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tvam.org Slipstream July 2020 1

July 2020

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CONTENTS4 Roll of Honour4 Virtual St Crispin’s5 From the Saddle6 The Science of Being Seen pt610 Close look at Suzuki18 Boston & back route map20 Advanced Plus

22 Communication lessons23 Oh Dear!24 TVAM Calendar 26 Tracer 900 GT review30 Locked Down No Longer!32 Team Meets33 Club Contacts

FROM THELAPTOP

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Many of you are getting back to work, and plenty more are still working from home and wondering if things will ever seem ‘normal’ again? Home working is the norm for me but there has been little to do over the last few months, hence the time to do our centre page routes again - don’t expect them all the time, but if you do have a day trip or longer that you would like to share with others, all you need to do is supply me with a gpx or itn route file and a description of your route with any useful or interesting POIs and I’ll do the rest.

I’ve seen plenty of run reports from teams involving up to six people, this is great but let’s hope that before too long we can increase numbers a little. I think folks are enjoying the smaller run sizes, but of course it means quite a few run leaders are required where one or two would have previously sufficed. This is all very positive as lots of you are getting some run leading practice so all looks good for social runs as lockdown rules ease.

Rather interesting now that European travel is on the horizon as well, with quarantine restrictions done away with - a wise decision? - will you venture abroad? - or is it too soon? I was getting low on content with no activity but fortunately Nick has started to get busy testing bikes and gives us his latest thoughts on what we ride and whether the manufacturers are supplying what we really want to buy and then looks at the new Tracer 900GT. We also have the last look at Kevin Williams series on the ‘Science of Being Seen.‘

With most of our social rides to any events having been cancelled, rides for the most part are confined to local team organsiation, but don’t forget you can join in with any group, though with a six person ride list those participating need to sign up for a ride to control the nunbers. Again, as I have said for previous months, check for the latest on rides on the groups.io calendar or with your local team.

Will we meet in August? Who knows - still probably unlikely for our large numbers on a St Crispin’s Sunday. So to those of you who have joined our ranks in the last few months, welcome. I hope you get to experience a club meet before too long, but in the meantime enjoy your observed rides and get to know your local team. To you all - keep safe and keep washing your hands!

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New Members in April, May, June 2020Glenn Allanson Greg Allen Ian Andrews Stephen Bradshaw Robert Davis Karen Donovan Stephen Eungblut Paul Ghent Robert Hasted

Michael Hattey Sunny Khalsa Simon KingOliver LewisOwen McKenzie Ross Murray Manfred Reike Nicholas Rubio Ciaran Scanlon

Jagdeep Singh Rao Merrick Stevenson Lee Austin Martin BelPhilip Boulter Stuart Bravery Jeremy Fisher William Bowran Andrew Lovell

Roll of Honour

ST CRISPIN’S ONLINE MEETAnd once again we will not be able to meet as normal at St Crispin’s on Sunday 19th, so members of the Training Team will be online via Zoom between 9am and 10am for a quick catch up on anything you’d like to ask. If you are thinking of becoming an Observer, Barrie will be available from 9.15am to talk you through what is involved and we can get you started on the non-riding parts of the process. That means you’ll be ahead of the game when this lockdown lifts.

Details of the Zoom meeting are below and when you join, don’t forget to enter your full name so everyone knows who is who.Topic: Virtual St Crispin’sTime: Jul 19, 2020 09:00 LondonJoin Zoom Meetinghttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/89670559811?pwd=L01ReFc0cm9kSklWdVI2OEJFYjh2UT09Meeting ID: 896 7055 9811Password: 8116266223

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Roll of HonourFROM THE CHAIR!

What does the ‘New Normal’ look like as lockdown restrictions are relaxed? Well, as a biker you’d think our PPE means we’re already pretty well protected. What virus can fly at 70mph to catch you then penetrate a full face helmet with visor, gloves and leathers? However, I guess it’s the same old story, it’s the stopping which can hurt.

The new rules mean we can now have lots of social runs with up to six riders present - that’s people not bikes, so a bike with a pillion counts as two. Of course if two households get together there could be more on a run but I don’t know of many households with three bikers in them - mind you their garage would be interesting….

So we can do Observed Rides, with a Trainee Observer involved too, as that only makes three. Cafe’s now being open means we can start to frequent the stopping places we all know and love, which is when the ‘new normal’ catches up with us. Social distancing still applies. 1m Plus really means 2m if possible, so maybe stay outside to drink the coffee and anyway as an Associate you don’t want your debrief in front of an audience listening-in as the music has now been turned down low.

When at the petrol station keep your gloves on when using the pumps. If you haven’t tried the payment Apps that Shell, BP, and others have launched, now might be a good time to try them. It means you don’t have to go in to pay, wait in a queue behind someone who has also done their weekly shop, be tempted by chocolate bars, to then shout loudly at the grumpy man behind the plastic screen who’s operating the till whilst you still have your earplugs in and helmet on. You can just ride off knowing the payment has been authorised by those little men in the Cloud.

As we can’t, as yet, hold a St Crispin’s with 200+ bikers present, or run any of our courses it means most of the social activities of the Club are being organised by local teams. This is a real opportunity for you to get involved with your local team if you haven’t already. Apply to join any of the local team’s groups.io areas to find out what’s being organised.

With social runs being much smaller it might be more the size of group you’re happier riding with. Most of the social runs are using the Buddy System to keep the run together so the complexity of the Marker System isn’t there if you were at all concerned about being ‘dropped’ as a marker and sending everyone the wrong way - much to the annoyance of the Back Marker. There are many anecdotes of runs being ‘fragmented’ (substitute a stronger word of your choice) by a well-meaning marker. All that disappears with the Buddy System, though I guess someone will still get it wrong by forgetting to wait until the next rider is in view at some junction….

Hotels are starting to open and even the possibility of going onto the continent, which means that bike tours with a couple of mates might be on after all. Fire up the Sat Nav…..

Observers will know that for Father’s Day this year we ran a special offer of a Free Observed Ride with TVAM for anyone who applied. With St Crispin’s not being held for several months we were keen to raise the Club’s profile and possibly recruit some new members along the way. The offer was pushed out on social media and we had 13 riders apply. The nominated Observers are in the process of arranging the rides and so far around half are joining up. Added to the steady flow of people who are joining via the website, we’ve gained over 20 new members in June, with a week still to go.

So there’s lots going on in the Club even if you may have to look a bit deeper at the moment to find it. But most importantly, stay safe and I hope to see you all soon.

Andy SlaterChairman


Looked but FAILED TO SEE!Last time out I began explaining how in around one-third of all collisions, the bike was in a place the driver could have seen it but for some reason FAILED TO SEE the machine - a ‘detection error’ where the driver looked in the right place, but failed to identify the presence of a motorcycle in the moments before making his manoeuvre.

We need to look beyond ‘not looking properly’ as an explanation. Human visual perception isn’t ‘camera-perfect’ and it’s not true to say that “if it’s visible, and if you look hard enough, you’ll see it.”

Any illusionist or soldier knows that.

Motion camouflageIn the last article, I mentioned that we have some ability to detect light / dark contrast as well as sudden bright stimuli and movement in peripheral vision. Anything that gets our attention is called an ‘attractant’ because it automatically results in our eyes moving to focus on whatever caught our attention - and at that point (and not before) it pops into our consciousness. That’s when we ‘see’ the object.

The problem is that it’s LATERAL movement that we are sensitive to - that is, ACROSS the background.

Movement directly TOWARDS the viewer is much more difficult to pick up. It’s well-known - I was aware of the issue from my science degrees - that hunting animals stalking prey will approach along a line that keeps them motionless relative to the background from the perspective of the prey animal. If the prey animal moves, the hunter subtly adjusts their own path so that they stay on the same relative bearing. This is how big cats and dragonflies operate, and they are exploiting the phenomenon known as ‘motion camouflage’. The only clue to movement is that the apparent size of the hunting animal increases as it gets closer, but it can get remarkably close before it gets so ‘big’ that it suddenly dominates the background. At that point, the hunting animal is finally detected - this phenomenon is known as ‘looming’.

Think about the typical motion of a motorcycle, riding along a straight road and approaching a stationary driver waiting to turn at a junction - the most common collision of all. It cannot be seen moving across the background.

With no lateral movement, we are also motion camouflaged.

PART SIX


And now there’s a significant risk that a driver will fail to detect our approach until we’re right on top of him / her when we ‘loom’ into view by filling the background.

You can check this out for yourself on YouTube. Watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iOoiEbtf2w

(PS - keep the volume down if necessary - there are some expletives!)

Even though we can hear the Spitfire’s engine, we cannot see it against the background for two reasons:

:: our eyes are focused on the presenter, so the plane is initially in peripheral vision

:: even when the camera shifts, giving us a hint where to look, there is no lateral movement to help us detect the plane - it’s motion-camouflaged.

It is not until the plane is almost on top of us that we see it - a Spitfire is a LOT bigger than a motorcycle.

Saccadic maskingHere’s another issue. When we’re scanning left and right, we need to shift our eyes. But there’s a problem. This movement of the background is known to cause disorientation and dizziness.

So as we scan across a scene, we don’t move our gaze smoothly across the background although that’s what most of us think happens, and what most books on riding and driving imply we should be doing.

Our eyes don’t behave like a movie camera panning across the scene but work in a completely different way, much more like a still camera taking a series of snapshots of different parts of the view. Our eyes move in a series of jerks, pausing on one particular area - a ‘fixation’ - before moving very rapidly to the next. Then they move on again... and again... and so on.

The movements between the fixations are called saccades but unbeknownst to us, the brain ceases to process retinal images during these saccades. This is known as ‘saccadic masking’ or ‘saccadic suppression’.

Once again, this phenomenon has been known about for a very long time. It’s even exploited by dancers during fast turns - the dancer turns the body but ‘spots’ on a fixed location, then turns the head faster to catch up. Saccadic masking kicks in as the background blurs through the vision, helping maintain balance and prevent dizziness.

And now you can see why when we look left and right saccadic masking shuts down the visual processing system as our eyes move. Rather than ‘scanning’ right through the visual scene as we think we do (and as we’re told we should), it’s only where the eyes stop on an object of interest, in a stationary fixation (remember that from last time?) that we get a visual ‘snapshot’ that the brain can actually process. So rather than a ‘movie’, we get that series of snapshots interspersed by blank gaps.

But - just like the dancers - we are unaware of the shut-down and believe we have searched the entire scene because the brain synthesizes the missing visual data to give the impression of a continuous scan. Only if we are ALREADY tracking a moving object are we able to follow it without saccades.

Saccadic masking isn’t ‘carelessness’ or ‘failing to look properly’, it’s a fundamental limitation of - and a visual illusion created by - the human visual system.

There’s a second, but interlinked problem. As humans we learn. It’s a fundamental part of being human. And our learning often involves discovering shorter, quicker and most importantly, less energy-intense ways of doing something. At junctions, we’re always told to “look for vehicles” before turning. But it turns out to be an ineffective strategy, because if we look for vehicles, all we see are vehicles...

...and what we actually need if we’re to make the turning manoeuvre is empty space between those


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vehicles. So we discover very quickly - perhaps within half an hour of beginning to drive - that what we need to spot GAPS.

Now, remember the issues I mentioned last time - the narrow foveal vision cone, and the depth of field. There’s not just the possibility that a driver will look BEYOND the motorcycle, but a real risk that in turning the head to look both ways, the bike will be ‘blanked out’ by a saccade.

It’s worth pointing out that exactly the same issue can happen to bikers. There’s some evidence from countries with a lot of powered two-wheelers that suggests riders pull out in front of other bikes equally as often as drivers! So an attentive driver - or motorcyclist - can look both ways and yet fail to see an approaching vehicle.

How can we overcome this problem? Slowing down the head-turn doesn’t eliminate fixations and saccades but it does narrow the blank gaps and offer a better chance of a fixation landing the eyes on the bike.

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DOES SUZUKI HAVE A FUTURE?

With the global economy about to swan-dive into depths not seen for more than a century and many European governments piling on the pressure to speed up the transition to zero-tailpipe-emissions motoring, many are arguing that motorcycling faces an uncertain future. Some manufacturers are well-positioned and making positive steps to prepare for difficult times ahead, but many other old and established brands may well be caught short.

I’ve covered more miles on Suzuki motorcycles than all other brands combined, either owned or borrowed. Both of those I paid for with my own money were workhorses, used for everything from commuting to trackdays to touring, and while masters of no individual discipline they were undoubtedly competent at all of them. But miles travelled don’t translate to profits - quite the opposite, in fact, as those who actually use their bikes as practical daily transport contribute less to manufacturer’s bottom lines than our fair-weather brethren.

After 70 years, is Suzuki’s motorcycle business running out of steam?

We perhaps spend more on tyres, but dealer service schedules and pricing are directly at odds with the penny-pinching mindset of the year-round rider. And while modern motorcycles are more than capable of shouldering six-digit figures on their odometers without exploding, the market is skewed to undervalue well-used examples. PCP doesn’t work when a three-year-old bike already has 30,000-60,000 miles on the clock, and the steep depreciation hit makes regular replacement uneconomical. So we run our bikes until they literally fall apart, maintaining them ourselves to extract the best value-for-money from our investments.


The result is that brands who specialise in sunny-Sunday toys that get replaced every 18 months with well-padded profit margins have flourished in recent decades, while those making more basic but long-lasting machinery have struggled to maintain, never mind grow, their market share. I find it unlikely that the likes of BMW, Ducati, and KTM deliberately engineer their machines to fall apart after 30,000 miles; I simply suspect they don’t bother to ensure that they don’t. Their marketing departments work hard to engender customer loyalty towards their brands as a whole, not towards the particular bike that they happened to choose this PCP cycle.

Supporting that regular upgrade habit requires that there be significant perceived improvements year after year, so that a three-year-old motorcycle will seem old-hat next to the current version. While top speed, weight, and power figures were once the way to woo buyers with wandering eyes and bulging wallets, these days electronics have to provide the incentive to trade in early. But that kind of technological arms race is expensive, and those without the resources to invest in future product risk falling behind. It’s a vicious cycle - without the fancy tech to tempt owners to upgrade you don’t earn the profits necessary to fund the development of the next wave of marketable bells and whistles.

The problem with building a great bike is that there’s no incentive for customers to upgrade

Goldwings are famous for easily swallowing hundreds of thousands of miles

Owners love their Burgmans, but not enoughbought new ones to justify further updates


This might not be the end of the world if a given manufacturer could simply continue to sell their existing models to their core customers. But even if those customers weren’t eventually lured away by the promise of newer, better motorcycles, emissions, noise, and safety legislation mean that some degree of ongoing product development is essential. Wait too long and you’ll find you’re no longer allowed to sell some of your bikes, and your product range gets whittled away to nothing. With limited budgets, you have to pick and choose where to spend your research & development funds. And just like a battlefield medic, you sometimes have to let some of your patients die in order to save others.

This is the exact situation that Suzuki seems to find itself in at the moment. When the 2007 financial crisis hit, the Japanese manufacturers battened down the hatches, freezing research & development spending and hoping to ride out the dip. A number of European manufacturers did the opposite, using the time to develop new technology and modernise their entire product range. The result was that, as economies improved and buyers returned to showrooms, they found that there was no reason to replace their 5-year-old Japanese motorcycle - the brand-new models were exactly the same as the ones they already had in their garage. But the likes of BMW had leapt ahead, offering a truly next-generation range of motorcycles, and converting customers in their thousands. The fact that exchange rates meant that European exotica was not dissimilarly priced to more basic Japanese fare merely accelerated this shift.

Yamaha rallied magnificently with their modular 700cc twin-cylinder and 900cc three-cylinder platforms, designed from the ground-up to be fun and affordable for all. Their range was almost completely renewed in just a few years, with the resultant profits providing the necessary funds to keep bikes such as the ageing FJR1300 compliant with government legislation. Honda dragged their heels a bit, reluctant to invest in genuinely new engines and platforms, but also used their NC-series to corner the commuter/courier market at a time when no-one else was even trying to cater to those buyers. What’s more, their small-capacity motorcycles and scooters continued to sell in incredible numbers in markets that would consider a 750cc bike to be grossly oversized.

It’s also worth remembering that motorcycles are just a small part of Honda’s business, the corporation having plenty of capital to invest in long-term product planning. Kawasaki is an even starker example here, with motorcycles representing a mere footnote in a corporate portfolio that includes gigantic cargo ships and military aircraft. They’ve been able to regularly renew and refresh popular bikes such as the Versys 650 and 1000, not to mention the best-selling Ninja 1000SX, providing them with comfortable margins and a loyal customer base.

Yamaha’s bulk sellers earn enough to cover the costs of keeping the FJR alive for now.


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But Suzuki has none of these safety nets, and has been struggling to attract new customers for more than a decade now. Their car business folded entirely in the United States and is facing tough competition across Europe in the low-cost segments from the likes of Hyundai and KIA. Their small-capacity bikes remain popular in south-east asia, but profit margins are thin and increased competition from the Chinese manufacturers is eating into their volume. Europe and America used to be the cash cows whose high-margin product paid the research & development bills, but those funds have been drying up for a long time now.

The result is that Suzuki’s product range has stagnated, with key lines being forced to retire due to increasingly-stringent emissions legislation. What little money remains has been spent carefully, one

A popular, steady seller, but the money for Euro 5 upgrades just wasn’t there

bike at a time, in the hopes of striking gold and kick-starting a sales success that could, in turn, fund further development of their ageing lineup. But time and time again it seems that the upgrades and face-lifts are too little, too late, and always one or two steps behind their competition.

The V-Strom 650 remains a steady, if unspectacular seller amongst the practically-minded, which is probably why Suzuki has continued to spend the minimum-necessary funds to refresh the design and stay ahead of emissions legislation. The fully redeveloped V-Strom 1000 launched in 2014 with the fanfare befitting a major brand’s new flagship, but BMW had stolen their thunder with the all-new watercooled and tech-laden R1200GS just one year earlier, and buyers weren’t interested. With PCP the new and exciting way to make expensive bikes affordable, the lacklustre residuals of historically rust-prone Suzukis made their bikes deeply uncompetitive in this strange new financial landscape. It didn’t matter to most people that the retail price was thousands of pounds cheaper; if you were buying on PCP, then BMW offered you a lot more bike for very similar money.

Pivoting towards their traditional cash-cow, the GSXR-1000, may have seemed sensible, and in 2017 we got an all-new litre-class sportsbike with modern electronics and segment-competitive horsepower


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The 2014 V-Strom 1000 was fantastic, but customers ultimately voted with their wallets

figures. But this was the first serious effort in over a decade, and those traditional customers had moved on. With the Japanese brand now seen as a budget alternative to the more desirable European offerings, matching the now well-established upstarts on the spec sheet wasn’t enough to bring buyers back in sufficient droves. What’s worse, choosing to pin their hopes on these two big bikes meant that the money necessary to keep the GSX-R 600, GSX-R 750, Hayabusa, Bandit 650/1250, and even the Burgman 650 compliant with the latest round of European emissions regulations simply wasn’t there. Visit a Suzuki dealership today, and the choices are looking very limited indeed.

Which brings us to Suzuki’s latest refresh of their big adventure-tourer in the shape of the new(ish) V-Strom 1050. Suzuki is counting on the styling to do the lion’s share of the work, and it’s certainly succeeding in turning heads amongst the traditional motorcycle press. And if the public show the same interest, Suzuki is hoping that the technology upgrades will carry them the rest of the way to their cheque books. We’ve got cruise control, lean-sensitive ABS & traction-control, not to mention various gimmicks like hill-hold assist. We’ve also got a new LCD dashboard, just in time to be considered out-of-date next to the current crop of big-screen full-colour TFT dashboards the competition are triumphantly displaying. Still, it works, and it’s a pleasant enough bike that does a perfectly adequate job of being a good all-round motorcycle.

But while Suzuki have increased the spec to match their competition in the adventure-touring space, they’ve also upped the price to match, giving up their value card and going toe-to-toe with the likes of Triumph’s new Tiger 900 and Ducati’s Multistrada 950. And as much as I am a fan of Suzuki and their V-Strom line in particular, I don’t think this is a fight they can win. Personally, I’m not sure I trust Ducati’s engines to last 100,000 miles without serious work, and the servicing schedules and costs are clearly not designed with high-mileage riders in mind, but it’s a much more exciting bike to ride. My experiences with modern Triumphs suggest that they can shrug off salty British winters far better than a V-Strom can, but again - servicing costs become prohibitive when used regularly.

I’d like to say that this is an area where the new V-Strom has retained its edge, but dealer rates for both


basic oil changes and valve adjustments are equally eye-watering. I’ve historically found that Suzuki’s motorcycles are very easy to service at home, so a competent home mechanic might perhaps choose the Japanese option for this reason alone. But as stated earlier, the people willing to spend £12,000 on a motorcycle and also get their hands dirty maintaining a 20,000-mile-per-year vehicle are a very small and unprofitable minority. Suzuki was hoping to lure in buyers from other brands, but I fear all they’ve actually done is freed up their existing customers to go elsewhere.

For my part, I’m planning to spend some more quality time with the top-spec V-Strom 1050XT soon. While my short initial ride failed to disappoint in the way that many over-hyped and over-priced alternatives have, it also failed to bowl me over. If my own personal V-Strom 650 exploded tomorrow and I wanted a well-specced replacement, it’s newer, bigger brother would do a fine job of filling those particular boots. But the market for sensible, upright, all-weather do-everything road bikes is now very, very crowded, especially at this price point. I’ve got an appointment to look at both Yamaha’s Tracer 900GT and have my name down for a ride on a Moto-Guzzi V85TT as soon as it’s available. Ducati’s Mulistrada 950 waits in the wings, and BMW are trying hard to tempt me with their new F900XR. And finally, there’s the Tiger 800 XRT that so impressed me last year, and its brand-new 900cc replacement.

If Suzuki can’t keep me as a customer, then who else is left?

Nick Tasker

The new V-Strom 1050XT looks the part, but underneath it’s a 6-year-old bike. Competition is fiercer than ever, especially at this new, higher price point.

Revesby Foss

e W

ay

Mill DeneGardens

Boston

Lincoln

Peterborough

Nottingham

Leicester

Coventry

Northampton

Birmingham

Oxford

Fleet

Henley-on-Thames

Watlington

Thame

Brill

Bicester

Finmere

Brackley

MarketHarborough

MeltonMowbray Saxby

Welby

Sleaford

Coningsby

Ruskington

SwinesheadSwaton

Dowsby

Bourne

StamfordUppingham

Rothwell

Daventry

FloreSouthamWellesbourne

Shipston-on-Stour

Moreton-in-Marsh

Stow-on-the-Wold

Bourton-on-the-Water

Burford

Lechlade

Faringdon

WantageBlewbury

PangbourneReading

Newbury

Boston & BackRoute by John GordonDistance: 433 miles

Given 2 days for a ride most people choose Wales; a great choice. If you fancy somewhere different try this 2-day trip to Revesby located between Boston and Cadwell Park. When ridden on a Thursday and Friday earlier in the year the ‘B’ and minor roads were relatively free of traffic and excellent biking roads. They suit those who wish to make progress and those who prefer a ‘touring pace’.

Day 1 coffee stop is at the Broadmoor Farm Shop, Haddenham. Lunch is at the Farmers Field, Market Harborough, a garden centre/farm shop with easy parking. This can get busy at lunch times but it has an extensive menu of excellent food, quickly served so worth waiting for a table. A few points of particular interest en route begin with the village of Naseby, which you pass through on both days. The Battle of Naseby fought in June 1645 was one of the seminal moments in English history. It was an overwhelming victory for Parliament and the King’s principal army was eliminated and within a year, the war was over. Naseby was a victory for Britain’s first regular, red-coated soldiers and is, for many, the birthplace of the British Army.

After joining the A17 you pass RAF Cranwell College. On the 1st of April 1918 Lord Tenchard merged the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service to form the Royal Air Force. The return journey passes RAF Coningsby home of the famous Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and also one of two Quick Reaction Alert stations, which protect UK Airspace.

The Red Lion in Revesby is a biker-friendly pub with a wide choice for dinner and breakfast and the landlord will make you very welcome. Overnight our bikes were parked in the pub yard behind closed doors.

40 miles into day 2 you pass through Bourne where in 1945 British Racing Motors (BRM) was founded. The team participated in Formula One motor racing from 1951 to 1977, competing in 197 grands prix and winning seventeen. BRM won the constructors’ title in 1962 when its driver Graham Hill became world champion.

20 miles further on you will see to your left the Welland Valley viaduct built around 1878. It is the longest masonry viaduct across a valley in Britain. It’s 3/4 of a mile long and has 82 arches of 40 foot span and is approximately 70 foot high. The more famous Ribblehead Viaduct is much smaller with 24 arches and a length of 1/4 mile.

For coffee on day 2 pick one of the cafes at Uppingham then lunch is at the Fosseway Garden Centre, Moreton-in-Marsh.

Garmin and Tomtom files are in the groups.io all members file section. If you have a favourite ride you would like to share on these pages, please get in touch to add it to this series - [email protected]

Naseby

Site ofBattle of Naseby

Cadwell Park

RAF Cranwell

RAF Coningsby

Welland ValleyViaduct

Broadmoor Farm ShopHaddenham

Farmers FieldGarden Centre

tvam.org Slipstream July 2020 1918 Slipstream July 2020 tvam.org


Advanced PlusAdvanced Plus is the new name for what you may have known as an Enhanced Advanced Ride (EAR). Recently renamed by a quirk of fate, to more accurately reflect its purpose, Advanced Plus is something all Full Members should be interested in. Still in the dark? Read on...

What it it?Many riders will have gained Full Membership of IAM RoadSmart a little while ago and may have had little or no feedback on their riding since then. Advanced Plus is an opportunity for Full Members to get feedback from an experienced Observer in an enjoyable and supportive environment. Advanced Plus is an important part of the continual development of riding skills for TVAM Full Members; there are no pass/fail criteria, only feedback that the Full Member can take away and work on. There is no fee to the Full Member for an Advanced Plus.

Advanced Plus is a full or half-day ride with an experienced Observer, with either one or two candidates, on a mix of roads. Two candidates is often a bit easier as you’ll take it in turns to go at the front – and then have a spell at the back.

Why do one?At some point, every Full Member of TVAM decided to take the IAM RoadSmart Advanced Test. The coaching from their Observer helped them develop to the point they successfully passed the external examiner assessment. Then what? Some go on to become Observers and have their riding checked every two years or so but for many others, the learning stops at the test. And, without feedback, the standard of riding often declines. As we know, riding a motorcycle is like any other skill, you need to practice and have feedback to keep your skills up. Advanced Plus is designed so that Full Members can get structured feedback and input into how they are riding – and what they can do to improve. It is voluntary and is available to all Full Members across TVAM.

What happens afterwards?You’ll be given clear feedback on your riding and a development plan to work on, in line with your expectations and requirements.

Possible suggestions in the development plan might be, for example, to re-test for a F1RST, think about taking your Masters, or perhaps some developmental rides to focus on a particular aspect of your riding. This plan will provide clear steps for you to achieve your goals.

We suggest that Full Members should take an Advanced Plus every two years or so. Remember it’s free – and all you need to do is send an email to [email protected] and we’ll get you paired up with an Observer.

Why wouldn’t you?

[email protected]


www.mhracing.com

www.ultimateear.com


Unfortunately on 13th March I had an off on my bike, yes it was a Friday and perhaps that should have been the sign to stay indoors…

Although we never wish or expect it to happen, I thought that I was well prepared for this eventuality, all the details (or so I thought were in my mobile phone) plus the bike is a BMW R1250 GSA and it’s fitted with the SOS emergency system.

After I’d picked myself up off the road and taken my helmet off, I tried to take photos of the scene, that did not work well because my phone decided not to work, or at least it seemed not to be. The other party was kind enough to take photos for both of us. His vehicle was a rental so he was fine about it.

Once the bike had been moved to a small layby by some road repair workmen, the emergency services arrived, (called by a bystander), ambulance folks were interested in how I was from a medical perspective, the police were interested in myself and the other party from the incident perspective and both of us were breathalysed.

The police asked me whether I required them to arrange for the bike to be recovered, I said that I was trying to contact my insurers, (first big challenge) but unfortunately their number was on my phone, so was BMW’s Emergency Recovery number, and the phone was still not working. The police kindly provided me with their mobile and so using Safari on an iPhone (I’m an Android user) I eventually found Surety’s number, but on calling it was greeted by a 3rd party agent named Plantec who answer on Surety’s behalf. After much explaining and providing personal and bike details they finally found my info and responded with “we’ve taken your details, someone will call you back soon”, not a lot of help in this instance, especially as my phone was still not playing ball.

Next port of call was Cornmarket who are my insurance company, or so I thought, going through much the same details, I was informed, someone would call me back. During this, the bike SOS system burst into life and started talking to us, however it really did not work as I was expecting it to. Myself and quite a few others could not understand the agent at the other end, nor could we understand what they expected to do for me or what info we should provide them, in the end, we ignored them.

Eventually the Police arranged for the bike to be recovered using their contractors and I was whisked off to Basingstoke hospital in the ambulance. During the journey to hospital, I received a call back from Plantec, too late unfortunately, and ironically my phone worked perfectly.

The above does not sound that much of a challenge, however after just having had an off, luckily only suffering from aches and pains, adrenalin kicking in, dealing with the police and ambulance folks, exchanging details with the other party and wanting to look after my bike, it seemed a huge challenge.

The lessons learnt for me are simple:1. don’t rely on technology to store critical information as it may not work when you need it to2. if you have a BMW with the SOS emergency system fitted, understand what it’s meant to do if you have an off3. ensure that you know the right numbers to call in the event of an accident / breakdown. For me this was: a. through my BMW warranty I have BMW Emergency assist, which includes recovery from an accident, that should have been my only required number b. the accident reporting number for Ageas who are “actually” my insurance company, not Cornmarket, not Surety, they are just brokers4. Have your insurance details with you, i.e. insurance policy number5. Gap insurance and helmet / leathers insurance may seem like a salesman’s way of making money,

Communication - Lessons Learnt


luckily I took both out, the bike was less than a year old and is a total loss, my helmet was a mess and has been consigned to the bin. Both cost less than £300, it’s saved me a fortune.

Moving forward, I’m just about to collect my replacement bike, I’ll be creating a business card with relevant and current info on, laminated for protection against water etc. One will be in my gear pocket where I keep my credit card, the other will be discretely located on the bike, it will have the following info on it: • Name • Full address including post code • Date of birth • Bike insurance company phone number and policy number • Travel Insurance company phone number and policy number (for travel abroad) • Emergency breakdown phone number and policy number • ICE (in case of emergency) contact name and number

Some of the above you may think as being overkill however I was riding with a friend in 2019 abroad when they had an off, again not a big one but they did require hospitalisation and repatriation of the bike and themselves. When speaking to any of the insurance companies and especially the travel insurance / medical cover when abroad, they would not discuss anything with us without DOB and full address.

None of us expect or want it to happen to us, but hopefully from my experience you may be able to ensure that you’re ready with the right info if it does, and have it to hand.

Keith Miller

OH DEAR!There I was, driving to fill the car up with motion lotion and up ahead was a police car and an L-plated 125 by the side of the road. Rider in shorts and T-shirt and no gloves, as you do when the weather gets warm, not! I presumed the copper was suggesting something along the lines of suitable attire for two wheels.

On the way back the police had moved on and the chap with the bike was pushing it with his crash hat balanced on his head. I stopped and asked if he needed help. The conversation then went as follows.Me: “Are you OK?”Him: “The clutch has fallen off.”Me: “You mean the lever on the handlebars?”Him: “No, the thing by my foot”Me: Hesitating what to say next and looking puzzled as to how the clutch can fall out of the crank caseHim: “You know, you pull in the lever then do something with your foot.”Me: “You mean the gear change lever?”Him: “Yes, that’s it.”

So, I asked if he still had it, with the thought that I might be able to assist, but he said that someone was coming out to help.

I handed him a TVAM card with the usual, when you’ve passed your test speech and then told him what the ambulance crew had told me on the last BikerDown course I was on, relating to what depth of flesh is ground off sliding down the road at 30mph. He thought it amusing. With that I felt I may well have been wasting oxygen. Maybe I’m wrong, time will tell.

Gaz


COVID-19 NOTICE REGARDING RUNS AND TRIPSALL TRIPS AND CLUB MEETS CANCELLED THROUGHOUT JULY. MANY TEAMS ARE VENTURING OUT IN GROUPS OF UP TO 6 ON SOCIAL RIDES AS LOCKDOWN RULES ARE ADJUSTED AND SOCIAL RIDES LISTED HERE ARE PLANNED ACCORDING TO RIDE NUMBERS ALLOWED UNDER THE COVID-19 GUIDANCE.PLEASE CHECK THE GROUPS.IO CALENDAR FOR CHANGES 1ST AUGUST GOING FORWARD. PLEASE CONTACT ORGANISERS FOR MORE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON ANY FUTURE TRIPS. FOR RUNS THAT HAVE BEEN CANCELLED, RUN LEADERS MAY LIKE TO RE-BOOK FOR DATES LATER IN THE YEAR - PLEASE CONTACT [email protected] or [email protected]

AUGUST 2020SATURDAY

1SAMS FIRST SATURDAY RUN (B)Social ride for the first Saturday of each month. Details will be published via groups.io

SUNDAY

2T-RUN (T) HOSTED BY RAMSCome and join the RAMS T-Run. All Observers, Trainee Observers, Associates and Full Members welcome. Two informal observed runs in the morning for Associates/TObs, also available to Full Members. After lunch there will be a marked social run back to Calcot ending 4.30pm approx. Meet at Sainsbury’s Calcot (near NEXT entrance) RG31 7SA at 9am for a 9.30am departure. Total run 100 miles. Please let either Ness Turner (07909 888953) [email protected] or Mel Hakhnazarian (07971007448) [email protected] know if you can join us.

SUNDAY

2GNATS FIRST SUNDAY RUN (B)Social ride for the first Sunday of each month. Details will be published via the calendar on groups.io

SUNDAY

2WAGS MONTHLY SOCIAL RUN (B)Social ride for the first Sunday of each month. Details will be published via the calendar on groups.io

SUNDAY

9WAGS FULL MEMBER RUN (B)Social ride for the second Sunday of each month for Full Members from all teams. Details will be published via the calendar on groups.io

SUNDAY

9WOBMOB SECOND SUNDAY RUN (B)Social ride for the second Sunday of each month. Details will be published via the calendar on groups.io

TVAM CalendarSOCIAL RIDES, T-RUNS, TRACK DAYS AND OTHER EVENTS IN 2020

St Crispin’s Sunday - Monthly Meet - Observed Ride Every 3rd Sunday of the month. Meet 9am at St Crispin’s School, Wokingham (see p32 of Slipstream for map). All those currently involved in observed runs will be allocated an Observer. Slow riding skills practice is available. Social runs available for full members start at 10am if run leaders are available on the day. If you are willing to lead a run please email [email protected] or contact Alan Hudson at [email protected]

Send details of any runs or events to [email protected] or [email protected]


Social Runs St Crispin’s Track Day/Training Run Events Green Team

WEDNESDAY

12MID-WEEK DAYTIME RUN (Short ride to place of interest)Meet at the H Café in Berinsfield, OX10 7LY for a coffee (or not) at 10.30am then depart for a ride. Contact Ken Jeddere-Fisher at [email protected] for details or to join the Midweek Runs mailing list.

SATURDAY

15LUNCH IN WILTSHIRE (B)With some great roads in between. Approximately 130 miles round trip finishing at Sutton Scotney around 3pm. Meet at the former Little Nellie’s Diner, Newbury Rd, Kingsclere, RG20 4TA at 8.30am for a 9am departure. Contact Run Leader Mark Spittles 07753 931570 if you wish to attend.

SUNDAY

16ST CRISPIN’S SUNDAY - OBSERVED RIDESee top of page 24 for meeting details.

SEPTEMBER 2020THU - TUE

3-8WAGS IN FRANCEWAGS will be heading off to the lovely town of Lamballe in Brittany to explore the fantastic sights and roads of France. Sailing on the evening of Thursday 3rd September from Portsmouth to St Malo and spending 3 nights in one hotel before returning on the overnight sailing on the Monday from Caen to arrive in Portsmouth on the Tuesday morning. This is a fantastic weekend for any TVAM member with a choice of rides on the Saturday and Sunday and if you are an Associate, plenty of Observers to give you some feedback! Have fun whilst improving your skills! Contact Mimi Carter Jonas - [email protected] for any information.

SATURDAY

5SAMS FIRST SATURDAY RUN (B)Social ride for the first Saturday of each month. Details will be published via groups.io

SUNDAY

6T-RUN (T) HOSTED BY WOBMOBA day especially for any TVAM Associates to come out for a day involving a couple of informal Observed Runs combined with a social run. More details to come.

SUNDAY

6GNATS FIRST SUNDAY RUN (B)Social ride for the first Sunday of each month. Details will be published via the calendar on groups.io

SUNDAY

6WAGS MONTHLY SOCIAL RUN (B)Social ride for the first Sunday of each month. Details will be published via the calendar on groups.io

By supplying your details for entry on these pages you are agreeingto them being publicly available.

TVAM Run Ratings A: Skilled/progressive for confident riders on all types of road. Aimed at smaller groups. B+: More progressive pace for the confident, focused rider. Overtaking permitted. B: Medium paced, relaxed ride. Overtaking permitted. C: Leisurely pace - NO overtaking within the group. Suitable for first timers or those looking for a slower pace. T: Team Training Run - observed/social ride with an element of coaching run by each of the local teams


TRACER 900 GTREVIEW

There are a lot of motorcycles that, on paper, look perfect. Ride enough bikes and apply a little critical thinking and you can start to spot the things you like and the things you don’t in each offering. Eventually, you build up a list of the best aspects of each, mentally combining them into one bike that, if it existed, would have no peer. For me, that bike could well be the Yamaha Tracer 900 GT.

Years ago Triumph emailed existing Street Triple owners like myself a survey in an effort to discover what features and technologies we would prefer they focus on for future versions of our bikes. Many of the items they proposed in that survey made it into the current 765cc Street Triples, but one major variant never materialised. I’d always believed that my Street Triple would be perfect with a small half-fairing and hard luggage. Triumph teased that very idea in the survey, but it would appear that more power and gadgets were more interesting to other respondents.

Now that platform sharing has become the new normal, bikes like the Tracer series are inevitable. Developing, and crucially homologating a road engine is an expensive business, so manufacturers have joyfully embraced the opportunity to cheaply fill out their product lineup by reusing the same architectures. Take BMW as an example; there are Naked, Sport-Touring, and Adventure motorcycles based on their 1250cc boxer engine and associated running gear. The same is true for their 1000cc inline-four, which can be had in Supersport, Naked, or Adventure-Sports format.

Yamaha’s naked MT-07 and MT-09 motorcycles donated much of their engineering to their Tracer variants, and the 700cc engine has even arrived in Teneré format. But while the Tracer 700 has previously proven itself a worthy adversary for the Suzuki V-Strom 650, the Tracer 900’s 847cc three-cylinder engine means that the bigger bike has the potential to represent that most elusive of concepts: a perfect combination of sporting performance, touring capability, and every-day riding practicality.

First impressions of the GT-variant Tracer 900 are good. Four-piston radial brakes on adjustable upside-down forks? Check. Smart half-fairing with adjustable windshield and standard-fit handguards? Check. Integrated scaffolding-free lockable panniers with optional top box? Check. Cruise control, TFT instruments, LED headlights, reasonably large fuel tank and surprisingly frugal engine? Check. While 200 miles per tank is nothing to write home about in my book, it’s still welcome in a world where manufacturers are increasingly using theoretical incremental gains in fuel economy to justify

MT-09-derived 850cc triple provides

smooth, balanced power across the whole rev range.

www.tvam.org Slipstream July 2020 27

smaller and smaller fuel tanks. Heck, you even get a centre-stand, something many other bikes don’t even support, never mind fit as standard.

There are, of course, also a few disappointments right off the bat. While the design is, in my eyes, a significant improvement over the ugly original, there are still a lot of untidily routed and exposed cables and hoses. Unlike the V-Strom 1050, the mudguard is too short to do any useful work. And despite this being a top-of-the-range flagship model in 2020, Yamaha still ask you to pay extra for indicators

that don’t rely on super-heated wire filaments for illumination.

Some of the plastics seem a little flimsy, some of the decals

look a bit cheap, and after experiencing BMW’s beautifully animated and easy-to-use TFT dashboard, Yamaha’s version looks functional at best. Brake hoses are cheap-looking rubber as opposed to braided steel, and the clutch lever is non-adjustable - something I’d expect to find on a 125cc learner bike, not a premium Sports-Tourer.

Features aside, the Tracer can’t quite shake its budget-bike roots. This is a problem when the GT model now costs more than £11,000.

Pulling out into traffic, the riding dynamics of the Tracer don’t immediately impress either.

When cold, throtte response is decidedly fluffy at lower rev ranges, and

experimenting with the three throttle modes only seems to make things worse. Fixed in the lower of its two adjustable positions the seat seems to tip you forward into the tank, and even at its closest position, the brake lever is a bit of a stretch for small hands. The suspension seems fussy, never quite settling itself, as though the forks and swingarm are rubber-mounted to the frame. In reality, it’s likely that double-rate springs have been used in the forks, a common tactic in cheaper mass-produced units.

Once out of town and with the engine up to temperature, matters begin to improve. As familiarity with the light and sensitive throttle grows, so does the confidence to exploit more of the vast swathes of usable torque the three-cylinder configuration offers. Seemingly happy at any speed in any gear, choosing a different ratio merely changes how responsive the engine is to your throttle inputs. It sounds fantastic too, a rare feat on a standard exhaust system these days.

Front brakes work well, with plenty of power if not necessarily the instant bite I personally prefer, but further into the stroke

Low-slung exhaust hides a modern bulky silencer better than many designs.

Handguards look small, but seem to be effective at deflecting wind and rain.TFT dashboard is functional, but is beginning to look long in the tooth.


the forks harden considerably causing the front wheel to chatter along the road surface and robbing

you of any confidence during high-speed late-braking manoeuvres. Your mileage may

vary along with your bodyweight, but once again we are reminded that motorcycle suspension will always be a one-size-doesn’t-fit-anybody affair. But while as a new owner my first stop would likely once again be MCT Suspension for a complete overhaul, once you start to turn the wick up it’s clear that the underlying chassis is

excellent and the bike really starts to shine.

The riding position begins to feel much more Supermoto than Adventure-Tourer; you

feel like you are sat much closer to the front wheel than on e.g. a V-Strom. I always believed

that larger 19” wheels conferred an advantage on bumpy Northamptonshire B-roads, but Yamaha has

clearly demonstrated that they can handle rutted surfaces just fine with the smaller, and therefore more accurate 17” wheel. There’s a sense of playfulness that other, similar bikes simply can’t match, helped of course by the class-leading 214kg wet weight. A modern frame and modern engine mean a 30kg mass advantage over many

competitors, and the results are immediately apparent in how quickly the bike gains and loses speed.

It’s also a likely factor in how long the Tracer 900 can make its 18 litre petrol tank last. In mixed riding, the trip computer reported that I’d managed 56mpg (UK), something that Fuelly.com confirms is a realistic andachievable real-world average. Take it easy, and pushing past 60mpg (UK) should be possible, a remarkable feat for a bike that, in the right gear, can build speed with deceptive and frightening ease. More than once I found my grumbling about brakes or suspension tempered when I glanced at the speedometer and found that I had wildly underestimated my rate of progress.

And you know what, I was having fun. It was hot, muggy, occasionally raining hard, and I was threading an unfamiliar bike along unfamiliar roads, and I was thoroughly enjoying myself. Yes, the stock suspension is far from perfect and would definitely benefit from the significant and expensive attentions of a specialist, but the potential is clearly there for this to be an exceptional multi-purpose motorcycle. And yes, the windshield, even in its highest position, is far too short for me, but ducking down just a little resulted in a bubble of silence with rain streaming off my visor. Clearly, a slightly taller windshield would do the trick, but it’s not something I would be enthusiastic about spending money on given the motorcycle’s stated touring intentions. Furthermore, the cruise control refused to engage in 30mph zones, a maddening oversight given the obvious licence-preserving benefit, and the right-side pillion footpeg can catch on your boot if you ride on the balls of your feet.

The minor annoyances continue with unintuitive on-screen menus, and the clickable scroll-wheel on the right-hand control cluster is stiff and awkward to use. Your left boot will catch on the footpeg when trying to lower the sidestand, and the up-only quickshifter is clunky at anything other than

Four-pot calipers are fine, but let down some-what by the front forks under hard braking


high-rev, high-throttle applications. The fuel gauge won’t tell you anything useful until after you have less than half a tank remaining, and activating or adjusting the heated grips can only be done by navigating into a submenu. It’s all a little bit...unrefined. Unfinished. And like Suzuki’s V-Strom 1050XT, at this price point the Tracer 900 GT is picking fights with Triumph Tiger 900s, BMW F900XRs, and Ducati Multistrada 950s - all bikes with more brand cache and decidedly more premium user experience.

Of course, buying European carries its own perils, not least of which are the cost and frequency of servicing. With valve clearance checks not due until 24,000 miles, the Tracer 900 costs just 6p per mile to maintain, and Yamaha regularly tops the reliability surveys that the likes of BMW and KTM sink to the bottom of. The Tracer is also noticeably lighter than anything in its class, a side benefit, perhaps, of dispensing with any off-road pretensions.

As such, the Tracer 900 GT definitely makes my shortlist, in a way that I’m not sure the heavier, more expensive, and less exciting V-Strom 1050XT does. I’m still going to be sampling more of the competition first and may yet be swayed by the Moto-Guzzi V85’s charismatic air-cooled engine and shaft drive, or Triumph’s genuinely impressive build quality and uniquely-configured three-cylinder engine. As always, I’ll have to weigh up the pros and cons and may still decide that the Tracer 900 GT is the best choice for me, even with all its minor faults. So I can only recommend that you do the same and make up your own mind before handing over your credit card.

Nick Tasker

Oil your chain, not your back wheel!

[email protected]

Seat is two-position adjustable, and both gel and heated alternatives are available.Windshield is adjustable while riding and well designed, but about 10cm too short.Quickshifter only works going up the gears, and is awfully exposed in this application.

www.chainmate.co.uk


LOCKED DOWN NO LONGER!

Clockwise from top left: Social distancing at the Lobster Pot, Bognor Regis. Very efficient take-away service.Bryan and Ged discuss the excellent fish and chips!Alan Mossman visits Chesil Beach. Frank and the Wobmob team stopped in at Choppers for refreshments.Carl Flint recommends The Pantry at Yattendon as being probably one of the finest coffee shops in Berkshire.


BPS offers a complete and tailored building design service. Whether you require plans to obtain planning permission or a complete project

co-ordination service, BPS has the expertise to meet your requirements.

Barrie Smith MCIOB For all your architectural and building design requirements.

01344 [email protected]

www.barriepsmith.com

www.barriepsmith.com

www.nickrobinsons.co.uk


CLUB MEET - During lockdown there is no monthly meeting

Monthly meetings are held at 9am on the 3rd Sunday of each month at St. Crispin’s School, London Road, Wokingham, RG40 1SS. Observed rides for Associates and first time attendees, social runs for Full Members.

LOCAL TEAM MEETS - Many have gone online during this period - contact your local team

Basingstoke (BAR) When: First Monday of the monthWhere: Jekyll & Hyde, Hartley Wespall, Turgis Green, RG27 0AX Time: 7.30pm

Camberley (CLAMs)When: 1st Tuesday of the month, every other month Where: The Bee, School Road, Bagshot, Windlesham, GU20 6PDTime: 8pm (Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec)

Great Northern (GNATs) Meet 1: Saturday before St. Crispin’s - check with

[email protected] for locationMeet 2: After each St. Crispin’s for coffee at The Farm

Café, Ashridge Manor Garden Centre, Forest Road, Wokingham, RG40 5QY.

Meet 3: Rideout first Sunday of the month.

Reading (RAMs)When: First Tuesday of the monthWhere: Fox and Hounds, Theale, RG7 4BETime: 8pm

Slough (SAM) When: First Saturday of the monthWhere: Jenners Riverside Café, Ray Mead Road, Maidenhead, SL6 8NPTime: 9am - Contact [email protected]

Wantage & Newbury (WAGs)When: Second Wednesday of the monthWhere: Ye Olde Red Lion, Green Lane, Chieveley, Berkshire, RG20 8XBTime: 7.30pm

Wokingham & Bracknell (WOBMOB)When: 3rd Tuesday of the monthWhere: Binfield Social Club, Binfield, West Berkshire, RG42 4HPTime: 8pm

Green Team (Full Members)Meet 1: Last weekend of the month - see Slipstream or web calendar for social run information.Meet 2: Wednesday following St Crispin’s at The Crown, The Street, Swallowfield, RG7 1QY at 7.30pm - Contact [email protected]

Thames Vale Advanced Motorcyclistsmeet at St. Crispin’s School, London Road, Wokingham, RG40 1SS

every 3rd Sunday of the month at 9am

Coppid BeechRoundabout

A329M

St. Crispin’s School

A329 London Road Binfi

eld

Rd


OBSERVER RELATED CONTACTSAardvarks Simon Whatley [email protected] Allocations Peter Browne [email protected] Assessments Andy Wedge [email protected] Bike to bike radios Chris Brownlee [email protected] Cross Checks Simon Whatley [email protected] Cross Check link www.tvam.org/cross-check-requestObserver Health Checks Andy Wedge [email protected] Observer Interest Andy Wedge [email protected] Observer Training Chris Brownlee [email protected] Run Reports Chris Brownlee [email protected] Test Passes Peter Browne [email protected] Observer Coordinator Hev Smith [email protected]

Observer Forum (mailing list): Observer Group https://tvam.groups.io/g/observers

LOCAL TEAM CONTACTSTEAM LEADERS ([email protected]): Quarterly meetings - Tuesdays 28th July, 24th November. Held in Binfield Basingstoke (BAR) Steve Dobson and Dennis Lutley [email protected] (CLAMs) James Bates and Doug Brown [email protected] Northern (GNATs) Gary Jackson [email protected] Reading (RAMs) Vanessa Turner , Andy Boudier [email protected] (SAM) Ally McCulloch [email protected] Wantage & Newbury (WAGs) Keith Miller [email protected] & Bracknell (WOBMOB) Andy MacWalter, Ian Gaitley [email protected]

SOCIAL CONTACTS ([email protected]): Basingstoke (BAR) Mark Spittles [email protected] (CLAMs) Caroline Harvey [email protected] Northern (GNATs) Gary Jackson [email protected] (RAMs) Vanessa Turner, Andy Boudier [email protected] (SAM) Ally McCulloch [email protected] & Newbury (WAGs) Keith Miller, Mimi Carter Jonas [email protected] (WOBMOB) Andy MacWalter and Ian Gaitley [email protected]

TVAM Affiliate No. C1330

is affiliated as an and to

Slipstream editor and designer: Salli G - [email protected] team: Kathy Drogemuller, Nick Tasker, Robin Hennem

Copy deadline: 3rd week of the month. To ensure your article or information is includedplease inform the Editor to book space - slipstream@tvam at the earliest opportunity,issues are planned well in advance of print date which is the first Friday of the month.

Advertisement sales: [email protected] enquiries: 0118 402 4800 TVAM Website: www.tvam.org

© 2020 Thames Vale Advanced Motorcyclists. The views expressed are not always those of TVAM or the IAM.The editorial team reserve the right to edit submissions. Slipstream is published by Thames Vale Advanced Motorcyclists.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the publisher.TVAM is a charitable company limited by guarantee and it is a group within the IAM.

www.tvam.org

www.iam.org.uk

http://www.mag-uk.org


TVAM CLUB CONTACTSPresident: Vice Presidents: (Position under review) Nigel Fowler 1996, Richard Tickner 2005, Nigel Taylor 2010, Charon Willis 2016

Committee ([email protected]): Who are they? Photos on groups.ioChairman Andy Slater [email protected] Chief Observer Chris Brownlee [email protected] Adrian Ellison [email protected] Treasurer Paul Taylor [email protected] Membership Secretary Dave Simmons 0118 402 4800 [email protected] Slipstream Editor Salli Griffith [email protected] Events & Promotions Phil Donovan [email protected] Team Leader Alan Hudson [email protected] Committee Meetings: These are held at James House, Mere Park, Dedmere Road, Marlow, SL7 1FJ Next Meetings: (M - Marlow / Internet), 11th August 2020 (I), 8th September 2020 (I) - all meetings normally on second Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm and generally alternate monthly between Marlow and Internet meetings.

Special Roles: Advertising Salli Griffith [email protected] Bike Control Chris Caswell [email protected] or [email protected] Bike Maintenance Phil Ryan [email protected] Bike Craft Di Woodcock [email protected]é and Stopover Database Keith Miller [email protected] Advanced Plus (previously EAR) Mike Walden [email protected] Events Diary (non-run events) Phil Donovan [email protected] Girl Torque Alie Ball, Salli Griffith [email protected] Groups.io Support Andy Wedge, Chris Brownlee [email protected] Reporting Training Team [email protected] Leaflet Supply Phil Donovan [email protected] Lean Roll Karen Joy [email protected] Membership Development Peter Dowlen [email protected] (to order items away from St Crispin’s) [email protected] Midweek Runs Ken Jeddere-Fisher [email protected] Riding Clive Marsden [email protected] Pillion Rider Course Alan Hudson [email protected] Zone Mel Hakhnazarian [email protected] Training Team [email protected] Leader & Back Marker Course Issy Griffiths [email protected] Run Co-ordinators Salli Griffith /Phil Donovan [email protected] St Crispin’s Sunday Runs Alan Mossman [email protected] Tea & Coffee Bar at St Crispin’s Roger and Marianne Lindsay [email protected] Thruxton Skills Days Pat Coneley [email protected] Run Steve Harris (volunteers for Dec Toy Run) [email protected] Track Skills Days (Training) Dave Hepworth [email protected] Steve Dennis [email protected]

Website: TVAM Website www.tvam.orgThe website gives you access to the web shop for booking courses, trips, training and track days. TVAM Groups.ioGroups.io is the system used by TVAM to share details of news, events and much more. You will automatically be added to the system when you join TVAM so you can get involved in the conversations with other members. There are local team and special interest groups available for you to join also. Get involved and find out what’s happening.

Correspondence Address & Telephone: 23 Comet Way, Woodley, Reading RG5 4NZ 0118 402 4800

Registered Office: Thames Vale Advanced Motorcyclists is a charitable company limited by guarantee, and is a group within the IAM. c/o Durrants Accountants, 24 Wellington Business Park, Dukes Ride, Crowthorne, Berkshire, RG45 6LS. Registration Number: 03556042. Charity Number 1069767.


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july 2020 - tvam.org · jagdeep singh rao merrick stevenson lee austin martin bel philip boulter...

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