Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists – Weekly Newsletter 23 January 2026
Table of Contents
Editorial
Frozen ground, to rain, to high winds, then calm! That was the weather last week. On calm days, temperatures rose, so SAM members rolled their wheels out of the shed and took to the roads. Mostly, it was short morning rides, just to remind us that we need to practice our riding skills and meet up with friends. As the UK Government publishes a new Road Safety Strategy, the MCIA reports total 2025 motorcycle sales of 93,922 (almost 8% of owners). This was a drop of 19.3%, attributed to new Euro 5+ requirements, economic uncertainty and uncertainty over UK motorcycle policy.
UK motorcycling has spent the last week balancing big political change with tempting new metal and some sharp marketing pushes aimed squarely at younger riders. For an 18‑year‑old looking at two wheels in 2026, it has never felt more like a crossroads moment.
Politics and licensing
The UK government’s live consultation on “Improving moped and motorcycle training, testing and licensing” is now setting the tone for every conversation about new riders. It is looking at changes to CBT validity, “permanent learner” loopholes and the wider licensing ladder, which could reshape how 16–24‑year‑olds get onto bigger bikes over the next few years.
The consultation, opened on 7 January 2026, runs until late March, and invites responses from riders, trainers and the public, so younger voices genuinely matter here.[gov]
Linked to the new Road Safety Strategy, the aim is to cut casualty numbers while still selling motorcycling as affordable, flexible transport rather than a problem to be regulated out of existence.[
Government, green policy and bikes
Transport and climate policy is still pushing hard toward electric and “low‑carbon” travel, but motorcycles are fighting to stay part of the solution. A new £650 million grant scheme for electric cars has led the National Motorcyclists Council to argue that similar, tech‑neutral support should help riders who want zero‑CO₂ bikes as well.
Campaigners want motorcycle grants renewed and strengthened from April, so that electric scooters, learner bikes and future low‑emission machines get real-world support instead of being left on the sidelines.
The message to young riders is clear: if motorcycles are seen as clean, efficient transport, not toys, they stand a better chance of being helped rather than squeezed by policy.
New bikes and updates
On the product side, the last few days have brought fresh 2026 model news, with plenty to interest riders eyeing their first “proper” bike or dreaming bigger while they sit on L‑plates. Big-brand updates matter even if price or licence rules keep them just out of reach, because they shape used-bike choices a couple of years down the line.
Harley‑Davidson has unveiled new 2026 touring models and special editions, grabbing headlines and keeping the custom‑cruiser dream alive, even if the weight and price tags put them beyond most 18‑year‑olds for now.
CFMoto’s latest iteration of the 450MT adventure bike is hitting dealers this month with refreshed colours, keeping the middleweight adventure class looking sharp for riders planning their next step up from A2 machinery.
Marketing to young riders
Brands and media are working hard to make motorcycling feel current and inclusive, not old‑school and exclusive. Weekly video round‑ups and magazine packages are mixing licence‑law explainers, recall news and new‑bike launches to help younger riders feel informed rather than intimidated.
YouTube channels are breaking down 2026 model launches, UK sales figures and licence talk into short, watchable clips, which is exactly how many new riders now learn what’s worth test riding.
Industry bodies such as the MCIA are framing licensing reform as a “massive campaign win”, pitching motorcycling as accessible, affordable and a realistic part of a greener transport mix instead of a niche hobby.
What it means if you are 18
Put together, the past week’s developments tell a simple story: licences and laws are under review, tech and models keep moving on, and riders’ voices are suddenly very valuable. If you are 18 and thinking about your first bike or your first big trip, this is exactly the time to pay attention, respond to consultations and start shaping the future you will be riding in.
Below is a summary of the Road Safety Strategy 2026, comments by other road safety organisations and links to consultations so that you can make your voice heard too! Wherever you travel this week, ride safe and happy reading.
The next SAM Committee Meeting will be on the 29th January 2026. The next SAM Club Night will be on the 2nd February 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.
Your Riding Future is HERE!
The new UK Road Safety Strategy sets ambitious casualty‑reduction targets, backed by tougher rules on drivers and riders, more technology in vehicles and a stronger focus on vulnerable road users, including motorcyclists. Road safety and political organisations have broadly welcomed the plan and its targets, while warning that funding, infrastructure and follow‑through will decide whether it actually delivers real‑world change.
Main proposals in the Strategy
Ambitious casualty targets: 65% reduction in people killed or seriously injured (KSI) on Britain’s roads by 2035, and 70% reduction for children under 16, with a long‑term Vision Zero direction of travel.[
“Safe system” framework: built around safe roads and roadsides, safe road users, safe speeds, safe vehicles and post‑crash response, aligning UK policy with international best practice.[
Five linked consultations launched alongside the strategy, covering:
Enforcement and sanctions:
Possible lower drink‑drive limits in England and Wales, plus wider use of alcolock (alcohol interlock) devices for offenders.
Stronger police powers, including licence suspensions for those under investigation for serious driving offences, and tougher action on drug driving.
Higher penalties and points for seat‑belt non‑use, especially where children are involved, and doubled fines for uninsured drivers.
Action on illegal or “ghost” number plates and vehicles without valid MOT to support camera enforcement.
Vehicle technology and standards:
Requirement for new vehicles to carry a package of advanced safety tech (around 18 systems, including autonomous emergency braking and lane‑keeping assistance) as a condition of GB type approval, effectively making these standard.
Have your say here!
Stronger expectations on manufacturers and drivers to maintain safety systems, with non‑compliance affecting legality and insurability.
Infrastructure and speeds:
Updated speed‑limit guidance for local authorities, including more consistent use and enforcement of 20 mph zones where risk is high.
Support for safer road design, especially on rural roads, with pilot schemes aimed at reducing high‑severity crashes.
Data, investigation and governance:
Creation of a dedicated Road Safety Investigation Branch to link collision, health and other data, identify trends and recommend preventative action.
A national Road Safety Board to oversee delivery, bringing together government, emergency services, local authorities and safety experts.
Expanded use of telematics and other data to guide policing, enforcement and post‑collision response.
Vulnerable and work‑related road users (including riders):
Explicit emphasis on protecting vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists – who are over‑represented in serious crash statistics.
Reforms to the motorcycling learning framework (CBT, training quality, licence progression) and pilot schemes such as Project Prime to improve motorcycle safety on rural roads.[
A National Work‑Related Road Safety Charter pilot for employers whose staff drive or ride for work, recognising work‑related risk as a major casualty source.[
Reported reactions and opinions
Road safety NGOs (Brake, PACTS, Road Safety Trust, Road Safety GB)
Strongly welcome the return of a national strategy with clear, stretching targets, calling it a “turning point” after years of stagnation in casualty reduction.
Praise the inclusion of tougher vehicle‑safety rules, young‑driver measures and the new investigation branch, but stress that delivery will need serious, long‑term funding and detailed follow‑up consultations.
Campaign and membership organisations (e.g. Cycling UK and allied groups)
Support the focus on vulnerable road users, safe speeds and road design, and see the strategy as a “vital step” toward safer streets.
Urge government to back the headline commitments with stronger investment in enforcement, behaviour‑change programmes and local road‑safety schemes, warning that ambition alone will not cut deaths.
Policing and legal perspectives
Roads‑policing leaders highlight the benefits of clearer targets, better technology and stronger legal powers, but caution that forces will need resources and training to use new tools effectively.
Legal and insurance commentators note that more data‑driven enforcement and mandatory safety tech are likely to change how collisions are investigated and how liability is argued in serious cases.
Overall, the political and professional mood is positive but watchful: the strategy is seen as overdue and ambitious, yet many organisations make the same point – without sustained funding, robust local delivery and honest monitoring, the new Road Safety Strategy risks becoming another well‑written document rather than a real reset in how safely people drive and ride in Britain.
Your success is our success!
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
2nd February 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
29th January 2026
Details to be arranged
Online Motorcycling News
General
Big changes could be coming to how British bikers get on two wheels following the Government’s announcement that it is to launch a consultation on potential updates to moped and motorcycle training, testing, and licensing.
And it could result in the biggest changes in over 30 years to things like Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) and practical tests.
On January 7, following years of dissatisfaction including calls for change from the likes of the MCIA (Motor Cycle Industry Association), the Government body responsible for motoring standards, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), in association with the Department for Transport, announced it had opened a new consultation titled ‘Improving moped and motorcycle training, testing and licensing’.
The purpose of the consultation is to gather suggestions and feedback on a range of possible new changes to moped and motorcycle training, testing,, and licensing with the overall goal, the DSA says, to ‘improve road safety and simplify people’s access to motorcycling’.
The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 31 March 2026 after which ministers will debate and decide any possible legislative changes. Read more
Sean Campbell was 16 when he first set eyes on a Vespa – and he was instantly hooked.
It was 1999, and a mate’s dad pulled up on a PX125.
“I was like ‘what is that!?’” he says. “It had drop handlebars and a cut down frame, not at all the scooter I would now have myself, but I loved the lines of it.
‘I was hooked’
“He said ‘you should watch Quadrophenia’, and I was hooked, obviously. It’s a great film no matter what anyone says.”
As someone brought up by a dad in the smartness-obsessed military, the scooter style – and the clothes that went with it – very much appealed to him.
“My dad had motorbikes, and I thought they just weren’t that stylish – you look like a Power Ranger,” he laughs. “But the scooter look? That was just perfect.” Read more
So you’ve just joined a motorcycle club or bought your first bike and you’ve had a rude awakening: you don’t understand what your peers are saying. We don’t blame you. There’s plenty of biker slang that often finds its way into everyday conversations among motorcyclists.
We’re digging into biker lingo as part of Bikesure’s ‘Ride On’ campaign, which aims to get people on the road and celebrate their freedom, whether they’re getting back into biking after a break or taking up two wheels for the first time.
So if you’re feeling a little lost, take a look at our guide to biker slang. Read more
New Road Safety Strategy opens the door to huge shakeups in bike training and much more
Within a week of the start of 2026 news broke of potential changes to the British motorcycling landscape that could reverberate for decades as the Government launched its new Road Safety Strategy. It’s a document that’s already gained the attention of the national press with proposals to introduce eyesight tests for drivers over 70 and suggestions to reduce the drink-drive limits but for motorcycling its contents are even more important as they open the door to a new regime of rider training and testing that could supersede the much-derided system that’s been in place since the UK adopted the EU’s 3rd Driving Licence Directive back in 2013. Read more
I’ve been about a while now and as such I’ve been in a team or two and to reel them off in order that list would be; SMT Honda, Tag Triumph (BSS), ParkinGo MV (WSS), Alstare Bimota (WSBK), Halsall Suzuki, Tyco BMW, PBM Ducati, Hawk Suzuki, Moto Rapido Ducati, FS-3 Kawasaki and now finally Swan Yamaha.
With all those teams and all the personnel that come with them, you would think by now I would be pretty good and relaxed about meeting a new crew, but being as socially awkward as I am and with the never ending nerves of riding a new bike for the first time, that apprehension of a first run out with a new team has never lessened for me. 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...
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
You can now see how well your local council is tackling Britain’s pothole problem after the Department for Transport (DfT) unveiled a new national road condition map and traffic light rating system.The map has landed amid fresh pressure for tougher repair standards, with a cross-industry road safety partnership calling for five-year warranties on non-emergency pothole fixes, with a proposal for this now submitted to Government.The new traffic light system grades all 154 local highway authorities in England as green, amber or red, based on road condition, maintenance spending, and how effectively damage is prevented and repaired. Read more
An online petition calling for Blood Bike charity riders to be able to use green lights during their delivery runs has netted more than 20,000 signatures since January 2, 2026.It follows the tragic death of volunteer rider Andrew Rogers of Blood Bikes Wales, who passed away in hospital on January 1, following a collision near Llanddarog on December 29, 2025.The appeal was established by Merseyside and Cheshire Blood Bikes volunteer, Louise Burns-Lunt, who hopes to raise awareness of the issue and increase rider safety moving forward. Read more
If you or anyone you know wears a Bell Scout Air helmet produced between November 2022 and around December 2023, this recall concerns you. Bell Sports Inc (Bell) is recalling certain Scout Air helmets, sizes S and L. The helmets may lack proper penetration protection. As such, these helmets fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 218, “Motorcycle Helmets.”
Due to the issue, some Bell Scout Air helmets won’t provide adequate protection and increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Interestingly, and thankfully, the discovery wasn’t down to users or those close to them reporting the fault, but rather the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHTSA appears to have randomly performed its own testing and found that the size small and large helmets weren’t in compliance with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 218. Read more
Helmet technology has come a long way from the days of flimsy open-face lids and basic foam padding. Most of us throw on a helmet without giving it a second thought. It’s just part of the routine. But inside that shell is a ton of clever engineering designed to manage impact energy, reduce brain trauma, and keep your skull intact when things go wrong.
Over the years, standards like DOT, ECE, and Snell pushed brands to step up their game. Racing, though, is a different beast altogether.
That’s where the FIM Racing Homologation Program comes in. Back in 2019, the FIM rolled out its first dedicated racing helmet standard. It was already stricter than most street certifications. But in 2022, they raised the bar again with FRHPhe-02, and as of January 2026, this new standard is now mandatory for top-tier series like MotoGP, WorldSBK, and endurance racing. If you’re lining up on a grid, your helmet now needs that extra FIM stamp of approval. Read more
Adventure & Touring
CTEK’s Best Motorcycle Battery Chargers of 2026
One of the easier, but often overlooked, aspects of motorcycle care is battery maintenance, especially for those who live in colder climates and have to put their steeds away for the winter. But even riders in warmer regions who do not have the privilege of getting out much on two wheels should not forget about their batteries.
As much as battery technology has advanced, they still slowly drain when not used regularly, and they still do not fare well when left partially charged for prolonged periods of time. Enter the smart battery charger, which makes battery maintenance virtually plug-and-play, and ensures even a battery left unused for months stays as healthy as possible. Read more
MEDFORD, OREGON. If you’re going to be a successful hunter, there’s one truism that you must understand: even if everything goes right, it can still go wrong. But what happens when everything goes wrong? When everything goes sideways and your original plan goes out the door to such a degree, you feel like curling up into a ball and crying. What do you do then?
My trip to Southern Oregon to chase blacktail deer was one multiple years in the making, as Stark Future’s Dan Quick and I had been tossing around an all-electric hunting trip since he used to work for Zero Motorcycles back in the day. This year, however, we were finally putting the plan together.
I’d built my perfect hunting rifle, got it dialed with some long-range help, had just come off the most successful hunt of my career, was fit enough for the rugged, coniferous rainforest-covered mountains of Oregon, and called my friend Robert at Huntin’ Fool for some guidance on where to target blacktail. And after months behind the bars of a Varg EX, I felt supremely ready to ride any sort of gnarly terrain. We also secured two Rivian R1Ts to make this a true all-electric hunting trip. Read more
History & Custom
When BMW Motorrad unveiled the R18 in 2020, it wasn’t just launching a motorcycle; it was reclaiming a piece of its soul. Designed as a direct challenge to the American cruiser hegemony, the R18 is a paradoxical machine—a modern vessel that feels like a pre-war relic. At its heart lies the “Big Boxer,” a massive 1,802 cc air- and oil-cooled flat-twin engine, the largest displacement boxer engine BMW has ever produced. Delivering 91 hp and 116 lb-ft of torque, the R18 is less about top-end speed and more about the locomotive-like pull that only a massive pushrod twin can provide.
The R18’s architecture is a love letter to the 1936 BMW R5, featuring a double-cradle steel frame, a pear-shaped fuel tank, and an exposed nickel-plated driveshaft. BMW intentionally engineered the bike with “customizable” DNA, using a removable rear frame and a simplified wiring harness to encourage builders to take a hacksaw to its heritage. Since its debut, the R18 has become a canvas for the world’s elite workshops. Read more
You’ve probably seen one of Anny Deim’s old-school stunt-riding photos circulating online in the last ten years. A woman standing on a chrome motorcycle is pretty iconic, after all. The photos rarely have any information with them, and if they do, it’s usually wrong. We don’t know much about Anny besides that she rode motorcycles in the mid-1930s. She was hailed as an “artistic driver,” an old-timey term for stunt riding… she also raced in offroad challenges.
Many people throughout history made an indelible impact on their world in small and large ways. There’s no telling how many have been lost to time. After all, just 30ish years ago the internet became a common tool for storing and transferring information. Before that, it was up to people who had the passion to catalogue and share historical data and stories in physical collections. It’s so easy for a set of negatives to be destroyed that it’s kind of amazing any of this stuff survives. Even now, in the information age, Museums, Libraries, and other archives are responsible for keeping the leftover fragments of these people and their achievements safe for future generations. Read more
Seven women set out in the very first Dakar Rally… 47 years ago at the end of 1978. The Paris-Dakar was the brainchild of Thierry Sabine, who was inspired to start the event after he got lost in the desert while rally racing.
Some 48 years ago, a man named Thierry Sabine was racing in the deserts of Africa when he got lost. This was 1977– and as he sat alone in the dry land, likely thinking about the meaning of life, the universe, and everything… he was struck by an idea. This would make the perfect location for a classic rally race. The following year, at the end of December, the Paris Dakar rally was born. Also known as the Paris Dakar, the Dakar Rally, and just ‘the Dakar,’ the unforgettable event has been going strong for 47 years. The route has changed, but the premise remains: see who can get across the grueling dunes and rocks of seemingly endless barren lands. Read more
Kevin Williams
How the 2026 Road Safety Strategy might affect biking
On Wednesday I was greeted by headlines such as “New government Road Safety Strategy: What it means to you”, “Compulsory eye tests for 70 year old drivers”, “lower drink-drive limits will save lives” and of interest to us, “UK Government pledges new road safety shake-up including reform to motorcycle licensing and training”.
More accurate was the MCIA statement that they welcomed the government commitment to review motorcycle licensing. Because that’s precisely what it is happening and how policy is normally developed, so don’t be fooled by headlines implying changes are happening now – they aren’t. Read more
Donut Labs – mass-market solid-state batteries?
Last week was rife with headlines such as “You Can Finally Buy an EV With a Solid-State Battery: It’s a Motorcycle”, “Verge Motorcycles unveils world’s first electric bike with a solid-state battery” and “World’s first solid-state battery-powered electric motorcycle achieves groundbreaking 370 miles of range” with claims Donut Lab has revealed a solid-state battery built specifically for use in electric vehicles and that the bike is “available now”.
What’s behind the headlines? Here’s the full story.
Donut is a technology offshoot of the Finnish bike builder Verge, spun off to market the hub-less rear wheel drive used on the Verge electric bikes. Read more
Keeping visor misting at bay Pt 1 – helmet vents
Recently I ran the now-standard almost annual tip on using heated clothing to stay warm, something based on simple science; heated clothing ADDS heat to the body, everything else relies on preventing the body LOSING heat which only ever works up to a point. And beyond that point we get cold. Here’s another tip I run regularly for the same reason. Every year new riders encounter the problem of visor misting. And it’s a real problem because it interferes with vision. A few years back, a video appeared online where a rider appeared to run off the road due to being distracted by visor misting. The actual video was the view shot by her camera, so we don’t know exactly what she was seeing, but there’s no reason to doubt what she said about being distracted by visor misting.
So, how can we maintain vision? The first step is obvious. Keep the visor in good, scratch-free condition (and replace if it’s not) and keep it clean inside and out. There’s no point making it more difficult to see, even without visor fogging. Read more
Freezing fog & why it matters to motorcyclists.
Back when I was despatching, it was about this time of year I experienced one of my worst-ever rides. I’d delivered a package to GCHQ at Cheltenham after a delightful but cold ride in the late afternoon sun. As I turned round to head back to London, the sun was setting and mist was starting to form in the fields. Soon after, it turned to freezing fog. It was so cold my visor was icing inside and out.
So what is freezing fog? Fog is simply cloud at ground level — tiny droplets of water suspended in the air. When the air temperature is at or below zero Celsius, those fog droplets can remain liquid; what’s called supercooled water. Read more
Asking questions? Or challenging?
At a glance, asking questions and challenging a statement or position may look similar. But there’s a difference, they are not the same thing and they get different results. One expands understanding, the other often involves not accepting what we have heard. Let’s see exactly what, how and why.
The ‘enquiry paradigm’ comes from education, epistemology, and cognitive science. At its core, it describes a mode of engagement where questions are used to generate understanding. Enquiry treats knowledge as something to be developed, not defended and often leads to knowledge acquisition. Asking questions is an act of curiosity. It starts from a position of not knowing, or at least not knowing fully. Crucially, it allows for the possibility that the answer may contradict your assumptions. A rider asking questions is trying to build a mental model. They are looking for cause and effect. They are prepared to revise what they think they know. Read more
Follow my Leader? A Biker Booby Trap
We’ve all seen it. A group of riders moving like a single, articulated organism as though connected by an invisible umbilical cord, moving as one. In bends, it can look like poetry in action, braking at the same point, leaning in sequence, accelerating again to keep the gaps constant. From the outside, it can look highly skilled and deeply impressive. From the inside, it can feel as though we are perfectly in tune with the riders ahead and behind, moving as a single, cohesive unit.
But hidden within that apparent harmony are two distinct traps.
The first is the more obvious one: we begin to devolve responsibility to the rider in front. They choose the speed, the line, and the moment to react to what the road presents, while we quietly suspend our own judgement and accept their decisions as pre-validated. Read more
Whiteknights Blood Bikes
Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes are proud to release our 2025 year report statistics.
Our small charity with its sixty volunteers with 3 people on duty from 7am to 7pm weeknights and 24hrs at weekends completed 3317 jobs and 3005 urgent call-outs.
It was a big year for national relays with other Blood Bike Groups.
We deployed 154 times to benefit a patient not resident on our region.
And we covered 96945 miles!!!
We made 94 deliveries of donated breast milk.
In total we have calculated we saved the NHS £156,000 in out of hours transport costs.
Well done to all our remarkable volunteers riders & drivers.
Please continue to support us through 2026. A little really does go a very long way with our charity.
#bloodbikes #NHS #itswhatwedo
South Yorkshire Regional Manager Ann has today participated in a national relay. Here she is pictured at a handover with Northumbria Blood Bikes for the consignment’s onward journey to James Cook Hospital, Middlesbrough.
#bloodbikes #itswhatwedo
South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership
The Joint Community Safety Team at Lifewise would like to take this opportunity to invite South Yorkshire residents to an event we are hosting called WISEUP. This is an event aimed at South Yorkshire residents aged over 50, or anyone with caring responsibilities for an older person.
The event will be held at Lifewise Centre Hellaby Rotherham S66 8LB on our purpose built fully interactive set https://orlo.uk/CpCuQ which is just off Junction 1 of the M18 by car, and also easily accessible by local bus services.
Thursday 12th March 2026 1000 -1230
The day will include important inputs from, South Yorkshire Police , South Yorkshire Fire Service & Sheffield Council including Home fire safety, Safer driving for older drivers and Herbert Protocol plus much more.
The centre is fully accessible and all on one level.
If you wish to attend, or you require further details please email lifewise.booking@southyorkshire.police.uk
Please note we will require full names of all attendees, home postcode and contact number to secure your place. We will also need to know if any attendees have any mobility, sight or hearing issues.
For all our events and news follow our Facebook page Community Safety at Lifewise
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? 
📢 Our new podcast Where’s My Flying Car? is now live and taking a closer look at the ideas shaping the future of motoring.
Check out our first episode, which explores the promises and pitfalls of driverless technology. 🚗
🎧 Listen now on your preferred platform!
👉 https://play.megaphone.fm/uir8xm_2rjq7l24c7dmpgg
#Podcast #RoadSafety #FutureOfDriving #SciFi
Using your own car or motorcycle, you’ll learn skills and techniques that you can apply on the road, all within the safety of a closed-circuit environment. Working one-on-one or in a small group with a qualified instructor, you’ll gain practical knowledge and use the circuit to practice and perfect your skills.
These sessions are open to anyone with a full UK driving licence. Whether you’re behind the wheel or on two wheels, you’ll learn precision techniques such as IPSGA in a supportive environment. Read more
Are you aware of the OAP framework when out riding? 
ACEM
As Europe’s largest showcase for two-wheeled innovation, EICMA once again went beyond product launches to explore the future of mobility. For the third consecutive year, ANCMA, in cooperation with ACEM, hosted an urban mobility conference, “Rightsizing Urban Mobility: L-category vehicles for the cities of tomorrow”, bringing together policymakers, local administrations, and industry leaders to discuss how these vehicles can help cities cut congestion, reduce emissions, and reclaim space for people.
With 2027 marking a crucial milestone for European cities, the year when many Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) are expected to be implemented, the discussion turned to how these frameworks are reshaping urban transport. Setting the scene, Sofia Pechin, urban mobility consultant at TRT Trasporti e Territorio, described a clear paradigm shift from traditional, car-centric planning toward approaches centred on people, accessibility, and functionality to face growing challenges and new regulations within the cities. Read more
Autocycle Union
Aislaby Quarry, Moor Road, Aislaby, WHITBY, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom, YO21 1SZMotorcycle 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
In the European Commission’s proposal to include all motorcycles in Periodical Technical Inspections (PTI), it says: “Testing the roadworthiness of motorcycles has clear benefits for road safety. This has also been demonstrated by the number of Member States that already include motorcycles in their roadworthiness testing systems.” This is false.
Rapporteur Jens Gieseke
This incorrect statement is being repeated in the draft report from the European Parliament’s Rapporteur Jens Gieseke, and is used to go even further than the European Commission, which wants to mandate periodic technical inspections for motorcycles above 125 cc, while rapporteur Gieseke proposes to mandate PTI for all bikes above 50 cc.
Over the past months, the European riders’ advocacy groups have submitted formal position papers and technical briefs to the European Parliament, the Council, and the European Commission. These documents highlight a consistent finding across EU and national studies: technical defects cause only a very small fraction of motorcycle accidents. Read more
European Parliament rapporteur Jens Gieseke has published his draft report on the European Commission’s proposal to revise the Roadworthiness Package, which includes Periodical Technical Inspections (PTI). Gieseke wants all motorcycles over 50 cc to be tested, no exceptions.
The full amendment reads: “Testing the roadworthiness of motorcycles has clear benefits for road safety. This has also been demonstrated by the number of Member States that already include motorcycles in their roadworthiness testing systems. Therefore, the testing of motorcycles with an engine capacity above 50 cc should be mandatory. Member States should set appropriate intervals as well as areas, items and appropriate methods of testing. As a result, the current possibility of an opt-out for motorcycles with an engine capacity above 125 cc is no longer appropriate, and periodic testing should be mandatory for such vehicles without exception.” Read more
British Motorcyclists Federation
Latest Manufacturers Recall…
Honda CBR600R & Ducati Panigale / Street fighter (24th Oct 2024 – 13th June 2025)
Link in comments section below ⤵️
#CBR600R #ducatipanigale #honda #ducati #manufacturersrecall #FEMA #britishmotorcyclistsfederation #motorcyclenews #motorcyclerecalls
Motorcycle Action Group
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 need to know that CBT’s may not always be completed in a single day.
Get ready for a long day as the CBT course should last for at least 5 to 8 hours. You will be taught elements in turn and when you are safe to go onto the next element then you progress through all the five stages. The CBT course is completely safety orientated so if you can’t complete all the stages on the day, then a rest and a return later is the best and safest way to progress. Read more
Look after your bike/moped and it will look after you. Carrying out a few simple checks before each ride could save your life. Use POWDERS
Petrol
- Do you have enough for your journey?
- Is the reserve tap off?
- Check there are no leaks Read more…