AN EXPERIENCED motorcyclist died after misjudging an overtaking manoeuvre on a blind bend, an inquest heard.

Ivan Gordon Tomlinson, 59, was pronounced dead at the scene on May 21 after a head-on collision with a white delivery van on the B3078 Cranborne Road, near the Horton Inn.

During the inquest at Bournemouth Coroner’s Court, family and witnesses heard that Mr Tomlinson was riding his Suzuki GSX in convoy with his colleague Adam Edds on their way to the weekly bike night at Poole Quay.

Witness Nilofar Vatani told the inquest that she was driving home on the summer’s evening in her purple Ford Ka when she noticed a motorcyclist overtaking her ‘very fast’ just before a blind bend.

She said she shouted ‘Oh my god’ when she realised the motorcyclist had lost control on the corner and was heading towards the grass verge on the opposite side of the road.

She then saw Mr Tomlinson collide head-on with a van approaching from the opposite direction, which resulted in him being thrown from his Suzuki bike.

He landed on the side of the road.

Her boyfriend Joshua Courtney, who was a passenger in her car, told the inquest: “Without warning the motorcycle was trying to overtake us – we both said how mad it seemed.

“It was a crazy manoeuvre at the speed of about 80mph.”

He said that the rider tried to keep control on the bend and that it was ‘horrendous to watch’ and added: “It was an idiotic move by the driver in my opinion.”

Adam Edds, who was riding in convoy behind Mr Tomlinson, said that his friend and colleague was a ‘safe all-round rider’ but that in the moments before his collision he couldn’t understand why he needed to overtake.

Mr Tomlinson was a keen biker, carpenter and family man, who lived in Andover.

Pathologist Doctor Al Utayem stated the cause of death was a severe head injury and spinal trauma.

Assistant Coroner for Dorset Richard Middleton recorded a verdict that Mr Tomlinson died as a result of a road traffic collision.

He added: “It was clearly not a sensible manoeuvre and that ill-judged decision set in motion a series of events that Mr Tomlinson was unable to control.”