Streetbike on the Telly !

Channel 5 production company RDF West's Ellie Gibbs & Gaetan Mourgle were in our workshop filming our very own Keith Ball as he serviced Emergency Bikers Mark "Flymo" Haynes Yamaha FJR1300. The segment will feature as part of the new series which starts on Wednesday 17th November at 8pm on Channel 5.

If you missed the last series you can catch up either by watching the repeats showing on Watch or on the Channel 5 On Demand site here at http://bit.ly/apVWFe

Flymo was well happy with his Yamaha UK supplied bike saying that it was "the best bike we've used" and the grin on his face as Keith fired up the bike after it's service was a joy to see.


The guys will be back soon for their MOT's - we look forward to seeing them then. For more info on the guys and their work check out http://www.five.tv/programmes/documentaries/emergency-bikers/84900

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More from Eleanor...

After taking my first free Get On Ride at Streetbike, I was really excited at the thought of working toward my bike licence.I booked a weekend lesson and turned up at 8:00 on a Saturday morning to start my road practice. From that point onwards the majority of my lessons were at the weekend, which helped me balance my work commitments around my training.

I have to say that if I hadnt had the first Get On lesson around the yard, working on control before my first on-road lesson, I would have found going out that Saturday a bit daunting. My instructor was really helpful though, helping me relax; telling me to take my time and slow down before taking any action. I think its crucial not to feel pressured when you ride. Just because you're on a bigger bike, it doesn’t mean you have to do everything different. If anything slowing down, breathing and giving myself time to think really helped, and has continued to help right up to my test.

My lesson was one-2-one and lasted three hours. I covered roadcraft, positioning and one of the most important elements - the OSM routine - which was consistently drummed into me before making any kind of change - observation, signal then manoevre - making sure all of ther necessary lifesavers had been taken. Three hours sounds a long time, but it took me a while to start thinking in a sequential manner, and get out of the habit of being 'just a car driver'. It gave me enough time to work the bike out in a road situation and start to instinctively do my checks in the right order.

After my first lesson I was mentally exhausted, both with excitement and adrenaline of my first road ride, but also having to constantly think about road positioning and other drivers. Over the course of my training I found it became second nature, but starting out its much like learning to drive again. It goes to show that bikers have to think and react much more quickly than your average car driver, and never let that concentration drift.

Paul also assessed my riding during my first lesson and gave me valuable feedback on where I needed to improve, to get myself to my ultimate goal - test standard. I needed a Mod 1 lesson run through, a Mod 1 test pad practice and a few intense lessons to improve my roadcraft ready for my MOD 2. Planning my training made it all very real for me. My lessons were also realistically set out, with enough support to help me get to my test as soon as my instructor felt I was ready.

I really loved my training, and appreciated the method the streetbike trainers chose for my learning style. I'm not great under pressure, and prefer to learn things in maneageable chunks without the thought of the test at the end of the week.The guys put me on a regular lesson plan rather than a DAS course, which helped me concentrate on the training properly. Each person is different, but I was happy with how flexible the options were, and I didn’t feel rushed into taking an intense course, getting myself out of my depth too early.


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Using Bus Lanes in Birmingham on your Bike

Signs for bus lanes you can use...

There's a great article on the Get On website about the on going saga of the use of bus lanes by motorbikes in London.

"Click here for Get On Article"

So I thought it would be useful to see how things are going in Brum - Good News - We can use bus lanes that are showing the signs as above.

Here's what it says on the Birmingham City Council Website...

"From November 2007 Birmingham City Council carried out a trial use of the existing bus lanes by motorcycles along A435 Moseley Road, Alcester Road and Alcester Road South, as shown on the map. The trial lasted for 18 months. Monitoring indicated that allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes was beneficial to motorcyclists, with no disadvantages to other road users. However, some research elsewhere has identified that some bus lanes could be unsuitable for use by motorcycles.

It has been decided that motorcycles will be allowed to use all bus lanes in the City, subject to each bus lane being checked to make sure that it will be safe for motorcycles to use without increasing danger to other road users. Work on changing the bus lane signs will start in 2010, finishing in 2011. Please familiarise yourself with the new signs above that include a motorcycle symbol.

Please note that motorcycles will only be allowed to use bus lanes after the signs have been changed to include the motorcycle symbol."

The MCIA have also published a code of conduct for using London Bus lanes that is just as sensible for us here in Birmingham

1. We share bus lanes with other vulnerable road users, take extra care around them
2. Be aware of pedestrians walking through traffic queues and at bus stops
3. Look out for pedal cycles and give them a wide berth, they may suddenly change direction or position
4. Pass cyclists on the offside only – never undertake
5. Always assume cyclists cannot hear or see you behind them
6. Do not use excessive speed when using bus lanes or overtaking cyclists
7. Accidents happen when cars pull from junctions and side roads into the path of motorcyclists in bus lanes – KEEP YOUR SPEED DOWN
8. Watch out for other vehicles crossing bus lanes
9. Take extra care when riding alongside congested pavement areas
10. We are ambassadors for motorcycling, riding in a bus lane is a privilege that needs to be respected

 

Get on Weekend Winner Eleanor shares her fun...

Hi, my name is Ellie,

I'm relatively new to biking, and know how daunting it can be sometimes to make the decision to learn something new. I'm just about to take my Direct Access Test, and if you'd asked me to do it a year ago, I'd have laughed as I walked away. I wanted to write a blog of my experiences on the way to my test, so that if you're considering doing the same, it could help you on your journey too.

I always liked bikes, but never had the inclination to want to ride one until I met boyfriend. Once I'd been out on the back of his a few times, I decided I wanted my own and took my CBT. I bought a 125 and began my biking career, but took quite a long spell off, due to an accident. I kept putting off the opportunity to get back on and build up my confidence.

About 3 months ago I stopped in at Streetbike for a look round. When I got in I found they were running a huge 'Get On' weekend, with lots of competitions and a chance to have a free 'Get On' lesson with the instructors. I thought it would be a great idea to re-start myself again and bring my confidence back, so I signed up. If you're not familiar with get on - check out their website http://www.geton.co.uk/ its all about helping people to enjoy the experience of getting on two wheels either for the first time, or if you've had a break, with qualified instructors and in a safe environment.

When I turned up for my free Get On Ride, the instructors let me start out on a Yamaha XJ6 because I already had a valid CBT. Initially I was worried about sitting on a 600, but my instructor Paul was fantastic at helping me cope with the size and weight of the bike in no-pressure off road environment. I found my free Get On lesson was enough time to let me get to grips with the XJ6 and remind me how much fun biking was. We spent the hour doing yard exercises on control and slow manoevres, which was invaluable for my confidence. At the end of the session, I was anxious to re-book, deciding not only did I want to get back on bikes, I wanted to start the road to take my direct access test, and was 100% supported by the instructors to do it. Thanks to 'Get On' and Streetbike, I have indeed gotten back on, and am now taking lessons for my Direct Access Test

If you're thinking of getting into biking, or getting back on again after some time off, I'd recommend the Get On scheme as one of the best ways to get you started. Streetbike runs regular weekends where you can sign up, or visit www.geton.co.uk  for more information.

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