Events Report

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each route. The cost to attend a FMT day is £45.

Great care is taken to ensure that each 'pair' of riders is matched in terms of their experience levels, ability and aspirations. Many Full members have attended FMTs prior to taking a RoSPA test or re-test; to check their riding skills; or to prepare for Observer training. The first FMT/ AMT date for 2022 is Sunday, 13th March and further details, including how to contact John Tipper to book your place, can be found elsewhere in this issue of TUG.

Associate Member Training (AMT)

AMT days are run in parallel with and adopt a similar format to FMTs - but for Associate members. AMTs will typically cover 100-120 miles and are being targeted at Associates who may be approaching test standard; have been recommended to apply by their 1-to-1 Observers; or individuals who are comfortable with riding greater distances than covered on a typical Observed ride. The cost to attend a AMT day is £35.

Slow Riding Days

Unfortunately, due to Covid restrictions our regular venue was unavailable to run slow riding days in 2021. We hope to reinstate this training in 2022 and will provide further details as soon as details are confirmed. Training Team Test Passes

Congratulations to K evin Byford-Abbott who passed his Trainee Observer Assessment on 4th December 2021. If any other Full members holding RoSPA Gold are potentially interested in becoming an Observer then please contact me via training@eamg.org.uk and I will send you further details of what is involved.

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Should any members have any training related queries then please contact me via e-mail to training@eamg.org.uk , or on 07570 992801 or speak to the most relevant member of the Training Team.

Chris Johnson

There were four major runs in this period. I distinguished myself by attending none of them! For the first I was just feeling a bit seedy. I am not a morning person but that day was worse than usual. For the remainder I had no bike. The KTM's MOT was due on 18th December, and I had it booked in for service and MOT on the 14th. The day before InMoto rang me to say that Covid had struck and they were closed for ten days. The earliest slot they could offer was 11th January which, beggars not being choosers, I booked. They are the only KTM shop in the area and experience has shown that if you take in the bike for test by anyone else then when they find something wrong, which on an 8 year old bike is almost inevitable, they cannot fix it because KTMs are so odd.. When InMoto got the bike they soon phoned back to say the horn didn't work (that was the new horn they fitted last year!), the steering bearings were rough (can't say that I had noticed anything) , there was a gasket leaking oil onto the rear shock (OK, I knew about that), and the front tire was legal but marginal. I resigned myself to a heavy financial hit and told them to fix everything. I like to get the tires changed by InMoto because of the stupid spoke sealing bands, which are easily damaged. They are no better than anyone else at keeping the bands intact but at least they can order and fit replacements, and when they have messed up the replacement (it has happened) they can keep trying until they get it right. Two days after that they phoned to say that, when changing the tire the front wheel bearings had seized. I thought I had a lively imagination but confess that the scenario in which that could happen completely eludes me.. They