oct_2008

Page 1

9/10/08

13:47

Page 1

S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

continued from page 11 which proved to be a good idea because the weather was getting worse the higher we climbed, now in Spain we reached the peak which was shrouded in cloud along with now heavy rain. This was very disappointing as the scenery with a lot of snow on the mountains would have provided some good photo’s, but never mind we hoped there would be other times. As we started our descent we were blissfully unaware of what awaited us; what we encountered was 10 miles of complete road reconstruction, badly controlled by workers with paddles and the occasional traffic lights. This would normally be enough to cope with, but most of the time the roads were covered in what appeared to be wet muddy slurry, which made the hairpin bends with the sheer drops really exciting. The other worrying thing for me was the fact that the fuel gauge had been flashing for several miles, so I had to conserve fuel by turning off the engine every time we got stopped. Couple this with an endless stream of lorries coming up the “road” (and occupying most of it) and you get the picture. Eventually we reached a little village with some decent roads, found a petrol station then travelled the last few miles to hotel in Llavorsi. The group looked like they had just been through a mud storm but luckily the hotel had an outside tap and pressure hose so we could all wash the bikes, the concrete type stuff was everywhere and needed some serious spraying to remove it. The hotel even went out and bought 6 buckets and sponges for us to use.

We spent four nights and three days at this hotel which was a very pleasant four star, with an outside pool, huge Jacuzzi, steam and sauna room and the facilities for horse riding, white water rafting and a four wheel drive trip up into the mountains. I even found a petrol station that sold specs and so I could read again. Some of the ladies in the group went horse riding, others went rafting but Paul & I went on the four-wheel drive tour. My! what an experience that was we climbed to a height of 7,500 feet up incredibly steep and very narrow boulder strewn and rutted tracks that we never thought the Landrover would make. Up at the highest point the trucks could get to there was a building where you could get a hot drink and lots of scope for some stunning photos, the views were superb. There was still a lot of snow up there and the temperature was on the chilly side as the clouds covered and uncovered the peaks at an amazing speed. After about twenty minutes we started the descent, which was a lot bumpier than the ascent, eventually arriving back at the village then back to the hotel. Paul and I also took the opportunity for a tour around some of the roads and Cols; again a lot of fun was had with some superb roads and scenery. Some of our fellow trippers visited Andorra for the day, which they very much enjoyed along with the super bendy roads and scenery on the way. Day 8 - we had an early breakfast and left the hotel by 8.00 for the longest day’s riding of the tour,

October 2008

The IAM Aims To improve the standard of driving (and riding) on the UK roads. The Advancement of Road Safety.

MAKING

progress

www.jamescargo.com/bikes for more information

nearly 400 miles which took us back into France via Perpignan and Montpellier then over the stunning Millau bridge (not shrouded in cloud for a change) followed by 40 miles of glorious bends and climbs through the Tarn Gorge, oh what fun! We eventually arrived at our hotel in Joyeuse around 7.30 in the evening, for another splendid meal before crashing into our beds utterly knackered. Sadly our (70 year old) Harley friend did his clutch in and had to leave the bike for repairs near Montpellier but was, as usual, excellently taken care of by Peter and Gloria who made sure that everything that could be done was done to get him and the bike sorted. The next morning we headed further north 275 miles to our final nights stay in a very nice hotel in Avallon, once again riding some superb empty and very fast D roads. We got up on the Sunday morning to be greeted with rain for the start of our 310 mile ride back to Calais, but eventually the

JULY CAPTION COMPETITION WINNER:

Spanish Pyrenees tour

To shrink-fit your new Draggin Jeans, soak in the bath for 10 minutes....not 10 hours!!!

Andrew Sartin rain stopped and we continued our boring ride back along the autoroute to catch the 3.15 boat. A superb 1500 mile holiday with some very friendly people, great hotels and some of the most breath taking scenery and brilliant roads ever ridden. Thanks once again to Peter & Gloria our hosts from MSL Tours who excelled on all fronts to give us a great holiday. Peter, given the “road of death” last year and the “sea of mud” this year, what exciting arrival day conditions are you planning for next year’s trip?

John Goodson/ Paul Nol DISCLAIMER Most of the views expressed in this SAM Newsletter are personal to the author and publication does not imply endorsement of any article, any author or any organisation. Views expressed are those of the authors, and are not necessarily in accordance with the policies or the views of the IAM or SAM. Where articles are reproduced from other publications or authors, unreserved acknowledgement is given to the source. No responsibility is accepted by the Editor or SAM for any damage to intelligence or riding abilities, howsoever caused, which might result from reading this publication.

P A G E 12

sam

SOLENT ADVANCED M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

The Administration of an Advanced Test.

Help us make progress with a contribution towards the next issue. Pics in jpeg format please.

Newsletter email address is sam.newsletter@btinternet.com

Report p10

October 08

INSIDE p2 Two girls and their mum

p5 No speed cameras here

p6 Design & artwork by KF:D LTD Fordingbridge, 01425 654557

bike oct cov 08:bike april cov 08

SAM BBQ

p8 Ace Cafe book launch

p9 A Classic night out

Registered Charity No. 1097558


bike oct cov 08:bike april cov 08

9/10/08

13:47

Page 3

S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

Two girls & their Mum get on their bikes By Jill Kendrick

After my first venture abroad last Easter with one of my teenage daughters as pillion, she was inspired to learn to ride a motorbike and this summer did her first tour abroad on her little Yamaha 125 SR. e took an overnight car ferry from Portsmouth arriving in Le Havre the following morning, well rested and ready for a day’s ride across Normandy. Having trailed around small winding country lanes on the Isle of Wight, Caley found the French roads much easier and set a good pace. Her younger sister rode pillion with me, i-pod firmly implanted and singing along when she wasn’t nodding off.

W

Our first night’s camp was at Hauteville-Sur-Mer on the west coast of Normandy to meet up with their elder sister and a friend who happened to be celebrating his PA G E 2

S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

October 2008

20th birthday. Riding with a sat nav we always avoided the motorways and had a lot of fun riding through picturesque villages and picking our way through towns when we felt like it, always secure in the knowledge that ‘Tom Tom’ would guide us on our way when we were ready. From Hauteville we headed south towards La Rochelle or more specifically Isle de Re, stopping enroute at a beautiful little camp site on the banks of the Loire. From La Rochelle we continued south through Les Landes de Gascogne district before heading inland towards the Pyrenees crossing the most spectacular scenery that even stopped Rhian from nodding off behind me. (Fortunately she always seemed to jolt awake just in time giving the bike a little wobble as she came to!) In Les Landes we managed to find time for a downstream canoeing trip and later, a white rafting excursion in the Pyrenees. Not forgetting a bit of culture at the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao before a very relaxing voyage back to Portsmouth on the ‘Pride of Bilbao’ after 14 days and 1400 miles.

The ferry trip was nice and calm and we were soon across the channel disembarking to a steady drizzle. 135 miles to cover, we worked our way out of Calais onto the A26 where the group started to split up and make their own way south. We decided to stay with the main pack for day 1, the rain eventually stopped and we arrived at our hotel in Rouen around mid afternoon, parked the bikes in secure underground parking then went for a stroll. A minor lapse in concentration leaving the ferry saw my glasses left in the road somewhere so that put paid to my reading for a while. Day 2 – 220 miles started with bright sunshine so after breakfast, Paul and I set off on our own on some superb D roads for our overnight stop in Chateauroux near Loches. Mrs Garmin did a good job and we arrived at the hotel around mid afternoon so we had chance for a

....the roads were covered in what appeared to be wet muddy slurry, which made the hairpin bends with the sheer drops really exciting. few beers and a chat with some of the other bikers. There was a good selection of different bikes on the tour ranging from sports bikes, Pan Europeans, BMW RT’s, 1200 GS and even a Harley (more about this later). Some people had travelled from as far away as Aberdeen, Fife and Guernsey to make the trip. The hotel was very nice with some good food and beds were really comfortable which you certainly need after a hard days riding. We left the hotel on Day 3 – 250 miles travelling on some great D

roads, to our overnight stop in Le Bugue in a very pleasant hotel right alongside the river Vezere. Despite a few detours, some enforced due to road works and some due to interesting little GPS quirks (it certainly amuses the locals to see multiple British bikes doing emergency stops and U- turns in their villages when the GPS goes awry), Mrs Garmin once again came through after Paul had a serious chat with his when it suddenly decided that we should about turn and head North for Paris! This hotel was family run and once again very pleasant with good food and comfortable beds. The evening’s entertainment came with dinner where our host played and sang for us (slightly reminiscent of Madame Edith in Allo Allo but without the cheese). Day 4 – 230 miles again started with very nice warm sunshine and a slight delay for us as we waited for the optician to open

October 2008

to see if we could pick up a cheap pair of reading glasses for me. Paul had practiced his French all night so that we could get what we needed and we stood outside the shop for 20 minutes waiting for it to open and nobody turned up (c’est la vie)! We headed south on our final push towards the Pyrenees, again roads were superb but we had noticed over the previous few days that an increasing amount of normal carriageway had been single solid white lined (you could see where the short lines had been over painted), often for several miles at a stretch which caused some tail backs if you got stuck behind anything slow moving. Also the price of petrol rose to above UK prices as we moved further south. We started the climb in bright sunlight but as we approached the Col we could see the weather changing. Paul donned his wet gear

continued on page 12 P A G E 11


bike b_w oct 08:bike b_w april 08

9/10/08

13:40

Page 2

S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

from the editor ...

October 2008

CHAIRMAN’S

Hi there Since the enforced sale of my precious BMW R1150RT to pay for dental treatment for my daughter – in fact, to pay for one tooth!!! I have been reassessing my motorcycling. Maybe it just follows because of the type of bike I now ride (Honda XRV 750 Africa Twin) or because I am going on Enduro Africa 2008 to South Africa, or because I read so many Adventure Motorcycling books, or I have been inspired by meeting Lois Pryce, Austin Vince, Sam Manicom and Geoff Hill or maybe all of the above… but I know that “travelling” is where I am heading. The plan has been to start small (a couple of weekends under canvas first – South Wales and Exmoor), then attend a “Travellers” mini rally in Somerset, and even the Touratech Travellers day in Swansea. Once back from South Africa the plan will be to “do” France, Andorra and the Pyrenees. But I digress – the subject of this editorial was Motorcycle Travel and I can suggest no better place to look for all the answers and lots of questions and suggestions than the Horizons Unlimited web site (it’s free): http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/intro

Four (Easy) Steps to Motorcycle Travelling 1. Go to Horizons Unlimited! 2. Get inspired! 3. Get Ready! 4. Get on the Road!

chat

Well summer is almost over and you are probably asking what summer. Well we had a super hot day when I lead a 17 strong group to Bodiam Castle, but those days have been rare. Due to the weather, response to some of the SAM Sundays have been poor, except for August when we had an excellent turnout and even ran out of those excellent bacon butties. owever, recruitment is down compared to last year despite attending numerous events with the MDU. I think the weather hasn't help this year but according to the papers fuel prices going up is seeing more people turn to bikes.

H

In my first Chairman's chat I said that I wanted to do more for associates and true to my word I have been stirring things up at National level. Several of us recently attended the IAM National Conference where we managed to get a vote on whether associates should be allowed to attend the conference. Unfortunately there was an overwhelming vote against it, but we did try! There has been a really good response to the numerous rideouts, with events running on Tuesday, Fridays and Sundays. The ride after SAM Sunday for associates and guests is also proving very popular and thank you to the members who have stepped forward to run those rides. The Club evenings have also been excellent and its always nice to see Lois and hear about her latest adventures and Howard has organized an interesting programme over the coming months.

Maybe we could travel together – get a tent and some beers and join me!!

Nigel Grace

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Despite Autumn coming we still have numerous events planned and who is going to let a little rain stop us taking the bike out. As always my door is open to any suggestions, comments, feedback good or bad that you would like to make. Safe riding

Lilian Hobbs SAM Polo-shirts

Chairman

Dr Lilian Hobbs

02380 263319

Vice Chairman:

Colin Backhouse

02380 871 642

embroidered with the Club name

Treasurer:

John Parvin

01329 284 640

- always available to buy at Club

Chief Observer:

David Spicer

01794 341 087

Nights. Sizes XXL to Small.

Membership Secretary:

Dr Wendy Peters

07843 006 172

Club Night Organiser:

Howard King

Public Relations:

David Forster

01962 761 026

Group Rides Co-ordinator: Gerry Gooch

01329 832 416

Skills Co-ord:

Dr Lilian Hobbs

02380 263319

Regalia:

Vacant

SAM Sunday Co-Ord

Becci Lunn

Newsletter:

Nigel Grace

01425 472021

MDU Manager:

Ian Cooper

02380 410 690

Black long or short sleeve shirts

Long Sleeves £18.50 Short Sleeves £15.00

Books and Videos The Assessment of Advanced Motorcycling £4.50 Know your Traffic Signs £3.00 How to be an Advanced Motorcyclist £7.99 Motorcycle Roadcraft (Blue Book) £11.99 Mike Waites Video £14.99 Top Rider Video £14.99

Available for sale at Club Night PA G E 3


bike b_w oct 08:bike b_w april 08

9/10/08

13:40

Page 3

S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

By now everyone should have received the Summer Advanced Driving magazine and just in case you missed it, on Page 6, the IAM are increasing their subscription from the 1st January 2009. Here you can find a full explanation as to why the subscription will be increased from £17.50/£18 to £28/£30.

October 2008

SAM DIARY OF EVENTS FOR 2008 OCT Tue Sun Sun Tue Sun Sun Sun

NOV Sat 1 Sun 2 Sun 9

Your subscription to the IAM is paid in addition to your subscription to SAM and for associates is included the 1st year in your Skills for Life package. The IAM is offering a reduced price of £28 if you pay by direct debit. It would also greatly help SAM if you would consider setting up a standing order to pay your SAM membership. This form is included in your renewal notice or you can set one up at any time and the membership secretary will be happy to send you the details which can be done online if you use internet banking.

14 19 19 21 26 26 26

DEC

Sun

JAN

SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start SAM Group Ride Meon Hut 9.30am Ian Cooper - Wantage MotoGP Malaysia Sepang SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm SAM Group Ride Winchester World Superbikes Portugal Portimao MotoGP Valencia Ricardo Tormo SAM Group ride to Ace Cafe - Sam Manicom Book Signing Winnell Nigel Grace 10.30am SAM Group Ride Ower SAM Group Ride - Royal British Legion Remembrance Service at the Ace Café Wickham John Hardman SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start SAM Group Ride Meon Hut SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm SAM Group Ride Winchester NEC Bike Show ( 28 Nov - 7 Dec) Birmingham SAM Group Ride Wickham

Tue Sun Tue Sun Fri Sun

11 16 18 23 28 30

Sun Tue Sun Tue 21 Sun

7 SAM Group Ride Ower 9 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start 14 SAM Group Ride Ower 16 SAM Committee Meeting TBC 7.30pm SAM Group Ride Meon Hut 28 SAM Group Ride Winchester

Sun 4

SAM Group Ride Wickham

C H I E F O B S E RV E R ’ S REPORT O c t o b e r 0 8 Almost without fail, there is one question Associates always ask me. It’s the $64.000 question. It’s the subject at the very top of the pile. It’s the one placed on a pedestal it has no right to occupy. To me, it’s the fly-in-the-ointment that’s responsible for seriously compromising our Advanced Motorcycling skills. And if you haven’t guessed by now – it’s the question of speed. So what do I say when asked, “What speed should I ride at during my test?” My first response is often, “The safest speed for the conditions”. But that’s not the truth, nor is it a great deal of help. PA G E 4

I might go on to explain that an Advanced Motorcyclist must always be able to demonstrate that he/she is confident to ride up to the speed limit, if it’s safe to do so. And whilst that answer is spot-on, what I’m really saying is that an Advanced Motorcyclist must routinely ride up to the point where they are just about to break the law and potentially be fined, gain points, lose their licence, their job, their home and risk divorce. Okay, that’s a bit dramatic, but I’m sorry to say it’s the reality of the situation, and it does happen to many safe road users. It’s an absurd hypocrisy. I can think of no other law where people are actively encouraged, or expected, to spend much of their time at the point of breaking it. But relax, I’m not about to go off on one of my anti Speed Camera rants, as much as I deplore their negative contribution to road safety, but this whole question of speed leaves me, as an IAM Senior Observer, in a

state of hypocrisy. And it’s not just me. It applies to an ACPO Chief Constable and then right down through every layer of authority. Speed limits are like a religion. None of us dare admit that we break them but we all know that everyone does. It’s the unspoken truth that’s only acknowledged with the sly grin and the knowing look. So where does that knowledge leave me, as Chief Observer? Well, firstly I have to state that these are my personal views and in no way reflect the views of the IAM. Heaven forbid that the IAM even hint at questioning the authority of the speed limit religion. But what do I say to Associates I hear you cry. Okay, I have the following advice… 1. Well before your test, get used to riding at the speed limit – particularly in plated limits. It is more dangerous to keep looking at your speedo than to occasionally drift over the limit

whilst concentrating on all the hazards. (But not in the eyes of the law). 2. Calibrate your speedo. Know the difference between indicated speed and actual speed. You will find you can legally ride faster than your speedo indicates. 3. In national limits, don’t dither about on an overtake. You should aim to spend as little time as possible on the wrong side of the road. And there’s the big dilemma. Do you exceed the limit on an overtake in the interests of safety, or maintain a dangerous position for longer because that’s what the law says we should do? I can’t answer that. I know what’s sensible, I know what’s safest, I know what true Advanced Motorcycling should be about, but we have the ogre of the speed limit religion looking over my shoulder trying to make me say things I don’t believe in. Go figure.

David Spicer


bike b_w oct 08:bike b_w april 08

9/10/08

13:40

Page 4

S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

October 2008

NO SPEED CAMERAS HERE

My Harley Davidson is as you can see, not exactly adorned with chrome; it is an MT 350 comprising of many bits such as: Rotax Engine, Marzocchi front suspension with Ohlins twin rear suspension units. This type of bike is currently in use by the British Army and until a useable diesel bike appears on the scene will remain so for a bit longer. To make the bike lighter for off road use eg picking it up, I have removed about 10kg of metal (front and rear panniers, center stand, protector bars, even the overly large indicators). It has kick start but the little orange button is soooo much easier. It is a solid reliable bit of kit and unlike its namesake actually looks better covered in mud! There are better bikes around but I was able to get this off ebay for £891 and for that price it was a bargain as from a dealer they are £2500! In the dry it will happily keep up with “normal” dual purpose bikes, although flying through the air (intentionally) is a bit outside its design spec. As you can see from the picture in submarine mode its electrics are

robust to say the least. Its weight does count against it when the going gets slippery but if you go with the flow, you grin like a nutter. Fault Finding The MT350E British Army manual is possibly the best motorcycle maintenance guide I've ever encountered. It covers just about anything that could happen, and explains it all in words of one syllable so that anyone can solve anything. The best bit is the faultfinding guide; obviously written with the non-motorcyclists in mind… Symptom: Engine will not start Fault: Operator insufficiently experienced in technique Remedy: Practice! Symptom: Poor fuel economy Fault: High speed riding style Remedy: Modify riding habits Symptom: Lights inoperative Fault: Blackout switch operated! Remedy: Reset to normal position Symptom: Oil not returning to reservoir Fault: No oil in machine Remedy: Add oil.

I use the bike for commuting and green laning. Hampshire is actually closing a lot of it’s byways so I usually hop over the border to Wiltshire which has a large network of lanes easily joined together with small transits of tarmac. The area in and around Salisbury Plain is especially blessed. Indeed it is possible to get from Winchester to the Plain largely off road. Most of the trails are easily navigable though some are very overgrown, some are more challenging than others usually because of ruts which can be a bit of a pain or when you come across hard wet chalk which is very slippery. The area around the plain is riddled with tracks offering everything from woods, grass, gradients and pits etc………..great fun. Off roading offers another side to the motorcycling experience and in the wet can be very challenging especially on slippery chalk. Your balance is tested, as are your reactions, an ability to pick your bike up can also be useful! If anyone has a suitable bike and they want to come and have a laugh at themselves and me, please contact me at colinhitchcock@mac.com.

Colin Hichcock PA G E 5


bike b_w oct 08:bike b_w april 08

9/10/08

13:40

Page 5

S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

SAM BBQ Sausages, burgers and salad were enjoyed by all, along with beer and wine (thanks to Annette for opening the bar), all under the shelter of the massive gazebo provided by Millard Patton.

October 2008

The weather held off!!!! About 35-40 people turned up to our SAM Sunday BBQ, which was a great success. This followed the great success of having 15 new people arrive for free assessed rides in the morning, so I certainly earned my committee position that day.

I think that there is a distinct possibility of having the BBQ again next year, but I'm not cooking again!! We made approximately £100 profit for the group.

Becci Lunn

When I met Geoff Hill... Three members of the SAM Committee attended the National Conference 2008 (Lillian, Wendy and myself). Upon arrival we had coffee and we whilst hanging around for it all to start; in walks Geoff Hill, all 6ft 7in of him. I seized my moment whilst the IAM official went off to get him a coffee and I chatted to Geoff for some 15 minutes before anyone noticed who I was ! He very kindly signed my copy of “The Road to Gobblers Knob” and a chap from the Northern Ireland group took our photo. Whilst the Conference was very interesting – the highlight for me was meeting Geoff Hill, and his presentation to the assembled Members and officials was brilliant and very very funny. So far this year I have met with Sam Manicom, Lois Pryce, Austin Vince and now Geoff Hill – and I have signed copies of all their books – I am becoming a bit of a Motorcycle Travel “Groupie”… PA G E 6

Nigel with author, travel writer and guest speaker Geoff Hill at the IAM National Conference at Warwick University 2008


bike b_w oct 08:bike b_w april 08

9/10/08

13:40

Page 6

S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

October 2008

Sometimes it is unavoidable... you are just going to have to stop. Reading the road and anticipating the intended actions of other road users is a fundamental part of being an Advanced Motorcyclist. We all aim to reach a high standard and to be safe and courteous motorcyclists, whilst making the most of the enjoyment of biking!

You know how some things really annoy you... For me, one of them is the BBC Radio travel news. It’s not that I don’t think they’re incredibly useful things, no, what gets me about them is their abject refusal to acknowledge that anything ever occurs with any form of human intervention. They always appear to place the blame firmly at the wheels of the vehicles. How often do we hear the expression, “A lorry has turned over”? Well I’m sorry, call me naïve if you must, but I refuse to believe that lorries ‘just turn over’. Surely it was due to the gross incompetence of the driver wasn’t it? Lorries look pretty damn stable things to me. Why not say, “A driver has somehow managed to turn his lorry over and because of his incompetence, all you unlucky motorists will now have a pig’s ear of a wait.” Here’s one that really gets me: “A lorry has shed its load.” Nope. The lorry didn’t ‘shed its load’. This is not some form of reptilian behaviour. The incompetent charged with driving that vehicle, failed to ensure that the load was secure. That’s what really happened. And what about “A vehicle has spilt diesel”? NO! The vehicle didn’t spill it – the idiot driver did! If I wrote the travel news, I wouldn’t let the vehicle take the blame. No way, Jose, I’d tell the truth. This would be my report… ”Some idiot has failed to master one of the most basic tasks associated with driving a motor vehicle. This person clearly does not possess the modicum of intelligence required to re-fuel a vehicle such that on the first occasion he deviates from a straightline he doesn’t dump a sea of diesel on the road, thereby endangering the wellbeing of hundreds of motorists – ESPECIALLY MOTORCYCLISTS, YOU B*****D!” Yeah. That’s what I’d say…

By Dave Spicer

n order to 'Make Good Progress' it's important to maintain your focus on the road ahead, adjusting your speed as required to avoid unnecessary delays at roundabouts, junctions etc. But sometimes it is unavoidable... you are just going to have to stop! And when you do, how are you going to let the other road users behind you know that you intend to stop? Well fortunately those lovely people who made your bike for you fitted a little gizmo called a 'Brake Light', and those (less lovely) Government people insist that this marvellous invention should actually work in order for your bike to pass it's MOT. The brake light is fitted to assist other road users in anticipating your actions, and to help keep you safe, if you tell the guy behind you that you intend to slow down or stop then there is less chance that he'll plough into your arse-end!

I

I often read about Advanced Bikers who are so good at reading the road that they hardly ever (if ever) have to use their brakes, which is a great demonstration of their riding skills, but not a lot of help to whoever is behind them. The Highway Code has a useful section on 'Signals to other Road Users', which includes this picture (attached) illustrating the use of brake lights. They are fitted to vehicles for a reason, and in my opinion it is foolhardy not to make use of them. We hear all the time about accidents involving bikes

The brake light is fitted to assist other road users in anticipating your actions, and to help keep you safe. where the other person 'failed to see them', and if we fail to give other road users fair warning of our intentions does that not make us complicit in any resulting incident? I try to be as road-aware as possible at all times, and thanks to the brilliant training I received from SAM on behalf of the IAM I am rarely delayed by other traffic or at junctions/signals, but I always make use of my brake lights! You don't need to haul on the anchors to light up that little gizmo, just a light tough on the lever/pedal is enough to send that important message to the guy behind you. Think about it this way... if you don't use your brake light then the guy behind you will have less time to react when he does realise that you are stopping, at which point he might panic and swerve to avoid you. So you and your bike would be spared, but what might he hit instead?

Andy Whitlock PA G E 7


bike b_w oct 08:bike b_w april 08

9/10/08

13:40

Page 7

S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

October 2008

ACE CAFE LAUNCHES ‘DISTANT SUNS’ Saturday 1st November 2008 2-7pm The new adventure motorcycle travel book by Sam Manicom “Adventure in the vastness of Africa and South America” Drama, action, passion, disaster, and the pure adrenaline buzz of overlanding are all here in Sam Manicom’s third adventure motorcycle travel book. Sam originally intended to spend a year riding the length of Africa but this evolved into an eight year, 200,000 mile journey around the world.

In Distant Suns you’ll find stunning roads and magnificent scenery.You’ll find disaster, escape from death (really) and tales of incredible luck – both good and bad. It’s life on the road and why we do it.

Sam’s richly evocative writing opens up a world where people travel their own fragile, unsupported paths and his acute and quirky observations transport you to their universe. His descriptions illuminate

the darker times like shafts of sunlight, and suck you right into the scene. Distant Suns will grab you, enthral you, shock you, make you laugh, and spit you out as a convert to the dream of overlanding these two amazing continents. www.sam-manicom.com EVERY DAY AN ADVENTURE

His books Into Africa (A great adventure and a really enjoyable read – Johnnie Walker) and Under Asian Skies (a unique and wonderful adventure – Ted Simon) covered his first four years of phenomenal travelling experiences and now Distant Suns takes you on a three year voyage of discovery through Southern Africa and South America. This time Sam rides and shares the adventures with someone special, the brave and indefatigable Birgit. The themes of the story are, adventure (of course), the two continents with their stunning roads and cultures, the amazing people you meet, the strangeness and fun of suddenly travelling with someone else, and Birgit coming to terms with touring on her bike she rode her first dirt road, in Africa, in the dark! Not planned, but life. She survives the madness of the traffic in such cities as Nairobi and Dar es Salam, only to have a major accident in the Transkei hills in southern Africa. She rescues Sam from a potential complete disaster when she realises that his bike is about to blow up, and he’s not noticed! They meet and get well and truly conned by an Argentinean wide boy and by fluke of fortune they end up travelling across the southern Atlantic by luxury cruise liner instead of a tramp steamer. So the adventure rolls up to and through the magnificent Andes.

Nigel Grace will be leading a ride to the Ace Cafe on Saturday 1st November - leaving Tesco Car Park at Winnell, at 10am

PA G E 8


bike b_w oct 08:bike b_w april 08

9/10/08

13:40

Page 8

S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

October 2008

SAM club nig ht s A Classic Night out

by Gerry Gooch

What is it about us Bikers that the mention of the word `Classic` brings us together in our droves to drool over these machines of yesteryear.

First on the Scene Sam Club night hosted Dr Brando Tamayo to give a presentation of "First on the Scene" which included Accident Scene Management and First Aid. he picture to the right is of Brando demonstrating how to remove the helmet of a casualty. A brilliant night and one that should be repeated Brando is a member of the British Association of Immediate Care (BASIC) and is at present the only qualified rider having passed a Police riding course.

T

http://www.basicshampshire. org.uk/IMBIKE.html

ny bike over 30 years of age is viewed with admiration amongst the biking fraternity and SAM members are no different than any other Biker in this respect it would appear, for on Tuesday 9th September at Club Night SAM members collected under the floodlights at SGCC in large numbers to admire the Classic bikes owned by club members.

A

The Chairman of the IAM David Kenworthy was visiting us after being badgered by David Forster to come and see a real Bikers group of the IAM in action. Having been a Biker himself in the 60’s and 70’s, David told us about his biking history including his ownership of a Norton Commando. ( we won’t mention his 125cc Vespa or 175 BSA Bantam ).

continued on page 10

PA G E 9


bike b_w oct 08:bike b_w april 08

9/10/08

13:40

Page 9

S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

October 2008

Spanish Pyrenees tour with MSL tours

continued from page 9

6th to 15th June Paul and I left home mid afternoon on Thursday in glorious sunshine for a leisurely ride to Dover on the back roads through some really nice small Kent towns and villages that we had never heard of let alone seen before. Lead by Mrs Garmin, the occasional grass track punctuated the route (it’s alright for those of us riding a GS)! The night was all about `real bikes`, a couple of BSA Golden Flash’s and a Royal Star, Ariel Red Hunter, 2 Norton Commandos, and a 30 year old Yamaha and Kawasaki. We were also pleased to receive a guest with a 1960 Royal Enfield Meteor. Of course, apart from the real Classics there was a very tasty collection of `Interesting` bikes to be seen.

We invited everyone to vote for the bike that they would most like to own in each of the two classes, Classic and Interesting. The decision was not easy for many. One voter remarked that he would like to own any of them, but after very careful consideration chose the one that was worth the most! So who won what? The favourite Interesting bike was the Triumph 1200 Special Edition owned by John Fox with 10 votes,

P A G E 10

e stayed in the B&B we used last year to be close to the ferry and next morning, after a healthy full English breakfast, we headed down to the port under overcast skies with spots of rain. Our fellow travellers consisted some 27 assorted bikes and 39 people, as usual most had been with MSL before and were greeted like long lost friends by our excellent tour guides Peter and

W

who just pipped the only bike that had not been cleaned for the event and although it was the scruffiest bike on display, was nevertheless very desirable and Colin Hitchcock the owner of the Harley Davidson 350 cc Trail bike went home happy with a little smile on his face with 9 points. Colin Goble’s Moto Guzzi Breva came in a close 3rd with 8 points. The very serious business of choosing the favourite Classic was also a close run thing with two bikes, the Norton Commando of Charles Schouler and the Yamaha XT 500 of Gerry Gooch tying for 3rd with 7 votes each. (Apologies to Charles for an oversight in adding the scores and in not announcing the full correct result on the evening). In second place came the very tasty Norton Commando of Millard Paton with 10 votes. The overall winner of the most desirable bike with 12 votes went to the Aerial 350 cc Red Hunter owned by Steve Carter who was presented with a die cast racing motorcycle by the Chairman of the IAM.

So a truly memorable evening came to an end and even the rain stayed away.

Gloria Avard. After the problems I had last year, we had gone to some trouble to sort out my comms stuff so I was really pleased that I had bike-to-bike, music and the phone link working (at least for a while) although Mrs Garmin struggled to make itself heard over about 50 mph. And latterly the bike-to-bike went on the blink again – do these things ever work consistently!


bike oct cov 08:bike april cov 08

9/10/08

13:47

Page 3

S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

Two girls & their Mum get on their bikes By Jill Kendrick

After my first venture abroad last Easter with one of my teenage daughters as pillion, she was inspired to learn to ride a motorbike and this summer did her first tour abroad on her little Yamaha 125 SR. e took an overnight car ferry from Portsmouth arriving in Le Havre the following morning, well rested and ready for a day’s ride across Normandy. Having trailed around small winding country lanes on the Isle of Wight, Caley found the French roads much easier and set a good pace. Her younger sister rode pillion with me, i-pod firmly implanted and singing along when she wasn’t nodding off.

W

Our first night’s camp was at Hauteville-Sur-Mer on the west coast of Normandy to meet up with their elder sister and a friend who happened to be celebrating his PA G E 2

S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

October 2008

20th birthday. Riding with a sat nav we always avoided the motorways and had a lot of fun riding through picturesque villages and picking our way through towns when we felt like it, always secure in the knowledge that ‘Tom Tom’ would guide us on our way when we were ready. From Hauteville we headed south towards La Rochelle or more specifically Isle de Re, stopping enroute at a beautiful little camp site on the banks of the Loire. From La Rochelle we continued south through Les Landes de Gascogne district before heading inland towards the Pyrenees crossing the most spectacular scenery that even stopped Rhian from nodding off behind me. (Fortunately she always seemed to jolt awake just in time giving the bike a little wobble as she came to!) In Les Landes we managed to find time for a downstream canoeing trip and later, a white rafting excursion in the Pyrenees. Not forgetting a bit of culture at the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao before a very relaxing voyage back to Portsmouth on the ‘Pride of Bilbao’ after 14 days and 1400 miles.

The ferry trip was nice and calm and we were soon across the channel disembarking to a steady drizzle. 135 miles to cover, we worked our way out of Calais onto the A26 where the group started to split up and make their own way south. We decided to stay with the main pack for day 1, the rain eventually stopped and we arrived at our hotel in Rouen around mid afternoon, parked the bikes in secure underground parking then went for a stroll. A minor lapse in concentration leaving the ferry saw my glasses left in the road somewhere so that put paid to my reading for a while. Day 2 – 220 miles started with bright sunshine so after breakfast, Paul and I set off on our own on some superb D roads for our overnight stop in Chateauroux near Loches. Mrs Garmin did a good job and we arrived at the hotel around mid afternoon so we had chance for a

....the roads were covered in what appeared to be wet muddy slurry, which made the hairpin bends with the sheer drops really exciting. few beers and a chat with some of the other bikers. There was a good selection of different bikes on the tour ranging from sports bikes, Pan Europeans, BMW RT’s, 1200 GS and even a Harley (more about this later). Some people had travelled from as far away as Aberdeen, Fife and Guernsey to make the trip. The hotel was very nice with some good food and beds were really comfortable which you certainly need after a hard days riding. We left the hotel on Day 3 – 250 miles travelling on some great D

roads, to our overnight stop in Le Bugue in a very pleasant hotel right alongside the river Vezere. Despite a few detours, some enforced due to road works and some due to interesting little GPS quirks (it certainly amuses the locals to see multiple British bikes doing emergency stops and U- turns in their villages when the GPS goes awry), Mrs Garmin once again came through after Paul had a serious chat with his when it suddenly decided that we should about turn and head North for Paris! This hotel was family run and once again very pleasant with good food and comfortable beds. The evening’s entertainment came with dinner where our host played and sang for us (slightly reminiscent of Madame Edith in Allo Allo but without the cheese). Day 4 – 230 miles again started with very nice warm sunshine and a slight delay for us as we waited for the optician to open

October 2008

to see if we could pick up a cheap pair of reading glasses for me. Paul had practiced his French all night so that we could get what we needed and we stood outside the shop for 20 minutes waiting for it to open and nobody turned up (c’est la vie)! We headed south on our final push towards the Pyrenees, again roads were superb but we had noticed over the previous few days that an increasing amount of normal carriageway had been single solid white lined (you could see where the short lines had been over painted), often for several miles at a stretch which caused some tail backs if you got stuck behind anything slow moving. Also the price of petrol rose to above UK prices as we moved further south. We started the climb in bright sunlight but as we approached the Col we could see the weather changing. Paul donned his wet gear

continued on page 12 P A G E 11


9/10/08

13:47

Page 1

S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

continued from page 11 which proved to be a good idea because the weather was getting worse the higher we climbed, now in Spain we reached the peak which was shrouded in cloud along with now heavy rain. This was very disappointing as the scenery with a lot of snow on the mountains would have provided some good photo’s, but never mind we hoped there would be other times. As we started our descent we were blissfully unaware of what awaited us; what we encountered was 10 miles of complete road reconstruction, badly controlled by workers with paddles and the occasional traffic lights. This would normally be enough to cope with, but most of the time the roads were covered in what appeared to be wet muddy slurry, which made the hairpin bends with the sheer drops really exciting. The other worrying thing for me was the fact that the fuel gauge had been flashing for several miles, so I had to conserve fuel by turning off the engine every time we got stopped. Couple this with an endless stream of lorries coming up the “road” (and occupying most of it) and you get the picture. Eventually we reached a little village with some decent roads, found a petrol station then travelled the last few miles to hotel in Llavorsi. The group looked like they had just been through a mud storm but luckily the hotel had an outside tap and pressure hose so we could all wash the bikes, the concrete type stuff was everywhere and needed some serious spraying to remove it. The hotel even went out and bought 6 buckets and sponges for us to use.

We spent four nights and three days at this hotel which was a very pleasant four star, with an outside pool, huge Jacuzzi, steam and sauna room and the facilities for horse riding, white water rafting and a four wheel drive trip up into the mountains. I even found a petrol station that sold specs and so I could read again. Some of the ladies in the group went horse riding, others went rafting but Paul & I went on the four-wheel drive tour. My! what an experience that was we climbed to a height of 7,500 feet up incredibly steep and very narrow boulder strewn and rutted tracks that we never thought the Landrover would make. Up at the highest point the trucks could get to there was a building where you could get a hot drink and lots of scope for some stunning photos, the views were superb. There was still a lot of snow up there and the temperature was on the chilly side as the clouds covered and uncovered the peaks at an amazing speed. After about twenty minutes we started the descent, which was a lot bumpier than the ascent, eventually arriving back at the village then back to the hotel. Paul and I also took the opportunity for a tour around some of the roads and Cols; again a lot of fun was had with some superb roads and scenery. Some of our fellow trippers visited Andorra for the day, which they very much enjoyed along with the super bendy roads and scenery on the way. Day 8 - we had an early breakfast and left the hotel by 8.00 for the longest day’s riding of the tour,

October 2008

The IAM Aims To improve the standard of driving (and riding) on the UK roads. The Advancement of Road Safety.

MAKING

progress

www.jamescargo.com/bikes for more information

nearly 400 miles which took us back into France via Perpignan and Montpellier then over the stunning Millau bridge (not shrouded in cloud for a change) followed by 40 miles of glorious bends and climbs through the Tarn Gorge, oh what fun! We eventually arrived at our hotel in Joyeuse around 7.30 in the evening, for another splendid meal before crashing into our beds utterly knackered. Sadly our (70 year old) Harley friend did his clutch in and had to leave the bike for repairs near Montpellier but was, as usual, excellently taken care of by Peter and Gloria who made sure that everything that could be done was done to get him and the bike sorted. The next morning we headed further north 275 miles to our final nights stay in a very nice hotel in Avallon, once again riding some superb empty and very fast D roads. We got up on the Sunday morning to be greeted with rain for the start of our 310 mile ride back to Calais, but eventually the

JULY CAPTION COMPETITION WINNER:

Spanish Pyrenees tour

To shrink-fit your new Draggin Jeans, soak in the bath for 10 minutes....not 10 hours!!!

Andrew Sartin rain stopped and we continued our boring ride back along the autoroute to catch the 3.15 boat. A superb 1500 mile holiday with some very friendly people, great hotels and some of the most breath taking scenery and brilliant roads ever ridden. Thanks once again to Peter & Gloria our hosts from MSL Tours who excelled on all fronts to give us a great holiday. Peter, given the “road of death” last year and the “sea of mud” this year, what exciting arrival day conditions are you planning for next year’s trip?

John Goodson/ Paul Nol DISCLAIMER Most of the views expressed in this SAM Newsletter are personal to the author and publication does not imply endorsement of any article, any author or any organisation. Views expressed are those of the authors, and are not necessarily in accordance with the policies or the views of the IAM or SAM. Where articles are reproduced from other publications or authors, unreserved acknowledgement is given to the source. No responsibility is accepted by the Editor or SAM for any damage to intelligence or riding abilities, howsoever caused, which might result from reading this publication.

P A G E 12

sam

SOLENT ADVANCED M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

The Administration of an Advanced Test.

Help us make progress with a contribution towards the next issue. Pics in jpeg format please.

Newsletter email address is sam.newsletter@btinternet.com

Report p10

October 08

INSIDE p2 Two girls and their mum

p5 No speed cameras here

p6 Design & artwork by KF:D LTD Fordingbridge, 01425 654557

bike oct cov 08:bike april cov 08

SAM BBQ

p8 Ace Cafe book launch

p9 A Classic night out

Registered Charity No. 1097558


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.