9th JULY Club Night BBQ The OC Bar (Knockaloe Club) 28 Bridle Road Bromborough Wirral CH62 6AR
Issue No 244
July/August 2019
W I R R A L A D VA N C E D M O TO R C Y C L I S T S Group Council 2019-2020 IAM Group 5115 Web Site
http://www.w-a-m.co.uk
Chairman
Ken Smith
chairman@w-a-m.co.uk
Vice Chairman
Rob Tutchings
vicechairman@w-a-m.co.uk
Honorary Treasurer & Gift Aid
John Temple
treasurer@w-a-m.co.uk giftaid@w-a-m.co.uk
Membership
Nina Jeffries
membership@w-a-m.co.uk
Associate Coordinator
Graham Dixon
associatecoordinator@w-a-m.co.uk
Assistant Associate Coordinator
Steve Molyneux
AAC@w-a-m.co.uk
Trainee Observer Coordinator
Steve Hunter
TOC@w-a-m.co.uk
Chief Observer
Derek Jeffries
chiefobserver@w-a-m.co.uk
Honorary Secretary
Rob Cooper
secretary@w-a-m.co.uk
Minute Secretary
Mike Round
minutes@w-a-m.co.uk
Events Organiser
Dave Spotswood events@w-a-m.co.uk
Newsletter Editor
Peter Lovatt
Data Manager
Vacant
Social Media
Vacant
Group Shop
Martin Titley 0151 632 3570
groupshop@w-a-m.co.uk
Rob Tutchings
rideouts@w-a-m.co.uk
Ride Out & Bike Safe Coordinator Other Council members
newsletter@w-a-m.co.uk
Steve Lord, Mike Boston, Pat Goodison, Andy Poustie Adam Brimage
MAGAZINE Editor:
Peter Lovatt
Duplication: CS Digital Wallasey 2 Post Office! Distribution: The
The Editors Ramblings…... Welcome to the July/August issue of the WAM Magazine. Not sure where to kick off, but I’ll start by saying WAM are busy, and the Gazebo has been to the Shippons Bike Show in Irby during May (right) And at the Marriotts Open Day/ Demo Ride during June (below right) We have also been busy on the Advanced Riding Courses, and the results from the ARC 1 course are coming in and we have had several test passes, including F1rst’s. Well done to everyone who passes and Thanks to the Observer team lead by Graham - the details are inside this issue. The ARC 2 course is just getting underway as I type this, so hopefully we will be looking forward to more impressive results in the future.
This month (July) we have the famous WAM Barbeque lined up for the Club night. Feel free to bring friends and Partners along and hopefully the weather plays ball too and the weather Gods smile on us. August club night will be a Summer Social. There is also the Official WAM Club Run on the 21st July with a 10am start. The WAM website has also been refreshed!! I’ve run out of space now to type so see you all out and about!!! Pete 3
WIRRAL ADVANCED MOTORCYCLISTS
Diary of Events www.w-a-m.co.uk
ALL AT THE NEW CLUB NIGHT VENUE *************************
July
9th Club Night - WAM BBQ Bring friends and family *************************
August
13th Club Night—Summer Social *************************
September 10th Club Night *************************
October 8th Club Night
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ARC 1 meets ARC 2 We ran a pre course/post course ride out on 25th May so that ARC 1 Associates could share their course experiences and ARC 2 Associates could ’settle’ in prior to course commencement by chatting and asking questions about ARC without any pressure on them We met at TR for a briefing then made our way to Ponderosa where we met up with Pete who then did a great job (as always) of leading us on a great route to Bala Steam Train Station before heading back over Cerrigydrudion and Ruthin to TR Graham Dixon WAM Associate Coordinator
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Congratulations to the following on passing their Advanced Tests Lee Maxwell Ian Hughes - F1rst Dave Hughes - F1rst Phil Dickin Mike Robinson Pete Montgomery - F1rst ************** Also Congratulations to Observer Rob Burns who retook his Test (he’s in the IAM Fellowship Scheme) and he too achieved a F1rst ************** I would just like to thank all in the WAM Group for all the help and knowledge that has been given to me over the last few months, without which I would not have achieved my First today. With special thanks to my Observers Tim Brown, Steve Hunter, Dave Rees, George Pearson and Cliff Evans each of you have added to the 'pizzazz' required this morning. Many thanks too to Derek and Nina for the Sunday rideouts which have allowed me to practice the skills learnt on the Saturdays, plus lots of tea and cake too. And of course thanks to Graham for all the time and effort that has gone into arranging the course, especially the hours of homework. I should not forget Pat Goodison who has come out with us a number of times to explain the First process. Again many thanks, Cheers Pete M ************** Yes, echoing Pete’s comments above, A BIG Thanks to ALL the Observers and Graham and his team (Steve H, Steve M) and Derek for all their time and effort in getting some really great results!! Pete (editor) 6
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2018-2019 _ Australia-Indonesia Tim's Trip Report for WAM. Tim's travels in Australia and Indonesia 2018-2019 PART THREE Fian & I wished to empathise and show support for the disaster victims living in the extensive and numerous tented camps provided by various aid agencies. See Photographs 21, 22. They seemed to appreciate folk from the outside world taking an interest in their plight. We were welcomed into their tents, where we listened to their heart rending stories of loss. I had a young baby thrust into my arms. The ladies wished to take a picture of me with the baby. He had lost his Father in the tsunami, as well as other relatives. We really felt humbled by the resilience of these poor folk who had lost everything - but many had handphones! Despite all this they still managed smiles. The children held on to our arms and led us around the camp. However it was not all disaster related sadness for us in Palu. We did enjoy ourselves, during a family birthday party, at the recently
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opened & trendy Containers CafĂŠ & Carwash in Jalan Zebra, South Palu. {I thought zebras are native to Africa not Asia}. It really is made from shipping containers & they really do wash cars there too. We stayed at the Mary Glow Hotel in Palu for 10 nights before flying back to Bali, {from where we plan to fly back to UK}, on January 31 2019 - on Garuda Indonesia, via Makassar. I took the Honda Tiger for its first significant run out on Saturday, February 2 2019. I decided to explore a new road I had heard about last year leading from the Besakih area on the West side of Gunung Agung - Bali's landmark volcano - to Tianyar on the North East coast of Bali. The ride out to Besakih from Denpasar was rather spoilt by the huge volume of traffic there now is on Bali's cramped, overcrowded roads. However once I turned right, {elevation 750m}, - off the main Jalan Besakih - towards Tianyar, it became quieter and the views improved. On such roads one can absorb much better the sights and smells of the countryside. I love the various statues that one comes across in seemingly random places - but which obviously have a meaning in the local Hindu culture. See Photograph 23. The road rose higher and higher. It became cooler and I started to enter the clouds surrounding Gunung Agung. See Photograph 24. I bought my map of Bali in August 2006. It did not have marked this route I was now riding. The elevation of Gunung Agung was indicated as 2567m. On checking Google Earth it seems that 12
the height of the volcano is now around 2976m possibly as a result of the 2017 eruptions. Current advice from the UK FCO is not to go within 4km of the crater rim, {although on Christmas Eve 2017 I rode to within less than 3km of the rim, in a heavy rainstorm}. My current route took me with 6km of the crater rim, in the area of Desa Ban at a highpoint of around 1180m. Just past this highpoint, as I commenced an extremely steep descent towards the coast, and well in the clouds, I stopped to check the route with some bikers. See Photograph 25. They assured me that there was a tarmacked surface all the way to the coast. Had it been clear weather I think that the views would have been spectacular. Soon after this stop the heavens opened up again and I was soaked in the tropical rainstorm. The sides of the road became raging torrents of water and debris. Many stones were washed into my path making riding very tricky in almost zero visibility. I could not stop because it was so steep and there was no where safe for the bike to stand. Cautiously I progressed down the volcano and eventually made it to Tianyar. There I rested at a small roadside cafĂŠ & rehydrated with the delightfully named Pocari Sweat drink {from Japan}. The rains eased off. I thought of returning to Denpasar by the route I had just ridden. However the weather conditions 13
meant prudence was the order of the day. Locals advised me to continue on to Denpasar in a clockwise direction around the base of the volcano keeping on the lower, more trafficked, coastal road. I heeded their advice, wise, because the heavens opened soon after I set off. By this time the roads were littered with all kinds of household waste and plastic, as well as stones and branches. It is sad that often rubbish is simply dumped, out of direct eyesight, “over the side - down steep slopes”. This is washed out during heavy storms and may eventually end up in the sea. The Country faces major environmental challenges and it needs to urgently address the problem of waste disposal. Quite frankly the return journey along the coastal route on the East and South sides of the island, via Amlapura and Semarapura, was not much fun. Heavy rain and nose to tail traffic did not make for happy riding. How quickly a tropical paradise can turn into a tropical nightmare! In all, during the day, I rode about 212km in eight hours. In virtually all my rides here I have averaged only between 2025km/hour - a reflection on the congested roads and their condition. Fuel at the Pertamina pumps in Palu costs IDR 10,400/liter for Pertamax & IDR 6,450/liter for Premium fuel. {1 GBP = 18,194 IDR - Feb 5 2019}. At least the fuel is cheap here. Finally at Photograph 26. I include an image of a lone motorcyclist, with veiled pillion passenger slowly riding along the destroyed Palu waterfront. In the foreground a solitary goat scratches around for food. I also show the “Palu Memorial Tartan” I created, in memory of all those affected by the disaster. So, Australia and Indonesia, neighbouring, but vastly differing countries. I have had great drives and rides in both. A long, long way from UK - but both fascinating places to visit if you a lucky enough to have the opportunity. I suspect that some WAM members may be particularly interested in Garry's coaching school, GMC Cooyar, https://gmccooyar.com/
Cheers & happy, safe riding, Timothy J Dishman, WAM, Bali & Queensland Chapter Bali - February 5 2019
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Some riding advice to keep you safe this summer. c/o Richard Gladman, IAM (if it ever stops raining…..)
A lot of motorcycle jackets have thermal and waterproof layers. If it’s a hot day and they’re not needed, take them out to help you stay cool. Even better, purchase a summer jacket with vents to avoid overheating. British weather changes very quickly and you can often find yourself wet, cold or hot which isn’t ideal. Invest in a four-season kit and keep an eye out for the weather. If you’re going to be keeping your visor up, be sure to wear protective eye gear. Your helmet will also accommodate for this weather by having air ventilation. Do you know how to use yours? If not, it may be a good time to check Don’t fall into the trap of being tempted to ride without gloves. They’re a must for any journey – short or long. You can buy protective gloves that allow air flow which will make your summer journey more comfortable Are you still wearing your winter boots? Put these back in the cupboard and get yourself a pair of summer weight boots which are another great piece of kit for air ventilation The warm weather and overheating can increases fatigue so make sure you stay hydrated and take regular breaks. In a car, we recommend stopping for a break every two hours, however on a motorbike you may need to stop more than this. Stay hydrated! We recommend having plenty of water as it is essential for maintaining blood circulation throughout the body and helps control the body temperature.
Sat-nav is becoming commonplace on touring bikes now but be aware that it still poses a distraction threat; the screens tend to be small and in sunshine or rain can be hard to see. It helps to have an idea where you are heading and if you are unsure, pull over safely to check Richard says: “Don’t be tempted to cut corners as you’re just as likely to fall off your bike in the summer as you are at any other time of the year. Investing in the right summer riding kit will allow air ventilation, meaning you can have a relaxed journey and enjoy the warm weather whilst it lasts.”
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DISCLAIMER:-
The articles published herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Institute of Advanced Motorists Ltd, or the Wirral Group of Advanced Motorcyclists. They are the opinions of individual contributors and are published with the view that free expression promotes discussion and interests. So you have been warned. Interested in doing the Advanced Car Test? Wirral Advanced Motorists are the people to see. Go to www.wirraliam.co.uk