March 2017 The Journal of Edinburgh & District Advanced Motorcyclists March 2017

Glen Quaich © Glynn Jones In This Issue: We are fortunate to live in a country with relatively low levels of traffic and plenty of Page 2: Word From The Chair scenic roads - see above. I took that photo on Monday 31st August and it was a lovely Page 3: Word From The Saddle day. I fear it was the last day of summer, though, because it has been decidedly chilly Page 4: Discounts etc this week. Page 5: Ride Report My ride was a modified version of Route 14 from The Motorcyclist’s Guide to Scotland Page 6: Planning EDAM Runs by John Fergusson which took me from darkest Fife to Rannoch Station on some of Scot- Page 7: Riding Tip, Product Review land’s roads less travelled. And what a mixture of roads it was, both in terms of scenery Page 8: My Fourth Bike and condition, with the main cause for concern being the amount of loose gravel. I’m Page 9: Motorcycle Emptiness not talking about recent “surface dressing” but, rather, gravel that had either accumu- Page 10: For Sale & Sag lated in the middle of single-track roads or washed onto the carriageway by recent rain. Gravel is one of those hazards that is really only a danger to motorcycles and it can real- ly spoil a ride. EVENTS Gravel excepted, it was a great ride and had the bonus of a half-price lunch at Rannoch Station café on the final day of Chancellor’s discount deal. Page 5 gives the details of some future rides organized by David Betts. I hope you too are taking advantage of and free time to get out on your bike and enjoy the freedom. You might even like to write an article about it! Other events and runs are notified on the EDAM Facebook page: https://goo.gl/ Glynn Jones zyVD3q & the website: http:// www.edam.org.uk [email protected]

TWISTGRIP SEPTEMBER 2020 TWISTGRIP

A WORD FROM THE CHAIR by Dave Alexander Observer Alistair MacLean. Observer: Pe- ter Wright.

If you have any tips on wet weather riding please submit it to Twistgrip. ASSOCIATE EXTENSION

On a different subject, we recently had IAM TO MEMBERSHIP DUE TO audit which commended the work of the Group. Comments included: COVID-19 - REVISED

"The group is well structured, well run and The wording of the offer made by IAM produces excellent results”. Roadsmart has changed: “There is obviously a very dedicated team of In line with the announcement that Ad- observers and organisers working hard to vanced Driver and Rider coaching will be produce those results; they don’t just happen by chance”. available nationwide from Monday 14 September, we have revised our tempo- “They are a high performing group; certain- rary provision of free extensions to Asso- ly, higher than they rated themselves on the ciate membership. This arrangement was I hope you have all had a great month's self-assessment." put in place temporarily in response to riding. the need to suspend our on-road coaching Overall it was a great result and I would like for all Associates. The weather has been crap but I do find it to thank all Observers and Committee exhilarating riding in the wet. For some members for their hard work and dedica- An extension to Associate membership reason, I feel I ride better in wet condi- tion. will continue to be provided to those As- tions. Strange really. Having said that, I was sociates who receive their renewal invita- not ready for the monsoon that my associ- Finally, I believe we are going to hold a vir- tion before 1 February 2021 and who ate and I faced riding back from Selkirk a tual AGM sometime in October so hopefully have been unable to complete their couple of weeks back: lightning to the right you will be able to join us. Watch Twistgrip coaching and test within their first 12 and left, rivers running across the road and and our social media pages for an update. months of membership. pretty deep sections of lying water where the road drainage could not cope with the Enjoy what's left of the light nights and Associates whose membership is due for intensity of rainfall. Added to that, the rain hopefully the rain will always be over the renewal between 1 September 2020 and was so heavy and driving into our faces horizon. 30 November 2020 will be eligible for a that we could only see about 50 yds ahead. four-month extension to their member- Time to reduce our speed; speed is certain- Stay safe, cheers, Dave ship at no additional cost. Associates ly not your friend in conditions like that. If whose membership is due for renewal you hit lying water its akin to surfing into PS for last month's chat I have still to dis- between 1 December 2020 and 31 Janu- an oncoming tidal wave. Unfortunately, it cuss positioning on bends on tight B-roads. ary 2021, will be eligible for a two-month seemed to last for hours so we progressed I'll speak to our Chief Observer and post our extension to their membership at no addi- with great care. I was impressed with my thoughts. tional cost. associate's ability to deal with these condi- This provision can only be applied at the tions, so he got a tick in the 1 box on the time each Associate receives their renew-

score sheet. al notice. The application must be made WELCOME by the Associate, by contacting the Cus-

Anyway, that experience got me thinking tomer Care team on 0300 303 1134 or by EDAM welcomes the following new associ- again about how we plan our ride. You can emailing [email protected] between ates: only ride to the limits of your vision and 8.30am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.

you must be able to stop within that dis- Malcolm Davie tance should the necessity arrive. Keep it We continue to monitor Government and Afzal Ghafoor smooth. You don't want to be slamming devolved administrations restrictions and Asif Rashid down the gears or braking heavily in wet keep the Associate membership exten-

conditions (or any other conditions for that sions under review in line with the availa- matter). bility of coaching. TEST PASSES Position yourself away from the verge/ If this affects you, please direct your en- Congratulations go to: curb as usually that's where water congre- quiries to IAM as described above and

gates. Try and read the contour of the road don't ask EDAM; we cannot help. Martin Giebner on passing his test with and position yourself accordingly. Don't Observer Ian Wightman. force it. Try to relax and "enjoy" the expe- EDAM will continue to offer a free EDAM

rience. At our coffee break the associate associate membership year where appro- Johnny Perriam on passing his test with and I relived the experience with some priate for March 2021 renewals. Observer Alistair MacLean. Observer: Peter hysterical laughter which probably was a Wright. good release valve for the stress we were

feeling. It's good to talk. Biz Bauermeister on passing his test with

TWISTGRIP 2 SEPTEMBER 2020 TWISTGRIP

WORD FROM THE SADDLE by Sandy Dickson , Chief Observer bike appeared disconnected which is a very disconcerting feeling.

I have now completed my fourth 700 mile weekend, so I am back in tune with riding the bike. Coming out of lockdown I could feel that I was a bit rusty and needed exer- cised.

It is clear to me that riders that do small mileages will always struggle with their skills & confidence as they are often re- learning their skill set. According to the Source: https://bit.ly/2FcIoPB statisticians, the more miles that you do, porary cycle lanes and extended pave- As I say to my associates, if something the greater the risk of having an accident, ments because walking and cycling is unexpected happens or appears, react to hence my insurance premiums always good for us – unless of course you get run it. So, I did stop, get off the bike & have a seem to be high. In fact, a high mileage + over or fall of your cycle, as the statistics look. I could not see anything obvious observing means several companies will suggest. except my egg (but barely legal) tyres. I not even quote. Consequently, I have been carried on and this disjoint got worse until with Cornmarket for a number of years Nowhere in current government strate- I tried to turn into the roundabout at but, in common with all other insurance gies do two-wheeled powered vehicles West Linton and the bike was saying ‘no companies and insurance types, you do get a mention (except the proposals chance’. I came to a halt with a van wav- need to market check their prices (for around electric bicycles and electric ing to tell me that my rear to was com- those of you that complain about Corn- scooters). Cycling & walking to work is a pletely flat (which explained the disjoint). market and their renewals - you should great idea if you happen to live in, say, I have had flat tyres previously, but never have seen the nonsense that my daughter darkest Fife and work at the Gyle. It one that actually went flat during the got from her insurance company at renew- should not take you longer than a few journey. I have seen a tubeless tyre go flat al time). The upside of Cornmarket, in the hours to get to the office. Happily, under during a ride and the bike went down with event of an incident, in my unfortunate the current Covid panic, all of these offic- the rider who was knocked out cold. At experience (don’t ride a bike in the snow) es appear closed, so no need to worry least tubeless tyres do their best to give is that their service is first class. I had a about the three hours cycle to the office. you ample warning that there is some- colleague who had an incident. His insurer Also, cycling keeps you warm, so a cold thing wrong. took his bike to Wales for repair & kept it and dark winter’s day will present no is- for three months. A few policies have this sues for the cycling and walking fraternity I have no idea what ripped a hole in my ‘repair centre’ approach, not good. (as long as they do not fall off or get run tyre. I never saw anything but with the

over). amount of flooding there are all sorts I digress. My point is, you need to get in lying about; just another hazard to be the miles to improve and you need to use We are a bit overwhelmed with statistics, dealt with. 1mm of tread really is very the system, over those miles, to improve. experts and policies to keep us safe and little but, thanks to lockdown, the work- It works, it always works, so do not ignore improve our wellbeing. It is just a pity that shops are all busy and tyres are hard to it; but it does need practice. much of this is badly thought out and come by for some reason. So, plan ahead Despite my scathing remarks about statis- wholly ineffective. Sitting at the Gyle as MOT’s are not easy to get booked ei- tics it is sometimes useful to review the roundabout this morning, waiting for the ther. current crop. A set of accident statistics lights to change, seven cars passed in has been released, worth a look and some front on me. No cyclists and no pedestri- It has been an odd and short season, but thoughts. ans. I wonder if anyone in power has no- we are getting through the Associates. So, ticed that the economy has fallen over? if you are still waiting, it will not be too A quick look at the totals for year ending long now. The shorter nights now make June 2019 reveal some interesting ‘facts’ Anyway, I learned something new the evening runs a bit less convenient. and, from our point of view, the most in- other day. After my many miles on the XR, teresting is that you are clearly safer on a it was doing its shouty best to tell me it Any free time is a good time to get out on motorbike than either cycling or walking. A was in need of a service and the vague the bike. With all that is going on, you pity the government that produces such impression of tread on the front & rear never know when you are going to be statistics does not seem to appreciate this. tyres were not up to a very wet run to the locked down or otherwise have your free- You will have noticed an outbreak of tem- dealer. Travelling towards West Linton, doms restricted. the front on the bike & the back of the

TWISTGRIP 3 SEPTEMBER 2020 TWISTGRIP

DISCOUNTS cle before it starts to turn, it will be a 90- EDAM AGM 2020 degree bend.

Being a member of EDAM and the IAM can In this case there are other clues - the line Under OSCR rules, charities must hold an help you. If you have problems obtaining a of the electricity poles can be seen over AGM according to a define schedule and discount (after carefully reading the T&Cs) the hedge on approach, and I could see so EDAM must hold a meeting soon. Scot please let us know. Also, be aware that the the oncoming van, although I did not Gov Covid-19 regulations prevent us from best bargains may not be from the vendors know it was towing a trailer. holding a physical meeting and so the only mentioned here so, as always, it can pay to option is a video conference. shop around. Here my plan to allow it to negotiate the bend before I entered. Arrangements are being made to hold this Some of the above discounts may have on 13th October and all full members will changed or may yet change due to current https://youtu.be/uJuB3WWib74 receive an email notification in due circumstances. Please make your own course. This will include nomination forms checks before committing to a purchase. for officers.

IAM Roadsmart offers discounts to all LAIDLAW TROPHY 2019 members and details are given on the IAM website. You need to log in before the Simon Towler was the full member winner discount page will appear. If you are of the Laidlaw Trophy back in 2019 and logged in, follow this link: https://goo.gl/ should have been presented with his tro- meChie phy at the 2020 AGM. Elliot did the hon- ours recently at The Steading. IAM discounts include savings on a range of goods and services. Of particular inter- est to motorcyclists would be: Helite Airvests (10%) & Bike-Seal (10%). There is also a 15% discount available at Bike Stop. EDAM discounts include the following. Please note that not all purchases will re- ceive the same level of discount. For exam- ple, most bike shops don’t discount tyres. This can vary from time-to-time and deal- er-to-dealer.

Visorcat manufactures an award-winning wash/wipe system for helmet visors. EDAM members receive a 15% discount by ordering online at www.visorcat.com and using the discount code EDAM. The latest version, the “Streetfighter” is available for an RRP of £33.99 before discount.

Roddy Benzies at Get-2-Grips Advanced Motorcycle Training offers EDAM members a special price of £130 for a full day’s one- to-one training, a significant reduction from the normal £190. http:// www.get2grips.co.uk/home.html

Saltire Motorcycles, Edinburgh: https:// www.saltiremotorcycles.com/ offer 10% discount on some parts. Two Wheels Honda/Triumph: http:// www.twowheels.co.uk/ offers 10% dis- count on some parts and clothing.

RIDING TIP by Elliot Beattie

When approaching a relatively blind bend, you can gauge the severity if there is an oncoming vehicle. How much of the vehi- cle's side can you see? Where you can see a complete side-on view of the vehi- Simon Towler & trophy © Elliot Beattie

TWISTGRIP 4 SEPTEMBER 2020 TWISTGRIP

LOOSE GRAVEL, LACK OF LOOS AND AN ERRANT CARAVAN by Carolyn Lamb

© Carolyn Lamb Sunday 16th August The camp was built as a PoW camp during and checked the electrics. With a friendly Sunday’s ride was full of the usual adven- the Second World War and housed what wave and “Thanks son!” the old couple tures and mishaps though fortunately, was regarded as some of the most danger- were soon on their way, none the worse none of our group was affected. The good ous PoWs. It was subsequently used by the for wear with Dougie and Alan’s karma deed score was definitely in credit courte- Army and Reserves as a training camp. I rating definitely increased. sy of Alan and Dougie at the end of the remember with nostalgia many a night hud- day, but more of that later. dled round the pot-bellied stoves in the The A85 took us along the banks of Loch

draughty Nissen huts on various hospital Earn and, as the traffic increased, some Thirteen of us set off on a rather dull but exercises. There is a nuclear-proof bunker good overtakes were needed. We rode dry day on a run organised by David Betts. at the far end of the camp which was built through St Fillans and Lochearnhead and The intention was to ride a loop taking in in the eighties with great secrecy but is now continued through Glenogle on the A85 to Aberfeldy which David had recc’ed on th a curious white elephant, unused and left Nix Toll. The old railway line can be seen Monday, 10 of August prior to the fa- th over from previous politically unstable high up on the hillside in Glenogle, with mous storm of the 11 . times. Victorian viaducts almost growing out of

the hillside. The railway was due to be We had a quick run up the M9/A9 with Onwards through the town of Comrie to closed in the Beeching cuts of the early David as run leader and Elliot as the coo’s our first stop at Tullybannocher Cafe. The sixties, but Mother Nature and a landslide tail, leaving the A9 onto the B8033. This is famous Tullybannocher giant scones were closed the railway a few weeks before a lovely twisty road running alongside the sadly not available but we had a pleasant Beeching’s swingeing cuts could do the river Allan Water and passing through the outside seat with coffee and bacon rolls, damage. Now where have I heard about charming village of Kinbuck. The road watching the passing traffic on the road. landslides again?! meandered through the Perthshire coun-

tryside and into the small town of Braco, We watched as a small camper van towing At Nix Toll, the drop off was definitely where a few locals stood and watched our a caravan pulled out of the park across the needed as the group had become well passing, with a frantically barking dog road. Suddenly, with a loud bang, the cara- spread out as we rode round the sharp objecting to our engines. van parted company from the tow hitch right turn onto the A827, riding towards

and slewed sideways across the road. For- the beautiful Falls of Dochart. The falls We shortly took a left turn onto the B827 ward our two heroes, Dougie and Alan were heaving with visitors and despite the without losing anyone as we all adhered rushed to the rescue. The poor old gentle- heavy rain and storm earlier in the week, to the drop-off system. The B827 is one of man who belonged the caravan looked a bit the water was not in full spate. It was my favourite roads passing over some shaken, but Dougie and Alan soon got the fabulous to see people out and about and higher ground with magnificent views, caravan straightened and hitched up with enjoying the Scottish countryside. With a then plunging into the valley where the another frantically barking dog yelling his quick wave of greeting to a party of bikers notorious Cultybraggan camp is situated. displeasure as Dougie leaned into the car TWISTGRIP 5 SEPTEMBER 2020 TWISTGRIP

in the small town we continued on our loose gravel and I noticed most of us The West Coast. Approx 180 miles. 19th way. throttled down to avoid skidding. However, September this was nothing on what was to come! Our party were now riding along the We had a wee laugh in the village of Dun- Over the Border to Middleton-on-Tees. northern bank of Loch Tay with the spec- ning as the locals watched in amazement as Approx 290 miles. 4th October tacular view of the loch spread out below we all birled around the village green. Yup, us, as we continued on to Kenmore and we missed the turning onto the B934 Yetts All rides begin and end at The Steading Aberfeldy. o’ Muckart road. The coo’s tail (Elliot) sat at the turn off and soon pointed us all in the Now, there are a few problems which be- right direction again. come apparent when ladies of a certain PLANNING AN EDAM age ride on a fairly cold day, when lock- Now the fun really began. down has closed lots of facilities. And one RUN YEAR by David Betts ‘wee’ problem was starting to become a The road was very badly flood damaged due problem. The loos in Aberfeldy were shut! to the thunderstorms a few days before. When the days darken, and many bikes Oh how I was regretting that large coffee There was muck and gravel thick on the are put to bed, or the old faithful “shed at Tullybannocher. Not to worry, I was road and it was fascinating to see the power bikes” are released for their salty winter sure I would manage. and damage that running water can do. We purgatory, my thoughts turn to the next all had to use great observation skills to year’s run schedule. First comes the diffi- After refuelling at Aberfeldy (what a faff anticipate where heaps of gravel were likely cult decision; do I uncork a bottle of white refuelling 13 bikes) we carried on through to accumulate below field entrances and in or a bottle of red to help with the deliber- Grantully and Dalguise. There were a few hollows. At one point, there were small ations? Once the decision is taken it is red deer spotted on the hillside near boulders in the road. The edges of the road time to boot up Google Maps to start the Grantully but I didn’t see any stags. had been undermined and shattered into process. cracked stony gullies, just what you don’t We had a short few miles on the A9 then need when negotiating a sharp left-hander. Stage one is to draw a virtual line that cut off quickly onto the A822 Old Military starts in Stirling and runs over to Hadding- road to Amulree and through the Sma’ Further on, I was awe-struck by a patch of ton and plot a mid-point between the Glen which was in full purple heather wavy and rippled road. The water had obvi- two, then out with the virtual compasses bloom, to our picnic lunch stop on the ously flowed under the road forcing it up and a circle with a 150 miles radius is cal- banks of the River Almond at the bottom into waves and ripples which echoed the culated as this is the limit for a one day of the glen. The lay-bys at the bottom of shape of the water and petrified the road run when the required twists and turns the glen were fairly busy with picnickers into amazing shapes. I carefully avoided that are calculated in. A typical year will in- enjoying the great outdoors and listening patch, not trusting the integrity of the hard- volve 8 group runs being planned, and I to the splashing river... which just served core underneath. Lower down the valley, will try for the main compass points with to remind me that my ‘wee’ problem was the edge of the road had fallen into the burn the exception of due east and west. Due becoming more pressing. completely, with a few feeble warning cones west as this would end up somewhere in placed alongside the undercut. The road the Atlantic, and due east as we would The sheep in the field opposite ambled probably should have been closed but it was end up the North Sea. My GS is up to along for a look at us and baa’ed their interesting and challenging to ride. most sorts of conditions but has yet to greetings while Elliot was giving us a short prove itself as being able to swim. Gen- tutorial on sheep identification. (They are We rode on for our final stop at Powmill eral directions being plotted, the next white, but some are black, some have where Charlie munched on the largest sand- stage is to look for some target locations horns and some don’t). wich I have ever seen and, after a wee bleth- to act as the focus for a day out, usually er, we said our goodbyes and hit the road with a well know and good watering hole I fruitlessly wandered about looking for a again taking the A823 past Knockhill before to stop for lunch. The essential elements possible hidey hole to ...erm...you know... joining the motorway for a quick blast back for a good days run are mid-morning and Some of the men very chivalrously offered to Edinburgh. mid-afternoon coffee stops (with a good to make a screen for me but I couldn’t... I bacon roll or traybake available) a good just couldn’t. So back on the bikes and All-in-all, it was a great day out with lovely, lunch stop and the availability of fuel re- David very kindly led us into Crieff for a interesting and challenging roads, great plenishment to take fluids on, and comfort stop at the garden centre. Hah! I company and few laughs along the way. “conveniences” to facilitate fluids out. wasn’t the only one needing to go! This year has been somewhat curtailed by When are we doing it again? the advent of Covid-19, so run parame- David originally intended the route to take ters have been changed somewhat as us through Glen Devon but he had heard attendees will have discovered, especially the road was closed due to, you’ve with “conveniences” being in short sup- guessed it, landslips so a hasty conference ply. I have been mightily impressed by the was convened and a new route was cho- Future Rides with David Betts ability of our group to ride for distance with legs crossed! sen along the B8062 to Auchterarder. This Please check the EDAM website or Facebook

was another lovely meandering road page for last-minute changes. through Perthshire farmland but we began For the six runs finally settled on for this to encounter signs of considerable water A Round-Trip to Kielder. Approx 210 miles. year I have gone (very roughly) for the run damage and gravel washed across the 6th September down via Eskdalemuir as south easterly, road. A nasty right-hander was coated in Dumfries and Galloway as south westerly,

TWISTGRIP 6 SEPTEMBER 2020 TWISTGRIP

Loch Tay as north easterly, Kielder as and restaurants are open, petrol stations I have worn the suit on a number of occa- south, Oban as west, or as far west as still exist, and the all-important sions now and I am very happy with the practical without swimming (see above) “conveniences” are still available. I can also fit. ’It s warm on cool days, however, at and Middleton-in-Teesdale for a bit of check road conditions, see if repairs have the time of writing I have not had the continental travel (well over the Border taken place, or again look for diversions if pleasure of wearing it in a downpour. counts as continental this year). In a nor- road surfaces are atrocious. This year there However, this being Scotland that time mal year there would have been more have been quite a few closures, a lot of sur- will come sooner rather than later. northerly runs to the north east, face dressing and even a route alteration Cairn’o’Mount being a favourite, and “on the hoof” with a road closure the day I won’t go into the fine details because north up to Cockbridge via Glenshee and before a run. these can easily be found on the internet. Braemar. Watch this space for next year. I’m happy with the D30 Air protectors, Once the general directions have been In all, for a calendar of 8 runs, at an approxi- they seem to be comfortable on long roughed out for each route then comes mate average of 225 miles per run, I rack up rides. The suit comes with integrated the time to start to look for roads to make in excess of 5,000 miles a year planning, braces which helps to support the weight life interesting. Some routes do involve plotting and leading the runs. A great excuse of the suit, thus adding to the comfort. sections of motorway as a means to the to get out and do almost double the average end of getting to interesting stretches, but UK bike mileage on some great roads and after that the routes are planned to try eventually with some great people. EDAM and take in some nice A-road sweepers, members are always most welcome to join some B-road twisties and, where possible, in so come along and try a run. some minor roads with a smattering of grass up the middle, gravel on the bends and sheep lurking in ambush to keep riding and observational skills up to scratch. RIDING TIP by Elliot Beattie So far, the planning has involved sitting in front of a screen, relying partly on memo- When you catch up with a vehicle ahead, it ries of runs past, and the facility of Google is worth thinking about the vehicle, even if Maps to switch from map to satellite to not immediately planning to overtake. get a feel for what may be involved. Next up is getting my old shed bike (now freshly In this example I catch up with a horse trail- restored by a nice man after time made er. The pace & manner of towing, plus not available during lock down) and hitting the being able to see any horse contents ( they road to look at the routes. A Garmin is could have been small ponies?) suggested it attached, not with routes plotted in, but to was empty. download just where I have ended up go- ing at the end of each day. Fortunately, we Passing an accompanied horses hazard sign do get good fresh days in February and suggested a riding stables ahead might be March so I head out to my proposed loca- its destination, so I was expecting it to turn tions and ride around the target focus off somewhere, though I wasn't expecting locations to see if I can get royally lost and the trailer lights to be unplugged! find some new roads that I have never ridden before. Hopefully then some new If unsure, always best to hold back and see roads which other riders will not have rid- what develops. den before, especially the grass up the middle with gravel and sheep variety. https://youtu.be/if2NGnOK8Cw Once these initial recce runs have been Image from: https://bit.ly/3blq9nk ridden I can download where I have been and adjust my first thoughts for routes to What I really like is the small pocket on incorporate any new and interesting varia- RUKKA SAANA SUIT the outside of the left wrist which is really

tions found. The runs are given names and By Graham Baxter handy for your bike keys when you stop finally published in Twistgrip and loaded for a coffee. If you are like me, it’s always onto Facebook (an arcane art left to oth- About 15 years ago I bought an Alpine Stars a faff to remember which pocket the keys ers) with headline details of the “where Drystar all-in-one textile over suit; it was are in before setting off again. tos” and “whens”. I try for a mix of Satur- fully waterproof. I used to wear it over my days and Sundays as some days suit mem- work clothes and simply removed it when I If the Rukka Saana suit lasts as long as my bers more than others. got to work. Recently it started leaking and old Alpinestars Drystar suit, then I can’t it was embarrassing to find it let in water complain. The Rukka Saana comes with a around the crotch area, so it was time to As each run gets closer I will then try a do 6-year warranty, so hopefully it will out- find a replacement. I did not want one-piece a final recce run no more than 14 days last my old suit. before the run is due to take place and racing leathers, so I researched the internet usually within 7 days if possible. This al- and found that Sportsbike Shop had a deal lows me to check that the run is still possi- on the Rukka Saana Gore-Tex Textile Motor- ble, no road closures are due (or at least cycle Suit and it was reduced in price from alternative diversions are possible) cafes £999 to £599.99, along with free delivery.

TWISTGRIP 7 SEPTEMBER 2020 TWISTGRIP

MY FOURTH BIKE (or, My Bikes part 4 of 4) by David Currie I've made very few mods to the bike: front mudguard extender, heated grips (now considered compulsory by me) and, to improve the riding position, I fitted Helibar handlebars (bought from eBay). The geometry changes are small, but they definitely helped.

So, I hear you ask, which bike do I prefer? The VFR is undoubtedly a great bike - fast, capable and handsome, and on certain days it's the go-to option. The Fazer is more relaxed and less demanding, so on most other days that's the one I wheel out of the garage.

Ultimately perhaps it's unfair to compare the two bikes as they are very different, but one thing is for sure (and I've men- tioned this before) the Fazer is unlikely ever to be sold. Take from that what you will!

FOR SALE

At last! the final part recounting the four came with full hard luggage, was low mile- Givi SRA5108 Monokey Aluminium Adap- (and only four) bikes I've owned in 25 age and in its 'Pearl Heron Blue' paint tor Plate - BMW R1200 GS Supplied fitting years of motorcycling. looked the business. It had been off the kit included. Little used and in good condi- road for a while, so it was serviced at the tion. Over the winter of 2013-14, the seed of a seller's expense, a price was agreed and in notion started to germinate: how about July 2014 bike number 4 arrived at its new getting a stable mate for the Fazer? Whilst home. I was perfectly happy with 'old faithful', occasionally I would think that having an- After being used to the one bike for so long other bike would be entertaining, perhaps it was inevitable that the comparisons be- even educational (from a riding-style and tween the two machines were many and maintenance perspective). Also, most of varied. The VFR was larger and heavier, its my closest riding friends had at least two turning circle was bigger. It is a complex bikes. I'm not saying I was jealous of machine: VTEC, ABS, linked brakes, fuel course, but I warmed to the idea of being injection and so on. The Fazer is light, nim- able to say "Hmm, which bike will I take ble and easy to maintain. From a capability out today?" point of view however, the VFR was, unsur- prisingly, miles ahead. The handling, even So, what to get? Bigger engine? Probably. with loaded luggage, was a revelation; and Touring capability? Yes. Commuting? Un- my God was it quick. The first time the likely (the Fazer would take care of that VTEC valves kicked in my thoughts were chore). Naked or faired? Probably faired. "Wooo-hoo, flippin' 'eck! Warp speed Mr Price: £70. New or used? Let's see what's out there. Scott!" ...or words to that effect. Contact Adrian on 07926647679 The frontrunner for a while was the Fazer Talking of VTEC; some people dislike the, as 1000, a well-regarded machine and the they put it, on-off nature of the valves acti- 'wee Fazer/big Fazer' element certainly vating. Personally, I've never found it a appealed, but an opportunity for some- problem - revs and engine note let you thing else popped up. I was helping a know when they're going to kick in. And the neighbour shift some things in his (very change in engine and exhaust note can be busy) garage and there, in the corner, was quite addictive! a 2005 Honda VFR800 VTEC (ABS). It be- longed to his son who had moved to Oz Other comparisons included: headlights and he was considering selling it. I asked (Fazer grim, VFR brilliant); fuel consumption for first refusal and went and did some (Fazer frugal, VFR greedier); drive chain homework. The sports tourer style was a tensioning (Fazer tedious, VFR a doddle); good fit to what I wanted. The bike itself riding position (Fazer perfect, VFR not so much).

TWISTGRIP 8 SEPTEMBER 2020 TWISTGRIP

Motorcycle Emptiness: The Psychology of Motorcycling superb comeback album, Vapor Trails.

(or, how to get your brain into gear) by Jill Boulton Maybe it was Peart’s experience that in- spired me to get back on my motorcycle recently, after the following juxtaposition of events caused an extreme attack of motorcycle emptiness:

1. New bike purchase at the end of the 2019 season; bike dropped on second ride out 2. Bike away for weeks during lock- down getting lowered 3. Vehicle movement restrictions due to COVID-19 4. Busy life due to COVID-19 5. No reason to ride? 6. Other problems, which knocked my usual positive mental attitude.

I knew what I needed: to get out on the bike more. But this was 2020 when we had to save the NHS, and the last thing the NHS needed was a load of hooligan motorcyclists out enjoying the playground of empty roads. So I didn’t go out, but instead joined my EDAM’s very helpful Neil Peart & R1200GS © Michael Mosbach & used with permission Zoom chat in May on the subject of getting out on one’s motorcycle for the The Manic Street Preachers’ excellent first logical block that prevents you from swing- first time in a while. album, Generation Terrorists, was particu- ing your leg over your bike in the first larly notable for the track Motorcycle Emp- place? The next day, I went out for a little pootle tiness. For me, motorcycle emptiness is an and enjoyed it, but then the bike was put acute psychological condition that can be First, let me indulge in another music-cum- away again and the old problems resur- triggered by any one of the following motorcycling reference. I can’t discuss the faced. Lack of hours in the saddle reduc- symptoms: subject of motorcycling and psychology ing the likelihood of me getting any hours much further without reference to the late in the saddle. A vicious circle. 1. Not owning a motorcycle; Neil Peart of rock legends Rush, a band I (particularly on a warm sunny day) was lucky enough to see a few years back. I wonder if Mr Peart chose to ignore the 2. Being unable to ride one’s motor- (I’ve also seen the Manic Street Preachers ‘Y’ in his pre-ride ‘P-O-W-D-E-R-Y’ checks cycle; (particularly on a warm sun- twice, but we’ll stick to the subject of mo- (or whichever mnemonic you wish to use) ny day) torcycling psychology for the moment). before he rode off on his epic journey – 3. A psychological block/negative ‘Y’ representing the state of the rider, and feeling relating to one’s motorcy- Peart, a brilliant lyricist and one of rock whether they’re fit to press the start cle, which prevents the rider from music’s most celebrated drummers, was button. Let’s face it, Peart didn’t really riding. also a motorcyclist, and it’s no exaggeration care what happened to him on that ride. to say that a motorcycle trip saved Peart’s But for me, there was a big WHY? for my I’ve experienced all three symptoms of life. Twenty years ago, overwhelmed by ‘Y’, which stopped me riding at all. How- Motorcycle Emptiness during my motorcy- grief after the deaths of both his daughter ever, if Peart could ride 55,000 miles after cling lifetime, but an unfortunate juxtapo- and wife within a year of each other, Peart the trauma he went through, surely I sition of events conspired to bring about a locked up his home and hung up his drum- could ride for a couple of hours? So yes- severe attack of symptom 3 this year, sticks, telling his bandmates Geddy Lee and terday, I did just that – which wasn’t which, at its worst, was so bad I even con- Alex Lifeson that Rush were finished. He enough, so I rode a couple more hours, sidered selling my bike - purchased just 10 then loaded his BMW R1100GS with a few with a couple of breaks in between. months ago! essentials including a journal, and rode away, not knowing (or indeed caring) if he And what a natural high I got from those This was serious, and illustrates the signifi- would ever return. miles – not even 100 miles, but every one cance of rider attitude. There has been a joy, with my confidence rising as the plenty of discussion about how motorcy- Many months and 55,000 miles later, Peart number on the tacho grew. clists are the happiest commuters and returned home. His motorcycle rides in suffer less from stress, and how they need- nature had led to an epiphany of sorts, Having the right state of mind and atti- ed to get out during the 2020 lockdown to which had given him a new reason to live. tude is absolutely crucial when riding. save their mental health. The mental Peart’s motorcycling journal became a Some may say that skill, training and ex- health benefits of motorcycling are well book, Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing perience is key to good motorcycling, but documented, but what about the psycho- Road, and Rush lived again, returning with a the rider also needs to be in the right

TWISTGRIP 9 SEPTEMBER 2020 TWISTGRIP

‘place’ psychologically. Positive mental of-the-mill road bike like mine, is a com- attitude, self-esteem and confidence are promise. It has to be, because the manu- all key themes here. facturer doesn’t know the weight of the

rider or riding style and, even if they did, Having said that, when you ride, you can’t sensibly think about much else, so the very there are such a wide range of road and act of riding - a total mind-body-soul expe- environmental conditions that there can rience – takes the rider to a higher plane. never be a perfect setting. This means And this reminds me of a conversation I that if you are much lighter or heavier had once with my brother and Visorcat than the average weight used by the man- inventor, Alan Boulton. When I talked about yoga and meditation he replied ufacturer, the suspension setup will be “motorcycling is my meditation” which of sub-optimal. course it is, and is why I don’t like ‘rider For the suspension to have a chance of aids’ much. One last try at a reduced price. working properly, it needs to be set up to Shoei Neotec in gloss black. In unmarked Now, where did I put my copy of Zen and allow the springs and dampers to operate condition, having been worn for a total of the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by within a certain range of movement – less than 10 hours and then put away. I Robert Pirsig? Or perhaps I should dig out somewhere between “topping out” and paid £399.99 for this about 3 years ago. Motorcycle Roadcraft and re-read … or ”bottoming out”. These limits are gov- maybe I should just ride. I’m bound to Size S (55 - 56cm) erned by the strength of the spring and leave my Motorcycle Emptiness behind. the weight of the bike & rider. Comes with original box and internal pack-

aging, unopened owners manual and acces- To optimise the suspension spring perfor- FOR SALE sories, storage bag and an unused, un-fitted mance, we need to set the “sag” – the Pinlock insert. Date on internal label is amount by which the suspension natural- 18/04/2017 but it has lived in its bag, in its ly compresses under the weight of the boxed for all but those 10 hours of wear. It bike and rider when compared to its max- was last worn about 12 months ago. imum extension (when there is no weight on the wheels). This is done by adjusting I would like £125. I can probably deliver or the pre-load of the springs – basically meet in Fife or Edinburgh area. bunching them up, or relaxing them a bit. Contact: [email protected] Now I have set the scene, I will hand over to an expert who will tell you how to set the suspension sag far better than I can. I SAG by Glynn Jones video paints a thousand words, as they say. Bear in mind that your bike may have I have been unhappy with my bike’s sus- non-adjustable front suspension, in which pension for a while. Its response to undula- case your only option is to change the tions on the road, particularly at the front springs. That’s something you might also felt uncontrolled. I decided to do something need to do if you cannot adjust the front (cheap) about it. or rear sag to be correct. The bike is a 2008 Suzuki GSF1250SA and it https://www.youtube.com/watch? has conventional forks and a single rear v=ZtzTyCKh5fY shock absorber. https://www.youtube.com/watch? The front forks are adjustable for spring v=FjGgq1z9zbo preload and the rear preload and rebound damping are also adjustable. In my case, I could just manage to adjust the front to be correct. That, combined Pair of gloves Richa Hurricane Gore-Tex – I don’t know much about suspension, but I with the rear sag adjustment and return- size L (9) - too small for me, worn once decided to compare the current settings £50 (cost £99). ing the damping to the standard setting, with the manual to see how far away from made a huge difference to the handling ‘standard’ they were. The answer was quite Contact me at sandydickson@centra- and feel of the bike. consult.com a lot! I returned everything to standard as a first step and then resorted to YouTube for some advice.

Motorcycle suspension, especially on a run-

TWISTGRIP 10 SEPTEMBER 2020