SometimesSansEngine

I know it's not massively helpful now, but this is why I have a dashcam in the car

It was all ridiculously useful. A good summary of everything we discussed, some nice words about my performance and some useful resources to watch. To be honest the fact he took the time to write it, plus he's going out with me in his spare time for literally not much more than having refreshments bought for him was pretty motivational to me - it's really made me feel like he has my best interests at heart and wants to help people like me get more out of riding. I'm between three groups really (Bristol, Bath & Wiltshire) but chose the latter for two reasons: the instructor who really helped me loads after my first mod 1 disaster (see my write up in the the mod 1 experiences thread!) rides with them, and I randomly bumped in to a former work colleague as he was returning to his bike in a car park who had done his qualification with them and now rides blood bikes & spoke very highly of them. A taster session would definitely give you a good idea at least. If you decided it wasn't for you right now then that would be more than fair enough.

It's already been clarified that progress doesn't just mean "overtake anything doing less than the speed limit". He was including adjusting your speed on approach to a roundabout so you can fit into a gap in traffic you've spotted rather than rush up to it, come to a stop and have to get moving again. It was also impressed that any overtake would have to be completed safely and without breaking a speed limit, and I'd get just as much kudos for assessing an overtaking opportunity and then aborting it because on balance I decided it wasn't safe so dropped back again.

I assume this is the thing where someone standing around amid a gang of youths looks at you and makes a sort of throttle revving gesture with their right wrist? I've had people doing this on 2 occasions recently. It bewildered me on both occasions. That's the one.... although now you mention it I just realised they were using their left hands. I should have slowed down, twisted the left hand lever and yelled "nothing's happening guys"

Got an email today with the words "just a brief recap", but following up with over 900 words covering things observed on the route in detail, comprehensive feedback, links to videos and material to review etc. Very happy with that ps I'm not a stooge for the IAM, other advanced training and qualification providers are available

From what I was told, they have both types of members in the group.

Is this moving slowly in town or something else? Sorry, could have been clearer - so if there was a parked car on my side, with an oncoming car, there were times where the road was ride enough for me to carry on through albeit at a reduced speed. Whilst training to pass the mod 2 I was advised a couple of times by my instructor that whilst I could get through the gaps I was committing to an examiner might feel it was a bit too tight a squeeze so stopped doing it *cough* when being watched, so just need to get back into the habit of doing it at all times. Obviously he's not suggesting I hoon through a gap barely wider than my shoulders at 30mph, but just wants to see me keep up the slow control to carry on through the gap, being prepared to stop if necessary. Or if required slowing down on approach a bit more so I don't need to come to a stop and put a foot down if I can safely avoid doing so (ie better forward planning)

Oh, and on my way back from our debrief coffee I refused the gesticulations from some teenagers on the side of the road to do a rev bomb, and instead gave them a dignified salute. Sorry lads, advanced rider in training here

I had my first official observed ride for my IAM qualification today. I did a taster ride a few weeks ago but this was my first as an associate. I thought I might record my experience here. After being assigned an observer in the week we had a brief phone conversation to introduce each other. Many of the questions were the same I had had at the taster session. How long had I been riding, what has motivated me to do an advanced course, what did I specifically feel I wanted to improve on. We arranged to meet today, I pulled up just as my observer did. After the preliminary chat about the way sessions would work and some questions on what I had checked on my machine before coming today I was given an overview of the route we were going to do and off we went. Of course you're told to ride as you normally would, but you're always aware someone in on your tail observing you. Even pulling out from the pub car park I was thinking "don't drop it" The other thing about being observed is you make mental notes of "bet that comes up later". But never mind, just get on with it, that's what you're there for. Clearly no-one is going to turn up to the first observed session to be told "wow-ee, you're amazing and to be honest we'll put you up for your assessment now". In short, the positives were: Very safe riding generally, if all I ever wanted to be was 'safe' I'm at a good level Road positioning generally good Slow control at junctions was very good (this was picked up as I said it was one of the things I wanted to improve, I think I'm OK at junctions it's more tight manoeuvres like u-turns) Observations were very good My observer was happy how I could explain my thought process when he asked "tell me about what you were thinking when [scenario on the road happened]" This was then counterbalanced with the stuff to work on: Whilst I'm 'safe', I'm very cautious. I can apply the throttle more positively when the speed limit goes up When it's a NSL country road, I'm riding at around 50mph. He doesn't want me to ride out of my comfort zone but also wants my comfort with riding at the speed limit on those sorts of roads if conditions allow to increase Pointed out as a probable hangover for being taught to pass the DVSA test, he felt there was a few gaps with oncoming cars that I could make (slow, measured) progress, as opposed to coming to a stop He felt there was a perfect opportunity to safely overtake a vehicle, instead I followed it at around 10mph below the speed limit for several miles I was setting up well for corners, but then drifting back to the centre of the lane rather than waiting a touch longer into the corner and committing to the turn in Once I'm at the speed limit (not when I'm dawdling on those NSL roads!) he wants me riding closer to the centre line in the road (vs the DVSA 'centre of the lane at all times' approach) so that I'm in a stronger position I came away happy with both positive and constructive feedback. I've been told that it shouldn't be too much work to bring me up to assessment standard, and that considering I'm relatively new I'm in pretty good nick. None of the stuff to work on really surprised me, I know on country roads I need to build up my confidence to get up the limit and know I can slow the machine for the bends (whereas at the moment I can see there's a bend coming up in the distance, so am not trusting myself to get to the limit and slow again) Booked in some time in a few weeks time to go out again, but in short really enjoyed it and it's nice to have some third party feedback on what to improve now

Thanks everyone, put it in a paddock stand this morning, got my wife to hold the bike just for extra stability and then gave it some brute force and ignorance. Once I shifted it off the highest setting the other adjustments were easy. Left it on two and will check how it feels. Thanks for the advice, it was quite a simple one but sometimes you just need the reassurance that the 'just go for it' technique isn't the wrong one

Around 68kg

Ta, will pop it in the paddock stand tomorrow and give that a try. Is it probably best to move it anticlockwise from that position?

Yup, already tried that

The previous owner of my ER6F had the preload set as per the picture. Looking at the manual I think it's at the highest setting. I've tried adjusting it using the spanner in the bike's toolkit but it won't shift in either direction. Any tips?

Oxford also seem to do a solar panel option for a lot less £, excuse my denseness but what is the big difference between say the Optimate Solar and the Oxford Oximiser hooked up to a solar panel? (One thing I did spot though is that the Oxford product has "Oxford Oximiser" written all over it, I'm not normally a paranoid chap but that does scream "motorbike stored in this shed" to a clued up bike thief to me)

Well that seals it then

Yeah, but I might get another 200 metres out of a tank of fuel if I reduce friction

All the drivers of the white and grey cars driving in thick fog in a 50mph limit with side roads this morning who decided that lights weren't important

I know right, over in the cycle world we even get marketed a lube that comes with a UV light to check you got it in all the right places I use Wurths but it's the first stuff I ever bought. My neighbour asked once what I was using and I showed him it and he went "oh yes, good stuff that", but wasn't sure if he was just trying to sound knowledgeable (although to be fair he usually is on these things), so others on here saying the same is a bonus. I find doing a motorbike chain odd coming from the cycling world, spraying it on seems like quite a scatter gun approach vs delicately dropping lube onto the links then wiping the excess off. Unless I'm doing it wrong that is

I was purposefully holding some back in case I was stuck in a loop of retakes, luckily I'm now in the enviable position for once of having some spare to take its things like this why I like working shifts and only 4 days a week I used to do unsocial hours and was almost guaranteed to work the majority of weekends, evenings, bank holidays were a work day for sure and it wasn't unheard of to do Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day. I remember the year I 'celebrated' the new year driving on my own down the A417. So whilst sometimes having to book a day off if I want to do something in the week can be a pain, I'm pretty content with it Four day weeks doesn't sound too shabby though, I must admit.

I was purposefully holding some back in case I was stuck in a loop of retakes, luckily I'm now in the enviable position for once of having some spare to take

I think the problem is though [mention]Speedy23[/mention] is that the spring has already decided to exit his bike, so he can't do any of that

Not a horse owner, but I think one of the differences is that generally speaking horse muck is pretty 'clean', whereas dog mess carries all sorts of nasties such as toxocariasis

Been waiting for this update all morning. Well done

Dunno, not sure a lobster would survive 12000 feet down