It was a packed Meadowhall Retail Park last Saturday. There was lots of banter and a very warm welcome for several new riders. As well as planning for rides, catching up on progress there was some debate at to who was going to sit in a sidecar. It was concluded that it might be a dog!. Other topics included exchanging NHS experiences of laser eye surgery and resolving the sudden onset of double vision. Although one SAM rider was having a hard time, most problems were resolved satisfactorily. We wish the very best outcome to the rider who is struggling.
Some members have been discussing the parameters of the SAM Charity Constitution. As an Affiliate Group of IAM RoadSmart we have to align our constitution with their requirements for continued affiliation. Having reviewed alternative providers of advanced motorcycle training and considered our ability to manage any transition, it was concluded that we would remain with IAM RoadSmart. To make the best use of the people and resources available in our community, we have included provision for charity membership. Trustees of the SAM Charity will be made up of members who retain an IAM RoadSmart membership. However, other members can be co-opted onto the SAM Committee, or any sub-committee, to help with promoting our responsibilities to provide information, education and advanced training to our local community. Members can find the IAM RoadSmart Group Handbook in their account on the IAM website.
In your newsletter this week you can read about exercises to improve our visual ability, how to regain riding interest if it’s flagging (does this happen?), how to stop corrosion and lots of other interesting articles. Ride safe and happy reading.
PS: entries for this year’s Annual Photo Competition have dried up, so get clicking; or, you might wind up with a load of pictures of the Saturday Meetings! Email your entries to sam-editor@iam-sheffield.bike.
Advanced riders are safer road users, ride longer, rider further, meet more people and enjoy a healthier, happier life!
Steve Eyre: a unique character, fondly remembered
Funeral Service is at 10.30am on the 28th February 2025 at:
High Green Methodist Church
15 Wortley Road
High Green
Sheffield S35 4LQ
Burial at 11.30am
Burn Cross Cemetery
Burncross Road
Chapeltown
Sheffield S35 1SG
Celebration of Life at 12.30pm
The Commercial Inn
Chapeltown
Sheffield S35 2XF
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
Next SAM Club Night
3rd March 2025
7.30pm start for meeting at 8pm. Gives you time to catch up on what you’ve missed!
Treeton Miners Welfare Club
Arundel Street
Treeton
Rotherham S60 5PW
Next SAM Committee Meeting
27th March 2025
Details to be arranged
General
TV presenter Grace Webb joins hosts David Prutton and Iwan Thomas on motorcycling podcast Full Chat to discuss her career and passion for bikes.
Webb is best known for presenting television shows such as Fifth Gear, BBC‘s Grace’s Amazing Machines and covering the Isle of Man TT for ITV.
The former primary school teacher sat down with Thomas and Prutton to discuss how she got her big break in TV whilst teaching, her love of motorbikes and riding pillion with John McGuinness. Read more…
UPDATE 21 Feb 2025: Motorcycles are NOT banned from the Nürburgring, but they are severely restricted. Read on for more information…
The Nürburgring Nordschleife: a weird and wonderful, anachronistic, dead-end in the evolution of racetracks. Nobody else has ever built anything quite like it in the 97 years it’s been open, and (probably) nobody ever will again.
For that reason alone, it’s worth a visit. But is it worth riding your motorcycle around the famous Nürburgring, and its legendary 20.8km/12.9 miles Nordschleife (the Northern Loop)? Read more…
Elvington Airfield, in York, is set to welcome stars of two- and four-wheeled top speed racing action for a two-day celebration of sprints later this month.
Martin is set to pilot the machine (formerly known as the 52 Express) in an upcoming land speed record attempt, powered by a 1200 shaft horsepower Rolls-Royce Gem gas turbine engine. Read more…
The Spirit of GB team hope to eclipse the current motorcycle record of 376.363mph held by Rocky Robinson in the Ack Attack streamliner.
For the past hundred years or so, internal combustion has ruled the road. But with EVs gradually stealing away the spotlight, it’s easy to think gas-powered engines are on their way out. And while you could argue that this is true, there’s no denying that some brands are still driving ICE innovation.
Take Porsche, for example. The German automotive giant has been tinkering with a six-stroke engine to boost efficiency. Toyota’s all in on the sustainability game, too. They’re working on hydrogen combustion, and personally, I think Toyota has the biggest shot at future-proofing internal combustion. Read more…
There are so many insane motorcycle and powersport builds on YouTube that it’s hard to keep track of. But the ones that interest me the most are when a creator takes products that are easily available to everyone and relatively cheap and puts them together to create a monster—I’m not finding a Hayabusa engine to stick in a kei truck.
Thankfully, in this video, the folks at BOOM kept it simple and affordable. I love how they started out with a rolling minibike frame, meaning they didn’t have to pull out a perfectly good engine for the swap and waste money. The kit included everything except an engine and cost $677. The next task was to pair this with an engine. 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...
I’ve spent a lot of the last seven months watching my 16-month-old granddaughter learning to walk. It’s been fascinating to see the transition between rolling over, sitting up, shuffling, standing while holding-on, tottering around and lurching into a stumble and fall. The ‘arms-out, Frankenstein shuffle’ was getting close to a walk and now, finally, something resembling a proper stroll.
She’s probably spent around five hours a day for 200+ days just to reach that point and all with a motley set of brain connections still not capable of putting two words together (unless you count ‘Uh-Oh’). Read more…
In order to test how well the most popular corrosion protectants stop your bike from rusting, I cut multiple fresh mild steel plates and thoroughly cleaned them before coating them with each product as per the manufacturer’s instructions, then leaving them for 48 hours to fully dry.
The plates were fixed into a sealed box and sprayed every day with a 5% road-salt solution.
Every weekend the plates were thoroughly hosed off with clean water. Read more…
The single most transformational thing you can do for your riding is to improve your ability to see and interpret the road ahead.
It’s that simple. Every other skill you develop is built on the foundation of great vision.
So that’s where MCN’s new series of better riding videos begins, all of which have been created in conjunction with the BikerTek team from National Highways.
They’re led by Giles Lamb, an expert riding coach with MCN’s training partners, Rapid Training, and a former police motorcyclist.
“Great riders see far more detail than novices, and they also see that detail much further away,” says Giles.
“But they’re not born with this skill. They achieve it through practice and – often – training.”
Seeing detail is just the beginning – great riders will interpret what they see quickly, and they’ll often then do something with that information. Read more…
Getting a flat while out riding sucks. Whether you’re on a tour or running errands, getting a flat on a motorcycle is not only inconvenient, it can be downright dangerous. It’s even worse when you decided to pack your plug kit at the bottom of your cases and have to sprawl out all of your possessions along the side of the road like some wandering gypsy in order to find it. The only thing worse than that is not having one at all.
There are all kinds of kits out there and they basically all work the same. Most have the plugs, your various T-handles to clear the area and wedge the plug, and maybe even a few CO2 cartridges to get some air back in the tire so you can limp back to civilization and fill up completely (if you even need to). We’ve left plugs in tires for thousands of miles without any issues, but you do whatever you’re comfortable with. Let’s look at some of the best motorcycle tire repair kits on offer these days. Read more…
When it comes to motorcycle safety, a helmet is the most important piece of gear you can invest in. A helmet that fits properly not only protects your head in case of an accident but also ensures a more enjoyable riding experience. One of the fundamental steps in selecting the perfect helmet is measuring your head accurately. But how do you know if you’re getting the right size? Let’s go through the steps together. Read more…
Adventure & Touring
Looking for the perfect first motorcycle? Whether you’re drawn to the thrill of the open road or the freedom of off-road exploration, choosing the right bike is crucial. Many new riders are tempted by sportbikes or cruisers, but they may not be the most practical or forgiving options for beginners. Instead, adventure (ADV) and dual-sport (DS) motorcycles stand out as the ultimate choice for new riders. These bikes offer versatility, comfort, affordability, and ease of maintenance—making them ideal for anyone starting their motorcycling journey. Read on to discover why ADV and DS bikes are the smartest investment for first-time riders. There aren’t many bikes that promise comfort, versatility, and practicality — all in one package. Yup, I’m talking about adventure and dual-sports motorcycles.
ADV and DS bikes let you experiment with various riding styles on a single bike without investing a lot of money or time. They are made to meet a wide range of needs and requirements and are among the most versatile two-wheel options available. But there’s more to it than just this. Read more…
Where southern Italy begins and the forests make way for arid lowlands with clay hills and sharp dolomitic rocks, Basilicata is a world best explored by motorcycle across its thousand twisties….
The great merciless summer heat has come, and this time the meteorologists have nicknamed it “Lucifer.” It’s not the best time for a motorcycle trip across one of the hottest regions of Italy, but reaching the cool Calabrian coast is a good excuse to cross Basilicata, the midway region where green forests and orchards make way for wide stretches of grain that, in August, take on the yellow hue of the desert. Read more…
History & Custom
Negan Rides: A Moto Guzzi California 1100 inspired by The Walking Dead
We don’t usually go in for themed bikes around here—but once in a while a custom builder nails a concept and piques our interest. Case in point; this Moto Guzzi California 1100, which takes inspiration from the hit zombie apocalypse TV series, The Walking Dead. It’s the work of Matteucci Garage, run by Marco Matteucci…
Regaining motivation Part 1
Two weeks back I mentioned I’d heard or read a quote about activities becoming less engaging as we improve, asking if becoming ‘less interested’ in riding might means we’re not developing our skills, or maybe just slipping into uninspiring routines. Today I’m going to start another short series where l offer some suggestions on how a demotivated rider might rekindle the passion for getting out on two wheels. And we’ll start with some general health-based steps.
We may not need to go to the extremes taken by professional sports people, but it’s increasingly clear that taking some relatively simple steps can have surprisingly positive benefits to motivation. So, with a warning I’m not an expert in this field, here is what my research suggests may help us regain lost enthusiasm for biking. Read more…
“Sit if you can, stand if you must”
“Sit if you can, stand if you must”. I pinched that line from Des, who commented on a video from the 60 Second Science series entitled ‘Standing up does NOT ‘lower’ the CoG’, where I looked at the myth that standing on the pegs somehow lowers the combined Centre of Mass (cCoM) of bike and rider.
Des said that “standing on the pegs is a technique that doesn’t really have any place on the road”. In a perfect world, riding a bike on the road, I’d agree the best way to control the machine is to stay sat in the seat. Read more…
Can we ‘train’ peripheral vision?
Over the years, largely thanks to Keith Code and his support for something he calls ‘Wide Screen Vision’, it’s become a popular idea that we can not just gather useful visual data from our peripheral vision but that with the right training, we can actually enhance this method of gathering information about our riding environment.
This was repeated in an article on the BikeSocial site by Steve Rose, where he quoted Mark McVeigh, their new ‘Motorbike Coach’ as saying: Read more…
‘It’s conjecture, not science’
Not too long ago, I was told that by watching a video, observing the events, and suggesting that the rider’s complete response to an emergency might have been caused by the well-documented ‘Startle Effect’, that I was offering “conjecture” and “not science”.
It’s an interesting observation on two levels.
My first observation is that most of us, were we to be involved in a no-fault collision of the sort that happened to the rider, would be quite happy to allow police and the courts to view the exact-same video of an incident and use it to inform an opinion into why the crash happened. Read more…
Whiteknights are on duty across Yorkshire as normal as our service has resumed deploying bikes again now that the snowy period has abated.
Scooter safety: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
IAM RoadSmart
Has it been a while since you passed your Advanced test? 
One in two motorists pulled over on suspicion of drug-driving fail roadside drug tests as number of fatalities rises
The number of deceased drivers with ‘impairment drugs’ present has increased by over 70% from 2014 to 2022, leading to concerns from road safety organisation that drug users continue to get behind the wheel despite the dangers 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
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. 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.
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…
