Hi Colin, I only just noticed this post. It was truly amazing how it would run for hour after hour with the throttle flat to the floor at around the national speed limit. I was very skeptical when first told they could be driven like this but that first long journey down the M6 was spent with at least 50% of the time with the throttle to the floor and she seemed to thrive on it!Hi Jock You just got it up to flat out and stayed there, as you well know. One great thing about it was that it forced you to look well ahead, and plan ahead overtaking braking etcetc. Looking well ahead is a great benefit to safe fast driving. When I did an advanced course with a police instructer he said, "I always lookas far ahead as I can, I would look into the next County if I could" I have a feeling that quote may also appear in "Roadcraft" the Police Manual.
"As far ahead as possible," is absolutely essential if you are to survive as a motorcyclist, as is a sixth sense
Riding bikes when you're young and can survive falling off is greatly to be recommended in my book. You are always looking out for metal man hole covers, white lines, shiny road surfaces, road camber, rainbow colours which may well be diesel which is lethal - I'm sure I'm telling you how to suck eggs here? If new car drivers were taught to observe this sort of stuff we'd all be a lot safer.
When I tried my hand at car sales for a couple of years at the DAF garage, the boss was very keen to have anyone who might be out driving with customers take the advanced drivers assessment and attend a short corrective course if needed, he paid for it so I took it. I learned a lot from it especially about lines of sight and placing of the vehicle on the road as well as what are appropriate speeds for prevailing conditions. Anyone who has the chance to take one of these courses I can strongly recommend it. Looking well ahead is a no brainer but so few actually do it. Driving in heavy traffic and at speed on a motorway when many around you are obviously just watching the bumper of the car in front terrifies me! Every time a new vista opens up, so as you exit every bend or crest every hill or whatever, look as far ahead as you can and see if any potential problems present. Generally by looking well ahead you'll automatically pick up if something nearer is going to require attention but if you only look maybe a couple of cars ahead - or like many do, just at the back of the car in front - you'll not pick up early enough on developing situations ahead and won't be ready to take the action needed. Once you get into the way of looking well ahead it just becomes the obvious way to do it and will make you a much smoother driver which saves fuel, wear and tear on the vehicle and increases passenger comfort while reducing stress levels for you too.