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Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group
December 2016
Welcome to TUG Dear Members, A challenging edition of TUG. Partly because my trip to India meant it had to be put to bed early, but mostly because I had an article by David Tymm to include. Very well-written, profusely illustrated, submitted as a PDF with presentation values far beyond my skill level, a joy to have for inclusion, but very long! Everything had to be shoehorned around it. All nonessential stuff was discarded and the Events Report became an Events Summary. I would like to thank John Tullet for submitting his piece early, and try to extend my understanding to that other regular contributor who left it to the latest of last minutes! By the time you read this I should be back in the UK again, hopefully with a tan, and equally hopefully without a major digestive disorder. Final copy date for the next TUG is 24th March 2017.
Chairman’s Piece
2
Observer Profile
4
Membership Info
7
Observer Coordinator
8
EAMG on Twitter
14
Suitcase Packed
17
Membership Form
22
Dates for the Diary
24
Picture Gallery
28
Down the Dolce Vita
30
Events Summary
39
Further Training
42
Chris
Editor What’s happening next?
Log into www.eamg.org.uk, then
Runs and Rides Forum
And follow us on Twitter.
Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982
Page 4
CHAIRMAN’S PIECE December 2016 Well. what can I say? This will be my final Chairman's Piece as I shall be standing down at the AGM on the February Group Night. EAMG has been a huge part of my life since I joined in 1984 but my history with the Group goes back to the inaugural meeting at the General's Arms in Little Baddow in 1982 when it was founded. At a guess I'm probably the longest serving member in the group. But, you haven't managed to get shot of me. I will still remain as an SOA in the Training Team and do what I enjoy best which is teaching riding and have volunteered to stay on as a committee member. One thing I can say with sincerity is that over the years I have had tremendous support from the various committees and Group members and at times this helped me endure when things got sticky. I thank each and every one of you for that. I also learnt many valuable lessons along the way, especially that you cannot please everybody all of the time! On a positive side, Chris Johnson will not be chasing me anymore for my editorial and I will feel more at ease and less of a target for his camera whenever I go near a bit of food. [1] As I write, the weather has definitely taken a turn for the worse. Snow has fallen and frost, ice and freezing fog are impacting on my motorcycling joy. The constant cleaning of salt and mollasses syrup is tiring and beginning to get to me. Take care out there! If you have to ride, allow greater time for your journey and watch out for car drivers who fail to de-ice and demist their vehicles before driving.
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I look forward to spending more time riding in the group and wish the incoming Chair all the best and look towards a great 2017. Ride well, Ride Safe ( and remember brainpower is far more useful than horsepower! )
Chris Reed [1]Editor: In your dreams, Chris! I know I declared a cease-fire on
the scoffing pictures whilst you were suffering, but once you are restored to full health (which I sincerely hope will be soon) then the hunting season will be on again in earnest. I am really glad that you will still be taking an active role with the Group.
Remember! AGT’s are now held at the new location: Writtle Community Association Longmeads House 12-14 Redwood Drive Writtle, Chelmsford CM1 JLY.
Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982
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Observer profile Name: Andy Hems When and why did you develop an interest in riding a motorcycle? when I was still at school because motorcycles looked good and had an engine. How old were you when you first rode a bike? 16 What was the bike and what were the circumstances? Yamaha FS1E, because I had just got my provisional licence. It was bright yellow and the flies loved it in the summer. Of the bikes you’ve owned to date, which was the favourite, if there was one? Suzuki GSXR750 but too uncomfortable to ride for any length of time at road legal speeds If you were given the opportunity to own any bike on the market which would it be? Not prepared to say otherwise those people in the EAMG who own one will know that I envy them. What is your favourite motorcycle related gadget? I can't off hand think of one, but I do know that it isn't anything related to cleaning it, Where is your preferred place to ride in the UK? A483 between Crossgates and Newtown And, overseas? Unable to say as I can never remember where I have been If you were offered the opportunity to go on an extended bike tour who, family members aside, who would you choose as a riding companion? Mike Hamilton, but unfortunately he is no longer with us How would you describe to a non-rider the attraction of riding a bike as opposed to driving a car? In comparison, an average car is boring. making overtakes are effortless on a bike, and the skills need to be more refined. When do you intend to give up riding? When I can no longer afford it. Describe your scariest moment on your bike! My memory is not very good anyway but I am being honest when I say that I can't think of one, if I do think of anything before this is published or I am reminded by anyone I will advise the editor accordingly. r
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Page 9
Membership Information Dear Members & Prospective Members, The membership form is on the website or page 22 if you wish to join or if you are renewing. If you have paid up and haven’t received your membership card please let a committee member know. 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 2017
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)
Membership
Number
Full
93
Associate
28
Social
2
Observer
18
Life
12
Total
153
Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982
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OBSERVER COORDINATOR John Tullett Full Member Social Rides
I know social rides are usually covered in Chris Johnson's assiduously word-crafted Events Report but I have to start this column with a confession that I am struggling to recall the last but one time I attended an EAMG social ride, thanks to training activities and other commitments. It must have been quite a while ago, because when I arrived at Sainsburys, Springfield, for the November Full Member Social Ride to Thetford, Richard came over and shook my hand to welcome me and Chris J. even took my picture to confirm I was actually there! The ride was well attended and covered an excellent selection of roads, including some I did not know. It was really enjoyable to just be able to ride for myself without having to concentrate too hard on what the rider in front was doing (although having said this from what I saw riding standards were high). I do not normally bother with New Year's resolutions, but mine is definitely to try to not leave it so long until my next EAMG Social ride. Moderately Paced Full Member Social Rides
The monthly Associate Social Rides run by Mick Hewitt & Alan Burke have proven to be very popular and, increasingly, Full members wishing to enjoy a 'moderately paced' social ride have been joining in. In fact, on one recent ride, which was attended by 15 Group members there was just one Associate! The Training Team have been discussing this situation because, while all members have been very welcome to attend these rides, we do not want a situation to develop where some newer Associate members could be discouraged from attending Associate Social Rides because they perceive that the vast majority of attendees are more experienced Full members. It is also possible that, with both Associate and Full members attending these rides, overall numbers could sometimes lead to queues at coffee/lunch/petrol stops.
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The solution that is being worked on is to introduce additional 'moderately paced' Full Member social rides to the EAMG Events Calendar, which will be led and tail-ended by members of the Training Team. Precise details are still being finalised but these rides are expected to be introduced in the Spring and we anticipate that they will run monthly, on the same dates as the Associate Social ride. Because these rides will be led by a number of different Observers it is likely that some new routes and destinations will be offered. Please watch out for further details soon. In the meantime Full Members are still welcome to attend Associate Social Rides. Please also remember that we already run a moderately paced social ride for Full Members at our monthly AGTs, which often include carefully planned u-turns courtesy of Chris Johnson. Associate Group Training (AGT) Hopefully, all members are now aware that we have moved locations for our AGTs and with effect from 12th February 2017 we will be at Longmeads House, 12-14 Redwood Drive, Writtle, Chelmsford, CM1 3LY (this is the venue that was used for last Summer's barbeque). EAMG offer two main options to Associate group members: (i) Individual rides with your own 1-to-1 Observer, who will train you to a level where you are able to pass an advanced motorcycling test; and (ii) Associate Group Training (AGT) days, held monthly, which comprise of a brief roadcraft presentation followed by an observed ride with different Observers. The recent levels of interest in AGTs has, at times, been lower than expected given the numbers of Associate members in the Group. This has sometimes led to a situation where Observers have attended an AGT but not been needed to take an Associate on an observed ride.
Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982
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EAMG is your Group and we would like to know if there any enhancements that you think could be made to make AGTs more relevant to you? If you have not attended an AGT yet is there a particular reason why? A simple anonymous questionnaire (see example below) will be circulated to all Associate members and those who passed their tests in 2016. We value your thoughts so please take a moment to let us know what you think or would like to see changed. When completed, the questionnaire should be returned at a Group Night meeting, by e-mail or post to me, or handed to any EAMG Committee Member or Observer. —————————————————————————————EAMG ASSOCIATE GROUP TRAINING (AGT) QUESTIONNAIRE
Were you aware that EAMG offered AGTs?
Y
N
If you were not aware that EAMG offered AGTs, you will find that details are published via the Group’s web site http://www.eamg.org.uk/ appearing in the Events Diary, Forum and Magazine sections. Alternatively, collect the latest printed copy of our bimonthly newsletter, called TUG, at a Group Night meeting. If you were aware that EAMG offered AGTs but have chosen not to take part, is there a particular reason? What, if anything, would it take for you to consider attending an AGT? If you have attended an AGT did you find this to be a positive experience? Y N If no, please advise on how AGTs could be improved?
Was a detailed ride report given to you at the end of the ride
www.eamg.org.uk
Y
N
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If Yes, do you feel the ride report was accurate and reflected your experience on the day? Y N If No, did you query this with your Observer on the day (or follow-up with your own 1-to-1 Observer and/or the Observer Coordinator)? AGTs will typically cover a route of around 40-60 miles; do you feel this mileage is appropriate? Y N If No, what mileage do you feel would be appropriate? Did you feel that the AGTs complimented your 1-to-1 Observer training? Are there any changes to the AGT format that we should consider? Eleven AGTs are held each year, on the first Sunday after Group Night meetings. Is this level of frequency too low / about right / too often? Should we consider holding some AGTs on alternative dates (e.g. a Saturday)?
————————————————————————— BMW Club Track Days The BMW Club has recently announced their 2017 track day dates - 19th June at Cadwell Park and 7th August at Snetterton. These 'rider friendly' track days are for road bikes only, preferably ridden to the track, and are aimed at individuals who are basically road riders but fancy a bit of fun on the track now and again. You do not need to ride a BMW, free tuition is available, there are low numbers in each riding group, cautious & experienced riders are catered for with safety and enjoyment the top priorities. There are 3 groups (cautious / interEssex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982
Page 14
mediate / experienced) who take it in turn to ride for 20 minutes, with each group being allocated 7 sessions during the day. I am not on commission, just a satisfied customer! If you are potentially interested then you will find more details at:- http://www.thebmwclub.org.uk/ sportingregister/
---ooo0ooo--Should any members have any training related queries then please contact me on 01277 623860 (before 21:30 please), text 07570 992801, e-mail jtullett@eamg.org.uk or send me a PM via the Message Board.
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Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982
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EAMG on Twitter Anthony Greenwood The EAMG twitter account should both entertain and inform and as such needs to be both colourful and humorous. It's mainly aimed at non-members to recruit and promote EAMG aims, but is also be enjoyed by current and lapsed members too. Twitter is especially appropriate to target interest among younger potential members, where it has already drawn a few new youngsters to our new members table, and so it's important to keep the tweets light and nonprescriptive. It's well known that Tweets are limited to just 140 characters or letters, but can include photos or videos although these reduce the available character count. Photos do generally get rather more attention, so it helps to use appropriate and interesting pictures of ourselves and our events. Photos of unusual bikes always go down well, and add colour. People express their appreciation with "likes" and "re-tweets" which particularly get more followers. Our number of followers has grown to over 1500, and continues to grow, especially after a flurry of decent related topical tweets with pictures. For instance, the Copdock show tweet pictures raised plenty of retweets which got us several new followers. Besides many followers in the local biking community and other bike clubs, we have followers from overseas, including South Africa, India and Japan. Mutual support for like-minded road-safety and general bike related overseas accounts definitely adds different perspectives and colourful interest. Besides promoting road safety through better road craft, there's a mixture of humour, nostalgia, current events, news & safety all featured in our Tweets. The promotion of EAMG meetings, events and objectives is clearly one of our main objectives. Our account also links to and promotes our EAMG website, and should lead people into the website which of course, can carry so much more detail than the Twitter character limit.
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Notable other twitter accounts that we promote include Mick Jones, and several Police Motorcyclists around the UK. We particularly like to add pictures of our own EAMG promotional events, and bikes of interest, so if you have some such pics that you feel would suit, then please forward them. Online safety dictates that any personal details are not put up online, especially into Twitter as trolls and general abuse are always lurking. I quickly learnt to not show photos that portray our members as being limited to aged greying white males....If there are other Twitter accounts, websites or other organisations that you feel we should support do please let us know. At the moment there's just myself putting content onto the EAMG account, but it could just as easily be a few of us. So if you are a regular user of Twitter, and like taking a few photos now and then, you could put yourself forward to volunteer to help too. If you're interested I suggest you have a good read through our tweets, and if you feel the you could help do more similar, or even add a different angle and perspective then do get in touch. Humour is always appreciated, as is parody, and even occasional sarcasm. Twitter is the main way that news now breaks around the world, (!) so timing and seasonality are very important&.. I used this picture below for a tweet at Halloween!
Any feedback from members and associates is welcome. You’ll find the EAMG account on Twitter at: @EssexAdvMCgroup
Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982
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Suitcase Packed Phil Reader My suitcase was packed, my Bike kit had been dropped off for transporting, Southend Airport and Spain here I come! After helping out at the Yamaha MT Tour a while back, I was asked to help out the following February at a Kawasaki Europe event held in Spain. This event was put on for Kawasaki dealers from all parts of Europe, they each had 2 full days of riding New Kawasaki models. There were around 50 bikes available mainly the New shape Versys 1000 and 650, a few of the Z300, Vulcan S and half a dozen of the monster 1400GTR’s, as a comparison they also had a few bikes from different manufacturers for anyone to try. My job was to help guide the Dealers on the daily ride outs which consisted of approximately 220 miles of lovely warm dry Spanish roads, a spot of track time and lunch at Almeria Race circuit. I was fortunate enough to be there for the German dealers, having spent a while in Germany during my Biking career I have got to know and ridden with quite a few ex German Racers at the Nurburgring and very much enjoyed their company. Anyhow, day one I spent travelling from Alicante Airport with a group of German dealers to our base Hotel further down the coast, I didn’t know it at the time but a couple of Kawasaki Europe bosses were sat in the Minibus with us (eek). Unpacked, I got my bike kit from a holding bay, showered and spent the evening dinning with the rest of the Team and of course the dealers.
Day two, 7am we rolled about 36 bikes out of the underground car par k, had breakfast and then the fun began. The format of the ride was simple, Kev (boss man of the event) in front as Ride leader, Kirsten (Kawasaki Boss) in 2nd position as a guide, another guide (me) in middle of the group and another guide as tail ender. Kev would drop Kirsten at a junction and he would wave 16 bikes past, I would pull up behind him then he shot off overtaking Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982
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all the riders to get back into 2nd position behind Kev the ride leader. I would do the same, wave through all the other bikes until tail ender arrived then I had to overtake roughly 15 riders to get back into position mid pack. We left the hotel and rode along the coast, the sun was shinning the sky was blue the temperature was 16c, not bad for February and it was only 9-30 am. The riders were getting familiar with their bikes, some were adjusting mirrors, looking at the controls, some were weaving, and one guy tried his brakes and almost caused a pile up. It was a large group with very differing abilities which made for an interesting ride, I soon got to realise that a Versys 1000 being ridden almost flat out is hard to overtake on a Versys 1000, I certainly had my work cut out but picked my opportunities well and managed to be back into position ready to stop as a marker. At our 1st coffee stop everyone was smiling, the dealers started to relax a little. I could see Kirsten was wandering around not wanting to sit at any particular table so I invited him to sit with me and the other guide tail ender Philip. We made small talk mainly about the bikes and the weather, time to get back on the bikes. We rode inland on some very twisty roads leading up to a mountain road, the temperature dropped to around 10c while up on the mountain road but returned to 20c when we came back down the other side to our lunch stop not far from Almeria Circuit. A three course lunch with coffee taken care of thanks to Kawasaki Europe we resumed the ride and rode back to the Hotel where a pre arranged beer was waiting for the dealers, unfortunately I had to help put the Bikes back into the underground garage and give them all a once over so they were ready for the next day. Showered and changed once again we dined with the dealers, this time a special guest had arrived, Steve Plater! He was introduced to everyone as champ of this n that (Dave Izard) and TT man etc. I got to chat with Steve before dinner, seems like a nice bloke, I asked him if he enjoyed doing this type of event and he said that
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it pays the bills in winter. Dinner and wine went down a treat, off to bed early as we had another 7am start in the morning. Day 3, once again we rolled out the bikes out of the garage, with a very similar set up, have Breakfast then go ride but on a different route. We ended the morning by popping in to Almeria circuit, we were then divided into 4 groups each with a guide to lead the group around the circuit not fast but not slow either (Kawasaki quite rightly didn’t want anyone having an off). I couldn’t wait, not having been to Almeria before this was going to be fun. I rode the track as if it was a road, go fast when I could see and slow up when I couldn’t. I held my group together well and we got back to pits and parked up all in one piece. While having lunch Tito Rabat (Moto 2) was out on track thrashing the nuts off of what sounded like a 4 cylinder 600cc race bike, that was good to see, apparently he almost lives at the circuit. Back out on the road, we had a very twisty 90 mile route back to the Hotel, the pegs on my Versys 1000 were getting ground away much to the amusement of the riders behind me. We stopped off at a beach car park for a picture opportunity, all the bikes had to be lined up and Mr Photographer snapped away as we looked on. Back at the Hotel the bikes were again wheeled into the garage to be cleaned in the morning. The atmosphere at dinner was great, all of the dealers were now becoming friends with each other but also with the guides. It was their last evening in Spain, everyone agreed it was a good couple of days riding. Day 4, with no bikes to wheel out we had a relaxing breakfast, I said goodbye to the dealers or should I say friends that I had made, they had flights to catch and I had to help with cleaning and checking the stock of Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982
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bikes, getting them ready for the next batch of Dealers that were arriving in the afternoon. I made my way down to the garage, I was greeted by the Italian mechanic. His job was to fix anything that needing fixing on the 50 odd bikes, anyhow I got on with the job of cleaning the dust off each bike, a quick polish then line the finished bikes up for the routine tyre & pressure checks, chain lube and adjustment if needed then fill the bikes with fuel. I enjoy cleaning and working on my Bikes as I find it relaxing, this was the way I looked at this task although I started to struggle when I got to number 20 something, jeez this is hard work. After lunch I got some help and we were soon rolling the bikes one by one into the finished bikes area. 6:20 pm I was back in the bar for pre dinner drinks, a new group of dealers joined us and the whole circus started all over again. Dinner, drinks then bed. Day 5, Ground Hog day but with different dealer s, I was really enjoying this. The sun was out, the sky was Blue and the smile on my face said it all. I helped our new riding companions settle into the ride by giving a thumbs up signal to each one of them as they passed. Once again I had a Versys 1000 to ride, this was the longest test ride that I had ever been on. The dealers had to swap bikes every now and then to get a feel for each new model, I was told by Kirsten that some of the dealers were based in small villages so did not hold a stock of bikes and had only a couple of demo bikes so this event helped them sell the bikes as they could report to their customers what the bikes were like to ride. Once again we had a good ride through some very twisty deserted roads, I was the tail ender and enjoyed watching the differing styles and abilities of the riders. Another fine day followed by? Drinks, dinner and bed.
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Day 6, Ground Hog day again, 7 am we rolled the bikes out of the garage, lined them up then went for breakfast. I got to thinking that I could do this for a job. Another fine morning on dry warm roads, good coffee stop then more twisty roads to Almeria circuit for a few laps then lunch oh and another photo session. Back on the road we stopped off near the Spagetti Western film set, I didn’t know that most of these films were made in Spain. The set was visible from the road so another photo session was had. Day 7, 8, 9, so the event rolled on, dealer s ar rive, eat and drink, ride bikes go home, more dealers arrive eat and drink etc etc. To sum up the trip, I consider myself very fortunate to be asked to help out at events like this, I met and made friends with some interesting people with bundles of experience and knowledge within the Bike industry. Kirsten had previously worked for Ohlin’s suspension, an ex racer he was also a Motorrad Nurburgring Instructor with whom I had a lot in common, he invited me to stay with him at his family home near the Nurburgring the next time I travel to Germany. I was asked by a number of the dealers about the way I rode, they had not been taught the same skills but wanted to learn to the extent that I was offered accommodation and payment for me to teach them what we call Advanced Riding. Having ridden the Versys 1000 for 7 days on road and track would I buy one? Nope!! It was a great trip, hard work, enjoyable, exciting and Fun. I returned home to a dark cold February evening thinking about returning to Spain to do it all again next year. 2017, I am off to Portugal in early February for the next Kawasaki Europe event, so sorry to miss EAMG group night but I had to choose between the two.
Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982
All Full Member Rides will leave Sainsburys Springfield, Chelmsford, at 9.30am
Page 26
February
7th 12th 19th 26th
Group Night - AGM Associate Group Training (AGT) Mick's Associate Member Ride Richard's Full Member Ride
5th 7th 12th 19th 26th
Mick's Associate Member Ride Group Night - Bikesafe Essex Associate Group Training (AGT) Observer Peer to Peer Ride (1701) Richard's Full Member Ride
2nd 4th 9th 15th ? 23rd 30th 30th
Full Member Training (1701) Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT) Super Sausage Run (to be confirmed) Richard's Full Member Ride Mick's Associate Member Ride North Weald Motorcycle Show (to be confirmed)
2nd 7th 14th 21st 21st 28th 28th
Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT) Observer Peer to Peer Ride (1702) France Day Ride (Geoff Preston) Richard's Full Member Ride Full Member Training (1702) Mick's Associate Member Ride
4th 6th 11th 18th 25th
Slow Riding Day Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT) Mick's Associate Member Ride Richard's Full Member Ride
2nd 2nd 4th 9th
Maldon Motor Show (to be confirmed) Mick's Associate Member Ride Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT)
March
April
May
June
Diary 2017
July
(Continued on page 29)
www.eamg.org.uk
Building, Civil Engineering and Maintenance
Extensions - Garages - Loft Conversions
Block paving Driveways - Patios
All Types of Roofing
Carpentry - Brickwork
Water Main and Sewer Repairs and Renewal
Fencing - Replacement Windows (uPVC, Hardwood, Aluminium)
uPVC Cladding, Fascias, Soffits
Underpinning - Landscaping
Painting and Decorating Fully Insured (But not yet Needed!)
For free no-obligation quote, phone Clint on
01621 828276 (Office) 07836 277223 (Mobile) Domestic and Commercial Work Undertaken Insurance Work also Welcome Member of The Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors Flagstaff Farm, Green Lane, Althorne, Essex, CM3 6BQ
Page 29
16th 23rd 30th
Observer Peer to Peer Ride (1703) Richard's Full Member Ride Full Member Training (1703)
1st 6th 13th 20th 20th 27th
Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT) Beachy Head Ride (Geoff Preston) Audrey & John's Cotswolds Ride Mick's Associate Member Ride Richard's Full Member Ride
5th 10th 10th 10th 17th 24th
Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT) Essex Air Ambulance Run/Show Mick's Associate Member Ride Slow Riding Day Richard's Full Member Ride
1st 3rd 8th 15th 22nd 22nd 29th
Copdock Show Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT) Observer Peer to Peer Ride (1704) Full Member Training (1704) Mick's Associate Member Ride Richard's Full Member Ride
7th 12th 19th 26th
Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT) Mick's Associate Member Ride Richard's Full Member Ride
3rd 5th 10th 17th
Richard's Full Member Ride Group Night (Xmas Quiz) Associate Group Training (AGT) Mick's Associate Member Ride
August
September
Group Nights @ 19:30, AGTs @ 9:15 am
(Continued from page 26)
October
November
December
Diary 2017
Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982
Page 30
Picture Gallery ■ Picture Gallery ■ Picture
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Gallery ■ Picture Gallery ■ Picture Gallery
Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982
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Down the Dolce Vita David Tymm
Is this the end of a dream?
15 - 29 May 2015
“But they cost £175!” I protest. “But they’re nearly five years old” he counters. “I’ve got some BMW gloves that are ten years old and the index figure on these hasn’t worn through. Surely, Rukka will offer at least a gesture?” “Nope” is the final word from my man in the shop on Great Portland Street and so I flounce out. I’m just about to go to Italy in late May so not about to buy a pair of winter gloves… Digging my K1600GT out of four-inches of snow just off the old Brenner Pass a couple of weeks later with hands protected only by dainty BMW ‘Summer Rain’ gloves, I was starting to question the wisdom of this decision. And it had all started so well…
I’ve never ‘done’ Italy, only spending the odd night or two on business or weekend breaks in Venice and Rome and occasionally straying into it on the bike. But as a long-time admirer of much that is Italian, I was keen to see more. It’s a long way there so in the words of the World’s most notorious dead disc-jockey, I decided to let the ‘train take the strain’ by riding to Paris, depositing the bike at Bercy station and then wandering over to the Gare de Lyon to get the TGV and pick up my bike in Nice the next day. Booked in advance, 1st Class tickets are about £50 each way and with the bike costing around £100, it’s a great way of cutting out two days slog and squaring off your tyres on the Peage. Avignon is less than three hours away as we tear through the Auvergne but Nice takes another three. Even so, at nine-thirty I am sitting on the quayside in Nice enjoying a Petit Bouillabaisse washed down with some weak but tasty Provencal Rose. After breakfast in the sunshine the next morning, I go to claim my bike back and there it is, still on the transporter and stuck behind four Mercedes. Much shrugging ensues as various blokes in SNCF boiler suits amble off for a coffee and a fag leaving a harassed Madame. She pulls the usual stunt with a linguistically-challenged Rosbif by declining to offer any explanation. I phone a friend who has the benefit of a schoolmarm demeanour combined with having lived in Paris for thirty-years and so is well used to putting up with all this Gallic nonsense. It transpires nobody knows which keys are for which car as they have all been slung in a bucket like some bizarre automotive wife-swapping entente. One by one, the blokes saunter back and by process of elimination work out which keys go with which car and I get on my way, two hours late. I’m heading for Alba in Northern Italy across the San Remo mountains meeting two companions who have slummed it down in an Aston Martin Vanquish and Ferrari 360. We have
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a wine-tasting at a vineyard in the Langhe Hills and then dinner at the celebrated ‘Ill Duomo’ restaurant. I’ve been before when the young chef had just been awarded his first Michelin star. It was very, very good and now he has three stars, expectations are skyhigh. Ill Duomo is fantastically unprepossessing being on the first floor over a bar accessible through a small door down an alley. Sadly, such a quaint location means they are not in control of every part of the experience and the evening is marred - no, make that ruined - by truly hideous pounding techno music being played outside the bar until midnight interfering with all sensory perception. An unbiased comment on the restaurant is all-but impossible but I don’t think it was any better than last time but it did cost three-times as much. Good but not great is the verdict and not one to hurry back to. Next morning, we set out towards Turin with two specific routes in mind. A pricey Italian clothing dynasty (Ermenegildo Zegna) much favoured by our man in the Aston originate from Trivero. They have used some of their considerable fortune to sponsor and maintain the SR232, now known modestly as the ‘Zegna Panoramic Route’. It is magnificent; manicured to perfection in the lower reaches and affording staggering views of the Alps to the North with far reaching vistas looking south into Northern Italy. It great fun too with third and forth gear blasts between the various twist and turns a welcome contrast to the Autostrada. A quick motorway blast and a pit-stop for food and fuel where a garage attendant lovingly frotts the bugs off the headlights and windscreen from two Ferraris with a devotion bordering the sexual. He haughtily ignores the Aston. The Grand St. Bernard pass beckons but two problems emerge. A smash towards the Mont Blanc tunnel has closed the motorway and so everyone is funnelled off to go over St. Bernard. The top-section is not yet open and the single-lane tolltunnel is the only way into Switzerland. It takes the cars two hours to pick their way through while I skip to head of the queues. The descent down the St. Bernard remains glorious in the late afternoon sun and I arrive at our overnight stop in good time and am rested, showered and sipping a beer by the time they show up. Martigny to Davos does not look like much of a route on the map but it’s easy to underestimate these seemingly straight routes and focus fruitlessly on searching out something with bends. As a general rule, if it looks
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twisty on a map, it will be really hard work hauling a big touring bike up and down it and it sometimes makes sense to trust the Satnav, even the hopelessly over-priced, profoundly-unstable, rebadged Garmin unit that BMW peddle. If you punch in ‘Davos’ when starting in Martigny, after a bit of pristine Swiss motorway, you will be guided towards route 19 that leads to the Furka Pass. This is wide, fast and flattering motorcycling at its very best. At this time of year, the top-section is still frozen but this is Switzerland so a man with a toothbrush moustache in a neat suit and cap sells you a ticket for a twee little train to take you and your vehicle through the mountain and out the other side. We are now in the canton of Graubünden, the area where you can hear the bizarre alloy of German and Italian that is Romansche spoken. It is also home to the most obscenely-named village in the world. Yes, ‘that’ word but with a ‘y’ on the end. Do type it into Google if you don’t believe me but don’t do this at work and do ignore most of the search results… More importantly, the superb route 417 takes you to Davos and then to the magnificent Fluela Pass, regarded by many as the finest driving road in Europe. It’s up there with the very best no question and as a further bonus, the most direct route to Bolzano from the end of the Furka will not disappoint either. A wrong turn causes us to lose Mr. Aston who wisely ends up going the long but fast way to our overnight stop. The 360 and I hack it over the Gioven Pass as the weather closes in. A nasty, frustrating road at the best of times, today it’s slippery surface and savage turns go on and on offering little to the recreational driver. As we roll into Gries-am-Brenner in the late afternoon, we have really had enough. Rewardingly, the Gasthaus Alte Post is as wonderful as ever. The first time I went, we were ‘welcomed’ by Gerhard, the ‘Jolly Austrian’ who now he has got to know us a bit is charm and helpfulness personified. He can cook as well so after Knödel (heavenly garlic and parmesan dumplings), grilled Bambi & Chips, Apfelstrudel, a superb Austrian Red (don’t laugh; the Austrians wisely keep 95% of wine production for domestic consumption) and a local Schnapps, he tells us that there may be a little snow on the way but as it’s very late in the year, it will surely be melted by morning… Welcome to the Winter Wünderland that is Gries in late-May. The cars are heading home today so Gerhard digs them out and they set off unsteadily down the Old Brenner Pass towards the motorway: all zero traction-control, massive road tyres and a combined 1000 horsepower between them… Meanwhile, I ponder my fate. The weather forecast changes hourly and it’s all going Pete Tong with the temperature set to drop from midday and then TWO more days of snow. Although Italy is only 2 Km.
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away, it’s starting to seem as remote as the other side of the world. At 11:30, I decide to make a break for the border and get all kitted up. In the intervening time, the road becomes blocked. No matter, I’ll go the other way and pick up the motorway at Mattrei where it should be moving with all that traffic on it. But it isn’t. Snow is settling around the cars and trucks and starting to freeze again. I’ve never seen the market appeal of the ‘Slush-Puppy’ and less inclined than ever to try one after this. An hour and a half of filtering later, I am now on the same latitude with Gries again. Back where I started in other words. Another hour and the snow turns to sleet for which I am pathetically grateful. At 15:30, I’ve done about 70 miles and am shivering, miserable but slightly amazed I’ve escaped without binning it. Although not marketed as a selling point, a fully-laden K1600 is probably the ideal bike for these conditions as the Herculean weight combined with the low center-of-gravity gives a minimal but crucial amount of purchase. I abandon any thoughts of visiting the magnificent Grossglockener (literally ‘Big Glacier’) and pick a way past Cortina on my way to Cormons near Trieste. My regular touring companion has a pathological loathing of Italy and with great foresight has wisely decided to go to sunny Croatia instead and is now making his way back home. We have agreed to meet in this obscure corner of Italy having read about a place lyrically described by AA Gill in The Sunday Times. It does not quite live up to expectations but it’s the grisly conditions that have soured the experience more than the place itself. Definitely needs another go but it’s a long way from anywhere else you might want to visit. A blat around the Venetian Gulf in warm sunshine gets me to Bologna by early afternoon and so with time to kill, I swing by the Ducati factory to see if I can join a tour and museum visit. There is no uniform for the security guard at this Holy of Holies but a Ducati-branded polo shirt, Diesel jeans, red Ducati sneakers and the obligatory sunglasses and cigarette. Improbably, this get-up manages to convey great authority and gravitas as he solemnly explains I am welcome to join the tour but there is no way I can park my BMW motorcycle inside the gates. “I used to have one before it got stolen” I blub but he’s having none of it, shaking his head without a trace of sorrow. There’s nowhere to park and it starts to rain again so I abandon the plan and head into Bologna. It’s a strange place, quite forbidding with many of the streets covered by extensions to the first floor of the buildings creating canopies making for a dark, claustrophobic atmosphere. The B&B owner recommends the oldest pub in Bologna dating from the 15th century. It’s a complete dump, frankly, and full of students who have brought their own food
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and drink. The barmen don’t seem to care about this or anything else so I down a bottled lager and try out another of AA Gill’s finds and this one is a gem. I had tried to make a reservation at the Drogheria Del Rosa for 20:00 only to be told they don’t open until 20:30 so will see me then. I turn up at 20:30 on the dot and the place is rammed, clearly having been open for an hour or more. They have no record of my reservation but of course I can have dinner, the owner seeming offended that I think he may turn me away. So they put me on a table in an alley and randomly bring me things to eat and drink. No menu is offered but read out so I order. I ask what wines they have by the glass and am told to choose from any bottle on the list. A good Sangiovese is plonked down with the instruction to help myself. Grappa is bought without request and when I’m trying to pay a stupidly low, unitemised bill (€40) for a truly superb meal, the owner mildly bollocks the waiter for giving me a Grappa he considers inferior to his preferred distillation so I have a second ‘Grappa Barrique’ with him. He has been overrun with Sunday Times readers for the last few years and proudly displays the review over the bar. The B&B owner suggests I take the ‘Futa’ to Perugia as this is Italy’s most famous road. It should have been memorable but rain, fog and cloud conspire to make it memorable for the wrong reasons. Perugia is delightful though, an elegant Umbrian town perched on top of a hill with large open squares and avenues with few visitors at this time of year. Next morning, I wander into a shop specialising in truffles and buy a few little pots and bottles of the stuff in various guises. What is it about truffles? That elemental, elusive, elegiac whiff of diffused perfection that confounds the senses. Like a piano playing in a faraway room, faint yet distinct, then gone. It’s only south of Perugia on the way to the seaside resort of Pescara do the weather and roads improve. I don’t think SS17 and SS153 have a special name of sorts but they are fast, dry, largely traffic-free and snake through a series of wide valleys from Terni before becoming SS153 for a final, swoopy ten miles until the Autostrada to Pescara on the Adriatic coast. Slightly out of season seaside resorts tend to feel a bit forlorn. Pescara is no exception as it appears completely deserted. I eat at Cafe Des Paillottes, the best place in town and straight out of Goodfellas or The Sopranos. Everything about it is ‘heavy’: the art, the furniture, the abundance of mirrors. The locals are all dressed to the nines, immaculately coiffed, groomed and smelling divine. And that’s only the men…There is even a cabaret singer, a stick-thin, pouty girl looking like a witness in a Silvio Berlusconi trial who warbles her way through some Lana Del Ray covers accompanied by a Karaoke machine. I feel a little out of place as the owner at the door eyes my jeans and floral shirt with thinly disguised contempt while making a series of intemperate phone calls, all of which are dialled for him by a waiter as he seems incapable of using a mobile phone other than to shout into it. The food is excellent but the reverence with which the diners are treating the whole experience is borderline comical. I leave before I say some-
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thing stupid and end up in the foundations of a local estensione autostrada. Back on the wonderful SS17 the day after, I make fast progress towards Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast. The famous road through Amalfi and Positano is something to be behold. It has to be ridden but it’s torture. Even out of season, it’s busy like you cannot believe with innumerable Fiat Viano, a stupendously ugly people carrier styled on a furniture van and driven by hen-pecked, ancient and incompetent Neapolitans, sucks the pleasure from the experience. However, Sorrento is pretty and bustling and dinner at Il Bucco is superb. There are not many Michelin-starred restaurants where the public amble through the dining room - albeit an outside one - with their dogs and kids in tow but this is Italy after all. The next day, I extricate myself from Sorrento and realise I’ve done it the wrong way round as the best views are if you ride anticlockwise from Naples. Regardless: I’m heading north towards Rome then Tuscany and a destination I have been looking forward to for nearly twenty years… In the late-nineties, I was having Sunday lunch with some friends and their neighbours at the American Hotel in Sag Harbour, Long Island. Two of the group were long-time friends of Billy Joel. He lived nearby and called during lunch to invite everyone round for a drink at his home afterwards. Now I have heard that you should never meet your heroes but based on this single encounter, I would disagree. I managed to avoid squeaking “I’vegot-all-of-your-albums-on-both-vinyl-and-CD” and it turns out he’s a really nice down-to-earth bloke, a keen biker and a generous wine-buff to boot. Much like many of us in other words but unlike most, he happens to have sold 200 million albums. There is no denying there is an aura that surrounds him although he did his best to dim the obvious wattage. The afternoon progressed and he suggested we go down to his local Italian for an early supper. Before leaving, he disappeared into his cellar and emerged with two magnums that were presented to the restaurant owner with a request that they be served. Don’t try this at your local Pizza Express, by the way. I had one sip of what was poured and it was like no wine I have ever tasted. I turned to my friend and said: “What on earth is that?” My mate knows a thing or two about vino and replied: “It’s a Brunello di Montalcino. There’s never very much of it and when it’s good, it’s very, very good. And that’s about as good as it gets.” so as I pass the road sign for Cite de Montalcino, I wonder if the town, the food and the wine can live up to the weight of my
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expectations. Osteria Porta Al Cassero is a simple trattoria that offers the opportunity to try - by the glass—various vintages from a selection of producers of the fabled stuff. Two couples from Birmingham at the next table discuss at length in that bemused lilt of the Black Country, the presence of a bidet in their hotel bathroom (“Wove nuvver rully yoused uh bouyday uv we luv?”…“Now, now, we uvnn’t”) as the first of three glasses is poured… So did it live up to the memory of that first encounter? I’ve had it many times since and so the answer would have to be ‘not quite’ but all are magical and match the rustic simplicity of the food. Il Poggione 2010 in particularly has a grace and power that is humbling and takes me back to that Scene from an Italian Restaurant all those years ago. I walk back to my hotel contented on all counts. Montalcino to Portofino looks good in print, sounds good to say and is good. Gently undulating roads across the rolling Tuscan Hills towards the coast, a sprint up the Autotrada and then off on Via Aurelia. That it’s called SP1 gives you a clue that it’s brilliant in the same way that California’s Route 1 is. Shame the UK’s very-own A1 ruins this otherwise profound observation but there you go. SP1 really is one of THE great European biking roads. It might lack the spectacle of Stelvio or the Grand St. Bernard but these are proper corners; lots of them and not a car in sight. The view from the terrace of the Cenobi dei Dogi at Comogli near Portofino is almost CGI in it’s improbable perfection. Sipping a Negroni as the sun goes down is one of those minor highlights that you know will linger long in the memory. Portofino itself is undeniably lovely and it would be churlish to complain about the Billionaires’ yachts (strike that: small ocean liners) blocking the view. It does put one in mind of the late, great Jim Bowen’s rejoinder on Bullseye (“Look what you could have won…”) in terms of assessing ones own modest achievements. This is not having your nose pushed up against the window but being thrown through plate-glass and coming face-to-face with a degree of extreme wealth that is otherwise unimaginable. Weathered, teaked, miserable-looking men in the autumn of their years, hair sprouting from most visible orifices, grunt their thanks to deckhands as they shuffle down the gangplank in creased leisure-wear leaving behind them lithe, leggy tanned girls who can “open doors with just a smile” to strut around the top deck in insouciantly nonmatching bikini tops & bottoms. They have so many, you see, it’s easy to get them mixed up… Skirting Genoa the next day on the way back into France, the excellent A8 swoops round the Ligurian Coast. I’m still undecided about Italy as it’s always
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promised more than it actually delivers. I’ve been lulled into thinking it’s a heaven on earth. After all, any country that can spawn Venice, the Ferrari 458, the MV Agusta F4, Zegna shirts, Brunello di Montalcino and Reggiano Parmesan must be perfect, right? But it’s just not. To a degree, Italy is a victim of its own export success in that many of it’s charms are too readily available without needing to actually visit the place. Take the food for instance. In most restaurants, it’s not deceptively simple, it’s just simple and combine a trip to Waitrose and Majestic Wine with the River Cafe Cookbook and you are 90% there. OK, the ingredients might not be quite as good as you can get fresh from an Orvieto market stall but it’s close enough for jazz. At the other end of the scale, like the haemorrhoids that nearly form while you’re waiting for the last of twenty-two amuse bouche to be served at Il Duomo, these restaurants are so far up their own fundament, the experience is more of an irritation than a pleasure. Only the bottom-end occasionally brings up the side: some Ciabatta and Bresaola, a few bits of Ruccola and a good slosh of olive oil at a deserted road-side cafe near L’aquila had me almost in Meg Ryan mode. The iconic destinations like the Amalfi Coast and Portofino are weepingly beautiful. They must be seen but are, inevitably, year-round busy. The rest of it? Well, much of it looks a lot like any other middling European country trying to support an ageing population from a dwindling tax base so even the not-so-picturesque places are busy - maniacally busy - and often drab. A bit like Britain actually; perfectly pleasant overall but not the Promised Land. And then there’s the driving. It’s a cheap jibe I know but it really is atrocious with the Autostrada being particularly gladiatorial. Everyone thinks they’re a lion and everyone else a Christian. Near Naples, a blacked-out Jeep flashed past me at over 150 Km/h followed by a Fiat Panda two metres off its rear, like a pair of feral dogs with the smaller runtier one trying to sniff the larger ones bottom. At the same time, one of those scooters that are ridden half lying-down snaked it’s way in and out of three lanes of traffic like a viper… Predictably, there’s carnage. In the same short stretch, four collisions bring the traffic to a grinding halt as we all file past. Three of them seemed minor enough, just a lot of Italians milling around shrugging in a manner that suggests that this is to be expected on a Monday morning but one of the shunts had taken out a whole crash barrier and the scene looked like a war-zone. In Britain, this would be a hi-viz jacketwearers love-in, all tape-measures, road-closures and Radio Two’s
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Sally Traffic lowering her voice by at least half an octave. Here? Just two sad looking blokes with brooms presided over by a brace of Carabinieri admiring each others uniforms. As a motorcycling destination, it comes up slightly short on pretty much every count apart from the wide availability of AGIP’s 100- octane rocket-fuel that makes your bike go like stink. Specifically, it lacks the expansiveness of France, cannot hold a candle a Germany’s shiny perfect road network, does not have the Trumpton-like charm and efficiency of Switzerland and gets the fag-end of the mountains compared with Austria. At all price points, the food is not up to Spain but this is more a re flection of Spain’s excellence on this measure at the moment than being an out right criticism. The roads are on a par with the UK which means occasionally brilliant but mostly poor in terms of grandeur and maintenance. The Regent Cinema in Cranleigh is long since gone but I remember being transfixed there by Fred Zinnemann’s 1973 film of ‘The Day of the Jackal’. I’ve seen the film countless times since and it’s become a minor obsession. It’s peerless: a masterpiece in linear story-telling with an economic script letting the Kodachrome-hued, 1970’s cinematography do most of the talking. There is a pivotal sequence midway through where Edward Fox’s white Alfa Giulietta comes to a halt where the ‘Midi’ and ‘Grande’ Corniches meet, high above Menton on the Cote d’Azur near the Italian Border at Ventimiglia. A road sign points one way to Italy and the other to Paris. He swings the car towards Paris, never to return. Like many other not-terribly-useful categorisations of the English as a divided nation (those who like Lord or the Rings and those that don’t; those that like motorhomes, those that don’t etc. etc.), I’d always felt most people had a moderate to strong preference for ‘France’ or 'Italy' over the other and I was firmly of the Italian persuasion. As I head back onto the A8 towards Nice and the Autotrain back to Paris, I’m no longer so sure.
[Editor: David’s original document was a PDF; generously paragraphed and with a profusion of pictures—all to a very professional presentation standard far beyond my capabilities to emulate with Microsoft Publisher. I apologise to him,. David passed his IAM test with EAMG in 2005]
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Events Summary Chris Johnson I have just two pages free in TUG; hence the Summary, rather than the customary Report, and few pictures. It starts with Richard's ride to Thetford on 27th November. The day was at least dry, with some occasional glints of sun, and we had 16 bikes. There was the inevitable coffee stop at Wally's, north of Sudbury, and then we went on roads, the details of which have faded from memory, to the Thetford Sainsbury's. I had the Xmas Lunch there, which had all the right components, but not in the quantities a grown man needs for satisfaction. On the way back Chris Reed & I distinguished ourselves by getting lost. I blame it all on Chris's excess of local knowledge. We came up the a large roundabout near Fornham on the B1106. The exit marker was not immediately visible. Had I been leading then, since I seldom know where I am, much less where I should be going, I would have circled round desperately trying to find something resembling a marker. Chris is made of sterner stuff and took the logical exit. When we backtracked he then compounded this by taking several clever shortcuts to get ahead of the group's declared route. Maybe these were just too clever because we never found them again. We eventually parted company at Leaden Roding after an agreeably paced ride. The distance for those who stayed with the group was about 160 miles, and Stu and Spider acted as sweepers. A week later it was time for the next Richard Ride; this time to Snape in Suffolk. Originally Richard had planned lunch at the Snape Maltings, but switched to a nearby garden centre when it threatened to be crowded. It was cold. Admittedly when I took the bike out of its shed it registered 12 degrees, but that was because I had turned on a heater in the shed an hour before to make sure that the bloody machine started; it soon dropped to 1 degree. Thank God for heated clothing. On the plus side it was sunny, and we had 14 bikes, including Stephen Green on a smart new Tracer without panniers and Jill on a fine BMW S1000XR; which was pretty good since she had not had hers delivered yet. Despite the cold we only encountered one small patch of slush. Standard roads out to the Sudbury McDonalds, pretty familiar ones to Needham Lake, and then it was fairly new for me. Lunch venue acceptable, with very fast service, but a Turkey Lunch should have more than three brussel sprouts and I felt I might have been unnecessarily harsh about the portion size on the previous run.. The fine weather became a disadvantage on the way back because the low sun, even with a clean visor, made riding difficult. We finished at the new (to me) McDonalds near Channels having covered a touch over 160 miles. Chris R and Ian Saunders did duty as sweepers. On the 11th December I 'led' the post-AGT ride to the Comfort Cafe. It wasn't an absolute classic of a catastrophic ride, but it had many of the features which have made the post-
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AGT rides so loved by our members. I thought we had only 5 participants so opted for the 'buddy' system. In fact there were an additional two bikes. More on that later. I had never actually led a ride to the Comfort Cafe myself but I was pretty sure I knew where it was. More on that too later. The first problem was that some confused the buddy and marker systems. It wasn't until Leaden Roding that the two behind me turned out to be Geoff Preston and Associate. After a bit of muddle we switched to marker system with Jill as sweeper, Everything then went OK-ish until the Comfort Cafe unaccountably disappeared from the face of the earth. I had simply misremembered where it was, and ploughed on three miles past it, to the great confusion of the troops, all of whom did appear to know its true location. I was sorted out and led ignominiously back to it. This was an empty exercise, since the rumours of its closure turned out to be only too well founded. Alan was deputised to find the nearest watering hole since he had his SatNav mounted. We followed him to the A11/A1307 McDonalds. The journey back was flawless, except obviously for one tiny little U-turn near Haverhill. We finished the ride at Dunmow after 86 miles. Everybody seemed happy enough, but it was a fine day. Another week, another ride. This time it was to be Mick's 'Associate' Ride to the Hillcrest Nurseries near Barningham. I think you could sum it up as the 'No' ride; no associates, no leader and no visibility. My KTM, having had a recent ECU upgrade, did start reluctantly in the cold. Mick did not have the same luck (although he has now gone one step better and had the latest beefier starter motor fitted). It was a miserable grey day, and on my journey up from below the Thames a mist developed which turned into fog; the insidious wetting sort which has you wiping your visor every five seconds. Only four of us actually turned up. Alan proposed a ride to Red Lodge, but I was so fed up with wiping my visor that I elected to scuttle back home instead. I hope it went well for them. Mick's next ride, arranged at short notice for a trip to Newmarket on 2nd January, was abandoned due to adverse weather, as was his ride on 15th January. He is not having much luck. The first ride of the New Year was thus Richard's ride to Sicklesmere in Suffolk on 8th January, a distance of about 120 miles. It was a very successful run. 17 bikes, balmy temperatures for the time of year, and no rain. There was even some sun on the way back. The route was a masterclass in stretching out 30 miles to twice as many without actually going off-piste and the short muddy lane was good fun (but it was even better fun to hear people complaining about it afterwards). Half a dozen left after the Rushbrook Arms because they wanted a longer run. I recorded 120 miles to Dunmow, and I got back home in time to clean the bike, which needed it badly. Thanks to Mick and Alan for sweeping. OK, that's it for this issue. In a couple of days I should be in Mumbai, with temperatures in the 30's. Eat you hearts out!
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Further Training Opportunities for Full Members 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 Observer. 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 benefit 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 being 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:
Joining Fee
2nd April, 2017
28th May, 2017
£45.00
30th July, 2017
22nd October, 2017
Contact John Tipper, 8 Carlton Ave, London N14 4UA. Email: jtipper@eamg.org.uk Tel : 0208 360 8590
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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 available 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 - 2017 Membership Secretary
Observer Co-ordinator
Jill Winn
John Tullett
membership@eamg.org.uk
jtullett@eamg.org.uk
Additional Membership Fee
Contribution to Observer
ÂŁ20 pa
ÂŁ10 per ride
Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982
Chris Johnson, Editor University of Essex Printing Services, contact Hannah 01206 872822 for more information. Please mention EAMG when replying to advertisers - it identifies you!
http://www.eamg.org.uk Affiliated to the British Motorcyclists Federation Registered Charity Number 1107703
Disclaimer and Copyright Notice: The articles published herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Essex Advanced Motorcyclists Group. They are the opinions of individual contributors and are published with a view that free expression promotes discussion 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 Š EAMG 20167 Illustrations Š EAMG 2017, except where indicated otherwise. Group material may be reproduced provided acknowledgement is given to EAMG and the original author.
Essex Advanced Motorcyclists Group Ltd, Registered Office, St Laurence House, 2 Gridiron Place, Upminster, Essex, RM14 2BE Registered in England & Wales, Registration No. 5258261
Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982