August/September 2022
Online Edition
Issue No 257
August/September 2022
W I R R A L A D VA N C E D M O T O R C Y C L I S T S Group Council 2022-2023 IAM Group 5115 Web Site
http://www.w-a-m.co.uk
Chairman
Steve Hunter
chairman@w-a-m.co.uk
Vice Chairman
Pete Montgomery 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
Andy Poustie
membership@w-a-m.co.uk
Associate Coordinator
Hadyn Abbey
associatecoordinator@w-a-m.co.uk
Trainee Observer Coordinator
Steve Hunter
TOC@w-a-m.co.uk
Chief Observer
Dave Rees chiefobserver@w-a-m.co.uk Derek Jeffries assisting
Honorary Secretary
Rob Cooper
secretary@w-a-m.co.uk
Minute Secretary
Mike Hurst
minutes@w-a-m.co.uk
Events Organisers
Andy Churchill Rob Burns
events@w-a-m.co.uk
Newsletter Editor
Peter Lovatt
newsletter@w-a-m.co.uk
Social Media
Steve Lord
SocialMedia@w-a-m.co.uk
Group Shop
Martin Titley
groupshop@w-a-m.co.uk
Ride Out & Bike Safe Coordinator
Rob Tutchings
rideouts@w-a-m.co.uk
Other Council members
MAGAZINE Editor: Peter Lovatt Contributions welcome! 2
Welcome to the August and September edition of the WAM magazine. Just a brief one from me, this issue, I’m afraid. ARC 2 is well under way as I type this up at the end of July. WE have had some teat passes from the first ARC course this year, so Congratulations to those who have passed the IAM Test - Details inside. THE WAM BBQ in June was a great success, with a good turn out of members/ The weather was timed to perfection. Thanks to Everyone who helped out, especially Hadyn and Wirral Rugby Club fro organising. Picture below:-
Pete
3
IAM RoadSmart Polo Shirts
We can now take orders for polo shirts. These are a charcoal shirt showing the new logo plus two lines of text Wirral Advanced Motorcyclists Your Name Size Guide: S: 36/38" M: 40" L: 42" XL: 44" XXL: 46/48" Female: 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 £20 each - Nina Jeffries will take your payment at the group social evenings (second Tuesday of every month).
You may see some WAM members wearing them at club nights
4
Congratulations to Everyone!! Paul Francis = F1rst
Andy Turner—receives certificate from Steve Hunter Andy McKechnie
Mike White Darren Kaye
5
Have You Done Your POWDERY Checks? Richard Gladman, IAM RoadSmart’s head of riding and driving advice, explains the POWDERY checks you should do on your bike before setting off for your first ride of the season. Petrol. Make sure you fill your tank and top up regularly. If your bike has been standing for a long period of time, old petrol can cause starting prob-lems as it may clog up the fuel system. The best thing to do is drain your old petrol if there is a lot and fill up with new petrol. Oil. You can check you have the right amount of oil by using a dipstick or sight glass in the side of the engine casing. Remember to keep the bike vertical when checking this by getting someone to sit on the bike whilst you check the oil. Bear in mind that overfilling will also cause damage, so top up slowly and check your fuel level regularly. Water. This needs to be checked if you have a water-cooled engine. Again, the bike needs to be vertical. If you find that you’re low on water, remember never to use tap water as you’ll need a mix of water and anti-freeze. Damage. Check for any damage – this could be on your bike, helmets or even your protective clothing. Electrics. If you’re taking your bike out for the first time in a while, it is always a good idea to check your lights and both the foot and hand brake light switches. Rubber. Remember to check your tyre pressure as well as the condition and tread depth. Bear in mind this could change depending on the amount of weight your bike is carrying. Remember to test this when your tyres are cold, as the reading will be higher when they’re hot. The legal limit is 1mm across three-quarters of tyre and visible tread on the rest. You. If you’ve been out of practice for a few months, then you may have lost that ‘bike fitness’. Make sure you are fit to ride your bike and remem-ber to take it slow and steady until you’ve got to grips with it. • Richard says: “If you have been out of motorcycling for the winter then get yourself back into it gently. Make sure the bike is roadworthy and routine maintenance is carried out. Allow yourself some time to regain your sharpness and adjust to bike mode. Remember, a motorcycle needs to be ridden with a smile on your face.”
6
Another Sunday Ride out with Derek and Nina
7
How to safeguard your riding health How much protection do I need? Riding bikes isn’t dangerous. Falling off them, or crashing them into things, is. The only legal requirement for personal protection is to wear a helmet, the rest is down to you. We all know about the protective qualities of decent helmets, leathers, boots and gloves, but there are many other measures you can take to make your riding as safe and comfortable as possible What is body armour? Many suits, jackets and trousers, both leather and textile, have armour fitted as standard. These are usually fixed in key areas such as knees, elbows, shins etc. Armour that has been tested to do its job will be CE-marked as recognition of its protective qualities. Armour described as ‘comfort padding’, is about as protective as cotton wool, and is not guaranteed to save your skin if you have an ‘off’. Pukka CE-marked protection will have passed stringent laboratory tests to prove it can withstand the associated pressures and shocks that go hand in hand with crashing. The CE mark is proof that the equipment will offer sufficient levels of abrasion and impact protection. What else can I do? Crashing isn’t the only harmful by-product of biking. Long distances and rough surfaces can strain backs, wind noise damages ears and cold can harm delicate nerve endings. The answer is to mitigate any possible harm by taking some smart precautions other than just the usual leathers and lid route. What’s the minimum level of protection? That’sa bit like asking what’s the least amount of water you can drink in the desert. You can never have enough protection, but if you protect most of the stickyout bits like feet, knees, elbows and hands it’s a start. Something else to think about is this: a tomato is fairly resilient to being dropped on the floor, but throw one hard down a road and the end result isn’t so good. Which is a gentle way of saying riding in just shorts and T-shirt may be cool, but fall off at even 20mph and you too will end up like a squished tomato... 1. Gum shields – not just for racers, but also to stop you grinding your teeth away from the tension and stress of riding fast or through city traffic. A lot of people don’t realise it’s happening until toothache forces a trip to the dentist. A basic £4 gum shield from sports shops will suffice, but a bespoke shield from your dentist will be more comfortable. 8
2. Earplugs. Put simply, ride without earplugs and you will damage your hearing. Many people fear they won’t be able to hear signs of danger, but earplugs are designed to let through enough noise to let you know what’s going on while cutting out frequencies that could damage your hearing. Less than £1 a pair, they come in many shapes and sizes. 3. If you like riding in jeans in summer, many bike shops sell specially-designed riding denim (with Kevlar-backed knees and hips). Additional armour can be worn under or over your trousers for added protection, but make sure you choose gear designed to absorb impact energy (some MX knee protectors are just to protect the rider from flying debris). 4. Contrary to popular belief, a back protector is unlikely to stop you breaking your back. Most serious back injuries are caused by a shearing motion, not an impact. But a back protector will help absorb energy in an impact and prevent soft tissue damage. There are many styles, but make sure your choice is CE-marked. 5. Elbows, like most of the major joints, are vulnerable to even low-speed spills. Another off-road item, elbow and forearm guards are useful protection when worn under, or over, textile clothing. They are similar in price to knee protectors – about £25 – but again remember to choose ones that are CEmarked as having energy-absorbing properties. 6. An ever-growing number of manufacturers are offering full upper body armour, most with elbow/forearm/ chest/back protection contained with9
in a mesh jersey. The beauty of these is the all-over level of protection and that they can be worn under any textile and leather clothing. The downside is they can restrict movement and can make you hot. 7. Riding in built-up areas where traffic is slow moving and producing harmful gases means your lungs are constantly filling with smog. There are numerous face masks available (flexible neoprene-type or bandana-style) that are designed to sieve out as much airborne crap as possible. 8. Even at the height of summer, evening temperatures can drop rapidly and showers not only soak the digits, but also chill the air. The result can be very cold hands a long way from home – and this can mean numb hands and loss of feel. Light undergloves take no more pocket-space than a handkerchief and are worth their weight in gold. 9. Thermal leggings keep your legs toasty when worn under Cordura trousers. Not only this, but they also protect you from cramps and nerve damage in severe cold. If you can’t get them under your suit, try Nylon ladies tights. No, seriously. The man-made material allows movement, yet provides warmth. 10. A thermal top – such as GoreTex’s Windstopper range – is superb and will keep your torso warm and prevent wind chill from getting through your leathers. A cheap 10
alternative is bubble-wrap packing material as the bubbles act like doubleglazing. Easy to hide in a tailpiece, simply unfold and tuck it inside your riding top. 11. Protect yourself from cold kidneys while supporting your lower back. A kidney belt will make a huge difference to your warmth on the bike by reducing draughts between jacket and trousers. It will also support your lower back during long rides, preventing strain while supporting stomach muscles and allowing them to take more of the strain. 12. If you’re going for a ride wearing an openfaced lid, it’s essential to protect your eyes (sunglasses won’t have passed safety tests). Goggles prevent eyes from streaming under the pressure of windblast and also protect you against stones, flies and debris being chucked up from the road. Remember to make sure they fit securely and are anti-fog.
11
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