of them, which provides no surprise
ZKHQRQHRUDQRWKHURIWKHPÀQGV
themselves being crashed into by
another S.R. or have managed to
crash into something else it took
them too long to react to.
It often means that, if one is
unhappily driving the family car, by
WKHWLPHZHDUULYHDWWKHWUDIÀFOLJKWV
they have magically turned red in
our faces again. This happens even
though, as motorcyclists and thus
automatically Rapid Pro-reactors we
could see – from, say, ten or more
cars back – a green light appear and
have already begun to move slowly
forward. We are then too often
impeded, dare I say it again, by a S.R
directly in front.
Another one of the great
GLVDGYDQWDJHVWRVPRRWKWUDIÀF
ÁRZLVDOVRJHQHUDWHGE\WKH65
for these drivers seem, in general,
WREHXQDZDUHRIWKHWUDIÀF¶UXOHV ·
which apply in and/or approaching
roundabouts. They will often slow
perceptibly upon approaching these
devious devices and then stop for
several seconds to allow a driver some
distance away, but on their right-
hand side, to access the roundabout
ahead of all who are immediately
behind the S.R.. But it must be added
that one advantage of this type of
GULYHU·VODFNRIFRJQLWLRQLVWKDWWKH\
all appear to be unaware of the width
of their vehicles. This creates the
priceless advantage bestowed upon
us by Honda Highway which, as we
are motorcyclists and usually perched
upon two wheels, we can now (legally)
use. This handy space between rows
RIFDUVDOORZVXVWRÀOWHUWRWKHKHDG
RIWKHTXHXHDWWUDIÀFOLJKWV:HFDQ
then accelerate briskly away from the
¶IUHLJKWWUDLQ·RI65VEHKLQGXVZKHQ
it appears safe to do so.
:KHQ,SXUFKDVHGP\ÀUVW
motorcycle in 1947, which was a 1929
500cc OHV Model 18 Norton, I was
not allowed to ride it because I was
still at school, with my mother suitable
KRUULÀHGEXWP\GDGGULO\PHQWLRQLQJ
it was in fact a Very Good Idea.To digress, for years I referred to
that Norton as an ES2, but that was
not its correct nomenclature, because
the Model 18 had exposed valve
springs and pushrods. The ES2
nomenclature adopted for the later
500 single–cylinder machine with
HQFORVHGYDOYHJHDUWKH¶(6· LWKDV
been said and then argued about)
UHIHUULQJWR¶HQFORVHGVSULQJV·WKH
number 2 to the second design of
WKDWIDPRXVROG1RUWRQ$WZDU·V
end, the Model 18 continued, but
with telescopic front forks and rigid
frame, the more expensive ES2
ZLWKSOXQJHUUHDUVXVSHQVLRQ LQ
all other respects, they were
identical machines.
If my long-suffering mother – of
ÀYHER\VZDVYHU\XQKDSS\ZKHQ,
wheeled that long-wheelbase Norton
home, my dad seemed fairly relaxed
about it. He reckoned he had good
reason to be at ease with me riding
PRWRUF\FOHVDERXW ¶EXWDWVRPHWLPH
LQWKHIXWXUH·KHVDLGVWHUQO\ IRU
he had ridden more than a few as a(^12) ye
Beautiful Balkans
Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro LAST SPOTS AUGUST 24 - SEPT
http://www.adriaticmototours.com
Sarajevo, Adriatic Coastal Road and
5 UNESCO sites: Plitvice NP, Durmitor
NP, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Split.
HIGHLIGHTS