View Full Version : Bikesafe this weekend
MisterTommyH
04-07-11, 06:05 PM
So I'm booked on bike safe this weekend.
As it's an assessment by police bikers I just wondered what they were like with speed on the ride?
I know they're cops and it would be silly to go too fast, but don't want to spend the whole assessment sitting at the limit. Dont see how that helps much.
Teejayexc
04-07-11, 06:08 PM
They're fine, don't go nuts but they generally advise you to 'make good progress' ;-).
The Idle Biker
04-07-11, 06:13 PM
There was one at Castle Coombe a couple of months back. There was so many police bikes there it was quite a big event. The day came with a session on the track for about £20 if you did the Bikesafe bit. Is this the format for this day too?
Do you get track opportunity?
MisterTommyH
04-07-11, 06:21 PM
Nup. Just run out of a local stealers. No tracks round here really.
keith_d
04-07-11, 06:38 PM
I did one in London a while back.
They don't expect you to dawdle around like a granny all day, but in the 30s and 40s you want to be within a couple of mph of the limit.
In the 60s and 70s you should to match your speed to the conditions. That doesn't mean hooning around on one wheel at 90mph, but make good progress and overtake where it's safe to do so (maybe leave a bit of extra safety margin).
Just my thoughts,
Keith.
metalhead19
04-07-11, 06:45 PM
The one few of us did at Combe was a great day. Probably the one Idle Biker is referring to?
The guy i had didnt mind much on speed as long as it wasnt silly. Obviously on overtakes there was no issues and on nations there was abit of leeway.
My understanding is that they want to see what your actual riding is like, at least at first - you're pretty unlikely to lose them. Best thing to do is to ask on the day.
a1istair
05-07-11, 08:18 AM
When I did it it was the first thing they said. I guess everyone is thinking the same thing in their head!
The first thing they said was that the bike speedo normally reads high so they would ask us to accelerate slowly until we hit 60 on their speedo so we could kind of do a rough recalibration of our own speedo.
They said something along the lines of: Make good progress within the speed limit, etc... BUT we don't get motorbikes to get stuck behind cars so if there is a car doing 59mph then it would be OK to vertake for the sake of general progress.
I actually thought it was an amazing experience. The course really opens your eyes with some simple riding tips which make a world of difference and aren't blatantly obvious. As for the ride itself - it is pretty cool to have a personal police escort on a ride out. You just watch how the attitude of every vehicle on the road changes when you have a massive fluorescent police bike just behind you!
Traffic cop I spoke to said "bikes make progress,ok to accelerate past and r ejoin the limit , but don't do it in a 30 ...
I guess as that's a built up area ..
MisterTommyH
05-07-11, 10:56 AM
Cheers guys. Tend to keep 30's and 40's quite strictly anyway. Above that I might want to do some passing.
danf1234
05-07-11, 03:57 PM
The policeman who followed me on our bike safe had a black unmarked police R1. He certainly knew how to make good progress lol. Especially when a power ranger passed us well into higher 3 figures on a big straight near Richmond. He put the blue lights on and was gone.
Dave20046
05-07-11, 04:03 PM
I did the sheffield one and we were doing in excess of double certain signpostings at times. Toes down round corners etc etc.
Great day
hongman
08-07-11, 11:00 PM
Interesting. Doing mine on the 31st.
Wonder if anyone has ever got a speeding ticket while on bikesafe ;)
hongman
08-07-11, 11:00 PM
Do let us know how you find it tommy. Tips etc.
Shellywoozle
09-07-11, 02:39 AM
Where is it ...... staffs?
Great bunch of guys if it is.
As the name suggests, the event is about safety for you and other road users. If you are riding dangerously fast, they will probably stop you and have a chat, otherwise they are very decent and will give you plenty of tips. I got the same advice regarding overtakings, for the sake of progress it is OK to go above the limit while overtaking as long as you slow down once the manoeuvre is complete. The less time you spend on the wrong side of the road, the safer it is.
MisterTommyH
09-07-11, 08:45 AM
Where is it ...... staffs?
Great bunch of guys if it is.
Yup,
Down at Sutton Honda (which is actually in Tamworth, not Sutton).
Shellywoozle
09-07-11, 11:31 AM
Yup,
Down at Sutton Honda (which is actually in Tamworth, not Sutton).
That is like the Uttoxeter car parts place that was in Rugeley LOL
MisterTommyH
09-07-11, 01:06 PM
All done.
Apparently I need to do a bit more road positioning near hazards and be a bit smoother (I.e. Be prepared to stop at roundabouts but not always stop).
I also found out that my speedo is reading way over. At times mine was reading 65/67 and the copper reckons I never went over and was usually a couple of mph under. Guess that means I can go bit faster then.
Good thing on a subsidised course. Not sure how much I'd want to pay for it.
hongman
09-07-11, 01:13 PM
Dont sound too impressed?
MisterTommyH
09-07-11, 01:37 PM
It was good.
Definatly useful advise. And it's always good to be assessed. Think I just held back little bit, and there were lots of double whites. Next time I'd ride a bit more like normal. It didn't help that we came across an accident being cleared up and had to wait. Definatly a course to do, I'm just cheap and as we get it free wouldn't want to pay for it.
Dicky Ticker
09-07-11, 03:32 PM
The point is will you take any notice or just carry on as you did before?.
MisterTommyH
09-07-11, 03:46 PM
Hopefully I'm gonna pick up the things I was told about.
Dave20046
10-07-11, 11:32 AM
The road positioning is important, I'm not the strongest at times but going to the outside of bends (if appropriate) for maximum view is definitely a must. this saved my ass on the way back from scotland as soon as I got on the snake pass I found a fiesta on my side of the road overtaking on solids, lucky I had a glimpse and started breaking through the bend. Reminds you of the importance!
Did they give you some freebies too? we got the Roadcraft book
A quick question, I've got a bikesafe course this thursday but I've left my baffle for my scorpion can at home (which is 70 miles away, i work away during the week). Should i still go or will the rozzers kick up a fuss? Also what about wearing a black visor if its sunny?
What do you reckon?
Dicky Ticker
11-07-11, 07:22 AM
Obviously every constabulary is different but Essex did not seem to mind the baffle removed on my Wolf but it wasn't particularly loud unless you gave it loads of throttle. THEY DID GIVE THE BIKE A QUICK LOOK OVER BEFORE GOING OUT.
Dave20046
11-07-11, 07:52 AM
TInted visors were fine here (the cops were using them) and my exhaust was pretty loud,not a problem
AndyBrad
11-07-11, 07:58 AM
the guy on mine said "loud cans save lives" followed by what you want is a big v twin with straight through exhausts!
Bike position is a big thing for ridding.
I did a ride with the IAM bike lot a few years back and that's the big thing I was hauled up on.
Best I get on a bike safe course to re educate myself .
victor_meldrew
22-07-11, 07:14 PM
Doing one next week with Cheshire, as a sort of refresher as Ive been off bikes for a couple of years
Two evening classroom sessions in the Cheshire Police HQ , and a 40 - 50 mile ride out (mine is a couple of weeks later). They choose the route and you stop every few miles to mention any items arising. What has been said on here about speed sounds right, as long as you're not daft, they are not fussed.
Did one about ten years ago and its a spooky experience being followed by a fully dressed Pan - who promptly shot off and nicked a woman in a Golf GTi for overtaking on double whites :) " Thats f**ked her day - I might be doin bikesafe, but I'm still on duty... !" :)
I did Bikesafe about 8 years ago with Hampshire police - exhausts were not a problem. I was on my SV650 with twin straight through renegades, the only comment made was 'bloody hell, they sound nice'.
I was told ""stick to 30 in the thirties, 40 in the forties, 50ish in the fifties and NSL - do what you like, if I do not think it is safe to stick with you then I will not follow you.
I did try to outrun him (class 1 rider on his own fireblade) but failed miserably ;-)
Hampshire charge about £70 iirc, however Dorset only charge £20 - seriously considering doing another one as a refresher
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