
SAM Weekly newsletter – 31st January 2025
It’s been another cold week, but there is a lot of curated content in this week’s SAM newsletter. It was a mix of 4-wheels and 2-wheels meeting up last Saturday.
There was some heart-warming market news that showed bike sales have held up at the end of 2024. Although this was due to very heavy discounting as dealers got rid of stock ahead of the new Euro5+ regulations that started on the 1st January 2025. Technological developments continue with Garmin releasing a new gadget called the zümo R1 Radar. The aim of the new tech is to warn of hazards entering rider blind spots. It won’t replace the ‘shoulder check’ skills, but it may help the inattentive rider. Honda is moving into the electric bike market by teaming up with a Swedish company to source swappable batteries for their EM1 electric scooter. It’s definitely a move in the right direction to keep the rider mobile. There is more good news for electric motorcycles as Zero are aiming to launch, in the next two years, six new bikes under £10,000. This will take the company into affordable 2-wheel transport for younger riders. The used bike market is doing very well. Sales are up 30% and provides an affordable route into motorcycling.
After a long pause the UK has begun discussions on tackling motorcycle training and licensing. The current system forces young people to choose between a simple 4-wheel, or very complicated 2-wheel route into motorised personal transport. The goal will be to make it more cost effective, easier to start riding, improve 2-wheel rider safety, reduce road congestion and pollution. We could also suggest that the education of other road users should be added to the list.
The SAM newsletter helps you stay up to date, provides information and ideas to get more out of riding on two wheels and it packed full of plenty of thought-provoking item for you to enjoy. Until next week, ride safe and happy reading.
It was with great sadness that we learned SAM member Steve Eyres, after a long illness, has passed away. He was a great character that we will remember for bringing an interesting perspective on life during his time with the SAM Club. The sincere condolences of all SAM members go to Steve’s family and friends. Rest in peace.
It’s the SAM Annual Photo Competition 2025
Email ALL entries to sam-editor@iam-sheffield.bike
Closing date 12mn Sunday 23rd March 2025

Next SAM Club Night
3rd February 2025
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
6th February 2025
Details to be arranged
General
This bedroll is great for camping but it is also a comfortable sleeping arrangement in other situations. Hotels continue to raise rates… frequently over $350 during bike rallies and events. When there are three guys it just makes sense to book one double room and draw straws for who gets the floor. You can still be comfortable with a Real Deal Bedroll.
Through the years, I have tried a variety of wool blankets, army poncho liners, tech blankets and quilts. I feel a little bit like Goldilocks saying this, but nothing was “just right.” Read more…
In 2015 the company’s products weren’t anywhere as polished as they are today, and it still managed to shift just over 300,000 units. In 2024, less than ten years later, Enfield sold an impressive 944,000 machines (up 4.7 percent from 2023).
Led by the most aggressive product onslaught in its history of over 6-9 new models in FY25, Royal Enfield, the world’s largest mid-size motorcycle maker has set a target to cross 1 million units sales for the first time ever this year.Read more…
As chat up lines go, ‘would you like to come and look at my pink scooter?’ didn’t quite cut the mustard for Chris Galbraith.
He knew the object of his desires was looking for a scooter to buy, but he was put firmly in his place: “Do I look like a girl that would ride a pink scooter?”
“She wouldn’t even give me her phone number,” smiles Chris, chatting on the Great Yarmouth seafront. “And the pink scooter wasn’t even for sale, it was for my 16-year-old daughter. It was just a chat up line. Read more…
My daily ride is a Triumph Street Triple 765 RS. I have about a 10-mile commute with the latter part along a busy high street to my office (I am an estate agent). I had just passed a double-decker bus which had stopped, unsurprisingly, at a bus stop. As I had just pulled back in front of the bus, on my side of the road, I was confronted with a police car speeding on the wrong side of the road. Apparently, he had overtaken traffic at around 40mph in a 20mph zone, and had gone to the right of a ‘Keep Left’ bollard as he was on an emergency call.
I had nowhere to go and hit him head on. Now I have a trashed bike, a broken leg, and about three months’ loss of income (so far). I thought this would be a ‘slam dunk’ case as he was on the wrong side of the road, and I would not have been able to see him beforehand because of the bus. However, my insurer has just told me the Police have denied liability as they have a ‘legal exemption’ and can speed and drive on the wrong side of the road if they have their blue lights on. They told me I would lose my case. Help! Read more…
One of motorcycling’s great debates is mileage, or rather how many miles a motorcycle can last. The short answer to that question is a decidedly anticlimactic: it depends. The truth is, this is a hotly debated subject among motorcyclists simply because it depends on numerous factors that influence the practical lifespan of any machine. Aspects such as maintenance practices, ownership habits, engine configuration, and riding environments all play essential roles in whether the odometer keeps clicking off the miles or not. Read more…
Rider Health & 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...
Mentell Struggling in silence? You’re not alone. If you’re a man aged 18+ and feeling the pressure of keeping everything bottled up, we’re here to help. We understand how tough it can be to open up—it’s not easy to push past the stigma. That’s why we’ve created free, weekly men’s groups—safe, confidential spaces where you can speak freely without fear of judgment.
*photo from our annual facilitator retreat* Read more…
Using peripheral vision allows faster reaction times
“Peripheral vision is important in risk assessment. When the car coming towards you drifts over the centre line you can see it faster in your peripheral vision. This is because peripheral vision doesn’t go through your brain’s main vision centre, but instead goes directly to the brain. Boxers don’t look directly at the fists of their opponents because the time taken to go through the vision centre is too slow. These are the senses that saved our forefathers being attacked by tigers and they can save us too. Read more…
Did you know that there are TWO DIFFERENT SAFETY STANDARDS used by airbag manufacturers like Alpinestars, Bering, Dainese, Helite, Hit-Air, In&Motion, MotoAirBag and Spidi? That makes it a lot harder to choose the best motorcycle airbag because not only do they have different trigger methods, different ways of wearing them and even different payment methods, they also offer protection against different types of crashes. And I don’t just mean the coverage they provide…Read more…
At the risk of focusing on the doom and gloom let’s start by planting these statistics: according to research from the European Transport Safety Council, 50% of motorcycle crashes are single-vehicle incidents, with 65% of those occurring on curves and 85% lacking any braking evidence. Yes, 85% of single-motorcycle incidents show NO braking evidence. Why? Read more…
“Challenging.” It’s a word that crops up again and again as motorcycling organisations, manufacturers, dealers, riders’ groups and political organisations look back over 2024 and into 2025.
As we push forward into the new year – still in the depths of winter and with riding season still feeling a long way off – the same term looks set to remain firmly in the lexicon for a while yet.
When we last looked at the state of UK motorcycling in summer 2024, the General Election dominated the news cycle with the prospect of an change in leadership after several increasingly tumultuous years under Conservative rule. Now the new Labour government has had several months to settle in and it’s clear there are no quick fixes or easy solutions in the pipeline. Meanwhile, on a global scale, problems including the ongoing war in Ukraine, high fuel costs, increasing international trading tensions stoked by planned tariffs from the incoming Trump administration in the USA, wobbles in the Chinese economy, high inflation and interest rates are adding to the problems for both businesses and individuals.Read more…
When you’re first learning to ride, coordinating a motorcycle’s throttle, clutch, shifter, front brake, and rear brake can seem like a confounding task – and especially doing so smoothly. Fortunately, though, if you’re already a bicycle rider, the clutch and front brake levers will seem natural enough. (Until, of course, you notice that a bicycle’s front brake lever is on the left and the front brake lever on a motorcycle is on the right…but that’s a mystery we shall not address here.) Instead, let’s just discuss brakes and braking.Read more…
Adventure & Touring
Embarking on your first adventure motorcycle ride is an exhilarating experience, but comes with its own set of challenges. Many new riders make avoidable mistakes that can dampen the thrill of the ride or even pose safety risks. From skipping essential training to overpacking, or misunderstanding their bike’s capabilities, rookie errors are more common than you think.
This guide dives into the top 5 mistakes beginner adventure riders make—and how to have a safer, more enjoyable journey. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your skills, these tips will help ensure your adventure is one for the books! Read more…
History & Custom
Streamliner: A Mooneyes-inspired drag bike with two Triumph TR6 engines
Most of us know Mooneyes as the brand behind Japan’s most prestigious custom motorcycle and car show. But the company’s history can be traced back to 1950s America, when its founder, Dean Moon, started making a name for himself in the Southern Californian hot rod scene. One of Moon’s most notable creations was the Mooneyes… 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
Dash panels get more complex but do they deliver info?
That’s a question that occurred to me yesterday as I was on my way back from somewhere south of Horsham after my presentation to West Sussex Advanced Motorcyclists. I was on the A24 approaching Dorking, in no big hurry, at around 2.20. I was expecting the drive home to take another ninety minutes or so, , which gave me plenty of time in hand before I was due to sit down to deliver Elevenses at 6pm.Read more...
When it snows, cleared windscreens don’t stay clear
I pinched this snap from a short video saying that drivers should clear as much of the screen as possible of ice and snow. The implication is, of course, that if they don’t do so, and so if they happen to bump into someone else as a result, those drivers with the obscured screen have been negligent. And that’s why we really should be clearing ALL the windows – front, side and back. OK, I can’t really argue with that. I clear my screen before I drive if it’s frosted up or it’s been snowing. Read more…
Risk is the threat of personal harm. There’s risk in just about everything we do, and there’s certainly risk in riding a motorcycle. We can’t eliminate all risk, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing we can do to take as much control of any potentially hazardous situation as we can.
There are only two things a motorcycle can do – change direction and change speed. So managing risk is all about using those abilities to best advantage. We need the skills to put the machine where we want it, but we also have to manage the space around us. Read more…
You won’t see a red van in peripheral vision…
…because human peripheral vision doesn’t tell us anything useful about colour. The suggestion we could was made in an article I was alerted to recently by Nathan. Thanks for the heads-up. Written by Steve Rose on the Bennetts Bike Social site, the article was called:
‘Open your mind. How to see more and find confidence on a motorcycle’.
Frankly, it’s a bit of a muddle of an article, but the piece that really caught my eye was the section attributed to Mark McVeigh, who’s recently taken on the role of BikeSocial’s Motorbike Coach. Mark said: “Using peripheral vision allows faster reaction times”. Read more…
IAM RoadSmart
One in two motorists pulled over on suspicion of drug-driving fail roadside drug tests as number of fatalities rises
One in two motorists pulled over on suspicion of drug-driving fail roadside drug tests as number of fatalities rises
The number of deceased drivers with ‘impairment drugs’ present has increased by over 70% from 2014 to 2022, leading to concerns from road safety organisation that drug users continue to get behind the wheel despite the dangers Read more…
National Motorcyclists Council
The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) has welcomed news that the Department for Transport (DfT) is considering options for reviewing the current training, testing and licensing regime. The NMC, along several motorcycling organisations and other road safety stakeholders were told the news by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Lilian Greenwood MP who attended a round table meeting of the Government’s Motorcycle Strategic Focus Group on January 20th to discuss licensing and other aspects of motorcycle safety and policy. Read more…
SOME LIGHT AT THE END OF THE POTHOLE
POTHOLE PARTNERSHIP REVEALS IMPROVING PICTURE ON NATIONAL POTHOLE DAY
- The AA attended 643,318 pothole related incidents in 2024, down compared to previous year
- Partnership urges councils to make permanent repairs a priority over temporary fixes
- Drop in pothole incidents coincides with rise in repair costs
- Pothole damage costs drivers whopping £579m
The Pothole Partnership is calling for more permanent repairs and greater use of innovation and technology on National Pothole Day (15 January) to reduce vehicle damage and injuries to cyclists and motorcycle riders. 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…
Filtering through a traffic jam on a motorcycle has finally become legal in France. After 26 years of fierce fighting this already well-established practice is recognized.
French motorcyclists’ organisation FFMC – a member of FEMA – calls it ‘A major step forward that marks a decisive step in road sharing and user safety’.
A step forward for road sharing and mobility
Filtering, although generally practiced by many bikers, was in a legal grey area until now, often tolerated, rarely sanctioned. And since 2016 the authorities experimented with it. After almost ten long years of experimentation, this legalization brings official recognition to a practice that helps to smooth traffic flow and reduce traffic jams. Read more…
British Motorcyclists Federation

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.
Look after your bike/moped and it will look after you. Carrying out a few simple checks before each ride could save your life. Use POWDERS
Petrol
- Do you have enough for your journey?
- Is the reserve tap off?
- Check there are no leaks Read more…