Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists – Weekly Newsletter 6th June 2025
Table of Contents
Editorial
I love adventure riding and although I can’t ride now, I still take a vicarious pleasure in reading about the adventures others have undertaken. Writing about a ride completed in 1984, ‘A fast bike to Byzantium’ by Andy Wareing, is a fascinating read. Not, least because there are many lessons to be learnt on how not to do it! SAM members are off on their own adventures around Europe. They will have lots of tales to share for anyone who wants to hear them. Some will keep their travels hidden, but most will share how they met the challenges encountered and overcame any adversity.
Motorcycle manufacturers continue their campaigns to target young riders through social media. They are also catering for riders who want more technical content on their rides. Manufacturers need data for early identification of any problems with their products and how to develop them further. It’s disappointing to read that the US Government want to stop Pirelli Cyber Tyres collecting real time data from tyres. However, Chinese investors aren’t backing down and will challenge the decision.
The BMF (British Motorcycling Federation) and MAG (Motorcycle Action Group) are fighting hard to ensure that the needs of motorcyclists are included in the national designs for highway design and infrastructure. FEMA has called for EU action on road surface conditions, road markings, better crash barrier design and improved junction layouts. Sadly, in the discussions on default motorcycle access to bus lanes, the UK Government stated that they have: “…no policy to encourage greater use of motorcycles, mopeds or other powered light vehicles. The Government supports the purchase of zero emission motorcycles with the plug-in motorcycle grant for those who want to switch to an electric motorcycle “. It has been recognised, by most of the motorcycling manufacturers and the press, that internal combustion engines will be available after the zero-emission target date of 2040. For the foreseeable future, this is likely to maintain the demand for our, quality assured, advanced rider training. Riders may have the increasingly challenging task of safely riding highways where their needs have been ignored! We are here to help riders become safer road users.
IAM RoadSmart has new videos on their YouTube channel for both members and the general public. The charity also wants Groups to implement a ‘new voice’, logo, redesigned publicity material and website colour scheme. The purpose is to increase the appeal of IAM RoadSmart services to younger drivers and riders.
There is lots to read in your SAM newsletter this week. Not least is the interesting question of where to site an electric motorcycle charging station? Ride safe and happy reading.
PS: There will be no SAM newsletter for the next two weeks!
Your success is our success!
Congratulations to Mark Dickinson (and Observer Steve Wilds) on passing your test today. Welcome to the club!
Advanced riders are safer road users, ride longer, rider further, meet more people and enjoy a healthier, happier life!
For Your Diary
SAM Club Night Speaker: 2nd June 2025
Show you support for SAM at this really interesting event on 2nd June 2025. learn how specialised courses can transform your riding experience. You can develop more confident and safer advanced riding skills to use on the road. Focusing on clear explanations, understanding, and changing behavior, i2i aims to put some knowledge, skill and fun into your riding ability. Don’t miss out on the delicious Pie & Pea Supper. Just £5 and the chance to win a signed book in raffle raffle! The usual bottles of wine will still be available to be won. Tickets are available now from Clive Lewis, our SAM Social Secretary.
Chair’s Summer Ride 2025
Get ready for an unforgettable adventure with the Chair’s Summer Ride 2025! Following the incredible success of last year’s trip, we’re excited to announce that another thrilling journey is on the horizon. This exclusive event is open to ‘SAM MEMBERS ONLY,’ ensuring a unique experience filled with camaraderie and fun. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or new to the experience, this is your chance to connect with fellow members and create lasting memories. Stay tuned for more details as we prepare for an exciting summer ride that promises to be even better than before! Don’t miss out!
Darley Moor Track Day
Discover the thrill of advanced road riding at Darley Moor Centre, nestled in the stunning Derbyshire Peak District! Join us in 2025 for our new Road Skills Days, where you’ll enhance your riding techniques in a controlled circuit environment. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or looking to sharpen your skills, our expert instructors will guide you through a full day of classroom and on-bike training. Experience the perfect blend of safety and performance, and unlock the true potential of your motorcycle. Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your riding experience—control is just a day away!
Meetings
Next SAM Club Night
7th July 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
26th June 2025
Details to be arranged
Online Motorcycling News
General
Two Wheels for Life charity raise over £142k for at Silverstone GP of Champions
More than £142,000 has been raised for charity Two Wheels for Life during the Silverstone round of the MotoGP World Championship, following a packed weekend of fundraising under the new-look ‘GP of Champions’ banner.he organisation, which is the official partner of the race series, supports programmes that use motorcycles to deliver vital healthcare in remote regions of Africa. Read more.
Thousands of two-wheel fans recently descended on London’s Tobacco Dock for the 2025 Bike Shed Moto Show, soaking up the atmosphere and admiring hundreds of machines on display from big-name brands, grassroots garages, and everything in between.The annual event welcomed over 200 curated custom machines, from race bikes to café racers to retrofitted ’80s sportsbikes, and more.Big manufacturers like Royal Enfield, Norton, and Triumph rubbed shoulders with up-and-coming garage builders, with builds on show from across the globe. Read more.
As I was scrolling my news feed this morning, I came across this article from my colleague Iulian Dnistran, over at InsideEVs. It’s an interesting little concept for an electric vehicle charger out of Germany that can be embedded into the ground so as to take up less space than a traditional charger.
Rheinmetall’s Curb Charger is an intriguing concept, and I think it’d be great for urban environments where street parking is a necessity for a vast majority of folks: your Chicagos, your Los Angeles’, your New Yorks where apartment living represents the vast majority of inhabitants and parking is limited. It could even work in the suburbs or for those who don’t want the space displacement of a wall charger in their homes. Who here doesn’t need more garage space for lawn tools or fishing poles? 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...
BMW has been taking a close interest in active aerodynamic systems for high-performance bikes in recent months—filing an array of patent applications for ideas including moving winglets and even active exhausts that encourage airflow in the right direction to improve cornering. The company’s latest idea, however, goes a step further by using a ducted fan to blow high-pressure air in whatever direction is needed to improve downforce or cornering performance.
The idea of using fans to improve aero performance goes back nearly as far as the use of wings on race cars. American racing legend Jim Hall was at the forefront with his Chaparral Can-Am cars back in the 1960s, and his influence can be seen in several of the ideas BMW has recently been working to adapt to motorcycles. He introduced movable wings with the Chaparral 2C in 1965, a concept that its successors built upon, and in 1970 switched to the idea of sucking air out from underneath the Chaparral 2J using two rear-mounted fans driven by a separate, two-stroke twin borrowed from a snowmobile, creating a partial vacuum under the car that pulled it down onto the track surface. Read more.
I am currently at college studying to be an engineer. As we live out in the sticks and to help me get around and to college, etc., my sister kindly gave me her battered, but indestructible and utterly reliable Kawasaki Z300 after she bought a car. To pay my way through college and help pay towards the bills at home with mum, I have found a job delivering takeaways from the Turkish restaurant in the next village. However, I’m not sure whether I am insured or not. My sister helped me get the insurance sorted out (she really is awesome) and got me fully comprehensive. Does that mean I’m covered for work as well? I think it does, but I’m not 100 per cent sure. Read more.
US Tells Pirelli to Stop Outfitting Data-Collecting Tires, Chinese Investors Won’t Back Down
The inner circle of Pirelli must be a total mess right now.Pirelli has been warned by the US that sales of vehicles fitted with its Cyber Tyre technology, which have data-collecting technology, could be restricted in the near future. The reasoning for the restriction is down to concerns over the influence of Pirelli’s largest shareholder, Sinochem, which is based in China and has a 37% stake in the company. Thus far, Pirelli has declined to comment on the situation. Read more.
Adventure & Touring
Andrea had planned and saved her money for this adventure for years. She had ridden from Punta Arenas, Chile, enduring the cold and the malevolent winds that almost blew her off her bike. But the desolate beauty of this region was worth it, and now she was almost to her destination, the port city of Ushuaia.
Ironically, her accident didn’t even involve a motorcycle. She had stopped with her group at a dreary little petrol station north of Ushuaia, and when she was walking on the fringe of roadway surrounding the pumps, concentrating on getting a photograph, she stumbled in a pothole and something snapped in her lower right leg. It was that simple.
All that Andrea saw of Ushuaia was the emergency room at the small city hospital. The doctor showed her the X-ray. “You have a spiral break of both the tibia and fibula bones. We cannot perform the needed surgery here. I will stabilize your leg in a cast and you will have to be evacuated.” Read more.
If there was ever a place to ride that sounded so wild, so beautiful, so outrageous that you find yourself feeling that it must be fictitious―that place could only be Namibia. It’s a country so remarkable and diverse that it takes the crown as not only one of the best motorcycle destinations in Africa, but possibly in the entire world.
Before I arrived in Namibia, I’d heard a lot about it from friends, colleagues, and locals I’d met en route through the African continent. The conversations always went the same way: “Oh you’re heading south, make sure you leave enough time for Namibia. You’ll be blown away!” It was intriguing, especially considering most of these conversations took place over 2,000 miles and several countries away from Namibia. What made this place so special? Why were so many suggesting I hightail it across a continent to make certain I spent the lion’s share of my trip in one country? There was only one way to find out.
Upon crossing the border from Botswana, there’s an immediate change in the air. The world’s second most sparsely-populated country is intersected by huge, well-maintained highways, which conveniently cut the country into several large sections and connect the major cities of Windhoek and Swakopmund. While well-maintained roads are seldom on a list of adventure riders’ demands, these highways make it easy to head into the wilderness for adventure. The road system is like a pipeline taking you from a resupply point in the city to the real treasures of Namibia. Read more.
Are you passionate about dual-sport motorcycling and hungry for real-world riding inspiration, gear of bike reviews, and off-road travel tips? Whether you’re a seasoned ADV rider or just getting started with your first dual-sport bike, YouTube is full of incredible creators who bring the adventure to your screen.
Dual-sport motorcycling isn’t just a hobby or passion for some—it’s a lifestyle. The best part? You’re not bound by roads—and that’s not just a figure of speech. With adventure and dual-sport motorcycles, you can forge your own path.
In this article, we’ve rounded up 10 of our favorite English language adventure and dual-sport motorcycle YouTube channels to check out in 2025. Everyone looks for different content so these are not rated in any particular order. These riders share everything from cross-country expeditions and gear breakdowns to riding tutorials and life on two wheels. It’s perfect for anyone dreaming of dusty trails, remote campsites, and the freedom of the open road. These creators offer tips, inspiration, and firsthand experiences to help you gear up for the road—or trail—ahead. Read more.
One month since the North East India adventure on the new Hero XPulse 210, Wayfarer gets to talk about it to a crowd of customers in Mumbai for introducing this motorcycle to those aspiring to do more on two-wheels.
I was one of the lucky few who was selected by Hero MotoCorp to ride the XPulse 210 to Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam for their 2025 Unbound North East tour. These States border China or Burma or Bangladesh or sometimes two of these three nations at different locations.
We were all given white colored base variant of XPulse 210 and the most thrilling moment was of course Tawang and Sela Pass on black ice. Read more.
Throughout our nine-day, four-state, 4,200-mile journey, Eric always had a smile on his face (although it was sometimes hidden behind a balaclava). (Photos by the author)
Months before the Great North American Eclipse of 2024, which would follow a 124-mile-wide “path of totality” from Texas to Maine on April 8, my friend Eric Birns found the perfect place to experience several minutes of darkness within the path: Ingram, Texas, the closest location to our home in Ventura, California.Not only would Ingram be in the path of totality, it’s also located in the heart of Texas Hill Country. Riding the renown Twisted Sisters – Ranch-to-Market Roads 335, 336, and 337 – has been on my moto bucket list for years, so we hatched a plan. Read more.
History & Custom
Drawing Parallels: A Minimalistic BMW R80 Café Racer from Slovakia
There’s no denying the popularity of the classic BMW boxer—but it does have its idiosyncrasies. Perhaps the most infamous of these is the way its fuel tank leans one way, while its substantial engine block leans another. This visual disharmony didn’t sit well with Earth Motorcycles. Faced with a 1987 BMW R80RT and a client…Read more
Tehuelche in Motormovil
At the beginning of 1960 Tehuelche was on its way to be manufactured in the Motormovil factory. This same factory imported “spare parts” of Legnano, Bicicletas Legnano, DEMM and Garelli. Tehuelche was the only bike that was completely created in Argentina, and that was the attraction point for Natalio Cortes, the owner of Motormovil. With the Tehuelche, he showed the government that he had a local product. By this time the government had become aware of the trickery with the importation of “spare parts” and was beginning to put an end to it by imposing various regulations. Cortes continued fighting this development with little success.By 1961, Raffaldi and Fattorini, tired of dealing with the careless approach to production of the Tehuelche as well as failures to receive payments, left the factory. They settled back in the original workshop that they had in San Martin where they had repaired motorcycles, and Raffaldi had produced the first prototype that became the Tehuelche. Meanwhile, Motormovil continued making Tehuelches, paying royalties to the two Italian partners. Read more.
Kevin Williams
Ashley Neal Roundabout
An overhead shot of the roundabout featured in SKILLS on SATURDAY dated 24 May. Read more.
Book up now for JUNE
It’s hard to believe but I think it was 2007 when I first ran the SURVIVAL SKILLS EIGHT WEEK eCOURSE but unfortunately after just a few courses, the online platform I was using shut down. For years, I’ve been searching for a workable replacement that’s inexpensive to use to keep the course cost down, reliable so the course stays up, and above all reasonably easy to use, both for me to construct the course and for you to use. You wouldn’t believe how expensive and complex some of the obvious options are.
But last year I finally found a new host for the course, an online app by the name of Padlet, which ticks the boxes – importantly, there’s a free option which can be used by people who sign up up for the course. Read more.
You’ve likely not signed the ‘unsafe clothing’ petition…
WHY NOT?
Paul Varnsverry’s petition is very simple. It’s all about deterring dodgy traders from importing bike kit from the manufacturers in Pakistan and China who haven’t put their products through the CE certification process.
As Paul’s petition says: “Motorcycle clothing is covered by legislation on personal protective equipment. It is required to be tested to standards, certified and to carry the CE and/or UKCA mark. Legitimate vendors have done this; however, sales have grown of nonconforming products advertised online and shipped direct from factory to consumer.” Read more.
Tyres – preventing flats
Punctures on a two wheeler are an entirely different problem to a flat tyre in a car. It’s not just the fact that we don’t usually carry a a spare wheel unless you’re lucky enough to ride an old-style scooter with the spare wheel under the side panel or a Ural-style outfit with the spare bolted to the back of the sidecar. It’s not even the inevitable not only disruption to our journey. The first challenge for the rider suffering a deflating tyre is getting the bike stopped upright! The second challenge is getting from where we’ve stopped, to where we wanted to be.
So, in this two-parter I’ll look first at prevention – always the best approach if we can, then in part two I’ll turn to coping with a roadside flat. Read more.
How close is too close? Can you see the surface?
“When we’re riding, how close is too close?” You might think you’re leaving enough space to stop if the car ahead slams on the brakes, but unless you’re auditioning for Fast & Furious: the Tailgate Edition, you might want to back it up a bit. Stopping distance is only half the story. We’re going to struggle to see traffic bunching up ahead early enough to slow down.
When we’re following the bumper of the car ahead, we’re effectively blind to the road. It’s not just the paintwork filling our eyes, our concentration is down low on the car brake lights. Read more.
What is Victim Mentality?
Last week I explained the psychological and social phenomenon known as Victim Blaming, a response to an incident in which it’s the victim of a crime or harmful act who is held partially or entirely responsible for the harm they suffered. As I mentioned, it’s an accusation that’s been levelled at me when I have suggested that as riders we need to be proactive in securing our safety on the road.
But when does a just and reasonable – and often necessary – calling out of genuine “it’s your own fault” victim blaming cross the line into a defensive reaction and a “you’re just blaming me” reflexive refusal to accept any responsibility? Read more.
Vision Blockers – what every biker should know
Years ago, on a long-defunct US instructor’s blog, he introduced the concept of the ‘Vision Blocker’. It’s simple enough – it’s any object or landscape feature that ‘hides’ a motorcycle from a driver’s view. It could be a temporary instruction; for example, from the perspective of a driver waiting to emerge from a side turning, the rider could be momentarily out of the driver’s ‘line-of-sight’ as the bike passes behind a tree. Or it could be a more permanent obstruction; if the rider is behind a van, the driver ahead of the van won’t be aware that the rider is lining up an overtake because the driver’s line-of-sight will be interrupted so long as the rider isn’t visible in any mirror.
Motorcyclists frequently get annoyed that drivers ‘didn’t look properly’ but research studies into ‘looked but failed to see’ collisions suggest that around ONE IN THREE of these crashes happen when the driver CANNOT see the motorcycle. No matter how hard you, me or anyone else looks, if the bike’s not where the motorcycle CAN be seen, then it won’t be seen by anyone lacking Superman’s X-ray vision. Read more.
Whiteknights Blood Bikes
Today we have participated in another national relay with Blood Bike charities Northumbria Blood Bikes and Merseyside & Cheshire Blood Bikes.South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership
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
Motorcycling Organisations
IAM RoadSmart
Has it been a while since you passed your Advanced test? 
IAM RoadSmart’s response to the Department for Transport’s provisional 2024 road casualty estimates for Great Britain.
IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards Nicholas Lyes said: “These figures demonstrate a troubling lack of progress in bringing down fatal and serious injuries on our road network. Moreover, 2024 saw a significant increase in the number of motorcyclists that were killed, highlighting that more needs to be done to protect some of the most vulnerable road users. The Government’s updated road safety strategy cannot come soon enough. 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
To increase recycling targets, the European Commission wants to expand the scope of the End-of-Life Vehicles directive to include motorcycles.
The European Union is in the process of revising its End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive, legislation that dictates how vehicles are recycled, reused, and disposed of when they reach the end of their life. The proposed changes for a new regulation are part of a broader push towards a circular economy. But there’s a catch for us motorcyclists: for the first time, motorcycles may be included under these strict regulations. This move has triggered alarm bells across the riding community, and for good reason. 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… Motorcycle Action Group
Bursting the Hydrogen Bubble: Why H2-ICE Won’t Save ICE Motorcycles Under UK Policy
I often hear a proportion of the riders I speak to say, “Hydrogen will keep ICE motorcycles alive.” The argument is entirely logical—until you fully understand the government’s mindset. They’ve boxed themselves into a corner with the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, and their stance is clear: hydrogen internal combustion engines (H2-ICE) don’t fit their vision. The reasoning? It’s narrow, muddled, and screws over motorcyclists. Here’s why. Read more.
Ride To Work Day is an international campaign promoted in the UK by The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG). We advocate the use of motorcycles and scooters for travel to work, by providing information about the benefits of utility riding. Read more.
New Rider Hub
Welcome to our Highway Code film series, designed specifically for young and new riders aged 16- 20 riding in an urban environment!
Our goal is to highlight the most important signs, rules, and regulations from the Highway Code that are crucial for your safety. Each short film will highlight the importance of specific Highway Code signs and show you how to follow them in real urban environments. By understanding and following these rules, you’ll not only protect yourself but also contribute to the safety of everyone on the road. Most importantly for you, by staying on top of these rules, you’ll not get fines and points on your licence, keeping you on the road without any legal hassles. 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…
