IAM

The news and your views about biking
User avatar
Rossgo
Posts: 10407
Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 02:01
Your Bike:
Location: Berkshire
Has thanked: 5280 times
Been thanked: 1326 times

Re: IAM

Post by Rossgo »

How did it go Kwacky?

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
User avatar
Blade
Posts: 18772
Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 18:43
Your Bike: Kawasaki ZX10R
Location: North West
Has thanked: 3134 times
Been thanked: 3767 times

Re: IAM

Post by Blade »

He's not out of the cells yet (lol) waiting for his lawyer to turn up (giggle)

Alleged GBH with a polite vest wearer (facepalm)
User avatar
Kwacky
Posts: 38538
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
Location: Brum
Has thanked: 4314 times
Been thanked: 8352 times

Re: IAM

Post by Kwacky »

Only a couple of bikes turned up. It was bloody freezing last night.

Good turn out, mixed crown but as expected mostly middle aged blokes.

First talk was from a retired police officer talking about accident scene preservation and information gathering for anyone in a group involved in an accident.

Then we had a talk from an Arai rep from MotoDirect talking about AGV and Arai lids, construction and development. I'#ll do a new thread about that because I know we all like to talk about our helmets.
User avatar
Kwacky
Posts: 38538
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
Location: Brum
Has thanked: 4314 times
Been thanked: 8352 times

Re: IAM

Post by Kwacky »

So the starter pack has arrived, which is essentially the manual you need to pass.

I've had a read of the road position section. Thankfully I already do most of it so hopefully that's a decent foundation to build on.

I reckon the thing I'll struggle with most is the use of the mirrors and showing that I'm using the mirrors. The manual seems to suggest you spend about a third of your time using your mirrors.

Next step is to hear from BAM and to start the training.
User avatar
T.C.
Posts: 406
Joined: 08 Jan 2016, 12:08
Your Bike: Blackbird
Location: Reading, Berks
Has thanked: 45 times
Been thanked: 250 times
Contact:

Re: IAM

Post by T.C. »

A good instructor and examiner will be able to tell very quickly how good you are on your mirrors. If you want to emphasise the fact that you are using them, just give them a slight tweak so you have to move your head just a fraction to look into them. If your instructor and/or examiner is anu good they will soon pick up on your slight head movements and the examiner can soon check how well you are checking by using indicators on test to direct you on the route.

The point is, it is not a big deal if you know that you are doing them regularly

When you go through Roadcraft, the other point to make which is different to going through the L test is that unlike the L test where everything is cast in stone, at advanced level the most important or frequent word we use is "Consider"

Nowhere does it say you must, it simply says "Consider" and by considering it helps you develop your riding plans along with your observation links and so on.

Hope you enjoy the practical aspect when you start.
It is better to arrive 30 seconds late in this world than 30 years early in the next
User avatar
Kwacky
Posts: 38538
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
Location: Brum
Has thanked: 4314 times
Been thanked: 8352 times

Re: IAM

Post by Kwacky »

Thanks TC, that's very useful to know. Good suggestion about the mirror position.
User avatar
T.C.
Posts: 406
Joined: 08 Jan 2016, 12:08
Your Bike: Blackbird
Location: Reading, Berks
Has thanked: 45 times
Been thanked: 250 times
Contact:

Re: IAM

Post by T.C. »

Kwacky wrote:Thanks TC, that's very useful to know. Good suggestion about the mirror position.
If you ever have difficulty in understanding anything you are told (which I am sure won't be the case) or you want something clarified that perhaps was not explained properly or clearly, always feel free to ping me a message and I will be happy to try and clarify points.

Or in some cases (as I have had to do recently) is take the instructor to task about what they are teaching.
It is better to arrive 30 seconds late in this world than 30 years early in the next
User avatar
Rossgo
Posts: 10407
Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 02:01
Your Bike:
Location: Berkshire
Has thanked: 5280 times
Been thanked: 1326 times

Re: IAM

Post by Rossgo »

Really enjoy the training aspect of it i know i did. When the instructor asks why you did something have an answer for it they want to hear about your thought process. Good luck with it all, looking forward to hearing all about it over the next X amount of months

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
User avatar
Perkles
Posts: 5889
Joined: 11 Mar 2014, 21:51
Your Bike:
Location: birminghamshire
Has thanked: 2152 times
Been thanked: 1465 times

Re: IAM

Post by Perkles »

Was there free tea and cake ?
User avatar
Kwacky
Posts: 38538
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
Location: Brum
Has thanked: 4314 times
Been thanked: 8352 times

Re: IAM

Post by Kwacky »

No cake.

I'll change that.
User avatar
Kwacky
Posts: 38538
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
Location: Brum
Has thanked: 4314 times
Been thanked: 8352 times

Re: IAM

Post by Kwacky »

So having picked up the manual I've been trying out a couple of things they suggest. One is changing which foot you put down. I always put my left down so it feels weird having the right on the floor.

I've also been practising my U turns. I've not done one for years.
User avatar
Cav
Posts: 7947
Joined: 27 Oct 2015, 12:00
Your Bike: 2009 ZX6R
Has thanked: 1035 times
Been thanked: 2199 times

Re: IAM

Post by Cav »

U-turns on a hill... that's a fun one (shakes head)

I found that rule about putting your right foot down a bit difficult to follow. I understand the whys (staying in Neutral when stopped then being able to engage 1st quickly before pulling away) but I have it hard-wired into me to put the left foot down because being on the rear brake when stopped is safer than being on the front (if you get rear ended the rear tyre will slip whereas the front will dig in).
User avatar
Kwacky
Posts: 38538
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
Location: Brum
Has thanked: 4314 times
Been thanked: 8352 times

Re: IAM

Post by Kwacky »

I'm with you on that one. I can have my left foot down, pull away and change gear pretty quickly. I have never found myself thinking, "oh crap, I put the wrong foot down"

The other one I might struggle with is not using the gears to decelerate. I do that all the time. The manual seems to suggest you do block gear changes.
User avatar
Monty
Posts: 6671
Joined: 12 Mar 2014, 07:59
Your Bike: 2010 ZX6R
Location: Buxton
Has thanked: 2092 times
Been thanked: 2412 times

Re: IAM

Post by Monty »

Far too prescriptive for me and the main reason I only went once.
Monty™© MCMLXXII
User avatar
Cav
Posts: 7947
Joined: 27 Oct 2015, 12:00
Your Bike: 2009 ZX6R
Has thanked: 1035 times
Been thanked: 2199 times

Re: IAM

Post by Cav »

I still don't do block changing, my trainer wasn't a big advocate on that either. It's backwards to me and I think probably carried over from car driving. I don't feel in full control unless I'm in the right gear all the time; especially being on a 600 supersport
User avatar
Kwacky
Posts: 38538
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
Location: Brum
Has thanked: 4314 times
Been thanked: 8352 times

Re: IAM

Post by Kwacky »

Likewise. I like using the gearbox
User avatar
C00kiemonster
Posts: 8425
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:11
Your Bike: Triumph Street Triple 765 R
Location: Not Froggie Land
Has thanked: 4296 times
Been thanked: 1737 times

Re: IAM

Post by C00kiemonster »

Kwacky wrote:I'm with you on that one. I can have my left foot down, pull away and change gear pretty quickly. I have never found myself thinking, "oh crap, I put the wrong foot down"

The other one I might struggle with is not using the gears to decelerate. I do that all the time. The manual seems to suggest you do block gear changes.
Not sure i could do that either. Will they really fail you if you dont do everything in the manual? I can understand mirror discipline, but not gear preferences or feet.
User avatar
Kwacky
Posts: 38538
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
Location: Brum
Has thanked: 4314 times
Been thanked: 8352 times

Re: IAM

Post by Kwacky »

It's not black and white. It's up to the examiner. I think if you're smooth and using the appropriate gear then it'll be fine. If he sees you using the same foot at every stop he may ask you to show to him/her that you can use the other one.
User avatar
D6Nutz
Posts: 7420
Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:26
Your Bike: Speed Triple 1200 RS
Has thanked: 828 times
Been thanked: 2604 times
Contact:

Re: IAM

Post by D6Nutz »

Kwacky wrote:Likewise. I like using the gearbox
From memory (and it was quite a while ago) the preference was to use the brake as it gives a warning to following vehicles that your slowing. The gearbox doesn't.

FWIW, I prefer using the gearbox, especially on the big twins as it saves a load of money on pads. I did get into the habit of using the rear brake though, not because it had any effect on slowing the bike, but it kept the observers happy.
You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.

If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough - Mario Andretti
User avatar
kiwikrasher
Posts: 8862
Joined: 17 Mar 2014, 04:32
Your Bike: ‘16 Thruxton R. '10 Multistrada 1200 S.
Location: Kurrajong Heights, NSW, Australia
Has thanked: 4577 times
Been thanked: 4647 times

Re: IAM

Post by kiwikrasher »

I had never thought about it, but I'm a right foot down type. I always like to sit in neutral at a stop so I'm not hanging on the clutch the whole time.

I'm not sure what you mean by block braking, but I slow down with the brake and follow with the gear changes so my rev's don't get too low, just find it's smoother and more controllable.
Happiness is not a destination. It is a way of life.
Post Reply