The NMC Reinforces Calls for a Fundamental Review of the Motorcycle Licensing Regime BMF News NMC News 20 March 202420 March 2024 BMF SAYS... The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) has today issued a second edition of its 2022 position on motorcycle licensing, testing and training which sets out updated proposals for a change to the current regime. The BMF has been a key contributor to the document, working closely with our partner NMC to set out the need for a regime that is easier to understand and access, with reduced cost, bureaucracy and repetition, whilst maintaining high training standards. In particular, the document calls for government to undertake a fundamental review of the current regime to create a training and testing regime that is fit for the 21st century; a regime which allows riders to progress more efficiently through relevant motorcycle licensing stages to
Motorcycle Advert BMF News 20 March 202422 March 2024 The BMF has called out the recent JD Sports advert depicting the inappropriate riding of motorcycles by young riders wearing casual shoes whilst performing stunts and wheelies against an urban backdrop. The advert is completely irresponsible and encourages behaviour that could result in serious injury, not only to riders but to other road users. Effective safety gear for motorcyclists, that provides adequate protection from impact and abrasion, is vital and can make the difference between riders suffering minor injuries or much more serious ones when involved in accidents. Casual shoes and trainers will always be entirely inappropriate for riding motorcycles as they are likely to shred or slip off in the event of an accident causing significant injury to the rider. You can read
Hackney Bike Parking Charges BMF News 19 March 2024 Hackney Council To Go Ahead with The Introduction of New Motorcycle Parking Charges Despite Strong Opposition From The UK Motorcycling Lobby Despite sustained objections from the BMF, other motorcycling organisations, and thousands of individual riders against the proposal by Hackney Council to introduce new motorcycle charges within Hackney, we have been advised by the Council that they have decided to "overrule all objections received" and introduce new parking charges and restrictions regardless. Hackney Council plan to charge motorcycle parking rates 10-20 times higher than anywhere else in the UK, anticipating that this will reduce motorcycle parking in the Borough by 70%. The Council claims its priority is to "reclaim the kerbside space" used by motorcycles, despite only 0.2% of parking space in
Government Consults on Default Access to Bus Lanes by Motorcycles NMC News 18 March 2024 Consultation issued after work by NMC and its member organisations to bring clarity to the current patchwork of access The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) has strongly welcomed a new consultation by the Department for Transport (DfT) which seeks views on making motorcycle access to bus lanes a default position in regulations in England. In his introduction to the consultation, Transport Minister Guy Opperman MP said “Motorcycles are an important but sometimes overlooked mode of transport, not just by drivers who fail to spot bikers, but occasionally by government too. Their size and nature make them a dynamic and affordable option for road users, and with that it’s only right that our roads become as dynamic as those using them.” Mr Opperman’s remarks
Motorcycles in Bus Lanes BMF News 18 March 202418 March 2024 Government launches consultation on allowing motorcycles to access bus lanes by default. Responses required by 9 June 2024. The Government has launched its much anticipated consultation on whether motorcycles should be allowed access to bus lanes by default, as part of its commitment set out in the Plan For Drivers published on 2 October 2023. The BMF has pushed for many years for motorcyclists to be allowed default access to bus lanes, predominantly on safety grounds by removing potential conflicts with other road traffic. There are also wider benefits in terms of reducing traffic congestion and journey times for motorcyclists. Although some local authorities have allowed motorcyclists to use some bus lanes, current access is neither universal nor consistent across local authorities. The
Philippines City Bans Full-Face Helmets Other news 16 March 202415 March 2024 The safety benefits of full-face helmets over open-face are beyond dispute, so why is the city of San Carlos in the Philippines banning the use of full-face lids altogether? Perversely, it’s also made them compulsory in other areas. According to the Philippine News Agency, the city government has introduced the measure to combat crime, with criminals taking advantage of full-face helmet anonymity and the getaway capability of a motorcycle. Mayor Renato Gustilo of San Carlos said that the ban only applied “within the city proper” but that “starting in any of these (stated) areas going outside San Carlos City, the wearing of a full-face helmet is required.” So, full-face banned in the city, but compulsory outside it. The new law will be
A New Life in the Isle of Man? Other news 14 March 202415 March 2024 If you’ve ever fancied leaving your job, selling the house and moving to a new life on the Isle of Man, now’s your chance. Biker Mike Powell is selling a bungalow and shop business on the Island – the shop is in Ramsey town centre and the house is just 500 metres from Ramsey Hairpin on the TT Course. Mike, who is selling the properties on behalf of his late mother-in-law, said: “I wish I was 50 years younger. It’s an ideal opportunity for a retiring couple. The shop is a long-established going concern selling china and glassware as well as IOM and TT merchandise.” He’s asking about £150,000 for the house (a bungalow on a serviced estate for the over
New Bike Online Sales Platform Launched Other news 11 March 202415 March 2024 ReactiveMART.com, a motorcycle-only online sales platform to rival eBay and Facebook Marketplace, is about to go live. Set up by ex-TT racer and owner of Reactive Parts Steve Heneghan, it is designed for sale of bikes, spare parts, clothing and accessories, and is aimed at both trade and private sellers. It’s a reaction to complaints about the established online platforms. Talking to trade magazine British Dealer News, Steve Heneghan said: “We’ve been getting feedback from dealers and sellers with complaints including increased costs, higher listing and final value fees...and reduced visibility for listings.” Reactive aims to undercut its mainstream rivals with zero listing fees for both auctions and fixed price ads, final value fees of 7.8% and classified adverts for £9.99, using
UK’s Best Cities for Biking Revealed Other news 8 March 202428 March 2024 Ever wondered which was the best city in the UK for motorcycling? According to a study by the AA, it’s Plymouth. The AA looked at a number of parameters: number of bikes per 10,000 people, the average price of petrol, number of filling stations per square mile, the number of rainy days each month and the number of MOT stations per 10,000 people. Plymouth topped the list thanks to boasting nearly 300 (actually 296) motorcycles per 10,000 people, charging an average £1.54/litre for fuel, having 0.83 filling stations per square mile, an average 12 days of rain a month and 13 MOT stations per 10,000 people. Derby was runner-up, with fewer bikes (181 per 10,000) but a greater concentration of MOT stations,
Success: riding with a motorcycle trailer FEMA News 6 March 2024 Some motorcyclists like to attach a trailer to their bike. In the development of the current driving license directive the fact that sometimes motorcycles pull trailers was not taken into account (unlike with cars). The European Parliament now agreed on new, draft rules on EU driving licences and finally fixed an oversight FEMA has been pointing out for years: the possibility to legally ride a motorcycle with a trailer behind it. The proposal that is now adopted by the European Parliament (amendment 59), says the following: 'Without prejudice to the provisions of type-approval rules for the vehicles concerned, motor vehicles in categories referred to in points (a) and (b) may be combined with a trailer with a maximum authorised mass not exceeding half
Rider Schools to Improve Training Other news 5 March 202415 March 2024 German universities are teaming up with rider training schools from across the EU to improve safety through better tuition. 36 schools have signed up to work alongside the Ludgwig Maximillian University of Munich, the Wurzburg Institute of Traffic Sciences, the Institute of Motorcycle Safety and Traffic Accident Research at TU Dresden – all of the schools already have the European Motorcycle Training Quality Label. The group will use accident analysis to train motorcycle instructors in the cognitive and riding skills necessary to avoid accidents, and its research will be offered to all training schools, free of charge. Jesper Christensen of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) said: “Modern scooters offering advanced safety training are embracing a stronger approach towards cognitive skills
Yamaha Launches Battery Swap Other news 2 March 202415 March 2024 Yamaha is setting up a battery swapping operation in Germany, in anticipation of this market growing in Europe. Battery swapping is already well established in Taiwan and other South East Asian markets, where electric scooter manufacturers such as Kymco and Gogoro have literally plugged into swapping systems. The idea is that riders turn up at a swap hub and exchange their low battery for a fully charged one, which could be handy for those who can’t charge at home. Yamaha’s new enterprise, ENYRING GmbH, is based in Berlin and aims to offer a closed-circle system of recharging, re-using and eventually recycling lithium-ion batteries. Initially it’ll be servicing electric bicycles but is expected to extend to scooters and motorcycles later. Jim Freeman, Chair