I feel the need to add my voice to the growing number who are appalled by the sentence handed out to Robert Bennett for his motorcycle speeding offence.

For those not familiar with the story…

Mr Bennett was allegedly caught speeding at 122MPH in the rain on the A361 in North Devon. He was riding a Suzuki Hayabusa and had his 14 year old son riding pillion. As a result, Robert Bennett received an 18 month driving ban and a 6 month custodial jail sentence, of which he must serve at least 3 months. His life is, I’m sure, ruined.

First of all, far be it from me or any other road user to criticise Mr Bennett for speeding. All drivers do it, whether intentionally or not. Obviously, few drivers hoon about at 122MPH, but let’s put this into context: the Suzuki Hayabusa is a 1300CC sports motorcycle capable of 186MPH, therefore 122MPH represents 65% of its capability. I regularly see people driving ordinary family cars at 100MPH+ on the motorway, which represents closer to 90% of the vehicle’s capability. Whilst I am certainly not going to condone riding at 122MPH on a public highway, that speed is well within the safe operational design limits of the bike in question. Mr Bennett has decades of riding experience, so it’s probably safe to say that he was operating within his own limits too

I’m not going to make a judgement on the speed – make your own mind up about that. Police pursuit drivers happily exceed those speeds in inferior vehicles without any concern for public safety. Also worth bearing in mind that a Hayabusa can stop from 122MPH in less distance than most cars can pull up from 70MPH. Frankly, if you watch the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVOyrFz5pbk) I would question the accuracy of the speed gun anyway. He certainly doesn’t seem to be going that fast, particularly as he goes round the corner barely leaning.

Of course, he was prosecuted for dangerous driving not speeding, but I can’t really see much dangerous in the way he was riding. Sure, there was potential for a nasty accident, but he didn’t have one did he?

Very very harsh.

Let’s not forget that Lord Ahmed (a Labour peer) was jailed for only 12 weeks after texting behind the wheel and actually killing someone! He only served 16 days of that sentence. Where is the parity in justice?

In any case, if you ride that quickly, you greatly increase your risk and the need to concentrate and fully focus on the job. I cannot comprehend attempting that with a pillion, particularly if the pillion was my own son. My boys are not old or big enough to go on the back of my bikes, but when they are I will gladly take them. However, I will be riding more slowly and more carefully than I would on my own, and my boys would have to be decked out top to toe in safety gear. Mr Bennett failed to even provide gloves for his son.

Since being caught Robert Bennett has taken an anti-bike stance. He said:

“That bike was just so fast. You only have to touch the throttle and boom, it’s gone. I never would have knowingly traveled at that speed, especially with my son on the back. These bikes react amazingly quickly and sometimes it’s very hard to tell just how fast you are going.

“When I realised what I had done I felt very ashamed and had to get rid of the bike as soon as possible – I didn’t want it to happen again. With hindsight, I don’t know why manufacturers make bikes that fast, they should be speed-restricted, I will never buy a bike that fast again, in fact, I think I’ll stick to my car in future.”

Give me a break! No-one buys a Suzuki Hayabusa for its looks! People buy them because it’s the fastest bike you can buy. As with all modern bikes, the ‘busa comes complete with a speedo. This amazing gadget can be used to tell you just how fast you are going… and, it also comes with a throttle that can be closed as well as opened. If you can’t control a throttle, don’t buy a Hayabusa.

Frankly, I can’t believe anyone with 30 years’ riding experience would not have excellent throttle control along with a thoroughly good grasp of speed – without even having to look at the speedo. I have mastered both of those things, and I have been riding for just 1 year. So, why come out with all this tosh? The anti-motorcycling nazis are already against him, why does he want to alienate the motorcycling community with nonsense statements like this?

I think the quick sale probably had more to do with the certain knowledge of a ban and wanting to get the best price possible for the machine. Frankly, with the celebrity value, he should have been able to get rid of it for better than market value anyway.

As stupid as this was (and let’s face it, who of us hasn’t done stupid things in our life that are totally out of character with our normal good judgement?), does the punishment fit the crime?

Hell no! It’s an outrage! There is no way a car driver caught at 122MPH would receive a jail sentence like this. Again, I refer to Lord Ahmed’s case as a classic example. This is nothing more than bigotry on the part of Judge Phillip Wassall, who when sentencing came out with this:

“Had you lost control of your motorcycle it would have become a missile, causing a serious accident and probably the death of at least one person.”

What?!

The chances of an experienced rider losing control of a motorcycle operating well within its limits on a smooth dual carriageway is unlikely to say the least! And how would it have become a missile exactly? Missiles take off and accelerate towards a specific target. A bike sliding down the road is slowing down, and is simply out of control – not at all like a missile. Frankly, the dangers of a bike sliding down the road are similar whether the bike was doing 122MPH or 70MPH.

How do we know it would have caused a serious accident? A properly dressed motorcyclist can walk away from a 122MPH slide down the road. It’s all down to traffic, weather, road surface, chaos theory and a billion other random influences.

“Probably the death of at least one person”. Well, that sounds scientific and factual. Fair enough, the kid is going to have some messed up hands coming off at that speed without gloves, but he may not necessarily be dead. This is nothing more than conjecture, and conjecture has no place in the convicting of a person.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to justify the crime. I think it was completely reckless, but my opinion is no more relevant than Phillip Wassall’s own bigoted anti-bike, anti-justice ideals.

Robert Bennett needs to appeal. He is being made an example off, and that is not justice. I have no doubt he would win an appeal against the custodial sentence, but when he does, I suggest he leaves the bikes to those of us who know how to use a throttle and a speedo.

Bikes are a sensible, safe, cheap and environmentally friendly form of transport. Just as with cars, there are a small minority who drive like complete pricks and spoil it for the rest of us. I hope that the majority of safe riders will not be affected adversely by this case.

As the weather has taken a turn for the worse, I have found myself having to adapt my riding to suit the new conditions. I think I’ve found solutions to the majority of problems facing motorcyclists in bad weather, so I thought I’d list them here. Let’s start with dealing with the cold.

Staying Warm

When your body is cold, your reaction times are increased and your concentration levels are decreased. This is not a good combination for a motorcyclist! This can be particularly problematic as far as your hands are concerned. Cold hands are not only painful, they’re also slow, numb and clumsy, all of which could contribute to your failing to be able to make quick adjustments to the controls to avoid dangerous situations. The best solution to this problem is:

Heated Grips
Heated grips not only keep your hands warm, they also warm the blood that is circulating through your hands, which in turn helps keep your upper body warm. Whilst original manufacturer heated grips are quite pricey, other manufacturers such as Oxford sell grips suitable for all bikes from about £50. That’s less than you’d pay for a good set of winter gloves! The difference heated grips make to winter riding is phenomenal. You can ride for longer, and in comfort, despite very low temperatures.

Regardless of whether or not you choose to install heated grips, it’s essential to have good:

Gloves
Invest in a good quality pair of leather winter gloves, and you will be rewarded. Winter gloves, unlike their more flimsy summer counterparts, should be airtight. This ensures that your hands stay warm for as long as possible (which in cold weather, still won’t be very long). Make sure the gloves are waterproof as wet gloves will make your hands colder much more quickly. Gloves needn’t be expensive. I bought a very good pair made by Lewis for just £30.

To extend the warm time, consider some:

Inner Gloves
These are thin gloves that you wear under your main motorcycling gloves. You need to make sure that they don’t restrict your movement of course, but wearing an inner pair of gloves will keep your hands warmer for longer. Again, they needn’t be expensive. A simple knitted pair cost me just £3 and are barely noticeable under my main gloves.

Just as your hands need to stay warm, so do your feet. It’s important that you have good:

Boots and Thermal Socks
Feet tend to stay warmer for longer anyway when motorcycling. Partly due to the proximity of the engine, and partly due to the fairing (if you have one). You can keep them much warmer by buying a good pair of thermal socks. You don’t necessarily have to buy motorcycle socks, which tend to be expensive, consider offerings for hikers, mountaineers, snowboarders etc. Often, you can find good quality thermal socks at bargain basement prices from outdoor pursuits outlet stores.

When choosing your boots, buy the best you can afford, but don’t necessarily assume the best is the most expensive. I have some £30 ProBiker boots that are both warmer and dryer than my £100 TCX pair. The only annoyance is the laces on the cheaper pair, but an extra minute putting them on is worth it for the extra weather proofing.

Now, it’s important to keep your legs warm too. Don’t be scared, buy some:

Long Thermal Underwear
“Long Johns” or full-length thermal underwear may make you feel like a bit of a prat at the sales counter of the store you buy them from, but this is soon forgotten when you are enjoying a ride in cold weather without having cold legs and knees. I got a pair made from Merino Wool from Marks & Spencer for £17. There are cheaper versions made from synthetic fibres, but these will never be as comfortable and warm as natural fibres. I wear mine over my normal underwear so that they don’t need washing every day. Worth every penny!

If you have a good pair of textile motorcycling jeans with a thermal lining, the combination of thermal underwear, lining and waterproof outer is more than enough to keep you comfortably warm even in very cold weather.

Moving up the body, don’t forget some:

Thermal Vests or T-Shirts
Again, these can be quite pricey, but you needn’t spend a fortune. All the supermarkets sell vests, and cheap outdoor pursuits stores will have full sleeve thermal t-shirts for reasonable prices. Keeping your upper body warm in cold weather motorcycling is hugely important. Once your core body gets cold, you will have no choice but to stop and warm up somewhere.

Bizarrely, big thick jumpers are not the ticket here. Think layers. Lots of layers. Vest or thermal t-shirt, plus a t-shirt, plus a thin pullover or sweatshirt worn under a good jacket with thermal lining will keep the cold at bay for ages. Remember, it’s easy to remove a layer if you get too warm, but it’s not so easy to find an extra layer whilst on the move if you get too cold.

Here’s another top tip: if you’re out riding and you find that you haven’t layered up properly and the cold is getting in, go buy a newspaper and stuff this under your jacket. The 40p thermal top!

And don’t forget your neck and head! Consider purchasing a:

Balaclava
I buy Spada Chill Factor balaclavas which are made for motorcyclists and have an extra long front to make sure your neck stays covered. A cold neck and chin can be very uncomfortable. You can find these balaclavas on eBay (brand new) for under a tenner. Worth every penny. Just remember that if your helmet is a very tight fit, wear a balaclava might be difficult. For me, it’s a comfortable addition which makes a huge difference. My ears and neck stay warm, and with the balaclava covering my nose, it helps my visor stay fog free for longer.

Staying Dry

Cold is a problem that is easily dealt with. Staying dry can be much more difficult and will exacerbate the cold, so let’s look at what we can do to stay dry. Let’s start again with:

Gloves
Good winter gloves should be waterproof. My £30 pair of Lewis gloves keep my hands bone dry even in torrential rain. Look carefully at the label of the gloves you are buying, and try to find gloves that won’t get soaked themselves. Even though your hands may be dry, if the outer glove is soaked it will catch more wind and you will be colder as a result. Leather does soak up water over time, but textiles offer less protection. You have to find the balance between the two. Again, inner gloves can help, particularly if they are waterproof too, as some motorcycling specific inner gloves are.

Remember: when it’s raining, make sure your glove cuffs are inside the sleeve of your jacket, not outside. If you put your gloves on over your jacket sleeve the water will run down your arms and straight into your gloves, which rather defeats the object!

At the other end of the body, let’s look again at:

Boots
Not all boots are waterproof. Some will survive a light shower, but sustained riding at speed in heavy rain is a different matter entirely. Fabric parts on the top of the boot may make movement easier, but these tend to be weak areas for letting in water. My cheaper textile boots are much more waterproof than my more expensive leather ones, but again they offer less protection.

The cheapest way to waterproof any pair of boots is the humble plastic bag. Pop your feet inside a bag before putting your boots on and you should stay dry no matter what the weather does! Don’t forget also to make sure your trousers go over the top of your boots, otherwise the water will run straight down your legs into the boots!

What you really need is a:

Good Textile Suit
Leather is no good in the rain, you need to wear textiles or a waterproof oversuit. In fact, even if your riding gear is waterproof, a one piece oversuit will ensure you stay dry no matter what, and they’re cheap too!

If you wear a two piece textile combination, remember that as you are sat on the bike, the wind will force the water into your lap, where it will pool and blow up inside your jacket. Ever had the big wet patch on your stomach? That’s the reason. A waterproof oversuit will solve this, but if you don’t have one, take regular opportunities to stand and shake the water clear. Again, the humble plastic bag can come to your rescue: stuff one in the top of your trousers and over your stomach…

Vision

Finally, the other major problem (and I do mean major) is that of visibility. Your helmet does not have a wiper blade, obviously, and constant wiping with gloves will make them wet and make your hands cold. Some gloves have a rubber strip built into the forefinger of the glove to help you wipe clear, but as the visor will be covered with rain again in mere seconds, these are of limited use. Consider some treatment spray for your visor. Once applied, these waxy substances encourage the water to dissipate, and the wind force will be able to push the droplets to the side of the visor.

When it’s wet, the problem of internal fogging becomes much worse. Pinlock inserts, if your helmet supports them, can help hugely here, but otherwise you need to regularly treat the inside of your visor with an anti-fog solution. You can also consider a helmet insert that re-directs your breath away from the visor. All of these things can be purchased in stores like Hein Gericke.

There’s nothing worse than riding at night in the rain with a rapidly fogging visor and rain covering the outside of the visor, deflecting all the light from oncoming traffic. Visibility can be significantly reduced, so ride more slowly. Don’t take risks! Try and follow (at a safe distance) a car, as the red tail lights will help you to see where you are going. If it gets too bad, stop!

Remember too that winter brings lower light conditions and reduced visibility for ALL motorists. Wear a high-visibility vest with reflective material to ensure that they can see you, and obviously make sure you always ride with your lights on.

Winter riding is nothing to be scared of, provided you are properly prepared for it. Don’t expect to be able to ride the way you do in summer, but don’t be too scared of the conditions. Modern tyres grip well even in wet conditions, and a well-maintained bike can be ridden safely and in comfort throughout winter by the well-prepared motorcyclist.

Safe riding folks!

The answer is: good. Very good.

I’ve just had genuine Yamaha heated grips installed on my FZ6 Fazer, and it has revolutionised my winter riding. The genuine Yamaha grips seem to cost considerably more than generic grips made by people like Oxford, but Bransons in Yeovil did me a deal because I had bought my bike from them, and I figure the genuine article will have proper fixings etc. and won’t invalidate any warranties.

The installation is very tidy, and the grips are operated by a simple dial. You can choose anything from gently warming to burning hot, or you can switch them off all together.  The grips are slightly thicker than standard grips, but I find them more comfortable as a result.

The cost was £250 fitted, and I can highly recommend them.

Regular readers of my blog will know that I started my motorcycle riding career on a Suzuki SV650S. The SV didn’t suit me, largely because the riding position was too sporty and uncomfortable (I’m 6ft1 tall) for any major distances, plus the mileage was getting up to the 27,000 mark. So, I’ve traded it in for a new Yamaha FZ6 Fazer S2 with ABS, and having lived with the Fazer for a few days, thought it might be worth doing a quick comparison between the two bikes, particularly as they are similar and are aimed at the same target market.

I should make it clear that my SV650S was a 2001 model with plenty of mileage on it, whereas I’m comparing it with a brand new bike. It’s also worth pointing out that it is only the faired version of the SV (the SV650S as opposed to the SV650) that has the sportier riding position. The naked SV probably would have suited me fine.

The riding position on the Fazer is completely different. You sit very upright, and the bike feels quite tall, which leads to almost motocross style flickability, and possibly a less involved ride than the SV and other more sporty bikes. The seats on both bikes are hard on the buttocks over longer distances, but the Fazer is far more bearable due to the more upright riding position.

Another key difference between the two bikes is the engines. The SV is a v-twin, whereas the Fazer is an inline 4 cylinder, and both have different characteristics. V-twins typically have lower redlines, and generate their peak power earlier in the rev range. They also return excellent levels of torque, meaning you can get away with being more lazy on your gear changes. An inline 4 usually develops less torque and reaches peak power much later in the rev range, meaning you have to make the most of the gears, and rev the engine a bit more to realise the full performance of the engine.

The Fazer has a 600cc engine developing 98BHP @ 12,000 RPM. The SV650S (2001) has a 645cc engine developing 70BHP @ 9,000 RPM. So, which is quicker?

I think the SV is easier to ride more quickly, with an instant surge of power from the throttle at almost any gear and rev combination. The Fazer feels weaker around town, but when you open it up (7000RPM+) it takes off with a huge surge of power. If you had a drag race, the SV would probably pull off the line quicker, but the Fazer would catch up and win as soon as it hit the magic power band! In every day use, there really isn’t as much difference as you might expect.

Pillion comfort is good on both bikes, but the SV seems to pull better two-up than the Fazer. Grab rails are good on both bikes, with the handle at the rear on the SV and handles on the side of the Fazer. Because the exhausts run under the seat on the Fazer, the pillion does benefit from warm hands and bum too!

Both bikes have a half or bikini fairing with a screen, so how is the wind deflection? Simple answer: the SV is better. At least for me, anyway. I have purchased and started using ear plugs with the Fazer, when I never felt I needed them on the SV. Wind noise is high above 70MPH, and any speed above 90 is pretty untolerable, which is probably a good thing. It’s worth mentioning also that the SV’s mirrors seemed to suffer less from vibration at high speed.

The only real disappointment with the new Yamaha though, is its gearbox. Suzuki just seem to be able to make better gearboxes. Changing gear on my 15 year old GSX1100F is like a knife through hot butter. The Yamaha gearbox is fine until you miss your change downs at a junction. At which point you have to stand on the pedal and engage the clutch slowly until it snaps in, and then repeat until you hit first (pulling away in second is much harder than on the SV due to less torque), which takes time. Simple answer is to make sure you don’t get caught out, but we all have our off-days, and the Suzuki gearbox just seems to be more forgiving. Perversely, the Yamaha gearbox is perfect for clutchless up-changes when on the power – it snicks in very easily, despite the user manual advising you that you should always use the clutch because the engine and drivetrain is not designed to withstand the shock of clutchless changes. Knackers to that. The differences could of course be due to my comparing older bikes with a brand new one.

The only other mild irritation is that only one of the headlights switches on at low beam. I’ve found a guy on the FZ6 Forum who makes up cables to wire up the other headlight though, so I will shortly be making that modification.

In terms of handling, both bikes are exceptionally good and can be flicked around the twisty roads with very little rider input. The Fazer feels like it drops into corners faster (probably due to the tall riding position), but it does hold lines very well.

The brakes are brilliant on both bikes. I spent extra on the Fazer to have ABS, but thankfully I haven’t had cause to use it yet, and I hope I never do, but it seemed like a worthy thing to have for the sake of £300. It will no doubt pay dividends if I ever have to do an emergency stop in the wet with a pillion.

Suzuki are often slated for their finish quality, and the SV is no exception. I use my bikes in all weathers, and the SV which I only had for 4 months, was showing signs of deterioration. Previously, it had been garaged all its life, so the speed with which the rust and oxidisation appeared was a little alarming, and another factor in selling the bike. The Fazer has a painted engine, and the quality of finish looks generally better, so I have a bit more confidence in its weather proofing. Only time will tell. I was disappointed with the thickness of the paint and lacquer though. I foolishly didn’t go straight out to buy a tank protector, and somehow managed to scratch the tank with just the plastic buttons on my jacket. Pretty poor that.

So, which is the better bike?

It’s not that simple. It depends what you want from your ride and how you will use the bike. I would choose the Yamaha every time, purely for the riding position and the generally better quality of finish. The engine (a second generation R6 engine) is good when it gets going, and the sound it makes as you get to the top of the rev range is awesome. Very addictive too, which is not so good given that the top of the rev range in second gear equals points on the licence if you get caught!

There will be plenty of others who prefer the SV. I did love the relaxed thump of the v-twin, but the best sounds are to be enjoyed from about 10 metres behind the bike, which is not much use to the rider.

With Yamaha’s amazing 3.5 year 0% finance deal (which has just been extended), the Fazer will be more accessible to most people, and it’s a great bike for the money. Either way, you’re going to have a great bike that delivers lots and lots of grins.

I was reading a copy of Superbike magazine from back in the “summer” and was rather appalled to see pictures of Brandon White’s horrific accident reprinted, ostensibly as a “warning” on road safety. This from a magazine that seems to actually encourage high speed riding. I don’t believe anybody unrelated to the accident or Brandon’s family needs to see these pictures.

Brandon was a 25 year old American, who hit the back of a “semi” (big truck to all the UK readers) after it changed lanes in front of him. It is believed that Brandon was traveling at 120 MPH, and if the truck was doing 50, then that’s pretty much like hitting a wall at 70 MPH. Suffice it to say, Brandon did not live to tell the tale. Thankfully, he probably felt nothing, but that may be slim consolation for his family that now have to deal with the pictures whizzing around the Internet and being printed in magazines and newspapers.

These same magazines all showed utmost respect when Craig Jones (a British racer) died in an on-track accident recently, printing beautiful eulogies to a “great man”. I’m sure Craig Jones was a great man, but the people writing these articles don’t necessarily know that any more than they know Brandon White wasn’t a great man. He certainly does not deserve to be ridiculed in this way.

Even more upsetting are the various posts in forums by sub-humans with a morbid desire to intrude upon another individual’s death. There are even posts in one forum (that I found thanks to Google) expressing disappointment because the photos of Brandon hanging limply from the back of a truck are not gruesome enough.

The only good that can come from his brutal end being publicised is that others will think more carefully about their own road safety. Anyone who rides a powerful motorcycle knows that a flick of the wrist and a few seconds are all that stand between rider and speeds our ancestors could only dream of. Empty straight highway? 120MPH? Not a problem. Take the same highway and add a few slow-moving vehicles and 120MPH is likely to result in what happened to young Mr White. Arbitrary speed limits or limited bikes may be the answer for the ignorant few, but for most sensible riders, they just need to ensure that their speed does not wildly exceed the speed of those traveling around them, and that the speed they choose to travel at is appropriate for the road and weather conditions.

Brandon White has been severely punished for his mis-judgment, whereas many other (probably less worthy) individuals will get away with it. For now.

The human body is a fragile thing, comprised mostly of water. It cannot survive high speed impacts. The seasoned rider will be acutely aware of this fact, without being morbidly obsessed with it, and will temper his riding accordingly.

Whether Brandon White was at fault or not in his accident is irrelevant to his family who were not in any way responsible for his actions, and deserve to be treated with respect and allowed to grieve in peace. I certainly am sorry for their loss and I sincerely hope that I don’t see any similar pictures the next time I open a bike magazine for a quiet morning read.

For now, the sun is out (!) and I have my GSX1100F back from the garage, so I’m heading out to enjoy my motorcycle. At safe speeds, of course.