A FATAL accident involving a motorcyclist was caused mainly by the rider's speed, a coroner has ruled.

Self-employed builder Alan Wilkinson was killed last August when his Honda hit the rear of a car turning into The Sidings restaurant in Station Lane, Shipton, near York.

Police investigators concluded that Mr Wilkinson, 62, had braked so heavily on rounding a bend in the road that his rear wheel came off the ground. He was thrown off his machine and was crushed between it and the car.

Konstantitos Gongos, who was driving from Newton-on-Ouse to the restaurant, told the inquest at County Hall, Northallerton, that when he arrived a car coming from the opposite direction flashed its headlights signalling him to turn right into the entrance.

Mr Gongos said he checked his mirrors and used his indicator but heard a bang as he began to turn.

Marilyn Keddie, who was in the other car, said the motorcycle just appeared round the bend. She told coroner Michael Oakley: ''It happened so quickly that I wondered where he had come from.'' Another motorist, Alan Bowes, said he was overtaken safely by the motorcycle, which was being ridden professionally, but he was startled by the noise and his impression was that it went into the bend too fast.

Mr Wilkinson, of Brecksfield, Skelton, near York, died from multiple injuries. A post-mortem revealed half the legal amount of alcohol in his blood but Mr Oakley said: ''I do not think there is a lot of evidence that alcohol played a part in the accident.'' He said that although there had been mild criticism of Mr Gongos by investigators, had Mr Wilkinson been riding at the speed limit or below he would have been able to stop. He recorded a verdict of accidental death.