Are you a Hendon shuffler?

[Wreford Miles]

Thanks Martyn...

Always nice to read about another’s journey through biking

As for the shuffel stuff I just seem to sub consciously do what’s right for the conditions

 

[Micky]

Chaps,

This perennial topic clearly “fires up” a few folk, & every single BikeSafe course I’ve delivered brings forth this question, so I thought I’d weigh in with my two ha’porth.

Just my thoughts, you may differ. Now, what oil should you use ???

Good one Martyn .... totally agree

However, in the West Riding we only had the Velocette LE 200cc side valve 'Noddy Bike' which really didn't have any brakes at all worth speaking of

But then they didn't have a decent turn of speed either

I rode those from 1965 to 1969 when they were replaced by the Mini Van

 

[gerarddwatts]

Cmon Mick....we know your first police vehicles were insured for theft, third party, and witchcraft

 

[Oldrat]

Great post Martyn
I think I started on Saints meself, needed Joe Lucas thumbs to operate the switches. If we were lucky they had leg shields or even better an Avon fairing. Then came the Beemers and a little later the rotary Norton’s. All with a nice tank mounted Bakelite handset and radio.

Those were the days of emergency braking with both feet in case you’d got it the wrong way around

Thanks for reviving some old memories

 

[Keith Chapman]

However, in the West Riding we only had the Velocette LE 200cc side valve 'Noddy Bike' which really didn't have any brakes at all worth speaking of

But then they didn't have a decent turn of speed either

I rode those from 1965 to 1969 when they were replaced by the Mini Van

Why does that make me think of the tv series Heartbeat

 

[Micky]

Why does that make me think of the tv series Heartbeat

My era, my policing

We used to work split shifts 9 x 1 - 2 x 6 for instance, so they got an extra hour out of you. You could go home for dinner but answer the radio if called

My 'Noddy Bike' at home with dawg Patch

Edit .... my house was a council house on a council estate, with a West Riding Constabulary Crest on the wall ....

... people would knock at all times of the day and night expecting me to sort out their troubles and woes

Called out one Christmas lunch time to a sudden death on the local park

It wouldn't happen these days

 

[littleade]

My era, my policing

We used to work split shifts 9 x 1 - 2 x 6 for instance, so they got an extra hour out of you. You could go home for dinner but answer the radio if called

My 'Noddy Bike' at home with dawg Patch

Edit .... my house was a council house on a council estate, with a West Riding Constabulary Crest on the wall ....

... people would knock at all times of the day and night expecting me to sort out their troubles and woes

Called out one Christmas lunch time to a sudden death on the local park

It wouldn't happen these days

I see you had the updated version. I had one as my 2nd bike when I was 17 but that was 3 speed hand change and hand start. Looks like yours had nitrous too

 

[Micky]

... Looks like yours had nitrous too

 

[dean0n0]

Brilliant.

 

[tanneman]

Thanks for the informed post Martyn H. I always wondered what was the reason for the shuffle. To me it is more natural to come to a complete stop using the rear brake and turn the bars so the bike drops a bit to the left making putting that foot down a bit easier on a tall bike. My observer says the following 'he is looking for the four S's, safety, system, smoothness, sparkle' as Giles mentioned. If I can explain my actions to him that made sense he is happy but always advise me on an alternative method or a different way to approach a situation. I'm happy with that and he is very good being ex copper.

In the end it is about learning as you never stop learning and finding a way that is comfortable for you whilst at the same time being safe.

 

[Martyn H]

Good one Martyn .... totally agree

However, in the West Riding we only had the Velocette LE 200cc side valve 'Noddy Bike' which really didn't have any brakes at all worth speaking of

But then they didn't have a decent turn of speed either

I rode those from 1965 to 1969 when they were replaced by the Mini Van

Our recently retired Fleet Manager, who started off on the LE's as an apprentice, still wakes up in the middle of the night with a cold sweat having dreamed he was still working on them !

 

[Martyn H]

Great post Martyn
I think I started on Saints meself, needed Joe Lucas thumbs to operate the switches. If we were lucky they had leg shields or even better an Avon fairing. Then came the Beemers and a little later the rotary Norton’s. All with a nice tank mounted Bakelite handset and radio.

Those were the days of emergency braking with both feet in case you’d got it the wrong way around

Thanks for reviving some old memories

I started off on a J-reg Saint, legshields, not full fairing & finished on a 2012 reg R1200RT; just a bit different !

 

[Martyn H]

Here you are Micky. Early 1960's Gloucestershire Constabulary Standard Riding Course. Before my time, but not by much.............
My father rode an LE, & later an Ariel Leader, which was quite an advanced concept, but I still lusted after the Speed Twin in Amaranth red he'd once had in the garage..........

 

[Posh Pete]

You mean " 'ammer an' thread." ?

Here's another bit of nostalgia and the main reason I was a "shuffle addict" until recently. Well, that and the fact that I was riding an R60/6 at the time. Tls brakes were certainly a good reason for keeping that right foot up on hills!

 

[Micky]

Ok Ok so this is a willy waving contest .... beat this ye buggers

 

[ShakeyBMW]

Martyn H.
Thanks for your informative post. I’d never have guessed that reason for the shuffle being invented.
You’ve given me some confidence that I’m teaching the right thing to my associates

 

[Micky]

Here you are Micky. Early 1960's Gloucestershire Constabulary Standard Riding Course. Before my time, but not by much.............
My father rode an LE, & later an Ariel Leader, which was quite an advanced concept, but I still lusted after the Speed Twin in Amaranth red he'd once had in the garage..........

Great photo Martin

Ne'er mind my wind up contribution ... I did my standard course in 1965 on an LE. I can remember battling uphill against a headwind, actual road speed about 2mph

In 1966 I had a BSA A65L and when the Noddy 'bike was off the road (frequent) I'd use the BSA for checking the outbeats. The local lads nicknamed me 'Leetnin' (BSA A65Lightning)

 

[Martyn H]

Wrong part of Yorkshire for you I think, but I hope you like it Micky.

 

[Micky]

Wrong part of Yorkshire for you I think, but I hope you like it Micky.

Leeds City ugh .... we were the West Riding

We didn't have a traffic department when I joined. The beat lads had the LE Velocette 'Noddy Bikes' until the coming of the Mini Van for police purposes in 1969.

We formed the Traffic Department in 1972 but I had to wait a while before I joined them ... I'd just gone on to the Vehicle Investigation Department (Stolen Vehicle Squad)

Sections had the 999 cars, aka 'Z Cars' which I spent some time in. Ford Zephyr or Zodiacs, bell on the front

As a police cadet, in digs at Rotherham, 17 years old (C1964) crewed up in a Zodiac 6, called to a double fatal at Goldthorpe. I was a motorcyclist myself at that time ... BSA 350cc B31.

I learnt one of motorcycling first lessons ....

Two kids on a motorcycle had come up to a T junction, field to their right, clear view, so turned left without stopping. A Mini Cooper was racing a Vauxhall, speeding, overtaking, on the offside of the road ... the two kids turned directly in to its path!

Both dead at scene ....

Z Cars ...

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Edit ... Ha ha, this was me back then

Seventeen years old and attending double fatals ...

 

[Giles]

(Ugly fucker even back then ..... )