Editorial
Here we are getting settled into the New Year. A new video went up on the SAM Club Facebook page for you to watch and share with your friends. Despite it being a hard year, financially speaking, last year, motorbike sales increased 1.9% over 2021. People are slowly recognising that a motorcycle is a cost-effective, greener alternative to four wheels. This should mean that the demand for motorcycle training may also grow.
If, as a SAM Club member, you want to take your riding skills up a notch, consider the discount offer from Rapid Training. Details and a list of dates is available in your SAM Club Newsletter.
The electric expansion of motorcycles grinds on. Segway e-scooters will be at the MCN London Motorcycle Live Show. The world’s longest journey record on an electric motorcycle has been broken. Further electric motorcycle record attempts are also planned. New battery technology is on the horizon promising ‘battery charging in minutes’. However, if you can’t wait for the new battery charging technology to arrive, you can take a look at swappable batteries. Although they offer only a ‘swap station’ service at present, there may come a time when swapping batteries from bike to bike will arrive. That will be a game changer for electric bike riding.
Back to our traditional way of biking for the moment. The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) has produced a free guide to taking your bike to Europe. Recognising that, after Brexit, the UK Government made a complete hash of agreeing cross-border procedures for taking your bike to Europe, the NMC urged the officials to sort the problem and the rules are now much clearer.
Talking about travelling, how would you like an electric bike that folds down to the size of a suitcase? Great for commuting and using public transport when it’s running. Also good practice for your origami skills too.
The weather is still cold so it’s advisable to put on the base layer when riding. A new type of base layer has arrived on the market that is claimed to be five times more effective at retaining heat than its competitors. Whilst we are talking about riding comfort, I’ve always been a fan of cycling shorts underneath the base layer. Now you can get them with ‘extra’ padding in the seat to make those ‘Iron Butt’ riding challenges more comfortable. (Steve Bennett take note!). Extra padding in the seat might be helpful if you decide your next adventure ride is the Czech Republic. There is some great advice on how that country is best ridden.
Finally, for our history slot we only go back to 1973. If you have the free Pluto TV (available on an Amazon Fire Stick) film channel, you might want to look up ‘Electric Glide in Blue’. A great story line and a soundtrack by the rock band Chicago. Until next week, happy reading.
PS: Janis (wife) is having a hip replacement operation later this month, so I’m going back to nursing the impossible patient! The SAM Club Newsletter might be a bit different, or even missing from your Inbox, but I’ll do my best to keep the press rolling.
SAM ANNUAL PHOTO COMPETITION
Subject: Bikes, Biking & Bikers
Closing date: 12mn 20th March 2023
Email entries to: sam-editor@iam-sheffield.bike
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Paul Conway
Editor & Webmaster, Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists
UK Charity No: 1089671 IAM Group No: 41
