December 2012 TUG

December 2012

JOURNAL OF THE ESSEX ADVANCED MOTORCYCLISTS GROUP Registered Charity Number 1107703 PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

The Committee Chairman &

nbarton@eamg.org.uk Nigel Barton or 0845 2261237

Group Contact Vice Chairman Secretary Website Observer Co-ordinator Membership Secretary &

John Tipper

jtipper@eamg.org.uk

Roger Wardley

rwardley@eamg.org.uk

Graham Simpkins

webmaster@eamg.org.uk

John Tullett

jtullett@eamg.org.uk

Lyn Childs lchilds@eamg.org.uk

Associate Co-ordinator Associate Rep Promotions Treasurer Full Members Rep TUG (Newsletter) Editor Events Coordinator

TBE Graham Childs

gchilds@eamg.org.uk

Teri Olley

tolley@eamg.org.uk

Geoff Preston

gpreston@eamg.org.uk lwindram@eamg.org.uk

Laura Windram tug@eamg.org.uk Paul Scott

pscott@eamg.org.uk

BMF/MAG Liason

Bill Peck

bpeck@eamg.org.uk

Committee Member

Keith Boyles

kboyles@eamg.org.uk

Committee Member

Jill Winn

jwinn@eamg.org.uk

Committee Mem2 ber

Paul McKelvey pmckelvey@eamg.org.uk PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

Welcome!

Chairman’s Piece

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Hi All Well another year has nearly flown by and the dreary winter days are definitely here. Riding becomes a bit more of a chore rather then a pleasure, its at this time that I do wonder why I chose biking as my main form of transport, but at least belonging to a group like EAMG you know there are plenty of good rides to look forward to in the new year and plenty of great times from the past year to remember why you are on two wheels.

Thanks to all that have helped with the running of the group this year, there really is a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes, and to all those that have helped me by sending in articles , I do hope that TUG is still being enjoyed by all.

I know it’s a little early but I hope that everyone has a lovely Christmas and wish you all the very best for the new year

Membership Secretary Report 4 Roger Wardley

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AGM

10

John Tullett

14

John Tipper Reveiller Rides

17

Diary (Pull Out)

30

Membership Form (Pull Out)

32

Jaques Irish Tale

38

Photos

54

Laura Editor

What’s happening next?

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

PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

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Chairman’s Report December 2012

It was good to see the attendance at the last two AGT’s improve dramatically and we have had two new ride leaders to take the full members for a jaunt in the countryside after the Roadcraft talk, I led a ride to Dunwich for fish and chips, all went well until I got lost in Colchester of all places, however Graham Childs came to the rescue and led us back to Chelmsford. Speedo Dave led Novembers ride to the welcome café and very enjoyable it was too, other than the fact I ate far too much and was a little uncomfortable on the ride back, this is obviously something that comes with the role of Chairman of the EAMG, although I still have not grown into the Chairman’s leathers as handed down by Chris Reed.

It is very nearly time for our AGM and as I have mentioned several times recently there are positions becoming vacant for committee roles such as membership secretary, all of the officers roles are up for grabs so if you fancy putting something back into the group or you do not like the way things are done here is your chance so fill out a form, get yourself proposed and seconded it really is not that hard and is very rewarding.

With the AGM coming up it is also worth pointing out that only paid members can vote!

So it would also help if we all filled out our membership forms and paid our subs in January.

As this is the last TUG before the year end I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of the committee members for helping me this year, it has not been an easy year for me and Chris Reed was a hard act to follow but I sincerely believe EAMG has done well this year we have had a good number of test pass’s at good grades and at the last count we have just topped ROSPA in the number of associates on our books, not bad for an inde-

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PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

pendent group. We had a great social event in the BBQ that even made a modest profit and not a loss as with some events in the past, a new website has been commissioned and should go live in the New Year.

My sincere thanks also to the training team observers, senior observers, senior observer assessors and of course John Tullet (Observer coordinator) and John Tipper (Vice Chairman) with their valued input and very hard work we have managed to streamline our training syllabus without any detriment to its content, indeed I believe it’s even better now and saves money too.

So to summarise a lot has happened behind the scenes this year and we are a better stronger group for it and long may it continue, I do intend to stand as Chairman for 2013 so if you want me to continue please vote for me and if you voted for me last year I hope I have done the job you hoped I would.

Nigel

PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

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Membership Secretary Report Dear Members, Membership is due for renewal on 1st January 2013 .

The Membership fees have not been increased for 2013.

Membership forms are downloadable from the clubs web site. Or are in the centre of the TUG, I will have some with me at group night if needed.

I will be standing down from my role as membership secretary at the AGM in February. Anyone wishing to take on the position should contact a member of the committee.

The membership information is all held on a data base and very easy to use . I will be more than willing to assist in the smooth transition.

Lynn Ride Well, Ride Safe Fees for 2013

•

New Associates Members £55.00

•

Associates member’s Renewal is £45.00

•

Full member’s Renewal is £25.00

•

Socials Member’s are £25.00

•

FMT £20.00

Membership

Number

Full

140

Associate

39

Social

3

Life

12

Total

194

If you want to take of Extra full member training (FMT) with you own regular observer there is an extra payment of £20.00. Please tick box on your membership form and enclose the fee.

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PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

Member

Test Date

Lynn Childs

20/10/2012

Test Passed Rospa (retest)

Examiner

Observer

Paul Roberts Jill Wynn

Gold Neill Harrild

27/10/2012

IAM

Tim Atkins

27/10/2012

Rospa

Clive Fry

Simon Enticknap

Paul Roberts

Richard Parker/Kevin Scott

Paul Roberts

John Tullett

Tony Gabb

Guy Jones

Silver

Chris Whiddon

06/10/2012

Vanessa Gilder

14/10/2012

Guy Jones

24/11/2012

Rospa Gold

Rospa Silver

EAMG Observer (retest)

PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

John Tullett

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Membership Don’t forget renewal time is upon us again, please fill in the form on the centre page as soon as possible

Please note as January 2013 group night would be the 1st (New Years day) it has been moved back to the 8th January 2013.

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PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

The next deadline for TUG is the 24th Jan 2013

Responses to tug@eamg.org.uk or get in to the forum at www.eamg.org.uk Please ask for my address if you’d rather post me your article

T hi s hum bl e l i t t l e m a g a z i ne co st s qui t e a l o t t o pro du ce a nd po st , so w o ul d a l l m e m be rs ca re f ul l y co nsi de r w he t he r t he y re a l l y ne e d t o re ce i ve a co py i n t he po st . I f yo u co l l e ct T U G a t g ro up ni g ht pl e a se m a ke sure t ha t yo u ha ve t i cke d t he f o rm a t t he do o r so w e kno w yo u’ve ha d o ne . I f yo u use t he o nl i ne ve rs i o ns a g a i n pl e a se m a ke i t kno w n o n yo ur m e m be rshi p f o rm . I t s a l so w o rt h co nsi de ri ng g e t t i ng a f ri e nd t o co l l e ct yo ur co py f ro m g ro up ni g ht a nd pa ssi ng i t o n. A ny sa vi ng s w e ca n m a ke w i l l be a hug e he l p t o t he g ro up, t ha nk yo u.

PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

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SECRETARY’S JOTTINGS.

It has been a busy year with all of our events and the stirring work done by Lyn and Graham Childs in promoting the group around the county at various shows. This is a hard task and the group owes them a big thank you for the work they have done.

The BBQ was a great success for those that attended and those of you that did not missed a great event and superb firework display. Our Chef’s‘d’ cuisine, alias Nigel and Graham, worked really hard in the cooking role and many thanks to those who supplied the salads, sauces and drinks.

With the weather in decline I am sure it will cause some of us to put our bikes away for a short while which brings me to the winter months and February 2013. As you know we hold our ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING on group night (the first Tuesday in the month) in February and this year a number of our active committee members will be standing down and will not seek election for 2013. This is a perfect opportunity for some new blood to come forward and take the reigns’ for a year or so to enable the group to continue its growth and provide the expert training we have done for many years. Elsewhere in this issue will be the formal notification of the AGM and the roles that will be available. If you want to contribute NOW is the time to get your name down with a Proposer and Seconder.

So what is planned for next year, well we know that communication has been a priority to us in the past and it is clear that it must feature highly in the future and this has been improved in the short term by the email circulation of rides and events even just before they happen. The only way we can go is electronically and to this end it is important that we have your email addresses to be able to keep you updated. We are now developing a new website which should come on line during Q1 2013 and will give the group a more go ahead profile than our existing one together with many of our existing facilities etc. Your Chairman and Webmaster are currently working hard to get this rolling so we hope to improve our communications via this medium. To those of you who do not have or have chosen NOT to provide an email address we are working to have a contact point to advice on events that are notified electronically.

To promote our corporate image Jill Winn has been working on some new regalia for 10

PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

2013 and this will be available early in 2013. It will be on display on group nights and orders will be taken with monies and placed via her supplier. We have managed to sell off all of our older regalia and we will not be holding stocks in future as this cost us a large sum of money. So new regalia see JILL. We will be back in the new year with some new events and programmes so keep your eyes open in TUG

Roger Wardley Group Secretary

EAMG AGM MEETING AND NOMINATION DETAILS Listed below are the committee positions that will become vacant, although in accordance with our Memorandum and Articles of Association, all posts are declared vacant at the AGM and existing Committee members are permitted to stand again for election to their previous position. A current List of Committee Members appears inside the front cover of this issue. If only one nomination is received for a post then there will be no need to hold a formal vote for that position unless requested by a Full member of the group whose membership is up to date at the time of the AGM. A nomination form is included elsewhere in this issue and should be used and either sent to or given to the Secretary at least seven days prior to the meeting. All members attending are required to sign in arrival. The meeting will commence on time, after which no one will be admitted during the formal part of the meeting.

Vacancies

Vice Chairman, Membership Secretary, Promotions (others maybe announced)

Those listed below under the rule of the shortest serving committee members, will remain and as such do not need to seek re-election unless it is for another post.

John Tullett, Jill Winn, Laura Windram and Paul Scott

PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

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NOTICE OF ESSEX ADVANCED MOTORCYCLISTS GROUP ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING I hereby give notice that the next AGM of the group will be held on the February Group night – 5th February 2013 at Channels Golf Club, Belsteds Farm Lane, Chelmsford, Essex.

Agenda 1.

Confirmation of Minutes from pervious AGM

2.

Report of the Chairman

3.

Report of the Secretary

4.

Report of the Treasurer

5.

Adoption of the accounts for the period ending 31st December 2012

6.

Election of:

6.1

Officers:6.1.1. Chairman 6.1.2. Vice Chairman 6.1.3. Secretary 6.1.4. Treasurer 6.1.5. Membership Secretary

6.2

Additional committee members 6.2.1. Deputy Treasurer 6.2.2. Group Contact 6.2.3. Newsletter Editor 6.2.4. Webmaster 6.2.5. Regalia Officer 6.2.6. Events Co-ordinator 6.2.7. BMF Liaison 6.2.8. Associates Co-ordinator 6.2.9. General positions

7.

Appointment of Associate Representatives

8.

To take general questions from the members

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PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

A member entitled to attend and vote at the meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote in their place. If you wish to appoint a proxy please contact me as soon as possible and I will provide a form in the correct format.

The Minutes of the previous AGM will be available at the meeting and will be confirmed at the meeting.

A summary of the accounts will be available at the meeting for all members. If you require copies before the meeting please contact Teri Olley (Treasurer) If there is any subject you wish to raise at the AGM, please let me know at least one month in advance.

If any Full Member wishes to stand for Committee (Associates can only be co-opted and cannot vote), will they please talk to an existing Committee member, or advise me no later than one month prior to the AGM. All positions are open for nominations as the current Committee stand down, but can be re-elected if willing. It is therefore apt at this time that I would like to thank all those currently on the Committee for their hard work and dedication to EAMG Ltd during 2012.

Please give it some thought, and if interested let me know. Ensure you get what YOU want from the Group – consider becoming a Committee member.

Roger Wardley Group Secretary

COMMITTEE NOMINATION FORM Nominations are invited from Full members to stand for committee. The Nominee must be willing to stand for committee and sign the Nomination form. By signing the Nomination Form the Nominee is affirming his/her ability and intention, if elected, to attend committee meetings regularly.

Please note –

•

You may not stand for the Committee if the law debars you from being a Charity Trustee or director.

•

Only Fully Paid Up Members of the Group may nominate Committee Members or be nominated as Committee Members.

•

This Nomination Paper must be returned to the Group Secretary at least seven days before the election.

•

All Officers and one third of all other Committee Members must retire annually by rotation and may offer themselves for re-election by Group Full Members.

•

Those elected become Charity Trustees of the Group

PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

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COMMITTEE NOMINATION FORM OFFICERS Name

Nominated by

Position

Seconded by

Signature of Nominee

Chairman

Vice Chairman

Secretary

Treasurer

Membership Secretary

COMMITTEE MEMBERS Name

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Position

Nominated by

Seconded by

Signature of Nominee

PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

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LATE NIGHT THURSDAYS TO 19.30

PAINTWORK

CLOSED TUESDAYS PARTS Early drop off—late collection No problem!

NUMBER PLATES (all types)

Collection and delivery available Our cafe will be opening in the spring and our location would make an ideal ‘meet up’ venue for ride outs etc.

Come and enjoy a coffee and a bacon sandwich whilst we work on your bike!

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

01621 782 742 prospeedperformance@hotmail.co.uk We look forward to seeing you soon!!!

PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

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I would like to start by thanking all group members who have recommended EAMG to their friends, as there has been a noticeable and very encouraging increase in new and potential new members attending recent Group Night meetings. Thanks to the dedication of our Observers, test passes are just about keeping pace with numbers of new recruits and it has been possible, so far, to allocate Associates for 1-to-1 training as soon as they complete the New Associate Training Process.

This positive effect has also filtered through to the October and November AGTs, where we experienced very good attendances by both Associate and Full members (with the latter tempted along by the reintroduction of pre-arranged social rides).

On the subject of successful events, the Slow Riding Day held at Dunton on 30thSeptember, was also very well attended. Dave Cardy added to his collection of ‘Snail’ T-shirts by winning the final of the new knockout format Slowest Rider Race. Thanks also to Neill Harrild who provided a great selection of snacks (even some veggie ones) to complement the regulation biscuits & water. Once again EAMG members rose to the challenge and nibbled their way through them all! Graham Simpkins took a large number of pictures on the day so, hopefully, Laura will be able to include a selection in this edition of TUG. I would strongly recommend our slow riding events to all group members, so please remember to pencil our provisional dates for 2013 – 16th June and 29th September – into your diaries.

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PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

Talking about next year it is hard to believe that the next AGM will be only a couple of months away when you read this. If you have gained from your membership of EAMG and ever wondered how you could put something back into the Group for the benefit of others why not consider putting your name forward for nomination to join the Committee? If you are interested in helping the Group in any way please have a word with an existing Committee member at least one month before the AGM. Should any members have any training related queries then please contact me via e-mail jtullett@eamg.org.ukor send me a PM via the Message Board.

John Tullett

EAMG Members are you looking to renew your bike, car or household insurance? If so why not try Carole Nash, you maybe able to earn the group a donation. Please use the number below and quote the reference number

0800 083 4422 Quote Ref 1460

PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

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PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

Reveiller Rides 2012 - Part 1: Landscapes, Mountains and Glorious Tarmac With the evening light failing, the temperature outside dropping and the bikes securely parked in the garage, I’m sitting in the study listening to some of my favourite music while reflecting on the wonderful miles we covered this season and all the great people who have ridden with us.

Only yesterday, we received a lovely letter from John Kidman, who doesn’t have email, to thank us for the trips he and Audrey with John Kidman Margaret had joined this year. We were particularly moved to hear that our ride to Bavaria “was the best holiday” that they have had abroad together, “eighteen over the last ten years”. Such praise is ample reward for all the hours spent organising these rides for your enjoyment.

Our 2012 season began by accompanying a hundred or more Harley Davidson’s on Le Shuttle. With the demise of Seafrance, this was our first experience taking Reveiller Rides ‘under’ the Channel. There was a hint of what was to come when we arrived at the Early Arrival Services to find a queue at the pumps at 7 o’clock in the morning. We also encountered Rob White trying to bump start his Blackbird but more of that later. Our main task was trying to keep separate from the Harley’s as we wanted to be sure all our group got on the same train; as it was, Keith Brades was unsuccessful but we regrouped at the Total petrol station in the Calais Terminal. I was rather bemused when the Harley rider parked alongside me on the train began looking at his engine, looking in the petrol tank and removing the spark plug leads; yes, it would appear that Harley’s still have HT leads. “Have you a problem”, I asked, always willing to help a fellow rider in distress. “I think my engine’s missing!” I’m sure I could see it was still there but nevertheless. “It’s a twin”, I replied, “they all sound like that”. “Naa! it’s got no power. It’s tuned to 115 bhp but feels gutless. Must be water in the tank; but then again, I’m carrying luggage, oh, and the wife!”

We both agreed that this must be the problem.

With only 140 miles to cover on our first day, we had plenty of time to admire the scenery on this four day (Green*) ‘Scenic’ ‘D’ Tour taking us through the picturesque ‘D’ roads of Picardie and Bourgogne; if it wasn’t for the weather! In the past we have enjoyed superb weather in April, temperatures having been in the mid twenties. No problems though, everyone had studied the forecast and were appropriately dressed. We stopped an hour or so from Calais at an inviting looking restaurant for coffee, it was just after 11 o’clock and the apprehensive looking waitress invited us in. “OK pour onze cafés si vous plaît?”

I enquired. “Oui monsieur” came the obliging reply. It was then that I noticed all the tables in the restaurant had been laid for a major banquet but no problem, two large tables were made available for us in the foyer. We removed Relaxing on the B472 approaching Bavaria PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

19

our wet gear spreading ourselves in the area provided. Coffees consumed, I noticed an increasing number of cars arriving in the hitherto deserted gravel car park with ‘mature’ drivers at their wheel; the banquet guests were arriving. The haphazard nature of parking made it clear to me that we should get going; much later and we’d have been blocked in!

Rain gradually receded leaving clearer skies on our scenic route south through the pretty towns and villages of Hesdin, St Riquier, Poix-de-Picardie and Grandvilliers to our first night’s hotel at Agnetz.

After a shower and a few beers, not necessarily in that order, we all enjoyed dinner exchanging experiences from the day accompanied by the usual banter. I seem to recall Audrey choosing a blueberry pie for desert that proved to be quite hard to break. “Give it here Aud, I’ll break it up for you”. Despite others giving their enthusiastic advice, it was still a problem so I asked Audrey to open her mouth saying “I’ll put it in”. Rapturous laughter ensued when Audrey commented she didn’t fancy the cream any more followed

by Stephen’s retort, “I’m not coming again”!

Pierrefonds Castle used for the filming of BBC’s Merlin series Although quite fresh, our second day’s ride to the Côte d’Or began with clear blue skies and a brisk wind so the wets were packed away. We had planned a visit to Pierrefonds for coffee. Pierrefonds Castle dates back to 1393 when Louis of Orleans built the fortified residence to keep an eye on trade between Flanders and Burgundy. In 1616, Louis XIII laid a fatal siege to Pierrefonds Castle, taking it then dismantling it. This great ruin was forgotten until it was bought by Napoleon I in 1810. In 1857, Napoleon III entrusted the architect Viollet-le-Duc to turn the castle into an occasional residence, then a museum which would be open to the public. It’s now best known as the castle used for the filming of BBC’s Merlin series.

Although the castle is open to the public, we had 180 miles ahead of us so our visit was limited to coffee in the Market Square. Cameras safely returned into their cases we continued our journey through the Forêt de Compiégne, the site of the Glade of the Armistice war memorial where in 1918 the Germans signed the armistice that ended WW1 and where Adolf Hitler deliberately chose the same location for the French and Germans to sign the second armistice on 22nd June 1940 after Germany won the Battle of France.

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PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

Our route south stuck to favoured ‘D‘ roads taking us through Château-Thierry and Sézanne where we stopped for lunch. We continued south towards Troyes and Châtillonsur-Seine in the north east corner of Burgundy, an unspoiled region with forests, plains, rivers and vineyards. From here you can experience two of the best wine regions in France, Burgundy and Champagne but we know them for the superb roads of the Côte d’Or that awaited us. After a short break in Châtillon’s town square, we joined the D901, legendary to so many of our members. Thirty miles of riding bliss but more importantly, a gateway to a motorcycling mecca. Sadly, this four day ride doesn’t give us time to explore but we did get to ride the legendary D959 on our third day.

Our hotel for this second night is a favourite. Saint Seine L’Abbaye is a small village nestling in a wooded valley at the foot of the first gothic church in Burgundy. The Bony family have been welcoming guests at their hotel in this prestigious setting for four generations.

Formerly an outbuilding of the 13th century abbey converted into a post-house to accommodate travellers, then family board and lodging and finally a hotel-restaurant. We’ve stayed here many times and I’m sure will do so again.

Rob White’s Blackbird wasn’t having a good tour. His first problem exposed itself on his way to Eurotunnel, refusing to start without a push on several occasions. However, until now, each time the battery displayed symptoms of being flat, a push start was all that was needed but this changed on our third day. Although starting dry, the weather deteriorated the further north we rode. It had begun to rain and we were held up at a busy roundabout in Givry-en-Argonne when the ‘Old Girl’ died again. This time, however, she refused to restart. We found some shelter and scratched our heads wondering where to start. To our relief, Rob suggested we change the voltage regulator surprising us all by having one with him! Tool kit’s to the ready, in no time, Keith Brades and I had removed the rear fairing and the new (ebay) regulator was fitted. Would it start? Well, it’s a Honda! We were on our way having lost just 45 minutes or so. Was this the end of our problems? No, it needed a push start occasionally but Rob made it back with us and got the ‘Old Girl’ home safely where a replacement stator cured the problem.

It’s was a shame about the wet weather but thankfully it was fine in the Cote d’Or. Our thanks to Malcolm Kentish, Vanessa Gilder, John and Margaret Kidman, Stephen and Trudy Pearce, Mark Birchall, Keith Brades and Rob White for joining our first ride for 2012.

We returned to Côte d’Or for our second ride (Red*) but even though it was now May, the weather started very wet and cold. Audrey’s 97 year old mother was becoming frail so Audrey decided not to join us. I was riding my CBF but soon wished I’d taken the Pan. Even Steve Shortis and Richard Parker left their CB1000R’s beDerek Turton hind in favour of their GS’s. The good news was that wet suits were removed by the time we reached Chateau Thierry when the sun broke through accompanying us for the next 150 miles to the first hotel. This ride, our second on Le Shuttle, exposed a flaw in Eurotunnel’s automatic checkin; Mike Hamilton discovered his reference number had already been used so he couldn’t checkin. I’m surprised just how easy this can happen. I book reservations in advance and receive a block of 10 numbers for each ride. They are not normally concurrent numbers but the first 5 or 6 digits of the 8 digit reference are usually identical increasing the possibility of someone entering PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

21

an incorrect digit to find it accepted as it matches one of our other legitimate numbers. It took Eurotunnel the time for two trains to depart after ours before they sorted it out so Mike could join us. We’d arranged by text message to meet at the Calais terminal petrol station but, for the first time in my experience, we were directed ‘LEFT’ when leaving Le Shuttle making it impossible to access said petrol station. Quick thinking, more texting, we arranged to regroup at the A26 Péage booths. Hassle over our scenic ride to Montignyl-Resle went without a hitch.

We arose next day to a dry morning but the sky was grey and it was soon raining. This eased as we approached Avallon but this was of little consequence as our demanding route took us through the Natural Region of Morvan. A day on these roads in the wet will sort out any confidence issues with wet weather ridRichard Nash, Richard Parker and Garry Plummer ing. Kevin Davis on his Avon shod CBF impressed us all with an angle of lean and degree of confidence to be envied. The ZZR1400’s of Mark Birchall and Mongoose (Richard Thomson) must have been a handful but nobody was complaining. The Morvan ‘park’ was created in 1970 to preserve this 2,800 sq. km. region of rolling Burgundy countryside described by the tourist brochures as best explored “at a slow pace to absorb the atmosphere and appreciate the little things that make Morvan so special”. But not when it’s wet and riding powerful bikes; the road is demanding so little time for sight seeing today.

The sun welcomed us on Day 3; would the Côte d’Or let us down? The roads here are a revelation, some open and flowing with low verges affording superb views across corners while others are tree lined and more technical. Some billiard table smooth while others can test your suspension. Some look innocent and inviting but can be challenging if you allow your concentration to lapse. The majority are free of villages and all are free of traffic; this is what biking is all about. 200 miles of riding bliss. Tales of the day were washed down with a plentiful supply of beer before we all sat down to an excellent 3 course meal.

Relaxing on the D1 south of Chateau Thierry 22

It’s a shame Audrey

PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

couldn’t make this ride but my thanks to Richard’s Parker and Nash, Mongoose, Mark Birchall, Mike Hamilton, Derek Turton, Steve Shortis, Kevin Davis, Peter Cockle and Garry Plummer for joining me.

Our first (Blue*) 10 day tour for the year took us to Bavaria close to the Austrian border. Yet again there was another Eurotunnel glitch with John Parker and yellow K1200S being left forlornly on an adjacent platform. We met up at the petrol station in Calais’ terminal and were soon on our way to Luxembourg for our first night.

Our route for the second day took us to the heart of Schwarzwald (Black Forest); all going well for the first delightful 15 mile leg on the N10 to Vianden.

We then crossed the border into Germany to find that I had no German maps on my Zumo; now I know why I had trouble loading the route! I’d just got straight lines and no detail other than the base map showing trunk roads and motorways. My sincere thanks to Ron Luke for lending me his Rossfeld Strasse, Bavaria Zumo 550 and to Kevin Davis, armed with his MacBook Air, who sacrificed most of his night’s sleep to reinstate my maps. However, these were not the only difficulties to be overcome on this day. The B50 to Bitburg was closed with a long deviation, we had a 1/2 hour deviation at Wissembourg and the link road tunnel in Baden Baden leading to the B500 was closed. Glitches aside, it was warm, sunny and a Sunday so we’d planned lunch at Johanniskreuz, just south of Kaiserslautern, in the Naturpark Pfälzer Wald, a popular biker gathering at weekends where proud owners admire each other’s pristine machinery. A wide range of food is available here with anything from b ra t w ur st , c urr y w ur s t , schnitzel, gateau or ice cream. We are in Germany!

Having overcome the Wissembourg detour and the closed road tunnel at Baden Baden, we joined the awesome B500, one of Europe’s best known biking roads. It was very busy with hundreds

Austrian Alps as seen from Rossfeld Strasse, Bavaria PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

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of bikers enjoying their highly polished machinery. Police presence was minimal yet I saw no dangerous riding, everyone just enjoying the ambiance. It had been a long day but I had promised coffee and ice cream at the summit of this Northern section. Although it was approaching 6:30, the car park was still full with many dealers just starting to dismantle their displays of a wide range of bikes. We could have stayed there for hours but it was time to leave for our hotel in Schenkenzell.

Surprise, surprise, we left Schenkenzell next morning in the rain. It had rained all night and although the bikes were safely parked, not all were under cover. I had planned two routes to Ruhpolding, one taking us through Munich City Centre, the other taking us on a longer southerly route; it was unanimously agreed that Munich should be avoided. The rain soon eased and the roads began to dry.

This was a longish 280 mile route with a little autobahn but it was Monday so the lorries were back on the roads. We left the A96 autobahn early to join the B17 to Schongau, B472 to Bad Tölz and B307 to Miesbach. Although the scenery as we approached the foothills of the Bavarian Alps was stunning, the queues of slow lorries and endless solid white lines were a pain, even though we were on bikes. Eventually we joined the A8 for 23 miles before leaving on the B305, better known as the ‘Deutsche Alpenstrasse’ to Ruhpolding. Ron Luke couldn’t believe how much this restrained pace had increased the range of his FireRudi Rechl, hotel owner and our guide Blade!

Having refuelled, we continued on the B305 to be confronted with yet another road closure, with no detour! A local driver continued ahead on the pavement and I decided to follow.

The roadworks were more extensive than anticipated but we finally got through OK; not before we’d irritated a group of ‘mature’ cyclists. ‘Verstehen sie nicht’ was my chosen reply. We continued on the Deutsche Alpenstrasse towards the Alps foothills, through Reit-i-Winkl and our hotel for five nights in Ruhpolding.

Grossglockner Glacier 24

Having covered 930 miles so far on this tour, day 4 was to be an easy day for

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Richard Nash, Kevin Davis and Ron Luke decided to ride into Mayrhofen (Austria) and take the cable car to the top of the mountain for lunch. John Parker and Roy Becken spent some time in the local village of Inzell while the rest of us took a leisurely ride to Obersalzberg and Kehlstein (Eagles Nest), the culmination of Martin Bormann’s dream to build a mountain top house for Hitler’s 50th Birthday, and onto Rossfeld Strasse (a private toll road) for lunch. Obersalzberg has changed out of all recognition since I was last there. A massive car and bus park, large restaurant, museum and multiple ticket booths for regular 25 minute coach trips to the Kehlstein House replace the ruins of Obersalzberg where the SS barracks, Bormann’s house, Goring’s house, and Hitler’s Berghof once stood.

Rudi Rechl, the hotel owner who rides a GS (what else), agreed to lead a ride to the Grossglockner Pass in Austria. Our route took us south through Reit-i-Winkl before turning east to Erpfendorf, Fieberbrunn and Saalfelden. A lovely back road route used by the locals. On route, it started to rain so we stopped for some to don wet suits. To my surprise, Rudi’s suit wasn’t waterproof. I expressed my surprise, “no problem”, claimed Rudi, “I’m not made of sugar”. Tough these Germans! As we approached the Grossglockner, the skies looked heavier over the Alps so Rudi called his wife and received a favourable weather report. He then flagged down an Italian biker to find out if it’s worth proceeding. “He’s come over from Italy where it’s sunny; it’s drying at the top but a bit misty on the way up”.

We decided we’d come this far so we’re not turning back now. Good decision; although the lower section was wet and visibility very poor, the skies lifted as we reached the summit to reveal a spectacular view. Checkout the pictures on our Smugmug site: www.reveillerrides.smugmug.com. The Austrian Alps are magnificent and this road is superb. The €22.00 toll is worth every cent. After lunch we had a photo opportunity at the Grossglockner Glacier. One's sense of perspective is very poor when gazing at this glacier; the immensity of it fools the eye so that it seems closer than it actually is. The mountain dead centre in our picture is 5 miles away. The ice field is more than a quarter-mile below us. The glacier itself is receding at about one foot per year; in a thousand years, it will no longer exist.

Leaving the Glacier, we continued south to Lienz, Italy before turning north through the 3.5 mile Felbertauern Tunnel taking us back to Austria. The route from Mittersill to Zell am See was very busy, it was 27ºC so we stopped for a welcome drink when leaving Zell.

Wednesday is a short day for the hotel staff and we were asked to be back by 6 o’clock; we were running behind time and not expected to be back before 7 o’clock but this isn’t a problem when you’re the owner of the hotel! Our sincere thanks to Rudi for a superb day!

The next day we returned to Kehlstein for those who wanted to visit the sights. Roy Becken and John Parker took the bus up to Kehlstein house, Kevin Davis and I visited the new Museum, Richard Nash and Ron Luke visited Konigsee. Malcolm Kentish, Vanessa Gilder, John and Margaret Kidman, Graham Lowe, Snowie and Audrey chilled out in the warm sun. Kevin and I found the museum very interesting but it was more about the structure, growth and demise of the Third Reich. Although the building of Kehlstein house was mentioned, I expected more pictures and models describing its construction.

The bunkers were an incredible experience though, especially the awesome well down to the underground river. Checkout the pictures on our Smugmug site: www.reveillerrides.smugmug.com. After lunch Kevin, Richard and Ron rode to the Hohenwerfen Castle at Werfen, the castle used in the Clint Eastwood film ‘Where Eagles Dare’. Having returned to the Hotel, Roy, Malcolm, Vanessa, Audrey and I walked to the Rauschberg cable car but regretfully it was closed.

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It was very hot on our route from Ruhpolding to Ewattingen the temperature rising to 37ºC in mid afternoon; consistent temperature throughout the day was between 33ºC to 34ºC. We made good progress apart from considerable traffic passing through Bad Tölz and a road accident near Meersberg. The traffic queue approaching Bad Tölz included 20 plus Dodge Vipers on a rally. Waiting alongside a highly polished bright red one, I asked inquisitively “do you have air conditioning?” “Oh yes”, came the reply. “Would you like to swap?” I enquired while pointing to my bike. An emphatic “no” came the reply. Ah well, it was only a thought. We soon filtered past and regrouped. John and Margaret missed a marker for a left turn in Ravensberg but Richard let Audrey, who was sweeping, know the situation. Our radios ensured I was immediately aware. Being concerned for the markers I’d left in unshaded locations, I asked Richard to ‘collect’ them as he came through so we could regroup at a filling station where I was waiting with Snowy. It wasn’t long before John called me and we arranged a convenient rendezvous. We had planned a visit to the Rhein Falls in Schaffhausen on our way to Ewattingen but everyone was hot and tired so we went straight to the hotel for a welcome beer to cool down.

Our bed for the night was in a charming family guest house located in the small village a few miles from the Swiss border. Although the bikes were safely parked there was no cover and we could see the menacing clouds meant the hot sunny period was over, for a while anyway. It wasn’t long before the skies opened unleashing the mother of a thunderstorm that lasted throughout the night. Although it wasn’t still raining in the morning, everything was saturated and the air was full of heavy damp mist. Our route took us through Titisee and onto the southern section of the B500 but no fun today, the wet misty weather staying with us across the Rhein, through Obernai where we stopped for lunch, over Mont St Odile, the Col du Donon and through the lower Naturel Régional Lorraine; a distance of some 150 miles, not lifting until we approached Verdun.

We have visited our final hotel in Marre several times, it’s quirky, the owners are a delight and tonight was to be no exception. Unbeknown to us, it was Madame Hergott’s Birthday so she and Monsieur Hergott were sitting on an adjacent table enjoying a celebratory dinner with wine; plenty of wine and Champagne which, to our amazement, was opened with a kitchen knife! The cordial atmosphere warmed the evening and we wondered what was in store when John Parker asked Madame for another bottle of Champagne so she could teach Audrey the cork removing trick. Obligingly the Champagne arrived Madame placing it on our table in front of Audrey. Madame had had a few so we were surprised, concerned even, when the ‘very large’ kitchen knife arrived. To much amusement and continued concern, she adjusted Audrey’s stance, her grip on the knife wielding it swiftly demonstrating the stroke and where she should hit the Champagne bottle to achieve a successful uncorking. Four minutes of hilarious tuition accomplished, Audrey went for it but only knocked the bottle over. A couple more minutes tuition and Audrey tried again, this time with much more confidence and determination and ‘wham’, off flew the cork, complete with the neck of the bottle, to rapturous applause.

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A great evening and great finale to a truly fabulous motorcycling holiday. We saw stunning scenery, shared wonderful experiences and rode some of the best roads Germany has to offer. Our thanks to John and Margaret Kidman, Malcolm Kentish, Vanessa Gilder, Kevin Davis, Roy Becken, Ron Luke, John Parker, Graham Lowe, Richard Nash and Colin Snow (Snowy) for making this such a memorable ride.

Look out for Part 2: Higher Mountains, Steeper Passes and Great Riding in the February issue of TUG. John Tipper Ride Grading: Green: Leisurely ride, daily mileage circa 150 to 200, ideal for pillions.

Blue: Multi-day tour, daily mileage circa 250, more challenging roads ridden at a leisurely pace. Red: Challenging roads and some high daily mileage so these rides are for experienced riders please. See our ride brochure for further information.

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Enlighten me……………….

I would really love to know what is the point of these super bright headlights and spot lights on various vehicles. Its bad enough that car lights seem to be extremely bright these days and its not just the headlights, the bright led rear lights make filtering at night (especially if its raining) very difficult. Of course this problem is not helped by the fact that everyone follows far too close hence the constant tapping of the brakes. Inappropriate use of fog lights or high beam is common place now and poorly adjusted lights are all over the place. I for one find it very distracting when a car behind me has a light or two that is dazzling me in my mirrors, not to mention being blinded by a vehicle approaching from the other direction.

I have been irritated by this for a while now, however it is only recently that I have found other bikes lighting becoming a problem. Some seem to think it is acceptable to filter through heavy traffic with their high beam on and think nothing of the bike in front of them and that every time its rider takes a glance in the mirror is left starry eyed. I have noticed that a number of bikes are now kitted out with silly spotlights, some of which must have super bright bulbs or possibly hid lights as they are extremely bright.

Now I am not opposed to the use of hid kits although their legality is questionable, I am also not opposed to using tinted lens covers, led side lights or slightly brighter bulbs. What really annoys me is when these things are used in the wrong way. Making yourself visible by standing out from the crowd and being distinctive is one thing but dazzling the people in front of you is irresponsible and probably quite dangerous. If you are filtering with horrendously bright main beams on do you really think

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think the car driver in front can tell exactly where you are? I doubt it and they will probably just be annoyed and forming a bad opinion about bikers. Last week I was on my way home from work and there was a guy on a Honda Cross thingy (runner I think) it had very bright lights and spotlights, as it approached I couldn’t tell how fast it was going it appeared quick and to be honest aggressive, but all I could see was a ball of light. I moved over into the left of lane one to make it clear that he could go through if he wanted but all he did was move up behind the car I had been following! He was then hindering my progress but I didn’t particularly want him behind me as I knew it would be a distraction that I couldn’t afford to have in such heavy traffic.

I’m not sure where it all went wrong really, is it the extreme end of defensive riding that people think that riding within a bubble of light and hi viz they will be safe? Yes I am sure a brighter light gives you a slightly better view of the road in the dark, but is it really that much better? I have always found the lights of the bikes I have had to be acceptable, even the CCM which I had something similar to a candle that just lit up the front mudguard! You just adapt your speed to what you can see, if you want a brighter light to be able to go faster maybe you should just stick to daytime riding. I don’t believe most people that fit a brighter light to a bike do it to help their own view though, they just want to be seen, which is fair enough it is dangerous out there, but inconsiderate use of lighting may hinder you or the person in front so its about time people starting thinking more carefully about it.

I am all for being safe but surely being aware of what is happening around you reading the road and traffic situation and reacting accordingly is a much better defence.

Squiz

The following information was taken from a post on the internet which I found to be interesting…..

Aftermarket Motorcycle Lamps and the MOT As an authorised examiner for class 1 and 2 vehicles (that is motorcycles but not including the scooters with 2 wheels at the front) I get a copy of the Mot magazine. Maybe not what you would readily read every day but the Mot affects pretty much all of us and is therefore of interest especially if you have modified your vehicle.

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I have copied this article word for word but added some further words to explain more fully the items at issue.

LED replacement bulbs—ok but at least half of the LEDs must illuminate. If not the lamp will fail for being “so damaged or deteriorated that its function is impaired” Combination rear lamps—these are the lamps which at the rear do away with the indicators. The rear red lamp then flashes orange on the left or right hand side when the indicators are on. This is a Mot fail and indeed illegal as for example half of the stop or tail light goes out when the indicators are switched on. As far as I am aware these aftermarket lamps are not marked as such !

HID headlamps—If you fit a HID bulb kit to an existing lens and reflector then they are considered not to be legal as the way the light emits from the HID bulb is not compatible with the reflector and lens. You need to fit the HID headlamp with the HID bulb although “the lamp may still be required to have some form of self levelling system to be legal”.

However there is a difference between “legal” and passing a Mot and in either case there are no “reasons for rejection” in the testers manual in respect of HID headlamps providing of course the beam test is passed so you may pass the MOT but the police can take the bike off the road.

My advice as with many of these kind of items is that in the event of an accident (disputed or not by the other side at the time), if your machine is fitted with such equipment the insurers can use this as a means of not paying out or reducing the payment. Best check with the before fitting anything (I’ve heard they will get funny even with aftermarket mirrors). In fact ring them up anyhow, there are some very nasty bits of small print in some policies which can catch you out when you least expect it. If your bike won’t pass an Mot the they (and possibly the Police) will deem your bike illegal and your in all sorts of trouble!

Article by Simon from Herfordshire Superbike centre

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PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING PROMOTING EXCELLANCE MOTORCYCLING SINCE 1982 EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

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All Full Member Rides will leave Sainsburys Springfield, Chelmsford, at 9.30am

2013 Jan

Feb

Group Night (natter night)

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EAMG Full Member Ride

5

Group Night EAMG Annual General Meeting & John Tipper Reveiller Rides

Mar

April

May

June

Diary 2013

8

July 32

10

Associate Group Training

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EAMG Full Member Ride

5

Group Night

10

Associate Group Training

17

EAMG Full Member Ride

2

Group Night

7

Associate Group Training

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EAMG Full Member Ride

5

EAMG Full Member Ride

6

Graham Childs Cornwall run details TBA

7

Group Night

12

Associate Group Training

4

Group Night

9

Associate Group Training

16

Slow Riding Day at Ford Dunton

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EAMG Full Member Ride

2

Group Night PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

C J BARDWELL Contractors Flagstaff Farm, Green Lane, Althorne, Essex, CM3 6BQ Telephone: Office 01621 828276; Mobile 07836 277223; Fax 01621 828113 BUILDING, CIVIL ENGINEERING AND MAINTENANCE EXTENSIONS - GARAGES - LOFT CONVERSIONS BLOCKPAVING DRIVEWAYS - PATIOS ROOFING (ALL TYPES) 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 WELCOME

Member of The Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

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July

September

October

November

December

12-15

Bikers Retreat Wales

14

EAMG Full Member Ride

4

EAMG Full Member Ride

6

Group Night

11

Associate Group Training

12

Associate Social Ride

3

Group Night

8

Associate Group Traing

13-16

Bikers Retreat Wales

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Slow Riding Day

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EAMG Full Member Ride

1

Group Night

6

Associate Group Training

13

EAMG Full Member Ride

3

EAMG Full Member Ride

5

Group Night

10

Associate Group Training

1

EAMG Full Member Training

3

Group Night

8

Associate Group Training

PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

Diary 2013

Associate Group Training

Group Nights @ 19:30, AGTs @ 9:15 am

August

7

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

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

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

RIDEMASTER PO BOX 859 Aylesbury Bucks.

HP22 9FJ T: 0844 888 0999 F: 0844 888 4190

www.ridemaster.co.uk

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PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

bacon_motorcycle@btconnect.com www.baconsmotorcycles.co.uk Open 9am-6pm Mon to Sat

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An Irish coastal odyssey (Or A Christmas read to put you to sleep), you decide!

Festive season upon us, Christmas tipples consumed, Kermit’s Irish odyssey could be just the thing to aid you going off to sleep, do keep medicating yourselves with Christmas beer & cheer, for it’ll stop you going round the bend, enabling you to reach this mammoth articles end.

Late August & with moss flourishing on the highways & byways of the UK, resplendent in the endless drizzle which was THE SUMMER of 2012, I started to feel for poor Kermit hidden away in the dark recesses of his garage, whimpering each night away, his only comfort being the baby er6 by his side as he endlessly cried.

The agonizing mental pain tormenting my mind, hardening my resolve to end his plight from lack of daylight, it was then, in a Jack flash moment of inspiration it came to me, Kermit would be brought out of his garage hidehole, to address his fears of drizzle & slippery moss covered UK & Irish roads!

So there I was at five in the morning dropped down from high above in Rosslare harbour, the nights shadows fast disappearing, a cool Irish dawn approaching. I saddled Kermit up & anticipating a violent reaction accompanied by snorting, I held on tight & got ready for Kermit to take flight, as I removed his blinkers & turned his ignition key.

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From Kermit’s inner depths a rumble did grow, his headlights barely illuminated before he started to roar & take deep breaths of the damp Irish air, his airbox flaring angrily as he had his first glimpse of the moss covered slippery Irish roads, a nightmare forming in his young green heart!

As we ventured out onto the winding back roads from Rosslare, Kermit stretched his aching legs, testing his rubber clad boots as I fought to keep him under some semblance of control. From flowing, to gravel covered, potholed & even farm track roads, our seven day adventure around the Irish coastline had begun:-

Day 1: Rosslare to Drogheda

No carriageways for me ooh NO, starting as I wished to go on, I coaxed Kermit off the main artery out from Rosslare at Wexford & onto the R730/R746/7/8, the undulating traffic free roads testing & teasing Kermit’s suspension travel to its extreme, near Aughrim however, Kermit fixed his eyes upon what the Irish call road signage for a bend & stopped dead in his tracks.

After much gesticulation & my amazing powers of persuasion (threatening to make him swim back to the UK), I convinced my green frog that the thunderbolt angles of the Irish bend signage, did not in fact mean the bends were angular. A deal was struck that I’d locate some flowing roads for him & Kermit released his grip on the brakes, enabling us to continue northwards.

Roads rising, views growing, we headed up into the Avondare Forest & Wicklow Mountains, with stunning rolling hills & lush farmlands stretching out before us as far as our eyes could see, this was further enhanced when stopped for a break at the glorious Powerscourt House & gardens in Enniskerry.

Refreshed, we skirted back up along the various back roads & into the hills & surrounding lands to the west of Dublin, passing medieval castles & onto the Celts spiritual home the Irish Midlands, the landscape becoming ragged & roads ever more flowing. Kermit finally feeling settled on even the most slippery of Irish roads, with rider & frog working in rhythm as we rode further north & into the Boyne Valley & our last stop before calling it a day, the Newgrange Neolithic burial tomb dating from 3200BC, the sheer size & splendour of the Tomb can’t help but humble even the hardest of souls.

Day 2: Drogheda to Coleraine Five am & I was awoken to Kermit trying to get me up & away for our second day of the tour, revving his engine impatiently outside our B&B. I was amazed, in the space of a single day the warmth & beauty of Ireland had taken hold & possessed him, his fears of gravel roads & Irish drizzle having miraculously evaporated, swiftly replaced by belligerPROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

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ence & wild-eyed excitement, his eyes a mysterious glow of deep yellow, intent on swallowing up vast swathes of Irish coastline.

Soon on our way, we passed by Slane Castle, then onwards onto the R163/164 & R182 to Newry in Northern Ireland, passing lush pastures, lakes & ancient Norman Abbeys, before taking a break as the mornings drizzle was replaced by sunshine trying to break through at Warrenpoint, our hearts filling with warmth from the beauty before us.

From Warrenpoint, we headed ever northwards across the Mourne Mountains to Newcastle, before turning west to Armagh, the well surfaced traffic free roads a joy to ride, giving us both the opportunity to progressively bimble along the B161 up past Lough Neagh, apparently created by Finn MacCool, who legend has it, picked up a piece of turf & tossed it into the Irish sea, thus creating the Isle of Man. Leaving the western shoreline of Lough Neagh behind us, we headed up & over the Antrim Hills to Carnlough & along the majestic north east coastline of sandy beaches to Ballycastle, before turning south & venturing down a small innocuous looking Bregah road, revealing its hidden treasure of the Dark Hedges (as seen in last year’s country file calendar) half way down its length, the true beauty of the 300 year old beech trees lining Bregah road taking our breaths away, even managing to render me temporarily speechless, ( no mean feat as you can all agree !)

Visit it soon, for the local council has a program to start culling these great trees as “surprise surprise” the powers that be say they are unstable & an Elf & Safety concern Grrrr! From here, Kermit & I headed back north to Ballintoy bay for a late afternoon snack, before heading past Dunluce Castle & onto the Giant Causeway, apparently made by our friend the giant Finn MacCool.

At the Causeway entrance atop the cliffs of Causeway Head, the National Trust proudly informs you “No public vehicular access down to the causeway” well Kermit & I seemed

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hard of hearing at this point & when no eyes were upon us, we morphed into chameleons, slipping past the National Trust entry sentries “Ha” & riding down the mile & a half or so of slip road to the Causeway.

On reaching the Causeway proper, our chameleon camouflage seemed to desert us & two National Trust employees proceeded to try & berate us, helpfully it was at this point that Kermit found his inner voice & piped up with a rumble then roar, souring the National Trust employees faces by kindly informing them “This is a public right of way & nobody can stop us” well who’d have believed Kermit knew such truths, unbeknown to me, he’d liaised with the local Mp on the issue & had seen through the National Trusts veil of secrecy.

Having to admit defeat & allow us to continue down to the Causeway shore, the flustered staff looked like they were chewing on wasp nests, oh how we laughed. Obligatory photos taken & Kermit having enjoyed the Causeway evening sunshine, we rode away receiving quizzical looks. If you visit, don’t walk down or pay £8 for a national trust bus ride, ride down it’s YOUR RIGHT! From here, we continued onto Portrush & the beginnings of the Northwest 200 before finishing at our overnight stop in Coleraine.

Day 3: Coleraine to Bunbeg Harbour Before the dawns light had even appeared above the horizon, Kermit yet again was performing & this time he wasn’t just content on growling ooooh NO, he’d now taken to burning rubber, only stopping when I appeared suited & booted to rev him up & head off into the mists of another cool Irish dawn. Half past five saw us at the Joey Dunlop memorial garden in Ballymoney & not content in being left by the roadside, Kermit climbed the kerb, shimmied through the bollards & into the centre of Joey Dunlop’s memorial.

For a large frog, Kermit handled himself with aplomb as I watched him negotiate the walkway up to the memorial & slip in alongside Joey Dunlop’s statue; proudly he stood PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

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for a photo next to his Idol, before the two of us sneaked out before being discovered by Pc plod or the Elf & Safety fraternity.

Travelling up the coast to Castlerock & then across on the ferry at Magilligan Point, we found ourselves back in Southern Ireland & across the bay of Lough Foyle. From here we headed into the Inishowen Peninsula along the R238, me oh my the roads of Norwest Ireland are phenomenal & with the landscape barren & open, mile upon mile of progress could be made, the roads pure heaven as we headed back south to Londonderry & back into Northern Ireland, then back again into Southern Ireland.

We travelled along the R245 then R247 to the Glenveagh National Park, along the coastal roads passing Knokalla fort & the Derryveagh Mountains, a meandering route of towering cliffs & the wildest of scenery & ancient monuments, not to mention Kermit being given the freedom to enjoy the wide open & flowing roads past Dun Luiche as we headed back south east along the R251 & onto the only surviving Corn & Flax mill in Ireland at Nemill, we then headed south along the R250 over Agnla Mountain, before turning north again to finish off our day as the last rays of daylight were extinguished at Bunbeg Harbour.

Day 4: Bunbeg Harbour to Westport What a dawn, Bunbeg harbours nights mist lifting off the surrounding hills & revealing stunning surroundings as Kermit & I headed south to The Roses, a rocky headland dotted with “I’m told” more than 100 lakes. Endless mountain peaks of natural beauty all around as we headed on down, to the river Moweena & the Eas waterfall, it was here that Kermit & my Garmin decided they wished to go sheep herding & explore the grass covered tracks over the Blue Stack Mountains, frogs & electronics, a disastrous combination.

I got my own back on the green rascal, giving him vertigo by taking him along the R263 up & over to Slieve League, the highest cliffs in Europe what a spectacle, not just for its sheer elevation, but also for its myriad of colours, ever changing in contrast to the lush green carpet of moss & wild grasses atop it, at 601 metres the cliff face is as straight as a knife edge & nothing if not dramatic.

Not content to let our minds or bodies rest from high mileage & natural beauty seen, the two of us merrily skipped happily back down the mountains to Donegal & then onwards back into Northern Ireland yet again, along the B82 to Enniskillen castle, before venturing north along the southern shores of Lough Erne on the A46 & back into Southern Ireland & onto Ballyshannon & the beginnings of Yates country, with Sligo & its engaging landscapes enough to make me convert & become Irish, “well Kermit is green” !

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As we travelled ever onwards, it became apparent that the west of Ireland was a more traditional, rural land, with low stone walls, magnificent cliffscape scenery including Benbulben Mountain, taking you past dramatic ridges & the Dartry Mountains alongside rivers & through forests, awe inspiring.

As you head west from Sligo along the R297 & then R314 to the Ceide Fields past the Ox Mountains, your met by 40 odd miles of uninterrupted openness to enjoy, the route through & around the Ceide field site, surrounded by heather clad moorlands & dramatic landscape, with the Stone Age monument site itself, being over 5000 years old & covering over ten square miles of fields enclosed by stone walls, over time having been slowly enveloped & preserved by the ever creeping peat bogs of the surrounding lands.

Leaving the Ceide fields behind us, we continued on the R314 then the N59 via the Corraun Peninsula, where suddenly Kermit seemed to tense up, becoming tentative in his pace & sliding around whenever we tried to bimble, along the flowing roads south along the western edge of the Ballycroy National Park & the Nephin Beg mountain range to Westport, our overnight stop.

On arrival I discovered that Kermit had worn through his rear boot, I gave my poor frog a hug & put him to sleep for the night, knowing he had being doing his level best to restrain my desires, to bimble along the flowing southern Ireland roads. My task this night to search online for a tyre doctor!

Day 5: Westport to Limerick As the dawns light emerged from the night’s shadows, six am saw us searching far & wide for a new rear boot, in the end we had to accept the closest tyre doctor was to be found in Galway. Hmmm, do we head straight there was our next conundrum, or head along the coastal roads & pray?

Without hesitation, Kermit asked to soldier on along the coast roads, he hadn’t come this far to conker his wet road & gravel track fears, only to head inland.

Kneeling side by side right there in the middle of Westport, we prayed as one, asking the tyre gods for Kermit’s rear boot to last to the end of its final blast. Bound by our unwavering determination to stay within eyesight of the coastline, we headed along the R335 to the Sheeffry hills & Bengorm, before continuing down the N59 to the Connemara National park, here again the landscape did change from one of desolation, to one of ever PROMOTING MOTORCYCLING EXCELLANCE SINCE 1982

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changing flora & fauna, filled with placid lakes & the beauty which is Kylemore Abbey, a stark contrast to the cliff scenery & barren lands of the day past.

Enjoying the view of the Abbey, I noticed hairline cracks showing themselves in great number across poor Kermit’s rear boot & as we reached the town of Clifton, its worn surface started to play havoc with Kermit’s handling, both our brows perspiring with the thought of getting stranded in the middle of nowhere. Gingerly we nursed ourselves along the R342 & R346 towards Galway upon Kermit’s fast disintegrating rear boot.

Two hours searching in Galway bore fruit & we located a tyre depot with a 190 rear section, purchase made I slung Kermit’s saviour around my waist, put his green nose to the ground & let him sniff out a motorcycle tyre fitting depot, in no time Kermit was re-shod & we were back on our way to Dunguaire Castle, before heading along the R477 & giant limestone pavements of The Burren in the northwest of county Clare & yes you’ve guest it, put there by giant Finn MacCool, well according to me anyway.

Exiting the west of Ireland on the R487, we entered the region of the Lower Shannon & came across Doolin Cave, you’ll never see anything else like it, well worth a visit to see the largest free hanging stalactite in the world, you’ll be blown away by the stunning cathedral like dome that houses the huge stalactite & by what nature can do if left alone, breathtaking!

Coming back out into the sunlight, I found Kermit in a huff, having not being allowed to come caving too, luckily he quickly forgot about it as we headed off to visit the Cliffs of Moher. Yet again, Kermit & I noted that no traffic was allowed near to the cliffs, but can you believe it, as well as suffering temporary deafness at the Giants Causeway, we now suddenly were unable to read signage too.

With a quick look left then right & the obligatory lifesavers, we took flight & rode onto the Cliffs of Moher sculpture & then along the cobbled walkway as far as it goes to the cliffs edge, Kermit getting a fleeting glimpse of the breathtaking 214 metre high cliffs, before two gesticulating power hungry red faced staff drew near, in a flash we roared off giggling & hid, much to the amusement of the other tourists.

Once the annoyed staff had tired of the hunt, I ventured back onto the cliffs to enjoy their natural splendour, what beauty & a complete contrast to the Slieve League Cliffs, the Cliffs of Moher extending some six miles with the layers of sandstone, shimmering & revealing an array of colours, from red/brown/purple & more as the sun set.

On leaving this wondrous natural site, we

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continued onto Killrush & the Loop Head Drive, 17 miles of slow riding, along minor roads amidst dramatic costal scenery with superb views. From here, we rode along the R473 to Ennis & onto Bunratty Castle on the outskirts of Limerick, before finishing within Limerick proper & a well earned pint of Irish Smithwicks, joined by oysters & live Irish music, a great day with great weather, fantastic views, amazing scenery & great roads.

Day 6: Limerick to Bantry With daylight hours getting shorter & each mornings dawn arriving later, a six am start was forced upon us. Not that either of us minded. I struggled to fall out of bed & found Kermit snoring loudly in the hotel car park, with a quick squirt of water clearing the bugs from his eyes, the two weary travellers were soon on our way, greeted by a blanket of morning mist hovering above the water’s edge, along the shoreline of the river Shannon.

Unbeknown to us, as we sat there on the banks of the Shannon watching the morning mist clear, revealing the beauty of the historic monument that is King Johns Castle, this day was going to be our hardest of the trip for both our bodies, minds & Kermit’s boots too, as we tried to cope with the sheer magnitude of great roads, huge mileage, great landscapes & numerous castles & ancient historic monuments that were about to bombard us throughout this day.

Heading out along the coastline on the N69 & the R551, we left the Lower Shannon & entered Irelands Cork & Kerry region, coming across a wonderful mixture of both tight & flowing roads, before arriving at Ballybunion Castle, a truly stunning remnant of a coastal fort from the 14th century, followed almost immediately by Ballyheigue Castle, then the beauty of Ardfert Abbey. From here on in, the day pushed us both to our limits in trying to keep some semblance of control over our emotions.

From Ardfert Abbey, we headed down to Blennerville & its stunning windmill with mountain backdrop. Losing all self control as we left on the N86 & then R560 down to the Dingle Peninsular, passersby thinking us both quite mad as we gurgled & giggled uncontrollably, our minds & hearts unable to absorb the sheer quantity of beauty presenting itself to us around every bend.

Seemingly every time we started on our way, we’d barely cover a mile or two before having to stop & absorb the wonders of what lay

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before us.

From magnificent scenery & rocky headlands jutting out into the Atlantic, interspersed with quaint fishing villages & then the Conor Pass, what locals fondly call “Gods window” like no mountain pass I’ve ever come across on my travels thus far, it truly is “Gods window”!

As you look out on the pass from Pedlars lake, the world appears to drop away, even making Kermit sway, for far below the most glorious roads do flow, up & over this majestic mountain pass we did go, our surroundings a blur as we headed on to the tiny Ring of Dingle, Kermit & I can but give you a mere glimpse of the overflowing beauty & history this corner of Ireland has to offer.

Two highlights for Kermit & I, the tiny worship temple of the Gallarus Oratory along the R549, the earliest know surviving Christian stone church from between the 6th & 9th century, it may be small in size, but it’s huge in stature for what it represents. Followed by the Reask monastic enclosure, only a mile or so further on from Gallarus, it sits off the beaten track in a secluded spot amidst a tranquil setting.

Along the R559, the beauty of historic monuments were replaced by the natural beauty of Dunmore & Slea Head, accompanied by ancient pre historic Beehive huts from 2000BC & Dunbeg fort from 500BC, the Dingle Peninsular rendering us breathless.

Running around like loons, with a struggle we managed to calm ourselves & get back on the R561 to Castlemaine, for some well earned late afternoon refreshments. Kermit then had the mad thought of heading directly inland to the Lakes of Killarney as he fancied a swim & not wishing to dent his spirits, I happily obliged, letting him splish-splash with like minded frogs from pond to pond, exhausted, Kermit led me back northwards, passing great views of the lakes along the N72 to Killorglin.

By now it was five pm & the sun was starting to descend upon the horizon. Sensing approaching darkness, adrenalin did start to pump fiercely in Kermit’s heart & together we attacked the huge expanse of the ring of Kerry around the Iveragh Peninsula, a good three hour ride.

The roads are well surfaced & wide, what a pleasure, every bend drawing our eyes to ever more stunning scenery, if time allowed, we boys could have played for at least a day around the Ring of Kerry & if your ever able to visit this beautiful corner of Ireland, allow yourself at least two or even three, to truly appreciate the captivating mountain, coastal scenery & fishing villages.

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Ending our whistle-stop tour of the ring of Kerry, by the time we drew into Kenmare, dusk had been replaced by black night & with a good hour & a half of riding still to go, we turned onto the N71 to the Caha Mountain pass for Bantry, our overnight stop. Kermit’s air temperature gauge showing 3 degrees as we climbed to the pass summit, unseen mountain drop offs all around. Flowing roads of Kerry, swiftly replaced by the patchwork quilt & uneven tarmac of the region of Cork, eventually arriving at our B&B after nine thirty, tired but elated.

Day 7: Bantry to Rosslare Kermit & I agreed having debated between ourselves, that we had missed some of the Irish coastline the night past & this was not acceptable to us, so dawn & six am, saw us back on the open road heading north, back into the Kerry region, along the R584 over the Shehy & Derrynasaggart mountains, before turning west along the R569 & onto the R571 to ride the Beira peninsula.

To Kermit & I, this little peninsula sums up Ireland in a nutshell, it has a landscape which is beautiful, magical & full of rugged charm, it appeared to us to be a route much less travelled than that of the ring of Kerry, its secret still quite well kept. I would thoroughly recommend this route to anyone who enjoys rugged scenery away from the crowds, the roads may be narrower than those on the ring of Kerry, but they’re still a joy to behold!

With many twists & turns, the challenging ride & spectacular views are a joy, with the rather twee village of Eyeries thoroughly enchanting, further west we found Allihies a former copper mining town, which Kermit & I felt was rather quaint. It reminded me of St Austell in Cornwall, from here the minor (& we mean grass in the middle minor) road, lead us to Dursey Island, wow what a place of desolate beauty. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to take Kermit, as access to the Island was via a tiny cable car, swinging 30 metres above the ocean waves, breathtaking.

By ten am, we two boys found ourselves back in Bantry, a feeling of deja vue coming over us. After a hearty breakfast at Bantry House & having enjoyed the view over Bantry Bay, we continued on to Crookhaven & Mizen Head, before heading along the R592 to Schull & onto the minor coastal roads to Timoleague Abbey & our lunchtime stop at the pretty town of Kinsale to enjoy oysters & crab claws, before riding north to Cork, to enjoy the pleasures of Barryscourt & Blackrock Castle.

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The end of the Irish odyssey in sight, hearts heavy in the knowledge that we were enjoying our last afternoons riding in Ireland, we left Cork & headed east along the coastal roads, enjoying great Irish views as we rode to Youghal & its impressive clock tower, before continuing on the R675 & R684 to Waterford & thereafter the splendour of Tintern Abbey, finally reaching our journeys end back in Rosslare gone eight pm, 2358 coastal road miles covered.

Wrapping things up Much of the joy in Kermit & I travelling around the Irish coastline, was had from seeing & experiencing the most breathtaking natural scenery. As each evening would draw in, with the blanket of an Irish night’s darkness hiding the natural beauty of the land, we were always welcomed with great warmth at journeys end, from the Irish pubs with their music, to the restaurants with great atmosphere whit & poetry.

You don’t have to, nor ought you to, try to fit in all this wondrous country has to offer in one trip, Kermit & I saw a great deal, but possibly too much, for by filling each day to bursting with high mileage, ever changing landscapes, stately homes, medieval forts & more, we both almost (but not quite) went mad, for the senses can’t take the sheer majestic quantity & beauty of Ireland in its entirety, in just seven days.

I’d suggest you break it down, three, four, five trips or more, for in each day we travelled, could easily have taken four or five days to truly appreciate & enjoy all this small country has to offer, from cities to towns, to villages & remote outposts, consisting of just a couple of cottages & gravel main streets, to lush green & ever morphing landscapes, from mountains to bogs & from ancient historic monuments to quaint thatched cottages, Ireland has it all.

Ireland, don’t just read about it, visit it.

Jaques There is a garmin route map for Jaques route around Ireland, it doesn’t look great on A5 pages so if anyone wants it please contact Jaques de Klerk or Nigel Barton

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Motorcycle Live NEC Birmingham Nigel and I visited the bike show at Birmingham on Sunday the 25th Nov, it’s the second year running that we have travelled up the night before, stopped over at a hotel fully refreshed in the morning for a full day at the show, it certainly is a more pleasant way to experience what’s on offer.

The parking this year was badly organised but once we had got past that hurdle I was pleasantly surprised to find that the show inside looked quite lively and a fair bit larger then I remember last years one being.

A full range of manufacturers were on show, I thought the Honda stand was very well thought out, with plenty of information on the new licensing rules and the bikes arranged into licence category groups, a very wise move when generally it would appear that everyone is thoroughly confused by the upcoming new rules.

The Kawasaki stand was always going to be of great interest to me and it was nice to see that it was very busy. A small stage with ZX10R race bikes on, where Chris Walker and Neil Hodgson were interviewed helped grab attention, the Kawasaki team used this stage to talk about the new models and again the new licensing rules to help inform people. The new Z800 looks extremely good and I for one can’t wait to ride one. Looking just as good were the new ZX6R 636 and Ninja 300 and judging by the amount of finger prints on them plenty of other people found them appealing too. Nigel seemed to keep getting drawn to the new orange and black Versys 1000, hmmm I feel a colour change coming on !

Overall the show was good fun this year, it wasn’t over busy with people which always makes things more pleasant if you are trying to look around. There was definitely enough to keep us amused for the whole day, which was nice as I have been to so many shows in the past where after a couple of hours into it you are bored and looking forward to going home.

Lets hope the effort put into the show pays off next year……..

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Hi, we thought you’d like to know that The Rider’s Digest is back as an online magazine and that it’s free to download at www.theridersdigest.co.uk Following the demise of the printed version last September the company was wound up in the courts and that appeared to be that. However, the readership was still there and, having edited the magazine from January ’06 to July ’09, I and some other die-hard Digest types decided that through a combination of love, effort and goodwill, TRD could be restored to its former glory - albeit online. And that's precisely what we've done. We have produced three issues so far and are already reaching over 10,000 readers a month. Most of your favourite contributors and features are back (Six in the City, In the Saddle, Boy Biker, Rod Young etc.), plus we have a whole load of new writers from around the world.

I want to stress that the new version of TRD has nothing whatsoever to do with the company that went bust, or any of the individuals who owned it at that time. It is an entirely new initiative starting from scratch with nothing but the name (which was free to pick up) and the great reputation that goes with it.

We sincerely hope you’ll start reading the Digest again as it really is as good, if not better, than it ever was.

If you click the ‘Subscribe for Free’ button on our website, we’ll simply send you a reminder email every time we publish a new edition.

You can also follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/TheRidersDigest Best regards, Dave Gurman Editor, The Rider's Digest

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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 £45.00

Sunday 25th March 2012

Sunday 20th May 2012

Sunday 5th August 2012

Sunday 21st October 2012

Contact John Tipper, Email: jtipper@eamg.org.uk

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Name: Address:

Post Code:

Tel:

Email: Riding Experience:

Aspirations:

Machine:

Typical annual mileage: 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.

FTFM - 2012 Membership Secretary

Observer Coordinator

Lynn Childs

John Tullett

lchilds@eamg.org.uk

jtullett@eamg.org.uk

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Additional Membership Fee

Contribution to Observer

ÂŁ20 pa

ÂŁ10 per ride 65

ESSEX ADVANCED MOTORCYCLISTS GROUP Laura Windram, 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 Essex Advanced Motorcyclists Group Ltd, Registered Office, St Laurence House, 2 Gridiron Place, Upminster, Essex, RM14 2BE Registered in England & Wales, Registration No.

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5258261 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 2011. Illustrations Š EAMG 2010, except where indicated otherwise. Group material may be reproduced provided acknowledgement is given to EAMG and the original author.

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