Getting a series of flowing bends right can provide the biggest ‘grin factor’ in motorcycling, getting a bend wrong can ruin your whole day or more!
Motorcyclists are the most vulnerable road user group in the country and 47% of motorcyclists who are killed or seriously injured on the roads are involved in single vehicle accidents AND the majority of those accidents are ON A BEND. See here for more on this.
On Sunday 16th May PECAM ran the first trial single issue class, looking at cornering. This, along with Full Members (those who have passed their test) 1-2-1 refresher training is organised on a ‘by request’ ad hoc basis. Today we had the perfect group size of 2 instructors and 3 members, who wished to progress and improve their cornering skills.
The session was run by our Deputy Chief Observer, Bob Stewart, who had a long career in the Metropolitan police as a professional motorcyclist, and was a member of the Met’s Special Escort Group. Bob started the group off with a relaxed briefing over a coffee in Bourne, refreshing the students knowledge how to read a bend and to proceed safely and smoothly around it.
We then set off on a 1.25 hour ride along the A151, along and back on the B1176 (locally known as the Bitchfield bends), then back on the 151 to the B676 to Wymondham Windmill for a coffee, sandwich and debrief. After coffee we reversed the route, more or less, and ended up in Bourne for a final debrief.
The end result was a fun, largely dry, Sunday morning ride starting off gently through the twisties and building up confidence and rate of progress within the IAM rules and guidelines. There was notable improvement, not only in the confidence of the riders when tackling the bends, but also in other aspects of advanced riding with some brilliant overtakes on the A151 on the way back.
Wymondham Windmill for Coffee, the perfect place for a debrief 
This adhoc training is recommended for everyone, member and associate alike. If you have a specific training request then please let us know.