It was a sparsely attended SAM Club Night last Monday. It’s the middle of the holiday season and it was cold and wet. We enjoyed a fine evening chatting about the past week’s events and activities. There was some redundant motorcycle gear available. Most of it either new or barely used. It’s amazing what biking gear we collect. If it fitted, the gear was gratefully received. Also, remember that the motorcycle training schools also welcome donations of kit. It can really help a young person get into biking and definitely more warming that watching them shiver at a bus stop.

There is no SAM Club Night in August. There are speakers booked for September, October and November. December Club Night will be the SAM Club Christmas Party. There is a steady flow of new Associates taking advantage of FREE first ride assessments and signing up for advanced rider courses. It’s a very busy time for the SAM Committee and our Observers. Tomorrow is the Safton Bike Fest. Organised by the pupils (supervised by teachers) at the Outwood Academy, it is a fantastic show of bikes and motorcycle services. We would like all members to support the event. Providing it’s not on an emergency, the air ambulance makes its appearance in a starring role at the show.

Some SAM Club members had a great day at Blyton Park. No they weren’t racing around the track. They were helping to test a new device to help bikers improve their braking distances. Representatives from motorcycle manufacturers and journalists were also present to watch the performances. A lot of the instruction went counter to what is taught on most motorcycle training courses. Most riders are taught to progressively press the brake levers to get the shortest stopping distances, i.e. those shown in the UK Highway Code. On the UK off-road motorcycle test, riders are only required to be adept at emergency braking from 30 mph. In a country where the average speed, outside of city and urban areas, is 40+mph, this is clearly inadequate preparation. Rapid, hard braking may be more effective at shortening the motorcycle’s stopping distance. It is one of those skills that takes continuing practice. Our members were very impressed with the improvements in their braking performance. Both bikes and brakes vary in performance, so it is vital to ensure that braking knowledge, skill and competence remain pin sharp. After all, how to stop 20-30 feet short of an immovable object means less pain and broken bits. Not to mention the riding time that is lost to being unprepared. Just a thought.

HMRC has u-turned on the misnamed, road fund licence, increases. It was due to come in on July 1st and would have seen a 5-fold tax increase for double-cab pickup trucks. These vehicles were due to be reclassified as business transport and owners landed with a huge benefit-in-kind tax bill. These vehicles emit an average 160 g of CO 2 per mile. For the average motorcycle it is 0.10086 g per mile. These kinds of policy u-turns, even if new internal combustion engine vehicles are banned in 6 years, make any carbon target less achievable. Tax changes that are likely to harm farmers, van drivers and the UK economy might become an argument for other types of heavy vehicle too. Between 2016 and 2023 the average car became nearly 400 kg heavier. In the UK, despite the increased damage to fragile highways, the vehicle tax system may not be used to solve the problem.

There’s good news for UK bikers in France. UK A-category licences are now recognised. This applies mainly to UK motorcyclists living in France, but could also impact those who spend extended periods in the country.

A more worrying problem for motorcyclists is a recent RAC analysis of test passes. It was discovered that thousands of learner drivers were taking the driving test six or more times before passing. Using DfT data, in 2023-2024, 50,875 practical tests were taken 6 or more times. Only 40% of these candidates passed the practical car test. Contrary to some people’s belief, the practical test has not become easier. A backlog, due to COVID, coupled with a shortage of test slots may have caused candidates to take a test before they were fully competent road users. With the attention to detail by SAM’s Observers, our Associates can be reassured that we will not put them forward for an advanced rider test before they are fully ready to pass the test. In general, motorcyclist candidates, with their extended training and off-road/on-road tests continue to out-perform car drivers by a considerable margin. Theory (71%), Module 1 off-road (74%), Module 2 on-road (72%) (source Department for Transport – 6 th October 2022). Car theory (44.2%) , practical (48.3%).

By the time this news emerges the counting of candidate votes will be almost finished. We then have the task of pushing motorcycling back to the place where it is accepted as a low-carbon, cost-effective, flexible and minimally damaging form of personal transport. Just to make it easier, reforming the convoluted motorcycle licensing process will be a great start. Using bus lanes, getting rid of VAT on protective clothing, protecting access to roads and green lanes, supporting motorcycling leisure and sport. Motorcycles can also provide NHS and Community care dispatch rider services – as well as delivering fast food! It will just take imagination and determination to make the most of what motorcycles have to offer. Let’s see if the new batch of MPs and Civil Servants are up to the job.

As always, to all those SAM members who are having a hard time, or are in poor health, we are always thinking about your welfare and wishing you the very best. Stay in touch and happy reading.

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