Table of Contents
Editorial
The snow has arrived, roads are gridlocked, schools are closed and hospital appointments cancelled. Time to hunker down in the shed with our favourite rides. Days when we can’t ride are a great time to check our bikes and give them some TLC.
The NMC (National Motorcyclists Council) is urging every motorcyclist to take part in the latest UK Government consultation. It is understandable that, after all the disappointments in 2024, many riders may think ‘What’s the point, they will only ignore us again’. Well, nobody can say that riding a motorcycle is an easy life and complaining in huddled groups isn’t going to achieve anything. Before you give your opinion it is worth reading the NMC’s response document. Motorcyclists and their representatives have been repeatedly ignored by successive UK government administrations, or worse been treated like naughty children riding dangerous machines, but this is no reason not to stand up for the freedom to ride. Just a thought.
The EU Council is looking at the life-cycle of motorcycles. Yes, I know we voted to leave the EU, but in order to trade with the bloc the UK has already committed to aligning standards for goods and services. The latest proposal is based on the principle of ‘circularity’, i.e. the recycling of motorcycles and their components being made the responsibility of motorcycle and accessory manufacturers. The problem here is having another set of government bureaucrats, being clueless about motorcycles, riders and motorcycling. The circularity regulations would affect the end-of-life disposal of 2- and 3-wheel vehicles. These include all L-category vehicles L3e-L7e (L3e = two-wheel motorcycle, L4e = two-wheel motorcycle with side-car, L5e = powered tricycle, L6e = light quadricycle, L7e = heavy quadricycles). The problem with these proposed regulations is that reuse, repurpose and recycling are inherent in motorcycling culture. If he lived in Europe, with these regulations in place, Bert Munro (World’s Fastest Indian) would not be able to melt down old pistons and barrels, cast and machine new ones, to break a world record on Utah’s Salt Flats. Motorcycle and component manufacturers would be required to provide information on the removal and recycling of all end-of-life components and materials. Such regulations would constrain every citizens right to choose a form of 2-wheel, 3-wheel or quadricycle, personal transport; and, personally manage the whole life-cycle of the vehicle. FEMA (Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations) have submitted a response to the EU informing of the nature of motorcycling and the market structure supported with research, development, manufacturing and employment.
Editor & Webmaster
Why should ordinary motorcyclists be concerned about either of these legislative issues? The most prized values amongst motorcyclists are the freedom to choose 2- or 3-wheel personal transport and ride safely in any direction you choose. Any constraint on our freedom, or threat to our safety is definitely our concern. With the bike in the shed, it’s time to help motorcycling by heeding the NMC’s request and giving your opinion on the latest proposals.
In the newsletter this week, after you’ve given your opinion on the future of motorcycling in the UK, there are loads of curated articles for you to enjoy. Ride safe and happy reading.
Integrated National Transport Strategy: a call for ideas
Closes midnight 30th January 2025
Your success is our success!
Advanced riders are safer road users, ride longer, rider further, meet more people and enjoy a healthier, happier life!
SAM Activities
It’s the SAM Annual Photo Competition 2025
Email ALL entries to sam-editor@iam-sheffield.bike
Closing date 12mn Sunday 23rd March 2025
Online Motorcycling News
General
Honda CT125 Hunter Cub competition aims to raise £30,000 to get paralysed rider back on a bike. Motorcycle adventure expert and tour guide, Nathan Millward is aiming to raise £30,000 for a paralysed rider by giving people the chance to win a number of Honda CT125 Hunter Cubs. With entrants paying one pound per ticket to enter, the competition began with the chance win just one bike, and a fund-raising goal of £10,000.
For a company that doesn’t (yet) compete in MotoGP where aerodynamic supremacy is the difference between winning and losing, BMW’s motorcycle aero engineers have been hard at work in recent years filing flurries of patents around a variety of airflow innovations. The latest is a little different, though, as it’s intended to find a way to replicate the effect of a larger fairing without adding anything that might spoil the styling. Read more…
The Motorcycle Industry Will Be Seriously Affected By KTM’s Insolvency, Here’s Why
Team Orange is part of a much larger web in the motorcycle industry that you may or may not know about.
Ever since news of KTM AG’s restructuring and insolvency broke, we’ve been finding more details that are worth paying attention to. Why? Because no matter how the KTM situation shakes out, the motorcycle industry will be impacted at multiple levels. Read more…
Ola Electric Just Opened 3,200 New Stores, Which Could Be a Good Or Bad Thing
After being on the receiving end of backlash surrounding its customer service, the company wants to appease its clientele.
Ola Electric is a company we’ve talked about quite a bit over the years. And despite holding operations solely in India, at least for now, the company has managed to propel itself into the global spotlight simply because of how quickly it has grown.
It all started with the S1 electric scooter, an EV two-wheeler designed to make electric mobility accessible to the masses. Not long after, the company expanded to more iterations of the S1 scooter, as well unveiling a bunch of EV motorcycle concepts to broaden its audience. Read more…
Toad Talks: Is the Game Up for Big Electric Bikes?
With electric bike makers working on ever more radical ways to boost ranges, and legislation working against them, is the writing on the wall for battery power?
The elephant in the room this year has been electric motorcycles, and trying to fathom precisely how they will fit into the two-wheeled landscape.
Sure, lightweight 125cc equivalent city bikes are selling well, and companies like Maeving and the recently announced Flying Flea brand, itself an offshoot of Royal Enfield, show that battery-powered urban mobility solutions seem to have a home within the landscape. Read more…
Rider Safety
Do you ride a motorcycle or know someone who does? If so, you’ll know that riding a motorcycle has some risks. In fact, statistics show that motorcyclists are much more likely to be involved in a serious or fatal accident than car drivers. This is why it’s important to take steps to reduce the risks and the Biker I.C.E. Card is one of the most effective solutions available.
The Biker I.C.E. Card is a simple, yet vital tool. It contains your contact details and essential medical information. In the event of an accident, emergency services staff can quickly access this information to help them decide on the right treatment for you. By carrying a Biker I.C.E. Card, you can ensure that emergency services staff have the information they need to take account of any ongoing health problems you have and any current treatments that you are receiving. This can make their job easier and your emergency care safer. Read more...
Staffs Police deploy drones and off-road officers to apprehend offenders and recover stolen bikes. Specially trained Staffordshire Police officers riding off-road motorcycles were deployed as part of a successful operation in Stoke-on-Trent tackling bike theft. Taking place on Sunday, December 15 last year, the force deployed officers from a number of units to parts of Park Hall Country Park, Werrington and Bucknall as part of Operation Transom.
When you’re newly licensed, the riding landscape can seem like pure, unstoppable chaos. Here are some ways we use to sort it all out.
Aboard their motorcycles, new riders face a brave new world. Not literally, of course. But from the standpoint of learning fresh physical skills, powers of observation, actions and reactions, and embedding vital strategies for survival, it certainly is. If this is you, first and foremost locate, attend, and successfully complete a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) course in your area. Then prepare for and pass the written and riding tests, as required by your state’s department of motor vehicles (DMV). Read more…
E-Bike And Scooter Injuries Have Tripled Since 2019
Intoxicated riding stands as the main cause of e-bike and e-scooter-related injuries.
Recent years have seen a massive uptick in the adoption of electric mobility devices. From stand-up e-scooters to electric bicycles and everything in between, it’s clear that lightweight electric transport is here, and it’s here to stay.
That being said, just like many things that gain popularity, the more people use or do something, the more things go wrong. And this is exactly what’s going on in the e-mobility industry, where injuries associated with these devices have tripled since 2019. Read more…
Adventure & Touring
The Lost Sierra: Northern California Motorcycle Ride
The phone rings. It’s Werner Wachter calling from Austria. “You vill come to Sacramento this weekend to my Edelweiss presentation at A&S BMW?”
It’s a question, but it sounds more like an order. I once asked Wachter, “What’s the difference between a German and an Austrian?” His response was subtle. He didn’t speak to me for months. Read more…
History & Custom
Fresh from Heiwa MC: A modern Triumph Scrambler 900 with retro style
Many custom bike builders develop a signature style over time—but that style is often attached to one particular make, model, or era of motorcycling. Then there are craftsmen who can apply their distinct art to any canvas, without compromise. Kengo Kimura of Heiwa MC is one such artisan. Based in Hiroshima, Kimura-san is one of…Read more
Norman Lister’s 1928 Norton Big 4 is more than a motorcycle—it’s a time capsule of family memories and a lifelong companion.
Imagine, if you will, a teenage boy who sees all cars and motorcycles as colorful candy on the road. As a 13-year-old new to this country, my mom and stepdad would take me to various dealerships so I could collect catalogs adorned with glossy photographs of Mercedes, Lexus, BMWs, Porsches – all the usual suspects. I would spend hours poring over these fascinating brochures, memorizing each detail of every make and model and what options were available. If you are reading this, you can probably relate. Your neighbor had a car, a family member had a motorcycle, you walked to school as a 5.0 Mustang rolled by, catching you drooling and thinking to yourself, “I want to be that person.” At the age of 14, I lived in Boca Raton, Florida, and if you’ve ever been to South Florida, you know the cornucopia of cars and motorcycles and the automotive culture that comes along with it. Read more…
Whiteknights Blood Bikes
Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes were guests on BBC Radio Sheffield this morning with presenter, Xanthe Palmer.
Lincolnshire Emergency Blood Bikes Service (LEBBS) have covered over 180,000 miles throughout 2024, delivering life-saving medication and transporting biological samples to support the NHS – that’s almost 60,000 miles more than the previous year.
South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership
Excess speed is a major factor in many collisions, contributing to needless heartache for victims & families as well as increasing the strain on our NHS.
Driver Retraining Courses
A driver retraining course is an alternative to prosecution and may be offered to those committing an offence at the discretion of the Chief Constable. Not every speeding offence will result in an offer. To be considered for a course:
You must admit to being the driver at the time of the offence by completing and returning the Section 172 request which has been sent to you.
You must have not attended the same type of course in the past three years… Read more…
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
Bio-fuel still isn’t a solution, even for Bajaj
You may recall Bajaj recently released a ‘dual fuel’ machine with a compressed natural gas tank wedged awkwardly under the tank and the seat, with a small petrol tank to keep the bike going if the CNG tank could not be refilled. .Read more…
Even experienced riders make newbie mistakes
Some years ago, I was on the way from London to Brands on the bike to work with Kent Fire & Rescue on the Ride Skills day at the circuit when I had an unexpected near-miss when filtering. Although I’d left plenty of time in hand for the inevitable delays, a hold-up for an accident on the M2 near Faversham had eaten deep into my margin. Read more…
Welcome to another year of content creation
I’ve just finished updating the TIPS on TUESDAY and SKILLS on SUNDAY index page for 2024. As always, there’s a window before I lock the posts for supporters and subscribers for ANYONE to view the latest posts, so seven posts from December’s output are still FREE TO READ, and I always leave half-a-dozen others throughout the year unlocked, so you can get a taster of what you’re missing if you’re not one of my supporters or subscribers. Read more…
When driving, brains can’t keep up with eyes
The standard ‘canon’ of road safety thinking persists in talking about vision as if it’s a given that drivers should see everything ‘if they looked properly’. Accident investigators stand at the scene of a crash, take photos, study the whole incident at length, and then talk about what the rider or driver ‘should have seen’. Just a couple of months ago, in a discussion of a survey which found 89% of their members agreed with the statement “it’s sometimes hard to see cyclists”, their director Edmund King equated this with ‘lacking awareness’. He said that it shouldn’t be hard for drivers to see cyclists “if they look in the right places”. Read more…
The perils of Groupthink
Groupthink occurs when individuals in cohesive groups fail to consider alternative perspectives, ignore or discount information that is inconsistent with their chosen decision and hold viewpoints which tend to be unwise or unrealistic.
The term was popularised by Irving L Janis in the early 1970s, but the underlying concept is generally accredited to George Orwell as he describes the psychological phenomenon as “crimethink” or “doublethink” in his famous novel ‘1984’ Read more…
Linking basic and advanced skills
My working riding history is a mix of full-time motorcycle courier and full-time motorcycle instructor, but I first started writing about better biking skills in the early 90s, when I was still despatching. I was a regular contributor to the Compuserve ‘GO’ Ride forum in the early days of the internet, and by 2002, I was moderating the ‘Survival Skills’ section on the Visordown forum, now sadly defunct. When I realised that my content was going missing thanks to the takedown, I started posting on Facebook and ensuring I kept copies of all my posts. Most recently, I’ve been dual-posting on my www.ko-fi.com/survivalskills page where I have rather more control over the content. I’ve also been penning the ‘Survival Skills’ column for MAG for two decades! Read more…
Motorcycling Organsiations
IAM RoadSmart
Has it been a while since you passed your Advanced test? 
IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards Nicholas Lyes said: “This record funding settlement will bring some festive cheer for motorists and cyclists alike. The emphasis is often on the nuisance and cost implications of potholes, but for many, particularly motorcyclists and pedal cyclists, poorly maintained roads are huge safety risk. While this level of funding will need maintaining for several years, motorists will hope journeys go a little more smoothly from next year.” Read more...
Are you aware of the OAP framework when out riding?
National Motorcyclists Council
The Department for Transport has today announced further details of funding to fix potholes across England. Local authorities will be allocated a share of around £1.6billion funding to be used to repair the roads most need of repair, with amounts of up to £500million expected to be awarded. The Government is also requiring local authorities to collect the correct data on pothole related issues and to improve maintenance before potholes start to form. This is in line with calls from the Pothole Partnership which demanded more transparency, plus better reporting and standards as part of the solution to roads maintenance issues. The funding also has built-in incentives, with 25% of this uplift held back until authorities have shown that they are delivering. Read more…
FEMA
The European Council wants to make it mandatory to hand in motorcycles when the have come to ‘the end of their life’.
A majority of EU member states wants to include motorcycles in the new Regulation on circularity requirements for vehicle design and on management of end-of-life vehicles (end-of-life vehicle means a vehicle which is waste or vehicles that are irreparable). Some members did ask for more data and for feasibility studies when it comes to inclusion of motorcycles and other powered two- and three-wheelers. This is the outcome of an environment meeting of the European Council on Tuesday 17 December 2024. The Hungarian presidency of the European Union was not able to complete the end-of-life dossier and reach a Council position, so it will now be handled by the Polish presidency, which will start from January 2025. Read more…
British Motorcyclists Federation
After an eventful 2024 , what with the change of Government and a new array of Ministers to inform, persuade and guide about Motorcycle matters, we head into 2025.
The work has already begun, with the BMF holding a Breakfast event, with our partners in the National Motorcyclists Council, at the House of Commons, attended by MPs and officials. The officials are important, as the collective memory of government, who we need to influence and guide as to what’s important to riders. We are particularly keen to agree a national motorcycle strategy, as a coherent way forward to improve rider’s environment in safety, infrastructure and sustainability as a form of transport. Read more…
Dainese, owner of AGV Helmets, has announced the world’s first helmet recycling scheme, using recycled materials from end-of-life lids to help make new ones. Currently, all old helmets, whether crash damaged or simply having reached the end of their useful life, go to landfill or incineration, and manufacturers are now looking for less ecologically damaging means of disposal, of which recycling is an attractive option, possibly saving costs on using all-new materials for every new helmet. Read more…
New Rider Hub
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…Read more.
Next SAM Club Night
4th November 2024
Speaker: Kevin Williams – Survival Skills Training UK
How not to Crash!
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
30th October 2024
Details to be arranged
Advanced Riding - Keep ALL Riders Safer!
We all enjoy meeting down at Meadowhall Retail Park, whether it be to take out an associate, go for a ride with friends or just to socialise.
As IAM and SAM members we are part of a charity that promotes road safety and it is crucial that the way we ride is in line with this aim. Public perception of how we ride is really important, as we can be part of the solution to stereotypes about motorcyclists riding dangerously and causing stress or annoyance to other motorists. We should never ride in a way that might reinforce that stereotype or cause danger to ourselves or anyone else. Every member can reflect on the impression they leave on every ride.
Group riding can be one of the most enjoyable aspects of motorcycling when it’s done responsibly. However there are also some common problems created by riding in a group:
- Allowing others to dictate your riding style: Being influenced by others in the group can lead to impulsive overtakes or riding beyond your comfort level without proper assessment of road conditions.
- Riding too fast for your experience: The fear of embarrassment or being left behind can pressure riders to exceed their capabilities, compromising safety.
- Failing to scan the road ahead: Focusing solely on the bike in front can limit your ability to anticipate hazards and react accordingly.
Remember, each time you ride in a group you are representing SAM. Enjoy yourself, be safe and leave a good impression on those you meet along the way.
SAM Club Merchandise
CLUB MERCHANDISE
Clothing can be ordered online direct from:
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Rotherham S66 1EA
Telephone: 01709 709977
Fax: 01709 709987
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