Having attended the very excellent First Aid Course on the Saturday, a return to Liddington on the Monday evening seemed a bit premature  to hear Steve Watts, Business Development Manager of Bridgestone Tyres talk about tyre technology. However, any misgivings about not cooking the evening supper where soon dispelled by this myth busting talk.

A bit of background. Bridgestone, in spite of the Anglo Saxon sounding name, is a Japanese Company formed in 1931 and now claims to be the World’s largest tyre manufacturer. Their commitment to motorcycle racing provides the necessary research for domestic car tyre production, more so than an involvement in F1. Cornering on just a few millimetres of rubber is the ultimate development aid.

I got a bit lost in the discussion about heat transfer relying on silica rich rubber encased in RC polymers but my ears pricked up to Steve’s claim that the most important determinant of handling and tyre wear is correct inflation, pressures always being checked when the tyre is cold. Under-inflation, as well as leading to a rapid rise in temperatures, leads to aquaplaning in the wet whilst over-inflation simply leads to lack of contact with the road and is brutal on suspension.

Steve went on to correct a commonly held view that pressures should be changed according to the loading on the motorcycle, i.e. whether you are riding solo, with pillion or carrying a lot of luggage. Leave pressures as recommended by the tyre manufacturers and let the suspension sort out the handling. An interesting aside was that the same road tyres coming out of identical moulds can vary by up to +/-4% which might explain why some people get on better than others with a similar bit of rubber!

As a fan of tyre sealants, I was a bit disconcerted to learn that they should have no place on Z rated tyres (high speed) as the sealant might have done its work on several small holes only to have disguised an area of subsequent concentrated weakness; you’re probably ok though with smaller bikes.

In the Q & A session it was asked why a new tyre should be run in. The answer is the rubber molecules need time to settle down... which is exactly what I did on getting home and having a wee nip of Benromach, my favourite malt. It was a good evening.

Norman Parry

• Bike Treads (Swindon)
• Carson Tyres (Melksham)
• Hayball Tyres (Salisbury)

"Enjoyed the course, not that much theory which is good because we had plenty of time to practice which I think is much better."

"I cannot really think of anything that would need to be altered."

"Thought Mark along with Cara ran the course well and delivered the topics discussed throughout the day in an upbeat manner that I thought, went down very well."

"I thought that it was an excellent course and very rewarding and taxing. The course was perfect for motorcyclists and car drivers alike covering first on scene and the helmet removal issue. I believe that a certain motorcyclist that has been taxed with this point would have benefitted from attendance!"

"I found it extremely interesting and the combination of instruction, demonstration, practice and feedback in such a dynamic manner was excellent.  With the subsidy, it was very good value for money."

"It was also a really nice friendly bunch of people. I really enjoyed the course. I managed to get myself into positions I thought I was no longer capable of!"

"Thoroughly enjoyed it, it was very good, well-structured and catered for both bikers and drivers.  I especially liked the interaction, so as getting to know other group members.  Well thought out lesson indeed."

RoSPA Head Office have sent us the following information concerning the e2w slowly Challenge. For further details please visit their website at http://www.e2wslowly.org/.

 

When you hear the word ‘motorcycle’, you tend to think of a lean machine zipping through the traffic. It’s a vehicle associated with speed, yet Roger Bibbings is rallying bikers to join him on a slow motorcycle challenge.

Workplace safety supremo and lifelong motorcycle enthusiast, Roger is urging fellow fans to join him in the e2w slowly challenge, which takes place on the 21 and 22 June.

Roger will be riding his trusty 1979 TS150 MZ to raise money for RoSPA’s Driveway Safety campaign (http://www.rospa.com/about/currentcampaigns/drivewaysafety/). At least 26 children have been killed on, or near, the driveways of their homes since 2001.

He will be joined by Peter Henshaw, the former editor of Motorcycle Sport and Leisure, Phil Speakman, general secretary of the MZ Riders Club, and Phillip Thwaites.

But what does e2w slowly involve? The team will be set off from the most easterly part of Great Britain in Lowestoft on the longest day of the year and finish up in St David’s, the most westerly point, at sunset the next day.

They will ride vintage motorcycles, mostly over 25 years old and under 200cc, and travel mainly on minor roads. They will carry all camping gear, tools and supplies (except water and petrol) on their bikes and¬ there will be no backup vehicle.

This trip follows last year’s e2e slowly event, which covered Land’s End to John O’Groats.

“I was inoculated with the motorcycling virus very early on by my father,” says Roger. “It was on holidays on the continent as pillion on small machines that I learned about the feasibility and pleasure of travelling slowly on two wheels and using the minor roads.

“You see, smell and remember so much more and provided you keep on going, you cover the same ground as those burning up the highways on much bigger machines.”

Roger is inviting others to get out their MZs, BSA Bantams, Triumph Tiger Cubs, LE Velocettes, Honda 90s and the like and join the challenge. If you’d like to take part, or find out more, you can contact the team at http://www.e2wslowly.org/#!form/cxfw.