SAM Weekly Newsletter – 21st June 2024
Table of Contents
Editorial
There was a great turn out last Saturday. Observers continued coaching Associates and we had some great feedback from a rider who went out on a FREE ride assessment. Everyone enjoyed the banter, catching up on news and putting the world to rights. There are a lot of local events for motorcyclists. The Cromford Classic Car and Bike Show and BikeFest at Outwood School to mention a couple. Every SAM member can help to spread the joy of learning advanced riding by helping out, attending and/or simply sharing the news that the events are happening. The digital business card and digital pamphlet can both be found on the SAM website. Use these to help spread the advanced riding message as well. Thank you.
The political messages of claim, counterclaim, dodgy facts and twisted statistics continue to rumble on. The BMF reported that, after a detailed look at the manifestos, there was very little of any substance for motorcyclists. Kevin Williams suggested that the focus needs to shift away from drivers for causing crashes, to developing biker road craft skills in emergencies. He argues that the education and training of 1.3 million bikers is more achievable than tackling 33.5 million drivers. As crash data shows, the most serious motorcycling accidents involve excessive speed and poor emergency braking skills, he may have a point. Mike Abbott on the other hand, suggests that the crash data speed report may mislead. Whist attributing high speed as a contributory factor, poor braking high-speed braking may also play an important role. After all, bikers are only tested to emergency braking at 30mph. Most crashes happen at higher speeds. Certainly motorcyclists can do a lot to help themselves. The ‘Brake for Life’ campaign suggests that all bikers should be able to brake safely and remain upright, on their own side of the road, from 60mph. BikerDown, BikeSafe, SOBS (Science of Being Seen), advanced rider courses coupled with braking practice, hazard avoidance and hi-viz, can all help the rider to avoid turning a hazardous situation into a catastrophe. Post-test course advice can be found at Survival Skills Advanced Rider Training, Elite Rider Programme, Shiny Side Up, Ride Craft Hub; and, on the SAM website.
In your newsletter this week that are links to stories about increasing bike sales. That’s more potential IAM RoadSmart customers. Find out how to apply graphics to your bike. There is advice about motorcycle number plates and new post-Brexit motorcycle type approval regulations. There are adventure riding stories to whet your appetite for the Summer when it arrives. To go off riding you will also have to be fit, so that’s covered too.
To all those members suffering ill health at the moment, we wish you the very best progress possible. Last Saturday, everyone was asking how you are getting on, so let us know if you need support. The Whiteknights are looking for volunteers. If you can help, let Roy Clark (SAM Membership Secretary & Whiteknights manager ) know that you are interested. Yes, he’s back from touring the alps! Until next week, happy reading!
Ways to stay in touch with your Club!
It’s really easy to stay in touch with your Club! We provide emails, a website and use social media accounts for you to contact us. All of which is free of any cost to the Club. If you are not getting the Club information circulated, or simply want to tell us something, just let us know at sam-editor@iam-sheffield.bike. We’ll be happy to ensure that we stay in touch with you. You can also now sign up for Club emails on the SAM website.
Next SAM Club Night
Chair’s Ride out
details to follow
7.30pm for an 8pm start
Treeton Miners Welfare Club
Arundel Street, Treeton
Rotherham S60 5PW
Next SAM Committee Meeting
26th June 2024
Details to be arranged
Online Motorcycle News
General
Bumper bike sales | Industry data reveals steady rise in monthly motorcycle registrations versus 2023 Bike sales are on the up both on a monthly and yearly basis when compared with 2023. Motorcycle Industry Association data, released at the beginning of June, shows positive results for both petrol and…
How to apply graphics – perfectly
‘Those stickers aren’t for life’ Applying stickers is one thing, but what about removing them? Maybe you’ve bought a new-to-you bike that’s covered in them and you want rid, or perhaps you’re just…
Rider safety
Motorbike number plates: Everything you need to know
Even though it’s not the most thrilling element, a number plate is a key part of your motorbike setup as different sizes and colour plates on the roads in the UK can cause confusion around what is and isn’t legal. Read more
POST BREXIT MOTORCYCLE TYPE APPROVAL REGULATIONS INCOMING
The UK Government has outlined a plan to bring in its own vehicle type approval regulations, but what does that mean and will it make a difference? Read more
The summer solstice, which is June 20 this year, is the longest day of the year, allowing us to maximize our riding time. With longer days, spring in full swing, and summer just around the corner, we’re in the best part of the riding season. Flowers are in bloom, hillsides are green, and the hottest months are still ahead. Read more
RIDE BETTER with the Yamaha Off-Road Experience
Boost your bike control, comfort and stamina: Get fit to ride with Jane Omorogbe. Good all-round body strength can only enrich your life on two wheels. I’ve tried all kinds of exercises over the last 30 years. Here are three beginner level tips to get you revved up for shoulder strength and flexibility. When most people think about a shoulder workout, the focus is on building the fleshy bits of the front (anterior) or middle (medial) deltoid muscle.
Adventure & Touring
As I looked around at the desolate scenery flanking the Carretera Austral, I thought about Augusto Pinochet’s soldiers, many of whom lost their lives in the 1970s during the ten years it took to construct the 1,300-kilometer dirt and gravel track through Chile’s southern reaches. Read more
Folklore has it that the best way to get through the washboards is to simply go fast and skim across the top to smooth out the ride. There is some truth to this wisdom, and it works well for a small-cc motorcycle when crossing a short section. But what about a dual-sport or ADV bike loaded with gear and many miles/km to go? Read more
There’s some cracking bits of kit on the market that’ll make lugging around your gear a doddle. To help you work out what’ll be best, we’ve knocked up a buyers’ guide and brought together some tests of our best-loved kit from the past 12 months. Where should I start? Let’s start small and build up.…
Historical & Custom
“That” Build: VLXAFL-5 Build Series Part 8
Almost ready to Wire and Fire A labor of love report from Bandit with photos by the Redhead and Weed “Hang on! My alignment issues through the driveline weren’t over. I even had an issue with the front wheel alignment. This tech may jump around some, but you’ll get it. At least the transmission was in place securely and I could Flex seal the oil tank mount and install the oil tank, run the oil lines, attach the oil filter mount, make a front chain guard, make a kickstand stop, find the pieces for a clutch throw-out bearing, make the proper length pushrod, order a clutch cable from Barnett and almost forget the code for clutch adjustment.” ~~~Bandit Click here …Read more
1894 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller – the origin of the species The Hildebrand & Wolfmüller is the world’s first production motorcycle and the first to be called a ‘motorcycle’. Strictly speaking, they called it a ‘motorrad’ since they were German but I digress…Read more
Whiteknights Blood Bikes
South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership
Kevin Williams
Elevenses 436 Wed 12 Jun – motorcycle news, tips & views
in today’s show… Honda to kill off ICE two-wheelers by 2040… MCN’s secure storage raided… Tories election pledge to review motorcycle licences… US East Coast cities clamp down on delivery firms… NC500 rider hit by campervan… Malay riders hit by driverless car… back-orders fulfilled as Norton hires… limited time offer to get fast charger & performance upgrade with a new Zero… KTM show off clutchless bike… Triumph co-brand with Bond, Breitling & Elvis… in-depth today – counter-steering; beyond the basics…Watch here
Ten days ago, I posted an article about the lack of imagination in Police Scotland’s response to motorcycle crashes. What had caught my eye was the goal that the Scottish ‘Road Safety Framework’ is aiming for is a 30% reduction in motorcyclist KSIs by 2030. Read more
Staying loose – body-shifting part 2
Last time out I was talking about how we use counterweighting – leaning OUT from a turn – to help improve control in tight spots. Today, I’ll look at what happens when we move the other way, and lean INTO a corner. But to stop knee-jerk responses about ‘hanging-off’ not being needed on the street, let’s make it clear I’m not talking about MotoGP style riding that would see us needing elbow sliders (and probably shoulder sliders soon afterwards). I’m talking about a much more modest movement. Read more
Inform, Educate, Entertain
A few days ago (thanks Malc) I discovered the BBC’s motto is “inform, educate, entertain”. Whilst the three words encapsulate the core mission and public service ethos of the broadcaster, it’s also a pretty concise summary of what I have been attempting to achieve with my articles here on Survival Skills. Let’s have a look at what could reasonably be slipped under the three headings. Read more
Elevenses 437 Sun 16 June – motorcycle news, tips & views
in today’s show… MAG says election manifestos have nothing for bikers… Blyth gigafactory ‘saviour’ wound up in High Court… police driver waves down filtering rider… “roundabouts are safe” – maybe not this one… toughest D-locks now on sale… new Lithium extraction technique could cut costs… metal-air battery tech could cut energy storage costs… FortNine video fails to recognise rotary disc valve… expanding panniers from SHAD at an expanded price… in-depth today – does a new ‘Rider Hub’ indicate a change of emphasis on the SMIDSY collision…Watch here
Motorcycling Organisations' News
IAM RoadSmart
Keep yourself and others safe by not drinking or driving after the football game. The countdown is on to Euro 2024. Over 31 days, and with 24 football games to watch, there is a lot to get excited about. Hosts Germany kick the competition off against Scotland this Friday, with England set to face Serbia on Sunday, June 16. You might be watching your team in the pub, at home in your back garden, or over at a friend’s house, but have you thought about how you’ll be getting home? Read more
National Motorcyclists Council
Now that the manifestos of the main political parties have been published, the National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) has looked at how the parties measure up when it comes to their commitments in motorcycling related areas. Read more
The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) NMC has today launched an important campaign which aims to put motorcycling on the map in parliamentary constituencies in advance of the General Election.
A ‘Motorcycling Matters’ manifesto and campaign website has been created by the NMC’s members, which sets out in simple terms what motorcyclists need the post-election Government to deliver for motorcycling. It presents a manifesto for a positive vision for the future of transport and the role of motorcycling within this. There are seven key themes…Read more
FEMA
‘Motorcycles Should Be Allowed To Be Serviced By Independent Workshops’
FEMA has responded to a consultation by the European Commission on the Review of the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation.
In short: the current Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation says: ‘motor vehicle’ means a self-propelled vehicle intended for use on public roads and having at least three wheels. Read more
Motorcycling: The Individual Mobility Solution That Brings Many Advantages
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
Spanish Riders And The Transport Ministry Work For Motorcyclist-Friendly Guardrails
Juan Manuel Reyes, the president of the Spanish motorcyclists’ association ANM – a member of FEMA – held a meeting with Mr. Álvaro Navareño, Technical Director of the General Directorate of Highways and his team. In this meeting, work was done on improving the criteria for installing Motorcycle Protection Systems on Metal Safety Barriers, popularly known as ‘guardrails’. Read more
British Motorcycling Federation
Motorcycling Matters No 5: Access All Areas
Motorcycles must have an ‘Access All Areas’ pass to UK roads, whether these are tarmac, unsealed ‘green roads’ or bus lanes. That’s the fifth key point raised by Motorcycling Matters, the manifesto launched the National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) with significant input from the BMF.
A Technology Neutral Approach To Decarbonisation
Motorcycling Matters No 4: A Technology Neutral Approach to Decarbonisation
The BMF and National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) are calling for a pragmatic approach to the decarbonisation of powered two-wheelers. Whilst accepting the need to reach net zero in all areas of society, both organisations say that the path taken for two-wheelers must be proportionate and realistic, adding that petrol-powered motorcycles and scooters make up only 0.46% of the UK’s total domestic transport emissions.
New Rider Hub
