Friday 21st March 2003

Bikesafe

Gaydon plays host to Bikesafe weekend in April

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Warwickshire Police will be hosting the National Bikesafe Weekend at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, Warwickshire, on 5 and 6 April 2003.

Bikesafe is an initiative run by police forces throughout the UK, who work with the biking world to help lower the number of motorcycle rider casualties, by holding assessed rides and rider skills workshops. Police from across the UK are joining forces to promote Bikesafe initiatives during this weekend.

Entry to the National Bikesafe Weekend is free and over the weekend there will be plenty to see and do. Major motorcycle manufacturers Yamaha, Honda, Triumph and Harley Davidson will be present. The weekend event will also be supported by local dealers.

There will be over 30 police officers and 20 members of the Institute of Advanced Motorists and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents present throughout the weekend, offering free assessed ride-outs either on riders’ own machines or on demo bikes. There will also be a number of trade stands, displays and entertainments at the event.

Scootersafe, Warwickshire Police’s own initiative will also be running over the weekend, offering advice on theory, safety, clothing and riding skills for 14-17 year olds under instruction by police and CBT riding schools.

www.heritage.org.uk

[s2ooz]

Im already booked in for an assessment by a bike cop on the saturday. Any excuse to pretend im outrunning a police biker!

maybe I should change my numberplate notice "I speed up for blue flashing lights" and take off the non road legal exhaust?

[Niggle]

I've heard a few stories about these assessments; you'll either get a 'keep it under the ton in the NSL and stick to the limits everywhere else' or a complete jobsworth.

Hope you get one of the former; as you say it should be a laugh belting along at 90+ with a marked Pan up your exhaust pipe.

[bikerkeith]

I've signed up for an assessment next month. It'll be interesting what they have to say about interpretation of NSLs.
Passed my car IAM test last month, in the briefing the examiner said he couldn't say whether my speedo was accurate so he would take a "pragmatic" view of observing NSLs. In other words exceed the limit but don't take the p*ss.

[Niggle]

Out of interest how much was your speedo over-reading by?

>> Edited by Niggle on Friday 21st March 12:20

[mrsd]

The cop I did this with 18 months ago took a 'ride sensibly for the conditions' approach. We went up onto C&F moor and I opened it up to 85 on the long straight and he said afterwards he would have been happy to go quicker

Unfortunately, a friend who went out recently got a completely anally retentive BiB 'examiner' who told him to stick religiously to the limits. I can't see how this fits with Bikesafe's remit to help bikers stay safe in real world conditions, but since speeders are (as we know) more dangerous than paedophiles and serial killers it may turn out to be the current approach

[bikerkeith]

Niggle, it probably got to about 75 when I overtook a truck, but allowed it to drop back to about 65-70 on single carriageway, 80 on duals. He liked the overtake, which reflects what I've heard from others. Get the overtake done quickly, then let the speed ease back when you're on your side of the road.

[s2ooz]

I will report back next month then, but still no views on the exhaust?

[Niggle]

s2ooz said: I will report back next month then, but still no views on the exhaust?

Is it just a bit loud or taking the p1ss loud?

[s2ooz]

its not too bad, its triumph badged, but also has the telltale "not for road use" underneath

[DennisTheMenace]

I want to do a bike safe thingy .. only problem is resisting the temptation to pop a wheelie . or race an arse and matching leathers and bike that he cleans it more than he rides it and thinks he's foggy and rides like a twat cos he only does 1000 miles a year on his fireblade . matey from yeovil on the L reg white red and blue firehydrant you know who you are . sorry to have whipped your arse between yeovil and crewekerne but you deserved it

[mrsd]

DtM, been out molesting numpties have we ? My Triumph (which has just been disinterred from the barn ) looks like sh1t, goes like sh1t off a shovel. It's always the pretty bikes you have to watch out for IMHO. Sunday afternoons are for riding ! Not polishing !

[Tony Hall]

Yes, s2ooz, i've got one of them exhausts too.. worry at MoT time but it passed last year.

[DennisTheMenace]

mrsd said: DtM, been out molesting numpties have we ?

Me? chasing numpties

Sunday afternoons are for riding ! Not polishing !

too bloody right !

[hertsbiker]

Sunday's are a dumb time to ride. Reason: the cops expect you to ride Sunday, where as I ride Saturdays while everyone else is watching Grandstand, or shopping, or having to do "family" things. Roads are clearer, eg less idiot born agains who won't get out of my way!!

Bikesafe: a fine way to get nicked, or a bad reputation. And why go along, if you've got to put the barn door plates back on, and the put-put-put silencer? god. Just go out there and ride for a few years, and you won't need a rozzer following you to give advice.

C

[s2ooz]

Id rather try and get my faults picked up before they become bad habits. happy to take any advice of anyone as to riding better

I dont have to heed it after !!

[huge_ego]

Hertsbiker - Well, I normally agree with your postings ... except for this one! I'm a new biker, but have done various bits of training (formal and informal) in the car with police drivers. To go through all the courses from civilian level rider/driver to police Class 1 takes 14 weeks of training. (The final 4-6 weeks leading to Class 1 for those that pass.) I couldn't even have grasped just what there was to learn about driving until I'd had a demo from a police Class 1. (And this was after I'd done some executive protection driving with the school that teaches US special forces, plus the usual track days etc.)

Police drivers and riders know A LOT. Personally, I'm happy to learn from anyone with their level of expertise.

Police riders/drivers base their technique on what's known as "the System". This is a profoundly different way of riding/driving compared to untrained road users, but then how do you think they catch people? "The System" is used by one and all from police riders/drivers in pursuit to the SAS chasing terrorists in Ireland. Many people can go fast, but not everone can go fast safely across difficult routes.

>> Edited by huge_ego on Tuesday 25th March 21:06

[gilese]

Hertsbiker sounds like one of the guys who plagues my road. I live on a residentual 30mph limit that unfortunately exits a village into a 50mph limit. Only problem is the bikers are doing 100mph as they pass my house. Can't understand why bikers think that NSLs don't apply to them and why having an illegally noisy exhaust is also so necessary. If you want to go that fast - go to the track and prove you're as good as you think you are!!

[andytk]

Tracks cost money.

We've already paid our road tax.

Andy

[DennisTheMenace]

gilese said: Hertsbiker sounds like one of the guys who plagues my road. I live on a residentual 30mph limit that unfortunately exits a village into a 50mph limit. Only problem is the bikers are doing 100mph as they pass my house. Can't understand why bikers think that NSLs don't apply to them and why having an illegally noisy exhaust is also so necessary. If you want to go that fast - go to the track and prove you're as good as you think you are!!

100 in a residental is stupid but on an NSL bit of road whats your problem ?

And track days are bloody boring

Done 1 and that was enough , no excitement

[rsvnigel]

DennisTheMenace said:And track days are bloody boring

'you think they should invite a couple of old gits in rover 220s to go around in the other direction to spice things up a bit?