Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 Seeptember 2025

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter – 26 September 2025

Table of Contents

Editorial

The weather is now definitely autumnal. The rain, whilst very welcome after such a long dry spell, can catch some riders out. The risk of losing grip, collections of water and hidden hazards, all make for increased riding risks. The key to safer riding is observation and anticipation. It requires extra rider vigilance and sharp reflexes. 

The continued shortage of motorcycle instructors is still causing increased problems for prospective riders. Almost 40,000 people passed their full motorcycle test last year, but there is a continuing road block in CBT training. Prospective learner riders are waiting longer, paying more and often giving up their chance to ride. This affects the whole of the motorcycle industry in the UK, reduces choice and opportunity for younger people and shrinks the motorcycling community at a more rapid rate. This may suit those opposed to motorcycling as a transport choice, but it further impairs the life choices of young people too.

Earlier this month, MAG (Motorcycle Action Group), with the support of the NMC (National Motorcyclists Council) submitted a strategy document, ‘Welcoming Roads’, to the DfT (Department for Transport). It  details an evidence-based approach to road safety. It is not a strategy solely restricted to motorcyclists, but recognises the needs of all road users  in making travelling safer. Welcoming Roads proposes a systematic, evidence-based approach to improve safety for all road users. It’s not the usual dry academic or political document, but is really worth a read by all road users. Find it on the MAG website.

As one post on social media reported this week:

 ‘…walking down the street in a local town, it was easy to see how self-absorbed, socially disconnected  and simply blind road users were, more invested in completing their journey than avoiding being another casualty in the local A&E.’

In your newsletter this week there are tips to coping with the cold weather – you’re not putting your ride in the shed for the winter are you? In Sheffield, there will be more traffic enforcement aimed at easing congestion. The British army have taken delivery of some Royal Enfield bikes to use in training. Have they been watching the invasion of the Russian army in Ukraine? True Heroes Racing is helping to bring diversity to motorcycling. On a very positive note, the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are looking to fund  a ‘Safe Systems Approach’ to motorcycle safety. Down at Meadowhall Retail Park SAM members, Observers and Associates have continued working on their safer riding skills – and having a lot of fun too! Until next week, ride safe and happy reading.


To all those having a hard time: Sometimes, unexpected events will put a rider in hospital, or alter our lives in other ways. To anyone who is having a hard time, we are here to give support and wherever possible to make life a little easier – even if it is only to make you laugh until stitches threaten to pop, share the grapes and tell you what you are missing. Get well soon.


The information in this newsletter and elsewhere that we share it, is for discussion and scrutiny. Riders, riding and the riding environment are highly complex aspects of road safety. Thinking bikers welcome the challenge of reviewing information in these areas. Question everything about bikes, bikers and biking that is posted online, or written anywhere by anyone, including this newsletter. We are more mature than ‘spitting the dummy’ – but it may happen sometimes!!!!

Your success is our success!

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly newsletter 18th October 2024 Advanced riders are safer road users, ride longer, rider further, meet more people and enjoy a healthier, happier life!

For Your Diary

Meetings

Next SAM Club Night
6th October 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
2nd October 2025
Details to be arranged

Online Motorcycling News

General

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 The idea is to make the transition into motorcycling less scary and stressful, and to make first-time riders more skilled and safer on the roads. So, if you are that young person wanting to have a go at riding motorcycles, or you have someone like that in your family, read on to find out how to make that happen. Read more

 

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 Council launches traffic enforcement to tackle congestion hotspots – here’s what drivers need to know
Sheffield City Council is to begin enforcement action at two locations within the city centre to tackle network congestion, make journeys by public transport more reliable and improve the road network for everyone. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 Royal Enfield has revealed a new strategic partnership with the British Army, which will see soldiers given four Himalayan 450 bikes to use for training purposes.

Specifically, the Himalayan 450 motorcycles that have been provided to the British Army Motorised Adventure (AMA) group, will be used in training exercises such as EX Mudmaster and EX Roadmaster. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 The UK is home to some of the finest motorcycle racers in history, but one team that is leading the charge off the track, while competing on it, is True Heroes Racing, who are changing the game for diversity in motorsport.

Britain has a long lineage in producing talented racers such as Carl Fogarty, Barry Sheene and Joey Dunlop, who have all led the way in raising the profile of the sport. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 On the outside, it’s just another old shoe factory near Northampton, Britain’s spiritual home of footwear.

But step inside, and Biagio Chrzanowski has transformed the old building into the ultimate Lambretta man-cave, home to nearly 200 scooters including possibly the most complete private collection in the UK.

“Being in this building, working on these scooters, or just looking at them and being around them, gives me so much happiness, actual real joy and contentment,” he says. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 If you’re reading this then you can agree that riding a motorcycle is one of the most freeing feelings there is. You buy a dual-sport or ADV bike because you want to disappear into the wilderness with nothing but a bike, maybe some camping gear, and just enough cell signal to call for help if you need it (and even that is questionable). But before you can get to that point, you need to remember: just like any other skill in life, you need to learn how to do it properly. And if there is a parallel to road riding, it’s that mistakes can be costly, painful, or even worse. Off-road riding is humbling. Let’s leave the ego at the door and learn to do it the right way. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a Request for Quote (RFQ) for a contractor to take the lead in the development of a “Safe Systems Approach” (SSA) to motorcycle safety.The RFQ calls for the development of a strategic systems approach to improve motorcycle safety, using the European model as a starting point and “enhanced through collaboration with youth-focused traffic safety organizations, youth and young rider engagement in underserved communities, public health professionals, and motorcycle safety professionals.” The contract would span a 24-month term. Read more

Rider Health & Safety

It's FREE! from Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Ride safe.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... 

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 Cold weather riding gear can be expensive, a bit like when you say “wedding”, venue hire doubles in price, so too can clothing when the word “motorcycle” is whispered. But you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg to stay warm and dry on your bike this winter.You also don’t have to be riding far or fast to get cold, either. The MOT for my little, 25mph, Honda SH50 always falls in the winter months. I vividly remember a bitterly cold MOT day a couple of years ago. It was getting close to zero and was spitting with rain, and after the 10-mile ride, I was feeling a bit low. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 E-scooters are often portrayed as more dangerous than e-bicycles but new research from Chalmers University of Technology has found that e-bikes carry a substantially higher crash risk than e-scooters when exposure is properly accounted for.

Based on trip distance, the risk of injury was calculated to be over eight times higher for e-bicycles than for e-scooters. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 British motorcycle clothing specialist Merlin has launched its latest innovation for cold-weather bikers – the new ThermaVolt heated mid-layer collection, joined by the CE Level 2 Bednell Heated Glove.

When winter sets in, staying warm on two wheels isn’t just about comfort – it’s about concentration and control. Merlin’s heated motorcycle clothing range is designed to extend the riding season, giving riders the confidence to keep going through the cold. Read more

 

Adventure & Touring

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking
new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

—Marcel Proust

“One’s destination is never a place,
but a new way of seeing things.”

—Henry Miller

Overlanders often experience anxiety at the thought of returning home from a big trip. Life on the road can turn an adventurer into a combination of an adrenaline junkie and a sponge for everything that’s new. And, it can be a hard fall to suddenly return from an ever-changing world of foreign cultures, border crossings, battles with road conditions, and the wonderful feeling of waking up every day with no idea what will happen next.

Hunger for the constant flow of new experiences means some will never head home. However, most of us do return home where reality hits hard. The sense of withdrawal can be massive, particularly following an extreme journey. It’s often accompanied by a feeling of loss and an inability to relate in any way to the land we once called “home.” Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 With borders closed and wildfires across our home province of British Columbia, all plans for a summer ride were decimated. My partner Ray had a milestone birthday approaching and I wanted to take him away. Knowing experiences are more important to him than material things, a road trip seemed the best gift. But where to go? Was there a place we’d not yet explored?

Putting our heads together, it was not long before we hatched a plan for the remote and relatively untouched wilderness regions of northern Vancouver Island. While I’ve spent my entire life living on this island, it’s only been the last few years that I really began discovering all it holds. So, as we often do, we decided to travel without an itinerary, leaving us to explore without constraints or schedules. And as much as we would be disconnected there, it turned out that this trip would bring clarity to the connections that surround us daily. Read more

History & Custom

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 A lot of people adore mini-bikes, but few love them with the same reckless abandon as Steady Garage. Founded by Kevin Dunn, Jimmy Chen, Raymond Tong, and Duy Nguyen, the Californian outfit put themselves on the map with their zany Honda Grom and Ruckus customs, and continues to deliver a steady stream of Honda mini-bike parts and ground-up custom builds.

Steady’s latest creation is a Honda Dax 125 with sass for days. Affectionately nicknamed Otto Dax, it sports several radical details, while still staying true to the spirit of the original bike. Here, in Kevin’s own words, is a rundown of the project. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 Everyone knows about Vespa’s 150 Tap, the tank-busting, rocket-firing scooter. It’s an icon and a testament to the old adage, “Everything’s a technical.” I mean, if you can turn something like a Vespa scooter, something that’s meant to be driven carefree through the streets of Rome in search of a great espresso, into a weapon of war, nothing’s off limits.

Everything can become a technical if you believe hard enough, know a good welder, and have access to some sort of large firearms.

But did you know that the Vespa wasn’t the only rocket-firing scooter to be made? Did you know that the Taiwanese military once built a rocket-launching Mitsubishi scooter, one that was perhaps even wilder in its form factor than even the Vespa 150 Tap? Why was it wilder you ask? Because you literally straddled the 75mm rocket tube. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly Newsletter 26 September 2025 Is it a motorcycle? Is it a car? Every once in a while, someone builds a vehicle that forces those who see it to ask those two questions, or reasonable facsimiles thereof. In the 1970s, the Quasar was there to prompt that question; first as a concept, then later as a ‘production’ motorbike. I’m putting ‘production’ in quotes because the total number made by the end only just got into the double digits.

Most of them were as British as could be, and the first 21 reportedly repurposed engines from Reliant Robins. They were shaft-driven, and included features like a hot-air blower for the handlebars, hydraulic disc brakes all around, leading link front suspension, a reclining (!) leather seat that placed the rider’s feet forward, a lockable luggage compartment with a two cubic foot capacity, and of course what Quasar’s designers said was a very aerodynamic “up-and-over fairing.” Read more

Kevin Williams

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 September 2025 Notts bike business gifts Indian overlander a bike

The theft of the KTM belonging to Indian overlander – and professional content creator – Yogesh Alekari in Nottingham has spread far and wide, thanks to his adept use of social media. Whilst an arrest has been made, the bike’s still missing.

Right now, he’s stuck here for several weeks whilst he sorts out his missing passport and travel documents and may even have to return to India. Wouldn’t it have been so much easier if he’d simply thought to put them in his pocket when he left his bike untended?

But once his documents are back in hand, he’ll be able to resume his journey on a replacement machine gifted by a local dealer, The Off Road Centre. Whilst there were a number of offers of the loan of a bike, including from the production team behind the Long Way Round series, the Off Road Centre is simply donating a second-hand KTM 790 for him to continue his travels. It’s the bike in the pic, which is lifted from their FB page. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 September 2025 Stepping through the Gears; cornering

The previous seven weeks have been spent applying a gearbox metaphor to learning skills generally. I’m going to wrap up the series by showing how the principle of underpinning each level of learning on a previously-learned layer can be applied to a pair of Case Studies. And we’ll start with riding through corners to show how we first should absorb the gearbox ‘framework, then apply it to an area of riding where motorcyclists all too often come to grief through their own errors.

Neutral: Mindset

For me, as I’m sure it is for many other motorcycle riders, what defines riding a bike is cornering – the smooth flow from upright to full lean and back to upright, whilst we match our speed to the radius of the curve and our line to the shape of the bend. Getting this all correct is one of the most challenging, and thus rewarding, aspects of motorcycling. And accepting cornering well is a challenge is the starting point for everything else. No-one ever jumped straight on a motorcycle and cornered well, out of the crate. We have to put some effort in. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 September 2025 The Curious Crash of Mercedes Valentine Part Two

Last week, I mentioned a crash which supposedly involved a 25 year old neuroscientist-turned-OnlyFans model from Brighton going by the name of ‘Mercedes Valentine’. The story was that she suffered a life-changing crash last year, after she hit a pigeon whilst riding her motorcycle and was “flung 260 feet through the air”. As well as traumatic facial injuries, she suffered memory loss.

What was odd was that the story appeared more or less simultaneously on dozens of news outlets from the Daily Mail in the UK to the New York Post in the US, from the Times of India to the Russian news outlet Pravda, from Lawyer Monthly to YouTube, as well as dozens of sources I’ve never heard of… Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 September 2025 Coaching is more than ‘talk & chalk’ – question!

Back when I was at school, teaching was just starting to change significantly. There were still the ‘talk and chalk’ teachers, who would write on a blackboard and tell us to copy it, or talk at us telling us to copy that down too. If we got any questions on the topic, it was simply to check we’d learned by rote. But there were younger teachers who got us thinking, by asking questions and then helped us formulate reasonable answers to those questions, so rather than being ‘taught’, we ‘learned’. There’s a very significant difference. Read more

When I got involved in motorcycle training, I found a similar split – the old school “do this and you’ll pass your test” instructors were being replaced by a more modern style of training where our trainees were encouraged to answer questions for themselves, by using what they already knew, or could figure out for themselves. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 September 2025 Riding in the Rain – smoothly does it!

It’s a glorious autumn day as I write this, with temperatures in the mid-twenties and not a cloud in the sky. But unfortunately, the forecast doesn’t look set to stay that way, and it’s looking very much like we’re in for a much cooler and wetter spell. As it’s been a while since I wrote about riding in the wet, I thought it was time for a refresher on the topic.

I can’t say I particularly enjoy riding in the rain – as we head into the northern hemisphere autumn, it’s often associated with cooler, even cold weather and whilst riding kit has improved significantly since my earliest days, I still haven’t found a pair of gloves that stay 100% waterproof, and I hate wet and cold hands, whilst seeing out of a rain-soaked visor at night is second only to riding in thick fog on my list of ‘don’t bother’ options.

But riding on wet surfaces, that’s something different. I enjoy the challenge, however weird that might seem.

Riding in the Rain – smoothly does it!

It’s a glorious autumn day as I write this, with temperatures in the mid-twenties and not a cloud in the sky. But unfortunately, the forecast doesn’t look set to stay that way, and it’s looking very much like we’re in for a much cooler and wetter spell. As it’s been a while since I wrote about riding in the wet, I thought it was time for a refresher on the topic.

I can’t say I particularly enjoy riding in the rain – as we head into the northern hemisphere autumn, it’s often associated with cooler, even cold weather and whilst riding kit has improved significantly since my earliest days, I still haven’t found a pair of gloves that stay 100% waterproof, and I hate wet and cold hands, whilst seeing out of a rain-soaked visor at night is second only to riding in thick fog on my list of ‘don’t bother’ options.

But riding on wet surfaces, that’s something different. I enjoy the challenge, however weird that might seem. Read more

Whiteknights Blood Bikes

Whiteknights are today publishing their operational statistics for September 2024.
Another high mileage month where our fleet of Blood Bikes travelled almost 8000 miles. We calculate the work of Yorkshire Blood Bikes saved the NHS over £12000 in transportation costs during that time.
Thank you to all our Advanced-Qualified Volunteer Riders for making such a difference to the care of patients in hospitals and hospices in our region.

  Yesterday we had an early morning wake up call from Birmingham Children’s Hospital to take an urgent sample to Newcastle. We managed to link up with Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes who then handed over to Northumbria Blood Bikes to complete the run into Newcastle. Thank you to everyone involved, particularly behind the scenes, for managing to pull this together at such short notice and make it happen. We all send our good wishes to the child this was for 💛 #itswhatwedo #teamworkmakesthedreamworkYesterday we had an early morning wake up call from Birmingham Children’s Hospital to take an urgent sample to Newcastle. We managed to link up with Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes who then handed over to Northumbria Blood Bikes to complete the run into Newcastle. Thank you to everyone involved, particularly behind the scenes, for managing to pull this together at such short notice and make it happen. We all send our good wishes to the child this was for 💛 #itswhatwedo #teamworkmakesthedreamwork 

South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly newsletter 31st January 2025 Scooter safety:
As well as it being illegal to ride a privately owned e-scooter in any public place, there are real concerns for the safety of e-scooter riders and other road users.
Additionally, it could affect a young person’s ability to apply for a driving licence when they reach the legal age.
This is because e-scooters are currently classed as motor vehicles under the Road Traffic Act 1988, which opens riders up to a raft of offences as they need to have a driving licence and insurance to ride them.
This also means if e-scooter are to be made legal, the minimum age allowed to ride one would be 16 years old.

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

Motorcycling Organisations

IAM RoadSmart
Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly newsletter 11th October 2024 Has it been a while since you passed your Advanced test? 
Our Advanced Refresher course allows drivers and riders to brush up on their skills with one of our dedicated Observers, so you can ensure you’re still driving or riding at an Advanced level!
 
 
 

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 September 2025 100 motorists a day receive drink-drive endorsements as new research shows soaring cost for offenders


•108,000 drink-drive related endorsements added to individual licences over a three-year period

•Drink-driving could be costing offenders as much as £80,000, up 15 percent on five years ago

One hundred drivers a day have had drink-drive endorsements added to their licences in the past three years according to new research from road safety charity IAM RoadSmart.*

Worryingly, young professionals aged 25 to 39 are the worst offenders, seemingly unaware of the consequences of drink-driving. Some 48,000 drivers in this age group have been rapped, closely followed by 40,000 midlifers aged 40 to 65. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly newsletter 6th September 2024

Are you aware of the OAP framework when out riding? 

Incorporating Observe, Anticipate, Plan, when on the roads, can help educate and upskill riders to ensure safer journeys. Learn more 
ACEM

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 September 2025 The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) expresses serious concern that the EU-US Framework Agreement of 21 August falls significantly short of addressing the trade challenges facing European manufacturers.

While acknowledging diplomatic efforts on both sides of the Atlantic, the agreement’s partial scope leaves the European motorcycle industry facing the new general 15% tariff on products exported to the United States. Furthermore, European motorcycles, parts, and accessories are now also subject to 50% tariffs on their steel content.

This unbalanced framework creates an economically unsustainable situation for European manufacturers, as steel represents a fundamental component in motorcycle construction. The persistence of punitive tariffs threatens the competitiveness of ACEM’s member companies and jeopardises jobs they support throughout Europe and in the US. The current arrangement effectively introduces discriminatory treatment that undermines decades of successful transatlantic business relationships. …

Motorcycle Industries Association

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 September 2025 MCIA has today published the new vehicle registrations for the month of August 2025.

This includes Mopeds, Scooters, Motorcycles and some other specific sectors of the  wider L-Category vehicle types.

New registrations for the month of August continue to show improvement above the overall year to date trend. Whilst not as strong an improvement as that witnessed in July, August continues to improve with a reduced decline in comparison to the same month in 2024. Total market volumes for the month closed at 6,846 units which resulted in a market decline of minus 11.5%

The Scooter segment continues to perform ahead of the 2024 ending the month with a positive 3.2% in the month where the Motorcycle segments remained negative albeit still vastly improved from the first 6 months. Read more..

MCIA has today published the new vehicle registrations for the month of August 2025.

This includes Mopeds, Scooters, Motorcycles and some other specific sectors of the wider L-Category vehicle types.

New registrations for the month of August continue to show improvement above the overall year to date trend. Whilst not as strong an improvement as that witnessed in July, August continues to improve with a reduced decline in comparison to the same month in 2024. Total market volumes for the month closed at 6,846 units which resulted in a market decline of minus 11.5%

The Scooter segment continues to perform ahead of the 2024 ending the month with a positive 3.2% in the month where the Motorcycle segments remained negative albeit still vastly improved from the first 6 months. Read more

.

National Motorcycle Dealers Association

   “The new motorcycle market has displayed signs of recovery, steadying after last month’s sharp decline. However, with registrations still in the negative, it suggests consumer confidence has not fully stabilised at the beginning of Q3” commented Symon Cook, Head of National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA), according to the latest figures published by Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA).

New registrations in July saw improvement to -2.4% up 16% compared to last month’s -18.6% figure. Meanwhile, the “year-to-date” market slightly recovered to -17.8% compared to 2024.

Symon Cook concluded: “NMDA is pleased with the improvement when considering 2025’s decline and dealers can have a positive outlook for the remainder of Q3. However, we are concerned that the market has been largely ignored by the Government. Recently the Government introduced the new Electric Car Grant with a discount of £3,750, yet nothing of this ilk to incentivise consumers to buy motorcycles.

Looking ahead, the NMDA will be closely monitoring whether this boost can continue into the positive in the second half of the year and what impact the upcoming Autumn Budget may have on the industry.” Read more

National Motorcyclists Council

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly newsletter 31st January 2025  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… 

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 September 2025 The Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) has today (26th August) issued new guidance to some of its vehicle registration policies, making the rules around the notification of modifications to already registered motorcycles old and new more straightforward.

These changes follow a call for evidence which NMC member, the Vintage Motor Cycle Club (VMCC) responded to with the support of the NMC. Organisations in the four-wheeled historic vehicle sector also responded. As a result, the DVLA is replacing its existing policies on rebuilt and radically altered vehicles with three new sets of guidance that will apply to all vehicles, regardless of age. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly newsletter 24th January 2025  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

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 September 2025 During a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, proposals were accepted on new EU circularity rules to cover the entire vehicle lifecycle, from design to final end-of-life treatment.

Some of the key points from the accepted text:

All L-class vehicles (motorcycles, mopeds, tricycles, and certain quads) will be included in the regulation. Only power-assisted bicycles (L1e-B) and small series powered two-wheelers are excluded.
Vehicles of historical interest, their parts, and spare parts are excluded.
A new category, “Vehicles of special cultural interest,” has been added to the exclusions.
The competent authority of the Member State where the fleet unit is registered may recognize the vehicle as culturally significant if all the following conditions are met:
Either the owner or the competent authority of the registration Member State has documented the vehicle’s unique historical or cultural value or status, or the vehicle is a single modified or custom-made vehicle;
The vehicle owner is known and identifiable;
The vehicle can be identified by the VIN, serial number, or other official identifier provided by the manufacturer or the competent authority.
The vehicle owner has the right to decide when the vehicle becomes an ELV vehicle.
There are restrictions for used component sales, but these are for economic operators, not for private persons anymore. A new requirement: Prove that the parts and components were sourced from an authorized economic operator.
Restrictions on the sale or transfer of vehicles between private individuals have been lifted. Article 37, which concerned ownership changes, has been amended to concern export. For vehicle export, the requirement for roadworthiness has been removed. The only requirement for export is that the vehicle is not an end-of-life vehicle.
The regulation will come into force 12 months after its publication. For L-class vehicles, there will be an additional 60 months after the regulation comes into force. Read more

British Motorcyclists Federation

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 September 2025 A shortage of motorcycle instructors could be preventing new riders from taking their CBT, according to Phoenix Motorcycle Training, one of the largest training schools in the UK. Delaying a CBT could even be putting some potential riders off motorcycling altogether.
Phoenix awards about 6000 CBT certificates each year, but according to the company’s owner and chief instructor Mark Jaffe, they could have issued more, if they had sufficient instructors.

Speaking to Visor Down he said: “The lack of motorcycle instructors is a real hindrance in getting more people on two wheels. At the moment, we have more instructors wanting to sign up for courses than we can take on because we don’t have enough instructors to train them.”

He expressed surprise that more motorcyclists weren’t choosing instruction as a possible career, pointing out that applicants with Phoenix didn’t need to be trained professionals, just have had a full clean motorcycle licence and at least three years riding experience – Phoenix trains up instructors, including a Level 3 Award in Education and Training, and once qualified, instructors could expect a potential salary of up to £40,000 per year. The company currently has full and part-time vacancies in Milton Keynes, Cwmbran, Colchester, Southampton, Bognor Regis and Bristol. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 September 2025 You’ve heard of HP, straight finance and PCP deals, but now it’s possible to get hold of a brand new motorcycle by leasing it. Leasing comparison site Leasing.com, which already offers lease deals on cars, vans and used electric vehicles, is now offering a similar service for bikes and scooters. Initially, it’s for business and fleet users only, but a personal leasing option for private buyers is on the way.

It looks like there will be plenty of choice available, with bikes from all of the Japanese big four available, plus BMW, Aprilia, Harley-Davidson and Zero. Exact prices depend on the length of the lease (typically 36 or 48 months), the size of the initial payment and whether servicing is included, but a Honda CB125F could be had from £67 a month and a CB1000 Hornet from £177. A BMW R1300GS would set you back £266 a month, and a C400X scooter £137. The advantage over a conventional finance deal is that the deposit is flexible, and can be much less, at the expense of higher monthly payments. Read more

Motorcycle Action Group

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 September 2025 The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has submitted three major policy reports to the Department for Transport and Transport for London. The reports draw on motorcyclists’ unique road safety perspective to propose solutions for casualty reduction stagnation affecting all road users.The reports present a complete framework for implementing MAG’s “Welcoming Roads” approach. This has been developed through four years of policy work. It draws on motorcyclists’ distinctive position as road users who experience both vulnerability and mobility.The reports present a complete framework for implementing MAG’s “Welcoming Roads” approach. This has been developed through four years of policy work. It draws on motorcyclists’ distinctive position as road users who experience both vulnerability and mobility. Read more

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗗𝗩𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗚𝗘: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗪𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗜𝘁, 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁
This week we’ve been explaining our Welcoming Roads proposals. But here’s something that gives motorcyclists a unique perspective on road safety – we’re multimodal.
Most motorcyclists also drive cars. Many of us cycle. We walk as pedestrians. We use public transport. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲- 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝘁.
Drivers have motorized mobility but are protected by their cage. Cyclists and pedestrians are vulnerable but move at different speeds and in different traffic contexts. 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀.
And that experience reveals something crucial about why systematic approaches matter:
𝗧𝗼𝗺 (𝗠𝗔𝗚 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, 𝗬𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲): “I never realized how invisible motorcycles were until I started riding. As a driver for 20 years, I thought I was observant. Now I understand the observation failures from both sides – and how better training could prevent them.”
𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗮 (𝗠𝗔𝗚 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱): “Cycling to work opened my eyes to junction design problems. The same sight line issues that nearly got me as a cyclist are exactly what make motorcycles invisible to drivers. It’s all connected.”
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 (𝗠𝗔𝗚 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀): “Walking through town after a ride, I notice how pedestrians step into the road while looking at their phones. Same awareness issues that affect us on bikes. The SSSC model would help everyone.”
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀. We see how the same observation and awareness problems affect interactions between ALL road user groups:
• Drivers who don’t see motorcycles also don’t see cyclists properly
• Junction design that creates motorcycle casualties also affects pedestrians
• The “failed to observe and risk assess properly” factor we know so well affects every road user interaction
𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: Most car drivers have never experienced motorcycle vulnerability. Most cyclists have never performed an overtake of a car at motorway speeds while being completely exposed. Most pedestrians have never had to assess stopping distances from national speed limit while being part of the traffic flow themselves.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲. Which is why they support policies based on theory rather than experience. Why they accept “speed kills” messaging that misses the real causation factors. Why they back hierarchical approaches that ignore the complexity of actual road user interactions.
This is why Welcoming Roads matters. It’s not about special treatment for motorcyclists – it’s about systematic approaches based on understanding how road user interactions actually work. We bring that multimodal understanding to policy development.
When we advocate for better observation training, we know it helps everyone because we’ve been on both sides of those interactions. When we push for evidence-based infrastructure design, we understand how the same problems affect different road users in different ways.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲? Have you noticed how problems you face on a motorcycle also affect you when walking, cycling, or driving? Do you see the connections between road safety challenges that single-mode road users miss?
Share your insights below. Our vulnerable motorization perspective is one of our greatest strengths in advocating for systematic approaches that genuinely make roads safer for everyone.
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. 

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclist Weekly Newsletter - 26 September 2025 Dress for success
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. Read more

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Weekly newsletter 24th January 2025  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… 

Contact SAM Newsletter Editor

Got something to share? Want to comment on an item in this newsletter? Fill in this form and we will be very happy to hear from you. Happy reading.

Free Assessed Ride

Want to try before you buy? Fill in the form below and arrange the FREE ride assessment when it’s convenient for you.  Or just ride down to Meadowhall Retail Park, Sheffield S9 1EP, 9am any Saturday morning.

Be safe - ALWAYS carry your Biker I.C.E card!

Riding a motorcycle comes with risks. In an accident, motorcyclists’ injuries are likely to be more serious than those of other road users. To reduce these risks, the Biker I.C.E. (In Case of Emergency) Card is a simple but essential tool for riders. It’s easy to use and convenient to carry. It can be folded to fit in your wallet and handed to anyone who needs it, not just accident responders.

The Biker I.C.E. Card contains all necessary information. It has contact information, important health, medical and doctor’s details, a list of medications and your doctor’s contact. If you’re in an accident, emergency services can use the card to quickly understand your health and medical needs t0 provide you with the best care possible.

Just fill in your email address below. We will keep you updated of any design changes. The card is given as FREE public service that you can use and share as many times as you like. You simply add details like your NHS or travel insurance numbers, as these can help emergency responders access your healthcare records or handle costs when travelling abroad.

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists, well known for our quality assured advanced rider training, support the use of this card. It can be a critical safety tool. While training improves road safety, the card ensures you get the right help should things go wrong.

Download your Biker I.C.E. Card NOW, for safer rides and peace of mind!