Table of Contents
Editorial
There are some great articles in your newsletter this week. You read how to train for the 1-in-a-million event. It happens more often than you think! Riding in groups always needed extra care and always good to know that you are up-to-date on the latest advice.
I sometimes despair of road safety organisations. There seems to be a constant drip of criticism against road users. This week it’s about the 53,000 who violated the red ‘X’ motorway sign in 2021. Sounds like a BIG number, until you realise that there were 328.8 billion journeys by road users in that year. That’s a 0.002%. Whilst it is fine to bring to the public’s attention that a minority of road users violate the rules, constant blaming of everyone isn’t going to work. Sadly it’s rare to see road safety organisations applauding the correct use of the highway and reminding road users of the correct way to behave. Just a thought, happy reading.
SAM's Autumn Celebration
Online Motorcycling News
General
9 of the best 500-1000CC bikes for touring Europe
There’s nothing quite like exploring Europe on a motorcycle. And with a continent full of stunning landscapes and picturesque cities, towns and villages, we’re examining the best bikes that’ll make your holiday one to remember.
Rapid charge revolution | How solid-state battery tech could be the game-changer for electric bikes
There must be something slightly disheartening about being in the battery development game. For years we all simply accepted the same old alkaline disposable cells and NiCd rechargeables, with short lifespans and tiny outputs, but the arrival of the lithium-ion battery in the 1990s changed all that.
Rider Safety
As a typical motorcycle has only two wheels, it is very important to choose proper tyres, in order to ensure the best road grip, driving and handling, thus increasing safety of driving. Depending on motorcycle application, many tyres manufacturers divide them into tyres for road, off-road/enduro and racing motorcycles, for mopeds and scooters, for cruisers and touring bikes, for racing and sports bikes, for quads, choppers.
Question: Can you plug a tubeless motorcycle tire? Answer: Yes, absolutely! If you put enough miles on your bike, you’re bound to face a puncture or two along the way. Nails, screws, and other roadway debris will try their best to spoil a Sunday ride, but a plug can get you back to civilization without too much effort. While these fixes are perfectly safe if performed correctly, not all punctures are suitable for repair. Get out your pencils and notebooks because today we will discuss everything you need to know about plugging tubeless motorcycle tires.
The helmets receiving the new inserts have been chosen with care. The Shoei Hornet ADV and the Arai Tour-X4 have been among the most popular adventure helmets for years. Owned and loved by many, these helmets are popular for off-road and extreme riding, making it a perfect match for a heated insert.
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Womens motorcycle helmets come in 5 main styles.
And choosing a style you like is the simplest way to get a new motorcycle helmet.
It’s much easier than getting bogged down in details like whether you should get a modular helmet with removable cheek pads, 500 air vents, and Bluetooth.
By the time you’ve worked your way through the thousands of options, you’re too overwhelmed to make a decision.
Adventure & Touring
After a divorce I’d started dating again. It was exciting to think I was going to find a man who was into riding motorcycles as much as me, someone I could travel the world with and explore the backroads on two wheels. Growing up on motorcycles, they were an integral part of life, so my mission was to find that compatible match to live happily ever after with. Well, in the real world, that doesn’t always happen. What’s a girl to do when she can’t find that man? Mold him, make him a rider, and then live happily ever after.
I finally met that gullible guy who was willing take on the challenge. It would take a few years, but time would eventually shape him into the riding partner I’d always wanted to share life with.
History & Custom
MIAMI SLICE: AN OFF-THE-WALL YAMAHA TR1 CAFÉ RACER FROM LONDON
We all have our inclinations, preferences, and particular predilections. In custom motorcycle circles, a BMW boxer or Triumph Bonneville are considered mainstream choices, while unlikely donors present a more left-field option. Yamaha’s Virago is one such machine—but it’s not enough of an outlier for Jimbo Turner. Jimbo reserves his fervor for only one variant of…
Whiteknights Blood Bikes
National Blood shortage Amber alert The recent London hospital cyber attack, combined with unfilled appointments at Donor Centres in town and city centres, has caused stocks of O type blood to drop to unprecedented low levels.
South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership
Kevin Williams
One-in-a-million events DO happen…
…but we CAN train for them, as this YouTube video entitled “How RAF pilot’s quick thinking after total engine failure earned him the Air Force Cross”. Flight Lieutenant Ben Wallis was undertaking a night-time training sortie in Denmark in 2018, giving a Danish pilot experience of low-level night-time flying. Shortly after taking off and reaching 120ft about a dense woodland, the Merlin helicopter suffered a total engine failure, losing power to all three engines simultaneously.
It’s summer – safe riding in groups
Here are a few tips for you to think about if you’re out enjoying some holiday riding this summer, and specifically when you’re planning on joining your mates on a group ride. Maybe it’s a one-off evening event, maybe you’re going to go riding on holiday for a week or two. The thing to be aware of is that participating in a group ride puts us at higher risk than riding solo.
Motorcycling Organsiations
IAM RoadSmart
National Motorcyclists Council
Today’s King’s Speech has set out the Government’s priorities for the new parliamentary session. Although nearly 40 new Bills point to a busy session for both MPs and Ministers, there is so far little in the way of announcements in areas of direct relevance to motorcycling. Although measures are planned in a new Crime and Policing Bill to create new powers to tackle the dangerous and anti social use of off-road bikes and another Bill on product safety will aim to address battery safety for eBikes, there is no specific Transport Bill. Rail and Bus privatisation are to be dealt with via specifically targeted Bills.
FEMA
A Swedish test with an electric rail to charge vehicles while they drive is leading to a lot of questions from motorcyclists.
For five years there has been a light rail on Getingevägen in Lund. The rail has provided power for electric buses that are charged when the bus comes close to the rail. The project is called EVolution Road and has been financed by the Swedish Transport Administration. Now the project must be evaluated. In connection with this, enthusiastic articles have appeared in various media, where project manager Per Löfberg states that the light rail on the road “is a very good idea”. 
British Motorcyclists Federation
Do you live or travel to London?
Then you need to be aware that Transport for London (TfL) has launched a consultation on a proposed “toll” to use the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels to be introduced in spring 2025, that includes a plan to also charge motorcycles using the tunnels. The current proposed charges are set out below. The fee will be the same for both tunnels, but they will vary in peak and off-peak times. As they currently stand, the plans will see motorcycles being charged a slightly reduced price to car and vans during peak times but the same as cars at off-peak time.
The BMF has called on the Government to end the current inconsistent, fragmented and confusing situation on bus lane access for motorcyclists across the UK.
Paul Morgan CBE, the BMF’s Government Relations Executive said:
“The BMF has today submitted its detailed response to the Department for Transport’s Open Consultation “Motorcycles in Bus Lanes” calling on the Government to grant default access for motorcycles to bus lanes and resolve the current inconsistent and fragmented approach by local authorities that is impacting on the safety of motorcyclists and other road users.
New Rider Hub
“All the gear, all the time!”You don’t enjoy the same level of protection as other motorists. When you crash, you’ve not got the luxury of airbags, side impact protection systems, seatbelts, or head restraints.
All you’ve got to protect you is your riding gear.
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:
Next SAM Club Night
2nd September 2024
SAM Chair’s Annual Ride Out
It’s a mystery ride
6.30pm start at
Meadowhall Retail Park
Attercliffe Road
Sheffield S9 2YZ
Next SAM Committee Meeting
28th August 2024
Details to be arranged