LEARN TO RIDE SAFER, SMOOTHER AND MAKE PROGRESS (NORTH WEST)

[templer]

Hone your riding skills

S.L.A.M (South Lancashire Advanced Motorcyclists)


Why not raise your riding skills to the standard of the advanced test?
It is not expensive, and it is within the reach of most riders. Most of all you will enjoy it.
It also knocks 5-15% off most insurance policys.

Where else can you do an advanced motorcycling course for ?85?

Come along to one of our meetings shown below or have a look at our website and learn more. www.slambikers.co.uk

We meet:
First Thursday of every month, 8pm at:-

The Hartwood Pub/Restaurant
Preston road
Chorley
PR6 7AX

(Just off junction 8 M61)

 

[paulfkay]

I have just passed my advanced test with slam. I can heartily reccomend the course and the club to everyone. At ?85 it is a bargain and no matter how good a rider you are, you would be certain to pick up a thing or two.

 

[templer]

Cheers paul, glad you enjoyed it.

Anybody who fancies finding out more about SLAM and the advanced rider training please get in touch. Our next course begins in March 08 and is a great way to hone your skills when you might feel a bit rusty after the winter break.
But get in touch sooner rather than later as our first course of the year is also our most popular! R#?

Cheers.
Clint.

 

[Rob N/West]

SLAM , not the best acronym

 

[templer]

Made you look though!

 

[Gerrard]

Riding Safe.

I'm not slateing these Advance Motorcycle courses, as it's each to their own. But my bobs worth is..
I learnt more about riding when I was a dispatch rider than I ever did on one of those courses, mainly due to you learning to survive rather than making progress as they say..I took a Police riding test some 20 years ago and did dispatching for 15 years.
I'm not knocking any one just thinking aloud, and of course when I was dispatching I was getting paid for it which was good fun.
Zippo.

 

[Bob Pinder]

I'm not slatting these Advance Motorcycle courses as its each to there own. But my bobs worth is..
I learned more about riding when I was a Dispatch Rider than I ever did on one of them courses mainly due to you learning to survive rather than making progress as they say..I took a Police riding test some 20 years ago and done dispatching for 15 years.
I'm not knocking any one just thinking aloud. and of course when I was dispatching I was getting payed for it which was good fun.
Zippo.

And your point is :dunno:

 

[Gerrard]

Bob

I just wanted too reach 700 posts. Thats all.
Zippo

 

[Gerrard]

Question

A serious question then.
Re the post of mine above on making progress and what you think it means.
I seem to think that it's just an excuse to ride above the speed limit because if you were in court for speeding and your excuse was "I was making progress, Your Honor" my guess is, you would still get fined.
So what is the point to 'making progress' if in fact it's illegal to speed?
Zippo.

 

[templer]

Hi the term 'making progress' does not mean speeding, in fact, if you were to speed as part of the IAM test then you would fail, just as you would fail if you failed to stop at a stop junction or crossed solid white lines on your side of the road.

The term 'making progress' means that by having a higher level of awareness of hazards and other road users, being able to make better decisions and having the confidence to safely take the opportunities that arise you find yourself getting from A to B more quickly than you did before without breaking the law. Because in doing this you are planning much further ahead you also find yourself riding more smoothly and safely than you did before.

It can be a difficult thing to get across but when you do the course it all starts to click!

Why not give us a try and decide for yourself?
Cheers.
Clint.

 

[Gerrard]

Making Progress

Hi Templer.
If you come to a junction as you said and then crossed the white line that would be bad riding, but for example if you are on the motorway travelling at 70 mph (the legal limit) and travelling at the same speed as other traffic you are not making progress. If you overtake at let's say 80mph (even if you return to 70mph) you are making progress but still (in the eyes of the law) speeding, so it's back to what I said, it seems to me that making progress and speeding can go hand in hand, a that goes whatever the speed limit is.
I truly understand what you are on about but the term 'making progress' is an anathema, making progress is just plain old fashioned awareness from years of biking experience.
Zippo

PS perhaps when the courses are run in Spain you might care to invite me again?

 

[Valley Boy Greg]

Templer is correct in saying that progress can be achieved without speeding however Graphite is also correct in saying that years of experience and riding as a courier probably means he is already riding that way.

The little things that help make progress that others sometimes miss:

Entry to the roundabout at the perfect time relies on good ob's of the traffic flow. IN and OUT while others are still thinking about it.

Selecting the best lane for progress (where you have a choice within the law - not necessarily the one with the least number of vehicles) on approach to junctions and roundabouts.

Seeing that the overtake is on very, very early.

Passing the slow movers when they are building up speed after slowing down or turning.

All obvious stuff but you will find some will make better progress with their manouvres yet they are taking greater risks!

 

[Gerrard]

Ridding.

Hi Guys.
I dont know what the format is now for one of these tests but a thing that is never mentioned outside observation/ speed/ awareness etc is you own body.
For example.
Be aware of not getting too tired, too hot or cold, right clothes for the weather if possible (if you do get cold a good method of getting warm is to put you hands under the hot air drier in the toilets), make sure you have eaten properly, in hot weather make sure you dring enough fluid ect. etc.
You see a lot written about the bike and riding of it but all this will fall apart if you don?t do the best for yourself in any given situation.
Zippo

 

[templer]

Yep i agree with all those comments.

Graphite-When we say stick rigidly to those speed limits that has got to be the case for the test and the observed runs, as otherwise some of the riders would not learn any sort of restraint and therefore not learn to spot those those early overtakes or less restrictive lanes that valley boy Greg is talking about, instead some trainees would simply pile it on and take the big risk stuff.

When the test is passed riders will tend to use the majority of what was learnt throughout the course but adapt it to suit their own style of riding so this may well mean keeping up with the flow of traffic in certain situations but as we all know it is then down to us all as an individual to face the music if caught speeding.

Why Spain? From what i have experienced the roads can be very rough, i found France to be much better.

Whereabouts do you live?

Cheers!

 

[Gerrard]

Why Spain? From what i have experienced the roads can be very rough, i found France to be much better.

Whereabouts do you live?

Cheers!

Hi Templer.
I agree with you that France has better roads they always have done, (that goes for the trains as well) but as a rule of thumb I would say that the roads in Spain (at least in Andalucia north of Malaga where we are) are as good as the roads in the UK and are improving all the time.
Being 5 times bigger than the UK there are thousands of miles of roads, and you can find roads of all types from 3 mile straights and long sweepers to roads that have no straights at all, some are just fast and some are bloody fast and there is not too many roads with blind bends on them either.
If you want bad roads try Italy they are either very good or downright dangerous.
Just a few examples from our house you have the Sierra Nevada mountain range (80 miles from our door to the peak) Gibraltar only 120 miles away and of course from Algeciras over to the African coast. Then of course you have the Moto GPs, three in Spain and one in Estoril, Portugal which is 300 miles away
Add to the above minimum road tax, petrol 70p a litre and 300 days sunshine a year and I know where I prefer!!
The last time I got a bike ferry from the UK to Calais it cost ?125, for that money I can ride to Pisa in Italy on blinding roads.
Cheers Zippo

 

[Valley Boy Greg]

Oh my God, you've just described a biking heaven.

Pyrenees last year was great, roads on the french side were a bit broken up but on the Spanish side they were superb. All around Catalonia was great the Spanish are certainly putting their EU money to good use.

What is Southern Spain like for touring, twisties, places of interest and magnificent scenery?
It is on my "TO DO LIST" and i've read on an internet guide that the Sierra Nevada has the highest road pass in Europe.

 

[templer]

Sounds good mate, ill have a look at your site.

Cheers

 

[Gerrard]

Oh my God, you've just described a biking heaven.


What is Southern Spain like for touring, twisties, places of interest and magnificent scenery? It is on my "TO DO LIST" and i've read on an internet guide that the Sierra Nevada has the highest road pass in Europe.

Hi Greg
The Sierra Nevada is only an hour from us and the scenery either in the summer or winter is spectacular.. last weekend we rode with Dirty Sanchez and TFMS a couple of times to Jaen and also to the coast near Pedregalejo.. warm weather, long straights, uncluttered roads,sweeping bends, stunning scenery and cheap fuel, what better way to spend your time? Fortunately we live here but Sanchez comes over as much as possible.. stick us on the top of your 'to do' list.. last year we had two youngsters come from the Midlands for 10 days on a 600 Bandit.. they did the 1500 miles in 2 days- God Bless 'em!! Look at my signature below.. all the info you need is there!!
You can ask anything you want to know through my wife?s email addie on the advertising site.
We can provide secure bike parking and even show you round a bit.. the Ronda pass is often featured in bike mags.. there is not another road like it!
Regards from the sunshine
Zippo

 

[Valley Boy Greg]

Can't fault it.

High up on my "TO DO LIST" and saved in Favourites.

Cheers

 

[templer]

Anyone who fancies honing their skills in preparation for what happens after the winter 'lay off' then give SLAM a bell. 8ree!

Our first course of the spring will start in March 07 but this is our most popular course and gets booked up pretty quick! So get your name down. Find out more about us at www.slambikers.co.uk

Cheers!