Hi folks,
Got back from the IOM on Friday morning after spending several days staying at my brothers in Bradden. The first time SWMBO has let me go over on my own, on the bike, since we got married, (1987 last time on the bike) and at her suggestion! What a wonderful girl she is!
The island has changed out of all recognition since the last time I went on a bike, I have seen the changes when I have been visiting my brother but they didn?t really register until this time. The roads are very much better and not wanting to take anything from Mr Jeffries new lap record, they must make it easier to go round the circuit. There are no speed cameras (fixed) but plenty of mobile ones, but they where being used in the correct places, coming into a 30 limit after a 60 limit. In a 50 limit by a bad junction. I didn?t see one in 5 days in a place that I would have thought they are trying to catch you out. But on the other hand in the unrestricted parts of the island THERE ARE NO SPEED LIMITS, go as fast as you want and as long as its not being stupid so what.
In the five days I went around the course on the Blackbird for only 2 full laps, both during the afternoon. (When I was younger I would do it at 05:30 flat out all the way, and can?t now remember my fastest time). Traffic was bad; the driving was bad, some of the riding was even worse! But the euphoria of coming out of Ramsey around the hair pin and through the SPEED UNRESTRICTED signs until you hit the down hill to Creg-Ne-Ba cannot be put into into words. (Last time I was on the bike the 60 limit now in force from just after Kate?s cottage, before Creg-Ne-Ba, until you hit the outskirts of Douglas wasn?t there) and it spoils the end of the run. But what a run, I?m starting to get to be an old git, but the ability to throw the bird around and hunt down R1s, (you wouldn?t believe how much faster a bird goes in a straight line over 140 than an R1) makes up for the minor restriction. And all of the time I was riding I was using the style of riding taught to me by Les Packham on a 2 day Honda MAC course, ride fast and smooth. Use the entire road, make sure you can see, look as far ahead as you can and DON?T take the racing line. The roads are open for most of the way over the mountain with a few restricted corners taken at much slower speeds. I wasn?t overtaken once on either ride, I had no crises of confidence but I now know the birds not a scratcher, very very capable, but limited on some of the best and fastest roads to be found.
How the racers go at the speeds they do beggars belief, I was riding as fast as I felt both my bike and myself where capable of. Some of the time it was the bikes limitations, mainly it was mine, but using the riding techniques taught to me by Les I was always fully in control, I knew the limits and didn?t go past them, and had a very fast and enjoyable ride.
This brings me to the islands speed limits, at no time did I feel a need to abuse the posted limits, they where there for a purpose, safety, when there wasn?t a need for them they don?t have them. I suppose this will change, but just knowing that the car in front will soon be in an unrestricted area means that you just wait, and then off you go.
I hope that this reads OK of my personal experiences over a few days of the IOM,
BUT
EVERYONE SHOULD DO IT ONCE
All the best
Bill
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Bikesafe are looking at doing high speed rider training on the Island - I may sign up for that !
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....The first time SWMBO has let me go over on my own, on the bike, since we got married,....
had she just taken out a large life policy on you???
--
pmh (was peter)
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He's not posted in 12 months.....
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As I'm limited from spending too many days on the larger island I often spend time over on the IOM. Compared to the rest of the UK it has a refreshing attitude to speed and road safety. Likewise the inhabitants, it's a real pleasure to drive there.
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