Adventure Bike Rider Forum

Interesting article

https://glosthinkbike.wordpress.com/201 ... -progress/

Still need to watch the video (plan to later today)

What do you think? :pinch: :whistle: B)

Nice article!
Thanks for finding Earwig.

It's one of the reasons I haven't taken an advanced riding course, as any mates that have done so came back telling me that they had to make good progress. Speed is something that I enjoy now and again, but it's one of the reasons I ride my XR125l a lot, cause for me the scenery is what makes the journey special. I've got riding mates who like to ride fast and whizz past anything in their way, but that's not really my style.

Can you take an advanced course and not make progress and still pass with flying colours? can you ride under the speed limit and let faster traffic pass you? I don't know.....

I always wanted to be a police motorcyclist, but never wanted to be a copper... Slight problem!

Not sure what there is to learn from the video - other than it's quicker to get through traffic if you have a team of police motorcycles stopping the traffic ahead of you! What is there for us in the real world - that if you filter and chose the right lane you make progress? If all the traffic lights are on green you make progress!

Dave

I've done my advanced test with the IAM on bike and in the car and never once felt pressured into making overtakes or progress. Safety was always paramount and they drummed into me obey speed limits except the national one and then good observations are essential for keeping you safe and conviction free. It was more about safe progress and using good observations to make the most of opportunities at roundabouts and traffic lights or to overtake.

However, there are a couple of social groups I've ridden with where a few will tear off into the distance so it then becomes a matter of, "Do I take chase so as not to get lost?" or "Do I ride my own ride?"

The problem for me is they are riding at well in excess of the speed limit to a point where I consider it unsafe. Don't get me wrong, I will happily break a national speed limit if safe but I like to be there or there abouts on all other speed limits as they are normally there for a reason and that's the speed other road users are expecting you to be travelling at.

Godspeed wrote:Nice article!
Thanks for finding Earwig.

It's one of the reasons I haven't taken an advanced riding course, as any mates that have done so came back telling me that they had to make good progress. Speed is something that I enjoy now and again, but it's one of the reasons I ride my XR125l a lot, cause for me the scenery is what makes the journey special. I've got riding mates who like to ride fast and whizz past anything in their way, but that's not really my style.

Can you take an advanced course and not make progress and still pass with flying colours? can you ride under the speed limit and let faster traffic pass you? I don't know.....

The video is meant to show that making progress does not mean riding fast...it's about keeping momentum, being in the best position and setting the pace yourself..ie not getting into places where other motorists and hazards set the pace for you ...

Strange article. I watched the video last night and while it was certainly interesting it's largely irrelivent to the average rider as they don't have the luxury of a SEG team clearing there path!
Unobtrusive progress is a better term.....filtering, lane selection, entering roundabouts etc.....keep it smooth and keep going rather than darting in and out and drawing attention to yourself.

Having once been an instructor and involved with a couple of advanced courses I felt a LOT of pressure to go fast. As I was a young man my ego got in the way too leading to some lairy moments. This was all 20 years ago.

My understanding now is that modern IAM and other advance courses are much more safety and observation based rather than speed based. My friend recently passed the IAM and she is not fast but extremely observant.

I too ride a 125 and I find it far more relaxing to enjoy my surroundings.

Godspeed wrote:Nice article!
Can you take an advanced course and not make progress and still pass with flying colours? can you ride under the speed limit and let faster traffic pass you? I don't know.....

Yup, provided of course all other aspects are up to top level of riding and you get in the odd overtake or easy filter then you'll get the 'flying colours' sticker without carving through traffic. I would suggest it's pretty difficult to fail for a half decent rider who has taken some notice of the training, concentrates on the day and observes speed limits. Oh and don't forget to spruce up on your highway code, not a huge part of the test but I lost nearly all my points on that section :pinch:

Earwig wrote:Interesting article

https://glosthinkbike.wordpress.com/201 ... -progress/

Still need to watch the video (plan to later today)

What do you think? :pinch: :whistle: B)

This is the paragraph that stood out for me:-
"Making progress is best achieved through good observation, anticipation and planning as opposed to speed, due to the nature of our roads sustaining high speed for any length of time is not possible resulting in high speed only coming in short bursts which have little or no effect on your overall journey time because those bursts do little to raise your overal average speed for that journey."


I think as an experienced rider you do naturally aquire this style of riding but often don't take it to the next level that training does. When I did my LGV training the instructor asked me after half a day if I rode a motorcycle because my anticipation of traffic gaps at roundabouts and traffic lights was 'natural' which mean't the truck was constantly moving instead of stop/start.
One personal criticism of myself is that because I drive an HGV for 1,000+ miles a week and only ride my bike once in a blue moon I do have problems adjusting my thinking time, this means on the bike I miss opportunities for good lane positioning at traffic lights etc which stops me making good progress. On trips it does take half a day to settle back in to the groove.

Nice film to watch however there is a whole world of difference between advanced riding/driving in civvy street than an advanced driving/riding in the police.The fundamental bit is the blue light, excess speed ect that police use. The non emergency run then OK standards are good to learn but it takes a different skill driving/riding on blues which not everyone can learn.