The Journal The BMW Club magazine August 2015 £3.00 The Editorial Team Editor: Stewart Lowthian, 29 Wagg Street, Contents The Journal Congleton, CW12 4BA. 01260 279 126 [email protected] From The Editor’s Desk 4 Features/Articles: Peter Wright. features@ President’s Platform 5 August 2015 bmwclubuk.net Torque Reaction 6 Torque Reaction: Paul Nadin, 49 Berkshire The Official BMW Club within the UK and Drive, Congleton, CW12 1SB. 01260 279 443 Romania and the Balkans 11 Republic of Ireland [email protected] www.thebmwclub.org.uk Comparing Sailing and Motorcycling 15 Mutual Aid: Maurice Weldon, 21 Lawnwood General Enquiries: 0800 0854045 Drive, Goldthorpe, Rotherham, S63 9GD Bottom-Up through the Americas 17 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 07752 904 334 [email protected] Southport Superbikes at St Michael’s 19 Commercial Display Advertisements: Jim Bruce, The Firs, Bayview Crescent, Buildbase Merchandise Offer 21 Broadford, Isle of Skye IV49 9D 01471 820 Past but Present 22 408 [email protected] Small Business Advertisements: Charles The Social Scene 27 Knight, 4 Homelands, New Road, Porchfield, The Sections 28 Isle of Wight, PO30 4LS ,01983 520 847 Correspondence on any Journal matter not covered 07521 695 992 [email protected] Around the Compass 30 by the officers listed here should be sent to the Editor who will forward it as appropriate. 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Oak Tree Farm, Heath Road, Banham 01343 870 389 [email protected] NR16 2HS This month’s cover photograph from Delegates to other organisations 01953 888 415 [email protected] Tony Moores shows his R 1200 GS BMF: Ian M Dobie. 01793 729 016 or Keith Thomas, Triple Black and Geoff Wilson’s Sidecar Register Secretary: 07803 206 893 [email protected] Hawkbarrow Cottage, Gosforth, Cumbria F 800 GS at the lighthouse at Ru Stoer Position vacant CA20 1ER FBHVC: in the North West Highlands. Between 01946 725 152. [email protected] Vehicle dating & DVLA enquires: Robert them Tony and Geoff have served 20 Freeman. 169 Creek Road, March, PE15 8RY years as club Presidents. 01354 656 569 [email protected] August 2015 The BMW Club Journal 3 From The Editor’s Desk The Summer National Rally attempts) so guidance from those who’ve mastered it is welcome. The best source Jim Lepley, who has been collecting the of advice I’ve found can be found at payments for the event, tells me that http://www.newenglandriders.org/ bookings are arriving daily and numbers Learn_BaseCamp.htm,. It’s a substantial announcing its’ demise. It turned out to be look good. He also tells me that the last date document, with plenty of worked examples, the front brake switch falling apart. It’s not for bookings to be with him is by Friday 21st unfortunately all of their home area. The the most common fault (although if I look August so they need to be posted in good initial few pages, however, were enough to hard enough on-line I’m sure I’ll find lots time to reach him. After then members will be helpful. I found it in a posting on www. of similar occurrences), which is perhaps have to take pot luck and try to book direct ukgser.com, where all manner of advice, why a new switch had to be ordered for me. with Chippy Carpenter, who’s organising some of it helpful, can be found among the Williams Motorrad ordered the parts for the weekend. If you’re thinking of going but banter. me on Tuesday morning, they arrived with haven’t already booked then please help the them on Friday and, by the miracle of first- organisers by filling in the booking form on Working Again class post, I signed for them on Saturday the back of The Journal (a photocopy is fine morning in time to fit them before the if you don’t want to cut up the magazine) The GS was sat in the shed feeling poorly Northern Section meeting at St. Michaels’ and sending it off today. for a few days last week. Before we went on on Sunday. Fitting the switch officially It matters that we have a good turnout holiday I followed the advice of a couple of requires the full BMW disgnostic system for the rally. In previous years numbers have recall letters from BMW and had the rear which I don’t have but it can perfectly well been disappointing and losses have been brake flange replaced and the fuel pump be done without by carefully adjusting made. If the National Rally can’t break checked for cracks. Returning to have the the switch so it clicks before the master even then its’ future is called into question. fuel pump replaced as Williams didn’t have cylinder starts to pressurise the system. In my opinion, and I don’t claim to speak one in stock on my first visit, and to have This ensures that the servo starts before the for anyone else here, it’s unfair for everyone the brake fluid changed (in theory I know brakes are applied.