When/Where/Pics was the last time you rode your bike ?

[Whysub]

Just back home after a 5,958 km (3,700 miles) ride to Czechia and back. Only notable rain started as I left Millau yesterday, and lasted for about 90kms. Bright sunshine today.

Even did a bit of off road in Czechia. What a mistake.

20230520_201431.jpg (374.86 KiB) Viewed 517 times

20230520_201506.jpg (597.86 KiB) Viewed 517 times

Needs a wash tomorrow-the rain shifted hardly any of it.

[Skub]

We appear to be having our Summer this week.

[Whysub]

And we appear to be having what I remember as a normal British summer here. Forecast to piss down all week. Bike won't be getting washed, nor any more dirty, for a while.

[Bigyin]

Parked up at the test centre waiting for my Mod 2 pupils to come back in from test



They both passed but one of the car examiners left on a test and came walking back in 15 minutes later …… I said “didn’t you leave here in a car a short time ago” , she replied “test terminated for the safety of the road going public” ….. oops

Couple of minutes later car instructor came running out of the test centre and away up the road

[David]

I never had that happen in years of instructing....

[Skub]

A good three solid hours riding,early today. Quiet roads,but cool enough at 10° to 12°. Heated grips etc were very welcome.

[The Spin Doctor]

They both passed but one of the car examiners left on a test and came walking back in 15 minutes later …… I said “didn’t you leave here in a car a short time ago” , she replied “test terminated for the safety of the road going public” ….. oops

Couple of minutes later car instructor came running out of the test centre and away up the road

That is pretty grim when that happens.

Out of several thousand, I had one test cut short. The trainee bottled it on a notoriously complex roundabout with multiple lanes, five exits and several sets of lights on the roundabout itself.

He forgot everything he'd been taught about getting into the correct lane on approach and got into the wrong one, then forgot the advice I'd given him not less than a dozen times (last time was five minutes before his test) that in the event of ending up in the wrong lane "to go the wrong way right, and not to try to get into the correct lane by changing lane mid-roundabout".

So having got into the lane leading into a superstore - the exit BEFORE the one he wanted - that's where he should have gone. The examiner would have turned him round and got him back out on the road, almost certainly without marking it even as a minor error.

But he realised at the last moment he wasn't going where he'd been told to go, so swerved to the next lane out to the right which was the left-hand of a pair of lanes heading to the correct exit heading towards the M2, but he should have been in it at the previous set of lights.

Unfortunately, since he'd been signalling left and in the superstore lane, the car waiting to get out of the superstore had already pulled out - it stopped in a hurry as he swerved right, blocking his path. He swerved right again to avoid a collision, but that took him straight into the path of a car that was taking the righthand lane of that pair of lanes for the M2. The car driver had to do an emergency stop, and was almost hit from behind himself.

Not entirely surprising the examiner terminated the test.

But... I'd drawn the roundabout layout on a blackboard before we left to look at it for the first time. When we got there, I parked up and we stood next to it looking at it with a graphic showing the markings and correct routes. On the bikes, we'd been round the roundabout at least a dozen times, and taken that particular manoeuvre at least five times. He'd led through it himself at least twice without problem.

But under the stress, it all went out the window. It's hard to explain to people who see riding like that and think "bad training" just how often the trainee's brain shuts down when they make a mistake.

PS, he passed soon after, after a morning's extra coaching. He got the same examiner who promptly took him on exactly the same route Managed the test with just a couple of minors.

[MrLongbeard]

3.5 hours of saddle time to get a bacon cob and a cup of coffee with the wife @ https://www.shropshireaeroclub.com/



Came back through Welshpool, must pop into https://www.welshpoolairport.co.uk/the-fuel-stop-cafe/ next time

[ajlog]

Too busy enjoying the ride today to stop for any shots, but grabbed a quick photo of the collection of bikes outside the coffee shop where I stopped at the Old Depot in Weedon.
Then one from inside one of the old Royal Ordnance stores.

[formula400]

First pleasure ride today for a year I think, met my mate and headed to Goodwood. He’s just got him self a 1999 R1, had a go, genuinely surprised how nice it was to ride (apart from the vibes on the bars)

Got to see a spitfire take off, a few tasty cars were parked up.

Loads of bikes about, and the most popular was a panigale. Bloody loads of them.

[Horse]

I never had that happen in years of instructing....

Never.

Although one trainee ended his on-road session in an ambo to A&E. He was ok. The loan bike wasn't.

[Count Steer]

First pleasure ride today for a year I think, met my mate and headed to Goodwood.

Did you find a there route that avoids Midhurst? (I eventually sorted one to that area (used the A285) after a trip that diverted via deep single track roads complete with legions of white van men and some pretty impressive potholes on Woolbeding Common).

[formula400]

First pleasure ride today for a year I think, met my mate and headed to Goodwood.

Did you find a there route that avoids Midhurst? (I eventually sorted one to that area (used the A285) after a trip that diverted via deep single track roads complete with legions of white van men and some pretty impressive potholes on Woolbeding Common).

Nope, went through it, some great roads and some like you say, I was on the R1 at that point

[Bustaspoke]

I was out for a spin on the SV650,settling down now for tonight's TT coverage



Whilst I was out I called in at my mates garage for a social.He bought this the other week



I'm already down for a spin on it as soon as it's on the road

[Skub]

A good 4 hour ride today,home again about midday. Cool early on,then warmed up aroung 9.30.

We have been getting astoundingly good weather here for the last few weeks. Most unusual and costing me a fortune in fuel!

[Yorick]

Took Penny right oop norf to see the WW2 gun placement bunker thingies.
Not many folk get up there. Most don't know they exist.

20230604_142647.jpg (1.31 MiB) Viewed 609 times

20230604_144147.jpg (1.18 MiB) Viewed 609 times

20230604_144206.jpg (1.36 MiB) Viewed 609 times

[Yorick]

Explored the underground stuff

20230604_143511.jpg (1.4 MiB) Viewed 609 times

20230604_143847.jpg (1.38 MiB) Viewed 609 times

[JackyJoll]

Harbour at Avoch, via Nigg ferry.

[JackyJoll]

Welcoming sign at same venue.

[Yorick]

Ride today with missus

IMG-20230607-WA0005.jpg (596.59 KiB) Viewed 503 times

IMG-20230607-WA0008.jpg (547.42 KiB) Viewed 503 times