Lol I really enjoy using the bike every day it's just the constant cleaning over winter that's a pain.

Acf every day, slather it on before winter to keep it looking good. Even with that regime it's impossible to stop the corrosion. Winter in france will stop me riding though as it will be properly white !!!!

Good work on the observed ride - good to keep the skills sharp. What do you need to work on ?

Winter in France....now I'm jealous, especially if it's in the Alps........ From the assessment ride it was to improve my observation and take my position earlier for the hazard, which I got the thumbs up for today. I owned up to a couple of things he didn't spot but he didn't pick me up on anything major, but he did video the ride so I might find out more when I get the final debrief once he's viewed the footage! We discussed 1 overtake in depth in a 50 limit overtaking a van towing a trailer out of a right hander which was good as it gave me some solid stuff to work with as it can be a fine balance trying to make progress knowing you must also stay within the speed limit

 

The branch secretary gave him some new critique sheets to use from the IAM before we rode out this morning so he's got to use those now so I'm waiting to find out  :peek:

Yeah thats what would get me i think. Wheres the line (in the instructors mind) between not making progress and speeding.

I usually just speed up abit to get past then gradually slow down again. But i don't know how he'd see that? .

Its nigh on impossible not to break the speed limit when overtaking. I was always told to use the power and be in the danger zone as short a time as possible. That was from a class 1 rozzer.

50 limits are tricky as people are normally driving at 44/45.

Its nigh on impossible not to break the speed limit when overtaking. I was always told to use the power and be in the danger zone as short a time as possible. That was from a class 1 rozzer.

50 limits are tricky as people are normally driving at 44/45.

Thats alright then. I consider it okay aslong as i keep a look out and don't take the **** with it. Especially on roads i know, i do tend to be abit cheekier on those .

I have never been concerned about people using sufficient speed to overtake safely as long as they are back within sensible limits once past.  That is both as a Traffic Officer and an Advanced Instructor.  So I am surprised that your assessor is concerned about it.  It may be an IAM 'thing' but I can find out as one of my mates is an IAM assessor.

 

When on general patrol in a Traffic car we used to sit around the 50 - 55 mph mark which gave people the opportunity to pass should they want to.  I will admit not many had the nerve to but had they done so they would have been on their way much quicker.  I will still pass a marked Police vehicle if it is below the speed limit and as long as I do it sensibly taking into account all the conditions around me I would never expect to be pulled.  I think the main thing here is common sense and passing something that is travelling around the 55mph mark at 80 - 90 isn't going to work.

 

Truth be told it is something that you could and sometime would be pulled for but if done sensibly most likely won't.  Depends as much on the officer's viewpoint and sort of day he is having as anything else.

Good to hear Chris.

I must admit, i have overtaken taffic cars on the bike when they're going slower than the limit by a margin but i do check everything one more time than usual just because i know im being watched. I wouldnt plow past at full throttle either, ill just go leisurely past in a safe place without going over the limit by too much.

I have found myself wondering once im past though, if im going to get pulled for it. Havent done yet but i guess it depends who the policeman is and what mood they're in.

Interesting that you cruise past. I normally give it a fair bit of twist to get up to speed but very rapidly roll off so I don't need any brakes for a comfortable return to the left.

In a 60 means normally just the wrong side of 70 assuming the cars are sat at no more than 55.

I take the same approach when passing neee naaaas too. Never been stopped for it.

Edited 18 July, 20169 yr by Madrunner

Which is what I expect Dave.  Most of them (especially traffic officers) will realise that you are making safe progress and leave you to it.  You might just get a normal bobby out on patrol (unlikely) and they may stop you because they 'think' it is dangerous/unlawful but once again that depends so much on variables.  To be brutally honest there are so few bobbies out on patrol let alone routine patrol that chances of seeing one is remote and being stopped by one ever more remote because they are run ragged from pillar to post.

 

Having said all of that I still wouldn't advocate blasting past at Mach 2 and if you do and get stopped don't come running to me!

Typical, turn onto my country road home, no straight hits and guess who is in front. Traffic neee naaas siting at 50 in a 50.

He kept watching me behind and slowly cranked the speed up to 58 all the way. Gave me a wave as I snuck psst him at the lights in Henley.

Good fun but he should have gone quicker with the lights on !!!!

I caught up with a police car (it was a 1 series, which im never sure if its traffic or not around here) on a dual carriageway late at night last year.

He was doing 70 and the dual carriageway was 70 so i didnt overtake. Waited for the next roundabout and he put his foot down to get up to speed again, but i just went past him under acceleration.

Wished id never done it soon after. He was up my chuff no matter what i did (obv i wasnt willing to push my luck too much). Then his blue lights came on. Crap, i thought.

I pulled to the side, he went past me. Turned his lights off again 100 yards down the road and carried on.

Theres one i never did get my head around .

Edited 18 July, 20169 yr by fabiamk2SE

Welllllll...... The way it has been explained to me is that you must not plan and execute an overtake if to do so it's clear you will need to exceed the posted speed limit. If during an overtake circumstances change and you need to break the limit to get past safely (E.G. Dave coming the other way out of a bend at mach 2  ) then the examiner will expect you to have a valid reason for doing so/explain your decision etc :peek: . That's for the test....in real life I'm with Dave, get out, get past, roll off and get back in using acceleration sense rather than the brakes and carry on :sun: .

I caught up with a police car (it was a 1 series, which im never sure if its traffic or not around here) on a dual carriageway late at night last year.

He was doing 70 and the dual carriageway was 70 so i didnt overtake. Waited for the next roundabout and he put his foot down to get up to speed again, but i just went past him under acceleration.

Wished id never done it soon after. He was up my chuff no matter what i did (obv i wasnt willing to push my luck too much). Then his blue lights came on. Crap, i thought.

I pulled to the side, he went past me. Turned his lights off again 100 yards down the road and carried on.

Theres one i never did get my head around .

He was on a power trip.....

Was it Chris playing neee naaas ?

Ello ello wot hav we ere then. Who do you think you are sir, Nigel mansell ?

Or just a caution!

 

Probably as good as time as ever for me to bring out a very old story.

 

Bobby stops the bloke for speeding and the bloke says "Iwas looking for a sh1thouse"

 

Bobby just smiles, gets out his pocket book and says "Congratulations you have just found one".

 

Boom boom. I am here all week!

He was on a power trip.....

Wouldnt of minded but id of been making much better progress if he was hindering me . Roads were dead, it was about 11pm

It was your timing Ollie....do it in the early hours and they're either too busy arresting drunks or back at the nick feeding their faces,,,,allegedly

Edited 18 July, 20169 yr by littleade

It was your timing Ollie....do it in the early hours and they're either too busy arresting drunks or back at the nick feeding their faces,,,,allegedly

Ahahaa. Maybe mate.

Its a pretty quiet town where i live n they keep parking around corners off main roads.

I was doin 40 in a 30 admittedly last night as it was getting late n caught a glance of one in a sideroad with his sidelights on as i went past.

Crafty buggers they are .

Had a little play in the dirt at the weekend. Amazing bike, more than makes up for its rider even on its road tyres. Unfortunately had to lay the bike down when I lost my footing when coming to halt and went into a slow motion split. My own fault for wearing road boots off-road. No damage to the bike as I was able to rest it down on the crash bars.

Picking the bike up again was fun. Big bikes require technique to get them off the ground, something I was lacking as motif Ross bikes weigh a lot less. After 10 minutes of struggling I looked up the correct way to do it on YouTube, hey presto bike was shiney side up again in no time and with much less effort.

Today I went and bought some new boots, Forma Adventure Low, so I have some grip when I next venture off-road

Anyone looking for a pair of Alpinestar SMX4 in a size 45 (10-10.5) let me know.

Finally got round to fitting my bike cam after the hella power supply arrived. I've powered it from the aux socket for now and the lens sits just above and behind the right hand front indicator. I had to make a lead up by combining the power lead from the power supply and the camera as it has it's own type of connectors. I took the pannels off the rhs of the bike and routed the power supply and lens cable to under the riders seat where the control unit now sits sat in a heavy duty plastic bag cushioned with foam. It's set so it switches on and off with the ignition so hopefully fit and forget!

Finally got round to fitting my bike cam after the hella power supply arrived. I've powered it from the aux socket for now and the lens sits just above and behind the right hand front indicator. I had to make a lead up by combining the power lead from the power supply and the camera as it has it's own type of connectors. I took the pannels off the rhs of the bike and routed the power supply and lens cable to under the riders seat where the control unit now sits sat in a heavy duty plastic bag cushioned with foam. It's set so it switches on and off with the ignition so hopefully fit and forget!

 

That is a very tidy installation! i like it! barely noticeable. 

 

Whats the image quality like? or haven't you had chance to test it yet?

 

Seems like a good excuse for a ride either way . 

Just returned from a Classic Bike Night at the local Biker Cafe where my little Tiger Cub was voted into 2nd place by the assembled throng, very proud.

Just returned from a Classic Bike Night at the local Biker Cafe where my little Tiger Cub was voted into 2nd place by the assembled throng, very proud.

 

Thats brilliant. A proper good evening then! 

 

Nice one . 

That is a very tidy installation! i like it! barely noticeable. 

 

Whats the image quality like? or haven't you had chance to test it yet?

 

Seems like a good excuse for a ride either way . 

 

It runs at 1080p 30fps as standard or 720 at 60 fps but I've not had a chance to try it out yet though I'm off out tomorrow for a 100 mile round trip to get my custom fit ear plugs seen to as they're squashing my ears when I've got my helmet on so we'll see....it was only £40 something so I'm not expecting miracles, just wanted something I could fit to the bike and then forget that will record things just in case ........

It runs at 1080p 30fps as standard or 720 at 60 fps but I've not had a chance to try it out yet though I'm off out tomorrow for a 100 mile round trip to get my custom fit ear plugs seen to as they're squashing my ears when I've got my helmet on so we'll see....it was only £40 something so I'm not expecting miracles, just wanted something I could fit to the bike and then forget that will record things just in case ........

 

It's a good idea and its not half as intrusive as id expected such a system to be on a bike. 

 

Does it record in cycles then? sort of like a dashcam on a car?