FREE September 2018
New and Used Motorcycles
0%
Bike Accessories Helmets, Gloves, Boots Protective Clothing
APR
YS125 List Price £2,973
SAVE £374
NOW
£2,599 OTR
Terms and Conditions apply
% 0APR
4
YEARS
Minimum
£300 deposit T&C’s apply
>>official dealer
This finance campaign may be extended or withdrawn at any time.
low rate finance available on all new BUILT FOR ALL ROADS. BUILT FOR NO ROADS. BUILT FOR SCOTTISH ROADS.
IN STOCK
TEST RIDES AVAILABLE
553 Gorgie Road, Edinburgh, EH11 3XX
Tel: 0131 478 6661 www.saltiremotorcycles.com @SaltireMcycles @AlbaCustoms
CBT DAS SERVICE MOT
www.albacustoms.com
www.facebook.com/saltiremotorcycles1
WELCOME TO THIS SEPTEMBER EDITION OF SCOTTISH BIKER MAGAZINE. After the ‘Beast from the East’ who would have thought that we would have had some great riding weather! Thank you as always to all our advertisers, supporters and contributors – without whom SBM just wouldn’t happen. So, please support those who help bring SBM to you!
Safe riding.. SBM Team
Thanks also to all our advertisers, sponsors and contributors who make this publication possible. Whilst every care has been taken in the compilation of this publication, the statements contained herein are believed to be correct at the time of publication. The publishers and promoters of this publication shall not be held liable for any inaccuracies. The publishers and promoters do not sanction or endorse any of the products and services featured in this publication. INDmedia Limited cannot be held liable for the origination of the text and images within this publication.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or any means, electronic or mechanical,including photocopying or recording or in any information retrieval system without the prior written permission of INDmedia. Front Cover and aerial images by Drone A-V
COME AND ENJOY OUR ROADS AND VIEWS BUT BE SURE TO DRIVESafe IN ARGYLL AND BUTE
Discounts available for new IAM RoadSmart Advanced Rider course participants who live in Argyll and Bute
Contact: road.safety@argyll-bute.gov.uk
A REAL FAVOURITE
W
hich is your favourite ride? It’s a frequently asked question, a recent SBM Facebook question came back with a number of the usual favourites Glen Coe, Glen Lochy, NC500 - so we decided to go on one of our own. Andy from Drone-Av and I recently had a day ride from our base at the Brander Lodge near Taynuilt with a plan of riding out to the most westerly point in Scotland, Ardnamurchan Point.
Unfortunatley, after the recent heatwave our day started damp and misty for the ride over the Connel Bridge and up the A828 before nipping up to Glencoe village for fuel, then back on the A82 to the Corran Ferry. Fortunately, on the ferry not only had the sun come out, but our bikes were amongst the first off and we were soon heading off along the A861 to Strontian. If you haven’t ridden through Glen Tarbert it must be one of the most dramatic places in the UK, with the added benefit of virtually no traffic! After coffee and cake at the café in Strontian it was back on the A861 to Salen, before joining the B8007 following the undulating, twisting single track alongside Loch Sunart. The joy of riding a bike - tranquillity, involvement and escapism.
Photo opportunities abound along these roads, with ample passing places and viewpoints. Also, on our ride, very few motorhomes and caravans! After Kilchoan there’s another road that can be followed out to Sanna Point which is also another beautiful stretch of isolated road. But we had continued on the lighthouse at Ardnamurchan point. On pulling into the carpark area we see 3 x Dutch and 1 x German plated cars and 1 x German motorcycle – hardly any UK plates… After a few photos and Andy flying his drone (again) – it’s time to head back. We did consider following the A861 back towards Lochailort, picking up the A830 to Fort William for the return leg. But time was getting on, it was already 4.30pm by the time we got back to Strontian (and the café was closing) so it was back to Ardgour to squeeze onto the ferry.
Do we do the loop up through Glen Coe and back through Glen Orchy? Decision was made at South Ballachulish when the cloud was so low we couldn’t see the tops and the rain came on – nah, let’s go back the way we came and save a real soaking… If you haven’t been to Ardnamurchan, give it some thought – if you have already, you know how beautiful and dramatic it is. It’s definitely an SBM favourite! Where we stayed; Brander Lodge Hotel www.branderlodge.com 01866 822243 (mention Scottish Biker Magazine)
ScottishBikerMagazine.com
Each season of the year here in Argyll offers us superb variance in atmosphere and surrounding scenery from the mass colours of a Scottish Autumn to the lush refreshing new growth and floral spender of Spring. A 400 meter snow lined mountainous vista with leaf bear trees offering stunning views over mirrored Lochs and the meandering roads through frosty and misty Glens to the madness of the midge filled tourist laden summer season. All have their own characteristics and appeal and lend the landscapes to superb riding. In the cooler seasons what nicer end to the day than relax around the log burner with a Malt of two from our selection of 160 plus Malts and or 37 Gins. We cater all year round with all day food through to 9pm in quieter months and 9.30pm in Summer. As you will experience we have an abundance of safe off road sealed parking in a tranquil setting.
Inveraray Furnace
Road Safety Unit
Minard
Of J
ura
Jura
Lochgilphead
A83
Lochgair
Crinan Canal ●
Sou
nd
Ardrishaig
Dunoon
A83
Achahoish B8024
Tarbert
Kilberry
Bute
er
t
Kennacraig
ch
Ta
rb
A83
es
t
Lo
B8001
W
Ferry t o Islay
Clachan
Claonaig
Arr
Firth of Clyde
an
A83
Gigha
Tayinloan
Muasdale
Argyll 190
Skipness o ry T
B842
Skipness Castle (Open To Public)
Fer
Islay
B8001
Carradale
Glenbarr
Places To Visit Ardrishaig - Food/Accommodation -
Saddell
Public Toilets - Crinan Canal - Shops - Garage - Bike Hire
Bellochantuy - Food/Accommodation - Farm Stall Campbeltown - Tourist Information -
Bellochantuy
Supermarket - Bars & Pubs - Accommodation - Fuel
Carradale - Caravan/Camping - Golf Course -
Arran
Bike Hire - Food/Accommodation - Shops
Clachan - Fuel - Shop Furnace - Shop Glenbarr - Café - Abbey - Caravan Site Inveraray - Fuel, Food/Accommodation -
B842 A83
Peninver
Public Toilets - Shops - Caravan Site - Tourist Information
Kennacraig - Ferry To Islay, Jura & Colonsay Kilberry - Food/Accommodation - Camping Lochgair - Food/Accommodation Lochgilphead - Fuel, Food/Accommodation-
Westport Beach
Machrihanish
Public Toilets - ATM - Garage - Shops - Caravan and camping,
Machrihanish - Golf - Food - Shops - Camping Minard - Shop Skipness - Ferry To Arran - Shop - Seafood Cabin (Summer) Southend - Tearoom - Golf - Camping - Shop Tayinloan - Gigha Ferry - Tearoom Tarbert - Shops - Public Toilets - Food/Accommodation -
Davaar Island
B842
Campbeltown B842
Tourist Information - ATM
KE Y: PHONEBOX
FO O D / ACCOMMODATION
T O U RI S T I N FO RM A T I O N
SHOPS
C A RA V A N S I T E / C A M P I N G P A RK
FU E L
PUBLIC TOILETS
ATM
G A RA G E
Southend Mull of Kintyre Lighthouse
ST COLUMBA’S FOOTPRINTS
Sanda Island
Sheep Island ST NINIAN’S CHAPEL
Road Safety Unit
SBM PRIVILEGED ACCESS! Adrian Morton – Senior Designer at MV Agusta
S
BM had privileged access to ask Adrian some questions to see how a boy from Norwich, graduated from The Royal College of Art in 1995 and ended up being one of the world’s leading motorcycle designers.
Q When you graduated from the Royal
College of Art, studying industrial design, did you have a clear idea that you wanted to design motorcycles or were other products in your mind? AM Absolutely! I studied previously at
Coventry University to achieve a degree in Transportation Design, then proceeded to the RCA to achieve a Masters in Vehicle Design. Both my final exam projects were motorcycles “Chameleon” – A lightweight beginners’ bike that evolved in terms of rider position and power & “Equus” which looked at the assimilation of rider and bike, with an armoured medieval knight and armoured horse.
Q Did you own bikes as a young man and
which contemporary bikes influenced your creative ideas by the time you started designing bikes?
AM When I was at school I owned a (very,
very) worn out Suzuki AP 50 two-stroke that refused to start on a daily basis. The crank seals were worn, and I’d get through more gearbox oil than 2 stroke oil. When I arrived in London to study my Master’s degree I purchased a T-Reg Honda C90 for £25 that became my daily ride / ”race” machine (with the competitive couriers). A passionate security guard in the Royal College of Art called Tim took pity on me and gave me an incredible gift; my first true motorcycle, a Honda Benly 200 Twin. After a few weeks the engine expired but it was widely used a courier machine in London so finding parts was easy. It ran faultlessly for a year and was the best sounding bike in the World (or so I thought…..). I then gave it to a friend of mine when I left for Italy. Adrian went to Italy to work for Centro Ricerche Cagiva (CRC) where the revered Massimo Tamburini headed the design team. Tamburini is undeniably one of the greatest ever motorcycle designers, responsible for, amongst others, the game-changing Ducati 916 and the stunning MV F4.
Q Which bikes did you work on whilst at CRC? AM I began contributing to the design
development work of the then CAGIVA F4 750. After a few months I was tasked to develop some initial thoughts and concepts on the naked project. In parallel I also worked on the design and 3d development of the single sided swing arm that was utilised on both vehicles. At an early stage the introduction of a Porsche inspired headlamp, “Discovolante” inspired fuel tank and streetfighter proportions were introduced. Above all the name BRUTALE the Italian for BRUTAL was the header on every sketch; which gave a theme for the
project and defined a brand within itself. I made a full-size clay model that formed the basis for the production motorcycle that Massimo was accredited for. 18 months later Adrian was hired by Benelli (for 7 years) to design a new range of 3-cylinder sports bikes.
characteristics that are fabulous when seeking a truly incredible emotive riding experience.
Q How much is the engine configuration
Q Which bikes did you work on there?
or chassis type dictated by the engineering team and how much by the chief designer’s overall vision and styling requirements?
AM Tornado 900 3, Tornado SBK
AM I’m not an engineer but I have
Contender, TNT 1130 & the initial phase of the TREK. With Tamburini due to retire and Benelli sold to the Chinese in 2005, Adrian was seen as the man to continue Tamburini’s vision at MV Agusta -
Q For how long did you work alongside Tamburini at MV before he retired?
I worked with Massimo between 1995 and 1997 (two years) and 2004 until his retirement in 2008 (four years) so six years in total. AM
Which were the first bikes that you
Q worked on at MV?
AM Brutale 750 & F4 750 4 cylinder.
Q What is your proudest creation to date? AM I think the F3 Super sports. It was a
difficult project after the F4 where there were less imposing limits on costs. It was also developed under the strict management of Harley Davidson who owned MV Agusta at the time and was the first complete motorcycle developed without Massimo Tamburini which meant it had to respect the values he defined. The goal was to create a bike that would not be perceived as a change in direction and brand DNA. Most people saw it as a motorcycle designed by Tamburini which I consider to be a huge compliment.
Q Your career seems to be dominated
by three-cylinder engines. Is that configuration one that you favour?
AM I love big twins too, but a three-cylinder
bike offers the torque and power
developed a sensibility to technical aspects after working in the industry for 23 years. More often than not if it looks (and feels) right it more than often is. I work closely with our engineers without conflict and with mutual respect. I get a say on every detail which is essential in creating a harmonic design.
Q The F3 is an absolutely stunning
looking motorcycle, were you solely responsible for the design? Yes, working in collaboration with our incredible technical office based in the Castiglioni Research Centre based in San Marino. AM
Does the F3 have radially placed valves
Q like the F4 with its Ferrari inspired layout. AM No, it uses a traditional arrangement.
What is the big benefit from using
Q valves positioned in this way?
AM The radial valve layout does not actually
refer to the way they are positioned in the cylinder head. This arrangement allows improved port size and shape, valve included angle, and improved combustion chamber shape. The concept was carried over from technology utilized in F1 cars at the beginning of the engine development and still provides a class leading (over 205 bhp x liter) on our current road bikes.
AM Absolutely…. it’s important to carry
over a family feeling in terms of surface quality and feel but we always try to add something new into the mix to avoid the risk of repetition and therefore a potential negative customer response.
Q With the restructuring and refinancing of
the company hopefully now sorted, where do you see MV going in the next 10 years, what sort of player do they hope to be?
Q
Is the F4 unique amongst sports bikes with this valve positioning?
AM On production bikes it is unique feature.
The Turismo Veloce is another
Q beautiful bike. As it is a departure for MV, breaking into a new sector of the market, how important is the Turismo Veloce to the future plans of MV? AM Yes, it is in fact a departure in some
respects but with all the core values that make it a true MV Agusta. We didn’t intend to create a competitor for long haul tourers. This bike is about maximum enjoyment, incredible rider dynamics with sufficient space for a passenger and incredible levels of storage capacity give its compact dimensions. A true Fast Tourer as the name suggests.
Q Does it create any practical problems
with you being located at the R&D facility in San Marino when the bikes are built 350 miles away in Varese? AM Of course, there are certain issues.
We often travel to the main factory but with the revolution in communication technology the distance has in many respects diminished.
Q When you start to design a new bike
do you intentionally retain some of the DNA of the previous models to maintain the evolutionary process and brand identity or sit down with a clean sheet of paper and see where your creativity takes you?
AM We have some incredible projects on
the drawing board, and with a rationale to convert from expensive mass production tooling to soft tooling (and therefore the widespread use of composites) we will increase further the perceived value of our product. This has been typified in our new RVS line where for the first time the CRC has contributed to the production components to make a limited 100 bikes. We have also introduced the 1 to 1 project that allows an affluent individual to create a single unique motorcycle designed by us entirely and developed into a working reality. This will allow us a huge degree of freedom to create a vehicle that doesn’t have to meet specific homologation requests. It will offer us the chance to develop a true concept bike.
For more information about MV Agusta in Scotland contact Paul Weinberger on 01334 65570 www.mvagustascotland.co.uk
FIRST ON SCENE I
f you were the first on the scene of an collision involving a biker, would you know what to do? Would you know who is most at risk, how to protect the area or whether you should remove the helmet of a downed rider? Actions taken in the first few moments after a collision can be crucial in minimising injuries and can make a real difference to the lives of those involved. Biker Down is a FREE three hour awareness course run by bikers for bikers, designed to answer these uncertainties. The course uses the expertise of the Emergency Services to prepare motorcyclists should the worst happen on the roads. Biker Down originated in Kent Fire & Rescue Service and runs at Scottish Fire & Rescue Service stations in a number of locations in Scotland such as Motherwell, Inveraray and South Queensferry. For the first time in the Stirling & Clackmannanshire area, we will be running Biker Down courses at
Callander Fire Station. The Callander Biker Down courses are a collaborative effort from all emergency services with the Scottish Ambulance Service and Police Scotland being involved together with the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service. The course is aimed at motorcyclists of all ages and experience. The free course offers people the chance to learn practical skills to help avoid being involved in a crash, as well as essential first-aid training and advice on what to do should they find themselves first on the scene of a crash where someone is injured. To book and for details see the Biker Down Scotland. Biker Down Scotland or email us to book at e.bikerdownscotland@firescotland.gov.uk
JENNIFER CHARLTON’S TIPS FOR THE PERFECT IMAGE AT BSB
E
xcitement levels are high when living the dream as a trackside Photographer at the British Super Bikes. Rule number one is to keep a cool head and still the pounding heart as the deafening roar of the bikes approach reaching speeds up to 180 mph. Keep all your wits about you and focus on the shot to show these stunning lethal weapons and athletes in their glory, and get ready to run, after you have bagged the shot of course! www.Jennifercharltonphotography.com Jennifer Charlton Photography @jencharlton21
Pit Lane, 6 Mossland Drive, Hillington Park, Glasgow. G52 4FA. Sales: 0141 333 4998 Parts and Service: 0141 333 0996 Web: www.ducatiglasgow.co.uk Email: info@ducatiglasgow.co.uk Tue - Fri 8.30am-5.30pm / Sat 8.30am - 5pm / Sunday 12noon-4pm
SCOTLAND’S FINEST NEW AND USED MOTORCYCLES
VISIT OUR POP-UP DEALERSHIP AT THE GRAMPIAN MOTORCYCLE CONVENTION, ALFORD, ABERDEENSHIRE SUNDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER 2018 MCN MULTI-FRANCHISE DEALER OF THE YEAR 2017 (SCOTLAND AND THE NORTH)
LONGEST DAY by Stuart West-Gray
I
n the summer of 2017, six riders from the Peebles Motorcycle Clan set off on a five countries challenge to raise money for a local Peebles charity; raised over £2000 and rode just under 700 miles in one day. Clearly, that was too easy.
For 2018 we had to do bigger and better, one of us suggested capital cities was more of a challenge than just countries, so a plan was hatched, mad volunteers opted in and considerably more sensible people backed out! The final plan was to ride to landmarks, easily recognizable from each city, so we choose Edinburgh Castle to Buckingham Palace, Cardiff Castle, Dublin Castle and finally Stormont, within 24 hours.... :) And a target of £3000. So on the 21st June, “The Longest Day”, at one minute past midnight Bill, Craig, John, Paul and myself set off from Edinburgh Castle on an adventure I doubt any of us will ever forget. We spent the weeks before begging and bribing for donations of money or prizes to raise money for two worthy charities, The Margaret Kerr Unit at Borders Hospital and The National Association of Blood Bikes. 2018 the year of one of the warmest summers on record, what could possibly go wrong; as we set of from the Royal Mile, on cobbles, in a gentle rain... We were waved off by the Harrison Clan, and escorted out of Edinburgh by John from Blood Bikes Scotland, who rode with us to Hillend where we fueled up for the first leg of our mammoth journey. The ride down to Abington was cool and strangely beautiful, my Denali D4 LED flood lights picked out owls, foxes and spooky looking sheep as we headed
down the A702; with little traffic and a well lit road we were able to make good progress down to the M74. At Abington we started the proper journey south, setting a brisk pace through the night and before we knew it we were across in to England. What’s amazing on the longest day, is the night sky is never dark and you were always aware of the light in sky behind you. The ride over Shap was COLD, all of us in summer riding gear with maybe a wee extra layer for the night ride; when we stopped at our first pit stop, Lancaster Services, the first subject of conversation was the cold! A quick pee, fuel and off we went again in to the dark. The hour before the dawn they say is the most difficult to stay awake, how true... but we all managed and rode on in sunshine to Warwick services, by which time the traffic was building quickly and on top of that, the M40 is like a race circuit compared to Scottish motorways. We stopped in an empty Starbucks and compared fuel ranges, lights, GPS’s and bottoms (easy!)! It was at this time, with traffic building fast we took the decision to
call in Plan-B for London and head for the ACE CAFE as our London landmark... this went down well. Having spent years working in London I’m more than used to the M40/A40 traffic jam and as we passed Northolt airbase, sure enough the car-park began! I took the lead and fought my way through three lanes & four miles of crawling traffic to the Hanger Lane slip-road and made sure that we all headed off on to the North Circular for our first landmark, The Ace Cafe. Coffees, toilet, photos & memorabilia and then back on the road to Welsh Wales! (Bill has uploaded the video of the ride in to the ACE and can be found on You-Tube). The scunner was, the traffic heading out of London was actually worse, than the traffic coming in and this put us behind. We got to Newbury services and refueled bikes and tummies and straight back on the road within 20 minutes; this was starting to get serious, our only real deadline was to make the ferry at Holyhead, and it was now starting to look tight! Next stop Cardiff! The ride over the Severn Crossing was beautiful; but not as nice as a ride across the Forth Crossing, but I guess I’m biased Cardiff was easy to get in to the city, a very quick photo and away we went again, with a daunting 4 and half hour ride across Wales to get the ferry on time; and here it all nearly went bad; Paul and I went one way, while Bill, John & Craig went another; we managed a phone call via our headsets and agreed we meet in Holyhead.
Paul and I dropped back in to England and blasted up the fast roads whilst our pals crossed the middle of Wales, 100’s of miles passed and several hours later and by some small miracle, all five of us rode in to the ferry terminal together, we couldn’t have planned it better if we tried... We spent the two hour ferry ride exchanging stories of mad drivers and near misses and the simply stunning fact we were going to do this! (Don’t buy the Fish&Chips on Irish ferries... it’s awful!) Off the ferry in to a very warm Dublin... the GPS’s sending us in circles we finally found Dublin Castle (looked more like an office building) and we were now on our final leg. Now cruising we all took turns at leading and headed for Belfast, passing our hotel on the way to Stormont where 10 hours and 15 minutes later we completed our challenge; we turned around, headed for the hotel and ordered the best tasting pints of Guinness and Harp ever poured! Our achievement, an average of 922 miles and with Gift Aid included, over £4000 was raised to be shared between our charities, not a crossed word between us and not one bike missed a beat... the next day two went for a ride around Ulster while three of us headed home.
Thanks to everyone that donated and a very special thanks to Ellie Harrison and her clan, that raised so much for us and came out at midnight to wave us off. You were with us all the way. As John said at Stormont “Never again!”.... 2019 plans are well under way, next year £5000! Within our team we have members whose families have been aided by The Margaret Kerr Unit and several volunteers that ride or have ridden with a Blood Bike group. Please dig deep and support these outstanding charities.
Top Safety Camera Myths Myth 1 Your cameras are placed where they will make the most money… Absolutely not, cameras are placed where there is a history of injury collisions due to noncompliance with red lights or where speed is a factor in collisions. We look on our most effective cameras as the ones with least activations.
Myth 4 If I change lanes in an average speed camera system I won’t be detected speeding… False. Vehicles can be recorded between multiple locations and multiple lanes within the average speed camera system.
Myth 2
Myth 5
If you drive really fast, you won’t trigger the camera…
You get all the fine money…
Nonsense. The only way to avoid triggering the camera is to stick within the speed limit.
Myth 3 You can’t detect motorcycles or vehicles without number plates on the front… We can. Safety camera vans have both front and rear facing cameras. Average speed cameras can be set up either forward or rear facing. Red-light, red-speed and fixed cameras all capture an image of the rear of a vehicle so will detect all vehicle types.
Totally false. Fines are paid directly to the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and we do not see a penny of this. Our Programme is funded by grant and we would receive this irrespective of the number of offences detected by safety cameras. In fact, we would hope to see the number of offences go down as this would indicate our cameras are having a positive effect on driver behaviour.
For information about safety cameras, including camera locations, visit: www.safetycameras.gov.scot Follow us on Facebook & Twitter: @safetycamscot
SAFETY CAMERAS SCOTLAND
ST ONLY WHILE STOCK!S LA - BE QUICK WEST COAST HARLEY-DAVIDSON ® PIT LANE, 8 MOSSLAND DRIVE, HILLINGTON PARK, GLASGOW, G52 4FA
0141 883 1450 WWW.WESTCOASTHARLEY.COM
HUNTER WILSON
H
ave you ever thought: what age will you finally retire from motorcycling?
I asked Moffat legend Hunter Wilson, who turned 90 in February this year. With typical Hunter humour, he replied: “As long as I pass my yearly MOT with the GP and Optician I want to continue to ride.” Hunter has always had a passion for motorcycles. His first bike was a Norton, Model 18 his dad gave him for his 21st birthday in 1949. Hunter’s motorcycling life followed an all too familiar pattern: bikes gave way to a new family. Fortunately for Hunter, his son Neil has inherited his father’s
passion for motorcycling. Neil was still living at home when he left university and went to work on an oil rig. This meant Hunter had a steady supply of different machines, which Neil had stored in his garage, to test ride on his daily commute to Lockerbie. But as there is nothing like owning your own bike it was inevitable that Hunter would return to his passion for motorcycles full time. So having owned a fair few motorbikes after 69 years in the saddle, which is his favourite? The Kawasaki ER6/F. Hunter currently owns a KTM 390 Duke. It is light and does everything he needs on the roads around the Scottish Borders although, as he admits, “because of my advanced age the insurance is expensive”. So what’s Hunter’s secret to his motorcycling longevity? Porridge every morning. From Andy Tunnicliffe, Beeftub Bikers.
G
MTS (Tayside) Ltd are delighted to have been chosen as a Honda Approved School of Motorcycling, which follows on neatly from our MCIA Accreditation, including Ian and Michal’s Instructor Accreditation at the beginning of the year!
Daytona Velona 80 Classic looks, modern functions
n Speed and RPM or RPM and Speed n 80mm Diameter n Black Metal Case n Warning lights
We are very happy to work with Ecosse Motorcycles in Dundee to strengthen this partnership, and look forward to a long and happy association. We already help out at their open days, leading ride-outs and cooking burgers, and cakes feature heavily in there too!! In a strangely quiet season, it is good to have a bit of a lift with some good news. At last, it seems, some of the hard work at building up a good reputation is starting to pay dividends.
Maggie Mitchell GMTS (Tayside) To order call 01564 775522
visit www.digital-speedos.co.uk
Find us on Facebook www.annandalearmshotel.co.uk +44 (0)1683 220013
Moffat's Town Centre Hotel
High Street Moffat Scotland DG10 9HF
BED & BREAKFAST RATES
Bed, Breakfast & Dinner Rates Clubs & Groups Weekend Breaks
Just 1 mile from the M74A motorway, The Annandale Arms Hotel is situated in the very centre of the motorcycling friendly town of Moffat. Discover a smart privately-owned hotel that offers a level of comfort and service that is hard to equal. With 19 en-suite rooms we regularly cater for large groups of Motorcyclists from all over Europe. Originally built to serve the stage coaches the hotel still offers a warm welcome to travellers and visitors alike. Off road parking in our enclosed courtyard caters for large groups that use the Annandale as a base to explore the breath-taking scenery and open quiet roads of the Scottish borders.
AWARD WINNING RESTAURANT • LOCALLY BREWED REAL ALES • LARGE SELECTION OF WHISKIES
Mention Scottish Biker Magazine to get your discounted rate FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR GIVE US A CALL +44 (0)1683 220013
NOW £209
NOW £149
NOW £179
NOW £149
NOW £129
SCOTLAND’S ONLY DAINESE PRO STORE FULLY TRAINED DUCATI AND DAINESE CUSTOM CREATORS
CUSTOM BUILD YOUR SUIT WITH: Fitting | Colours | Accessories
CONFIGURE YOUR OWN MOTORCYCLE WEAR
0141 406 3417 dainese@ducatiglasgow.co.uk www.ducatiglasgow.co.uk DAINESE GLASGOW WITHIN DUCATI GLASGOW PIT LANE, 6 MOSSLAND DRIVE, HILLINGTON PARK GLASGOW, G52 4FA
Tue - Fri 8.30am-5.30pm Sat 8.30am - 5pm Sun 12noon-4pm
Tiger 800 £500 Contribution
Street Twin, Cup & Scrambler £900 Voucher
Bonneville T100 & T120 £500 Contibution & Finance Offers
Street Triple £500 Contibution & Finance Offers All offers end 30/09/2018. Deposit contributions can be used to either increase your planned deposit, or fund part of the deposit proposed to pay. Personalisation contributions can assist with the purchase of Triumph clothing, Triumph accessories, Triumph insurance, a reduced TriStar monthly payment and so much more.
Bobber £500 Contibution & Finance Offers
See our website www.triumphglasgow.co.uk for finance examples and to calculate a personalised quote.
Pit Lane, 6 Mossland Drive, Hillington Park, Glasgow G52 4FA Tue - Fri 8.30am-5.30pm Sat 8.30am - 5pm Sun 12noon-4pm
Sales: 0141 406 3414 Parts and Service: 0141 406 3415 info@triumphglasgow.co.uk www.triumphglasgow.co.uk
THUNDER IN THE GLEN by © Dez S Urban
IT’S BACK BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER
D
unedin Chapter Scotland are delighted to be delivering their 22nd Thunder in the Glens Rally in Aviemore over the August Bank holiday weekend 24th-27th. This year’s rally is shaping up to be the busiest yet with pre-registrations at an all time high. Headlining the event this year will be Rick Parfitt Junior with the RPJ Band, the Skids and Gun as well as many other bands. The main event of the weekend, the Saturday mass ride out will depart Aviemore at 12.00pm, heading through Carrbridge, Loch Indorb, Grantown, Boat of Garten, Nethy Bridge and back into Grantown for a stop over. Visitors are invited to enter the rally site, on the Macdonald Aviemore Resort, and join in the fun and activities taking place. There
is something for all the family including entertainment, trade village and the hugely popular charity pillion rides on Sunday afternoon (2.00pm-4.00pm). Full details of the programme can be found at www.dunedinhog.com or on the Thunder in the Glens Facebook Page. The ever popular H-D Demo Rides will also be back based at the Winking Owl, offering an opportunity to test ride the last H-D motorcycle range. Just remember to bring along your motorcycle riding licence. Along side this will be the Jeep demo drives. These are all bookable on the day but be sure to get in early as these are very popular and demand is high. Once again there will the opportunity to win a brand new
Harley-Davidson motorcycle which is being raffled in aid of Alzheimers Scotland, this year’s chosen charity. Look out for the volunteer ticket sales people on the rally site. A number of local charities will also benefit from funds raised throughout the weekend. With visitors booked to attend the rally from all across the world the organisers of TITG would like to thank all their sponsors and residents of Aviemore and surrounding area who support the event. Without your support the rally would not be the global success it has become. So why not come along and join in all the fun. We look forward to greeting you.
Dunedin Chapter Scotland
AIR AMBULANCE PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN SAVING BIKER’S LIFE. Motorcyclist, James Millar, owes his life to an air ambulance helicopter crew following a horrific RTC where he suffered two cardiac arrests and was given 1% chance of survival. The serious motorcycle collision took place in August 2015 at the Lix Toll Garage on the A85 between Lochearnhead and Crianlarich. James had been on a run on his Triumph Thruxton with some friends up to Glencoe and was making his way south after stopping for a coffee at the Green Welly Stop at Tyndrum. Weather conditions were excellent, and the road surface was dry. As James approached the garage, he suddenly saw a red Honda Civic that had been travelling north, pull across his path. There was absolutely nothing that he could do. He wasn’t afforded any opportunity to take evasive action. His bike went spinning off down the north bound carriageway and he ended up underneath the front nearside passenger door of the vehicle.
A Dutch girl who was also a motorcyclist pulled up and ran across screaming at the lady driver, “are you blind?” The female driver got out of her car saying, “I never saw him.” The Emergency services were quick to respond and attended the scene. An air ambulance helicopter was requested and landed in an adjacent field. James was stretchered into the back of the ambulance to be taken down to the helicopter and that is the last thing he remembers until waking up in hospital. Whilst in the ambulance, James suffered a cardiac arrest. He was stabilised, placed in the helicopter and then had a second cardiac arrest. He was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. He had suffered a collapsed lung, a right pneumothorax and 4 fractured ribs to his right side. He had also suffered a fracture to his right clavicle and his right femur was fractured in two places.
He spent 31 days in total at the QMUH. Most of that time was spent in the High Dependency Unit or Intensive Care. When James eventually got home from hospital, he decided to change the Solicitor appointed by his insurer and contacted specialist motorcycle Solicitor, Brenda Mitchell at Motorcycle Law Scotland. Brenda made an appointment to go and see James at home the following day. This case demonstrates co-operation between a Solicitor and an insurer. From day 1, the insurer agreed to support a request for extensive rehabilitation. A case manager was appointed to identify James’ needs. He got access to private physiotherapy, psychological treatment, gym membership. He got everything he needed in order to assist with his recovery. Interim payments were received to ease financial stress and burden because James was paid off from his job as an HGV driver on grounds of ill health. Due to the extensive nature of his multiple injuries, James’ recovery was long and slow despite the extensive rehabilitation package that was put in place. It was important to wait until the right time to obtain medical reports (cardiology, orthopaedic, neuropsychological) in order to properly quantify James’ case. On receipt of all medical reports from five separate medical consultants, pension loss reports, vocational reports and even orthotic reports, James’ claim was quantified and a statement of valuation submitted to the third party insurer. The insurer came back with very reasonable proposals for settlement. The case did not need to go to Court which displays sensible co-operation between Insurer and Solicitor. More than anything else, James was not subjected to additional stress. He was able to get closure without the uncertainly and potential unpredictability of raising proceedings in Court and another year of turmoil. In recognition of the critical role that the air ambulance played in saving his life, James visited Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) and handed over a cheque for £1,000 on behalf of Motorcycle Law Scotland (MLS) to support all the work that SCAA do getting injured motorcyclists, like him, to a hospital as quickly as possible.
Pictured above: James Millar, SCAA Paramedics - Craig and Wendy with Rod Mitchell - Marketing Director, Motorcycle Law Scotland.
motorcyclelawscotland.co.uk 0333 555 7782
A QUICK Q&A WITH JIM TODD – - PROVOST OF EAST AYRSHIRE
Q How long have you been riding bikes? JT For 40 years
Q What bikes do you currently own? JT Triumph Rocket 3, Harley Davidson Fatboy + FXR 1340 and Triumph Bonneville 750
Q How long have you been in Office? JT Since 2007, Provost since 2012
Q What reaction have you had from the public to be a ‘motorcycling Provost’?
JT Wonderful!
Q How did you first get involved for “Ride for Dad” and what’s in the future?
JT
I was inspired by a woman who challenged Breast Cancer. The first Ride for Dad was 2012.
Q What you think should/could be done to promote motorcycling and awareness of motorcycles in Local Government?
JT Keep talking & rocking!
Q What other Two Wheeled initiatives are you involved with?
JT I’m involved with all sorts of charitable initiatives by local bike clubs.
edinburgh harley-davidson® Come and experience the all new Softail Range. £1000 towards your deposit. limited availability. From £132 per month.
Representative finance example Harley-Davidson® Softail® Street Bob® FXBB Cash price
£12,295
Total amount of credit
£9,295
Deposit / part ex Purchase fee*
Credit facility fee†
Total amount payable Initial payment
35 monthly payments
Optional final payment Duration of agreement Representative APR
Fixed rate of interest
£3,000 £10 £0
£14,668.56 £132.71 £132.71 £6,891
37 months
9.9%
9.44%
Over 100 new and used motorycles on sale at our all new Edinburgh showroom
Edinburgh Harley-Davidson® 6 Cultins Road, Edinburgh EH11 4DG 0131 348 3200 www.edinburghharley-davidson.co.uk /EdinburghHarleyDavidson Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offer applies to new bikes ordered from Edinburgh Harley-Davidson between 1st August - 30th September 2018. Terms & conditions apply. © H-D 2018. Harley, Harley-Davidson and the Bar and Shield logo are among the trademarks of H-D U.S.A., LLC. *Included in the final payment. † Included in monthly payments.
ROSE LODGE Inverness
An ideal location after a long day riding and taking in the fantastic scenery and some of the best roads in Scotland, maybe riding the North Coast 500, Rose Lodge Guest House is a motorcycle friendly B&B situated 5 mins from Inverness City Centre with its wide range of Bars, Restaurants and shops. Also, close by are theatres, cinema and cathedral.
AccommodAtion is mAde up of; • 1 x family room - en suite (1 x double plus single). • 1 x twin - en suite • 1 x small double (separate bathroom) • 1 x single - en suite • Rose Lodge has off road parking, a drying room as well as access to a garage. • Full Scottish breakfast between 7.15 & 8.30am
contAct: Blair Stevenson 01463 233434 6 Kenneth Street Inverness IV3 5NR
Bookings: 01463 233434
www.roselodgeguesthouse.co.uk
CALIFORNIA SUPERBIKE SCHOOL
Not just any old school day! Having just driven 350 miles through monsoon rain during the hottest summer on record, typical, I sat in Garage 39 in Donnington Park praying it would stay dry for my first time on a track. After 20years doing my “own thing” on, and off, the bike ;-) my wife had finally convinced me to sign up for a California Superbike School day, the brainchild of legendary coach Keith Code of Twistof-the-Wrist book fame. And who was I to say no to my first track day on my trusty Z1000SX. And boy it didn’t disappoint! And mercifully, it stayed dry… California Superbike School has been training bikers for 38 years, hence it feels a very professional, well organised, well trained, trustworthy, and slick experience. Before going anywhere near a track, they do inductions, thorough checks of your gear & bike, full track safety &orientation briefings, introduce the team and get you into your groups based on levels (sorry, you always have to start at Level 1, no matter how Rossi’esk you are). There are 5 classroom lessons taught throughout the day, short, succinct, well delivered by Gary and simple 10-15min talks that introduce skills that build on each other throughout the day.. Then they let you loose on the 2.5mile British Superbike track!!
To start, they do a couple of sighting laps with your group, there were 20 in mine so the track was not busy, then they let you go! First session was 4th gear and no brakes but, trust me, it was a great way to learn the track and get out of those tricky situations without ending up in the gravel… every now and then your trainer would sit in front of you and demonstrate the technique you were practicing, this was brilliant as it gave you better lines, better understanding of when to put the power on and how to corner like a pro… Each lesson built up a new technique to add to your cornering skills and the last one, “2-step” genuinely brought it all together so well for me I was hitting apex’s, cleared all the chicken strips of my rear tyre and was scraping the pegs like never before… but in a safe and monitored environment! Now, its not a race day in any form, and everyone goes at the pace they feel comfortable but I was flat out on many sections of the laps and covered 101miles in my 5 track sessions, so for that alone, the ticket price was way beyond value for money…. and coupled with the perma-grin on my face and the huge sense of adrenaline, fun and improvement I cannot recommend it enough… On the way back home, I decided to cut off the M74 and take the A76 though Dumfries to Ayr. The first tight corner was a sinch, the second I found I was looking ahead and seeing apex’s… the smile returned to my face and I realised that all along it had been me holding the bike back and not the other way round…. Alan H Rowley
Shirlaws of Aberdeen Celebrating 90 years in business Still Scotland’s biggest and best bike shop. Also Celebrating 1st birthday of the new Suzuki Solus showroom With a huge range of new and used bikes along side
an extensive clothing
and accessories range. · Arch 13 · South College St · · Scotland · AB11 6JX · · suzukisales@shirlaws.com · · 01224 58 48 55 · @ShirlawsSuzukiAberdeen
·
ADVENTURE AWAITS… Saltire Motorcycles adds some Orange to their showroom floor – KTM IS HERE!
The need to travel is the adventurer’s lifeblood. A lust for exploration and discovery that strikes with little warning. It’s a feeling of escape that few can comprehend and even fewer ever act upon. If you listen carefully you can hear it. The road beckons. Heed its call. KTM ADVENTIRE 1290 R
T
he Austrian motorcycle manufacturer The Saltire Motorcycles personnel will certhat swears by the colour orange tainly get accustomed to it sooner rather will be the 6th brand that than later as this brand too will make its Saltire Motorcycles adds appearance simultaneously with KTM. to their official portfolio. Already Husqvarna, owned by parent representing the brands of Yamaha, company KTM AG, is actualSuzuki, Indian, Royal Enfield, ly older than KTM, with its and Fantic, it will not hurt to add history going back to 1903. some extra adrenaline to their Similarly to KTM, Husqvarna showroom floor, and KTM, the also has strong roots in the brand that is always READY enduro motorcycle segment, TO RACE will deliver and both have taken a liking exactly that! to developing more roadKTM DUKE 690 KTM, which traces its focused machines. Husqvarroots back to as early as na’s portfolio includes some of the 1934, is in fact the largest motorcycle man- most exciting motorcycles on the market, with ufacturer in Europe, and that for almost 4 the 701 Supermoto leading the way up until the consecutive years, starting in 2012. The diver- recent introduction of the Vitpilen and Svartpilen sity and excitement of its model range have models, who’s radical designs and exceptional certainly contributed to these results and the performance have been praised highly by jourfuture looks equally promising with the prosnalists worldwide. pects of new models on the horizon. Regardless of whether you are Few brands in the motorcycle on the lookout to purchase a new industry are able to match motorcycle, do take some time to the scope of what is KTM. pass by Saltire Motorcycles and Regardless of whether discover both the KTM and you are out for a naHusqvarna brands. The ked, supersport, or Saltire Motorcycle team sports touring mois fired up and ready to torcycle, KTM will welcome you with open have something that arms. suits your needs – Are you interested HUSQVARNA excitement included, in a KTM or SVARTPILEN 401 free of charge! HUSQVARNA motorcycle? Whereas KTM is a relatively easy Contact us now via email brand name to pronounce and remember, info@saltiremotorcycles.com HUSQVARNA on the other hand, is not. or call 0131 478 6661
HUSQVARNA SUPERMOTO 701
IT’S ALL HAPPENING HERE AT ALAN DUFFUS MOTORCYCLES!
A
s a lot of you will know we have been Yamaha Exclusive Premier Dealers for 42 years. We have had good years and some great years……successes on and off the track both as a rider and a sponsor, met some great guys and made some special friends along the way……but there are things that come along and catch everyone out – like the Scottish weather!! So 2018 started badly for us and everyone else in the motorcycle trade. We thought we would never get to the end of what seemed a very very long winter then just when we were starting to emerge from it and look forward to spring we were hit with ‘The Beast From The East’. The snow shut us down for days as none of the staff could get to work but then neither could our customers so no great loss but a slow start to the year for sure! I was lucky as I missed a month of the weather as I made my annual pilgrimage to South Africa to compete in the South Africa Classic TT on my beautiful Yamaha TZ750. The company was excellent as was the weather (it is their summer after all) and I had loads of fun competing with a great bunch of Scottish racers including this year’s overall series winner Ian Simpson, Iain ‘Fearless’ MacPherson, Robbie Burns, Howard Selby and Gordon Grigor. The line-up was strong which resulted in not just ‘Simmo’ winning the Classic but with Scotland,
with a huge point score, winning the Scotland vs South Africa competition by a margin as well. After Africa came a host of biker events,
the (re-scheduled) Scottish Motorcycle Show, the Yamaha MT test weekend, Yamaha Tour weekend, The Kirkcaldy & District Motorcycle Show (now to be held annually in the Kirkcaldy Ice Rink), Scottish Road Racing at East Fortune and the fabulous BSB round at Knockhill which saw virtually every lap record broken on the newly resurfaced track over the sun baked weekend. The team at Alan Duffus Motorcycles reached a major milestone this month with our top technician Gavin McLean having completed 25 years working for us. It was not a big celebration, nothing fancy (he’s not that type of guy) but a cake and a beer were compulsory for this fantastic achievement. His card did say ‘here’s to the next 25 years’ but that’s maybe asking too much! Anyway cheers Gavin – well done!! Next month we are co organising the 16th Steve Hislop (Hizzy) Memorial Run. Anyone who is out there and hasn’t taken part yet is missing a great day, great company and the satisfaction of raising loads of cash for charity which this year is Alzheimer Scotland. The event starts
on the village green in Denholm where there will be bikes on display, raffles, an auction of memorabilia and food and drink. The run departs from the Green at 10am along a scenic route chosen by the ‘real’ organiser Wendy Oliver of T B Oliver’s Garage in Denholm. Wendy was a close friend of Steve’s and has been coordinating the tribute event since Steve’s tragic death in a helicopter crash in 2003. She also worked tirelessly to help raise the cash for the two bronze statues of Steve, one of which looks over to Scotland from Onchan in the Isle of Man and the other which is sited in Winton Park in Hawick, his home town. The cavalcade of bikes will travel via Langholm, Longtown, Brampton and onto Chollerford for lunch at the George Hotel. Depart Chollerford at 1.15pm to Bellingham, over the Carter Bar to Jedburgh, St Boswells, Selkirk and into Hawick to complete a parade lap of the town where thousands of locals clap and cheer the bikes through as well as putting their hands in their pockets to boost the funds raised for the charity. From Hawick we travel the few miles back to the Green at Denholm for some chat, food and a well deserved (nonalcoholic?) beer. It truly is a great day out so put the date, Sunday 26th August, in your diary now!! My other big project along with Bill Simpson of Bill Simpson Racing (with help from Alistair Cowan and our own Gavin
McLean) is to complete the build of my ‘new’ classic race bike a 1986 Yamaha FZ750 with the 1000 engine of course! What started out as a project to build a cheap race bike to use once a year in South Africa has evolved into an expensive project boasting a factory spec modified chassis, magnesium wheels, Ohlins suspension, handmade alloy tank and rear sets by B S Racing, Thunderace front forks and rear swinging arm again courtesy of Bill Simpson, plus an Eddie Lawson style paint job by Ali Grant of Bike Paints from Cupar. I did say to Bill Simpson at the outset that it was to be a cheap bike to race once a year in S.A. and his reply was ‘there is no such thing as a cheap racing bike’………as usual he was right! I hope everyone reading this has a busy season and that you all get some serious miles in during this record breaking summer which has more than made up for the cold snowy start to 2018.
Alan Duffus
ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN
T
he Enfield Himalayan has been long awaited in the UK. The critical reception to this 410cc small adventure bike has been overwhelming. It heads a huge range expansion by Enfield who now have their R&D facility here in the UK, at Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire. Royal Enfield dealerships in Scotland are firmly convinced of its credentials as an affordable general use road bike, he was interested in the views of an acknowledged off-road expert and they don’t come much more expert than Kevin Hammond who runs the Adventure Bike Training company from his Syderstone farm near Fakenham, which has space and purpose-built obstacles to put a bike through its paces. Kevin’s history and off-road credentials include having been one of Dakar legend Si Pavey’s instructors and one of the UK trio that won the International GS trophy in South Africa in 2010. Kevin
was keen to try a Himalayan as some of his customers were expressing an interest in buying one. So what did he think of this £4,199 bike? “The fun factor was huge, I’ve had a lot of fun this morning. I’ve ridden £15,000 to £20,000 bikes and not had as much fun as I did on that. It comes with a lot of kit, screen, sump guards, racks front & rear, the rubber inserts on the pegs are removable for adventure riding, it has a light clutch, decent brakes and the Pirelli tyres work well. The seat was comfortable and I like the addition of the oil cooler. I’d only add heated grips and handguards. It would be nice to be able to turn off the ABS for sliding turns but it would not dissuade me from buying one. The quality was good, the handlebars are strong, it will take a bit of abuse. I can see why people are talking about it in the adventure world, it’s going to be an important bike out there this season for sure and the price point is fantastic.
www.adventurebiketraining.co.uk 01485 529491
Ride like a champion! Win a KRT Ninja Race Replica worth £15k* Get a Motorcycle or Six Wheel® quote to enter our free prize draw
ALSO WIN JONATHAN REA’S
LEATHERS
^^
GET A MOTORCYCLE OR SIX WHEEL® QUOTE
TO ENTER OUR FREE PRIZE DRAW
The All Inclusive Carole Nash Difference UK & European breakdown and accident recovery, including Homestart (worth over £100 when compared to other providers)
Help deter thieves - FREE Carole Nash DNA+ protection system worth £30
Up to £100,000 legal expenses cover - in the event of an accident which is not your fault
Rider Cover® - accidental damage cover when riding your mate’s bike**
CALL NOW
0800 954 0124
carolenash.com
91
of customers would recommend Carole Nash Based on reviews from July 2017 – December 2017
UK opening hours: Mon - Fri 8am - 8pm, Sat 9am - 5pm, Sun 10am - 4pm. As with all insurances, terms and conditions apply. ^^Terms and conditions apply, visit www.carolenash.com/freeprizedraw. *Terms and conditions apply, visit www.carolenash.com/kawasaki-ninja-giveaway-terms-conditions **Rider Cover®: Both bikes must have comprehensive cover visit carolenash.com/rider-termsand-conditions for full T&C’s. Carole Nash Insurance Consultants Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference no. 307243. Registered in England and Wales no. 2600841. Image courtesy of Geebee Images.
Shirlaws of Aberdeen Celebrating 90 years in business
Still Scotland’s biggest and best bike shop.
Here at Shirlaw’s we have a huge range of new and used bikes along with extensive clothing and accessories department.
· 92 Crown St, Aberdeen, Scotland, AB11 6HJ · · Sales@shirlaws.com · 01224 58 48 55 · @shirlaws1928
shirlaws_motorcycles
· run – By bikers for bikers!· Family
RIDER DEVELOPMENT DAY IN NORTH AYRSHIRE.
W
ith the longer days and better weather, most bikers will begin to prepare their bikes to return to the road after a winter layoff. Making sure the machine is road ready is a natural process at the start of biking season, but the most important part to get ready for the road is of course the rider. North Ayrshire Council in partnership with Police Scotland, RoSPA, IAM Roadsmart and Get2Grips Rider Training, organised a Rider Development Day at the Council’s Greenwood Conference Centre. The day’s course saw 70 riders go through three separate sessions, which included a Get2Grips theory session on improving riding, observations and road positioning. This lead onto a slomo session run by RoSPA
with various exercises laid out to test the rider’s skills in a number of ways. These being walking speed straight line, slalom through cones, zig-zagging, “strip the willow” pattern, emergency brake test, right and left hand decreasing circles and negotiating a narrow coned path. This session of learning skills at slow speed can be of great benefit to riders in all aspects of their riding, as manoeuvring in confined spaces can be more difficult on a bike than travelling along the road. The final session from IAM Roadsmart was an on road ride out to put in to practice the previous two sessions. We were blessed with bright and sunny weather with an occasional gusty wind and the threat of showers, which, fortunately, didn’t come. There was a great range of attendees and their bikes were of such a variety. Young and ‘not so young’, 125cc bikes through to 1600cc, sports bikes, cruisers to tourers and a
significant number of female riders, some of whom were putting their male counterparts to shame. The attendance of local motorcycle dealerships North Harbour Motorcycles and MCS, Blood bikes, Police bikes all added to a great day. We are grateful to the support from Police Scotland’s Irvine Road Policing Dept, Sgt Thornton and PC. Mochan, RoSPA’s Jim McCulloch and his team and IAM’s Tim Greenwood’s team. We shouldn’t forget the staff at Greenwood Conference Centre, who provided the food and drink to keep trainers and students going. Thanks go also to all the riders who took part. Some quotes from them on the day included;
“
I really enjoyed the event and found every part of it useful! Will be recommending it to my biker friends
”
“
This may sound a doddle however my brain is screaming at me “what that’s crazy we will fall over” it just seems so wrong to have your throttle and brake tucked round to the point of almost touching your knee in a slow speed without ending up in a heap on the ground, exercise accomplished though
”
Thoroughly enjoyed my day, left with very useful tips and a guide of advanced riding. Would highly recommend to all types of riders especially coming into riding season. Thanks to all. Everyone agreed that they have achieved something over the days training. If this information transfers to the road then it can only improve the safety of riders.
Ride safe.
Colin T Kay North Ayrshire Council Road Safety Education
ADVENTURES ON WHEELS
A
dventures on Wheels are providers of be-spoke motorcycle instructional courses and tours.
Based in Melrose the heart of the Scottish Borders, for over 20 years we have steadily provided high buzz recreational adventure in several different motorcycle training courses and over 30 different tours over Scotland and its Islands, Ireland, Spain and Morocco. Why not broaden your mind and horizons and join us on any of our skills courses and tours. We are open all year round, specialising in one to one instruction/coaching in motorcycle skills from Pre – CBT to full big bike licence (Cat “A”) as well as advanced skills courses. We offer you a Professional service with equipment tailored to your needs; we give training at Musselburgh and Melrose and are constantly leading the way in providing a high quality personal service.
Scottish Motorcycle Tours and Motorcycle Training
BORDERS
Tel. + 44(0)1896 822452 info@activitiesinscotland.com
www.activitiesinscotland.com
Our office and DVSA registered training centre is probably at the most attractive location for any training centre in the UK with the famous river Tweed and Chain Bridge being part of our boundaries, our clients are always telling us what a lovely environment to learn in. 90% of our clientele are over 50 years of age and in recent years about 50% are female so if you have a few mature years behind you but thought you are now too old for biking, then think again and get in touch with Tom. Our motorcycle tours are also run on a small group ethos allowing every one to be more personally connected with all of the group members. In addition, we can arrange full equipment hire including motorcycles and arrange your accommodation. We have various packages available – please visit our website, www. activitiesinscotland.com or give Tom a call on 01896 82 2452 we hope to hear from you soon.
Clyde Valley Curvy Riders NC1000
by Jayne Tollan
I
n June this year I took 20 female bikers on a tour around Scotland, taking in some of the NC500, over the planned 6 day tour we would all clock up between 1000 and 1200 miles each. I had planned this tour 9 months ago, making it as cheap and affordable where possible by using a combination of hostels and bunkhouses. We all met up at the Crieff visitor centre before embarking on our adventure, the weather was glorious and spirits were high, we headed for Tomintoul Smugglers hostel for our first overnight, taking in the delights of the amazing Cairngorms. The following day took us up to John O Groats for the obligatory tourist photograph, staying in The Weigh Inn Thurso which has basic budget rooms behind the main building which has stunning views over to Orkney. On our third day we visited Smoo Cave and the Cocoa Mountain in Durness, sitting outside in the blazing sunshine whilst enjoying a hot chocolate to die for, then on to the Aultguish Inn
Garve, where again they have a bunkhouse attached to the hotel, where we had a highly competitive game of rounders, the location of the bunkhouse is in the middle of nowhere on the A835 next to Loch Glascarnoch where we were observed by a majestic stag in his element. We then headed west to Applecross and over the Bealach Na Ba with the weather still holding the views from the top were mind blowing, then a quick visit to Eilean Donan castle before going over the bridge to Skye taking in the “figure of 8” route before stopping off at the Portree Youth Hostel. Our penultimate day involved taking the Skye ferry back to the mainland, the road to and off the ferry can only be paired with certain mountain passes in Europe, not for the faint hearted. Lunch on this day was at the Thistle Stop café Invergarry, the weather was taking a turn so were relieved when we were met with hot soup and sandwiches, the waterproofs went on for the 1st time on our trip and we headed to Oban Backpackers for our last night. The final day saw winds of 50+mph so a cautious quick return route home was taken, by the time we had reached our departure destination the weather had started to pick up, we all said our goodbyes, many happy memories along with fantastic company made for an unforgettable trip. Till next time.
Hazel Bank B&B
Queensberry House
Four star b&b | Storage area | Guest lounge| Easy parking | Maps Bed… park up for the ride of your life Breakfast… fuel up on the full Scottish Guest lounge… relax, regroup and relive the day’s adventure Drying area… store your bulky gear
Find us on Facebook www.queensberryhouse.com 01683 478341 12 Beechgrove, Moffat, DG10 9RS
Quality accommodation offering twin | double | single rooms with many thoughtful extras. Ride the many fantastic roads in this wonderful corner of Dumfries and Galloway. We are a family-run B&B and famous for our ‘bikers’ breakfast’ and close to all shops, bars and restaurants.
hazelbankmoffat.co.uk 01683 220294 Academy Road Moffat DG10 9HP
Seamore House B&B
Secure off-road parking. Clean comfortable rooms. Generous cooked breakfast. Guest lounge. WiFi. Easy access to town.
seamorehouse.co.uk 01683 220404 Academy Road, Moffat, DG10 9HW
Moffat B&B
Dell-Mar Guest House
Our grand Victorian house has a homely and comfortable interior with stunning natural beauty on the doorstep in a quiet area of Moffat. Beautiful and peaceful rooms plus a locked garage to keep your motorbike safe.
dell-marmoffat.com 01683 220260 6 Beechgrove, Moffat DG10 9RS
THERE’S SOMEONE WHO VALUES CHARACTER MORE THAN TECHNOLOGY It’s hard to put a price on nostalgia. So, to help you enjoy the ride without the worries, our insurance for classic bikes comes with optional agreed valuations, show and event cover and no admin fees for additional modifications. We search our panel of insurers to find you our best price for the cover you need.
Optional agreed value
Also, Bennetts Rewards gives our customers exclusive rewards like VIP tickets to the Classic TT presented by Bennetts. Rewarding customer loyalty. It’s what we do.
Insure classic and modern bikes on one multi-bike policy
FOR A QUOTE, VISIT BENNETTS.CO.UK OR CALL
0330 041 2174
No admin fee for additional bike modifications Show and event cover Salvage retention cover
Bennetts Insurance for classic bikes