Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists – Weekly Newsletter 13 February 2026
Table of Contents
Editorial
Despite the damp and cold last week, you can’t keep SAM riders off their bikes. Rides mid-week were replaced with late meetups and adjourning to a good restaurant for lunch. Saturday saw our highly trained Observers riding out with their Associates. Other members either met up for coffee or rode out in self-organised groups. In this week’s packed newsletter you can read about the perils of misjudging the following distance, why we prefer bends that go in one direction and how that affects our riding. There is news of a new, excellent quality, online courses with video conferencing. A safe place to discuss your riding, good or needing to get better, at a very reasonable price. A good choice in these hard economic times. Whether you’ve been riding for years or just starting out, you might find out what you didn’t know that might help you to be a better rider. Now there’s a thought!
The Brighton and Sussex Medical School want your help to explore the mental and physical health benefits of riding a motorcycle. It’s a 15-minute online questionnaire that might help convince sceptical politicians and the public of how motorcycles help to improve our quality of life and have a real positive role to play in achieving a cleaner world. Help them out.
For those looking to get into adventure riding, but need a little guidance, you might like Royal Enfield’s 12-day, 450-mile guided adventure in Morrocco. Ease your way into travelling the world before you take on a circumnavigation trip. At least you’ll come back with a sun tan!
In the rest of the motorcycling world, the past seven days have been lively for motorcyclists, with big industry announcements, racing drama, and fresh debates about the future of riding. Whether you’re into new bikes, MotoGP gossip, or the politics shaping the roads we ride on, there’s been plenty to keep an eye on.
Ducati kicked off the week with a bold promise: a packed year of events and new models to celebrate the brand’s 100th anniversary. Fabrizio Cazzoli, Ducati UK’s Managing Director, teased “a lot coming up,” hinting at both special‑edition machines and community events designed to mark the milestone in style.
Yamaha riders also had something to get excited about. Owners of R‑series sports bikes were offered a rare VIP experience at an Italian race circuit—an opportunity that blends brand loyalty with track‑day thrills. It’s a reminder of how manufacturers are increasingly using exclusive experiences to build deeper connections with younger riders.
On the global stage, sustainability continued to shape motorcycle innovation. One standout development was a new electric concept bike that swaps traditional plastics for flax‑based materials—a sign that eco‑friendly design is moving beyond batteries and into the very structure of future machines.
Meanwhile, the FIM confirmed that its new Racing Motorcycle Museum will open to the public on 18 February. This is big news for racing fans, offering a new space to explore the sport’s history and engineering heritage.
In racing, MotoGP testing at Sepang delivered both excitement and concern. Yamaha halted its test programme due to a V4 engine issue, putting pressure on the team to find a fix before the season ramps up. The uncertainty has added tension to an already competitive pre‑season.
Honda, on the other hand, unveiled a fresh tricolour livery for its CBR1000RR‑R, signalling renewed confidence as the team prepares for the year ahead. Visual updates don’t guarantee performance, but they do show intent—and Honda clearly wants to make a statement.
Industry politics also made headlines. A coalition of motorcycle groups warned that a “car‑only” electric vehicle strategy could slow progress toward net‑zero goals. Their argument is simple: excluding motorcycles from EV planning ignores a transport mode that is already more efficient than cars and could play a major role in reducing congestion and emissions.
Elsewhere, BMW Motorrad UK announced its 2026 “World of BMW” activity programme, offering training, tours, and events aimed at helping riders build skills and confidence. For younger riders especially, these programmes can be a gateway into long‑term motorcycling culture.
Overall, this week showed a motorcycle industry balancing heritage and innovation. Classic brands are celebrating big anniversaries, while engineers push sustainable materials and electric concepts. Racing teams are fine‑tuning their machines under pressure, and political debates continue over the role of motorcycles in a greener transport future.
For riders, the message is clear: the world of motorcycling is changing fast—but it’s full of opportunities, excitement, and new stories waiting to unfold. Until next week, ride safe and happy reading.
There will be NO SAM CLUB NIGHT in MARCH. Saturday morning meetings will continue each week as normal. If the weather is bad, then chat, coffee/lunch and sharing opinions on the motorcycling world are required. Along with plenty of laughter! The SAM ANNUAL PHOTO COMPETITION is very kindly being coordinated by SAM Member Dave Whitman. You can email your entries to ???? The subject is simply ‘Motorcycling‘, so there is plenty of scope for you to show your creative snaps. NO AI GENERATED IMAGES! The closing date for entries will be the 29th April 2026. The winner will be announced at the SAM ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING on the 11th May 2026. See the SAM Calendar on the website for details.
The SPRING BREAKFAST MEET is currently be organised and details will be published, on the website calendar and member’s emails, in due course. RIDE → EAT → LAUGH → REPEAT!
The next SAM Committee Meeting will be on the 26th February 2026. The next SAM Club Night will be on the 13th April 2026. Weekly Saturday meetings, at Meadowhall Retail Park, will continue to take place, but watch the SAM website Calendar (it’s on the front page!)for any changes. Your SAM Weekly Newsletter will drop into your inbox each week as usual.
IMPORTANT: The SAM Charity (UK Registered No. 1089671) relies on YOUR membership fee and donations to continue our vital work in public education, advanced training of motorcyclists and helping advanced motorcyclists retain and update their knowledge and skills. Your membership fee is due by the 1st April 2026. The SAM Committee, recognising these economically difficult times, has agree to keep membership fee at £15 (members) and £25 (supporters). Thank you for your continued help and support.
Your success is our success!
SAM annual advanced rider test successes:
2023/24 → 86% inc. 9 x firsts¹
2024/25 → 67% inc. 5 x firsts
2025/26 → 80% (YTD) inc. 6 x firsts
Advanced riders are safer road users, ride longer, rider further, meet more people and enjoy a healthier, happier life!
- A ‘First advanced rider test pass’ means the rider qualified with no more than 3 minor riding faults. Test standards are strict, fair and applied to all test candidates. Even excellent riders can make a minor error that does not impede safe riding or affect the safety of other road users. Test anxiety is real, but we train you to cope with your nerves. We’ve got a lot of experience! Also some Associates don’t go on to take an advanced rider test, but they always reach a test standard, no matter how long it takes. Your IAM RoadSmart rider course purchase is valid for 12 months of tuition. Come and join us!
For Your Diary
Meetings
Next SAM Club Night
13th April 2026
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
5th March 2026
Details to be arranged
Online Motorcycling News
General
Simplicity rules for new, low-performance EV
There’s an argument to be made that the high-tech, high-price route taken by many of the high-profile electric bikes on the market today is the wrong one – and that instead of aiming at the top of the market they should be targeting the masses with cheap machines that capitalise on efficiency of electric power to save even more money.
We’ve already seen that basic electric scooters have succeeded on that premise in countries like China, where they sell by their millions, and now Honda has filed a patent showing an ultra-basic electric motorcycle that could be aimed at markets like India and Africa.The new design, which is detailed enough to indicate it’s a serious, production-intended project, adopts a simple, conventional steel backbone frame and the simplest and cheapest components, from the dual-shock rear to the cable-operated drum brake at the front. But where you’d normally expect to find a simple, air-cooled single-cylinder engine, there’s a small electric motor, a single-speed transmission and a pair of removable batteries Read more
Bikesure ambassador UsernameKate, AKA Kate Ralph, talks us through her motorcycle trip to the Pyrenees mountain range on the border of France and Spain and gives her tips on what you need to do to prepare for a European ride.
The hardest part of our Pyrenees trip wasn’t the mountain passes, the weather, or the long days in the saddle. It was pressing book before getting on the first ferry – and committing to the trip in the first place.
On paper, the trip sounded incredible: sweeping roads, big scenery, days spent riding and evening laughter over food and stories. But before we committed, there was hesitation. Read more
If you’re looking for an electric motorcycle or scooter, but you don’t want to spend a small fortune, there’s never been a better time.
Here, we guide you through the best battery powered bikes on the market that you can buy on a moderate budget.
Vmoto TS Street Hunter Pro
Vmoto has one of the largest ranges of electric motorcycles and scooters on the market, and the TS Street Hunter Pro is available for an extremely reasonable £3,299. That gets you a bike with modern street sport styling, a max speed of 58mph and a range of around 60 miles (although as always with reported maximum ranges on electric motorcycles, it’s almost certainly a lot less in real world use). Read more
The Honda Rebel has been a go-to choice for new and beginner riders since the introduction of the 1985 Rebel 250. New riders gravitated toward the Rebel for its predictable power, manageable size, and low cost. Those same words ring true today for the Rebel 300.
In fact, Honda is doubling down on lowering the barrier to riding even more by making E-Clutch standard on the Honda Rebel 300. Don’t worry, the manual clutch lever remains. If you ride with clutch confidence, the lever is yours to use. Want to skip manual clutching as a newer rider or just want to relax and forget about it? Let the system do its thing and all you do is toe the shift lever up and down and E-Clutch does the rest. Read more
Visitors to the Bristol Classic Motorcycle Show, February 21-22, 2026, Bath & West Showground, will have the chance to enter a competition to win an HJC RPHA 91 Matt Black Helmet, worth £449.99, courtesy of show sponsors Devitt Insurance.
Devitt will be welcoming visitors to their stand throughout the event, where showgoers can find out more about motorcycle insurance and enter the competition directly. Entry is also available online using the same competition link.
The HJC RPHA 91 is a premium touring helmet, combining comfort, safety and versatility, making it suitable for a wide range of riders. Read more
What are the best motorcycle and kit deals and discounts available right now?
Continuing our regular weekly guides to current biking offers and bargains, we’ve been scouring the marketplace – so you don’t have to!Save £3482 on a Moto Guzzi Mandello V100 S
There’s little doubt that one of the greatest Moto Guzzi’s in recent memory was the historic Italian marque’s all-new V100 Mandello sports tourer – but there’s also no mistaking the fact that the 113bhp V-twin all-rounder can also be snapped up for song due to significant dealer discounts – as is the case here. SP Motorcycles of Exeter, for example, is currently offering this brand new, unregistered, 0-mile example of the top spec ‘S’ model, complete with ‘Ready to Ride’ kit including centre stand, panniers and crash bars, for just £14,499 – that’s a saving of a whopping £3482 over the usual price of £17,981. Read more
Celebrate 90 years of bomber history at Lincoln’s International Bomber Command ride out this May
Tickets are now available for this year’s InSpire charity ride-in at Lincoln’s International Bomber
The event, which first took place in 2018, will be held on Sunday, May 24 and celebrates 90 years since the creation of the Bomber Command in 1936 – serving as the linchpin of strategy and organisation during the Second World War. Tickets
New BMW dealership opens in Blackpool following positive UK sales across 2025
BMW are expanding their presence in the North West of England by opening a new showroom in Blackpool.
Lloyd BMW Motorrad Blackpool is located on Whitehills Business Park, and will offer new and used motorcycle sales, alongside accessories, servicing, and more. 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...
Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) is inviting motorcycle riders to take part in a new research study exploring the mental and physical health benefits of motorcycling. If you’ve ever said that riding clears your head, sharpens your focus, or just makes life feel better, this study wants to hear from you.
Who can take part?
The research is open to anyone aged 18 or over who rides a motorcycle, whether you’re a daily commuter, seasoned tourer, or weekend tinkerer. Taking part starts with a 15-minute online questionnaire covering your riding habits, how motorcycling affects you, and some basic details about your physical and mental wellbeing. Read more
Seeing how criminal gangs move their operations around the UK can help motorcyclists realise the importance of locking their bikes, and be more prepared when thefts rise in their area.
This map shows the increases and decreases of motorcycle and scooter thefts by comparing the last full month’s data with the month before that. Remember – this is a MONTHLY overview. Read more
Roadskin proudly has announced the launch of the Spencer Motorcycle Jeans, a groundbreaking single-layer denim engineered to deliver AAA-rated protection without sacrificing style or comfort. Inspired by the legendary three-time world champion Freddie Spencer, these jeans represent the pinnacle of motorcycle apparel innovation.
The Spencer jeans are constructed from a premium, single-layer fabric that offers exceptional abrasion resistance, achieving the highest possible AAA safety rating. This advanced design eliminates the need for bulky, separate linings, providing a lightweight and comfortable fit that feels just like regular denim. For riders, this means all-day wearability that transitions effortlessly from the road to everyday life.
Roadskin Unveils Spencer AAA-Rated Single-Layer Motorcycle Jeans
Protection is further enhanced with the inclusion of state-of-the-art Level 2 Rheon armour for the hips and knees, which comes as standard with every purchase (the first in the Roadskin jean range to do so). This revolutionary, soft and flexible armour hardens on impact, offering superior protection that moves with the rider for maximum comfort. The result is a pair of jeans that offers high levels of safety in a discreet, stylish package. Read more
Adventure & Touring
I woke up in my one-man tent covered in sand. The tent’s large mesh cover, acting as a sieve, had let in only the finest of desert talc sand that clung to my sweat. The sun had just risen and it was already extremely hot. But who cared? I was out riding in one of the most challenging places in the world, the deserts of Lake Turkana.
A few months earlier, as I plotted my route down the east side of Africa, I focused attention on the one stretch that is not yet paved. Northern Kenya is covered by a remote desert that extends from South Sudan in the west to Somalia in the east. It surrounds the massive inland desert sea of Lake Turkana, also known as the Jade Sea, for its emerald waters. The main route from Ethiopia into Kenya passes through the border town of Moyale and then opens up to a heavily corrugated road, infamous in the adventure motorcycling community for ruining suspensions. Riding 155 miles of that kind of road with sanDRina, my heavily-laden Suzuki DR650, was not an alluring prospect. All my worldly possessions were already straining her suspension. Luckily, a pair of Dutch bikers who had gone down the eastern side of Africa ahead of me had told me about a more adventurous, alternate route. Read more
Royal Enfield just dropped something that hits straight at the adventure rider fantasy button. It’s called the Royal Enfield Moroccan Odyssey 2026, and yeah, it’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like. A full-on guided motorcycle expedition across Morocco, running for 12 days from late March into early April 2026. Mountains, desert, coastlines, old cities, long riding days, and the kind of scenery that makes you forget what your phone notifications even sound like.
The route itself reads like a greatest-hits album of Morocco. You start in Marrakesh, climb through the Atlas Mountains, roll past kasbahs and desert towns, spend time riding near the Sahara with actual dunes in view, then head north through cooler mountain regions before finishing by the Atlantic coast. It’s a mix of paved roads, mountain passes, gravel, and light off-road sections. Basically, the kind of riding that keeps things interesting without turning it into a survival exercise. Read more
History & Custom
Countless parallels can be drawn between hot rods and custom motorcycles, but no one celebrates them quite like Minoru Watanabe. Watanabe-san runs Fatech in Tokyo, Japan, where he builds nostalgic custom Harleys with hot rod underpinnings. This vintage FLH is his latest build, and it’s oozing Americana.
Minoru started with a 1978 Harley-Davidson FLH, but very little of the donor bike remains. That’s to be expected; the man is a dab hand at building custom frames with unique lines, so that was always the plan here. Read more
The Clara Wagner Story
Clara Wagner is often lauded as the first woman to race a motorcycle—or at least the first documented woman to do so, as captured by many newspapers in 1910. Through my research, I’ve found that Muriel Hind, a British Woman born in 1882, participated in competitions in 1907. After going through many years of newspaper archives, it appears Clara was the first American woman and Muriel was the first British woman to go racing on two wheels with a motor.
Nevertheless, Clara Marian Wagner was an imposing woman… especially for her time. Clara was born in Minnesota on November 11th, 1891, to the motorcycle manufacturer George Wagner of Wagner Motorcycle Co. They must have had an extraordinary relationship because, in that era, it was almost unheard of for a girl to work alongside her father, let alone ride motorcycles! George had two daughters, and from all insights, he and Clara connected on motorbikes the most. Read more
Kevin Williams
“When the car ahead stop, so can I”: a Biker Booby Trap
Years ago, there was a TV show that debunked some dangerous driving myths. One particular show featured a driver who tailgated the vehicle ahead. His reasoning? “The car ahead won’t stop dead in front of me, therefore all I have to is brake when the driver does”.
The show dealt with that particular that theory by dropping a large block of polystyrene off the back of a flatbed in front of him as he followed at his chosen ‘safe distance’. The over-confident driver hit it, before he’d even had chance to touch the brakes.
He still wasn’t convinced. He said that vehicles “don’t stop dead in real life”. Well, in real life I’ve seen it happen three times, most notably when the car ahead of me collided head-on with another coming the other way. Read more
Is this an approved pothole repair? I doubt it
[Based on an item in yesterday’s live Elevenses webcast – tune in Sundays @11am]
If you’ve been wondering why pothole repairs fail so rapidly, this may have something to do with it. This interesting photo popped up on LinkedIn. Now I’m no road engineer, but I’m pretty sure this is not how you are meant to mend potholes. This is a genuine photo (not AI) taken in Heanor on 23 January 2026. Perhaps this is why the potholes keep opening back up after just a few weeks.
One comment on the original post was:
“I strongly suspect the installers left the empty bags in the potholes simply to get rid of them as they worked, rather than disposing of them properly. Cold patch material adheres far better when it makes direct contact with the underlying surface of the pothole, even when water is present. Leaving a plastic bag in the hole undermines the repair, as material placed on top of the plastic will dislodge much more easily. This reflects poor installation practice and a lack of attention to proper material handling and bag disposal.”
Apparently, if installed ‘properly’ which involves preparing the pothole prior to treatment it can last “up to 24 months”. Read more
Why do we prefer bends in one direction? Part One
A while ago a friend of mine sent on a message to say she’d just picked up a question from another female rider asking:
“I love left-handed bends but tense up on right-handers… are you aware of there being any physical explanation or is it just a case of Mind over Matter? I’m aware there are various theories including how left-brained / right-brained you are, or whether you’re right- or left-handed.”
She wondered if I had any theories because she’d noticed something similar in her own riding. And as it happens, I do.
Let’s start with left / right brain and handedness. The popular “right‑brain = spatial / left‑brain = verbal” story is dead, but asymmetries in motor control, proprioception, and vestibular processing absolutely do create real, measurable left/right performance differences — including in riding and cornering.
I don’t want to get too technical but the evidence shows that the way we process visual information means that we often have subtle left-right differences. Read more
Introducing www.motoonline.co.uk
I’ve just finished putting together a dedicated website for my online coaching at www.motoonline.co.uk where you can find information about both my Survival Skills Eight Week eCourse and my one-hour Online Coaching sessions.
The first consists of eight sections delivered online, which you can work through at your pace. Each section consists of modules delivering a mix of theory, thoughtful questions to get you thinking, and carefully-designed practical exercises to try out on the road. There’s plenty of interaction with resources to download and videos to watch. Ask your own questions, upload your own photos, even on-bike videos if you want to. Each course includes two online webinar-style meetings to discuss how you’re getting on.
Oh, and get to the end and there’s an informative ninth week FOR FREE!
The one-hour sessions allow you to set the agenda and ask for a one-to-one session to talk about a particular issue. Read more
What are ‘looming’ and the Size – Arrival Effect?
A video made some years back (which only recently appeared on my own feed) stated “the looming effect is the inability of the driver to recognize the position and speed of oncoming vehicles especially motorcyclists”. I’ve already talked about how the video covered ‘saccadic masking’ but that the explanation got slightly ‘lost in translation’. Well, that statement about the ‘looming effect’ (amusingly the YouTube transcription called it the ‘lumen’ effect) is trying to describe something that’s very real but has actually confused two separate phenomena. Let’s untangle things, and we’ll start by explaining what the human brain is trying to achieve. Read more
What delivers learning better? Analogy or First Principles?
A question that came up in a comment the other day got me thinking, as many questions seem to do. How do we learn best? Is it via an explanation that explains a way to deal with a problem by way of an analogy (“ah, it’s like that”)or is it more effective to work out the principles to understand that problem (“ah, this is what’s really happening”)?
They are both powerful learning tools, but they pull the mind in very different directions.
“I can see over the car”: a Biker Booby Trap
It’s a sentence I hear surprisingly often, usually delivered with complete confidence and followed by a slight shrug — as if that alone settles the question of following distance. “After all, if you can see the vehicles on the road ahead of the car you’re following, what’s the problem? You can react before the driver you’re following”.
In certain circumstances that may be true. Yes, on a bike we sit higher than most car drivers. Sometimes we can see over the car’s roof. Sometimes we can see through the vehicle’s windows. Sometimes we can see around it. This IS incredibly useful, no argument at all. It all helps us anticipate queues, spot changing conditions and read the broader traffic picture. But it doesn’t replace the need for space. Crucially, it doesn’t shorten our reaction time when we do see a problem.
And that problem might be about to appear from below the vehicle ahead.
Years ago, I picked up a very aggrieved rider who’d just lost control of his GSX-R600 after he’d been tail-gating a car that had obviously been moving too slowly through a residential estate for his liking. Unfortunately for him, the car had slowed a little, forcing the rider to brake. Even more unfortunately, it was just as a speed hump appeared from under the car. He hit it, still hard on the brakes and went down in a heap. Of course the car carried on just fine. I doubt the driver was even aware of what had happened behind him. Read more
Whiteknights Blood Bikes
South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership
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
Has it been a while since you passed your Advanced test? 
Motorcycle skills session helps Northern Ireland riders get road‑ready for 2026
Skills event launched by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart as motorcycle fatalities remain a concern
Motorcyclists across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to refresh their riding skills ahead of the 2026 season at a new road safety event in County Antrim.
In a first for Northern Ireland, the UK’s leading road safety charity IAM RoadSmart is offering riders the chance to practise precision riding techniques with expert instructors, with skills designed to transfer to public roads.
The machine control day, which is being held on April 18 at Transport Training Services in Crumlin, will focus on core skills such as machine control, braking, cornering and observation.
Department for Infrastructure figures show that on average, ten motorcyclists are killed on Northern Ireland’s roads every year, highlighting the ongoing safety challenges facing riders.[i]In 2025, 239 motorcyclists [ii]were injured, showing just how vulnerable riders are.
Regional Road Safety Manager for Northern Ireland, Bruce Steele, said: “On average, ten motorcyclists are killed every year and that’s ten too many. It’s vital that riders take the time to refresh their skills and rebuild confidence after the winter break. Events like this give motorcyclists the chance to practice precision riding in a controlled setting, helping them develop techniques that can make a real difference to their safety when they’re back out on public roads.”
The Machine Handling and Control skills event has been part-funded by donations raised by IAM RoadSmart.
Tickets will be on sale from February 3 at 8pm. Click here to book.
For business fleets, 2025 has been yet another eventful year, with firms having to contend with a whole host of challenges, from higher maintenance and repair costs, to evolving regulations around safety. With 2026 now upon us, there are several key changes over the next 12 months that fleet decision makers must be aware of. Here, Nicholas Lyes, Policy and Standards Director at leading road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, talks through the key things to bear in mind.
Reduced drink-driving limit
The Government’s new Road Safety Strategy for the UK – the first in more than a decade – has now been published, and is set to bring wide ranging changes that are likely to have an impact on business fleets. One of the reported proposals is a reduction in the drink-driving limit in England and Wales from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms per 100ml of breath.
With IAM RoadSmart data showing that 52 percent of companies have experienced a drink-driving incident in the last three years, fleet managers must take action to strengthen drink-driving policy and training provision, ensuring business drivers are aware of the potential upcoming change to the limit. Drink-driving awareness training could present the most effective way of relaying the changes to staff while simultaneously reenforcing best practice.
New Private Parking Single Code of Practice
Back in June 2024, the British Parking Association (BPA) published the Private Parking Single Code of Practice as a means of improving transparency and standards surrounding private car parks for the benefit of motorists. The Code includes an Appeals Charter for appealing against parking charges, consistent rules for private parking operators, and a requirement for clear signage to help drivers navigate parking on private land.
While private operators began implementing the new Code from 1 October 2024, all existing sites need to be updated by December 2026. As such, fleet managers must ensure that all vehicles are parked in accordance with the Code of Practice – which includes adhering to parking regulations and displaying appropriate signage – and that they understand the appeals process for parking charges in the event that the business receives one.
Fuel duty increase
In her recent Autumn Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that there would be a staged increased in fuel duty from September 2026. For fleets, this will bring higher operating costs, especially for those with a large number of petrol or diesel vehicles, as the Government begins to reverse the current 5p-per-litre cut.
At a time when fleets are already battling high fuel prices and growing costs, this will undoubtedly hit many hard, so fleet managers should be preparing for the increase now.
Consultation on eVED
Another announcement affecting fleets made at the Autumn Budget was the introduction of electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED), a new mileage charge for electric and plug-in hybrid cars. While eVED is not due to come into effect until April 2028, there is currently an online consultation for gathering feedback on the design and implementation of the new charge, which will remain open until 18 March 2026.
This consultation also invites feedback from business fleets on how eVED will likely impact their operations. Therefore, fleet managers who are concerned about the charge should engage with the survey to highlight potential problems and ensure that it fairly aligns with the needs of business fleets.
Automated vehicle consultation
Similarly, at the beginning of December 2025, the Government launched a major consultation on developing the regulatory framework for automated vehicles, looking to gain industry input on how self-driving vehicles will be approved, authorised and monitored on UK roads.
With the consultation running until March 5, 2026, fleet managers are encouraged to share their feedback on the rollout of automated vehicles, including any concerns that they have around safety or data protection, without delay.
Get ahead of the changes
It’s clear that 2026 is set to be a busy year for business fleets, and there are many new considerations that fleet managers will need to make in response to evolving regulations and emerging trends.
Fleets should be doing everything that they can now to prepare for the changes and, in doing so, avoid any unpleasant bumps in the road ahead.
To find out more about IAM RoadSmart’s advanced Driving for Work training course, designed to enhance safety and improve driver confidence, visit https://iamcommercial.co.uk/driving-for-work/.
Are you aware of the OAP framework when out riding? 
ACEM
New motorcycle registrations in five of the largest European markets (i.e. France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK) reached 1.002.848 units during 2025. This represents a variation of approximately -12,9 % compared to the same period in 2024 (1.150.852 units). Motorcycle registration volumes increase in Spain (242.580 units, +8,3 % year-on-year) while in other markets, results remain negative for the current year with for Italy (331.634 units, -6 %), for France (179.225 units, -16,4 %), for UK (89.645 units, -19,3%) and for Germany (159.764 units, -35,7 %).
Moped registrations reached a total volume of 142.060 units in the six European moped markets monitored by ACEM (i.e. Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain). This registration volume represents a reduction of -20,7 % in comparison to last year at the same period (179.231units). Leaves for Germany, which is experiencing slight growth (15.512 units, 4,9 %), the decline is widespread in all other monitored countries: Spain (13.594 units, -0,8 %), Belgium (26.195 units, -14,9 %), Netherlands (24.069 units, -25,3 %), France (48.526 units -26,4 %), and Italy (14.164 units, -35,1 %). Read more
Motorcycle Industries Association
MCIA has today published the new vehicle registrations for the full year 2025 including the month of December.
This includes Mopeds, Scooters, Motorcycles and other categories within the wider L-Category vehicle types.
The total market for 2025 closed with total volumes of 93,922 registrations which equates to a market decline of 19.3%. As reported previously, the final few months of 2024 witnessed some large market distortions as a direct result of the end of Euro 5 moving to Euro 5 plus. Read more
National Motorcycle Dealers Association
The National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA) today responded to the release of the Motorcycle Industry Association’s (MCIA) full-year registration figures, which show the UK market closed 2025 at 93,922 units, a 19.3% decline compared with 2024.
The decline reflects the impact of pre-registrations at the end of 2024 ahead of Euro 5 regulations and ongoing challenges from supply chain disruptions and rising living costs. Despite this, monthly registration trends in the second half of 2025 show a gradual stabilisation, signalling a recovery in market demand.
Symon Cook, Head of the NMDA, said:
“While overall annual registrations are down, we are encouraged by the improving trends through the latter part of 2025.
“Dealers are reporting steady demand for both new and used motorcycles. We look forward to working with government to ensure the sector receives the support it needs to continue rebuilding confidence in 2026.” Read more
National Motorcyclists Council
• Partnership Issues new data revealing AA called out to 613,638 pothole incidents in 2025 – an average of 1,681 every day – including 58,380 last January and 58,275 in December
• Welcomes government’s new traffic light system of monitoring local council performance on fixing potholes BUT says radical new approach is needed
• Proposes that councils and contractors should be compelled to issue 5-year warranties on every non-emergency pothole repair
• Issues reminder that while potholes can damage cars, they put the lives of cyclists and motorcyclists at risk
• Urges greater use of innovation to make repairs permanent, in place of temporary manual ‘patch and run’ fixes which need re-visiting within months or weeks
Read more
FEMA
British Motorcyclists Federation
Motorcycle Action Group
Robert Stanley and Gemma Bridge have published another academic paper making the case for motorcycles in UK transport planning. “Blind Spot on the Road to Sustainability: Motorcycles in UK Transport Planning” appears in the International Journal of Motorcycle Studies. It’s well-written and properly referenced. It makes all the right arguments.
You could also argue that it’s completely redundant.
Motorcycle advocacy organisations have made every single point in this paper. Repeatedly. With evidence. Yet here we are. Academics repackage arguments that MAG and others have presented to government for years. Officials continue to ignore them. Read more
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.
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. Read more
All you’ve got to protect you is your riding gear.
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…
© 2026 Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists. All rights reserved. All content in this newsletter, including text, graphics, and images, is protected by UK copyright law. We gratefully acknowledge the copyright of original publishers and creators for any third-party materials featured. All such materials are used with permission, from online publicly shareable URLs, or under fair dealing solely for the purpose of our charitable purpose for public information and education activities; not, for any commercial use. All URLs link directly to copyright holders. No part of this publication may be reproduced or shared without prior written consent from the respective copyright holders.
Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists is a registered charity in England and Wales (No. 1089671).