A YORK solicitor's split-second error of judgement cost him his life on a motorcycle he had bought only hours earlier, an inquest at Scarborough heard.

North Yorkshire East Coroner Michael Oakley was told that John Ridley, 50, had exchanged a 1100cc machine he had owned for only six weeks because he realised it was too powerful for him.

He had been returning from Colchester, Essex, after buying a 650cc machine when he was involved in a crash with a car near Hovingham.

His wife, Sheila, a former Kirkbymoor-side town councillor and deputy mayor

of the town, said in a statement that she and her husband had driven to

Colchester to collect the 650cc Honda motorcycle, but they agreed to each

make their way back to their home in Main Street, Wombleton, she driving the

car, her husband riding home on the motorcycle.

Mr Ridley had been in practice in Kirkbymoorside until three years ago, then he joined Ingrams in York.

However, when he did not arrive home after several hours Mrs Ridley became worried and contacted the police to discover that he had been involved in a road

accident when she rang his mobile phone and it was answered by a police officer.

Mrs Ridley said she was baffled why her husband had been on the road between

Malton and Helmsley because it was not the route they had agreed to take on

the homeward journey.

"It may be that he decided to take the more scenic route" added Mrs Ridley.

Charles Field, of Castle Hill, Hunmanby, said he had been driving his Peugeot 406 from Hovingham towards Malton on Saturday, July 12, when, as he

approached a bend just outside the village, he saw the motorcycle approaching.

"It started to wobble. It was either on the centre line or just over it" he said.

He had swerved to try to avoid a crash.

Traffic Constable David Foster of Tadcaster said neither the car nor the

motorcycle had any defects.

In a reconstruction of the accident he said it appeared Mr Ridley had braked so firmly that the front wheel of his machine locked. He said there was no evidence of excess speed, but suggested two possibilities as to the cause of the accident.

A small pot-hole had been found near the apex of the bend which may have caused the motorcycle to wobble, or Mr Ridley may have panicked and braked for an oncoming car.

Mr Oakley, who recorded a verdict of accidental death, said Mr Ridley had

been a motorcyclist for a number of years, but had only owned the 650cc model for a few hours. The accident, he said, appeared to have been "an error of judgement" adding "Speed had nothing whatsoever to do with it".

When he saw the oncoming car, Mr Ridley had braked on the bend which had not been the correct action to take.

Medical evidence was given that Mr Ridley had died from multiple injuries.

Updated: 11:21 Wednesday, October 29, 2003