Editorial
After reporting the success of the SAM Christmas party last week, I forgot to mention the announcements. Steve Brown (SAM Chairman), announced that the next FREE SAM members’ Spring Breakfast is pencilled in for the 26th March 2022. In addition, we are also planning a hog roast for the Summer. We missed those members who, due to worries about either their own health or those close to them, needed to stay away this year. We wish everyone to stay safe and hope we will see you all again at the planned events.Didn’t we have fun!! The SAM Christmas party went off very well and all those who attended told us it was great to catch up with their SAM friends. There was more news to catch up on, more hilarity to share and thanks to the SAM Committee and Janis lots of raffle prizes to share out. Steve Brown (SAM Chairman), announced that the next FREE SAM members’ Spring Breakfast is pencilled in for the 26th March 2022. In addition, we are also planning a hog roast for the Summer. We missed those members who, due to worries about either their own health or those close to them, needed to stay away this year. We wish everyone to stay safe.
In this week’s newsletter I have to confess that I’ve always been a fan of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements from the early part of the 20th Century. So, it was a great surprise this week to find a scooter with Art Nouveau styling. It’s not to everyone’s taste but as a piece of PWT design I think it is a welcome break from adventure bike styling. Triumph has brought a 1200 Tiger to market with a 30-litre tank. It’s claimed to be lighter and more powerful. I think it will need it to lug all that fuel about. Elderly drivers are in the spotlight with a warning to ‘reflect and accept’ on their driving abilities. I expect this will apply to ‘elderly’ bikers too, but the road safety message is more than a little ageist since the SAM Club is promoting the same attitude for ALL drivers and bikers.
The EU Commission is looking to bring in legislation for its member countries to provide dedicated charging and secure parking for electric and hydrogen fuelled motorcycles. We know that these bikes are coming down the road and it will be interesting, in the current economic climate, to see if these services arrive. Both FEMA and NMC are to ask the EU Commission to sort out problems with added import duty payments and fines for bikes that are transported to the EU. Perhaps they expect the revenue to pay for the parking and refueling infrastructure of alternative fuelled bikes?
Lastly, the Philippine Red Cross has received a massive donation of Honda motorcycles to deliver a ‘more effective humanitarian response’ to problems of delivering health care. We all know that bikes and bikers can make a real difference to supporting health services. Perhaps some of the major bike manufacturers could consider helping the UK Blood Bikers out. In this time of crisis, the NHS needs all the help it can get. Just a thought. There is a lot more for you to read in your SAM Club newsletter, so make sure that all your friends read it too.
Anyone interested in SAM activities can find them, including the SAM and Survival Skills newsletters, on the SAM website. Read, enjoy and share your Club’s newsletter with ALL your friends and family. Until next week…
Stay healthy and ride safe, Ed.
