Table of Contents
Editorial
When the roads are dry and the sun is shining, motorcycle riding has an added pleasure! Saturday meetings have been packed and rides taken to the four points of the compass – by the longer routes! The weather this week reminded us that cold snaps can still catch us out. Frosty mornings mean later starts and an earlier finish to rides. As the premier local charity providing advanced riding, SAM is ensuring that the motorcycling community can see our commitment to promoting safer riding. We persist in our task, even though political leaders seem to want to drag their feet, in helping our cause. MAG (Motorcycle Action Group) has started a new petition to allow motorcyclists to access bus lanes by default. The BMF (British Motorcycling Federation) have a petition to ban the sale of unsafe motorcycling protective gear. Both petitions are backed by the NMC (National Motorcyclists Council). Although, to bikers, their family, friends and the general public, these measures to make motorcycle riding safer. It seems that UK politicians and their civil servants seem content to spin out ‘discussions’ as long as possible. Perhaps it’s time for us to remind them by signing the petitions.
One are where the UK Government has been helpful is extending the £500 grant when purchasing electric scooters and motorcycles. With the motorcycle industry in the doldrums and the timescale for ending the use of ICE engines rapidly approaching, help with purchasing is welcome. Although there is still some reservation on the initial cost and range of electric motorcycles, things have changed a lot since Ewan Mcgregor and Charlie Boorman, on the ‘Long Way Up’ tour, needed a generator truck following them at times. Teapot One (YouTube Blogger) made a round Britain coastal ride on an electric motorcycle. Trying to find the right charging points and waiting to recharge the batteries may be a little easier now. For commuting and local fast food delivery, electric motorcycles and scooters seem to work well.
One of the benefits of motorcycle racing is that it is a great place to test new tyre compounds. These eventually get absorbed in the black round things fitted to ordinary bikes. So it’s sad to hear that Michelin are pulling out of motorcycle racing. On a brighter note the Alpinestar Tech 5 seems like a good solution to a figure-hugging air vest. The body-fit and protection offered means that you may be able to dispense with a separate back protector.
Elsewhere in this week’s newsletter Kevin Williams explains how the brain processes visual information. Do you know the difference between top-down versus bottom up processing of visual information? Find out, ride safe and happy reading.
Late News: Track Day Offer! (see details below)
PS: Booking for ALL SAM events can be found on the ‘MEMBERS SECTION‘ of the SAM website. Thank you.
Your success is our success!
Advanced riders are safer road users, ride longer, rider further, meet more people and enjoy a healthier, happier life!
SAM Members Events
Northumberland Trip | Darley Moor Track Day | SAM Spring Breakfast
British Superbikes School
Discounted Track Day Offer
£199!
Date: 17th April 2025
Phone: 01777 818013
Kirton Rd, Blyton, Gainsborough DN21 3PE
IAM Members ONLY
Annual Photograph Competition
It’s the SAM Annual Photo Competition 2025
Email ALL entries to sam-editor@iam-sheffield.bike
Closing date 12mn Sunday 23rd March 2025
SAM Observer News
Starting this week, Matt Lee (Trainee Observer Development Adviser) will be providing slow riding practice for Associates. The sessions will take place, on Saturday mornings, at Meadowhall Retail Park, 0745hrs – 0815hrs. Each session is limited to two associates. These will be nominated by the Associate’s Observer.
We strongly encourage Associates to taking this opportunity to improve their slow riding skills. This training will develop essential machine control knowledge, skills and experience.
Chris Lund
SAM Chief National Observer
Meetings
Next SAM Club Night
7th April 2025
SAM AGM!
(There’s food!)
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
27th March 2025
Details to be arranged
Online Motorcycling News
General
Board Track Racing On The Banked New Smyrna Speedway Sons Of Speed founded by Billy Lane in 2017 continues to grow year after year. It’s not surprising to me, as it is a thrill to see the stripped-down 20th century board track racing motorcycles restored and rebuilt doing it at the New Smyrna Speedway steeply banked Read More
Superbike World Championship presenter Matt Roberts joins hosts David Prutton and Iwan Thomas on motorcycling podcast Full Chat to discuss his career and working alongside some of the biggest names in racing.
Roberts, who is best known for fronting World and British Superbike championships, is one of sport’s most recognisable television faces having presented the Winter Olympics, NFL and the Isle of Man TT. Read more…
Mental wellbeing charity Make Your Mark have opened sign-ups for their treasure hunt-style Bike and Brew café challenge, offering entrants the chance to bag a £13,249 Kawasaki Z900RS SE, among other… Read more…
As motorcycle dealers seem to be closing left, right and centre, a new destination has recently opened at the site of the now-closed Pidcock BMW, which entered administration in October… 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...
Choosing a helmet is an essential decision for any rider, and there’s more to it than simply working within a budget or reaching for attractive graphics. Today’s motorcyclist has a plethora of considerations, such as size, style, and construction, before deciding what they’ll be placing on their heads. In this article, we’ll be looking at the main things you need to be aware of when selecting the right helmet for you and your ride. Break your paper and pencil, kiddos! Welcome to Motorcycle Helmet 101. Read more…
It’s been agonizing to watch Michelin sponsor MotoGP for the past few years. Tire pressure problems were the most talked about topic, before becoming a taboo, off-limits subject. Either way, it didn’t paint Michelin in a good light.
Serious fans were sick of watching media training come into play and riders suppressing opinions, while casual fans who read the headlines were only seeing negative press about Michelin. It made me wonder if the higher ups at Michelin regretted paying, what’s sure to be a massive sum, to sponsor MotoGP. The tire manufacturer only has to suffer two more years of potentially bad press because Pirelli is coming to the rescue.
Pirelli already provides rubber for Moto3 and Moto2, but from 2027 it’ll add MotoGP to that list. MotoGP’s organizers and Pirelli have agreed on a five-year deal, which will last until 2031 and put an end to a decade of Michelin sponsorship. The MotoE racing series will continue to be sponsored by Michelin for the next two years. Read more…
In the May 2024 issue of Rider, I stated in my First Gear column – “Invest in Yourself” – that, as part of our commitment to safety, our staffers are now required to wear an airbag vest anytime they are on a test bike or at a press launch. Fully autonomous airbag vests are so effective at protecting a rider’s torso and vital organs that we consider them as indispensable as a full-coverage helmet.
Alpinestars provided each member of our editorial team with a Tech-Air 5 vest, which looks like a heavy-duty T-shirt that zips up the front. The vest has a built-in ventilated back protector with a compartment that contains argon gas canisters. Inside the breathable fabric of the vest is an airbag that, upon deployment, protects the back, shoulders, chest, and sides of the torso. The vest should be form-fitting, and it is worn under your riding jacket. There should be at least 1.5 inches of space around the circumference of your torso to allow room for the air‐bag to deploy inside the jacket. You can keep the shoulder and elbow armor in your jacket, but you should remove the jacket’s back protector since the vest has one built into it. Read more…
Adventure & Touring
Last summer, along a journey to Norway’s North Cape on a Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled, I encountered the most beautiful moments of my life, while being faced with some of the biggest physical and mental challenges. But this is what adventure motorcycling is all about—feeling alive, pushing boundaries, and creating memories that will invoke goosebumps when thinking about them in years to come.
It was an atypical early August day for Switzerland; the weather was cold and the sky was pouring rain. My hopes weren’t high, considering my destination was more than 2,000 miles north. The fact that I’d never been on a long trip with my Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled, which wasn’t exactly designed for long hauls, didn’t help matters. We all know that initial urge to leave after much planning and anticipation of an adventure, yet when it comes close to departure time—cold feet. Fortunately, I’d planned the adventure with a good friend, Nico, who was waiting for me at the German border. And so, our unforgettable journey began.
The plan was to ride through Germany via the Autobahn, rush through Denmark by taking the impressive 5.5-mile-long Öresund Bridge that connects it with Sweden, and then ride on the TET (Trans Euro Trail) mostly offroad through Sweden until we eventually reached the most northern drivable point of Europe, Norway’s North Cape. I could write a book about the entire journey, its insights, and moments, but in this story the focus is on the most important part of my trip, riding through Sweden, into Norway, and eventually, reaching our magical destination. Read more…
History & Custom
Iconic motorcycles spanning more than 120 years in production will be available to purchase in an upcoming auction at the Haynes Motor Museum on March 13. Taking place from 11am, the event known as… Read more…
Bon Voyage: An elegant BMW R18 sidecar rig from France
It’s hard to deny the allure of a vintage BMW boxer with a sidecar. But for one French brand, the combination signifies more than just fond nostalgia. Founded in 1935 by Victor Bastide, Précision Side-Cars got its start building sidecar rigs specifically for BMW motorcycles. The story goes that Monseiur Bastide visited Germany to secure…
Tightening exhaust emissions limits ended the era of hot two-stroke streetbikes after 1984. You can find retrospectives on these bikes in Cycle World’s series “Classics Remembered.”
The mid-1960s were a time of strong competition among the three Japanese two-stroke builders: Suzuki, Kawasaki, and Yamaha. All three built 250 parallel twins in this period, and Kawasaki and Yamaha also offered bigger versions, Kawasaki’s 350 A7 and Yamaha’s 305 YM-1. All were 180-degree crankpin air-cooled parallel twins. Suzuki’s X6 was of 54 x 54mm bore and stroke. Read more…
Kevin Williams
Why would you speed here? ‘did not think’
I knew what was going to happen. I’m sure you’ve guessed. Is 90 miles per hour a sensible speed where an event is happening in the field beside the road? Pedestrians crossing the road and cars stopping or moving away. Sadly, the rider was seriously injured. Watch here…
Regaining motivation Part 3
For some, the thrill of riding can get lost when riding becomes just another daily habit, and out on the road, riding on autopilot reduces the level of conscious engagement.
Last time out I talked about some activities that might help get us interested in going riding again, but back in the past there have been a couple of occasions when I’ve steeled myself to go riding, and failed. I’ve got togged up, walked out to the bike, and gone back indoors without even getting the engine started, and I’ve actually set off, but turned around again and gone home after a few minutes. Read more…
Expertise isn’t just a matter of hours
Back in 2008, Malcolm Gladwell popularised the idea that it takes approximately 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to achieve mastery in any skill. Gladwell has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996. He’s the author of several New York Times best-sellers including his book ‘Outliers: The Story of Success’ which he published in 2008.
Gladwell drew on research by psychologist K. Anders Ericsson, professor of psychology at Florida State University, and his work on ‘deliberate practice’ for his 10,000 hour rule. Gladwell claimed all the great sportspeople, performers and even computer programmers put in their 10,000 hours of practice early in their life, gaining expertise whilst contemporaries who didn’t practice were still grappling with the basics. Incidentally, 10,000 hours is 90 minutes daily practice for 20 years. Read more…
How the brain makes sense of visual data
Over the last few weeks, what started as a quick examination at a claim by Bennetts BikeSocial ‘Motorbike Coach’ Mark McVeigh that “training your peripheral vision should be a part of every ride…” has ended up an in-depth look (!) at how we gather useful visual data from all parts of the eye. For late arrivals to the series, there are links to the six parts at the end – I’ll keep them free to read for a week or so. Today I’m finishing up by exploring an even more complex puzzle – how the brain processes the visual feed that flows down the optic nerves.
It’s easy to assume that our eyes work like cameras. We might assume that when we visually searching our environment, our eyes gather the ‘raw’ sensory information, the optic nerves feed that data to the brain’s visual centre, the visual centre does some processing such as flipping the upside down image the right way up it, and finally reproduces a faithful image of the outside world which will pop up into our consciousness, telling us what’s ‘out there’. Read more…
Whiteknights Blood Bikes
Here are our February 2025 stats.
Thank you to North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue service for delivering the BikerDown course to Yorkshire Blood Bikers today. Read more…
South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership
Since April 2018, most cars and vans have been fitted with an emergency call system, known as eCall. This built-in safety feature is automatically activated in the event of an incident when the airbags are deployed.
This can also be manually activated by the driver or passenger by pressing a button – this button is known as eCall SOS. 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
Motorcycling Organisations
IAM RoadSmart
Has it been a while since you passed your Advanced test? 
After passing my driving test at the age of 18 and enjoying time behind the wheel I decided to pursue further driving opportunities and joined IAM RoadSmart as an Associate Member. After several observed drives I successfully passed the Advanced Test at the age of 19.
Moving forward a number of years and having to do a lot of driving for my job as a trainer for Thames Valley Police, I wanted to brush up on my skills and became intent on taking the test again. My mentor at that time was Martin Kemp who was enthusiastic and encouraging. In December 2021 I passed the test and gained a F1RST. Read more…
Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge gender equality. Collectively for #IWD2025 we can all #AccelerateAction.
International Women’s Day (IWD) has been around for over a hundred years, as have many of the issues still impacting women’s advancement. Since 1911, IWD belongs to all who care about women’s equality. Celebrate women’s achievement. Raise awareness about discrimination. Take action to forge gender parity. All IWD activity is valid, that’s what makes IWD so inclusive. Read more…
Are you aware of the OAP framework when out riding? 
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
The Government has extended the £500 grant for buyers of new electric scooters and motorcycles for another year, as part of a package which saw support for electric vans and taxis also continued. The grant’s future was in the balance, having been cut from a maximum of £1500 in 2021 and ended for 50cc-equivalent two-wheelers in April last year. But buyers of electric A1 (125cc-equivalent) and bigger electric bikes up to £10,000 will continue to receive £500 off the retail price into 2026.
The move is a recognition that the electric motorcycle and scooter market needs encouragement to expand. Sales of electric off-road bikes and moped equivalents are developing, but remain tiny for larger road machines. Another factor could be that the sector now has its own homegrown electric bike, in the UK-made Maeving. Read more…
Paul Varnsverry, the highly respected motorcycling clothing expert, is launching a campaign aimed at eliminating uncertified and potentially unsafe bike kit, currently being imported into the UK and offered for sale online. Varnsverry, Technical Director of clothing consultant at PVA-PPE, is started a petition aimed at alerting Government to the dangers of untested kit. In conversation with MCN, he praised the efforts of Trading Standards in the last three years, in checking bike shows and high street shops for sub-standard kit. But he added that clothing offered online is attempting to circumvent these checks.
“I started noticing a significant number of vendors selling untested, non-certified clothing,” he said, “using social media to bypass the usual checks and balances put in place by the market surveillance authorities to try and sell direct to the end user.” Any bike kit sold in the UK must carry the CE and/or UKCA mark, but some untested protective clothing is carrying the CE mark fraudulently. 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.
A new petition has been launched calling on the Government to reverse its decision not to allow motorcycles in bus lanes by default.
The petition, launched by the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) on 3 March, has so far received in excess of 4,000 signatures.
Currently local authorities can choose whether to allow other vehicles, including motorcycles, to use bus lanes on their networks, by adding the symbol to the bus lane signs and referencing them in their traffic regulation orders (TROs).
In 2024, the Government launched a consultation seeking opinions on two potential future options:
- continue with the current position, with local authorities continuing to make decisions on whether to allow motorcycles to use bus lanes on their road networks
- allow motorcycles to use bus lanes by default, as is the case for pedal cycles
Following the consultation period, the Government opted against adopting a national default policy.
