mar_2011

p5Chief

Observer’s

Report

p7Grand

Tour

p9Why the

Advanced

Test

p10Singing in

the Rain

p11Rally de

Colombres

I N S I D E

MAKINGprogress

Registered Charity No. 1097558

T h e I A M A i m sTo improve the standard of driving (and riding)on the UK roads.

The Advancement of Road Safety.

The Administration of an Advanced Test.

SOLENT ADVANCED

M OTO R C Y C L I S T S

M A R C H 2 0 1 1

sam

European Grand Tour2010 see page 7

bike Mar cov 11:bike jan cov 09.qxd 9/3/11 18:05 Page 2

S A M S O L E N T A D V A N C E D M O T O R C Y C L I S T S M a r c h 2 0 1 1

P A G E 2

FAREWELL TOGODWIN By John Goodson

Those of you who have had the pleasure of knowing Godwin will know what alovely man he was, he always made everybody he talked to feel at ease. I willcertainly never forget the very first time I met him at the club night way back inthe spring of 1997: he went out of his way to make me feel welcome, but thenagain he was the same with every one he met.

He was a founder of the SAMs

motorcycle group along with

Mike Sleath in 1995: both of them

having been involved with the car

group, of which the motorcycle

group was formerly a part. He had

always been very active with the

group in its earlier years, having

been chairman before I joined the

group; then was treasurer for a

good number of years, taking over

the post from me in 2000 until he

passed it on to John Parvin. Even

after he relinquished the post of

treasurer he was still active on the

committee, travelling down from

Twickenham each month for the

meetings - true dedication. He was

also a very good observer with the

group for a good many years, as I am

sure those of you who had the

pleasure of being observed by him

will know.

After he finally vacated his position

on the SAM committee because the

travelling was getting too much, he

became involved with the Surrey

Council in the form of road safety

for cars, motorcycles and pedal

cycles and, as usual, he excelled in

this as well.

Apart from his commitment with

SAM he was also involved with

ROSPA, having passed both car and

bike with gold on several occasions.

Here again he was involved for a

short while as an observer, he also

gave me some help in passing my

initial ROSPA motorcycle test.

On a final note I am sure that Efra,

Godwin’s wife, would like me to

mention how pleased she was that

so many of you attended his

funeral. She said to me the other

day when I spoke to her that she

didn’t realize how much he was

admired.

Godwin, you will be truly missed,

you were a good friend, rest in

peace.


P A G E 3

The speed limit is there for a reason. Yourtask is to constantly look for that reason.


Welcome to a new biking year!

And what a year it promises

to be. Having worked so hard last

year to lay the groundwork

(particularly the revised cover for

our club insurance), your

Committee is pleased to announce

some great club night events, an

exciting program of social events

throughout the year, and some new

themes for our regular rideouts (see

the article on p3).

SAM enters 2011 in great shape to

truly deliver a skill for life to our

members and associates with a

fantastic team of observers who can

boast a track record of success to

rival any in the country. Which brings

me onto a subject that touches a

raw nerve in us all – safety.

You will no doubt have seen the IAM

research, much quoted in the

national press, that “slower isn’t

always safer”. An eye-catching

headline if ever there was one and

music (I suspect) to many an ear here

at SAM. Reading the article

underneath the headline revealed

that what the research was actually

confirming was that IAM green badge

holders rode more safely than

experienced but untrained riders

due to their defensive riding style,

while still making more progress

(when unlawful speeding was

excluded) than those other riders.

This really set me to thinking. When

exactly is slower not safer? After all,

it’s still safer to walk than to use any

form of mechanical transport you’d

care to mention. So I took a closer

look at the research, commissioned

from the University of Nottingham

by the IAM, and the really startling

conclusion was that green badge

riders ride closer to the speed limit,

and maintain it for longer, than other

riders and yet make fewer errors. It

also showed that green badgers

were more likely to accept the

blame when we do make mistakes.

We already know that IAM riders

have fewer ‘KSI’ accidents and fewer

‘damage-only’ claims. The rates

offered to us by IAM Surety for bike

cover bear that out. So is our

success really all down to our

superior hazard-awareness, I

wondered?

Now, interestingly, the same

newspaper that published the

“slower isn’t always safer” headline

carried another article a year or so

earlier with the headline “speed a

factor in 95% of accidents”. This was

based on American research from

2008, so off I trotted to look this up.

What the headline-writer had failed

to put across in his snappy one-liner

was that it was driver behaviour

allied to either equipment failure,

roadway design or road

maintenance that accounted for

these accidents. And driver

behaviour was defined as including

(as well as excessive speed) frequent

or unsafe lane changes, failure to

signal, tailgating, failure to yield the

right of way, disregarding traffic

controls or impaired driving. Now I

am sure that is something that would

get a resounding ‘yes’ from all of us!

And then I remembered something

that my observer used to say to me.

And the logic of his reason, and the

simplicity of the message came

crashing down on my unsuspecting

brain cell. “Always ride at a speed

that is appropriate” he would say,

“because the speed limit is there for

a reason. Your task is to constantly

look for that reason.”

Clever chaps, theseobservers.

Kevin

CHAIRMAN’S chat

SAM – what’s not to like?“I worked hard to pass my IAM test. I got a certificate, a badge, and I’ve acquired a skillfor life. Thanks. Now why should I remain a member of SAM?”

As a new Chairman, I havespoken to many of you over the

last few months and of all thechallenges I have heard, this is the big one, the realtoughie. Tough, but fair. Sure, passing the test gives youaccess to all the IAM member discounts and facilities.But what does it take to make you want to stay amember of SAM?

Well here are some of the reasons:

SKILLS TRAINING

• We now have a dedicated Committee member responsible for the

‘Associate experience’ whose role includes mentoring and theory training

as well as representing Associates’ interests in Committee.

• SAM’s observers have an enviable track record of IAM test passes. But

acquiring a skill for life involves constant ongoing refreshing of those skills.

So we also offer the Advanced Plus for members who want to sharpen

their skills – this test is not just a one-off event and can be re-taken on a

regular basis.

RIDEOUTS

• We have a SAM ride every Sunday. These are great training opportunities

but they are also excellent social events.

• So that as many of you can take part as possible, and help you to hone

your skills, SAM will be organising more early morning runs, evening runs,

and even some green lane runs.

• And we will again be putting together some weekends away. Plans are in

hand for a Welsh weekend with Severn AM, another camping weekend, and

a foreign trip in September.

SOCIAL EVENTS

• Look at the draft calendar overleaf. We will use SAM Announce to

advertise all of these well in advance. Book early to avoid disappointment.

CLUB NIGHTS

• We have some great evenings lined up with a fabulous mix of subjects and

speakers – a technical talk from Hein Gericke, a law enforcement evening

with local magistrates and police giving us the insider’s view, tales of trips

and great derring-do, and lots more besides.

bike txt Mar 11.qxd:bike txt Jan 09.qxd 9/3/11 17:48 Page 2

OFFICERSChairman: Kevin White

[email protected]

Vice Chairman: David Forster

Public Relations: David Forster

[email protected]

Secretary: Peter Curtis

[email protected]

Treasurer: Scott Turobin-Harrington

[email protected]

COMMITTEE MEMBERSChief Observer: Alec Gore

[email protected]

Membership Secretary: Russ Clark

[email protected]

Club Night Organiser: Wendy Peters

[email protected]

Group Rides Co-ordinators: Tony Eaton & Colin Goble

[email protected]

Journeyman: John Parvin

[email protected]

Further Skills Administrator: Alec Gore

MDU Manager: Tim Bennett

[email protected]

Merchandising: John Parvin

[email protected]

Magazine Editor: Carey Wall

[email protected]

Website: Rui de Castro

[email protected]

VALUED HELPERSDoug Green [email protected]

Club Night Refreshments: Mike Barringer

Magazine Design and Publishing: Kim Formhalls

MDU Towing: Jack Laverick

SAM Buddies: Nick Bubb and Sue Demain-Stone

[email protected]

Officers, Committee Members and Helpers

YOUR COMMITTEE

Kevin White

Chairman

Peter Curtis

Secretary

Scott Turobin-Harrington

Treasurer

David Forster

Vice Chairman& PR

Alec Gore

ChiefObserver

Carey Wall

MembershipSecretary

Wendy Peters

Club NightOrganiser

Tony Eaton andColin Goble

Group RidesCo-ordinators

Jeff Carter

SkillsManager

Alec Gore

Further SkillsAdministrator

Tim Bennett

MDUManager

John Parvin

JourneymanMagazine

Editor


FEBRUARY 6TH MCN BIKESHOW Cold, wet day. Hot steamy show. Some great bargains.

MARCH 4TH CURRY NIGHT – watch for SAM Announce

MARCH 25 – 27 MARCH Welsh weekend

Hosted by Severn Advanced Motorcyclists over the weekend. The guys at

the other SAM will send us their favourite routes and join us for a great

rideout on the Sunday. Basing our stay around Hoburne Cotswold caravan

park in Cirencester. They have a restaurant and bar on site but I suggest

self-catering accommodation. Phone Debbie on 01285 860216 to book

your caravan or call 0871 9846233 to book a room at the Cirencester

Travelodge.

APRIL SAM TRACKDAY Training on a track is fantastic. It allows you to

explore the performance edges of your bike in safety, under the watchful

eye of expert trainers from our friends at Easytrack. The IAM charge £189

for these (and they are always booked up) so we are going to do our own.

Prices depend on when and where, and we want to keep the cost down to

about £150. Watch out for the SAM Announce due out shortly. You can find

information for beginners on track days at

http://www.easytrack.co.uk/article/novice_bike_track_days. But we will split

into 3 groups; beginners, intermediate, and fast so everyone will have a

minimum of 20 minutes per hour on track.

MAY 7TH CHARITY CHEQUE HANDOVER Come to Thruxton and visit

our chosen charity, the Hampshire and IOW Air Ambulance to handover

our collected funds.

28TH BSB PRACTICE DAY Get closer to Britain’s hard men of racing

with a day pass at Thruxton for the tst and practice day. Tickets cost just £6

and I promise you this is a great day out.

JUNE 3RD TO 5TH (NOW BOOKING) Adventure travel film festival -

The Adventure Travel Film Festival is a fun-tastic weekend of films, camping

and outdoor action, hosted by that well-known biking couple Austin Vince

and Lois Pryce. Seen as the warm up event for Horizons unlimited, there

will be many familiar faces there. See www.adventuretravelfilmfestival.com

for more details.

JUNE 23RD TO 26TH (NOW BOOKING) Horizons Unlimited weekend.

The website says that you can meet people who don't think you're crazy

for wanting to ride your bike to South America or Africa or across Asia, or

even around the world! Share experiences and advice on how to do it, and

maybe you'll meet them again in Mongolia or Timbuktu!

www.horizonsunlimited.com . Last year there were 11 SAM members there,

how many will there be this year? More details on the SAM Announce

July 30th June to 3rd July Goodwood Festival of Speed – see

www.goodwood.co.uk/festival-of-speed for more details. Look out for the

SAM Announce nearer the time

August Motocross and summer BBQ Look out for the SAM

Announce nearer the time

SEPTEMBER 16TH TO 18TH GOODWOOD REVIVAL – see

www.goodwood.co.uk/revival

for more details. Look out for the SAM Announce nearer the time

SEPTEMBER 25TH TO 1ST OCT Self-guided tour of the Loire preferably

OCTOBER 21ST SAM Chinese night

November TBD - Any ideas?

December 20th Christmas club night

Social calendar


P A G E 5

S A M S O L E N T A D V A N C E D M O T O R C Y C L I S T S O c t o b e r 2 0 1 0

As you read this, the snow andice will hopefully be behind

us and you will be lookingforward to Spring and Summerand be able to have a year whenyou can get out on your bike asmuch as you can and improveyour riding in whatever areas youwould like to. If that soundsoptimistic, it's meant to; perhapsthat's one ability we have as"advanced" motorcyclists - to beable to look forward all the timeand see what is coming up. As weride, we scan ahead as far as wecan see, then back to where weare now and then out into thedistance again, getting all theinformation we require and thenmaking whatever adjustments arenecessary to our ride so thatposition, speed, gear and throttleall follow correctly.

In an advanced motorcycle group,we have to do that as well. Welook ahead to where we want tobe, set ourself goals and hopethat we can make changes to getthere. Reflecting on the passing ofanother calendar year andlooking forward to the next onein SAM, I'm unusually excitedabout where we are and thepotential to go even further, usingthe people and talents that haverecently come our way,particularly in the ObserverCadre. In some areas, it's tooearly to be specific but the seedsare being sown, conversations are

being had and people are beingextraordinarily generous withtheir time and abilities, beingwilling to stretch themselves sothey can pass on even more toAssociates and Members. Thisshould provide for anotherObserver Cell during 2011, areinvigoration of the provision ofskills and theory training and(fingers-crossed) the continuationof slow riding training at HMSCollingwood.

Being recognised by the IAM asthe best Advanced MotorcycleGroup in 2009-10 has raisedSAM's profile. The quality of theObserver Cadre, the training weprovide within the group, thesupport and camaraderie availablewithin the Observer Cells and thesuccess of our Observer trainingweekend to Tiverton all contributeto making us attractive to peoplewho move into our area fromother groups, particularly whenthey are highly qualified. You can besure that if we were just a "pipe &slippers" motorcycling social clubnone of this would be happening.Here's a flavour of what I mean. Awarm welcome and appreciationto:

1) Lilian Hobbs, John Parvin, MikeWest and Colin Backhouse forstepping up to Senior Observerroles in 2010

2) Julian Labouchardiere forcoming forward to train as anObserver and help run the SlowRiding Training

3) John Arthur, as an Observer

4) Alan Ware, a retired police

CHIEF OBSERVER’S REPORT Feb 2011Class 1 driver, as an Observer

5) Liz Padley, an experiencedObserver from TVAM (ThamesVale)

6) Andy King, an experiencedObserver from MAM (Middlesex)

7) Tony Hordon, an experiencedObserver from BAM (Bristol)

8) Dominic Forrest, who trainedas an Observer with theLymington & Beaulieu ObserverCell

9) Andy Piper, who trained as anObserver with the Hamble &Meon Observer Cell.

My thanks as always goes to theObserver Cell leaders DaveBruguier, John Parvin and MikeWest and to all their seasonedSenior Observers and Observers.In particular, I would recognise thegraduates of the 2009 ObserverTraining School - Vince Hall, LeeBlackburn, Stuart Dorey, JohnHardman, Mark Haydock and AlanWright. All are still with us andhave had success in gettingAssociates through their tests.

And since everything we do intraining is based around Roadcraft- the police System - we are reallyfortunate in SAM to now have noless than six serving or formerpolice officers among theObservers. Senior Observer, John"JKL" Longland, is still instructingfor the police and is a real gem!

All Observers now have theirown copy of the SAM ObserverTraining Manual, in a veryprofessional A5 zipped leather

folder. We are all grateful to theCommittee for making fundsavailable for this.

Overall, we now have 36members in the Observer Cadre,including two trainees. This is amassive improvement on twoyears ago. Given the size of ourmembership, the continuedjoining of new Associates, andwith more members takingfurther training on SAMAdvanced Plus, we cannot becomplacent. In 2010 we followeda policy of "passive" recruitmentto SAM; only taking on newmembers who came to us, notactively recruiting. As an IAMGroup that cannot continue, in2011 we will be actively recruitingagain, which means more workfor the Observers. At any time.there will always be a fewObservers who are temporarilyunavailable due to personal,family, work or health issues. Myrespect and wishes for fullrecovery, especially, goes to thosewho have been seriously ill, butwish to have no fuss and do whatthey can when they can.

So, we still need more Observers!However, success builds onsuccess and the bigger the team,the less work that falls on any oneObserver. Even if you could onlytake on one Associate at a time,then take another when that oneis "test-ready", we wouldwelcome you. Please get in touchif you would like to be part of thissuccessful team!

Alec Gore

1. Two blondes walk into a building..........you'd think at leastone of them would have seen it.

2. Phone answering machine message - '...If you want to buymarijuana, press the hash key...'

3. A guy walks into the psychiatrist wearing only Clingfilmfor shorts. The shrink says, 'Well, I can clearly see you'renuts.'

Due to considerable reader demand here are some more Tommy Cooper one liners.

4. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day butI couldn't find any.

5. I went to the butchers the other day and I bet him 50 quidthat he couldn't reach the meat off the top shelf. He said,'No, the steaks are too high.'

6. My friend drowned in a bowl of muesli. A strong currantpulled him in.


P A G E 6


Usually, we have to assume that we

see the world correctly and act on

it. Otherwise we would do nothing.

But in truth, all of your observation

is only a bunch of “perceptions” in

your head. They don’t alwaysmatch what is really out there.The old adage “perception is

reality” shows the problem

precisely.

In a single “actual reality” there are

different perceptions and actions.

When arguing blame at the scene

of a road crash, even allowing for

the biased motives, there can be

sincere but conflicting beliefsabout what truly happened.This probably also caused the crash

in the first place. In the classic rear-

shunt at a roundabout, for example,

the second driver is totally

convinced that the first one moved

off. But they didn’t!

Alongside this, the human mind is

supremely keen to make sense of

things and this is one of its most

intense and automatic functions.

This is why most of us want to feel

a sense of order before being ready

to move on to something else.

Conversely, the eccentricity of

artists and innovators is often

rooted in an unusually high

tolerance for chaos and

meaninglessness. But in trying to

make its best guesses from the

jumble of input it receives thebrain can easily be deceived.

“Magic” shows and “illusionists”

play artfully in this area. Although

optical illusions are amusing, they

do have a serious side. Even your

desires can fool your perception

too. Here are some common

deceptions. They are mostly

subconscious and the effect on

activities like riding is profound:

• Selectivity

The sheer volume of sensory input

to the brain means that most of it

gets ignored, by constantly deciding

what to “tune out”. As you read this

page you are not aware of feeling

your foot in its shoe, the taste in

your mouth or what is in the comer

of your vision. (But now you are!)

Perception is very selective,according to where yourattention is. This protects the

mind from colossal overload and

derives deeper meaning from what

is selected. Subconsciously, the mind

is simply drawn to what it finds

most interesting. But the attention

can also be directed very

consciously.

• Familiarity

Very high selectivity occurs when

the mind tunes out things that are

constant, well known, repetitious or

predictable, such as normal noises

around the house.

But it also happens with habits, such

as tailgating, where riders canbecome unwittingly adaptedand lose sight of familiardangers. It stops when risks are

assessed more consciously.

• Constancy

Even more, the mind prefers to

create constant and simplified

perceptions, as a defence against a

world that is complex and stressful.

This has pros and cons; t certainly

helps events to seem reassuringly

stable and orderly and stops us

having to examine every object and

situation as if for the first time. But

conversely, reacting to the

unexpected then takes longer. If a

pedestrian steps straight out in

front of you part of yourreaction time is the vitalinstant in which it is“unbelievable”. The same

happens when any road user makes

a really blatant error, unless you

have consciously accepted the

possibility beforehand.

• Monotony

In addition, losing alertness is a

natural response to monotony.

Without the stimulation of change,

our senses actually shut down.

Drowsiness is induced without

being tired. Steady motorway speed

in cosy warm clothing is an ideal

condition for this to occur. Similarly,

taking little interest in any taskalso leads to a state of mind-numbing boredom, which is why

we see so many riders with a

slumped posture and vacant

expression. Giving the mind

something to work on keeps it

active.

Even though you have very well developed observation skills and see a lot of what is going on, beware of how your brainsometimes processes what you see.

Perception and Deception • Expectation

What you “expect” can be one of

the strongest deceptions, as the

anticipation in the brain overrides

the input from the senses. In looking

for the easiest path the mind triesto fit events into itsexpectations. Have you ever

recognised someone you had

arranged to meet, only to call out to

a stranger? Or, have you failed to

spot a change in a road you know

well until the very last second? The

mind is always tempted to make

lazy perceptions.

• Optimism Bias

There is also an involuntary bias

towards seeing what we want to

see. We prefer to believe that all is

well, even if it means seeking

comfort in denial when it is not,

especially if the problem is our own

fault. Many risks on the road aretaken by simply assuming thatall is well.

• Herd Instinct

Perceptions are also very

“infectious”. There is a compelling

pressure to discard our own

perception if other people seem

not to share it. In many ways, this

conforming influence helps us live in

civilised harmony, but it also spreads

bad practices too. Thus, you mayfind yourself riding as if in aherd; too fast in fog, or too close at

speed, just because everyone else is.

Riding is an intensely group

behaviour and the transmission of

perceptions is very strong. The key

point here is not to learn these

deceptions, but simply to recognise

the flaws and to know how vital it is

to be acutely alert.

Vigilance => Interest

Monotony => Apathy

The spiral into monotony, for

example, is quickly reversed by

taking more interest. Just thinking

more about your riding will

naturally stimulate your observation

and return you to vigilance. In fact, it

can even become a little addictive.

Apathy, of course, runs the cycle the

other way. To stay alert, themind needs to have enough tothink about.

KEY POINTS:

� The brain constantly makes observation errors by taking shortcuts.

� The biggest riding problem is when it “stops looking” fordanger.

� This is only overcome by being consciously alert.

Extract from SUPERBYKE Motor Use's Manual – SBS 125(spotted by Lyndsey Pratt)

Page 2 – Manual for buying motorcycles

How to measure the quality of motorcycle− Observe whether the surface of the vehicle is perfect or not,

whether it has imprint of fray, rip, convex and concave on thesurface and whether its surface is smooth.

− Check the booklet for use of the vehicle, qualification etc. Inorder not to buying false products by mistake.

− Check whether the goods equipped in the packing slip are inreadiness or not.

− Be directed on the spot by friends with abundant experiences ofmotorcycle's driving.

by Alec Gore


P A G E 7

I recently received an email from Mike with a link to hisblog.

‘This blog is to relate my motorcycle tour of Scotland andtrip to visit friends Mike & Mariola in Poland and Carol,Oliver & Sasha in Italy.


My European Grand Tour 2010By Mike Matthais

Mike chose to celebrate retirement

by visiting across Europe on his Pan.

There are lots of photos, maps and

links to websites and the writing is

easy to read.

Rui has put the link to this blog on

the website.

http://web.me.com/mikematthias/M

ikes_European_Grand_Tour/My_E

uropean_Grand_Tour/My_Europea

n_Grand_Tour.html

Here are some extracts to give a

flavour of the blog:

17 Sept 2010…Something is

pushing me on and I leg it down the

A770 which is a fun bit of road.

Turn into the ferry staging area and

see the ferry with apparently full

load about to pick up the loading

ramp. Dash down the HGV lane as

you do on a bike and the little man

looks at me then looks at the ferry

crew. Joy O' Joy, there's just enough

room for a bike. Didn't even slow

down. Straight on and anchors

aweigh!

18 Sept 2010… On to the A832

for the run along Loch Maree and

into Gairloch. Possibly the most

exquisite motorcycle run in the

world.

24 Sept 2010… Awake in time for

a meal and then back to bed. All

this holidaying is hard work!

30 Sept 2010… I also twig that

I'm now in the former East

Germany which explains the state

of the minor roads.

2 Oct 2010... I think a good time

was had by all but the latter stages

of the evening are a little hazy. Must

have something to do with Polish

beer and vodka.

3 Oct 2010…Here I am in Poland,

looking at a manual for an Italian

coffeemaker and it's been

downloaded from an Australian

From the editor... I am sorry that this edition is later than advertised. This wasdue to the Christmas holidays and to a heavier workload.

The delay was due, in part, to what you submit for publication.One email had a link to a blog that took two days to read,giggle, read again then hours to precise without losing the feelof the blog. Reading your blogs about travelling whisks meaway to curving roads through stunning scenery in the rainand the sun. It is a shock when I wake up to reality, which is acold, dark January night. Thank you all! At least it promptedme to sign up for Horizons Unlimited’s Annual Travellersmeeting at Ripley. Roll on summer.

The delay has provided an opportunity to review how themagazine is published. With a new Treasurer challenging costsit seemed a good time to ask whether everyone wanted aprinted copy in these days of laptops, ebooks etc. Not only isthere the cost of printing but also the cost of envelopes and a52p stamp for each copy posted. On top of this there is theenvironmental cost. I know from emails and articlessubmitted that many of you get out on your bikes on grouprides and further afield and can see the impact of climatechange. This is an opportunity to do our bit by not producingunnecessary magazines. Fortunately we cater for many tastesand those people who like to sit and read Making Progressaway from the PC can continue to receive a paper version, justemail [email protected] to let meknow.

This is my last edition as Editor as I am taking overMembership Secretary from Russ who is setting up his ownbusiness. Russ is not leaving us completely as he will still manSAM Sundays. I have very much enjoyed reading the articles,jokes and seeing the pictures that you’ve sent in. What abreadth of taste we have in this one club! I couldn’t haveproduced the magazine without the efforts of the talentedMiss Formhalls. Thank you Kim.

As yet there is no-one to replace me. If you fancy the role ofEditor, please get in touch with me, or any other member ofthe Committee, to find out more.

Thank you all for keeping me entertained for over a year.

Carey

website. What a strange world we

have created. Hmmm…, in my

current condition the manual seems

like gibberish.

10 Oct 2010 …Sorry Slovakia, no

sightseeing this time. Press on to

Austria.

17 Oct 2010 ... To read about the

Appian Way in history lessons is one

thing. To actually see the stone road

that the Romans travelled is stunning.

19 Oct 2010 ... (on Passo Stelvio)

A superb day. One of the best I've

ever had on a bike. Not so much in

miles travelled but quality miles.

Vertical miles, the best kind.

23 Oct 2010 … Home at last.

Unpack bike and take it to garage

and then down the pub for a few

beers. Can't believe it's over. Over

6000 miles in almost 6 weeks.

© 2010 Mike Matthias’


S A M S O L E N T A D V A N C E D M O T O R C Y C L I S T S M a y 2 0 1 0

P A G E 8

S A M S O L E N T A D V A N C E D M O T O R C Y C L I S T S J a n u a r y 2 0 1 0

• SAM would like to thank each run leader for the time and effort they will be devoting to the organisation and planning of their runs

• Participants are reminded that they must be familiar with SAM Doc. Number 011 and that riding decisions are theirs and theirs alone

• We wish you an enjoyable and, above all else, a SAFE ride with the group of other SAM riders

• We cannot guarantee that details of runs will not change before the event. However, every effort will be made to adhere to them.

*For information only, not classified as a SAM event.

NOTE. New issues of this list are produced from time to time. Always check on the website for the latest issue.

� We need Green Badge holders to volunteer to lead grouprides on vacant dates. Please contact Group Rides to arrangeone, and also training if needed. Note also that a filled datecan take more than one group ride, providing each is adifferent Grade.

� All rides will be conducted in line with SAM guidelines as per Docs.

010GG and 011GG

� See the latest Group Rides programme at: http://www.solent-advanced-

motorcyclists.co.uk

� Full details of each run will be announced before the run, via e-mail on

SAM-announce. Details will also appear in the Calendar of run/events on

the website

� Alternatively, contact the run leader, or Tony Eaton or Colin Goble via

the website.

SAM GROUP RIDES PROGRAMME

DATE RUN LEADER MEETING / DEPART TIME DESTINATION MLSA PP GRADE

Fri 18 March Richard Peck Uxbridge to Silverstone Comic Relief Motorbike Ride – Will involve circuit of the national track.

Sun 20 March Alec Gore 9.30 for 10 Winchester Pirbright Twisties, Cunning Man Pub 120 3

25 – 27 March Kevin White The Other SAMs Group Visiting Severn Advanced Motorcyclists Group

Sun 27 March VACANT

Sun 3 April Ride of Respect Wootton Bassett

Sun 3 April VACANT SAM SUNDAY

Sun 10 April Lilian Hobbs 10.30am Ower Swanage, Fish & Chips

Tues 12 April Club Night Crossing the Andes, by Lilian Hobbs

Sun 17 April VACANT

Sun 24 April Alec Gore 9.30 for 10, Winchester The George Pub, Meree 120 2

Sun 24 April MDU Loomies

Sun 1 May VACANT SAM SUNDAY

Sat 7 May David Forster Possible HIOW Cheque Pesentation, Thruxton

Sun 8 May VACANT

Tues 10 May Club Night AGM

Sun 15 May VACANT

Sun 22 May Alec Gore 9 for 9.30 Winchester Thames Valley 200, The Pheasant, Brill 200 3

Sun 29 May VACANT MDU Sammy Miller Museum – ties in with the IAM ride in day

3 – 5 June The Adventure Travel Film Festival

Sun 5 June VACANT SAM SUNDAY

Sun 12 June VACANT Club Night Helmet Care by Hein Gericke and Access Legal

by Shoosmith

Tues 14 June

Sun 19 June Alec Gore 9.30 for 10, Wickham The Lamb Pub, Wantage 140 3

23 – 26 June Horizons Unlimited weekend

Sun 26 June MDU Beaulieu Show

30 June 3 July Goodwood Festival of Speed

Sun 3 July VACANT

Sun 10 July VACANT

Sun 17 July Alec Gore 9 for 9.30 Ower The Salisbury Spider, The George, Mere 160 3

Sun 24 July

Sun 31 July

Sun 7 Aug

Sun 14 Aug

Sun 21 Aug Nigel Grace 9 for 9.30 Ower Popham Motorcycle Mega Meet & 2

Vintage Flying Display and MDU

Sun 28 Aug


P A G E 9


(I have deliberately notnamed the observers toprotect their anonymity.)

After passing my IAM test the

examiner asked if I’d thought

about doing the advanced plus

course as he felt I would benefit

from the training. I thought long

and hard as perhaps I needed time

to consolidate the skills I had just

acquired. I wondered if it was not

a step too far for me at this stage

of my riding career. But worried I

might fall back into bad habits,

coupled with a desire to improve

my skills further, I decided to apply.

It was a considerable step up for

me personally and it took me right

out of my comfort zone; or to put

it another way, it re-introduced

those six pence half crown

moments that I remember so well

when I first started biking.

In the beginning it didn’t go quite

so well, with my observer

wondering if I had even passed my

CBT let alone my IAM Advanced.

Then began the long road (no pun

intended) of dragging me up to the

required standard. There were

days when I’d set off at blistering

speed, remembering all the advice

I’d been given, only to be overtaken

by my observer who wondered

when I was going to up the pace. I

recall thinking; I’ll never be that

good; but isn’t that why I embarked

on this course? I was here to be

shown and to be taught; if I knew

how to do it, I wouldn’t need

training.

There were lots of enjoyable

moments; one I remember took us

somewhere around the back of

Frensham Pond via the forest. I had

been briefed that there were three

things on this stretch of road I

needed to watch out for but no

further clues were forthcoming.

Off I went and eventually

encountered a ford across the

road. I stopped because the cynic

in me thought I’d been set up, was

it a trap? Drive straight through

without checking and disappear up

Slowly I began to improve and

started to really enjoy my riding.

So what did I get out of doingthis course?

1. Friendship. My observer always

said he looked forward to our

ride outs. I……don’t think he

was just being polite.

2. Advice. Large amounts of useful

hints and tips that had

somehow passed me by up to

now.

3. Techniques. Learning new skills

that allowed me to step up the

pace safely and efficiently. I

might even try a grade three

ride out next.

4. Fun. There were times when I’d

make a real horlicks of

something, only to be shown

the most obvious and simple

solution. Don’t you just hate it

when that happens? I had to

laugh.

5. Cost. Where else can you get

such superb training for what is

effectively the cost of a tank of

fuel per ride out? Imagine how

much it would cost you if paid

for this training privately.

6. Praise. From my most fearsome

critic. She says my riding has got

smoother, she is able to relax

and she doesn’t head butt me

anymore. I do hope she was

talking about riding pillion.

…….......!!!!!!!!!!

I hope that sharing some of my

experiences will encourage others

to move up to Advanced Plus. You

will need to put in a lot of miles of

practice but the rewards and the

enjoyment are well worth the

effort.

One last point, during my ride outs

my observer seemed to like

stopping for coffee at Popham, a

popular microlight aerodrome. The

last time I flew, I was in a microlight

and it ended up looking like the

picture above……………………

On this occasion I was the

passenger NOT the pilot.

I’ve now given up flying and taken

up a less dangerous

hobby….……………..

MOTORCYCLING!!!!!

Why I did the ADVANCEDPLUS?

to my chest in water. But no, my

observer wasn’t that mean; I should

have trusted him. So on I went.

Now…. on a country road in the

middle of a forest you don’t expect

to encounter a hairpin bend. I

didn’t either and needless to say I

missed it. I ended up on the other

side of the road but at least the

right way up. I looked down in the

dirt and saw a large number of tyre

tracks from other bikers who

hadn’t made it either. I was later

informed that the country house

situated on the bend now leave

their gates open as so many other

riders had literally gone straight

through them.

I spotted the third hazard, a nasty

right hand bend which is invisible

until you pass over the brow of a

hill and can come as a total

surprise. What you see before the

brow is the road continuing straight

on to what I think leads to a car

park and, (if you

notice it),

a traffic sign.

By Brian Peacock


P A G E 10


SINGING IN THE RAINTYRES Unless you ride on

‘trackday rubber’ all modern tyres

should cope with the wet but

whatever you use needs to be in

good condition with a tread

pattern and depth appropriate for

winter riding and dispelling water –

don’t just rely upon the legal tread

limit, ensure good tread depth on

all sections.

ELECTRICS Electrics and damp

do not mix so make sure electrical

connections are clean and dry, then

spray them with WD40 or

Scottoiler FS365 to help disperse

any water. Ensure your battery and

alternator are in good condition.

BRAKES AND SUSPENSIONSalty roads take their toll and

corrosion starts quickly on

lightweight alloy parts, causing

brakes to seize if left for even a few

days. Rinse off the salt after every

ride - if you don’t have access to a

hose, use a hand-held garden spray.

LUGGAGE Water will find its

way into every form of luggage,

particularly when riding at speed.

Take the precaution of using

waterproof inner bags. Tank bags

are particularly vulnerable so that

By David Charltonmaps, ferry tickets, cash, radios etc

can all suffer. Remember that

searching for some elusive item in a

downpour can expose all the

others! Assume they are all likely to

get wet and wrap them individually

in something waterproof.

KIT Good quality waterproofs

should be breathable otherwise

condensation can build up inside

and it will feel as cold and clammy

as if leaking. Check the condition of

your jacket and trousers,

particularly at the seams and, if

necessary, reproof with a repellent

such as Nikwax. Use several layers

both for insulation and to allow a

degree of temperature control.

When layering, make sure that you

don’t allow all the zips to align or

there will be a direct path for

draughts and damp to penetrate.

Modern lightweight sports kit is

both warm and wicking, will not

restrict movement and dries much

more quickly than cotton or wool.

If all else fails and you are caught

out in a cold, wet downpour an old

but effective standby is to wear a

few layers of newspaper and a

binliner under your jacket. Knee

joints can get cold and stiff and

there are a number of sports injury

type elasticised supports available

that keep the knees warm and

supported. With the extra bulk

associated with all these layers, have

a trial run to ensure movement is

not restricted.

BALACLAVAS keep the head

warm and also make getting wet

crash helmets on and off easier and

more comfortable. Neck warmers

are essential for winter warmth.

Water will always get through so

wear a towelling scarf (can make 4

from an old hand towel). Take

several with you and replace when

you stop for fuel.

BOOTS Use coatings such as

Nikwax on leather boots to repel

water. A couple of pairs of socks will

help and if all else fails, polythene

bags over your socks will keep the

water out and make getting damp

boots on easier!

Cold hands can affect how you

control the bike. Heated grips help

whilst off-road type hand guards

deflect the wind and reduce the

effect of wind chill, as can ‘handlebar

muffs’. The main problem with any

glove comes when they get wet and

the lining comes out as you pull

them off! Where possible take a

change of gloves. There are a

number of inner gloves available,

particularly those designed to stop

the wind penetrating. The

polythene gloves available free at

filling stations make excellent

emergency inner gloves. Normally it

is better to have the jacket cuff

outside the glove cuff, otherwise

water seeps down your arms and

quickly tops up even the most

waterproof gloves.

HELMETS For the visually

challenged a key decision is

whether to wear your spectacles or

not. It is vital to weigh up the

relative merits of what you can see

without your spectacles with what

you can see when they are either

misted up or covered in rain.

VISORS should be clear and

scratch free. Inserts such as Fog

City are recommended. There are

also a number of coatings you can

apply to the exterior of the visor to

dispel water such as Nikwax

VisorProof. These coatings

deteriorate as the ride progresses

and it is important to renew the

coating as soon as the effect starts

to wear off. When all else fails stuff

a piece of towelling between the

screen and the dash to grab and

wipe the visor at traffic light stops

etc.

Consider carrying a basic change of

kit, kept in a compact but

lightweight waterproof bag – to

have a warm, dry change of clothes

– whatever they are or look like -

can be an extraordinary morale

booster when the unexpected

happens and everything looks bleak!

A word on drying kit – direct

heat does not help and can actually

damage kit. Hot air is better but if

you choose to use a hairdryer

please ensure you get the owner’s

permission. Hair dryers are not

designed for prolonged operation

and the cost of a replacement

(improved-specification) model

(with/without dinner) can be

significant!

This is an extract from an article(available on www.solent-advanced-motorcyslists.co.uk ) which covers thepreparations and riding aspects

We recently received the followingemail from Spinal Research, andwondered if you would be interested intaking part, or at least finding out more.If so, please could you drop Caroline anemail at [email protected],and she will pass your details on toIsabel at the charity. ‘Unfortunately over 800 people a year are paralysed in

the UK and too many were riding a motorcycle when

they were hurt. Sadly, paralysis doesn’t only mean not

being able to walk again - depending on the part of the

spinal cord that’s injured it can cause loss of movement

in arms and hands, an inability to breathe on your own

and a total lack of independence. Recently there have

been major breakthroughs in our research, resulting in

treatments that are moving into clinical trials and this is

a huge step forward. But our research is not cheap – a

one year project alone costs around £50,000 and with

no government funding we rely on our supporters to

help.

Last year I launched the Fight Back appeal, which was

fronted by our supporter Dave Webb, who was

paralysed when he was just 19. The appeal was

supported by top racers, including James Toseland and

Neil Hodgson as well as TV presenter Suzi Perry. The

appeal is continuing this year and Guy Martin has agreed

to put his support behind a nationwide fundraising event

called the Big Brew. We are asking motorcycle clubs,

dealerships and individuals to organise a tea morning/day

in aid of Ride Out and the group that raises the most

money will meet Guy at a test session or race meeting

and everyone that takes part can also win the same. It

would be wonderful if your IAM groups would like to get

involved with this event as it would be a great way to

raise the profile of local groups as well as helping to raise

funds for a cause close to motorcyclists hearts. The

appeal will be launched at MCN’s Motorcycle Show in

February. ‘

Opportunity to Ride forCharity...


P A G E 11


I had first heard of the ‘Rally de Colombres’ organised bythe Moto Pistón club, during September 2009 whenJulian Labuchardiere and other members of a club webelong to, were preparing for the trip.

Knowing that they were going

to ride the roads of Asturias

made me very jealous and

determined to take part in 2010.

Having to wait a year ensured that

I obtained the right bike to take

part in the ‘ruta de cinco mil

curvas’ (route of 5000 curves) a

300 mile ride through the Picos de

Europa. The ride is restricted to

bikes built before 1980, therefore I

had to prepare myself and my 1978

Ducati Darmah in the weeks

preceding the trip.

Eleven of us set off from

Portsmouth on the Santander ferry

in a bit of a party atmosphere,

made all the better by a little rough

weather on the trip down. Arrival

in Spain and the short ride from

the port to the airport to pick up a

hire car and then on to Colombres

went without incident. The fun

started at registration when

members of the party ate some of

the local pastries (known as

‘corbatas’) that were on offer.

These pastries are notorious for

absorbing all moisture and could

easily be used for any type of fluid

spill. The looks on their faces as

they searched for a drink was a

sight to behold. The Corbatas were

the start of what turned out to be

a 4 day eat-a-thon, including the

largest paella I’ve ever seen and a

‘tapas free for all’, possibly the

reason for one of my failures.

Although several of the bikes

within our group were eligible for

the 5,000 curves, only myself and

my brother Chris on his 1978

Moto Guzzi T3 California took up

the challenge. There are a few

things you need to know about the

route of 5000 curves, if you like the

idea of taking part, other than the

age restriction of the bike. These

are:

• It is a very technical route which

you should relish.

• Sat navs are useless, as it is a

circular route, the route map

gives way point distances to

junctions (we were lucky, in

previous years those distances

were only in Km, requiring a lot

of mental arithmetic for Brits),

therefore you have no overall

idea of the route.

• There are several hundred

other participants.

• You have to watch out for

everything, tractors, cows,

horses, sheep, goats (and their

contributions to road holding).

• Most important of all, the other

riders don’t necessarily have the

required riding skill for the

challenge.

A very big thank you goes out to

the Moto Club Piston for

organising the event, how they do

it at the price I cannot understand.

If you liked what you read and feel

like taking part in the future take a

look at their web site

If you liked what you readand feel like taking part inthe future take a look at

their web site(http://www.mcpiston.com)

for further details.

Rally de Colombresby Rod Griffin

(http://www.mcpiston.com) for

further details. Discounts are

available with Brittany Ferries for

participants and the club will

organise cheap and cheerful hotels.

It is an opportunity to ride some of

the best roads in Europe. As for the

Darmah, she is still running with the

spark plug for the Bultaco, and we

are looking forward to completing

the ‘Ruta de Cinco mil curvas’ in

2011.

Ed: Please see the website,

w w w . s o l e n t - a d v a n c e d -

motorcyclists.co.uk/ to read this

article in full


P A G E 12 Help us make progress with a contribution towards the next issue. Pics in jpeg format please.

Newsletter email address is [email protected]


DISCLAIMERMost 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.

Des

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SAM Polo-Shirts Now available from £15.Various Colours and Sizes available to order.

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Acknowledgments: John Fox and Peter Friend –for the steady supply of jokes.

RIDE NEW ZEALAND LIVE THE DREAM!

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‘The Military Police motorcyclists seemedcontent with their newly issued reflective bootgaiters but defence cuts meant that there would be aconsiderable wait for their protective helmet, jacket, trousersand gloves’

Alleged exchanges betweenpilots and control towers:Tower: "Delta 351, you have traffic at 10o'clock, 6 miles!"

Delta 351: "Give us another hint! We havedigital watches!"

Tower: "TWA 2341, for noise abatementturn right 45 Degrees."

TWA 2341: "Center, we are at 35,000 feet..How much noise can we make up here?"

Tower: "Sir, have you ever heard the noise a747 makes when it hits a 727?"

Sam Welcomes

Fair weather rider?


mar_2011

Documents

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solent advancedm oto

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earlier years

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new biking year