TUG Web Oct 2021

Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group

October 2021

Welcome to T.U.G. Dear Members, Only a month since the last T.U.G, and this issue has really felt like hard work. Apart from the usual suspects only Michel submitted anything, so this issue contains 3 pieces by Yours Truly, which is probably two and a half too many. T.U.G. editors normally give up when the constant struggle for copy has finally ground them down. When I eventually crack at least one of you, the unfortunate who takes over the job, is going to wish he/she had submitted more during my tenure. Please help him/ her. Send me something, anything, I can publish. I have been doing this for 5 years now which, with time off for good behaviour, could have been the sentence for some really interesting crimes. Copy date for the December issue is 26th November.

Chairman’s Piece

2

Test Passes

5

Membership Info

7

New Members

8

Training Team News

10

The Sock Problem

13

BSCR

17

Membership Form

22

Dates for the Diary

24

Picture Gallery

26

Insider Story

28

Hot Start

34

Events Report

36

Further Training

42

Chris Editor (TUG@eamg.org.uk) What’s happening next?

Log into www.eamg.org.uk, then

Runs and Rides Forum

And follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982

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CHAIRMAN’S PIECE October 2021

It was so good to be able to welcome members back to channels and hold a belated AGM. The Committee remains the same but we need fresh blood to come up with new ideas and help spread the load. A few members, including me, have been on the committee for 10 years or more and have indicated it’s time to have a rest. We have a volunteer to take on organising the merchandise and we need someone else to manage the advertising in the magazine.

Now life is getting back to some sort of normal can I apologise if we did not meet some member’s expectations over the last 18 months, we have done our best to interpret guidelines to maintain EAMGs outstanding reputation.

Despite Covid the membership numbers are good and we have many new associates.

The training team is undergoing changes and assessments are being carried out at all levels. Unfortunately we had to cancel our Slow Riding Day as Ford’s are not letting public into their grounds yet.

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The new venue for AGT’s at the Beryl Platt Centre is perfect for our needs and we can now resume the full member rides after the AGT talk.

The cobwebs have been dusted off the membership stand and it made an appearance at the Copdock show. It was a great day with a lot of interest.

For November group night we want to hold a charity night for Air Ambulance. We are asking members to donate motorcycle related items in a table top type sale with more expensive items being auctioned off. There will also be a raffle.

This magazine only exists if members contribute towards it. Chris is constantly asking for articles and photos. All members can complete a member profile, email tug@eamg.org.uk for a template. Tell us about your new bikes, your old bikes, dramatic accidents, cafes you visited or roads you’ve ridden.

That’s it from me for now, I know there are still some members not comfortable with mixing yet and I hope you and your families are keeping well, and you will be comfortable joining us soon.

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r

www.eamg.org.uk

CONGRATULATIONS Recent Test Passes

No passes this month

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Membership Information Dear Members & Prospective Members, The membership form is on the website or page 22 if you wish to join or if you are renewing.

Also please remember to spread the word about EAMG, recommendation is such a valuable tool and current members are always the best advocates for what a good group this is. The membership appears to dip in the first quarter because renewals have not all been made promptly!

Membership Fees for 2021 

New Associate Members

...£55.00



Associate Member Renewal

...£40.00



Full Member Renewal

...£25.00



Social Member

...£25.00



Full Member Training

...£20.00

(For more information on Full Member Training see page 42) This is in addition to the Full Member Fee

Membership

Number

Full

97

Associate

52

Social

1

Observer

20?

Life

5

Total

175

Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982

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New Members

Associate: Darren Digby Full: Ashley Johnson Paul Brown

Julian Avasiloaia David Hawke

Welcome to EAMG, and we hope your membership proves both productive and highly enjoyable!

www.eamg.org.uk

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Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982

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TRAINING TEAM NEWS John Tullett .

Associate Group Training (AGT) With the easing of coronavirus restrictions the first ‘old style’ postpandemic AGT, where you can just turn up without needing to prebook, was held on Sunday, 12th September.

Attendees were requested to use face coverings inside and there was an option to stay outside if you wished (providing you advised the Observer at the allocations desk of your attendance).

The next AGT will be held on Sunday, 10th October. Please ensure that you arrive at the Beryl Platt Centre, 12-14 Redwood Drive, Writtle, Chelmsford, CM1 3LY, with a full tank of fuel by 09: 15 for a 09: 30 start.

Please be aware that we request a £10 charge from each member participating in training at AGTs to cover the Group’s expenses.

Slow Riding Day Unfortunately, the slow riding day due to be held on 19th September had to be cancelled because we were unable to confirm our booking

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of the Ford Test Track at Dunton. Apologies to those who had planned to attend. Hopefully, things will be back to normal for 2022!

Associate Member Training / Full Member Training

Bookings are still very low for the AMT/ FMT day scheduled for Sunday, 24th October. AMT/ FMT days offer a great way to fast track your training and/ or help you develop your riding skills (for example if you wish to prepare for a test/ retest or a Trainee Observer Assessment ride). Further details outlining the format of the day and how to book, including John Tipper’s contact details, should appear elsewhere in this issue of TUG. Extension of Ultra Low Emission Zone This is not really training related but just in case you ride an older bike you need to be aware that Transport for London will be expanding the existing Central London Ultra Low Emission Z one (ULEZ ) to create a single larger zone up to, but not including, the North Circular Road (A406) and South Circular Road (A205). The ULEZ is operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year except Christmas Day. This change will take effect from 25th October and a bike like my 1997 VFR750 will be liable for a £12.50 daily charge. You can check if your vehicle is compliant via the link: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ check-your-vehicle/ E10 Fuel Fuel is a touchy subject at the time of writing, no sooner had the Transport Secretary said that there is no fuel shortage and ‘don’t Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982

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panic’ than a lot of drivers reacted by panicking and creating a shortage! EAMG even had to postpone the Observer peer to peer ride planned for 26th September because there was a strong possibility that we would spend more time queueing to refill rather than riding.

Anyway, from the beginning of September new ‘greener’ fuel has been introduced containing 10% bioethanol and 90% petrol, which it is claimed will reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the UK by as much as 750,000 tonnes a year.

Newer vehicles should be compatible with E10 fuel but it could cause damage to older ones. It is believed that the higher bioethanol content in E10 petrol could lead to problems with ancillary systems, fuel lines, pumps and rubber seals.

There is a government website which allows you to check your vehicle via this link: https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-e10-petrol When I tried to check my VFR I was advised that ‘All Honda motorcy-

cles and mopeds produced for the EU market since 1993 can use ethanol-blended gasoline up to 10% although carburettor-equipped models could experience poor driveability in cold weather conditions.’

On this basis for the VFR I will stick with E5, which is likely to only be available as a premium higher octane fuel.

---ooo0ooo---

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.

www.eamg.org.uk

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The Sock Problem Chris Johnson There have been various knotty mathematical problems, such as Fermat's Last Theorem and the Four Colour Problem, which were unsolved for centuries before yielding to the latest complex techniques .

Unfortunately these are not applicable to a curse which afflicts us all, namely the Sock Problem. You may ask what socks have to do with motorcycling, other than our wearing them under our boots, and the answer is nothing.

However until people send me some content for T.U.G. I have to pad it out somehow.

You know how it is with socks; an eternal cycle of wearing them and then washing them. Inevitably there are occasions when a wash results in an odd number of socks. You put the odd sock in a drawer and hope that its companion will turn up. It seldom does, and I have a drawer containing around 40 odd socks. Where did the missing ones go? Nobody knows and, since I am not an amputee, the odd sock drawer represents a triumph of hope over experience. This always irritated me and I came up with what I thought was a smart idea; I would only buy black socks. Socks would still disappear but matching odd socks would then become straightforward. This worked at first, but I should have bought several dozen identical pairs in the same material and from the same dye batch. I didn't, and as repeated washing took its toll they started to shrink at different rates and there were many different shades of black. Matching them up became a total nightmare and in the end I was relying on people not examining my socks too closely; at least they were all blackish, except for the ones which had turned dark blue. .An interim solution I tried during this period was to use sock clips, small plastic fasteners to hold a pair together in the wash. They are a good idea in theory but in practice they are too flimsy. The socks slip out, and the clips break and distribute sharp little pieces of plastic amongst your wash. Not a success and soon abandoned. My major problem was that I had transformed Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982

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an occasional odd sock irritation into a massive one in which I had enormous difficulty making matches.

I backtracked, abandoned the 'black' socks, and started buying multipacks from Marks & Spencer. These were substantially black, but had different patterns and coloured embellishments.

Once again, after initial success, repeated washing took its toll. In socks with the same pattern reds and purples, and blues and greens began to look distressingly similar. You needed good light and a Pantone chart to distinguish them. I wasn't back in the worst of the black sock era but it was a confounded nuisance. I think that as soon as socks look too similar I am going to have to ditch them and buy fresh multipacks. This will be bad for the environment, and my wallet, but what choice does one have? Throughout all this the fundamental mystery of disappearing single socks remains unchanged, inevitable, and insoluble.

www.eamg.org.uk

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Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982

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Bike Shed Community Response Michel Couque Dear All I hope this finds you well, and we could also be riding by the time you read this too? Chris, our wonderful editor has been pleading for content, now we are scraping the bottom of the barrel if you have started reading this. Honestly we always need content, here is to show you how not to do it! Everybody please do send us whatever big or small, it’s greatly appreciated, very much needed and without content there is no TUG for you all to enjoy.

Anyway some where in this issue is an article that was recently published in Auto Express. The article describes what I have been spending a lot of my now very free time doing, having been made redundant last year. Some of you may already be familiar with Bike Shed in London. So Dutch and Vikki, the Bike Shed owners created something that has become very remarkable and special indeed. Bike Shed initially set up a national network of bikers to help deliver PPE at the beginning of the Pandemic. Being an ex despatch rider it was interesting to see volunteers take a box literally from Lands End to Manchester etc. and pass on to the next person going further North. Hugely wasteful in resources and logistics, but under the circumstances it got PPE to where it was needed. However once Public Health England finally got a grip on the PPE situation we turned our attention to other areas. I must make a special mention that one of my deliveries was to Dave Izzard, well Mrs Izzard to be precise! Not until I pulled at this man replicating an aircraft handler with a funny waving style did I have any idea who it was. Now credit where credit is due, and a quite typical reaction followed. I was offered drinks and even petrol, fabulous generosity, and a couple of other EAMG members were helping in Essex too.

Michel becomes a Cambridgeshire Angel.

Firstly I spent a week going to different areas of Cambridgeshire as Team Rubicon had asked Bike Shed for any available help. This was last May when it was 25c during the day, but 2c when riding to an area early in the am. We were labelled Cambridgeshire Angels and our task was to call on all the sheltered folk who had not responded to the letters they had been sent by the council. First day was around March, then Huntingdon, Peterborough etc rendezvous at 8am with Team Rubicon, an amazing charity who help disasters of all kind all over the world. They count upon many ex service personnel who have the qualities

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needed to operate and deliver, really great team too.

I was normally the only biker there, many locals also came to help. But after we got to know each other a bit, and in kind repayment of the journey I was doing, they created routes for me that took me to all the outlying villages etc so I could get some decent riding in. Otherwise in was stopping every few hundred yards, helmet off, then on again , quite a bore 50 times a day.

Most on the shielded list were elderly, and the letter the council sent out definitely promoted a reply by email mentioned in big font, with a phone number just about visible to some. Seemed a bit daft as many would not have internet, nor Supermans vision to read the tiny phone number. And on a few occasions I would turn up at the same time as the postie who was delivering the letter that had not yet been replied too. Ah yes the cumbersome nature of our bureaucracy. Anyhow met some amazing elderly people who were so appreciative not just of being checked on, but of what an incredible service this country can provide when push comes to shove. A few of the oldest folk, one 104 years old had a few stories to tell , and it was a privilege to listen. So that week saw 800 miles covered with virtually no cars on the roads at all, except so many unmarked police cars, where they all came from I do not know. They stopped lots of road users. But I have not been stopped once in about 7000 miles of volunteering riding.

Michel becomes an Oxy moron.

The next phase that Bike Shed turned to was a venture created by a Dr Sharon Raymond at the Royal Free Hospital to deliver Oxygen meters directly to people who have phoned Emergency services if feeling very unwell , but as yet undiagnosed with Covid. This was also early on and Covid testing was still not widely available. Basically there where about 40 Bike Shed volunteers to cover most of London North. Before our involvement an ambulance or Paramedic would have to be sent and take an oxygen reading. You can imagine how much of a drain on the NHS this was, so we did that instead. The majority of volunteers were still working from home etc, so there were normally maybe half a dozen around every day. On our busiest days we were delivering around 100 oxy meters. We also took testing kits to NHS workers who felt ill, we then waited and took the testing kit to Hospital where the test was done immediately. This enabled workers with a negative test to return to work immediately without any isolating needed.

As I now write in March 2021, the need for our help has greatly reduced very quickly in the last 6 weeks or so, maybe by 90% which is great news indeed and lets hope it stays that way. But no doubt there will be a few spikes here and there, so

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we are there ready for it.

A few things to say, firstly about all the amazing volunteers, we have become a very close knit team having experienced some pretty horrible things, it is quite scary to see how ill people were, and very much more so with the Kent virus etc. This venture has enabled us to legally ride our bikes throughout, while knowing that we are making a difference. A satisfaction money cannot buy. This could not have happened without the mindfulness and perseverance of Dutch and Vikki at Bike Shed. They sought help and got it from Indian Motorcycles and Gophr. Gohpr is an online platform normally used by Deliveroo etc that could act as our jobs platform.

They rewrote it to suit our specific needs and had staff set aside to operate it for us , without that it could not have happened the way it did. Last week Bike Shed got a letter from The Queens representative stating what a remarkable contribution to the nations response had been made, and that it had not gone unnoticed.

To Dr Sharon Raymond who had this crazy idea with no idea how to get to first base, but knew it was essential. Not only is she one of the major covid doctors in London NHS with a ridiculous workload, but is never satisfied with standing still.

We lover her and she loves us. To date I think we have delivered over 3500 oxy meters, saving the NHS over £1.50 million in Emergency responses. I would also mention the teams at Royal Free and Charing Cross Hospitals in UTC where we collect the oxymeters from, whom we have got to know and vice versa, infact lets open that up to all the NHS who have responded in such a marvellous way. Except for the fact that from the last massive outbreak The NHS have agreed to continue donating the oxymeters,(about £7 each) but no longer with batteries . There is one very kind Doctor who is buying all the batteries herself!!!

The last year has been an adventure for many of us. For me very much so. I still continue with Bike Shed Community Response, but the lack of employment means I will not be as active as before. I wouldn’t change it for the world though and out of every bad situation comes a good one, well that’s my theory anyway. A tremendous feeling of togetherness having been able to do something collectively has left a lasting impression on us lot, it will be something we can recount to the grandchildren .

So now you see what the bottom of the barrell looks like. Not pretty so please, I urge you to send in something to Chris for TUG, otherwise this article will be recycled at some stage, you have been warned.

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Editor: The article Michel referred to starts on page 28. It is from Auto Express, written by Sarah Bradley, and is reprinted with permission. Unfortunately I was given it as a PDF file which appeared to be put together from pictures of the print edition, and the framing was not good: the edges of text had been clipped off. I also had to reduce them to fit into T.U.G. and even the unclipped text may be too small to be legible. At least they have the virtue of taking up some of the aching void in the magazine. There are plenty of pictures.

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2021 February

March

April

May

June

Diary 20 21

July

August

Tuesday, 2nd Sunday, 7th Sunday, 14th Sunday, 21st

Group Night - AGM Associate Group Training (AGT) Richard's Full Member Ride Mick & Alan's Associate/Member Ride

Tuesday, 2nd Sunday, 7th Sunday, 14th Sunday, 14th Sunday, 21st Sunday, 28th

Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT) Richard's Full Member Ride Mick & Alan's Associate/Member Ride Observer Peer to Peer Ride (2101) Associate/Full Member Training (AMT/FMT 2101)

Saturday, 3rd Tuesday, 6th Sunday, 11th Sunday, 18th Sunday, 25th

Super Sausage Run Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT) Richard's Full Member Ride Mick & Alan's Associate/Member Ride

Sunday, Essex Motorcycle Show, North Weald (to be confirmed) Tuesday, 4th Group Night Sunday, 9th Associate Group Training (AGT) Sunday, 16th Richard's Full Member Ride Sunday, 16th Mick & Alan's Associate/Member Ride Sunday, 23rd Observer Peer to Peer Ride (2102) Sunday, 30th Associate/Full Member Training (AMT/FMT 2102) Tuesday, 1st Sunday, 6th Sunday, 13th Sunday, 20th Sunday, 27th

Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT) Slow Riding Day Richard's Full Member Ride Mick & Alan's Associate/Member Ride

Sunday, ? 4th Tuesday, 6th Sunday, 11th Sunday, 18th Sunday, 18th Sunday, 25th

Maldon Motor Show (to be confirmed) Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT) Richard's Full Member Ride Mick & Alan's Associate/Member Ride Observer Peer to Peer Ride (2103)

Sunday, 1st Tuesday, 3rd

Associate/Full Member Training (AMT/FMT 2103) Group Night

www.eamg.org.uk

Sunday, 22nd Sunday, 29th

September Sunday, 5th Tuesday, 7th Sunday, 12th Sunday, 19th Sunday, 19th Sunday, 19th Sunday, 26th October

Tuesday, 5th Sunday, 10th Sunday, 17th Sunday, 24th Sunday, 31st November Tuesday, 2nd Sunday, 7th Sunday, 14th Sunday, 21st December Sunday, 5th Tuesday, 7th Sunday, 12th Sunday, 19th

Associate Group Training (AGT) Richard's Full Member Ride

Audrey & John's Cotswolds Ride Mick & Alan's Associate/Member Ride

Mick & Alan's Associate/Member Ride Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT) Slow Riding Day Copdock Show Colin’s Full Member Ride?

Observer Peer to Peer Ride (2104) Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT) Colin’s Full Member Ride Associate/Full Member Training (AMT/FMT 2104) Mick & Alan's Associate/Member Ride Group Night Associate Group Training (AGT) Colin’s Full Member Ride Mick & Alan's Associate/Member Ride

Group Nigh ts @ 19 : 30 , AGTs @ 9 : 15 am

Sunday, 8th Sunday, 15th

Colin’s Full Member Ride Group Night - Xmas Quiz Associate Group Training (AGT) Mick & Alan's Associate/Member Ride

Diary 2O21

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Picture Gallery ■ Picture Gallery ■ Picture

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Gallery ■ Picture Gallery ■ Picture Gallery

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Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982

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Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982

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Shaggy Dog Joke (off-colour, but a classic) While riding my Harley, I swerved to avoid hitting a deer, lost control and landed in a ditch, severely banging my head.

Dazed and confused I crawled out of the ditch to the edge of the road when a shiny new convertible pulled up with a very beautiful woman who asked, “Are you okay?”

As I looked up, I noticed she was wearing a low cut blouse with cleavage to die for…

“I’m okay I think,” I replied as I pulled myself up to the side of the car to get a closer look.

She said, “Get in and I’ll take you home so I can clean and bandage that nasty scrape on your head.”

“That’s nice of you,” I answered, “but I don’t think my wife will like me doing that!”

“Oh, come now, I’m a nurse,” she insisted. “I need to see if you have any more scrapes and then treat them properly.”

Well, she was really pretty and very persuasive. Being sort of shaken and weak, I agreed, but repeated, “I’m sure my wife won’t like this.”

We arrived at her place which was just a few miles away and, after a couple of cold beers and the bandaging, I thanked her and said, “I feel a lot better, but I know my wife is going to be really upset so I’d better go now.”

“Don’t be silly!” she said with a smile, while unbuttoning her blouse further, showing more of the most beautiful set of boobs I’ve ever seen. “Stay for a while. She won’t know anything. By the way, where is she?”

“Still in the ditch with my Harley, I guess”

www.eamg.org.uk

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Old, but Good

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Hot Start Chris Johnson Among the many minor failings of my KTM, which include a rusting silencer, stupid rim seals, a puny horn, and an illiberal reluctance to enter neutral, is the fact that it has always had a weak starter which, even with a new battery, can only just turn the engine over (if you stall the engine don't dream of just pulling in the clutch and pressing the starter; you have to be in neutral. See previous comment about finding neutral. The queue of angry drivers behind you just don't understand!). On a cold day it just won't start, even if you have had it on trickle charge and turned on a heater in its shed an hour before leaving. About four years ago I therefore bought a Lithium Ion jump start unit; a BoltPower D15 13.6AH, which I keep in my top box. This works well. Whip off the passenger seat and just enough of the battery cover is exposed to be able to insinuate the clips under it onto the terminals. The bike then starts without trouble, and you are only a couple of minutes delayed.

Used it dozens of times. All very routine, until a week ago when my car battery, which in all honesty was showing its age before, suddenly refused even to give enough juice to let you turn on the ignition. No Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982

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problem, the jump starter is supposed to be adequate for V8 trucks, so I fetched it, clipped it on, and turned the starter. The car was reluctant to start but after a minute burst into life. Great! I went to disconnect the jumper battery unit. I should explain that it has 'intelligent leads', with a mysterious plastic box on the positive lead. This had heated up enough distort slightly, and one of the chunky leads to it had come free. I opened it up. It contained 4 high current Schottky diodes. These only conduct in one direction, and are presumably there to save your butt if you connect the leads to the wrong terminals. They do however generate heat under correct use. The prolonged starting of the car had caused all the solder in the box to melt, and the diodes had floated down on the circuit board.

Checking on the web revealed that I am not the first person this has happened to.

The battery unit is fine. I guess I am honour bound to get a blowtorch, try to melt all the solder and reposition the diodes and attach the loose lead. If this attempt fails, as it almost inevitably will. I shall just abandon the diodes, connect the wires to them together (more blowtorch work) and then make sure I never connect the unit the wrong way round. The car battery?

Since the car was out of action I ordered a new one from Halfords and paid the extra £15 for them to deliver it, fit it, and dispose of the old battery.

Completely painless. Money well spent. Shame it happened only weeks before the car will be sold. As for the 2 new tyres to get it through MoT. I try not to think about them.

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Events Report Chris Johnson

This is going to be short and sweet. There were only 3 rides in the month since the last report, and I went on one and a quarter of them! The first was Mick & Alan's run to Lackford Lakes on 29th August. We had 15.5 bikes (Joe's Indian counts as one and a half!). A cool overcast start developed into quite a nice day. As to the route; I sometimes feel as if Mick has cut Essex into square miles, mixed them up, and then laid them back again at random.

Individual places and roads are familiar, but their relation to each other is strange and new. I am sure the Bird Sanctuary at Lackford Lakes was delightful but to the best of my knowledge nobody visited it, preferring to hang out and gossip. The refreshments were very light.

No known mishaps. We got back to Regiment Way around 2pm after 117 miles. A very pleasant run.

The next ride was also Mick & Alan's on 5th September to the La Hogue Farm Cafe, near Ely. To my chagrin I missed this completely, since I hadn't expected another one after only a week and had failed to check the forum. No details about how it went, but I guess no news is good news.

Colin's run on 19th September was to the Natural Kitchen at Harrold-Odell Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982

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Country Park, beyond Bedford., a run of 172 miles. It was an overcast day and I think I had a few drops of rain on the way to Chelmsford. I volunteered as sweeper, since HiVis jackets seem to be going out of fashion and I was the only one wearing one. We had about a dozen bikes. It started off merrily enough but I began to develop gut pains, bumpy roads became very uncomfortable, my speed dropped, and markers had to wait a bit. Attempts to tell a marker that I was going to have to drop out and he should take over failed because they completely misinterpreted my frantic waving and flashing, and shot gratefully off. At Royston I pulled over at the Silver Ball, not the official break location, and Terry (full marks for rear observation) came back to find out why. He notified Colin and, heroically declining his offers to accompany me, I made my way home gently on nice even A-roads which hurt a lot less. The run apparently continued very successfully without me. Colin, Jill & Spider contacted me afterwards to find out if I was OK, which was nice of them. By the next day all was well again. No idea what the trouble was.

Trapped wind? Nature's way of telling me I should either lose weight or buy baggier trousers? Who can tell?

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Observer Profile Michel Couque When and why did you develop an interest in riding a motorcycle?

Being half French I was riding mopeds age 12, then Off road 125cc on the farm (yeh right) and it was an immediate addiction How old were you when you first rode a bike? Bike with gear change started aged 12 What was the bike and what were the circumstances? It was an awsome bike called an Ossa Phantom, would loop the loop in first gear, I borrowed it from my dads friend, and I never wanted to give it back.

Of the bikes you’ve owned to date, which was the favourite, if there was one? There is no clear favourite. I loved my CBX for its acceleration and noise. My GS750 was an awesome all-rounder, while a dispatch rider anything that started was good. But I do have a love affair with Ducati, seems to fit my way of thinking.

If you were given the opportunity to own any bike on the market which would it be? Come on that's not fair, in a perfect wor ld your needing 3 bikes, a bloody awesome road bike, Panigale?? a great allrounder a la Multistrada. and a bike for FUN say KTM 690.

What is your favourite motorcycle related gadget? Has to be heated handlebar grips Where is your preferred place to ride in the UK? Wales And, overseas? France If you were offered the opportunity to go on an extended bike tour

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who, family members aside, who would you choose as a riding companion?

Very few qualify, and if they read this they already know who they are, we traditionally go away every year for the past 10 years.

How would you describe to a non-rider the attraction of riding a bike as opposed to driving a car? That riding a bike makes you feel happy to be alive, even if commuting, when I ride along the Thames by bike it is far more interesting and involving than doing the same by car.On a bike you are closer to nature feeling the breeze and catching the odours both good and foul.

When do you intend to give up riding? When my eyesight is worse than Stevie Wonder.

Describe your scariest moment on your bike!

There have been a few, but I think when I crashed my GPZ900R at 3 figure speeds I quite rightly thought I was just about to meet my maker. I had just had the bike serviced, and it was now fully run in, so time to ring it's neck . I was flat out in 4th gear and thought I would leave the braking very late for the roundabout ahead. Then applied full on brakes, only for the front fork seals to blow and gush oil all over the front disks. The front brakes then heated up and came on fully, locking up and throwing me over the bars in the process. The speed was stuck on 110 when it hit the deck. I was knocked out for a few moments, and when i came around I was convinced I was dead, but confused because being dead seemed the same as being alive, then I sussed I had survived. Naturally this happened a very long time ago, and I can safely say that thanks to EAMG I enjoy my riding more than ever, without ever having to ride like that again!!!

Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982

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Pioneering Female Motorcyclist Augusta Van Buren (1889-1949)

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Further Training Opportunities for Full Members EAMG FMT & AMT - 2020 1st January 2020 celebrated EAMG’s fifteen years of independence enabling the Group to draw upon the most appropriate riding techniques to meet the training needs of our members, without having to accommodate restrictions imposed by a governing body. With independence, came the responsibility to ensure our training standards progressed and maintained at the highest level.

EAMG Observers fulfill a crucial role within the Group. All are required to hold a current RoSPA Gold qualification before they can be considered for observer training. Once qualified, Observers are re-tested internally every two years by one of four Senior Observer Assessors (SOA’s) who, in turn, are re-tested externally every two years by Police Class: 1 riders. Full Members and Associates can therefore be assured that EAMG’s training is of the highest standard. EAMG; ‘Promoting Motorcycling Excellence’.

Full Member Training (FMT) FMT format allows greater focus on many aspects of advanced motorcycling over longer distances on less familiar roads. Make no mistake, passing an advanced motorcycle test is an excellent achievement but it’s only a measure of your riding standard on test day. Riding skills require continued practice to be retained or they will sadly be lost.

Associate Member Training (AMT) Similar training courses are now available for Associate Members who may be approaching test standard, have been recommended to apply by their 1 to 1 Observers or those familiar with riding greater distances than covered on a typical Observed ride. Associates will be encouraged to make their most recent Ride Report Forms available to ensure the Observer on the day has the necessary information to identify needs and address any issues that may be apparent..

Ride Format Duration of rides will be circa 200 mls for Full Members and 100-120 mls for Associates.

Regular stops, most including refreshments, will include debriefs so that issues identified can be addressed during subsequent legs. We will NOT be riding in one large group. Allocation will usually be on a 2 to 1 basis to avoid continuous Observation. Every effort will be

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made to match riding ability and/or aspirations. Routes will be pre-planned and forwarded to all participants beforehand. Initial briefing will be comprehensive and a full Ride Report Form will be provided.

2021 Events Joining Fees

FMT—(£45)

AMT— (£35)

Sunday, October 24th Register by completing and returning this form to: John Tipper Email: john@reveillerrides.co.uk Tel: 0208 360 8590 or Mbl: 07860 773711

Pay direct to Sort Code: 30-96-94 a/c no: 00791646 Ref: FMT or AMT + your name Cash or Cheques payable to Essex Advanced Motorcyclists Group Ltd on the day Name:

Address:

Postcode:

Tel:

Email:

Riding Experience Aspirations: Annual Mileage:

Machine:

FTFM - 2021 Membership Secretary

Observer Co-ordinator

Paula Hockey

John Tullett

membership@eamg.org.uk

training@eamg.org.uk

Additional Membership Fee

Contribution to Observer

£20 pa

£10 per ride

Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982

Chris Johnson, Editor Printed by Colchester Press.

Please mention EAMG when replying to advertisers - it identifies you!

http://www.eamg.org.uk Affiliated to the British Motorcyclists Federation Registered Charity Number 1107703

Disclaimer and Copyright Notice: The articles published herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Essex Advanced Motorcyclists Group.

They are the opinions of individual contributors and are published with a view that free expression promotes discussion and interest. Any spelling or grammatical errors are the responsibility of the editor ..

Inclusion of adverts is not to be construed as EAMG endorsement, although most advertisers are excellent, but seek personal recommendations.Text © EAMG 2020 Illustrations © EAMG 2020, except where indicated otherwise. Group material may be reproduced provided acknowledgement is given to EAMG and the original author.

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Essex Advanced Motorcyclists Group Ltd, Registered Office, St Laurence House, 2 Gridiron Place, Upminster, Essex, RM14 2BE Registered in England & Wales, Registration No. 5258261

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Essex Advanced Motorcyclist Group Promoting Excellence in Motorcycling Since 1982