Table of Contents
Editorial
The time has come for me to hang up my motorcycling jacket. It comes to us all eventually, even if we’d like to ride forever! I will still be your Editor and Webmaster as long as the SAM Committee will tolerate my output. Your newsletter is read in 10 countries by a diverse number of riders and non-riders. Thank you for being our loyal readers, of the website and newsletters, over the last 10 years. Let’s see what the future will bring.
We would have like to see much more effort from the UK Government on motorcycling’s agenda. Report after report and petition after petition seem to wind up on the shelf as the menu of political policy demands squeezes us out. We won’t go away. We won’t go anywhere quietly and it’s time to show the real value of powered-two-wheel transport to society. Every biker will have to look at their riding and decide whether they are as knowledgeable and skilled as is needed on today’s roads. This is the best way to show everyone in our community that motorcycles are an essential option to meet today’s travelling challenges. SAM offers an open door to all fully licenced riders to have a FREE assessed ride. Even if you think you are the finest rider around, it’s still worth riding down to Meadowhall Retail Park, 9am any Saturday throughout the year, to talk to us and meet other bikers.
In this week’s newsletter, you can read about the first black African woman to ride from the East to the West Coast of the African continent. For more adventure you can read about the motorcyclists who tried to outrun a Police helicopter. Less happy news is that Claire Lomas MBE, a tireless charity fundraising disabled motorcyclist has died. Better news is the banning of Hells Angels groups in the Netherlands.
Onto more high speed adventures with the Salt Torpedo at Bonneville. For an even more fiery experience read about the ‘Spitfire’. Yes, it’s a bike that probably needs a fire extinguisher close at hand.
Kevin Williams is giving away items and providing more insights into safer riding. IAM RoadSmart bring our attention to a survey in which 30% of young drivers admit to videoing whilst driving. The evidence is their for all to see on social media channels. It’s another reason to ride as you more easily plan an escape route to avoid the distracted idiots! That’s another bucket load of reading for you. However, it will have to last until mid-October as Pillion and I are off touring on four wheels instead of two. End of an era, happy reading.
SAM's Autumn Celebration
Online Motorcycling News
General
Is it time to make the switch? MCN investigates the rise of Chinese motorbikes in the UK
It wasn’t that long ago that Chinese motorcycles on the UK market were synonymous with cheaply made, lesser alternatives to the machines produced by mainstream manufacturers.
But an awful lot has happened in the last decade, and where options were once few and far between, with limited dealer and parts supply, Chinese motorcycles have slowly crept further into our domestic motorcycling mainstream. Read more…
Udoh Ebaide Joy becomes first documented black African woman to ride a motorcycle from East to West Africa
Nigerian musician Udoh Ebaide Joy has successfully ridden a motorcycle from the Kenyan city of Mombasa to Lagos, Nigeria, making her the first documented black African woman to ride from the East to West coast of the African continent. Read more…
Inspirational motorcycle charity fundraiser Claire Lomas MBE has died
Paralysed motorcyclist, Claire Lomas MBE who raised almost £1 million for charity has died aged 44 following an accident in Jordan in the Middle East.
The news was announced by the Melton Times, who released a statement on behalf of her family stating they were “absolutely devastated to lose Claire.”
Claire became paralysed from the chest down in 2007 in a horse riding accident and learned to ride a motorcycle after her injuries. Read more…
The Hells Angels are Banned in the Netherlands
The Dutch ain’t part of the club.
It’s a pretty common sight for us in the United States to see motorcyclists wearing cuts from the various outlaw clubs. In nearly every state, you’ll see riders supporting the Bandidos to the Mongols to the most famous, the Hells Angels. It’s just a part of normal life.
But that isn’t the case in the Netherlands where the latter club was outlawed from operating within the country. No, seriously, they’ve been barred from European state. Read more…
Gear up for the latest updates on driving laws 2024
Get ready to rev up your engines and dive into the latest updates shaking up the automotive world! There’s plenty of buzz on the road ahead, from electric vehicle mandates to safety regulations for heavy goods vehicles and the potential thawing of fuel duty freezes. But what are the key developments driving change in the automotive industry as we roll into 2024? Buckle up because it’s going to be an exhilarating ride! Read more…
Rider Safety
If the bike in these pictures looks at all familiar it’s because Honda has been filing patents relating to this design since as far back as 2021 but the latest document shows that development is still underway and features a revised headlight design that now includes a large hole right in the middle of the lamp.
The bike itself is an intriguing electric model that appears to be roughly the size of a Grom, indicating that it will be a city-oriented machine aimed at low-speed fun rather than extremes of performance or range. It’s a logical market for electric motorcycles to target, and we’ve recently seen designs that show Zero is also working on a machine targeting the same sort of customer. Read more…
Motorcyclist Tries to Out-Run Police Helicopter, Ends Exactly How You’d Think
Don’t do the crime if you don’t have the skills. That’s the saying, right?
I’m spit-balling here, but maybe, just maybe, don’t run from the police? I know, I know, heresy! How dare I try and tell you that most police chases end poorly for everyone, including random passers-by, and that more often than not, people get injured or worse. And that it literally never works out for anyone involved. Read more…
Adventure & Touring
As we entered Wyoming midway along the eastern border, we began pathfinding, meandering through wide-open fields, the first bits of sand and a few dead ends—dead, in as much as the unused tracks dwindled to nothing, with no indication whose land we were on, we respectfully turned around. Read more…
A big GS blasted by, cranked so far over that I wondered how the hell it would recover. A second followed, the rider’s long blond plaited ponytail acting as a swingometer, as both bikes heaved one way then the other through the tight hairpin bends. I glanced in my mirror and saw the batwing fairing of a Harley hard on my tail, before looking forward again to see the BMWs disappear around the next bend. The Glide went through, too, leaving me with shame and admiration in equal measure. I tried to console myself with the fact the big cruiser wasn’t two-up, but it didn’t help. Read more…
Is The ‘Long Way’ Back For Good?
It’s proving quite a week for TV motoring adventure ‘farewells’. Around the same time that the Top Gear/The Grand Tour trio of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May ‘dropped’ a teaser trailer of their final Grand Tour film (which is available in September), comes more news about the latest ‘Long Way’ TV motorcycling travelogue franchise from biking/acting buddies Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. Read more…
History & Custom
Slick Single: An AKT NKD 125 street tracker from Colombia
AKT Motos is one of the biggest motorcycle marques you’ve probably never heard of. Based in Colombia, the company was started 20 years ago by a group of entrepreneurs who wanted to supply the local market with practical and affordable bikes. They’ve become one of the country’s most popular brands, with a range that includes…Read more
“Salt Ready” illustration by Wayfarer Hey, We rolled in from Bonneville yesterday afternoon, an easy five hours with three drivers covering about 125 miles apiece. The Salt Torpedo set a record with a top speed of 144.888 the first day of racing. The next day we sailed through the lights on a rutted track at over 150. Our team at 57, 75, 76 and 77 will be a year older next year and the years are starting to weigh heavily on performance whether we like it or not. The trike definitely needs a younger crew. We are also looking at completing the 45 cubic inch Bonne Belle and taking it to the salt next year, maybe. We ran across some Read More
Five of the most iconic choppers of all time
Choppers are one of the major iconic custom motorcycles, with extended front forks giving them a sleek long profile guaranteed to turn heads wherever they go.
The history of the chopper dates back to America in the late 1940s, with the post-Second World War WW2 availability of army surplus motorcycles. These could be picked up cheaply, and many owners began customising them by removing unnecessary weight to make them faster and sleeker. Read more…
This ‘Spitfire’ Custom Motorcycle Literally Spits Flames, Seriously. Because why not?
If you take a look at the Instagram page of Swiss custom bike builder VTR Customs, chances are you’ll find yourself going down a rabbit hole of wild, extremely well-built customs. The team at the workshop is no stranger to pushing the envelope when it comes to custom builds, and its latest custom build, dubbed “Spitfire,” is clearly a testament to this.
The Spitfire, as its name suggests, draws inspiration from the iconic World War II aircraft of the same name. Read more…
Whiteknights Blood Bikes
We had a fantastic talk this evening with Chris, a dedicated volunteer from Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes.
It was eye-opening to learn about the vital role they play, delivering not just blood but also breast milk to premature babies and spinal fluid samples.
The urgency and commitment behind these deliveries are truly inspiring.
Chris even let President Judy sit on the bike 
#whiteknights #yorkshirebloodbikes #volunteerheroes #skiptonrotary #yorkshire
South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership
As we come to the end of August and the #RoadVictimsMonth campaign, we want to take a moment to remember all those lives lost on South Yorkshire roads. They will never be forgotten. Our thoughts are with their loved ones.
#barnsley #doncaster #sheffield #rotherham
Every death and serious injury on the road is a preventable tragedy. Yet, on average, five people die every day on the road in the UK and 82 are seriously injured (10-year average from 2013-2022). This has to change. Help us by sticking to the rules of the road. Brake, the road safety charity
Kevin Williams
Information links – why is there a hatched area?
Many advanced motorcyclists take a pride in knowing the Highway Code inside out. For example, take the diagonal ‘hatched’ painted road markings that we often find on the road. Advanced riders usually know that the rule to remember is that whilst continuous solid white lines MUST NOT be crossed because it’s a traffic offence But if the hatched area has broken white lines around it, those lines can be crossed, quite legally. Read more...
Entry speed to a corner is key. Get it wrong and it’s guaranteed to precipitate all sorts of other errors, so before we do anything else in a corner, we need to get our speed sorted out. This is far more important than many riders realise.
Unfortunately, there’s a lot of track-based advice about carrying speed INTO corners bandied around. On the track, our goal is to get round the bend and onto the next straight as quickly as possible. On the track, we know where the road goes next and exactly what we are going to do to negotiate the next corner. After all, unless it’s our very first lap, we’ve done it before over and over. Read more…
All your mistakes on the road are waiting for you
Savielly Tartakower, the famous Polish-French chess grandmaster, was also well-known for his countless aphorisms, sometimes called Tartakoverisms. He observed:
“The blunders are all on the board, waiting to be made.”
What Tartakower meant was that in chess, all possible moves and mistakes are present on the board from the start of the game. There are thirty two chess pieces on the board. The pieces can move in six different ways, and they can occupy sixty four squares; Every move of any piece can lead to an error and it is up to the players to navigate these possibilities. Read more…
It’s summer – red mist
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been talking about some of the issues of riding when on our holidays. Heading off to explore new areas is great fun – I’ve done it for many years but it’s not without risk. Getting to a distant destination means long rides, and that brings the significant dangers of tiredness. Roads we know well and even boring roads we haven’t ridden before can result in a loss of focus, where we easily drop into a low-arousal state leaving us unable to detect, nor react, rapidly and accurately to threats – think motorway pile-up. And last week I talked about the risks of too much fun – where we move instead into a state of ‘euphoria’ where we stop making rational decisions. Read more…
Motorcycling Organsiations
IAM RoadSmart
Research of 1,000 18 to 26-year-olds with a full driving licence revealed some of the riskiest things they’ve done behind the wheel, including texting and racing friends on public roads.
Almost a third (31 per cent) have either filmed, photographed or done both while driving – and 57 per cent of those admitted to subsequently uploading the content to social media. Read more…
New research of 1,000 young drivers aged between 18-26 reveals some of their risky driving behaviours, such as texting and filming whilst driving.
Young and inexperienced drivers are more likely to be involved in a crash due to poor risk calibration, over-confidence, and an inability to anticipate hazards effectively.
Nicholas Lyes, Policy and Standards Director at IAM RoadSmart, wants to see the government introduce a form of Graduated Driver Licencing to gradually provide new drivers with skills and experience prior to obtaining a full licence. Read all the findings from the research
There are limited spaces available for our morning session Car Skills Day at Thruxton on 10th September. 
Do you want to enhance your skills, maintain best driving practice, and eliminate bad habits? Book your space today!
From the Cornish Coast to the Scottish Seas, there is an array of beautiful beaches throughout the UK. 
In celebration of National Beach Day, we want to know your favourite beach route in the comments below! Check out some of our recommendations
Are you aware of the OAP framework when out riding?
We love receiving positive feedback from those who share their experience when completing their Advanced Rider course. Learn new skills and improve your on-road experiences with our Advanced Rider course
National Motorcyclists Council
Trail Riding – Health and WellbeingFEMA
A French white paper, published by CSIAM (the International Chamber of Automobile and Motorcycle Trade Unions) offers a summary of the significant progress that the use of motorcycles and other powered two-wheelers makes, both in terms of relieving road traffic congestion and reducing polluting emissions and on savings that can be made by the community and road users themselves. It also offers an industrial perspective on the problems of noise and road safety as it is understood in the motorcycle sector. Below we offer a compilation of the most important issues (click here to read the full white paper). Read more…
British Motorcyclists Federation
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) finds in favour of the British Motorcyclists Federation’s (BMF), over our complaint concerning JD Sports’ “irresponsible and unsafe” advertising campaign.
Earlier this year the BMF lodged a formal complaint with the ASA regarding JD Sports’ advertising campaign for Nike Air Max clothing which, in the view of BMF and other concerned parties, depicted motorcycle riders engaged in “unsafe” riding practices …
Hackney Parking Charges – UPDATELatest update from Save London Motorcycling (SLM)A few months ago we, SLM, told you the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) were taking legal action against Hackney Council over their punitive motorcycle parking charges.
At the time we thought we couldn’t bring the case as an unincorporated organisation. We’ve now found out that we can! We couldn’t establish this before the tight deadline for filing so the BMF stepped up but we’ve now agreed that SLM is the best group to take the case forward as we’ve been leading the campaign in Hackney.
Now we need your help to raise the funds needed to help take Hackney to court. Read more…
New Rider Hub
The 2024 National Young Rider Day takes place on Tuesday 1 October – when the focus across the country will be on young motorcyclists.
As a result of the cost-of-living crisis, more and more young people are choosing to ride a motorcycle to work, college, or simply for fun!
Founded in 2023, this event celebrates that choice – and helps young riders stay safe on the road!
Get involved on social media using the hashtag #WeAreYoungRiders
What is Ridefree?
Ridefree is an award-winning enhancement to compulsory basic training (CBT), consisting of pre-course eLearning modules. Its aim is to help you prepare for your CBT and riding on the road.
How can it help me?
CBT should be an enjoyable experience. But there’s a lot to learn, and it’s normal to feel anxious about your first bike ride. The good news is that Ridefree will help you become a better and more confident rider by:
- increasing your knowledge of riding skills and behaviour
- giving you more time to focus on learning the practical skills
- linking the eLearning to the practical skills.
Next SAM Club Night
7th October 2024
7.30pm start for meeting at 8pm. Gives you time to catch up on what you’ve missed!
Treeton Miners Welfare Club
Arundel Street
Treeton
Rotherham S60 5PW
Next SAM Committee Meeting
26th September 2024
Details to be arranged