaggerate. In



Page 13

1968, after only about 18 months with BOAC, he was Second Officer on BOAC Flight 712 in which five people died at Heathrow. John has always given back to the profession that gave him so much pleasure and his contri-butions to aviation over many years were recognised in 1999 when he was elected Master of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators. He remains an active, highly respected and very popular 'Past Master' of GAPAN. A great airman, who has flown more than 70 types, he is now happy flying the Auster Aiglet in which he bought a share shortly before he retired. Having spent 15 years flying at 23 miles per minute, he describes being overtaken by family cars on the motorway below as 'rather humbling'. Retiring from professional flying hasn't meant slowing down in any other sense - he is much in demand internationally as an aviation consultant, expert witness, broadcaster and speaker.

Itinerary

John’s talk will commence at 20:00 hrs concluding at 22:00 hrs, including a 15 min break

Usual EAMG entry fee of £1.00 will apply to Group Members and Guests

Forward facing seating will be provided in the main area of the Barn

Tables in the eaves will be provided for those wishing to eat but please show respect for the

speaker when eating in this area. Food is available all day.

John’s biography is available for Kindle and in paperback from Amazon; if you would like a signed copy, purchase your copy on-line and bring it along

A DVD of excellent Concorde photographs will also be available

We are indeed privileged that John has agreed to join us to talk about his life as a Concorde Captain to EAMG. Unlike some politicians I could name, John ‘speaks’ on a voluntary basis. He is President of his local RNLI Branch so a collection will be made on their behalf; we hope you will join us and give generously. Bring your spouse or a friend, past members and non-members are welcome and refreshments are available so let’s fill Channels to the rafters and make this a night to remember. John Tipper

WWW.PROSPEEDPERFORMANCE.CO.UK

BURNHAM MOTORCYCLE CENTRE UNIT 5 BURNHAM BUSINESS PARK SPRINGFIELD ROAD BURNHAM ON CROUCH CM0 8TE

01621 782 742 [email protected]

A NEW MOTORCYCLE SERVICE CENTRE CONVENIENTLY LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE ‘BURNHAM BENDS’.

WE CARRY OUT SERVICING AND REPAIRS TO ALL TYPES OF MOTORCYCLE.

OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:

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WE USE THE INDUSTRY STANDARD ‘HAWEKA PRO BIKE II’ BALANCING SYSTEM ALSO, INNOVATIVE BALANCING BY ‘DYNA BEADS’ SUPPLIED AND FITTED

Collection and delivery available

Our cafe will be opening in the spring and our location would make an ideal ‘meet up’ venue for ride outs etc. Come and enjoy a coffee and a bacon sandwich whilst we work on your bike!

No parking restrictions and a large designated block paved motorcycle parking area.

We are a Biker 2 Biker company and treat every bike as if it is our own

01621 782 742 [email protected]

We look forward to seeing you soon!!!

OPENING HOURS MONDAY - SAT 08.00—17.30 SUNDAYS 10.00—15.00 LATE NIGHT THURSDAYS TO 19.30

CLOSED TUESDAYS

Early drop off—late collection No problem!

SERVICING • REPAIRS • PAINTWORK NUMBER PLATES (all types)

PARTS ACCESSORIES • RECOVERY

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mailto:[email protected]

P. McKelvey & Co Chartered Certified Accountants

and Registered Auditors

Services available include: Statutory audits Limited Company accounts preparation Corporation tax returns Sole traders & Partnerships Sub-contractors Self assessment tax returns Capital gains VAT returns Payroll preparation & Employer returns Management accounts Profit extraction Book-keeping New Company formations Company Secretarial & Annual returns Incorporation planning

Free initial consultation Fixed fees available For further information contact Paul McKelvey

Telephone: 01708 220548

Facsimile: 01708 220616

Mobile: 07949 827309

Web: www.pmckelvey.co.uk

E-Mail: [email protected]

St Lawrence House 2 Gridiron Place Upminster Essex RM14 2BE

http://www.pmckelvey.co.uk

mailto:[email protected]

EAMG Members are you looking to renew your bike, car or household

insurance? If so why not try Carole Nash, you maybe able to earn the group a donation. Please use the number below and quote the reference number

Motorcycle Courier

Rapid collection and delivery of urgent packages and documents to anywhere in the UK

Professional, bespoke service available 24/7

Immediate, no obligation quote

If you can’t afford a helicopter 2b Transport is the next best thing!!

www.2btransport.com

ALL MAJOR CREDIT/DEBIT CARDS ACCEPTED

0800 083 4422 Quote Ref 1460

www.eamg.org.uk

http://www.2btransport.com/



www.eamg.org.uk

Page 20

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April 1st Group Night 6th Associate Group Training (AGT) - DON’T MISS IT 13th Full Member Training (FMT) Cotswolds (Charlbury Loop & Chipping Norton) 27th Full Member Ride May 4th Geoff Preston’s Day trip to France 4th Full Member Ride 4th Essex Motorcycle Show 6th Group Night - John Hutchinson (retired Concorde Captain) 11th Associate Group Training (AGT) 17t - 23rd John Tippers Reveiller Ride (Normandy, Brittany & Rouen) 18th Peer 2 Peer Ride 25th Full Member Training (FMT) Suffolk (Wortham & Diss) June 1st Full Member Ride 3rd Group Night 8th Associate Group Training (AGT) 15th Boys Toys (Hylands Park) www.chelmsford.gov.uk/BoysToys 22nd Slow Riding Day (Ford Dunton) July 1 Group Night 6 AGT 12 - 22nd Reveiller Ride Swiss Alps & Lakes 13 Full Member Ride

http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/BoysToys



Page 25

August 3rd Full Member Ride 3rd Museum of Power Bikemeet 5th Group Night 10th AGT 17th Peer 2 Peer Ride 17th John & Audrey Tipper’s Boys and Girls Ride to the Cotswolds 24th Full Member Training (FMT) Charlbury Loop & Chipping Norton September 2nd Group Night 7th AGT 7th Air Ambulance Run (Dunton - Harwich) 14th Full Member Ride 14th Geoff Preston’s Beachy Head run 20 - 28th Reveiller Ride, Dam Busters, Harz & Colditz 28th Slow Riding Day at Ford Dunton October 5th Peer 2 Peer Ride 7th Group Night 12th AGT 19th Full Member Training (FMT) Suffolk (Wortham & Diss) 26th Full Member Ride November 4th Group Night 9th AGT 23rd Full Member Ride December 2nd Group Night 7th AGT 14th Full Member Ride

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www.eamg.org.uk

C J BARDWELL Contractors

Flagstaff Farm, Green Lane, Althorne,

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Telephone: Office 01621 828276; Mobile 07836 277223;

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FENCING - REPLACEMENT WINDOWS

(upvc, hardwood, aluminium)

UPVC CLADDING, FASCIAS, SOFFITS

UNDERPINNING - LANDSCAPING

PAINTING AND DECORATING

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For free no-obligation quote, phone Clint on

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07836 277223 (mobile)

DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAL WORK UNDERTAKEN

INSURANCE WORK WELCOME

Member of

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www.eamg.org.uk

Page 29

Been on a Group ride enjoying yourself and out of the blue, you see an aspect of someone’s

riding that brings you up short and leaves you thinking maybe , Hey! that’s not the standard of riding I expect to see from a member of this Group.

Well, you aren’t alone. A number of Members have complained to the Observer Team, about such

instances, over the last several months. There is particular cause for concern here because among the offenders are experienced Full Members. If the phenomenon was restricted to newish

Members it would be understandable and acceptable but, when it involves experienced Full Mem-

bers it becomes quite unacceptable.

What then, is the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour ? Every Full Mem-

ber, having been coached to the standard and passed an Advanced riding test, will be able to de-

fine the difference and if one needs to remind oneself if an action is acceptable or not, simply ask

yourself, would I have performed that action, in that way, if I was on a test?

I have heard various reasons, the less charitable may say excuses, for “bending the rules” none of

them in my humble opinion worthy of mention. What we do as individuals or with a small group

of friends when out riding, is significantly different compared to when riding within this Group. When riding within the Group we each represent the Group and the standards it strives to pro-

mote, I’m sure that we all like to think, rightly or wrongly , that EAMG has a credibly high stan-

dard of training and riding and that each and every Member wishes to maintain those high stan-

dards. Anything other than the best that each of us is capable of when riding on a Group event, undermines those high standards and brings the Group, and us, as individuals, into disrepute.

We all have lapses of course, one would need to be Superhuman not to be guilty of a lack of con-

centration from time to time but, that is not the issue here, this is about allowing ourselves to be distracted from applying the strict principles of Advanced riding at all times or, pretty much most

of it anyhow!

This is of course highlighting a minority of Members but, and it’s a big but, it is a significant minor-ity.

We are, unlike a number of other Groups, independent. This means we have no governing body

overseeing us which in turn means we are self governing, and if we do not maintain our high standards, then who will? It falls to every Member of this Group to continue the long tradition of

high quality Advanced riding promoted by EAMG.

So, If, on a Group ride you see something that’s not quite kosher, have a friendly word, if you feel you can’t do that, mention it to an Observer, if it’s an Observer, talk to another Observer, after all

we are all mates together, aren’t we?

Let’s fix it so that no one has cause for complaint and we can all be proud of the riding we see around us. Go ride and enjoy with Pride and Passion.

Geoff Preston



We’re all Advanced Riders arn’t we?

www.eamg.org.uk

Page 30

Born Yet Again (+ some events) Chris Johnson tells his story

Having become a Born Again Biker at the end of 2000,

and joined EAMG in 2001, life on a motorbike plodded on quite happily, despite a relocation to Sydenham early in 2007, until the start of 2011. At that point the old John-son health started to take a nosedive, and the last EAMG outing I was able to go on was in April. I finally admitted to myself that I was not going to be riding again for a while and SORNed the bikes. Fast forward to 2013, after

three operations, chemotherapy, and a whole bunch of other personal violations which were summarised by a two inch pile of documents from the NHS, and things were looking better. I had a backlog of trips abroad with my wife Mary to get

through, as well as trying to resurrect my business, but as August approached it was clearly time to get back on the road again. The FJR was straightforward, but the Fireblade was by then ten years old, and its Meta alarm had died. It turned out that it had an encapsulated battery which had perished of old age and alarm re-placement was the only option. An expensive home visit by an alarm technician cured that, and I also learned that the Meta 375 was providing him with good busi-ness, since they were all falling like flies in winter. If you have such an elderly alarm, and take your bike off the road over the winter, then even if you keep the battery on trickle charge you should turn on the ignition for a while periodically, since it is only when the ignition is on that the alarm battery is charged. It will delay the inevitable for a while. I then had two bikes at my disposal again, but the rider had to be brought back into roadworthy condition. Cue a series of rides down into Kent and Surrey. I have spo-ken scathingly about the dull roads south of the Thames before; they have not improved. On one occa-sion in Crawley I set out in the wrong direction on, from memory, the B2110. I realised this very quickly but it seemed a good little road and so I continued go-ing the wrong way for a dozen miles; an enjoyable stretch being such a rarity. I had



Page 31

expected my machine skills to be a bit rusty, but was horrified at how the tricks of forward planning and reading the road, slowly and painfully acquired over the years, seemed to have atrophied. Some additional training was going to be needed. Before that could be arranged, Geoff Preston held his annual Beachy Head run. This was a general social run and should not be too demanding. On Sunday the 1st of September I duly rode a little nervously to the Thurrock Services for my first EAMG run in well over two years. Do you remember how the Beachy Head runs used to be? The massed ranks of bikers, the police visits to see if this was a riot or demon-stration in the making, the families and camp followers tearfully assembled to wave farewell to their loved ones, Geoff dashing around like a blue-tailed fly between the three parks at Thurrock because everybody inevitably assembled in the wrong one? It is not like that anymore. I think there were fewer than ten bikes participating. It may have been a small group, but the weather was fine and Geoff did a great job with a route which eliminated almost all of the initial boring roads. I enjoyed myself thoroughly, despite the shame of having forgotten to bring my camera! The only slight downer was arriving back at my sister's birthday party so late that there was nothing left to eat except for two small cold sausages and a tiny lump of Mexican cheese. On 23rd September I went on a day of one-to-one tuition with Chris Reed and Rid-erArt. Training. This was an excellent investment. We covered a couple of hundred miles of varied roads with Chris shouting advice and encouragement over the radio. His forward vision is extraordinary. How could he see that someone was pulling out into Bellamy Drive in Aberdeen? I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Towards the end of the run Chris led and gave a running commentary about the decisions he was mak-ing which was most illuminating. The bottom line appeared to be that I was still a safe rider because, although my skills needed considerable improvement, I adjusted my pace to ride within my limitations. One happy discovery on this outing, albeit about ten years late, was that if I handled T-junctions with restricted view as slow riding exercises whilst I checked the road then I only had to put a foot down if there was something coming. Since I have sciatica which significantly affects the mobility of my left leg this was something of a life-changing revelation. On 6th October I ventured out to my first AGT. Dave Cardy, who I believe has or-ganised quite a few post-AGT runs since I withdrew from active service, had ar-ranged a very nice little run along an excellent mix of roads. What was the destina-tion? Memory is so frail nowadays. On the way out we went through Leaden Rod-ing, where we were waved into a car park by police for a compulsory Bikesafe intro-duction. Dave had a serious word with those there, and got permission for us to

www.eamg.org.uk

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proceed, which was a complete waste of time because the moment they saw the free burger van his group had dis-mounted with great alacrity and clustered round it to place their orders. They were very good burgers indeed and everyone agreed, as they brushed off the crumbs, that Bikesafe were doing a really great job. The weather was good but the day did end under a bit of a cloud, because on the return journey a bend on an un-classified near Debden decided to bite

back. Nothing really serious, and since I was up near the head of the group when it happened and did not see the incident I shall draw a discrete veil over it. It was definitely a victory for the home team, with a final score of Bushes 2 - Bikes 0, and effectively ended the run. Since it looked as if my days of biking out on main roads to visit clients were pretty much over, I was starting to take a long, cold look at the FJR1300. It was not really a bike that I had ever loved. It did its main job as a comfortable mile-muncher well enough, but it was a heavy old lump which needed hard work in the twisties, even after I had Power Commandered its quirky low throttle behaviour into submission. The illness had taught me that, since tomorrow is uncertain, living for today had a lot to recommend it. Perhaps a V-twin would be fun after half a lifetime of inline fours? I liberated a slice of cash which had been meant to keep me in extreme old age and went off to try a Ducati Multistrada. It fell at the first hurdle because with my Irish build (very long back and stubby little legs) I couldn't get the balls of both feet securely planted on the ground. Off for a test ride on an Aprilia Caponord. Su-perbly comfortable active suspension, but it felt a bit gutless and had a taint of the scooter about it. Finally I crossed the street to try a KTM 1190 Adventure, which was not a bike I had initially considered. The test ride on that revealed that it felt like a real motorbike, and in mid-November I took delivery of one. With all the trick accessories like electronic suspension, heated grips and a full set of luggage it was far from cheap. I admired how rugged it looked with its aluminium panniers and then promptly consigned them to the cupboard under the stairs for the day when I

might possibly need them. When filtering in London you want to keep the bike as narrow as possible and the topbox alone is adequate. Choice of motorbike is not always logical. Why on earth would I choose a bike noted for its off-road pedigree when the only off-roading I am likely to do would be



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inadvertent, and involve travelling through a hedge? TUG also has a record of the scorn I poured on the BMW 1200GS when it started to be popular, with references to 'comedy bikes' and 'motorised penny farthings' (I think Keith has forgiven me for this, I am not sure that in his heart Simon has, despite his protestations to the con-trary). If you have an answer to this conundrum then please let me know, because I am damned if I do. Nevertheless, as I get to know the KTM I get the increasing feeling that it is, like the Blade, one of the rare bikes that can be trusted to do what it is told to do and give no surprises, so perhaps there is a greater truth to stumble onto beyond that which mere logic dictates. I felt a bit sorry for the poor little Fire-blade. After two years in mothballs it thought that life had started again, and then along came this new upstart which seemed to be favoured, using excuses like 'running in' and 'getting used to the new bike', and it was returned to a gloomy loneliness back on the trickle charger. Be brave, old friend, your time in the sun will come again! The KTM got its first outing with the Group at Richard's Full Member run to St Ives on the 1st December. Since I was running it in Geoff kindly allowed me to act as back marker, but in the event it seemed to keep up well enough. There were about ten of us and with a stop on the outward leg at Red Lodge, and the ever reliable Local Cafe at our destination, we were well fed and watered. Although it did not rain it was a grey, greasy sort of day, and many complained about the slip-periness of the roads. I was gratified that I did not notice this but whether that was due to cautious riding, the inherent good qualities of the bike, or subtle intervention by its traction control I do not know. We were now edging into winter. Just in case you hadn't noticed, December was very wet, January was even wetter, and February to time of writing has not been much better. The only plus was that we had less frost and ice than usual. The bike got so dirty after an outing that even I, a stout proponent of the protective qualities of a thick layer of grime, took to hosing it down on return. On the 28th of Decem-ber Chris Reed organised a cobweb-buster run to the Comfort Cafe. It was a sunny day but Chris stuck to fairly major roads because the general conditions were not good. There were about fifteen of us, and the run ended at the Birchanger Ser-

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vices. It was during this run that the bike reached its 1000km point. Good news, because the ECU then decided not to flash a large red warning light at me as soon as the revs reached 6500. Bad news, because it also decided that it needed a service and kept reminding me about it incessantly. It had been serviced a little earlier, but they had forgotten to plug in a computer and record the fact. It appears that I have acquired not just a new bike, but a new

mother-in-law. Mixed feelings about this. In the good old days bikes may have bro-ken down every hundred miles or so, but at least they didn't nag you. I guess it also means that I have to get it serviced by the dealer and not my little man down the road, whose realistic 'that is good for a few more miles yet' attitude has been such a financial comfort to me. Richard announced a ride at short notice for the 5th January. Possibly too short a notice, because I think he ended up being both leader and back marker. A week later he planned another attempt on what would have been the date of the January AGT if we had AGT's in January. The forecast was for frost so the start was delayed until 10:30. In the event he cancelled on the Forum at 09:00 because of icy roads, but by that time I had left Sydenham to allow for a cautious journey up to Chelms-ford. Four others had also missed the cancellation, so we had a pleasant natter in the sun at Sainsbury's until Jill phoned in to say the ride would not take place. No-body could really decide on a destination for an impromptu ride so I ended up go-ing back home by a circuitous route. My total journey door to door was over 100 miles so I was not too disappointed with the outing. We had an AGT on the 9th February. I was dis-concerted by being the second to arrive, and ini-tially thought that it must have been cancelled. Bikes gradually started to dribble in, but it wasn't until Jill arrived on her CB500, parked in the mid-

dle of the group of bikes, and then apologised for lowering the tone that we realised that all the other machines were expensive Adventure vari-ants. We may have been a bit slow on the uptake but we rallied with suggestions that she should



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have parked at the far end of the road. The AGT was a Q&A session. It included Geoff rather naughtily asking about speed in the Nationals. In the Good Old Days the mantra was that you should obey posted limits and adjust your speed in the Nationals to be appropriate to the road conditions and hazard levels. Nowadays the cold hand of bureaucracy grips the heart of the biking fraternity ever tighter, and it is politically impossible for a club dignitary even to imply that you can ever exceed the NSL, so the plainly unhappy panel had to stick to the official line in their re-sponse. After the run the full members looked meaningfully at me. Now my knowl-edge of the geography of East Anglia was always shaky at the best of times, and after a long period off the road had developed some appalling lacunae (that is a posh word for large gaps), but fortunately I had taken advantage of a fine day the previous week to take a trip out to Sudbury. I accordingly suggested a trip to Sud-bury, with the polite hope that we could find a cafe there. This was acceptable, and so five of us set out to Finchingfield, where two left to go home. Whilst there I asked Stephen Green what the impressive panel of buttons on the fairing of his BMW did. "I haven't the faintest idea" was his reply. We proceeded through Weth-ersfield to the Hedinghams and joined the A131 just short of Sudbury. At that point Stephen, who had a SatNav, was appointed leader to find us a cafe. I cannot com-plain about his route, which took us along a bunch of unclassifieds I have never ridden before, but it did bring us back to the A131 very close to our starting point. The second attempt was more successful, and we parked outside a Cafe Nero. I hopefully pointed out that there was a Starburger fifty yards up the road but it seemed we were taking the up-market option. After expensive coffee we returned to Finchingfield, where the run ended. Chris Reed had been less than complimentary about the appearance of my trusty Caberg helmet, and regaled me with stories about people who had been unable to find their helmets because cruel friends had cleaned them in their absence. Remov-ing the grime from the Caberg would have taxed Hercules, even when flushed with his success at the Augean stables, and it was showing its age in other respects, so I decided that a new bike merited a new helmet. I accordingly went to the MCN bike show at Excel (it was packed) and got a 'show price' on a blindingly white Nolan N104 Evo. I rather glumly checked online afterwards to see how much less I would have paid, but it turned out that the 'show price' was a good one. I also bought yet another HiVis waistcoat (my wife will eventually work out that such jackets are for me what handbags are for her), a pair of bargain basket gloves which turned out to fit well and be very comfortable, and got a free neck tube which also turned out to be excellent quality, so I was well pleased with the visit. I will confess that the re-lease mechanisms for the helmet flip front and chin strap were so subtle that the first time I tried it on at home I was trapped in it until I could get to a mirror and

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see what I should be pressing and pulling. I had hoped to get some new earplugs of the 'half lollipop on a stick' variety, but none were on sale. Some years ago Richard Parker and I were given a bunch of these by Stuart, who had bought a large pack and then realised that he would need more than a century to get through them. I am now down to my last three. I will admit that they look a little grubby. Richard used to be scathing about this, and I was suitably hu-

miliated, until I saw that he licked his before inserting them. If that was how he kept them clean I preferred grubby. I console myself with the thought that by now they must resemble fitted earplugs, and the extra wax probably knocks a further 3db off the noise level. Family commitments meant that I had to miss Richard's Full Member run on 23rd February; a shame since the reports on the Forum indicate that it was well-attended and enjoyable, although they fell short of supplying any hard detail about it. Instead I had to be satisfied with a couple of days visiting clients in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire The KTM proved perfectly adequate for that sort of business mileage. However a reluctance to turn over on starting came to a head on the eve-ning of the March EAMG Group Night, when it would not start at all. All the symp-toms of a flat battery, even though it had been used regularly and had no alarm to drain the battery when garaged. Scrolling through its menus finally brought up a display showing battery voltage at 11.9 volts. Discharged battery. It seems that the additional load of heated grips and jacket was more than the alternator could sup-ply. I finally persuaded the bike to start, and rode out to Chelmsford without any heated comfort aids. It was chilly, but the battery voltage was back up to 13.8 volts by the time I got to Channels. On the way back it was cold enough for the bike to be flashing an ice warning at me, and despite having put on the emergency cloth-ing layers I keep in the top box it was very chilly. I have a spare conditioning charger so once I have organised a suitable plug for it the problem should go away, particularly if the warmer weather of Spring appears. That will not stop me com-plaining to KTM about a gutless alternator.

I learned at the Group Night that we have finally got a new editor for TUG, and that he is planning to issue an April edition, so it is time to put this rambling article to bed. I wish him luck, and sincerely hope that he can shake out a few more contri-butions from the members.



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Those of you that know me well will know that one of my favourite topics is Emer-gency Braking. It’s something that motorcyclists are particularly bad at and a skill that is seriously neglected by a huge majority of riders. So much so, that almost half of all motorcycle collisions could have been avoided if the rider had braked harder or correctly! A sad and disturbing situation. Part of the solution is to practice your emergency braking regularly so that it be-comes second nature but knowing how to stop your motorcycle is only part of the answer. It’s relatively easy to brake ‘by the numbers’; 1. Shut the throttle, 2. Gentle application of the front brake, 3 gentle application of the rear brake, 4. As a con-tinuation of number 2 progressively and swiftly apply more front brake before 5, pulling in the clutch just before you put your foot down (no gear changing in an emergency!). However, without underpinning knowledge you are just performing a mechanical process and that makes it difficult to improve your performance. If you can understand what’s happening to your machine as you brake you can improve your technique to compliment the bike and brake harder, more efficiently and ulti-mately more safely. I’m sure that at some time in your life many of you will have braked hard on a pushbike and taken a trip over the handlebars! This was caused by a ‘hidden’ force of nature called momentum. When the front wheel abruptly stopped rotating, your body and the bike were still carrying stored momentum. This momentum has to be lost and on a pushbike the mass rotates about the front wheel spindle and both the rider and bike exit stage front over the bars! On a motorcycle however you have a secret weapon to lose that momentum. Suspension! Knowing how the suspension and geometry of the bike work when braking can allow you to stop much quicker than before. The front forks basically contain a pair of springs and oil to dampen the movement of those springs. When riding normally, the springs in the forks are at their longest

and therefore at their weakest. As the springs are compressed they become stronger until eventually they become strong enough to overcome the forces acting on them and begin to rebound back. Now think tyre grip! All the time the fork springs are compressing they are pushing the tyre into the road increasing tyre grip – that’s good. Once the springs are allowed to begin to rebound the tyre is not be-

Emergency Braking Chris puts into words his recent group night talk

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ing pushed as hard into the road – that’s bad! So we need to find a way to stop the springs from rebounding and keeping them under compression. With the front brake applied, the weight of the machine and rider is thrown forward and down the forks. As the front dips, the rear of the bike rises, extending the rear suspension. As this happens the rear swing arm drops through its arc about the swing arm pivot. Now is when the back brake comes in to its own. A light applica-tion of the rear brake is used to slow the rear wheel at a lesser rate than the front brakes. As the back of the bike is trying to go a little faster than the front, it cannot bend the frame so can only do one thing – it pushes the back of the bike up; fur-ther extending the suspension and dropping the swing arm further through it’s arc and brings the rear wheel fractionally closer to the front wheel. With the rear brake lightly applied it allows the wheel to continue to rotate but acts as a non return valve, Now we have the back of the bike being pushed up the front fork is kept un-der compression throughout the entire stop. Now we know what’s happening, or should be happening to the bike we can fine tune our technique. The most important time in the emergency braking is right at the beginning of the procedure. Too heavy an application of front brake will compress the fork too quickly and bottom the forks – back to a pushbike! – and then the tyre will lock and most likely tuck causing the rider to fall. To make the bike stop effectively you must go gently through the weakest part of the spring so that the spring is starting to stiffen in action just when you begin to progressively apply pressure to the front brake. Hence steps 1 and 2 in the numerical sequence of events. Get too eager here and it can all start to go wrong. Once you have the rear brake lightly applied - step 3 - you can quickly build the pressure progressively in the front brakes using the stronger part of the springs to absorb the momentum and it’s only now, - step 4 - that the speed rapidly decreases. Finally, just in time to stop the engine from stalling, the clutch is disengaged - step 5 - maximising the time that the engine is still providing engine braking which allows the rear brake to be used against a driven rear wheel for as long as possible minimising the risk of a rear wheel skid. I hope that this relatively brief summary has given you food for thought and that by having a greater understanding of what is happening when you brake in an emer-gency you can improve your braking technique. Remember, once you know how

quickly you can stop from any given speed you can build this into your riding plans and you will be a much safer rider for it. Ride safely

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First I would like to wish Colin Snow a speedy recovery, following a ‘SMIDSY’ incident where someone pulled out in front of him on his way to the Biker’s Retreat, leading to a broken leg and skin grafts. Hope to see you back on two wheels soon! For the benefit of new Associ-ates I would like to clarify that we offer two main train-

[email protected]

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First I would like to wish Colin Snow a speedy recovery, following a ‘SMIDSY’ incident where someone pulled out in front of him on his way to the Biker’s Retreat, leading to a broken leg and skin grafts. Hope to see you back on two wheels soon! For the benefit of new Associ-ates I would like to clarify that we offer two main train-

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Have you ever wondered if your riding skill is still as good as it was when you passed your IAM

or RoSPA Test?

Is your RoSPA Retest fast approaching and you feel you’d like a refresher to check that bad

habits have not crept into your riding?

We are all only as good as the day we are actually riding our bikes. How good our riding was last year or even last month may not be as good as we think it is; complacency can be fatal.

EAMG provide two Further Training Schemes for Full Members:

Full Member Training (FMT) – One-day training courses available four times a year

Further Training for Full Members (FTFM) – Assignment to an Observer for 1 to 1

training

These courses are provided to check riding skills haven’t deteriorated, for those wishing to take

a higher grade of test such as RoSPA or for those preparing for qualification as an EAMG Ob-

server.

Full Member Training

Four FMT Courses take place during ‘summer time’ between March and October. Participation is entirely voluntary and those taking part do not have to join each ride. Training is for your bene-

fit and enjoyment; it is not a mandatory requirement that you go on to take a RoSPA test. To

ensure the highest possible standard, Observers undertaking this training will hold a current

RoSPA Gold certificate.

You will not be riding in one large group. Where possible you will be riding with an Observer

and one other Full Member giving you the opportunity to have a 'rest' while your partner is be-

ing observed. Every effort will be made to match your riding experience, ability and aspirations with your partner, any miss matching being addressed at the first refreshment stop. The routes,

approx. 200 miles, will cover a variety of roads and include several debriefing stops and two

refreshment stops. Joining details will be sent by email or post a few days before the event.

Events this year:

Further Training Opportunities for Full Members

Joining Fee

13th April 2014 Cotswolds

25th May 2014 Suffolk

£45.00

24th Aug 2014 Cotswolds

19th Oct 2014 Suffolk



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Further Training for Full Members You will be assigned to an Observer and rides will be arranged on a one to one basis when mutually convenient. Although not mandatory, unlike FMT, the training will be structured as preparation for a further test such as RoSPA. To apply to join this scheme:

Apply to the Membership Secretary either at membership renewal or during the season. You will be

asked to pay an additional Membership Fee (details below).

Your Application will be passed to the Observer Co-ordinator who will assign you to the first avail-able Observer. Where feasible, geographical location will be considered.

You will be expected to pay the Observer a contribution (details below) towards fuel costs.

Participation must be renewed annually.

Name:

Address:

Post Code: Tel:

Email:

Riding Experience:

Aspirations:

Typical annual mileage: Machine:

FTFM - 2014

Membership Secretary Observer Co-ordinator Additional Mem-

bership Fee

Contribution to

Observer

Teri Olley John Tullett

tba £20 pa £10 per ride

EEE S S E XS S E XS S E X AAA D V A N C E DD V A N C E DD V A N C E D

MMM O T O R C Y C L I S T SO T O R C Y C L I S T SO T O R C Y C L I S T S GGG R O U PR O U PR O U P

Colin Childs, Editor

University of Essex Printing Services, contact

Hannah 01206 872822 for more information.

Please mention EAMG when replying to

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Affiliated to the

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Registered Charity Number 1107703 Essex Advanced Motorcyclists Group Ltd, Registered

Office, St Laurence House, 2 Gridiron Place, Upminster, Essex, RM14 2BE

Registered in England & Wales, Registration No. 5258261

Disclaimer and Copyright Notice: The articles pub-lished herein do not necessarily represent the views of

the Essex Advanced Motorcyclists Group. They are the opinions of individual contributors and are pub-

lished with a view that free expression promotes dis-cussion and interest. Any spelling or grammatical

errors are the responsibility of the editor and a society that pays footballers more than teachers. Inclusion of

adverts is not to be construed as EAMG endorsement, although most advertisers are excellent, but seek

personal recommendations.Text © EAMG 2011. Illus-

trations © EAMG 2010, except where indicated other-wise. Group material may be reproduced provided

acknowledgement is given to EAMG and the original author.

A recent ride home has really taught me to expect the unexpected and reminds me of an article I read that says many accidents for both rider and driver happen within a few miles of home! Part of my route home takes me from Ingatestone towards the Buttsbury bridge & on-wards to Stock Road, a stones throw from home. Now, I know this road like the back of my hand, pretty much every bump, bend & pothole you can think of to within mm preci-sion. Herein lies the problem, after a recent episode with a car that only had side lights on in the pitch black at the Buttsbury Bridge, it caused me to remonstrate so much I forgot about the upcoming corner - a Valentino style save with a journey across and along a 2 foot verge with only a partially worn boot & aching knee to show for it. Then, a much more recent episode, where while riding in the dark, I came across a horse & rider in the dark (not twilight), no lights, no hi vis of any use. High speed bend, don’t panic, pull the clutch (noisy exhaust), move out (no oncoming car) phew! Thankfully the horse seemed oblivious though I really would like to have a few words with that rider.... Anyway I have deduced that home comfort is a very dangerous thing indeed. Remember knowing the road does not mean you’re invincible! Colin Childs

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Expect the Unexpected!

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Tug April 2014 online