dec_2006 by Rui De Castro

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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

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

bike xmas cov 06

Dec 2006

CAPTION COMPETITION:

SAM Polo-shirts Black long or short sleeve shirts embroidered with the Club name - always available to buy at Club Nights. Sizes XXL to Small. 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

Contact Kate Davies Tel 01962 840954

Answers via email to:

sam.newsletter@btinternet.com

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

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

The Administration of an Advanced Test.

MAKING

progress

Film Review The World’s Fastest Indian by Mike West

It’s not often that Hollywood selects a subject as close to our hearts as this and then ices the cake with a leading actor of Anthony Hopkins’ quality. The World’s Fastest Indian is a David and Goliath story describing how a Kiwi pensioner breaks the land speed record for a faired motorcycle, on a shoestring budget. Incidentally it’s a true story and the record still holds today.

sam December 06

INSIDE p2 Lois sets off

No one entered the caption competition What’s up with you all? - Ed

Two ladies! Two litres

his film is a must-see; it is funny, informative and it will lift your heart. It tells the story of a brilliantly ingenious motorcyclist and engineer named Burt Munro and his antics to build a motorcycle capable of breaking the world speed record, then how he get it to Bonneville.

p10

Burt is a superb engineer but an innocent abroad. Having worked his passage to the West Coast he is spellbound by the lights and sights of America. Hopkins takes on the character of Munro brilliantly, overcoming adversity and charming his way to Bonneville.

Welsh weekend part 1

If the World’s Fastest Indian is still showing, remind yourself how outstanding low budget movies can be. If not put the DVD on your Christmas list now.

p12 MERRY CHRISTMAS - TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY

Track Day

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 16

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

Newsletter email address is sam.newsletter@btinternet.com

p16 Film Review

Registered Charity No. 1097558

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Dec 2006

Lois leaving Porstmouth for her latest adventure. t was hard to bid farewell, especially knowing that there would be a good ol' knees-up happening without me as I made my way down the A3 to Portsmouth. But when I arrived at the ferry port I was greeted with my second send-off of the day, from the unlikely combination of my trusty in-laws from Bournemouth and the cheery faces of the Solent Advanced Motorcyclists, who have long supported my various ridiculous endeavours.

So it was with a warm heart that I boarded the boat and set sail to St. Malo....

My First SAM Social Ride

I recently joined SAM, but hadn’t joined in any of the social rides because to be honest, I was worried I may not be able to keep up. You see it was only a year ago when I rode a motorbike for the first time and I didn’t pass my test until November. In Januar y I took delivery of my first big bike, a Suz uki 650 Bandit, and for the next 5 months it spent a lot of its time in the garage due to weathe r and work taking me away from home. When I saw a social ride for new associates I though t this would be the ideal opportunity to see what it was like. We met at Ower Services and I thought I was goin g to be early, but on arr ival there were already 6 bikes there so the first problem was find ing a parking space. Everyone was ver y friendly and we all intr oduced ourselves. After an explanation of how the system worked about a dozen of us headed off. I needn’ t have worried abo ut knowing where to stop when its your turn to show the way. The leader points and you find Then watch for the back a safe spot. marker and you know whe n to move off again. It was very easy and throughout the entire ride I think I only had to mark the way 3 or 4 times. The pace of our ride was ideal so it was easy to kee p up. Sometimes we got separated at junctio ns but the leader would slow could rejoin the group. At down so we one junction in the New Forest, one lorry driver stopped to let all of us out which was very nic e of him. Half way thru the ride we stopped at a really nice pub time to chat and get a drin where it was k. Then we were off again, winding along lovely roads in the New For est. If you are not use to following people at first its a bit strange, but with so many bikes you can the pack although the odd ’t really lose motorist does get in betw een sometimes. It had been a lovely day out with the sun shining and it was quite warm.

5% discount to SAM members, on production of membership card. PA G E 2

Unfortunately as we cam e out of Salisbury, there was thunder and lightning and then this ver y wet stuff starting coming out of the sky. Of course I was wearing my very summer gear whi ch leaked liked a sieve. After being additio nally soaked by a wave of water from an oncoming lorry, by the tim e I got back to Ower I was extremely wet. Would I recommend goin g on one of the social ride s? was a really enjoyable day Absolutely, it and a good chance to me et other SAM members and practise the skills I has been shown by my observer. I now know which types of social rides suit my skil l level and next time I’ll be taking my waterproof suit with me , although it will probably never rain like that again on a social ride for a long time.

Lillian Hobbs

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

Dec 2006

Classic and Veteran Bikes at Sam’s Training Day. The sweet smell of grilled bacon sandwiches and hot coffee welcomed club member Steve Restall as he arrived at Sarisbury Green early on the morning of Oct 1st to attend the SAM Training Day. But instead of his normal BMW he arrived sitting astride a glorious 1936 250cc BSA B18 with hand change and total loss lubrication system as could be seen by the very small drop of oil on the ground beneath the engine. hortly after another BSA arrived, this time a 1960 650cc A10 ridden by Mike Hutchings and following behind came a very nice original Triumph Daytona with Russ Gurney in the saddle . Club members had been invited to bring their `Others` bikes along to show us what they had hidden away in the garage at home or in some cases no doubt in the shed down the end of the garden.

Other bikes that drew the attention of members attending the last SAM Training and Free assessed Rides day of the year were the very tasty Norton Commando owned and ridden by associate Millar Patton whose partner Helen Seymour bravely rode his Triumph Trident to join in the fun. Club member Joy Crowe brought a friend with a beautiful Harley 750cc Side Valve that stood proudly in between the array of machines on show. Club member John Pennington was not going to be forgotten so he left his BMW K1200 at home and rode his somewhat older BMW 600cc. Members of the public arriving for their Free Assessed Rides must have wondered what was going on and one of them, Dr Wendy Peters, was seen placing her stethoscope to the engine of the old BSA to confirm if it actually was still alive.The Observers were kept very busy as numerous members of the public took advantage of Sam’s offer at Portsdown Hill the week before when the MDU was a major attraction for bikers who had arrived there for their burger and tea. As Andy Welburn and Mark Nichols were busy tidying the kitchen after their magnificent efforts of providing piles of bacon sandwiches and hot drinks for everyone, Chris Robinson and John Goodson kept all the prospective Observers on their toes with an absorbing session about what is involved in becoming an Observer for SAM. Another great day for SAM without a doubt. P A G E 15

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From the Editor

Dec 2006

CHAIRMAN’S

Well, that’s about it for 2006 with just a few biking days left until the dreaded January2007, Why dreaded ? well; for past two years I have manage to lay the BMW down twice and both times in January - once on ice and once on diesel. So I am planning a very limited schedule for riding during next month.

chat

eing Chairman does have its `Ups and Downs` you know and that means that I have had to learn how to handle compliments as well as complaints. The last 3 months have been quite demanding, but on the whole they have been a good three months I suppose. Everyone seems pleased with the new venue at Sarisbury Green Community Centre and the Club Nights on Sept 12 and Oct 10th saw record numbers attending.

It has been a busy year for SAM in one way or another but I won’t bore you with a “look back at 2006” but from my point of view it has been extremely busy, and it was at this point that I began to list the hours and miles, the number of events and Associates, the number of editions of “Making Progress” etc, but I thought that too would be boring, but whilst all my activities over the past year may sounds busy to some (my wife included), to others in the Group it is not, they have attended more rides, ridden more miles on behalf of SAM, Observed more Associates and had more passes throughout the year. And it is those riders that make SAM a group worth belonging to, and without them there just would not be a Group. SAM and the all other IAM Bike Groups are so much more than just a way of getting your Green Badge. The Green Badge is just the start, there is so much more you can do to really enjoy your motorcycling and to put something back into the Group and biking. Make it your New Years’ resolution to do just that little bit more and give something back to SAM. Get invloved

The last Training Day of the season on Oct 1st also took place at SGCC and the addition of a Classic Bike Show and bacon sandwiches certainly brought in the crowds. Every SAM member is now an affiliated member of the SGCC, so do pop in for a drink in the quite pleasant bar during the evening if you are passing by. We now have some younger and prettier faces around the committee, with Sam Davis as Club Night organiser and Claire Jenrick as PR Officer.We are actively looking for some more help from the membership and by the time that you read this we hope to have a full compliment on the committee again. Kevin Parsons who originally created the SAM website has decided to hand over the Webmasters job to Simon Marsden and has consequently stood down from the committee. Paul Nol our Membership Secretary has asked if he can continue in his role but not to sit on the committee, this has been agreed by everyone.

M.C.A.A.H.N.Y Ed.

We are very lucky to have secured the services of John Parvin for the Treasures post when Godwin Calafato, who now lives in London, retires at the AGM in May 2007. John who presently holds the MDU Managers post has considerable experience in Treasurers positions, so the group funds will be in experienced and safe hands you can be sure.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND OTHER CONTACTS Chairman:

Gerry Gooch

01329 832 416

Vice Chairman

Colin Backhouse

02380 871 642

Secretary:

Rex Brittian

01489 784 398

Treasurer:

Godwin Calafato

Chief Observer:

John Goodson

02380 692 959

Membership Secretary:

Paul Nol

02392 710 929

02380 253109

Plans are already being made for the deployment of the MDU to various `Motorcycle Hotspots` during 2007 and the Training Days` on the 1st Sunday of each month, starting in April, may well have a little something extra to offer.

Club Night Organiser:

Sam Davis

Public Relations:

Claire Jenrick

02392 615 964

Group Rides Co-ordinator:

Ian Cooper

02380 410 690

Skills Development:

Colin Backhouse

02380 871 642

Regalia:

Kate Davies

01962 840 954

No doubt that some of you will find these details all a bit boring, and I don’t blame you for that, but it is these behind the scenes activities that go towards making the club the success that it is. All the committee members are also very active riders by being Observers, Run Leaders as well as participating in the Sunday group rides organised by Ian Cooper. John Goodson our Chief Observer whose riding skills are unquestioned, has just returned from a trip to Australia after an associate said to him “You can do everything on a bike except ride it upside down”, well he can do that now can’t he.

Newsletter:

Nigel Grace

01425 472 021

Happy and safe riding to you all

MDU Manager

John Parvin

01329 284 640

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

Web Master:

Special Events Co-ord

07961 534802

Gerry Gooch PA G E 3

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Dec 2006

We would like to welcome the following to SAM

NEW YEARS DAY RUN & LUNCH Wickham Square at 11.30 on Monday Jan 1st 2007. 25 miles only.

Patrick Laycock

Ryan McGovern

Sudhir Naik

Dennis Wise

David Cole

Wendy Peters

Andrew Welburn

Stephen Faygo

Richard Ferguson

David Winter

Helen Seymour

Nick Daukes

Ian Huckle

Millard Patton

Valerie Low

David Nottage

Eloise Burton

David Morland

Starters from £4.00.

Terry Newman

Chris Burton

Rodney Goldup

Main course from £7.00.

Michael Barringer

Iain Gavin

Bill Carcary

Maureen Baren

Run Leader Gerry Gooch Back Marker required please. Lunch will be served in the Cygnet Room at the Swan Hotel. This event is only open to reserved places and the full menu will be sent when you reserve your places. First 35 only.

This is a social event for all the family, including children. You may travel by car if you wish and meet us either in Wickham Square or at the Swan Hotel at 12.30.

Gerry Gooch 01329 832416. gerrygooch@tiscali.co.uk

C H I E F O B S E RV E R ’ S R E P O R T Almost another year gone by, but SAM is still thriving and progressing along nicely. With our new social venue at Sarisbury and club nights attracting good numbers, it is very rewarding to see so many new and not so new faces. The free assessed rides have been well supported on most of them, we hope this continues next year when we will be commencing a month earlier in April. Again I would like to thank all my fellow observers for their dedication and giving of their free time to assisting associates reach their target of passing the advanced motorcycle test, it is really good to know we have such a dedicated team working to these ends. I am also pleased to announce that Mark Nichols has successfully completed his hours as a trainee observer, so he needs to just pass his written papers and a check ride to become a qualified observer which hopefully he will achieve shortly. We have had another fourteen passes since the last newsletter, so well done to you all they are: Sam Davis, William Shakespeare, David

PA G E 4

Irving, Steve Grove, Tim Bennett, Terry Newman, Mike Hills, Pamela Irving, John Parvin, Gordon McGregor, Tony Weeks, John Pennington, Millard Patton and Lillian Hobbs. To date we have had 27 passes since the AGM, which is some way from our total of 53 passes last year. But we still have another five months to go so lets hope we can reach last years figures, or better still beat it. It has been noted that quite a few associates once reaching mock test standard do not then put in for their test, so please apply as quick as possible to keep the numbers up. Not only that it isn’t fair on your observer after he has spent his free time with you, for you not to take advantage of his tuition. Well just one final thing with the onset of winter, to make sure you ride with even more awareness and observation on these damp and slippery roads give yourselves plenty of space for braking.

So until next time ride safe.

Top left - Rob Willoughby, Top right - William

John Goodson Chief Observer

Shakespeare Above - Sam Davis, Right - Stuart Dorey

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Motorway Management Motorways are not something I relish on a bike; they’re usually just a means to and end.

Yes, you can cover distance quickly but they are so boring. Whilst they are by far our safest roads in terms of casualties overall, that’s not necessarily the case for motorcyclists. ome off your bike on a motorway and you may find yourself sliding on your butt through dozens of moving vehicles. The dangers of being hit by one of these are obvious. But even if another vehicle doesn’t get you then the road furniture will. Barriers, whether Armco or wire are all biker-unfriendly and to be avoided at all costs.

The biggest cause of accidents on motorways is fatigue. By their nature, with few junctions or other hazards, they seem purpose-built to lull you into a coma. Keeping space around you is important, look for dozy drivers and avoid getting in front of them. Probably the biggest offenders in the fatigue world are truck drivers. I make a point of not being in a lane in front of them. I have seen too many squashed care, trapped between lorries that failed to slow

when the traffic queued, to ever want to be the meat in that particular sandwich. The monotony of motorways causes vision to drop to the back of the car in front; so many drivers only react to problems when the car in front reacts. It goes without saying that this is usually too late. One advantage we have is that we are perched higher than a standard car so we can look over the top of them and increase our view ahead or we can move laterally within our lane to extend vision. This should ensure we can increase the time we have to react to events ahead, by dealing with them before the driver ahead has even reacted. This will allow gentle braking rather that emergency braking and smooth lane changes rather than last second swerves. Motorways lend themselves to high speeds but they also lend themselves to speed enforcements. While cameras are a rarity, there is a host of other technology aimed at catching you. Never be the fastest vehicle on the road, allow the sales rep in the BMW to pass you and flush out the copes lying in wait ahead. Watch out in roadworks with temporary speed limits as camera vans and fixed cameras infest these areas as the pickings are so good.

Dec 2006

by Gary Baldwin of Rapid Training

Useful Web Sites Bikers Yard www.bikersyard.co.uk Bike Safe Edge 44 www.hants.gov.uk/roadsafety/driverider/edge44.html BMF www.bmf.co.uk BMWs www.boxerbikes.co.uk BMW Dealers www.cwmotorcycles.co.uk BMW Parts Catalogue www.ascycles.com Girls Bike 2 www.girlsbike2.com IAM www.iam.org.uk JAP Bike Parts www.ronnies.com/micro.htm Lois on the Loose www.loisontheloose.com Marmion Motorcycles www.marmionmotorcycles.net Motorcycle World www.beaulieumotorcycleworld.co.uk NEC Motorcycle Show www.motorcycleshow.co.uk Rapid Training www.rapidtraining.com SAM Photo-site www.solentadvanced.photosite.com SAM Web Site www.solent-advanced-motorcylists.co.uk The Highway Code www.highwaycode.gov.uk The Stage Post www.stageposthotel.co.uk 3X Motorcycles www.threecrossretail.co.uk/ Ultraseal Southampton www.ultraseal-soton.co.uk Urban-Glow www.urban-glow.com Yamaha Portsmouth www.portsmouthyamaha.com

Pubs Fleming Arms, Swaything, Southampton Rose and Crown, Longburton Sherborne Dorset Stage Post, High Street,West Lavington, Devizes Barley Mow,Walderton, Nr Chichester

02380 584358 01963 210202 01380 813392 023 9263 1321

Let me know of any that you think could be included sam.newsletter@btinternet.com

DRINK DRIV ING

A police offi ce weaving in an r pulls over a man w ho’s been d out of the lanes. He goes up to the window an to blow into d says, “Sir, I this breathal need you yzer tube.” The man says , an asthmatic “Sorry, officer, I can’t do . that. I am asthma attack If I do that, I’ll have a really bad .” “Okay, fine. I ne to give a bloo ed you to come down to the station d sample.” “I can’t do th at either. I am that, I’ll blee a hemophilia d to death.” c. If I do “Well, then, w e need a urin e sample.” “I’m sorry, of ficer, I can’t do a diabetic. If I do that, I’ that either. I am also sugar.” ll get really low blood “All right, th en I need yo u to come ou walk this whi t here and te line.” “I can’t do th at, officer.” “Why not?” “Because I’m drunk.”

PA G E 5

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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

Dec 2006

GERBING HEATED CLOTHING For a number of years I’ve been aware that heated waistcoats and the like are available which are alleged to make riding the bike in the dead of winter more bearable. ast winter I was able to borrow a BMW heated vest. So, I took a few cold dark evening and spent some time roaring around the Hampshire lanes to test the product. It was sort of OK. The problems, I felt were that (on a R1150GS anyway) my arms were still exposed to the full flow of the wind and felt a tad cold. Also, my neck didn’t stay that warm.

Many of you will know that for all the praise heaped on heated grips, the ends of your fingers get very cold, as very few, if any, of us wrap our hands completely round the grips, thus meaning that the finger tips are open to the flow of cold air. So, when my kids told me that for my birthday they were clubbing together to buy me some heated gear, we started to look at what was available. We settled on Gerbing kit. I chose the liner rather then the Gerbing jacket with the heating built in. After all, I already owned a very decent waterproof jacket and trousers. Slightly unsure about what size I needed to order (XL seems to vary so much from company to company), I phoned the UK distributor in Kent. They couldn’t have been more helpful, so with the passing of my VISA card number, I sat back and waited for my heated gear to arrive. I expected a week or more, but the box arrived next day. Splendid service! Even better, the company has been in business for 30 years and they offer a lifetime guarantee on the wiring. I’m not sure if it’s the lifetime of the clothing or my lifetime, mind! What did I buy? Well, being a wimp and hating to get cold, I bought the lot. That is a heated jacket liner, trouser liner, gloves, socks and a heat controller. I confess that it took me a few weeks to get round to wiring things up to the bike, but mainly because we were going through a cold damp spell and my garage is unheated. Also, with the evenings

PA G E 6

being dark, I was left with weekends to work things out and, with three teenagers, weekends are often busy. Anyway, I finally set to and sorted out the wiring. Although you can use the BMW power socket, the full kit takes slightly more than the 7.5 amps that the fuse will bear. So, I took the fused power lead that Gerbing sent and wired it right on to the battery. Using cable ties, I routed the cable along the frame and left the power socket hanging just under the seat below my left leg. Then, I put the gear to good use. Firstly the jacket-liner and gloves. The jacket-liner has heated sleeves and a heated collar. It’s thin enough to wear under the winter lining of my jacket, or as I usually do without it. I went out on a cold slightly frosty evening and was simply blown away. The effect of the Gerbing gear was tremendous. I was actually warm. Indeed, after the first 5 minutes when everything warmed up, I had to use the heat controller to turn the heat right down. And I was toasty!!!!!! My hands were completely warm, right to the finger tips. The Gerbing gloves are Gore-Tex lined and have been totally waterproof. My body was very comfortable, with my arms nice and warm, and perhaps the best bit, my neck was nice and warm. Later, I tried out the trouser liner, and again I was blown away by how effective it was, and how comfortable it made me.Then came the socks, and to have totally warm feet on the coldest of days is a real treat. Even better, every bit of clothing plugs together, so you only need one power lead, I plug that into my jacket, and then link everything else from the jacket. At the ends of the sleeves are connectors for the gloves, and at the waist a connector for the trousers/trouser-liner, and at the bottom of each leg is a connector for each sock. I bought a two-channel heat

controller and run two circuits from one power inlet. So, the bottom half of me is on one circuit and the upper part on the other, giving me the option to vary how much each part of me is heated. There are two versions of this. One is mounted to the bike and the other is portable. The portable device does mean that you have affair bit of ‘loose’ cable to tidy away through a belt loop or something similar. I even found that on one ride, when the heavens opened, that I got home with a certain amount of wetness creeping into parts of me (especially my neck!!), the Gerbing gear kept me warm and the water didn’t really cause me any discomfort. I have discovered that I can cope quite well without the trouser-liner and socks, as long as it’s not too cold. It would seem that just keeping my trunk and hands warm are good enough for most days. But, if it’s very cold (you know, bright frosty winter days) or there is the promise of rain then it’s great to put the whole lot on. In short, this clothing has transformed my riding life. I wondered how I’d managed to ride bikes for 35 years and not be aware of heated clothing. No longer are cold winter days a reason to sit back and leave the bike in the garage. My riding season has extended to a full 12 months. Now, OK, there is a price to pay for staying warm. The total cost was around £380, but then a decent new winter jacket would have cost that much. The gloves are first class and stay dry. The liners are not bulky and fit under my original clothing even if I insert the winter liners. Only the socks have been a tad tight, and that’s because my BMW Transition boots are a snug fit. Another pleasurable fact is that if you mention in your phone call that you are a user of the www.ukgser.com website, you will get a 10% discount on your order.

You can also link direct to the Gerbing website from the www.ukgser.com website. Was it worth it? Oh, yes!!!!!!!!! It’s transformed my riding experience. I’m now wondering if they could make a heated balaclava to keep my head nice and toasty............

Addendum: When I was at the Bike show at the NEC I asked the guys from Gerbing about a heated balaclava. And .................. they’re working on it. Got one in development, apparently, because there is good evidence that warming the brain by a couple of degrees in cold weather helps with all manner of brain function and concentration. The problem they’re encountering is that helmets usually fit tightly, and heating wires would dig in a bit. They’re looking at making a balaclava using some of the new electro-conductive fabric.

Buying Bacardi Breezers in outback Oz!...

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Dec 2006

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

Dec 2006

TWO LADIES! TWO LITRES Hayley on her R1, Melanie on the GSXR1000, both dark and stealth like going off to Devon, via Winchester, Stockbridge and Shaftesbury. Taking in all the views on the way like the Hilltop Café which looks like a good place to stop on bikes one Sunday.

WELSH WEEKEND BIKES and TERRY PART ONE

“Everyone says the Welsh roads are great for bikers” and what an understatement that turned out to be.

Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman must take the credit for the most fun I’ve ever had on a bike. hen my mate, Nige, first started watching “Long Way Round” he pestered me remorselessly to go on an epic trip on our bikes, and like many other inspired people, we haven’t done it yet - but we did go to Wales and we did meet Terry.

This was to be the year of the “trip” and we planned our route around northern France. A modest trip, I know, but adventurous for us. It was the cost of crossing The Channel that first turned our attention to Wales. “Everyone says the Welsh roads are great for bikers” one of us remarked, and what an understatement that turned out to be. So that was it.Wales here we come. I did the route planning and Nige booked the B&B. And on Friday 23rd June 2006 at approx 15:30, Nige “McGregor” Weldon and Dave “Boorman” Spicer left Wimborne heading for the great unknown and Terry. Nige had just bought and wired up an Autocom system for his bike so we could use the Bike-to-Bike radios and, hopefully, stave off those long, lonely hours of solitary, silent

riding. Like all great ideas, it didn’t work too well initially. Actually, it didn’t work at all. Several stops and tweaked knobs later, all was fine. In fact, the airwaves on our particular channel must have been jammed by our constant chattering as we made our way up country through Blandford and Warminster and onwards towards Bath. Inspired comments like “All we have to survive on for the next few days is between our legs and in our luggage bags. What a great feeling is that?” and “Did you see the arse on her?”

e stopped for lunch at the airfield of Compton Abbas. Baguettes and tea for our tummies and a quick walk round the old planes and the hilltops.

Anyway, the new, winding, narrow route of Nige’s choosing was completely gridlocked with roadworks. However, the radios were brilliant because, fortuitously, we were tuned to the same channel as the system of guys struggling to get the traffic moving.

After our pit stop we made our way down zig zag hill, what hairy bends they were. Weather good so far, but looking grey by 3pm towards our direction. Nice long sweeping bends and stopping for fuel before the M5, where the nice garage man let us tie a pint of milk in our tail pack before purchasing in case it didn’t fit. We’d need it for when we arrived at our lodgings. Hayley did a nice route all the way there, the only bit that wasn’t clear were the signs when we got there, and we spent 50 mins trying to find it, when really it turned out to be easy and we needn’t have got lost.

When we heard “I’ll stop mine and you let a few more through” we knew it was OK to move up the outside.

After much trepidation riding down narrow lanes which were so overgrown that as Hayley passed through the brambles whacked

As we approached Bath, Nige decided he might usurp my detailed route plan and suggested a detour through Bathampton,thus avoiding Bath.

Café at Tintern

“Fine with me” I retorted, possibly a bit too sharply.

P A G E 10

Melanie around the chops and in the chest, in addition to this we also had a long gravel and winding drive to complete our journey. That was fun ...not...what seemed like an eternity keeping out of ruts and missing boulders...have you ever tried scrambling on a sports bike...eek! Though once we were happy the bikes were settled for the night, we went to investigate our cosy little cottage called ‘The Den’. Absolutely shattered we peeled off our leathers (it was very hot and lads put your tongues back in we did have under clothes on) and made a cup of tea with the milk that fortunately had not shot off and hit some poor driver behind us, before wondering whether to ride into the village for dinner or shop for supplies or to walk the half hour to the nearest pub. Anyway, we decided we’d leave the bikes and take the walk. We tried the public footpath that we were

told would take us to Atherington Village, but upon starting, bit wet and nettley so we turned back not wanting to get lost especially as it would be dark in an hour. We got back to the road and within 10 minutes we heard the white van man who we’d seen back at the farm come up behind us, Melanie yelled give us a lift, couldn’t believe he stopped, there was only one seat but he said sure if you want to get in the back, so we did, we didn’t care it was little mucky and full of rubble. At the pub, we had one drink that went straight to our heads as we were hungry and tired. Our dinner was served, and being so tired, we decided to take the trek back. It was rather dark by this time and an interesting walk back we had, in between hundreds of little frogs and watching out for the pot holes as we did not want to twist our ankles...glad we had the mini torch with us. Having not got to sleep until 2.30am due to noisy neighbours in the next barn then awake again at 4.30 with the cockerels we finally gave up trying and dozed til 7.05 where we made a cup of tea (still had the milk). Outside looked decidedly grey so we adorned our waterproofs to the bike’s rear seat and set off over the gravel track once more towards Barnstaple. We went through immense traffic

and our wrists were starting to hurt and once we’d parked up we were quite disappointed to realise that the only two places of interest were the same two places printed in the brochure. In addition to that Hayley did not seem quite herself (that gravel track still giving her nightmares, so we wandered through the market and got a couple of cold drinks before going back to the bikes. We then decided to ride to Ilfracombe where the beaches and cliffs were. More traffic and a lovely stretch of road before yet more town traffic and finally finding somewhere to park near the cliffs. A Few photo’s, a walk and a spot of lunch in the pub with a high top view of the cliffs over the sea and where we watched a group of lads jump into the sea and into their Kayaks. We headed once again to our bikes to find the big Tesco by Barnstaple to get our supplies, having taken our emergency rucksacks to carry it all in. Great things these fold up rucksacks a must for all riders. After tea we walked round the Country Estate and took in all the lovely views, it was beautiful, the sun went down, the bats came out to play and Melanie bounced 20 feet in the air to tried to catch one and ended up on her back on the giant trampoline in the gardens. Shame the sky wasn’t clear that continued on p8 PA G E 7

The Guesthouse at Abergavenny

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TWO LADIES! TWO LITRES continued

night as it would have been exceptionable in this area, we would be able to see for miles and with no light pollution. After a better night’s sleep we again woke up at 7.05 and it was Mel’s time to make tea and put music on. We had breakfast and wandered round the gardens again seeing new things each time and found the cockerels that must have woken us up the night before. We then went to the Gym and tried all but the weights. Next we went into the pool room and had a nose, no table football though as the book suggested, that would have been a laugh, but we did find on the wall, a picture of this working farm and the surrounding buildings from 1960 and how it used to look. Our Den being a barn, and the original farmhouse opposite and the gym room being the corn room it was amazing. Back to the Den for refreshments then back outside to the decking and picnic area, this time seeing 2 cockerels, but these were quiet ones as they were made of twigs. It was lovely having a chill out time and wandering where to go next... Later that afternoon we decided to take that walk to Atherington Village, we scrambled through the brambles of this public footbath, and got to a couple of dead ends before finding the ‘real’ path again. We didn’t know whether to give up, then we saw a farmer, we asked him if we were going the right way, but he told us to go back to the main road. This made us more determined to continue. After what seemed forever we saw the light shining through a tunnel of trees, and best of all a concrete path.Ah, we thought we’ve made it, by now it was nearly 5 o’clock and we knew of the tea rooms and corner shop so we hurried the last bit in case it shut at 5pm. It turned out to be 5.30 so we went in, we were so hot, so no cream tea, we settled for bottled water, and asked the man behind the counter to open the bottle, as Melanie

explained that it got rather stiff when it had been in the fridge. He laughed and said he’d have to try that out, and his wife agreed, and they were all laughing except for Melanie, as she had no idea what she’d said. Then got rather embarrassed and asked for ice cream. The owners were lovely and so friendly, we had a little chat with them before making our way back the same way, but this time we didn’t get lost and it was far easier, we were told that the farmer didn’t like people walking on his land, although we did have right of way, and we made it back in 32 minutes! (Bikes had a day off...it had nothing to do with the gravel track with boulders and potholes he he)

The travelling home day We had a nice cup of tea again waking up at 7.05 how bizarre, and then slowly gathering our things together having breakfast and loading our bikes up. We left at nearly 11am, doing the gravel track and pot holes one more final time (Hayley especially relieved of that) and riding through the Atherington village beeping our horn at the village shop where we stopped yesterday. Fuel at the garage by 11.11 we were on our way. The route back not as nice as the route there, but couple roads nice, just a shame we got stuck on the good twisty ones doing only 30mph in a 60 limit because of some german truck. So our wrists starting hurting again. Somehow we missed the road (was there one) saying Dorchester/Axminster or Doncaster as Hayley kept saying - jeez Melanie thought, we are going to end up in Sheffield! But as it happens we went wrong and were heading to Exeter! Oh dear, we turned back as soon as we could come off and found a garage for a loo stop and a drink of water. (I laughed and thought of John Goodson and how when I first started my Advance riding and missing a couple of turns and then having to turn round and come back.)

Dec 2006

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 DIARY OF EVENTS FOR 2007 DEC Tue

Motorcycle World Beaulieu

26 Boxing Day Bike & Car show all morning Wickham

Continental Trip to Bouillon in the Belgian Ardennes JAN Mon 1

New Years Day Run and Lunch Wickham 11.30am Gerry Gooch

Mon 25 Continental Trip to Bouillon in the Belgian Ardennes Tue

26 Tuesday Evening Group Ride - Winchester & Fareham 7.30pm

JUL Sun

SAM Free Assessment Rides Sarisbury Green 9.30am

Sun

SAM Social Ride Winchester Colin Hitchcock

14 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut Mark Sabin

Tue

10 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Tue

16 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

15 SAM Social Ride Ower

Sun

21 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Tue

17 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

28 28 Jan - 5 Feb MCN Motorcycle Show Alexandra Palace

Sun

22 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut

Sun

SAM Social Ride Ower

Tue

SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Sun

SAM Social Ride to Bury Hill Wickham Paul Nol

Tue

24 Tuesday Evening Group Ride - Winchester & Fareham 7.30pm

SAM Social Ride Ower Paul Whyte

Sun

29 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Sat

10 Classic Bike Show Shepton Mallet

AUG Sat

SAM Observers Meeting - 10.00am Sarisbury Green

Sun

11 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut

Sun

SAM Free Assessment Rides Sarisbury Green 9.30am

Tue

13 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Sun

12 SAM Social Ride Ower Nigel Grace

Sun

18 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Tue

14 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Tue

20 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

19 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut Gerry Gooch

Sun

25 SAM Social Ride for New Joiners Wickham Paul Nol

Tue

21 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

26 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Tue

28 Tuesday Evening Group Ride - Winchester & Fareham 7.30pm

FEB Sun

MAR Sun

SAM Social Ride to Burton Ower Dave Charlton

Sun

11 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut

Tue

13 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Sun Tue

SEP Sun

18 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Sat

International AutoJumble Beaulieu

20 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

SAM Social Ride Ower

SAM Free Assessment Rides Sarisbury Green 9.30am

Tue

11 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

SAM Social Ride Meon Hut Mark Nicholls

Sat

15 BMF Tail End Show Peterborough

Sun

16 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut Mark Sabin

International AutoJumble Beaulieu

Sun 25 SAM Social Ride Wickham Mark Sabin APR Sun 1 Sun Tue

10 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

SAM Free Assessment Rides Sarisbury Green 9.30am

BMF Tail End Show Peterborough

Sat

14 SAM Observers Meeting - 10.00am Sarisbury Green

Sun

15 SAM Social Ride Winchester Paul Nol

Tue

18 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Tue

17 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

23 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Sun

22 SAM Social Ride Wickham Colin Hitchcock

Sun

29 SAM Social Ride Ower Nigel Grace

OCT Sun

30 SAM Social Ride Wickham 7

SAM Free Assessment Rides Sarisbury Green 9.30am SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

MAY Sun

SAM Free Assessment Rides Sarisbury Green 9.30am

Tue

SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Sun

14 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut Dave Charlton

Sun

13 SAM Social Ride to the Cotswolds Winchester Paul Nol

Tue

16 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Tue

15 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

21 SAM Social Ride Winchester Nigel Grace

Sat

19 BMF Show Peterborough

Sun

28 SAM Social Ride Wickham

Sun

20 SAM Social Ride Wickham Gerry Gooch BMF Show Peterborough

NOV Thu

1 - 11 Nov - Motorcycle and Scooter Show NEC Birmingham

Sun

SAM Social Ride Ower

11 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut

Tue

22 Tuesday Evening Group Ride - Winchester & Fareham 7.30pm

Sun

27 SAM Social Ride Ower

Tue

13 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start 18 SAM Social Ride Winchester

JUN Sun

SAM Free Assessment Rides Sarisbury Green 9.30am

Sun

More roads and more fuel by 120 miles and finally finding a nice pub in Winterborne Zelston called the Worlds End for lunch. Nice pub, with a nice car park so a good stop for bikes...though watch out for the one way in entrance...we will say no more about that, will we Hayley....

Sat

BMF Garden of England Show Kent

Tue

20 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

10 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Sun

25 SAM Social Ride Wickham

Written by Melanie Peet and Hayley Miller

BMF Garden of England Show Kent

DEC Sat

SAM Observers Meeting - 10.00am Sarisbury Green

SAM Social Ride Ower

SAM Social Ride Meon Hut

Tue

12 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Sun

17 SAM Social Ride to the Ogri Café Horam Wickham Paul Nol

Sun

Tue

19 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Tue

11 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Thu

21 Continental Trip to Bouillon in the Belgian Ardennes

Sun

16 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Fri

22 Continental Trip to Bouillon in the Belgian Ardennes

Tue

18 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sat

23 Motorcycle World Beaulieu

Sun

23 SAM Social Ride Wickham

Sun

24 SAM Social Ride Ower

Continental Trip to Bouillon in the Belgian Ardennes

Sun JAN Sun

30 SAM Social Ride Ower 6

Dec 2006

SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY by Colin Hitchcock hy not go for a ride with SAM I thought; the day shone brightly so full of autumnal joy I turned up under King Arthur’s watchful gaze. A large turnout of 19 set off in pursuit of Nigel Grace our intrepid tour guide. Now I never really pay much attention to where we are going and this was the case on this occasion also. So I would love to tell you all sorts of things about this and that, but I can not. I can say that we stopped for a break at some kind of pagan stone circle thingy, and that the hot chocolate was very nice, and the gift shop smelt of lavender.

We then moved to a pub for lunch, it was a very pleasant. Hostelry and I had a very relaxing time, perhaps too much so...... Off we set and all was well with the world, at least it was until I failed to negotiate a right hander. I would love to blame government policy or a diesel spill, but I came off because

I was riding like a half wit. Needless to say my fall at the legal speed limit of 60mph was spectacular, my Rukka suit did the business and apart from my pride killing me, everything else is fine. Lots of cosmetic damage, but I rode away with a broken front indicator and a snapped clutch pedal. I will need a new suit, but the gloves and helmet are fine. We rode back without further embarrassment, I sincerely hope I did not put any one off their dinner. Any way thanks go to Nigel for a lovely day out, most of it anyway. As you can see from the photo, the lads at work have made some modifications for me; it’s nice to know they care! By the way Rex my lips are sealed!

Happened to me at 70 mph on the m27. Managed to stay on but not very nice!!!

The tyre was 3 weeks old (look at the tread). The supplier sent it back to Firestone who lost it for 3 weeks (convenient???) but, following my enquiries with the supplier, they have found it again. I have asked for a written copy if their report. Don’t hold your breath. Cheers Bike Barringer

SAM Social Ride Meon Hut

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TWO LADIES! TWO LITRES continued

Dec 2006

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 DIARY OF EVENTS FOR 2007 DEC Tue

Motorcycle World Beaulieu

26 Boxing Day Bike & Car show all morning Wickham

Continental Trip to Bouillon in the Belgian Ardennes JAN Mon 1

New Years Day Run and Lunch Wickham 11.30am Gerry Gooch

Mon 25 Continental Trip to Bouillon in the Belgian Ardennes Tue

26 Tuesday Evening Group Ride - Winchester & Fareham 7.30pm

JUL Sun

SAM Free Assessment Rides Sarisbury Green 9.30am

Sun

SAM Social Ride Winchester Colin Hitchcock

14 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut Mark Sabin

Tue

10 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Tue

16 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

15 SAM Social Ride Ower

Sun

21 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Tue

17 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

28 28 Jan - 5 Feb MCN Motorcycle Show Alexandra Palace

Sun

22 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut

Sun

SAM Social Ride Ower

Tue

SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Sun

SAM Social Ride to Bury Hill Wickham Paul Nol

Tue

24 Tuesday Evening Group Ride - Winchester & Fareham 7.30pm

SAM Social Ride Ower Paul Whyte

Sun

29 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Sat

10 Classic Bike Show Shepton Mallet

AUG Sat

SAM Observers Meeting - 10.00am Sarisbury Green

Sun

11 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut

Sun

SAM Free Assessment Rides Sarisbury Green 9.30am

Tue

13 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Sun

12 SAM Social Ride Ower Nigel Grace

Sun

18 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Tue

14 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Tue

20 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

19 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut Gerry Gooch

Sun

25 SAM Social Ride for New Joiners Wickham Paul Nol

Tue

21 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

26 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Tue

28 Tuesday Evening Group Ride - Winchester & Fareham 7.30pm

FEB Sun

MAR Sun

SAM Social Ride to Burton Ower Dave Charlton

Sun

11 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut

Tue

13 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Sun Tue

SEP Sun

18 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Sat

International AutoJumble Beaulieu

20 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

SAM Social Ride Ower

SAM Free Assessment Rides Sarisbury Green 9.30am

Tue

11 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

SAM Social Ride Meon Hut Mark Nicholls

Sat

15 BMF Tail End Show Peterborough

Sun

16 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut Mark Sabin

International AutoJumble Beaulieu

Sun 25 SAM Social Ride Wickham Mark Sabin APR Sun 1 Sun Tue

10 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

SAM Free Assessment Rides Sarisbury Green 9.30am

BMF Tail End Show Peterborough

Sat

14 SAM Observers Meeting - 10.00am Sarisbury Green

Sun

15 SAM Social Ride Winchester Paul Nol

Tue

18 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Tue

17 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

23 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Sun

22 SAM Social Ride Wickham Colin Hitchcock

Sun

29 SAM Social Ride Ower Nigel Grace

OCT Sun

30 SAM Social Ride Wickham 7

SAM Free Assessment Rides Sarisbury Green 9.30am SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

MAY Sun

SAM Free Assessment Rides Sarisbury Green 9.30am

Tue

SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Sun

14 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut Dave Charlton

Sun

13 SAM Social Ride to the Cotswolds Winchester Paul Nol

Tue

16 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Tue

15 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

21 SAM Social Ride Winchester Nigel Grace

Sat

19 BMF Show Peterborough

Sun

28 SAM Social Ride Wickham

Sun

20 SAM Social Ride Wickham Gerry Gooch BMF Show Peterborough

NOV Thu

1 - 11 Nov - Motorcycle and Scooter Show NEC Birmingham

Sun

SAM Social Ride Ower

11 SAM Social Ride Meon Hut

Tue

22 Tuesday Evening Group Ride - Winchester & Fareham 7.30pm

Sun

27 SAM Social Ride Ower

Tue

13 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start 18 SAM Social Ride Winchester

JUN Sun

SAM Free Assessment Rides Sarisbury Green 9.30am

Sun

Sat

BMF Garden of England Show Kent

Tue

20 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sun

10 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Sun

25 SAM Social Ride Wickham

Written by Melanie Peet and Hayley Miller

BMF Garden of England Show Kent

DEC Sat

SAM Observers Meeting - 10.00am Sarisbury Green

SAM Social Ride Ower

SAM Social Ride Meon Hut

Tue

12 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Sun

17 SAM Social Ride to the Ogri Café Horam Wickham Paul Nol

Sun

Tue

19 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Tue

11 SAM Club Night Sarisbury Green 7.30pm for 8pm start

Thu

21 Continental Trip to Bouillon in the Belgian Ardennes

Sun

16 SAM Social Ride Winchester

Fri

22 Continental Trip to Bouillon in the Belgian Ardennes

Tue

18 SAM Committee Meeting Sarisbury Green 7.30pm

Sat

23 Motorcycle World Beaulieu

Sun

23 SAM Social Ride Wickham

Sun

24 SAM Social Ride Ower

Continental Trip to Bouillon in the Belgian Ardennes

Sun JAN Sun

30 SAM Social Ride Ower 6

Dec 2006

Happened to me at 70 mph on the m27. Managed to stay on but not very nice!!!

SAM Social Ride Meon Hut

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Dec 2006

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

Dec 2006

WELSH WEEKEND BIKES and TERRY PART ONE

“Everyone says the Welsh roads are great for bikers” and what an understatement that turned out to be.

e stopped for lunch at the airfield of Compton Abbas. Baguettes and tea for our tummies and a quick walk round the old planes and the hilltops.

When we heard “I’ll stop mine and you let a few more through” we knew it was OK to move up the outside.

After much trepidation riding down narrow lanes which were so overgrown that as Hayley passed through the brambles whacked

As we approached Bath, Nige decided he might usurp my detailed route plan and suggested a detour through Bathampton,thus avoiding Bath.

Café at Tintern

“Fine with me” I retorted, possibly a bit too sharply.

P A G E 10

The Guesthouse at Abergavenny

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Rather thoughtlessly, we continued with our irrelevant banter until the message came through our headsets “Will you lads shut up and piss off. We’re trying to do a job here!” Enough said. So, upwards and onto the M4 and then the M48 to take the old Severn crossing. We stopped at the Services just before the bridge for tea and muffin. Here we met a very strange selection of fellow bikers. Flower patterned wellies for boots and luggage tied on precariously with string will give you an idea. “Where are you heading for?” I asked, trying to appear friendly. “Lampeter” came back the reply “What about you?” “Err, Wales” was my totally useless reply. Little did we know but Lampeter would actually feature in our Welsh adventure, although neither of us had ever heard of it before, or even knew if it was in Wales or Uzbekistan. Now, this is when I first heard of Terry. Nige’s contribution to the trip was to arrange the B&B and he had booked rooms in Abergavenny. “I’ll call Terry before we get into Wales to let him know we’ll arrive just before eight” said Nige. It was a brief conversation. “Everything OK?” I asked. “Yes” came the reply, a little too quickly. It was time to get back on the bikes, cross the bridge into Wales, up to Chepstow and then onto the road to Usk and Abergavenny. Wow. Suddenly there was a total transformation to the ride. This road was smooth, empty and went through great scenery. The bends kept on coming and it was a national speed limit. Little did we know but this was just a tiny taste of the delights to come. Well, it was a glorious, sunny evening when we arrived in Abergavenny and we had little problem finding the “Guest House” which was on the main A40. There was a nice big private car park with low steel railings to chain bikes to. Anyway, we had to decide where to park the bikes and then we spent some time scratching and stretching those parts that were starting to ache.We discussed how great it was

Dec 2006

to be alive and enjoying such pleasures, and how we loved our bikes and how everything was right with our little world, when suddenly a voice boomed out “Are you going to f**king book in or not?” “Ah, that must be Terry,” observed Nige. We hastily grabbed our helmets and made a dash for the Reception Office to be greeted by a shaven headed muscular man in his early sixties. His nose had, at least once, had an encounter with an object much stronger than itself. We stood there, rather sheepishly, whilst Terry explained the regime. At some point I missed something that he had said. It may have been the Welsh accent or perhaps the brusque delivery, but I happened to enquire “Pardon?” “Are you f**king stupid?” he yelled and then proceeded to virtually frog march us down to the Breakfast area to reveal the mystery of where we were to eat in the morning, if we lasted that long. Now, this may be giving the wrong impression of this establishment, and that’s certainly what it did to us. However, we eventually made it safely to our rooms, and after a wash and change, Nige and I regrouped in the car park before heading off into town for a meal. The subject of Terry and his hospitality was foremost in our thoughts. “I think it’s just his manner and he’s probably a really nice bloke” “Do you?” “Anyway, we don’t have to stay for two nights, do we?” Initially, things didn’t get any better on the food front. As we walked through the town, all there appeared to be were take-aways until we spotted a Thai restaurant. It was upstairs with no menu on the entrance door. “We’ll go up and check out the prices” was the suggestion. As we reached the top of the stairs a Welsh voice enquired “Table for two, is it?” “Yes, probably, but could we look at a menu first?” “Well make up your minds! Is it a table you want or just a read of the menu?” came the friendly Welsh

response we were beginning to get accustomed to. “Tell you what,” said Nige,“we’ll do neither and just go. Goodnight” We did, eventually have a wonderful meal of Welsh lamb, served in an hotel courtyard restaurant by very pretty and polite waitresses. I have to say that our rooms were clean and the beds comfortable. I had a great sleep and woke refreshed and rose early. It was a bit before the allotted breakfast time so I thought I’d go check on the bikes. As I passed through Reception, there was Terry. Not sure whether to ignore him or try conversation, I ventured “Alright Terry?” “I’m alright. It’s all the f**king rest” was his predictable reply. “Where you lads off to today?” Detecting a small friendly enquiry, I informed him that we were off to Merthyr Tydfil and then up to Brecon before making our way down to Carmarthen. “Merthyr-f**king-Tydfil! Are you f**king mad?” was his response. There then followed a tirade of abuse about the town and its inhabitants. Something was mentioned about all the children being born with lamb’s tails. “No” I tried to explain. “We’re not actually going into the town, it’s just that there are great roads there.” “The only good road is the one that leaves the f**king place.” he said. After that, I made my get-away, met

up with Nige and we went for breakfast. And there we met Mrs Terry. A sweeter, more lovely lady you couldn’t wish to meet. She reminded me of a little plump fairy out of a Disney film. Well, we had a superb breakfast, saddled up, and started our full day of Welsh touring. And what a great biking day it turned out to be, but we were still destined to return to Terry that evening. It would be so lovely to now paint you a verbal picture of the farewell gathering as Nige “McGregor” Weldon and Dave “Boorman” Spicer set off on their “Not so Long Way Round” tour of Wales. There would be a group of smiling faces looking just a bit concerned for our wellbeing. Amongst the crowd would be Terry and his little “sugarplum fairy” wife, waving frantically, with Terry possibly offering some last minute advice on places to avoid. Perhaps our friend from the Thai restaurant would be standing in the background next to all the nubile waitresses from the Angel Hotel who had served us so well the previous evening. Our wives would be in the foreground, trying to grab the last kiss before helmets were donned, with just a hint of a tear in the corner of their eyes. Perhaps even some fellow bikers, attired in daisy-patterned wellies. But no. Two solitary figures left the car park, rode across the road, and filled up with petrol in the Esso garage.

to be continued next issue... P A G E 11

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Dec 2006

Three years ago I got the Need track day bug at Brands Ear Plugs Hatch Indy circuit.

Time to go to Specsavers!

Ever since then the GP circuit has been on my must do list.

hadn’t been riding my bike for long when it became apparent that I needed to start using ear protection. I tried using those foam plugs but I could never seem to get them in right and then my helmet would dislodge them. I know that many members use custom fit plugs from Ultimate Ear, but unless you see them at a bike show, they are not easy to get made up.

I tipped in a bit further for the second part and the front went, I slid across the narrow grass verge into the gravel trap.

the blue Daytona shows the results. I think I can thank my Judo for my lack of injuries. wo weeks ago 1 saw a Focused Events advert for 14th Sept. and found Graeme was up for joining me and booked. Front tyre was getting near legal limit but would do track day no trouble and thought I’d change it afterwards as the bikes were going to and fro on the trailer. Anyway it’s the rubber that grips not the tread. I changed my mind when on the Monday the forecast for Thursday was possible showers, tread is useful in the wet. Fitted new tyre Tuesday and while spinning it up on the balancer gently scuffed it with a sheet of sand paper. Rode to Sarisbury on Tuesday and on the Wednesday through a favourite set of S bands a few times. We left Holbury in the pouring rain but by the time we reached Brands it was in sunshine.

P A G E 12

We were warned the Indy circuit was dry but the back section of the GP circuit was still a bit damp from overnight rain. We were told the back section is fast and if you come off it will hurt. Sitting laps bike seemed fine. First session stopped after 2 laps some one in the gravel trap, by the time we got out again we got another 2 laps, the other groups had stoppages too. Second session the track had got a bit drier but 2 laps again red flags. We got out again fairly quick this time we are on our 3rd lap and picking up the pace slightly.We reached Sheen Curve still not pushing to hard, or so I thought. It’s a double apex, I tipped in a bit further for the second part and the front went, I slid across the narrow grass verge into the gravel trap, the photo of

When I hit the gravel I felt my knee and ankles twist and then consciously told myself to relax. Doing a rag doll impersonation I eventually stopped rolling I got up and looked around at the bits of blue plastic. Then to my horror I saw Graeme had just given a perfect demonstration of “Target Fixation”. The photo of the Speed Triple shows the results.We’re both here to tell the tale, Graeme’s damaged ligaments in his shoulder, I’ve got a swollen ankle and a damaged ligament in my knee.

Would I do it again? ‘kin right I would. Anyone got a set of second-hand plastics for a Blue 02 Daytona.

Mike Smith

A search of the web revealed Advanced Communication Systems http://www.hearingprotection.co.uk They offer two custom fit products; Biopact and Duocom. Although a little more expensive, their products are independently tested to ISO4689 and DIN17460 and they conform to European Normalisation EN352-2 standards laid down for hearing protection and carry the CE 121 marking. However, the best part is that their product is sold through local hearing suppliers such as Boots, and in Southampton, it’s the hearing division of Specsavers. Biopact is a simple ear plug for £88. Duocom contains speakers and comes with a cable with 3.5mm plug just over 1m long for around £199, and it can be connected to an Autocom unit using part 1187.The products are extremely comfortable to wear and I now realise that those foam plugs I was using were never fitted correctly. I ordered mine in the summer and the delay was 4 weeks, but now their turnaround time is 1-2 weeks. By using this service an experienced audiologist will take the impression which is completely painless and only takes a few minutes. Another advantage of using a local service is that the first time I went to get mine done, they found that one of my ears was full of wax. After a week of softening the wax and the ear syringed by the nurse, I could then go back for the impression. If you go to Specsavers in East Street Southampton, there is even a motorcycle bay outside the store.

Lilian Hobbs

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Dec 2006

‘tis the season to be grumpy T

The photograph is of Sam Davis our Club Night Organiser with the SERV Chairman Dean Wickham and Treasurer Stephen Darnley

EMERGENCY VOLUNTARY SERVICE We were lucky enough to have two members of the SERV give a presentation to the Group at the October Club Night. SERV or Service by Emergency Rider Volunteers, also known as the ‘Blood Runners’, is a charitable organisation that delivers blood products to the emergency and accident hospitals across Southern England at night free of charge when official Health Service transportation services don’t operate. They are hoping to gather enough volunteers in our area to start running a service between the QA Hospital in Portsmouth to Tooting. If this is successful then other Hospital in Hampshire may then be included.

THERE AIMS ARE: • SERV aims to supply a safe, quick and reliable service to local hospitals and doctors for the transport of Emergency Blood and Blood products. • SERV will also transport emergency medical equipment, drugs and donor organs if requested to do so. • SERV will also transport between hospitals in cases of emergency.At night, free of any charge this will release more money for patient care. • This service is provided between the hours of 7pm and 6am, 7 nights a week, 52 weeks of the year. • SERV also supplies 24hr cover over the Christmas and New Year Bank Holidays. • All of our members are volunteers and receive no recompense for their time or out of pocket expenses. If you are interested please visit their web site at www.serv.org.uk or contact Stephen Darnley Telephone - 07738 922081 Email - membership@serv.org.uk For those members that live closer to the New Forest and Dorset there is a similar organisation in Bournemouth named Dorset Freewheelers www.dorsetfreewheelers.co.uk Tel: 0701 701 7495 or secretary@dorsetfreewheelers.co.uk

he festive season inevitably brings road safety into sharper focus. Every year we hear of tragedies devastating the families of victims and perpetrators alike. Yet the response of policy-makers is to reduce the numbers of traffic police while increasing the population of cameras. Perhaps I am missing something here; I don’t see what this Robocop approach does to cut down on drug and drink driving, the use of mobile phones and overtly stupid driving. Surely these should be our real concerns at this and other times of the year. Over the last few weeks I have spent many hours in the left seat accompanying one of my off-spring in preparation for a big family event - the driving test. It’s an opportunity to see the road from an entirely different perspective and it’s not very pretty. My Rugrat is test ready, making good progress and really driving the car through corners; there is little hesitation, speed limits are being adhered to and good progress is being made where appropriate. It won’t take much work to achieve IAM standard. Perhaps it is the “L” plates - it’s certainly not the driving - that have contributed to some of the most scary and crazy driving I have seen for a long time. The worst excesses have been drivers carving us up by moving from lane two to lane one and then turning immediately left, passing within a few feet of us. Dangerous tailgating seems to be relatively normal, as is the use of mobile phones. I reckon the collective standard of driving has plummeted over recent years. Over the same period, the number of fatalities has failed to reduce at a time when technologies such as ABS and airbags must surely be making a significant contribution to reducing road fatalities. Perhaps the reduction in accidents attributable to technology is being offset an increase in accidents due to stupidity and recklessness. Whatever the case, it is time for some imaginative thinking. Denmark gets my vote - see www.speedbandits.dk - they have an innovative approach to road safety in a country where 70% of the population are said to be “pushing the limit” so far as speed is concerned. The Danish bikini bandits are fit, blonde and topless. They wield 50kph signs which have proven to be almost impossible to miss! Perhaps this is too radical for repressed Brits but a return to old fashioned policing is not. So come on Douglas Alexander it’s time to put road safety ahead of revenue generation. Pension off Robocop. The Bikini Bandits would be nice but I suspect that the best we can hope for are the boys and girls in blue.

The Grumpy Old Biker. Disclaimer: Grumpy Old Biker is a periodic column written for the SAM newsletter. It is highly unlikely that the views expressed here are in any way representative of the IAM or SAM.

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How accidents CAN HAPPEN It’s amazing how the principles of defensive driving and Advanced Riding become second nature after a while. I suppose the two key elements that improve our safety is a vast improvement in our observation skills and better planning to deal with any perceived hazards.

Could the accident have been avoided? Possibly. But we had been waved through by policemen who were controlling traffic flow. owever, no matter how prepared you are things can still, sometimes, go wrong.

Earlier in the summer I was chatting with a fellow IAM member at the Bury Hill café. It was a gloriously sunny Sunday afternoon. I recall that a part of our discussions focussed on the difference between passing the IAM test and gaining a Gold Award with RoSPA. My interlocutor was planning to go for gold! As we both live near Southampton, I offered to lead the pair of us back via some twisty country roads, across Goodwood, and then cross country to the Southampton area. No problems. I noted that the other rider was rarely closer to me than 20 yards or so, and frequently further back than that. In short, he was maintaining prudent gap that enabled him to react to anything he saw me do, as well as being able to react to any oncoming traffic. All was progressing very smoothly. As we came across the Goodwood estate I became ware that I’d overlooked that it was the ‘Festival of Speed’ weekend and that the roads were fairly busy - it being around 17:00 or so. We were approaching a crossroads (yes, I’d seen the advance warning sign) and there were a large number of policemen in day glow jackets hanging about. It transpired that they were directing traffic across the crossroads to ensure a decent P A G E 14

flow. We were travelling on the ‘main road’ and some 29 yards beyond the crossroads was a sharp, blind 45 degree bend to the left. Obviously, this was why the police were involved. So, we’d wound our speed off from 60 mph to around 30 mph, slowing slightly further as we approached the crossroads itself. We were waved through the junction. I gave a little wave of thanks to the nice policeman, looked up, took the 45 degree bend to find ....... AAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGG GGGHHHHHHHHH!!! I’d been waved through the police controlled area, only to find that immediately round the bend (there was police van with blue flashing lights on the verge by the bend) there as a 38-ton red articulated lorry completely filling the road. To be fair,he’d had to move out from the left to avoid the parked police van. Now, as you might imagine, this was an extreme sphincter-clenching moment.Applying full brakes I came rapidly to a stop some 10 feet or so from the red lorry which had also come to an abrupt stop. Just as I was about to put my feet on the road I was aware of an enormous bang and I found myself lying on the road with my bike on top of me. Yes. You’ve guess it. My riding companion had followed me through he crossroads and into the bend. Only he didn’t have much time to even grab his brake lever

Dec 2006

and so used my bike to stop against. He fell off to his right. Now, I lay on the road/verge slowly trying to move all my extremities and also trying to work out what had happened. During this process I didn’t move at all. That’s when I became aware of some very panicked policemen, my riding companion and the lorry driver all yelling at me, asking if I was alright. I took my time completing my little self check and establishing that nothing was hurting very much so I guessed I hadn’t broken anything. I reached up to open my visor, and begged the assembled crowd to ‘get the F***ing bike off me’. This they did, and I started to get to my feet. My riding companion had fallen off his bike to his right, but had been thrown clear of his machine. Anyway, the people about helped us to get the bikes upright and moved off the road so that traffic flow could continue. The policemen seemed very pleased that I didn’t require an ambulance.They took no details of any driver/rider. The two of us took some 15 or 30 minutes to ‘decompress’, and discovering nothing major wrong with the bikes set off for home. A number of issues arose from this accident. Firstly I discovered that my bike was more damaged than I thought, requiring a new rear sub frame, a new rear diff unit and they replaced that fuel tank that had been dented and scratched. The total cost of the repairs exceeded £3700, and I believe that my companion’s bike cost around £1500 to put right. That’s before the cost of replacing my crash helmet and spectacles that had been damaged. And before the physiotherapy I’ve needed since to try to resolve the problem of sciatica that has arisen since the crash.

Could the accident have been avoided? Possibly. But we had been waved through by policemen who were controlling traffic flow. It was reasonable to assume that the road was clear (I’ll think twice next time!!). My riding companion had always maintained a decent distance between us, although he had closed up when we got to the crossroads. He was still not right on my tail, as it were. Some wags at the RoSPA group I belong to asked if I’d checked in my mirror or done a shoulder check) before I applied my brakes. Ha ha!!! My mind was rather fixed on the very large red lorry that was blocking my path. I’ve put the crash down to sheer bad luck (and some helpful incompetence from the police). I guess that old maxim that it’s always safer to follow a rider whose skills you don’t know has some merit. But, and this is important, I do NOT blame my riding companion. Sometimes, as the Americans say, sh*t happens. I understand that the insurance company are looking at making some claim against Sussex police on the grounds of their negligence - it seems that they didn’t even report the accident had happened! But if I have one message to give my riding companion about trying to gain a Gold RoSPA pass, it’s that he needs to improve his observation and braking skills!!!!!!!!!!!! And for all the rest of you, the message is to maintain a decent gap and try to be ready for the unexpected. I’m certainly more cautious about both blind bends and following instructions by policemen than I used to be.

Chris Palmer

.? H o w ’s t h e h a n d li n g ..

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Dec 2006

So it was with a warm heart that I boarded the boat and set sail to St. Malo....

My First SAM Social Ride

5% discount to SAM members, on production of membership card. PA G E 2

Lillian Hobbs

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Dec 2006

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

bike xmas cov 06

Dec 2006

CAPTION COMPETITION:

SAM Polo-shirts Black long or short sleeve shirts embroidered with the Club name - always available to buy at Club Nights. Sizes XXL to Small. 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