Tag: tvam editorial

Barrie Smith Chairman TVAM

From the Chair (November 2021)

Posted on | by Barrie Smith

It was great to see the photographs, the article by Brian Walmsley and the quotes from the attendees of the infamous 7Ws in last month’s Slipstream. After being postponed multiple times due to COVID, it’s great to see the fun had by so many.

I was lucky enough to spend the last weekend in October as a guest at the Bournemouth & Wessex Advanced Motorcyclists observer weekend. North Devon as some excellent and challenging roads, set in some of the most beautiful countryside. It’s fair to say that the weather wasn’t completely kind to us and the road conditions required a little extra thought as we rode throughout the two days.

As well as wet roads and the odd piece of tree branch laying in the road, riding at this time of the year means having to contend with a low sun. It’s not just the sun in your face, it can often reflect in the wet road surface, in our mirrors affecting our rear observation or piercing through the trees creating a strobe effect across our eyes. This can be distracting at best and disastrous if carrying just a little too much speed or riding close to our limit.

Other hazards to look out for are microclimates. Tree-covered roads may not fully dry out, even on a bright sunny day. Patches of mist or fog can be present when travelling close to water. Icy patches on damp surfaces that are not exposed to sunlight and on bridges where the surface temperature is often lower than the standard road surface. Understanding that these conditions exist and building them into our riding plan is all part of becoming an advanced motorcyclist.

I’m sure you have all heard the phrase, “there is no such thing as poor weather, just inappropriate clothing”. So, consider a little more what you wear on a bike in poor conditions; layer up on cold days and change that tinted visor for a clear one, perhaps with a pinlock or similar anti-fog system on your visor.

Shorter days often mean that we are having to ride in poor light or complete darkness. There is a great article in the latest IAM RoadSmart magazine, specifically about driving and riding at night. A range of specialists give their top tips on driving and riding in the dark, with Rhys Hughes, Head of Driver Training for Avon & Somerset Constabulary chosen to speak about motorcycling. He advises how riding at night can be relaxing, warning about not getting lulled into a false sense of security on those nice quiet roads. Further views from an ambulance crew, a highway maintenance worker, a Royal Airforce driver and a racing driver negotiating the Mulsanne straight at 170mph at Le Mans is certainly worth a read. Understanding other people’s views can massively improve on our own knowledge.

And that’s the point really. As advanced motorcyclists we have a responsibility to continuously improve our knowledge base. The advanced Rider Course (ARC) book has a section on riding in inclement weather and riding at night in the appendices. If you don’t want to ride in the wet, low sun or at night-time, consider broadening your knowledge so that you can do it if you need to.

Finally, many of us choose to ride all year round and there are many things that the Club continues to offer during the winter months. However, if you prefer to lay your bike up for the winter, then maybe take a look at the article by Andy Slater in the December edition of Slipstream 2020. There’s some great practical advice on how to prepare your bike for winter storage to ensure that it’s in great condition when it comes out of hibernation next spring. You can find copies of Slipstream in the All Members Section of Groups.io, under the files tab on the left-hand side.

Have fun and stay safe everyone.

Barrie Smith

Chairman

Chris Brownlee

From The Saddle (October 2021)

Posted on | by Chris Brownlee

Many of you will know Rapid Training as a provider of advanced motorcycle riding and that we have had a close relationship with them for many years, not least because we use Rapid to develop our Observers’ riding skills.

Rapid Training is undergoing a transformation in the training that they offer and the coaching skills that go with this. They are getting a much wider range of riding experiences for their coaches and they are even sponsoring a BSB team to learn from their track riding skills.

We have been working with Rapid Training to develop our Observer riding skills package, and Rapid Training has also developed some track skills sessions – one of which, on 13th October, they offered to TVAM members at a discounted rate. We are continuing to develop these riding skills packages with them, and hope to be able to offer more dedicated sessions for TVAM members later this year.

Continuing the focus on training, many of you have asked about our cornering skills course, Look, Lean, Roll (LLR). Pressure on bike testing meant that the DVSA withdrew our access to the motorcycle manoeuvring areas, where we ran the course, meaning that we had no venue. We have been working to secure another venue and, whilst we’re not quite there yet, we are well advanced with a potentially great venue, and we hope to have this in place for our LLR courses next year.

We’re also about to announce the first step in the revision of our Associate Training Programme. This first step will equip all Associates with a record card that will provide them, and Observers, with a concise record of their training and development plans. Once we have this in place, we hope to enhance the programme further with better tracking and learning.

The weather is obviously on the change and the evenings are drawing in earlier, meaning that the potential for evening social runs is much reduced. There is lots going on, though, and we’re booking plenty of cross checks, advanced tests, advanced plus rides and there are many social rides still being organised through local teams, so please take advantage of the opportunities for riding and further development. Some of the initial exuberance that we saw with the return to riding is being tempered and riding standards are being maintained – please keep this up, especially as the weather deteriorates and skills become more important.

We are now back at St. Crispin’s for our regular monthly meeting. It’s great to see everyone there and we will continue to make adjustments as required to keep people safe. If you’re able, please
come along for an observed ride or a social ride and celebrate what a great club we are.

Hope to see you on ride out sometime soon.

Best wishes

Chris Brownlee
Chief Observer

Barrie Smith Chairman TVAM

From the Chair (September 2021)

Posted on | by Barrie Smith

Wow, is it September already? Summer appeared short-lived, and it does seem that when going out for a ride I now reach for the mid-season gloves and Rukka gear, rather than the summer jacket and bike jeans. Yes, Autumn is now officially upon us.

I do hope that many of you were able to get away, relax and enjoy yourselves during this second strange summer we have experienced and perhaps found new parts of the country on your motorcycle. It seems that many have headed north to Scotland to do the North Coast 500 and of course across to Wales to play on arguably some of the best roads in the UK.

August saw a return to St. Crispin’s with a record number of you in attendance and how great it was to be a part of it, seeing so many happy faces, old friends and a whole host of new ones. Over 100 new members have joined in the 17 months since we were last able to meet together in our monthly Club meeting.

Officially there were 315 bikes at St Crispin’s, smashing the previous Club record of 290 in August 2017. What a great job all the teams did to ensure that so many new people were welcomed warmly. A huge thank you to the local teams who arranged rides into St. Crispin’s for new members and Associates, the Meet & Greet Team, Red Badge Zone and others who helped people move around the school to ensure they got to where they were meant to be throughout the morning. What a great job Amanda did of allocating Associates to Observers to enable everyone that wanted an observed ride to get one. I do not think I’ve ever seen the stage so packed. Thank you also to all of our helpers on the tea bar that kept us going throughout the morning. There were people out there that believed St Crispin’s was a myth, yes you Mr Boulter, however that was well and truly put to bed with such a great attendance.

So, as we say goodbye to summer, it doesn’t mean that we must hang up our helmets and gloves just yet. After three previous cancellations, the 40th edition of 7Ws is about to take place. In just a week’s time about 80 members of the Club will be heading to the Commodore Hotel in Llandrindod Wells for this long-awaited event. It’s been two years since the 39th running of the event and it is shaping up to be an amazing weekend for all that attend.

Over the last month we have seen three training runs, organised by CLAMS, RAMS & WOBMOB as well as the return of the Advanced Bike Control course at RAF Odiham. Thanks to everyone that worked to put those events on for the membership.

If any of you are planning a social ride, don’t forget to send it out on Groups.io and contact Salli, our editor, so she can get it into Slipstream to advertise it.

I’m off on my hols now, so won’t be seeing you this month (stop cheering). Have fun and stay safe and I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in October.

Barrie Smith

Chairman

Chris Brownlee

From The Saddle (August 2021)

Posted on | by Chris Brownlee

Well, the Covid-19 government restrictions have been lifted in England, for the time being at least. We are, therefore, planning a return to our monthly meeting at St. Crispin’s and I look forward to seeing you at the meeting on 15th August, which will be at St. Crispin’s School in Wokingham.

We have quite a few new TVAM members since the lockdown who have never been to a St. Crispin’s meeting – and quite a few that don’t believe it really exists! Please ensure that those in your Local Team are included in the plans to attend St. Crispin’s and I would like to encourage all Observers to help their Associates to attend.

Because there are still issues around Covid-19 we’ll be taking steps to try and keep everyone safe. This will include wearing face coverings when indoors and we might try and hold some of the meeting outdoors if possible. So there may be a few changes for our first meeting and we’d like to encourage you to keep an eye out for those who may look a little ‘lost’ and direct them to the Red Zone or Green Team desks as appropriate.

Ultimate Ear will be in attendance and as well as offering their standard discount on impressions and ear protection, will also have a special offer on in-ear monitors. Mark Hammond of MH Racing will also be on site offering his on-site suspension check and adjustment for £25 (cash only) – well worth it to get your suspension set up.

The change in restrictions also means that we can organise larger runs and trips away, in England at least. Different rules apply in Scotland and Wales with the restriction levels changing on 7th August in Wales, and on 9th August in Scotland, so if you’re planning trips it’s wise to check first. Although larger runs are allowed, many people have preferred the smaller runs that were used during some of the lockdown period, and we are therefore encouraging run leaders, if they wish, to set limits on the number of participants – so there’s no pressure to take out a run of 40 if you don’t want to!

Our new TVAM website at www.tvam.org and our open Facebook page offer free taster rides, so potential members can see what sort of coaching we offer, and what
sort of club we are. This is proving to be very successful with about 15 applications a month. I’d like to thank all the Observers who are giving up their time for these.

There are many social rides available with local team and club runs starting to fill the calendar. Do check them out in Slipstream, as well as your Local Team and the allmembers calendars on Groups.io to find out what’s being organised. If you have any doubts as to whether a run is appropriate for you then the run leader will be only too pleased to discuss this.

Whist things may change again in the future let’s make the most of our opportunities today and get out and enjoy our riding. We have been a model of restraint over the entire period of the lockdown and it has been great to see the contribution that everyone has made to ensure that we have done the right thing throughout. Let’s make our return to our full range of activities equally impressive.

Chris Brownlee
Chief Observer

Barrie Smith Chairman TVAM

From the Chair (July 2021)

Posted on | by Barrie Smith

Until a couple of weeks ago, I had been looking forward to welcoming you all back to St Crispin’s this month. I even had a loose plan of the sort of message I would write to welcome in such a return after a year and a quarter. It went something along the lines of “what a fantastic month to return to regular meetings at St Crispin’s, with long, bright days and good temperatures, what better time for us all to return to the roads for fun and socialising”…

The reality was that Boris’ worst kept secret came as little surprise when he announced on the 21st of June that the final step out of lockdown would be delayed until 19th July. Clearly this was a setback for many people, and I certainly do not want to make light of the additional pain that this further delay will have caused many personally and in business, and July St Crispin’s plans became another victim of this cruel pandemic. Back to the 9am virtual St Crispin’s for this month again, excellently hosted by Andy Wedge and lead by Chris Brownlee, to announce the now increasing number of test passes for the month and others in the Club that have gone on to become Trainee and Full Observers. The virtual masses duly applauding each achievement as we would have should they have been stood on the stage, in the main hall, at St. Crispin’s. Fingers crossed that news is better for August and we can all meet in reality, even if that means respectful social distancing of some description.

Since being allowed to carry out peer review rides from the end of March, and Observed Rides from mid-April, our Full Members, Observer’s and Associates have been working extremely hard to get themselves back ‘rider fit’ and comfortable in the saddle. Well done to everyone for putting the effort in to getting themselves and others back to the standard they were at before lockdown and indeed pushing forward in their development.

In early May, I had the opportunity to have a peer review ride with Andy Slater, our previous Chair, and Shaun Cronin, our IAM Regional Service Delivery Manager. Andy and I were due our National Observer Revalidations and Andy was due his Masters Mentor revalidation. I am not going to say too much here, as you can read for yourselves Andy’s article detailing the day in the coming pages, other than to say that it was a fantastic day’s riding that saw me cover about 250 miles across six counties. Those of you that have ridden with me know that I am not generally shy when it comes to overtaking, however, Shaun showed me how I can further enhance my opportunities to develop overtakes sooner and it has certainly made a difference.

Before I let you go and get reading the real articles in this month’s Slipstream, I just want to give another shout out to various teams that have done such a great job with many of our courses both virtually and physically where the rules enable. I have mentioned previously the great work that Di Woodcock and her Bike Craft team have done in delivering three online courses so far this year. I also want to say a big thank you to Issy Griffiths, Alan Mossman and their team that have delivered a successful Run Leader Back Marker course and also had a session with the RLBM mentors to ensure we have a new raft of run leaders and back markers coming forward. Just before sitting down to write this, I was at St Crispin’s with Si Rawlins and his team to deliver the slow riding course to twelve members and associates, as well as three new Trainee Observers. This is the third course that has been delivered since lockdown and we will have probably had the fourth by the time you read this. Well done Si and the team. Finally, I also want to thank Andy Wedge and the Training Team for continuing to deliver the Core Skills Day’s, for three candidates at a time, to continue to grow the Observer Core.

More courses will be coming back on line as the last restrictions are lifted, so look out for the weekly calendar updates and items advertised in Slipstream for your chance to get on them to further develop your skills.

I really hope to see as many of you as possible at St. Crispin’s in August.

Have fun and stay safe everyone.

Barrie Smith

Chairman

Chris Brownlee

From The Saddle (June 2021)

Posted on | by Chris Brownlee

As I write this, at the beginning of June, social rides and outdoor team meetings are being organised for groups of up to 30, and it seems some while ago that we couldn’t get out in groups at all, and then had a small relaxation to allow for groups of up to six. Whilst the signs are still there for Step 4 of the government’s route map out of lockdown to be on the 21st June, which should mean a complete relaxation of all rules and guidelines around Covid-19, we will need to keep an eye out for any extra restrictions that are imposed.

IAM RoadSmart has recommenced advanced testing, and we have some newly qualified members of IAM RoadSmart as a result; our congratulations to all of these previous Associates, and I’m sure there will be more to come over the summer. We have also been able to recommence our Observer Training Programme and have a smaller, more restricted, Observer Core Skills Day this month. We are hopeful that we’ll be able to start our Observer training again properly very soon, with fully attended Core Skills Days. If you’ve thought about becoming an Observer then please drop an email to observerinterest@tvam.org and one of the Training Team will be in touch to discuss what’s involved.

We also have some newly qualified Observers, as well as some National Observers being successfully revalidated. Our congratulations to all those that have successfully validated or revalidated. Of course, the potential relaxation of the government’s Covid-19 restrictions may mean that our last virtual St. Crispin’s is upon us and we’ll be meeting in person again at St. Crispin’s School in Wokingham on the third Sunday of the month from July. There are many members who have joined since the lockdown and have never been to a monthly meet – and quite a few of those don’t believe it really exists! I’m sure we’ll make them all welcome as soon as we can resume face-to- face St. Crispin’s monthly meetings.

Building our relationship with Rapid Training, they have offered us a TVAM-only track skills day. This will use the skills development modules from their flagship Bikemaster course, with dedicated Rapid Training coaches, on a track venue. There are only 27 places available, and a 25% discount, so if you’d like to take part you can sign up on the allmembers calendar on groups.io; the event is taking place on 13th October.

Social rides are now well under way, with local teams and club runs starting to fill the calendar. Do check out your local team calendar, and the allmembers calendar, on groups.io to find out what’s being organised. You’ll also get access to the webinars that are being organised, as well as other trips, weekends away and, hopefully in the not-too-distant future, some overseas trips.

I’m sure you’re all making the most of the current great weather and, whilst we still need to exercise appropriate caution and social distancing, we can hopefully look forward to a safe and progressive (and systematic) return to riding.

Chris Brownlee
Chief Observer

Barrie Smith Chairman TVAM

From the Chair (May 2021)

Posted on | by Barrie Smith

The last 12 months have been incredibly difficult for all of us, with most of us unable to meet with family and friends and do the things that we label as ‘normal’ in our lives. Like many of you, motorcycling to me is not just a hobby, it’s a lifestyle that when removed, leaves a huge void.

The TVAM year started in November and so we are now halfway through our current year. Realising that got me thinking about what we have been able to achieve in the first six months, given that much of that time has been spent in lockdown.


So I thought that I would share a few stats with you that will hopefully give you all a picture of how the Club is doing. At the time of writing this, we have a total membership of 1045, of which 237 are Associates. At the same point 12 months ago we had 1054 members so are slightly down, by 9 members. Between the beginning of November and the end of April, we have attracted 43 new members. 10 of these joined in March and another 15 in April.

Taster rides appear to be a very successful way of recruiting new members. There have been 35 taster ride requests since the beginning of November, 11 of those being in March and another 11 so far in April. Most of these have been allocated, and many completed, so a huge thanks to all the Observers that have found the time to take out members of the public and tell them more about the Club. Seven people that have completed taster rides since November have gone on to join the Club and this is a figure that we expect to increase from the latest group to go out. I have been lucky enough to meet a couple of our new members through the social group Zoom meetings that have been happening regularly whilst we have been unable to actually meet up.

Test passes so far this year sit at 7. Of these, 4 were in November and 3 in December. IAM RoadSmart suspended all tests between January and early April which is why figures are currently lower than usual.

The Events Team has been putting on regular seminars over Zoom. By the time you read this, we will have hosted three excellent seminars: One from Steph Jeavons, talking about her trip around the world on a motorcycle; Motolegends, talking about the different equipment that’s out there; and Kevin Williams, talking about the science of being seen on a motorcycle. These events have been extremely well attended by members and many more are planned throughout the remainder of the year.

Communications within the Club are extremely important. We have 1004 members registered on Groups.io and 541 messages were posted from 126 individual posters in March alone. Our new website, which is far more customer facing than the previous one, received 5,049 page views from 1,757 unique visitors. Our Social Media Team is also working hard on promoting the Club via Facebook and Instagram.

So, considering that for four out of the first six months of the TVAM year we have been in lockdown, the figures above would suggest that we’re still doing very well as a Club. In the next few weeks, we’re going to see far more of the ‘normal’ Club activities being allowed, like Observed Rides, Social Rides, X-Checks, Observer Assessments and it’s even rumoured that we may be able to meet in the not too distance future at St Crispin’s.

I really hope to be seeing many of you out on the road soon..

Barrie Smith

Chairman

Chris Brownlee

From The Saddle (April 2021)

Posted on | by Chris Brownlee

I’m writing this just as we take the first step on the government ‘route map’ out of lockdown.

Step 1, which was on 29th March, means that we can now meet up outdoors in groups of up to 6 for exercise and recreation.

Step 2, which won’t be before 12th April, and will hopefully have passed by the time you’re reading this, will mean the opening of non-essential retail, and

Step 3, which won’t be before 17th May, will mean that we can meet outdoors in groups of up to 30 and indoors in groups of 6. Step 3 also means that the ‘minimise travel’ guidance is lifted.

IAM RoadSmart has issued guidance to say that observed rides can start again at Step 2 (not before 12th April), bearing in mind that we are still advised to minimise journeys, and that official group rides can begin again at Step 3 (not before 17th May). We will, of course, still need to take appropriate social distancing measures for the time being and to plan stops, and take snacks, as the larger groups won’t be allowed to congregate indoors until Step 4. We are hopeful that the government will be able to adhere to its timescales and that we achieve Step 4 by 21st June, which should mean, hopefully, a return to normal activities.

We had a lively discussion on the Observer forum last month when IAM RoadSmart asked us to re-state the behaviour and values it expects from Observers. These are completely in line with the behaviour and values that TVAM expects from all its members, and which are clearly stated in the group handbook. Given the discussion we had on the Observer Group I thought it worth restating here that the Club aims to create a harmonious and positive environment in which all individuals:

  • are treated fairly, with dignity and respect at all stages of involvement.
  • are able to make best use of their skills, free from discrimination or harassment.
  • do not discriminate against any person on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
  • have an equal chance to contribute and achieve their potential, irrespective of the above.

I know that this may seem like stating the obvious, but we do live in a world where we need to remind everyone of the values that are important to us, to welcome those in minority groups, and that to ensure that there are appropriate rules to protect those in minority groups.

By the time you get to read this IAM RoadSmart should have released the latest version of its Manual of Guidance for Group Rides. This was a much-needed update, and the new guidance is much clearer. Group rides encompass everything from a bunch of mates going out together through to formal training runs. The new manual explains the differences and makes it clearer as to what the requirements and appropriate guidance are for each type of group ride. Worth a read, before we resume group rides at Step 3 of the government roadmap.

I know we’re all starting to get out on our bikes, and I’d encourage you to re-read Barrie’s article in last month’s Slipstream before heading out. Remember that we are acting as ambassadors for TVAM, for IAM RoadSmart and for motorcycling in general. People are often jealous of the freedom that we, as motorcyclists exhibit and we don’t want people to form a negative opinion of what we do.

I hope that you have a safe and progressive return to biking.

Chris Brownlee
Chief Observer

Barrie Smith Chairman TVAM

From the Chair (March 2021)

Posted on | by Barrie Smith

Welcome to my first ‘From The Chair’ piece. As I take over the reins from Andy Slater, I’d like to say a huge thank you to him for all of the years of service that he has given to the Committee. Andy’s achievements have been an inspiration to me and I hope that I can continue to steer the Club in a forward thinking manner for the benefit of all.

One of the Committee’s aims for 2021 is that we become more visible to you. We are Club members too, the only difference is that we have offered our services to a role in the Club that will benefit everyone. Whilst we can’t meet you face to face at St Crispin’s just yet we can see you within your social groups at your virtual meetings and allow you and us to put the faces to the names. I thought therefore that I would take this opportunity to tell you a little about myself and my journey in motorcycling.

Like a lot of teenagers, I started my riding career messing around off road as a kid on old bikes that my mates had cobbled together. Safety was of no real importance as we messed about in the fields around my home. In March 1986 I progressed to riding as a learner in London, (where I worked) and Kent, where I returned at weekends on my Honda Superdream. Training was limited in those days and the words, “Here are the keys, good luck”, were all that you needed to be allowed onto the road as a learner rider. I passed my full motorcycle competency test in October 1986 and I have had a bike ever since, riding as often as possible.

My introduction to the IAM, and subsequently TVAM, was whilst working my day job as a designer in the late 1990’s. I was involved in the design of the IAM’s Headquarters in Chiswick, under the watchful eye of Christopher Bullock who was the CEO at the time. I used to ride into Chiswick once a week for design meetings with Christopher and his team. At the official opening of the building, in 2001, Christopher awarded me with a Skills for Life Package and his words, “You have the best IAM bike club on your doorstep and you should join them and take your advance test.”

It was four years later, in 2005, with the voucher expired, that I finally walked through the doors of St Crispin’s. I went to an open day in May of that year, where I met Andy Hunter. We had a short chat and then went out for an observed ride. I was immediately hooked by the professionalism and friendliness of the club and signed up that day. Simon Whatley was my Observer and guided me through to my X-Check with Steve Huckins. I went on to pass my IAM test in February 2006.

I started on the programme of becoming a Trainee

Observer (TOb) immediately, only having to set that aside as I started my own business and didn’t have the time             to commit. I went back to that in 2012, gaining my gold badge in 2013. As a sideline, I became a down-trained CBT Instructor in 2010 for a friend’s motorcycle school in Surrey. In 2018 I set myself three targets to develop myself. First, I took and passed my National Observer assessment. Second, I joined the Training Team. Third, I became a fully qualified DVSA CBT and DAS instructor after assessment at Cardington.

Last year, in all of the negativity of the pandemic, a new opportunity arose of becoming Chair of TVAM for which I thank you all for your votes at the AGM in January this year.

So that’s a little bit about me. My journey has been progressive, developed over many years, and it’s one that I have genuinely enjoyed. There’s nothing like riding and socialising with other motorcyclists and I look forward to, later this year, riding with and meeting as many of you as possible.

Have fun and stay safe everyone.

Barrie Smith

Chairman

Chris Brownlee

From The Saddle (February 2021)

Posted on | by Chris Brownlee

Hi everyone

Well, we’re still in lockdown but the success of the vaccination programme is a brightening light on the horizon, and it seems that we are finally starting to plot a route out of the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. So maybe it’s time to start thinking about getting the bike ready for riding, and getting your riding gear ready too.

Thank you to everyone that attended the AGM. This was our first virtual AGM and once we got over a couple of small technical issues at the start it seemed to go very well with opportunities for questions and discussion.

I was sad to say goodbye to Andy Slater and Paul Taylor; it’s been great working with them over the years. It was equally exciting to welcome our new Chair, Barrie Smith, and our new Treasurer, Bjorg Arnadottir; I’m looking forward to working with them on our plans for the forthcoming year.

As a committee we believe that it is important to keep planning for the future, even when there is little prospect of an immediate return to normal activities. Barrie outlined our objectives for 2021 and, whilst we might need to modify the timescales, or perhaps even the objectives themselves, having a plan and modifying it is a much better place to be than having no plan at all.

Do look out for updates in forthcoming issues of Slipstream, and on Groups.io, as to how to get back into riding and our progress towards our other objectives.

We also unveiled a fantastic new website for TVAM. It has, of course, attracted constructive criticism as to what we might have done better and we’ll take this on board as we evolve the website. The new site is completely externally focused so that it better represents what we do to the world outside of TVAM and we hope that it will form a key platform for our ongoing recruitment activities. All internal communications and files for TVAM members have already been moved to Groups.io.  We’ve had very warm congratulations and compliments on the website from IAM RoadSmart.

In the meantime, please continue to participate in your Local Team meetings and online activities, and in the virtual St. Crispin’s each month. Phil Donovan and the Events Team (sounds like a group from the 60’s) will be publishing details of some online seminars over the coming months, the first of which you will find on pages 8 and 9, and I hope you will find these interesting and informative.

We are, first and foremost, a bike club, albeit one with a focus on training and riding to Advanced Standard, so stay engaged and help newer members and Associates keep on track, until we can get out on our bikes for social rides, training and trips.

Chris Brownlee
Chief Observer

From The Chair (January 2021)

Posted on | by Andy Slater

Welcome to 2021 and let’s hope we get more riding in during the coming season than we did last year!

Despite Brexit and COVID I’m personally looking forward to trips abroad, even if it’s only to Scotland… more seriously, I’m hopeful that after we’ve all been jabbed the government will allow us to re-start our monthly meetings at St. Crispin’s and all of those wonderful TVAM activities will feature again in the Club’s calendar. Whilst preparing for the AGM our Chief Observer pulled together a list of all the training activities we as a Club undertake and the list was daunting. In a normal year our volunteer coaches deliver around 11,500 hours of training for members. Around 5,500 hours of that is via club courses developed by members, such as Look, Lean and Roll, Advanced Bike Control courses, weekends away (remember 7Ws and 3Rs?) and Skills Days at Castle Combe. Roll on a COVID-free summer.

This will be my last ‘From the Chair’ piece as, after five years on the Committee, the last four as Chair, I’m stepping down. By the time you receive this copy of Slipstream we will have elected a new Chair and Treasurer and I offer both of them my congratulations and support.

The past five years have seen the Club membership grow by just under 20%, we undertook two membership surveys where a third of members participated which gave the Committee guidance on things that needed to be developed. As a result we created the Red Badge Zone to support Associates, started the RideUP sponsorship scheme for young riders, and held the annual MotoJumble on the day of the AGM. Hopefully, this will be a feature again next January. During this time lots of technical work has also been undertaken by the Committee which often goes unseen, including compliance with GDPR regulations, European Package Tour Directive, FRS102 financial reporting, and consolidation of our Charitable status and aims. My thanks to everyone involved with these complex matters and also the writing of the necessary policies to support them.

The past year has given us further opportunities for change. Whilst Committee meetings on Microsoft Teams can never replace face-to-face discussions, Zoom conferencing has allowed the Team Leaders to meet almost monthly during the various lockdowns. This created a forum for discussion and innovation as ideas were shared on how to keep the club active, including Observer swaps for Associates, how to manage bookings for social rides and tips on holding virtual team meetings. 

The restriction of only six on social rides has been an eye opener with many participants actually preferring smaller runs. As run leaders know who is attending they have been able to plan suitable routes and stopping places. Certainly six bikers arriving at a café causes less hassle than 26, and everyone gets served quickly so the ride can continue. I guess we may see some social rides continue to be offered with limited numbers going forward.

We’ve also seen a huge move towards online during the past year. With this in mind we developed the ‘Free Taster Ride’ offer on our website and open Facebook page following on from the Father’s Day offer. This is proving to be a popular way of attracting new members and has been a replacement for our St Crispin’s ‘Fluffy’ rides. Many thanks to the Observers who support these Taster Rides. It was with this in mind that the Committee approved the investment in a new club website. After 10 years it was time to refresh our online presence and hopefully you’ll approve of the new site due to launch this month. Read the article on the project on page 15. We’ve also just launched the popular BikeCraft course online with six online events over the coming weeks (see below). Thanks to the team for this development and I encourage members (especially Associates) to register for these highly informative sessions.

So all the very best for 2021 – keep the shiny side up and ride safe.

Andy Slater

(retiring) Chairman

From The Saddle (December 2020)

Posted on | by Chris Brownlee

I’m writing this as we’ve just moved out of our lockdown status and into the current Tier arrangement. Most of us in the TVAM area are in Tier 2, with the exception of those residing in Slough, who are in Tier 3. From a TVAM
activity point of view this means that:

  • We can’t hold indoor social meetings, or indoor training sessions.
  • Those members who reside in Tier 2 areas can participate in observed and social rides with up to six people, whilst maintaining appropriate social distancing. Note that socialising is only allowed in outdoor settings, so you should not meet with others who are not from your household in any indoor setting – so we are not able to meet/stop in cafés except for take-away drinks, etc. Riders should avoid riding into Tier 3 areas, although it is permissible to ride through a Tier 3 area as part of a longer journey.
  • Those members residing in a Tier 3 area (e.g. Slough) should not participate in observed or social rides, since people residing in Tier 3 areas should not meet socially indoors or in most outdoor settings.

The list of tiers is here: www.gov.uk/guidance/full-list-of-local-restriction-tiers-by-area.

I’m pleased that we’re able to run our Slow Manoeuvring courses on the third Saturday of the month at St. Crispin’s. Places are limited and you can book your place online in the TVAM web shop at www.tvam.org/product/slow-manoeuvring-at-st-crispins

We are continuing with our programme of free Taster Rides and these are advertised on social media and on the TVAM website. They’re designed to give someone an overview of the sort of coaching we offer and an introduction to advanced riding. If you know of someone that might benefit from this then please do let them know.

Remember to participate in your local team video meetings and also the next virtual St Crispin’s at 9am on 20th December. The link for the meeting is on Groups.io and is also on the opposite page.

The AGM is approaching and will be held, virtually, on 17th January 2021. As well as a review of the activities of the previous TVAM year, we will also discuss outline plans for the coming year and elect positions for the committee. It is important that you participate, so please make every effort to attend and note that you will need to pre-register (details are in this issue of Slipstream – see page 17).

I’m sure we’re all hoping that 2021 will prove to be a better, more involving year than 2020 and the signs are encouraging that it will. We are, therefore, planning for a return to normal activities, albeit with a measured approach to take account of ongoing restrictions.

In the meantime it just remains for me to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Chris Brownlee
Chief Observer

From The Chair (November 2020)

Posted on | by Andy Slater

For some, November signals the last few weeks of the biking season.  However, putting the clocks back at the end of October means that those early runs down to the coast for a Full English can continue to set off reasonably early but it won’t be long before even they become ‘Brunch’ rather than ‘Breakfast’ runs.

Many of us of course will continue to ride right through the winter and I’m sure it won’t be long before we start seeing questions about the merits of using ACF-50 or Scottoiler FS 365 posed in the All-Members message area. Riding in cold weather means taking a few extra precautions for yourself though. Clearly the summer airflow jacket and pants are no longer going to be the best option as an outer layer. Retaining body heat becomes vital to ensure you stay alert when riding, so heavy textiles with thermal layers underneath seem a better option. Just ensure you’ve still got good movement with all the warm kit on so you can actually ride the bike safely.

The other big change you’ll notice is the reduction in tyre grip as the temperature drops and road surfaces become less grippy. Tyres don’t warm up the same in winter so are less ‘sticky’ and wet or salt-treated roads, let alone any ice that might be about, means you probably won’t be troubling the edges of your tyres over the next few months – unless you’re very brave.

Light levels may also be lower under heavy skies and you may find yourself riding in the dark so make doubly sure all your lights are working and are clean and bright. Bikes are often lost in the confusion of headlights on busy roads at night so give other road users extra time to see you, and for you to take avoiding action if necessary.

However, riding during the winter can be rewarding on those bright sunny clear days when you can see for miles, the coffee and burger taste so much better at the halfway stop, and you get to spend time with your mates. All valuable things for your mental health in these difficult lockdown days.

Of course, many will choose to lay-up their bike for these colder months. There are multiple guides on the best ways to do this as simply throwing a cover over it after the last autumn ride and then expecting it to come out all clean and shiny next spring is probably being a bit optimistic. Look out for a guide to laying-up your bike in Slipstream next month.

As a Club we continue to be active at all levels despite not being able to meet as a Club. The Local Teams are doing a great job organising social runs on a regular basis and also Observer swaps for Associates. We’re also having a rush of test passes as Associates complete the Advanced Rider Course. Chris Brownlee is making test pass announcements on the St Crispin’s Zoom call each month. Last month he announced 6 test passes, 1 Masters and 4 Observer validations. Also we had 131 riders participate on 24 social runs that were reported using the Social Run form on the website.

Finally, after five years on the TVAM Committee, the last four as Chairman, it’s time for me to step down at January’s AGM. This of course is only possible if there’s a volunteer willing to take up the reins of Chair so I’m pleased that we already have a member who’s stepped forward agreeing to be nominated. If anyone else feels they would like to consider the role do please feel free to contact me at chairman@tvam.org for some background to what’s involved.

Keep safe in these difficult times

Andy Slater
Chairman

From The Saddle (October2020)

Posted on | by Chris Brownlee

Hi everyone

I guess we ought to get the latest Covid-19 government guideline/rule update out of the way!

The most recent announcement, on 22nd September, means there is not a great deal that changes in what we can do as a club. In England, we can still conduct social (and socially distanced) runs for up to six people, and we can carry out observed runs. Many people have been taking advantage of the smaller social runs and we hope that this will continue; if you haven’t led a run yet, then have a chat with your team leader about what’s involved; there’s lots of help and guidance available. Remember that if you are on a social or observed run and you go into another country (e.g. Wales) or into an area of England that is in lockdown, then the rules are different so please plan ahead.

We have had a couple of questions raised about who is allowed to participate in social runs.
We categorise social runs to help make it clear what sort of run the run leader is planning:

  • A   Skilled/progressive for confident riders on all types of road. Aimed at smaller groups.
  • B+ More progressive pace (than a ‘B’) for the confident, focused rider.
  • B   Medium paced, relaxed ride.
  • C   Leisurely paced with no overtaking within the group. Suitable for first timers.
  • T   Team training run – observed/social ride with an element of coaching.

We hope that the categorisation will encourage the right sorts of riders onto the runs and members will not be discouraged from participating in runs that they consider appropriate. If you see someone new on a run, then please go and say ‘hello’! They may not know anyone else and be feeling a bit left out – so please make the effort to include everyone.

The updated government rules do mean that other activities, particularly face-to-face social meetings, St Crispin’s meetings and most of our trips and courses, including Look, Lean, Roll are not possible now.

Local teams are continuing with video meetings and the virtual St Crispin’s meeting, at 9am on the third Sunday, is gaining in popularity. We have test pass announcements now, with 17 (including 8 F1RSTS) announced last month. The virtual St Crispin’s also has ‘breakout sessions’ for the Trainee Observers and one for those interested in becoming an Observer. You can join the virtual meeting via the link on the facing page which is also on the Groups.io calendar.

The Training Team has been updating the Highway Code quizzes. There are two levels available, and both levels have new questions. And did you know we host these quizzes for other groups, including Bristol, Bournemouth & Wessex, Cheltenham & Cotswolds and Hull & East Riding? Why not check out your level of knowledge on the Highway Code and related areas here www.tvam.org/ highway-code-quiz/? It’s all for fun and the scores are private – even I don’t get to see them!

Although some difficulties remain around face-to-face and larger group activities, we can get out on our bikes, there are some great social runs going out and we can do observed rides too – so let’s make the most of it. Some local teams are arranging sessions for Associates to get observed rides with different Observers – so do ask your team leader about these if you’re interested.

I’m sure we all see many examples of people out there on the roads that appear not to be fully aware of what’s going on around them, so do take time to apply the advanced riding principles – and have fun!

Chris Brownlee
Chief Observer

From The Chair (September 2020)

Posted on | by Andy Slater

Hi everyone

This year has probably been the most challenging for the Club since our foundation 22 years ago. The Spring of 2020 started almost immediately with a lockdown of all riding activities for three months and since then we’ve been restricted to gatherings of 6 riders. And of course we’ve not been able to hold our monthly St Crispin’s meetings.

But TVAM’s Members are not easily restrained or held back – after all we’re bikers!

In the past two months lots of Club activities have been underway and I thought I would share a few numbers to reassure you that we’re still a very active and thriving Club, despite everything going on around us.

During July and up until the 25th August there were 206 Observed runs with Associates, 31 Cross Checks, 28 IAM tests, 4 National Observer validations, and 28 Trainee Observer runs.

In the same period there were 75 social run reports submitted with a total of 430 riders recorded as participating. I’m sure there were quite a few other social rides organised in addition and I know of members travelling further afield for weekends away around the UK with partners or small groups to comply with the social guidelines.

Membership has also been busy with 32 new members joining the Club during the past two months. A few are returning to biking as a means of getting to work rather than using public transport and want some coaching. The Club currently has a healthy total of 1,052 members.

We are also getting an increasing number of requests for ‘Introductory Rides’ from prospective members. This follows up on the Father’s Day voucher scheme and replicates what we normally offer at St Crispin’s. If you know of a mate who’s interested in joining but hesitating to take the next step get them to contact membership@tvam.org to request a free ride-out with an Observer.

So, if by any chance you’ve been sitting home-alone wondering if TVAM membership is really worthwhile, get onto the Club’s groups.io pages and ping your Local Team to see what’s going on. If you’re an Associate phone/email/badger your Observer and get them to take you out on another run. If you’re a Full Member why not organise a social run of your own and take 5 mates out to your favourite café via those roads you love. It’s the best way to ensure you’re on the run!

Team Leaders will help you organise the run registration process. Just email them (email addresses at the back of Slipstream) or ask your local team online how to do this and help will be forthcoming. What we’ve seen is that these smaller runs are very popular with members who’ve not led runs before and the participants. Knowing the run is restricted to 6 riders makes life as a run leader so much easier as you don’t have to book stops/cafes ahead but just turn up as most can handle 6 customers at a time. Just remember to complete a Social Run Report when you get back (www.tvam.org/social-run-report).

And if you are missing the St Crispin’s banter and announcements then join the St Crispin’s Zoom call on Sunday morning. Everyone is welcome and it’s another chance to ask questions and find out what’s going on.

Happy riding…..

Andy Slater
Chairman

From The Chair! (July 2020)

Posted on | by Andy Slater

What does the ‘New Normal’ look like as lockdown restrictions are relaxed? Well, as a biker you’d think our PPE means we’re already pretty well protected. What virus can fly at 70mph to catch you then penetrate a full face helmet with visor, gloves and leathers? However, I guess it’s the same old story, it’s the stopping which can hurt.

The new rules mean we can now have lots of social runs with up to six riders present – that’s people not bikes, so a bike with a pillion counts as two. Of course if two households get together there could be more on a run but I don’t know of many households with three bikers in them – mind you their garage would be interesting….

So we can do Observed Rides, with a Trainee Observer involved too, as that only makes three. Cafe’s now being open means we can start to frequent the stopping places we all know and love, which is when the ‘new normal’ catches up with us. Social distancing still applies. 1m Plus really means 2m if possible, so maybe stay outside to drink the coffee and anyway as an Associate you don’t want your debrief in front of an audience listening-in as the music has now been turned down low.

When at the petrol station keep your gloves on when using the pumps. If you haven’t tried the payment Apps that Shell, BP, and others have launched, now might be a good time to try them. It means you don’t have to go in to pay, wait in a queue behind someone who has also done their weekly shop, be tempted by chocolate bars, to then shout loudly at the grumpy man behind the plastic screen who’s operating the till whilst you still have your earplugs in and helmet on. You can just ride off knowing the payment has been authorised by those little men in the Cloud.

As we can’t, as yet, hold a St Crispin’s with 200+ bikers present, or run any of our courses it means most of the social activities of the Club are being organised by local teams. This is a real opportunity for you to get involved with your local team if you haven’t already. Apply to join any of the local team’s groups.io areas to find out what’s being organised.

With social runs being much smaller it might be more the size of group you’re happier riding with. Most of the social runs are using the Buddy System to keep the run together so the complexity of the Marker System isn’t there if you were at all concerned about being ‘dropped’ as a marker and sending everyone the wrong way – much to the annoyance of the Back Marker. There are many anecdotes of runs being ‘fragmented’ (substitute a stronger word of your choice) by a well-meaning marker. All that disappears with the Buddy System, though I guess someone will still get it wrong by forgetting to wait until the next rider is in view at some junction….

Hotels are starting to open and even the possibility of going onto the continent, which means that bike tours with a couple of mates might be on after all. Fire up the Sat Nav…..

Observers will know that for Father’s Day this year we ran a special offer of a Free Observed Ride with TVAM for anyone who applied. With St Crispin’s not being held for several months we were keen to raise the Club’s profile and possibly recruit some new members along the way. The offer was pushed out on social media and we had 13 riders apply. The nominated Observers are in the process of arranging the rides and so far around half are joining up. Added to the steady flow of people who are joining via the website, we’ve gained over 20 new members in June, with a week still to go.

So there’s lots going on in the Club even if you may have to look a bit deeper at the moment to find it. But most importantly, stay safe and I hope to see you all soon.

Andy Slater
Chairman

From The Garage (May 2020)

Posted on | by Andy Slater

In the March edition of Slipstream I wrote “It’s always dangerous, …to look forward to the start of the new riding season. The daffodils may be out but last year we had the ‘Beast from The East’ in March and we all sat in St Crispin’s that month watching the snow come down.”

And so it has proved to be again this year. Another ‘Beast from the East’ has descended upon us. This time we can’t see it but its effects have been much more deadly with a huge impact particularly on Club Members who work in the NHS, Care Homes, supermarkets, or any of the front-line jobs that keep our society running. On behalf of all TVAM Members can I say ‘Thank You’ to all of you.

Thanks also to every Member who has resisted the strong urge we’ve all had at some point to go for a quick blast. A chance happening with another road user through no fault of your own could tie up the emergency services for hours when they really do have better things to be doing just now.

It was of course with great sadness that we heard that Club President Sir Stirling Moss had passed away over Easter. He was more closely involved with the Club in its early years but remained a figurehead for the Club throughout the time of his association and he will be a difficult act to follow. There’s a lovely tribute written by the editor on page 20. Needless to say the Committee has discussed who could be a successor and I hope to be able to report progress over the coming months.

So just what do you do when the sun’s out yet you can’t ride your bike?

Well, having read Nick Tasker’s article last month and being a BMW rider who, having bought new, has now gone through 26k miles I thought I’d better have a go at some unusual & infrequent maintenance. The bike’s been around Europe two or three times, does 5 or 6 IAM Skills Days at Thruxton each season and is ridden all-year round, so it’s definitely not been a ‘Sunday afternoon’ bike.

So off came the rear suspension linkages to see if they were worn or just needed a bit of TLC.  After all Nick was concerned that long-term reliability isn’t always a priority for the original manufacturer so I was expecting to find a few bits that would be seized or gasping for a drink of grease.

Thankfully all the bolts came undone, though they have high torque values so well-fitting quality tools are a must. There were no signs of corrosion as all the parts are alloy, plated or stainless steel, which is hopefully a good sign. The seals of the four separate bearings that make up the linkage mechanism were all covered externally with a combination of dried chain lubricant, presumably flung off the chain (yes XR’s still have those) and road dirt. Sitting above the exhaust they must get a little warm. However they all cleaned up with a bit of white spirit and were in good condition. It was then possible to disassemble and inspect the bearings themselves.

The shafts showed a little sign of wear but none were pitted, scored or worn through the case hardening. The needle-bearings were unworn but in need of some fresh lubricant. After this the re-assemble was quite straightforward (once you’d remembered which way round the three-way alloy casting went) then it was just a matter of torquing up those bolts – after all one of those coming out at speed would be interesting…

And whilst I was down there I found I was missing a circlip off the near-side footpeg pin. That would have been another interesting part to lose on the motorway…

I would therefore encourage you to take this time of lock-down to take a longer look at your bike. Which bits haven’t you really looked at since you bought it? Mine was a morning well spent.

Andy Slater
Chairman

From The Chair (March 2020)

Posted on | by Andy Slater

It’s always dangerous, when writing for the March Slipstream edition, to look forward to the start of the new riding season. The daffodils may be out but last year we had the ‘Beast From The East’ in March and we all sat in St Crispin’s that month watching the snow come down. Still one brave rider made it in on a mini bike!

So I won’t go on about the weather warming up and for many riders that will mean wheeling out their trusty steed after a winter in the garage or under a tarp. Of course there’s no need to mention the POWDDERSS checks that they will all be carrying out before blasting off on that first run down the lanes, as being Advanced Riders they will be conscious their own skills will have gone off a little – just like the pressure in those tyres. So take it easy, warm up yourself, and stay safe, there’s a whole season of riding to come.

What I will write about though is a dusty corner of the TVAM online filing system which can be found on groups.io/allmembers/files/database. This is where the cafe database can be found with a list of cafes and lunch stops which are biker friendly. There’s even a map so you can use them to plan a route, or just pop over with a mate to check them out.

There’s a few missing, such as Saddleback Farm Shop Cafe just south of Wantage on the B4494 which has become popular with members over the past few years. A great farm shop serving bacon sarnies and a selection of lunches with great views over the Wantage Downs but often missed by bikers blasting down that wonderful road. Also new ones have opened, for example the Rosebourne Garden Centre Cafe at Aldermaston, which has a great selection of drinks and cakes with easy parking.

Probably my favourite though is The Pantry at Yattendon. Frequently passed by those using the lovely B4009 road out from Newbury towards Reading via Hermitage. Yattendon is that slow bit as you ride through the narrow village but why not stop and have a break? Parking is a bit tight outside the village shop but the homemade cakes are to die for and you can sit outside in a little garden enjoying the sun whilst they prepare your drinks. The database needs your input. If you know of a great little place that welcomes bikers, that isn’t in the database yet, let others know about it by emailing Keith Miller at cafedatabase@tvam.org giving details and he will enter it into the database for you.

So on the promise the weather is going to be great this season – get out and try some new stopping places with a few mates.

Keep the shiny side up.

Andy Slater
Chairman

From The Chair (January 2020)

Posted on | by Andy Slater

Happy New Year everyone

As I sit here writing this just before Christmas it’s tempting to look forward to the New Year and riding season with some excitement. The short, grey, wet days will be banished along with the Winter gloves and thermals. Already I’m hearing of trips being planned for the summer, some to favourite haunts on the continent, usually involving mountain passes, others to those wonderful roads in countries within the UK (which still includes Scotland!). Some brave souls are even considering much more adventurous journeys to Asia riding hired Royal Enfields. Sounds more like Top Gear or The Grand Tour than TVAM but I look forward to seeing all the photos.

For many though the challenge of passing the Advanced Test will be focusing the mind for 2020. Getting those Observed rides in with good marks on the run report form. The Cross Check then the Test itself. On the way the popular Look, Lean and Roll and Advanced Bike Control courses will build skills and confidence, as will an occasional Track Skills Day. As always our Observers are here to help, as will many other members willing to share their expertise. The Club remains a centre of excellence in the training we offer and it’s the many volunteers who make all this possible.

Whatever your personal riding goals are for the coming year I hope you’re successful in achieving them and most importantly have loads of fun in getting there. Along the way you’re sure to meet new people and make lots of new friends.

New Year is also a time to reflect on the past year. The Club’s annual report is now available from the groups.io/allmembers files. There are many highlights covered in the various reports and I would encourage you to take a dip into the file to read about what’s going on in your Local Team and the Club in general. I can’t encourage you enough to get involved with your Local Team to get the most out of your membership.

2019 was the seventh successive year of membership growth with 1,063 members registered at the year-end and we also recorded the Club’s 2,600th Test pass in October. We remain by far the largest IAM RoadSmart Group which enables us to run courses and events other Groups are unable to resource. We also ran the RideUP Scheme for young riders where we sponsor possibly the most vulnerable group of riders through to their Test and on to a Track Skills Day. We’ve now had 31 Associates on the scheme meaning that as a road safety charity TVAM is demonstrating we are delivering on our aims, and hopefully making it fun at the same time.

Finally, it’s unusual for the Chairman not to attend an AGM but unfortunately the NHS has decided that it wants to perform open heart surgery on me three days before our meeting this month. I know it’s a poor excuse, but assuming it’s not cancelled in the meantime, I’ve offered my apologies for not attending to the Secretary and he and Chris will I’m sure run the meeting perfectly. I hope to be back at St Crispin’s in February, though probably not on the bike!

See you in 2020

Andy Slater
Chairman

From The Chair (October 2019)

Posted on | by Andy Slater

I’ve just got back from the last IAM Track Skills Day of the year which was held at Thruxton. It was a great day with most of the riders present being TVAM members taking the opportunity to brush-up their cornering skills on the lovely flowing, grippy track and to explore parts of their tyres not normally in contact with tarmac.

This was the first year I’ve instructed for these events throughout the season, meaning I saw around 450 riders go through the process from track familiarisation to independent riding under supervision over the 6 sessions on track. With a focus on accuracy and smoothness the progression of exercises encourages riders to experiment with braking harder than you would on the road, just to see how quickly our bikes can slow, to maintaining positive throttle through corners and accelerating away. The day isn’t about speed but smiles – and there was lots of those around yesterday despite rain in the afternoon sessions.

Demand for these special skills days has been growing over the past few years as the IAM recognises there is a demand for events using the safe environment of a race track but which aren’t out-and-out track days with screaming 600’s and 1 litre bikes ridden by power-ranger clad racers going for a lap time. Dates are already being negotiated with circuits for 2020 and these will go on sale from the first day of Motorcycle Live 2019 in Birmingham on 16th November. Whilst we will continue to organise our own TVAM days at Castle Combe if you want to ride Thruxton you will need to book these early through IAM RoadSmart as the track’s owners will only deal with them. As more details become available we’ll push a note out on the ‘all-members’ Club groups.io forum.

Just occasionally one of our number distinguishes themselves through quiet perseverance and by ‘just getting on with the job’ of training riders to be safer on our busy roads. Every month we recognise our Observers who have successfully guided another Associate through their Advanced Test. One of our Observers though has now decided it’s time to hang up his gold badge having moved to Poole and bought a boat. With 48 test passes and having been an active club member for many years (decades) quite a few know Colin Wheeler for his sense of humour, fun, and healthy scepticism for bureaucracy. I understand Colin will be at St Crispin’s this Sunday and I’m sure we will all want to wish him well for the future.

Andy Slater
Chairman