Alistair Laing - Motorbikes

Motorbikes

In November 2005 I took the plunge and bought a motorbike on eBay. Since then I have taken part in training, and generally made a few comments.

Riding new BMW Motorcycles: With it being summer in the UK, and the two BMW Motorcycle dealers in central Scotland being under new ownership is the wonderful idea called the “open day” when they set out a whole pile of things including food etc, but even better they arrange “demo rides” where you can come along and have shots on a whole number of new BMW motorcycles just by providing details of your (full motorcycle) driving license. As a result of open days at Motorrad Central East and West, or as their websites call them now Motorrad Central Edinburgh and Glasgow, I’ve had...; posted @ Saturday, July 17, 2010 9:50 PM | Feedback (0)

Motorcycle Maintenance Evening Classes: I've missed the start of this course, but worth keeping an eye out for if you live South of Edinburgh. Scottish Borders College continue to run their Motorcycle Maintenance evening class "Know Your Motorcycle". I did an introductory version of this a couple of years back and it is good to get along and fiddle with someone else's bikes! The evening class details are on their website , unfortunately I am a bit late in flagging it up as it started a couple of weeks ago, but it looks like they are running a 10 week course from Newton. Now to see...; posted @ Saturday, September 26, 2009 9:52 AM | Feedback (0)

i2imca comes to Scotland: One benefit of being involved with a road safety charity concerned with motorcyclists is that venues and other service providers are willing to “go that extra mile” when it comes to trying something new or helping with charitable aims. As you may understand from previous postings, I have undergone regular training to do with riding my motorcycle and following a successful advanced motorcycle test as administered by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), I went on to volunteer with the local group affiliated to the IAM and serve on their committee and qualified last year as an “Observer” –...; posted @ Thursday, September 03, 2009 1:01 PM | Feedback (0)

i2imca on facebook: Go look at i2imca on facebook.; posted @ Wednesday, July 08, 2009 1:20 PM | Feedback (0)

i2imca Machine Control 4: Last weekend I had the opportunity to take part in the final course of four with the i2i Motorcycle Academy. Each of the four courses uses techniques from road, off-road, supermoto and track motorcycle riding to teach participants how to work with their machine and to challenge the preconceptions we all have about what can be done and what can’t be done with a motorcycle. Known as MC1, MC2, MC3 and MC4 the courses build on each other to challenge you and your own machine, and also off-road and supermoto machines provided by i2imca. But a key technique of...; posted @ Wednesday, July 08, 2009 12:55 PM | Feedback (0)

Scottish Supermoto: Popped along to see one of the EDAM members racing a DRZ at the Scottish Supermoto place in Crail. Got there a bit late, and the batteries ran out in the big camera, but there are one or two pics in there that turned out really well. There are also a few snaps, some photos of empty track when the bikes were moving past too quick and others that are out of focus. I was just getting the hang of panning with a longer lense too when the batteries went. Ho hum. See on Flickr.; posted @ Saturday, May 23, 2009 9:08 PM | Feedback (0)

Bikesafe Assessed Ride - II: Way back in history, almost three years ago in fact, I did an assessed ride with Lothian and Borders Police under their bikesafe initiative. At the time they called me up to fit me in with a run from Peebles, which at the time was a bit of an experience as I had to find my way all the way from Livingston near where I live to Peebles in the Scottish Borders. At the time I didn’t get along to their theory night but just did the assessed ride. Wind on a bit and I asked to see...; posted @ Sunday, May 10, 2009 10:08 PM | Feedback (0)

EDAM Run To Arran: I’m treasurer and webmaster of a motorcycle club affiliated to the Institute of Advanced Motorists called Edinburgh and District Advanced Motorcyclists. The main aim of the club is to assist people with preparation towards an “Advanced” test that is run and administered by the IAM. The idea is that Advanced training helps an individual to manage the risk of riding a motorcycle and try to avoid the situations that result in accident. The club also tries to do things for those that have passed the test and some of us had a run to Arran last Sunday. The run...; posted @ Sunday, May 10, 2009 9:35 PM | Feedback (2)

A brilliant time off road with i2imca near Thirsk.: Way back last year I spent a couple of days with the i2imca guys on an airfield in a place called Tockwith, learning some techniques with my own bike. The general idea will be familiar with anyone who has had to learn any discipline with a physical element - lots of small drills build up to a larger result. As the person riding (or driving) a motorcycle has such a big influence on how it behaves, these drills consider what you can do to work with or against a motorcycle for stopping, cornering and accelerating. That makes all sound a...; posted @ Sunday, April 12, 2009 12:20 PM | Feedback (0)

AlistairL learns some more motorcycle stuff in 2009: I love it when a plan comes together. As previously mentioned I am off to do MC2 with i2imca in April, and I have a slow riding course with Edinburgh Advanced Motorcylists at the end of April. I've just heard from the Edinburgh Advanced Motorcyclists events coordinator that we have some proposed dates from i2imca to run MC1 / MC3 at East Fortune this year, so it looks highly likely that I will be repeating MC1 and MC3 in Scotland at the end of August which is an excellent thing. And I've just heard from one of the guys at Lothian and...; posted @ Sunday, February 15, 2009 2:23 PM | Feedback (0)

Article Categories

Archives

Post Categories

Image Galleries

Life Blogs

Work Blogs