Advanced riding

Originally Posted by ASM-Forever's sig

Meh™

HAHA quality

[Mark_h]

Originally Posted by N8te rider

Oh dear, have I just joined the Institute for Aging Motorcyclists?
I did see a lot of younger riders there. Can't you be safe and fast?

Philbut
I keep saying i'm gonna go along to one of these things and then never do. I will have to put the 16th in my diary. i'm already an advanced car driver but can't hurt to do a bit more. I don't tend to speed in 30 or 40 zones anyway, so as long as they don't mind three figues in a 60 hehe

Yep. Basically when training red speedlimits are followed (20, 30, 40, 50, 60) In an national speed limit it'll be down to how you and your observer get on. Once you've proved you are likely to keep it all together you'll start hearing things like "We'll be too busy looking where we're going to look at the speedo". or "If you see me getting smaller in your mirrors you may want to
consider slowing down a bit"

An observer is very unlikely to say that you can ride faster or to set a higher limit as that could be considered as encouragement to break the law. When you get to your test, some testers (mostly police riders) say keep it legal, some say legal + 10% some say "just get on with it".

Most of my training consisted of me going as fast as I fancied in the nationals often well into three figures and it's fair to say my observer never got smaller in my mirrors.

Can be a bit frustrating in the 50s but typically routes are worked out to take in as many nationals as possible. Also a lot of the technique is learned on "technical twisties" which are the country roads that you'd be hard pressed to get over 40 on at some times.

Give it a go. If you don't like it, don't join.

And if you do like it, pass and then go on to be an observer you get free training from Rapid too that way you get extra training by professional advanced trainers and not a bunch of well meaning amateurs like us IAM lot.

[ogden]

Institute of Advance Motorcyclists
Rockingham Forest Group February Ride-Out



The group met for the second ride-out of the winter months. The venue
had been arranged for Tesco's car park, Corby, 8:30 a.m. After a
couple of phone calls it became apparent that some of the group had
convened at the Asda car park and had reported passing another group
in the B & Q car park. The Tesco group travelled in Convoy to Asda and
then on to B & Q. Unfortunately, the B & Q car park was empty except
for one elderly gentleman who wanted to know if we were the Triumph
owners club, who had arranged to meet there for their nine o'clock
ride out. He joined us as we went back to Tesco's to see who else had
turned up. After a short break for coffee and roll-ups, the group
eventually departed Tesco's carpark at 9:15 heading north towards
Rockingham. The old gentleman with the even older Triumph, Stan as we
came to know him, accepted our invitation to ride part of the way with
us hoping to meet up with the other Triumph riders.



The group was led by Mike, our chair, and comprised two senior
observers, four group observers and eight associates, plus Stan.
Normal group ride rules were observed by all riders, except Stan who
had not been briefed. The route had been planned to take in some
"technical" features, including a couple of five-way roundabouts, some
NSL dual carriageway and a particularly "interesting" blind T-junction
on a one-in-three gradient. In retrospect, this was perhaps too
ambitious for the group, some of whom had not attended the training
session the preceding Wednesday evening.



The trouble started on the five-way roundabout when, according to
group ride rules Terry, the convoy leader, attempted to park at the
second exit to direct the rest of the group along the indicated road.
His manoeuvre proved to be a little too abrupt for Mike (group chair)
behind him. A nose-to-tail collision ensued causing both riders to
drop their bikes. Fortunately no lasting damage was done by the
collision, although the resulting scuffle left Mike with a nasty gash
on his chin. Thankfully our guest rider, Stan, was able to step in and
prevent an ugly incident from developing. Mike has since had the
fairing plastic re-welded and tells me he will have the stitches out
of his chin in time for the next committee meeting. (It should be
noted that Terry has given notice of his intention to leave the group
to devote more time to his police career, we wish him well).



Leaving Mike and Terry to wait for the ambulance, the rest of the
group pressed on. Leaving the 30 m.p.h speed limit and embarking on
the ring road, the group spread out a little. Group A (let us call
them) attempted to keep up with Stan with the intention of explaining
our policy on speed limits. Group B were content to make safe progress
to the next way-point. Group C apparently became confused over the
directions and headed back into Corby.



Groups A and B met up at the East Carlton Country Park where it had
been agreed with the park-keepers that a slow-ride of the Park lanes
would be followed by a machine control session. Unfortunately, this
had to be abandoned after three of the first five riders fell off on
the wet leaves that were coating the paths. First aid was administered
to machines and riders. Our new friend the Guest rider Stan, proved to
be very resourceful in this respect with a plentiful supply of gaffer
tape, steel wire and sterile dressings to hand. Once the patching up
was completed, it was found that the wayward group C had arrived from
one direction and PC Terry had cuaght us up from the other. The
coincidental arrival was fortuitous as Terry was able to explain to
Group C's police escort that despite the appearance, they were not
attempting to block the road, nor was any un-licensed demonstration
under way.



By now it was nearly noon and only twenty of the planned 150 miles
were behind us. A breakfast break had been scheduled at the Little
Chef so the group set off along the main westerly route towards the
by-pass. Arriving without incident at the Little Chef, we were able to
meet up with the Northampton group who had arrived a little earlier.
The main conversation was around the injuries and damage suffered by
each group in getting this far. The rumour that the county had
implemented their major disaster plan was rife, although later found
to be false.



After the traditional bacon bap and roll-up, both groups went their
separate ways, and then re-rendezvoused back at the cafe so that the
associates from Corby could re-join their group and the newbies from
Northampton rejoin theirs.



It was at this point I became worried about old Stan. He appeared to
have been drinking, his face was several shades redder than when he
joined us that morning and he was giggling uncontrollably, sometimes
bending double and clutching his stomach, as if about to vomit. In
between these fits, I asked him if he was o.k.. He replied that
everything was alright, and that he had just remembered an old joke. I
let it lie at that point as I was called away to help untangle two
bikes whose panniers had become interlocked while leaving the car park.



The trip back towards Corby passed without incident, that is until the
first bend. Several plastic road cones had been dislodged from their
position occupying the line around a right hand bend. In swerving and
braking to avoid these cones the first senior observer high-sided his
BMW and was catapulted into the air. Fortunately a thick hedge broke
his fall and he was unscathed from this incident. His injuries were
actually caused when the second senior observer, in attempting to
avoid the prone BMW, mounted the pavement and ran him down. Our
commiserations to them both and we wish them a speedy recovery from
their injuries. Our thanks also to the Northampton air ambulance
service for their speedy response. Our thanks also to the Royal Air
Force who had to scramble a rescue helicopter to deal with two similar
unfortunate incidents suffered that morning by our colleagues in the
Northampton group.



It was only another hour or so before we were on our way once again,
this time with a police escort of four handsome Pan-Europeans which
drew much envy from most members of the group. Behind these was a BBC
Northampton news team. "Top cover" was provided by the Northants
Constabulary surveillance helicopter. (Incidentally, I have received
news that copies of the police video can be made available at a
nominal cost, apparently there is much demand for them). The trip back
into Corby was made at a steady rate of progress, providing plenty of
opportunity to admire the scenery and views. It was perhaps this
degree of inattention that caused our two group observers leading the
ride to collide with the machines of the police escort who had stopped
at a major road junction. To be fair though, it had not been explained
to us that even with two-tone sirens and flashing blue lights, police
riders and drivers are still expected to comply with traffic signals.


It was getting dark and foggy when the convoy reached the Tesco car
park. Some ice was apparent too so there was little resistance to the
Deputy Chief Constable's suggestion that we secure our machines in the
car park and accept his offer of a lift home in a bus which was able
to commandeer for this purpose.



Has anybody seen or heard of Stan, by the way? The last thing I
remember him saying was that he hadn't had such a good laugh in ages
and he'd love to come out with us again. He told me he never passed
his test on a bike and I think he might benefit from one of our
fixed-length courses.

I can't believe I just read ALL that...

5 mins i'll never get back..

[ogden]

Hammerite.

PMSL!!!

I really should edit that to stop others wasting as much time as I did reading it. But then where's the fun in that.

[SoulKiss]

Originally Posted by BigApe

I really should edit that to stop others waisting as much time as I did reading it. But then where's the fun in that.

Who said its a waste of time.......

Originally Posted by SoulKiss

Who said its a waste of time.......

I did.

I enjoyed it!