BMF SUMMER 2022

Cover Picture: Maria Costello, North West 200 this year (photo: Ryan Donaldson)

MOTORCYCLE RIDER IS PUBLISHED BY THE BRITISH MOTORCYCLISTS FEDERATION (ENTERPRISES) LIMITED

MOTORCYCLE RIDER

Editor | Peter Henshaw - editor@bmf.co.uk

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COPYRIGHT: All material published in MOTORcycLE RidER is the copyright of the BMF. Use may be freely made of it without permission on condition that any material used is credited “reproduced by permission of MOTORcycLE RidER, the BMF magazine”.

The views of any contribution contained in MOTORcycLE RidER are not necessarily those of the editorial team or of the BMF.

Chair | Jim Freeman

Finance Director | Howard Anderson

Member Services Director | Peter Laidlaw

Political and Technical Services Director | Anna Zee

Communications Director | Sheonagh Ravensdale National and One-Make Club Forum Chair | Stephen davenport Administrator | Helen Hancock www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

C O N T E N T S

h ellO aG ain, w OR ld

Dear Fellow Rider reader, Welcome to the Summer ’22 edition. This issue we look at (amongst other things) racing, to celebrate the return of events that have been severely curtailed over the last couple of years. I know that, for example, the BMF’s own TT entrants are dusting off bikes and leathers, looking forward to new challenges on the Island.

As I write, in the last week in May, we’re all looking forward to the first ‘real’ summer since 2019. By which I mean the opportunity to actually travel by bike in an unrestricted way. For some, that’s meant attending the FIM touring events, the latest of which (the Rally) has already closed its bookings. There was a question mark as to whether there were going to be enough entries, but it seems that there are. It’s a just reward for the organisers’ hard work, hosting the event at very short notice after the original organisers pulled out over Covid issues. BVDM, who are hosting the Rally in Germany, also organise the Elephant Rally, so they should know how to do it justice, especially without snow! The last FIM event is the Moto Tour, in Greece this year, for which bookings are still open – check them out on www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk/events.

Turning to the BMF’s own events, the Dambuster Rally returns in August, with over 150 tickets sold. The site has been reorganised to allow more people to attend without overcrowding. www.britishmotorcyclists. co.uk/events

The National Road Rally is also taking place on 2nd3rd July, The National Road Rally - The BEST excuse ever for a ride out.

Talking of events, our

AGM (see page 35 in this issue) will be on 8th October. Given that the AGM has to be run, we’ll be doing it like last year, on Zoom. On the subject of Zoom, we will be running Annual Regional meetings this year, for the first time since 2019. Some will be held physically, others via Zoom. Details in this issue, for those dates set already.

As ever, we have the latest on lobbying from the NMC and our own team, and the thorny issue of e-scooters is a hot topic currently (amongst others). As readers may be aware, these even got a recent mention in the Queen’s Speech. How do readers feel about e-scooters? Should they be treated as PTWs (powered twowheelers), in the same category as motorcycles, or as bicycles?

Meanwhile, how is the provision of the electric charging infrastructure coming along in your area? Reports from the car media suggest that some of the predictions made, including by myself, several years ago are coming to pass. As the take up of EVs progresses, even at the current rate, the provision of recharging facilities is struggling to keep up. How would you feel, arriving at a recharging facility, which your phone app says is working, only to find that it isn’t? If I sink thousands of pounds into a vehicle, only to find that the only secure recharging point is my own home, how would I feel? This is a family magazine, so I won’t write what I’d really say, but I wouldn’t be happy! Decarbonisation isn’t going to happen without something more than hot air coming from our politicians and government.

Stay safe, ride safe,

New S

ULEZ, Access and a Decarb Diet

Craig Carey-Clinch – Executive Director, National Motorcyclists Council (NMC)

hat’s the most challenging thing about working in public affairs? The other day, I was discussing this with some friends who toil in this muchmaligned area of life, and the consensus was how easy it is for a carefully-prepared campaigning strategy to be derailed by events. Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was once asked what the greatest challenge for a statesman was: “Events, dear boy, events,” went the quotable reply. But it’s not only PMs who can find their plans being overtaken by more urgent priorities, but also lobbying and campaign groups both large and small, corporate and local community.

Which is why, against a backdrop of evolving current issues affecting motorcycling, I was pleased to see the path opened to the NMC members’ longer-term strategic aims to place motorcycling firmly within wider transport policy. In March, the NMC launched its policy document, ‘Motorcycling and the Future of Transport Policy’, at the Parliamentary Motorcycle Group’s reception in Parliament – this appears to have catalysed work towards our wider aims.

NMC Meets Parliament

Transport Minister Trudy Harrison attended the launch and made it clear that she supported greater consideration of motorcycling in policy, though she did caveat this with a focus on zero emission motorcycling. But importantly, she also wrote to the NMC afterwards suggesting that we open talks with the

DfT’s senior team to look at where there are gaps in policy and the Department’s understanding of motorcycling.

W“Ooh, yet another meeting with the DfT,” I hear you say. But this session was to be different. Held with a director who sits near the top of the DfT pecking order and also attended by Anna Zee of the BMF, the discussion was very different to the usual positive, but somewhat limited conversations we have with officials in DfT’s Road Safety Division – the governmental silo in which motorcycling has been stuck for so many years. A cross-cutting look was taken of where the DfT needs to get up to speed on motorcycling and what needs to be done to do this. The meeting ended with agreement to broaden the Department’s divisional

links with motorcycling.

This may not, on the face of it, seem to be ground breaking stuff, but it is very significant that the DfT is now prepared to look at motorcycling as more than just a road safety issue. A lot of work is needed to bring what was discussed to life, but it is very possible that this change in emphasis could lead to the major longer-term benefits to motorcycling that NMC members agreed should be the core mission of the Council.

Vnuk Judgement will not apply

Meanwhile, the ‘events’ that PM Macmillan referred to continue to arrive, and some have positive outcomes. The ‘Vnuk’ insurance issue was finally laid to rest by a government-supported Private Members Bill. Intended to protect against injuries from agricultural vehicles, the original ruling appeared to impose compulsory third party insurance on all off-road use of any vehicle, which placed a huge question mark over the future of motorsports, whose costs would have been increased hugely had the ruling been universally applied. Interestingly, the EU has made a similar change, so the threat against motorcycle sport of individual compulsory thirdparty insurance has finally been set aside across Europe as a whole.

The lobby on the issue was long and complicated, but it brought together riders, the sport, Government and the industry. The BMF also played a significant part through developing the European riders’ position at FEMA, which in turn, alongside other work, brought the European Parliament onside.

Some NMC members have a concern that UK actions to protect the sport remove the more positive aspects of Vnuk. In this sense, the EU solution is more attractive and the NMC will speak to the Government here about how insurance law should evolve in the longer term.

Anti-Tampering

Anti-tampering remains a major and ongoing ‘new’ concern. But in this area, the NMC and its members’ lobbying is starting to have an effect. An online petition by a concerned individual generated enough signatures for the matter to be debated in Parliament.

Members of the Parliamentary Motorcycle Group spoke strongly in the debate, with Minister Harrison providing the response. In acknowledging the campaigning done by two- and four-wheeled groups, Harrison sought to allay fears that customisation and owner modification would be affected. She confirmed that any new regulations will not be retrospective, which is great news for classic and older bike owners. However, until the proposed regulations are published and consulted upon, we will not be sure how much of a threat anti-tampering regulations will be for future new motorcycle owners.

Decarb Diet

The decarbonisation agenda continues to gain pace. The NMC has now published its position on motorcycle decarbonisation which can be found on the NMC website (www.uknmc.org). This

was developed in close consultation with the BMF and other NMC members. In it, the Council calls for no bans on the actual use of existing petrol motorcycles, for a technology neutral position to be taken which allows the development of clean fuels (meaning no need to ban petrol bike production per se) and protections for older and classic motorcycles, including security of fuel supply. Finally, the NMC urges for timetables to align with international agreements, rather than a UK only ‘forced’ phase-out of new petrol-powered products.

The NMC has also closely followed the industry’s work in this area. The MCIA have published a decarbonisation action plan, which they have developed in partnership with Zemo and the DfT. They have also established a cross-sector focus group on decarbonisation which the NMC, the BMF and other NMC members are taking part in.

Decarbonisation also links to the vexed issue of micromobility and e-scooters, with the Government announcing that they will be regulating to legalise e-scooters. This has become a highly controversial area and the NMC is calling for the Government to set up a specific task force of all groups with an interest in this area, to develop new regulations which actually work, with regard to product technical requirements and user regulations.

Land Access

Finally, the NMC partnered with the Land Access and Recreational Association (LARA) to develop a response to DEFRA’s (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) ‘Landscapes Review’. This initial call for views sought opinion on the much wider use of traffic regulation orders against motorised use of green roads in national parks and on all other green roads. The partnership launched a successful campaign to get two- and four-wheeled users to respond to the consultation. We also briefed all MPs on the issue and are seeking a meeting with the minister involved, Lord Benyon. The consultation has now closed, but contact with DEFRA officials continues.

So, all in all, a broad range of issues, any of which could easily divert the NMC from its core aims. But despite these, the NMC has been able to make steady progress on its objective to create a positive government approach to motorcycling. Despite the high profile of some issues at the moment, this probably makes that innocuous meeting with the DfT the most important event of the last few months if we take a long view. MacMillan would be jealous.

Craig Carey-Clinch

L OBBY N EWS R OUND U P

FROM Ann A Z EE, BMF’S P OL i T ic AL A nd T Ec H nic AL S ERvic ES d i REc TOR

We submitted a response to the landscapes Review consultation. Very useful input came from the TRF and LARA. Our response was confined to the questions on motorised access to National Parks etc and responses were of course submitted by the NMC, the TRF and LARA as well. I also note that the Sports and Recreation Alliance submitted a response which matched ours with respect to motorised access.

I was able to attend a pre-consultation meeting on the further expansion of london's UleZ (Ultra-Low Emission Zone). More than one participant pointed out that a lot of what applies in London inside the North and South Circular Roads does not necessarily apply outside that boundary. The consultation on the expansion is out now. They say that expansion of the ULEZ is not a foregone conclusion, but can we believe that? London members who live in the proposed expansion zone should take a look, as should anyone who rides into the zone from further out.

A new website liveFastdieOld.scot has some good videos shot on very scenic Scottish roads, with road safety messages, but in a form new to me which I think is quite effective. Another

BMF at FEMA Committee Meeting – 11th June

The FEMA Committee meeting, confusingly referred to as the ‘Spring’ meeting, took place at the Motor Cycle Touring Club (MCTC) campsite in Kolind, Denmark, on 11th June. Fourteen delegates attended – 10 in person and four online – from 12 organisations, with proxies held for a further four organisations and a number of guests. The BMF were privileged to hold the proxy for Norsk Motorcykkel Union (NMCU). The meeting was chaired by Anna Zee, FEMA President and BMF Political and Technical Services (PTS) Director. The BMF delegate (online) was Jim Freeman, FEMA Treasurer and BMF Chair.

Following the Treasurer’s report that all was well financially, particularly after a two-year pandemic was taken into account, the meeting settled into a varied and lively agenda:

• A presentation by Jesper Christenson from Sveriges MotorCyklister [SMC] about their e-Motorcycle awareness campaign.

•

‘Climate, motorcycles and policy’, a presentation by MAG UK’s Ian Churchlow, assisted by Lembit Opik, about internal combustion engines (ICe), CO2 and fuel alternatives, followed by a lively discussion, with an indicative vote taken, to take the temperature of the meeting, with the promise of future discussion.

• Future FeMA Meetings, a discussion about the future of FeMA meetings, deciding how to organise them – physical, online, or hybrid. The meeting decided that staying flexible and taking decisions on an

useful new website comes from the MCIA – eliteriderhub.co.uk has lots of information about post-test training courses and yes, the BMF Blue Riband course is included.

The BMF participates regularly in meetings of the Transport Focus Road User Panel. This is primarily concerned with National Highways and the motorway and major A roads network. If anyone has any particular issue they would like to raise (service areas included) please get in touch with myself or Emily –anna.zee@bmf.co.uk or emily.rochester@bmf.co.uk

A meeting of the Motorcycle Crime Reduction Group was held in May. Thefts (of anything, not just bikes) have been down in the last couple of years, partly because of the pandemic and possibly a bit due to Brexit. But now the rate is rising again, so don't forget to lock your bike up!

The fashionable thing in road safety currently is the Safe Systems approach. I attended webinars recently which were supposed to be about applying this to road design, but I still don't know what ‘good’ looks like. More worryingly, I have yet to be convinced that everyone knows what they’re talking about…

ad hoc basis, depending on circumstances, was probably the best approach.

• FeMA General Secretary, Dolf willigers, presented the FeMA Annual Report, taking questions from the Committee. Dolf was congratulated on an excellent report.

• ‘Surviving without a motorcycle licence.’ SMC’s Maria Nordvist presented new data about how little time people without a motorcycle licence will live after buying a motorcycle.

• Memorandum of understanding between FeMA, FIM europe and the NMC. After an introduction by Dolf willigers, the document was approved by the Committee, and signed by Dolf, Jesper Christenson for FIM europe, and Craig Carey-Clinch for the NMC. The memorandum extended the pre-existing working group arrangements between FeMA and FIM e to include the NMC, for the development of joint policies across a europe-wide platform.

• Secretariat reports from Dolf williger as General Secretary and wim Taal as Communications Officer.

• Parking Survey’, a presentation by wim Taal, showing the results of the online survey on motorcycle parking.

• ‘women in Motorcycling’, a presentation by Raimonda Grigate-Kjeldsen, addressing the issues concerning women riders in 2022.

• Following the usual discussion of the dates and venues of future FeMA meetings, with a number of minor items under Any other Business, the Meeting was closed by the President at 16.45 CeT.

W IN

The BMF Photo Comp

“Peak Forest Tootle,” is Vikki Rutter’s caption for this one – except that she’s not really tootling. Taken by @bikerpics on the road between Peak Forest and Sparrow Pit, Derbyshire.

Welcome to the first BMF Photo Competition! We’ll be running one of these in every issue of Motorcycle Rider from now on, so send us your pictures. The winner gets a free 12-month membership of the BMF.

It could be anything – romantic ‘on the road’ shot, bike and scenery, people milling about at your local bike night, anything with a motorcycle theme. The winner, plus the best selection, will be printed in the next Motorcycle Rider – expect unlimited fame… Send your photos to: editor@bmf.co.uk

Left: The loneliness of the longdistance scooter rider – that’s Gary Robertson’s caption for this stretch of road from Tongue to Stirling via the coast.

He’d ridden his 125cc Vespa T5 to northern Scotland from Bournemouth…

Left: “Just need a little more tape and it should be OK.” This is Kevin Tall’s mate Tony working on his ZXR during their Swiss Alps tour.

Below: “My Monster M800 Dark was an accidental ebay purchase after a few drinks,” says Steve Ingall. “Always make sure you know your Auction Offer from your Best Offer! Anyway, a bargain that needed a bit of tlc and now a keeper.”

a year's FREE BMF membership

Above: The Winner - Vikki Rutter

Summer Rallies COMING UP

Left: Dambusters makes for a friendly event (Simon Finlay Photography)

Right: Chris Kelly and friend enjoyed last year’s NRR…we think

National Road Rally – 2nd-3rd July

The 2022 National Road Rally is all but ready to go, but it’s not too late to get your entry in – last entries are on 30th June.

This year we have an amazing 126 controls with a mixed format of attended and unattended controls, plus the bright dayglo signs with codes to be collected and entered onto the results page which allow for ‘live’ results on the website.

Riders have access to the map of controls (the matrix) and list of control locations up to two weeks before rally weekend. They can plan their own routes around the matrix to achieve awards. For details go to www.nationalroadrally.co.uk.

So why not give it a go? The NRR is open to all fully-licenced riders, any style, any size, ride on your own or in a group or team. Whether on two wheels or three, with pillion or solo, NRR is the BEST excuse for a ride-out.

BMF

Dambuster

Rally – 19th-21st August

AKA ‘Dambuster 6,’ this is a traditional, laid-back camping rally, which has become a very special annual motorcycling event. There are limited tickets due to the enclosed venue, making this a great friendly rally.

There’s live music on both evenings, fantastic food, our own event beer, rally games and plenty of opportunities to catch up with old friends in a venue steeped in history. Thorpe Camp, situated in deepest Lincolnshire ‘bomber country,’ provides an excellent base for ride-outs to explore the fabulous countryside, catch the racing at Cadwell Park or even a trip to the seaside. It is also the ideal venue to celebrate the heroic deeds of the famous Dambuster raid in 1943.

At the Dambuster, you pitch your tents among the historic display planes and World War Two artefacts. All of the museum’s buildings will be open to explore, as will the NAAFI on Saturday afternoon.

Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre, Tattershall Thorpe, Lincoln LN4 4PE

Scottish National Road Rally – 2nd-4th September

Again, this is the first year the National Road Rally committee have taken over the running of the event from the previous long-time organisers. We have identified 73 locations to use as ‘controls’ – these will all be unmanned and be linked via a matrix (a map - like in the NRR).

To achieve a chosen award, a rider will have to visit a certain number of controls and various 1, 2 or 3-day options will be available, including visiting some of the Scottish islands. Riders will be able to choose their own start and finish locations. More information will be posted on the Facebook page and the website (www.snrr.co.uk) shortly. Entries will open in August 2022.

Above: Be part of wwII history at the Dambusters (Simon Finlay Photography)

Read ‘eM and weeP

As an old inky whose career was forged in print magazines and newspapers, I have a sort of hate-love relationship with online media, especially when it comes to motorbikery.

Naturally in what is the third decade of the internet age when virtually everyone has a laptop, tablet and/or phone with seamless access to the world wide web, I find it invaluable for researching anything I write about bikes, whereas in The Days Before Digital (TDBD), it involved leafing through back issues of MCN, MotorCycle, Bike and Which Bike?, or phone calls to knowledgeable experts. I also couldn’t repair, rebuild or customise the machines I’ve owned without fleaBay, Gargle and the extensive list of online providers I’d long bookmarked.

But where those conveniences end and my despair begins is when it comes to actually reading about bikes for pleasure and enlightenment which, in TDBD, meant those and many other periodicals. And it still does. Fortunately for me and other such Luddites, some paper periodicals still exist, though their number steadily diminishes as do the number of pages therein. And of course that’s because a whole generation has been weaned on a media diet that’s free to view, contains moving images, and attention spans have shrunk accordingly. Thus it is that websites and webzines like Visordown, MCN online and BikeSocial have proliferated, one of the latest being BikerRated, launched a couple of years ago by Ben Cope, who indeed founded Visordown back in 2009.

I was frankly surprised to hear of Cope’s latest baby, not least because the last new biking webzine, MotoFire, launched by two disgruntled MCN employees, has already disappeared. The once innovative Lanesplitter has been emasculated into a mere strand on the motoring webzine Jalopnik and although it claims a million hits a month, I would argue that Visordown has lost its spark if not its relevance. And for why?

Well thanks to the aforementioned availability of just about anything you want to know online, all these digital media have access to the same product news and press releases (often thinly disguised as ‘riding impressions’), so these webzines can only distinguish themselves in the matter of style, and possibly the opinions expressed in commentary or blogs – which for me are rarely original or even entertaining.

And looking at BikerRated, the formula is still the same, with the now almost inevitable reliance on what’s tweely known as ‘affiliate advertising’ i.e. every time the link on one of its stories, reviews and news items leads to a sale, the online publisher gets a commission. In TDBD, we sometimes emulated such commercial

behaviour with coupon results, but generally only as a last resort – welcome to the world of bodybuilding devices! Now it’s a sole business model, with the consequence that reviews almost inevitably cease to be partial and link to suppliers’ websites or online retailers’ pages which are definitely not impartial. This is unabashedly the case with BikerRated.

Arguably none of that matters because arguably the people who subscribe to such webzines are cynical enough to know that the whole thing is – indeed has to be about getting them to buy stuff, and stuff they can return for a refund – albeit with some hassle – if it doesn’t meet expectations. And as there are so few neighbourhood bike shops left, there’s an unspoken acceptance that online is increasingly the only way to buy clothing, accessories and parts, never mind actual motorbikes.

However, and inevitably, as long as I’m still an end user who actually rides the blighters, then it’s print and paper that I’ll still rely on for my motorcycling reading. True, and sadly, the quality and extent of journalism in the dwindling number of printed bike mags has in my view largely diminished, with especially the classic-oriented titles having become formulaic to the point of predictability. Still, the fact that as a reader you pay primarily for the magazine, and not the advertisers who’ve increasingly deserted print for the easier pickings online, it ensures that there’s more to get your teeth into.

And although I won’t be around to witness it, I wonder if in 30 years' time, online motorcycle media will still be as confident of its future as I was about the printed variety 40 years ago?

M Y TT

We caught up with Superbike and Supersport racer, and BMF Life member, Shaun Anderson in the middle of this year’s TT – how was it?

This season has come together pretty well. We’ve got a dream deal with Hawk Suzuki with a GSX-R1000 superbike, and Wilcock Racing offered us a 600 Honda as well. That was all agreed in January/February, so we had time for plenty of testing before the TT. We did do a couple of club races as well and got some podium places, but really everything culminates on the Isle of Man.

n Any problems?

The only blip was when I had a small crash on the Supersport at Oulton Park and broke my wrist about seven weeks before the TT. When you race the TT, it’s all a bit mad because the pinnacle of your season is May/June, so it’s a big rush, whereas in circuit racing it builds up gradually through the season.

n How has the TT been?

Good so far. I was ninth in the opening Superbike race, and I’m just over the moon to get a top ten against riders like Peter Hickman – the bike ran faultlessly and I was able to ride consistently to get a Silver Replica. You have to ride within 105% of the top riders’ times to do that, so I’m very chuffed.

In the Supersport race we got 18th, having struggled a bit for speed, but it was a good solid run and I did beat John McGuinness

bMF member Shaun anderson had a good TT. Read on...

who was 19th – it’s never a bad day if you can finish in front of John. Then in the Superstock, we were battling between 9th and 10th but broke a chain on the last lap, so that was a DNF (did not finish).

n Any low points?

Obviously the TT has its ups and downs, and this year has been tough in that we’ve had several fatalities. Those all affect you in some ways but particularly if the rider involved is a close friend. Racing can be a brutally hard sport at times, but all the racers are doing something that they enjoy, that they really want to do. That’s why we carry on racing at the TT, because it’s what they would have wanted.

n So what next, post-TT?

I want to spend some time relaxing with my wife Sarah, because it’s been a very intense few months, testing and racing with two different teams. She’s had to put her own racing to one side because of my commitments, so I want to support her in some Supermono rounds. Like all racers, in the run up to TT, I’ve had to be a bit selfish, but now I’ll be able to support her.

The couple moved to the Midlands in January when Shaun joined Norton Motorcycles as a Technical Project Leader – Sarah, also a BMF individual member, is setting up a freelance photography business.

n And how are things at Norton?

They’re good. We have strong investment from our parent company TVS and just launched the V4SV. I think it’ll be a couple of years before people see the fruits of our own new projects, which we’re working on now. The British motorcycle industry is having quite a boom, what with Norton’s major investment, Triumph, Royal Enfield and now Mahindra opening a BSA technical centre in Coventry. Interesting times are ahead.

STOP PRESS

Shaun’s other results at the TT:

Supersport race – gear change difficulties. Stopped for adjustments, during the first lap. Still managed 25th overall, and a Bronze Replica, awarded for being within 110% of the winner’s time.

Senior race – quickshifter fault from lap 2, but continued and finished in 12th place overall receiving a Silver Replica. Coming home with two Silver and two Bronze Replicas – not a bad TT!

Photographs by Philip Magowan/Double Red www.philipmagowanphotography.com

YOU n G RACERS

The nexT GeneRaTiOn OF bRiTiSh MOTORCYCle RaCeRS

Chloe Jones – Minibikes to 600s by 18

Chloe wants to spend the next couple of seasons on 600s

n How did you start riding?

My dad was mechanic for a friend of his who raced and took me to a minibike event. when I sat on one of those for the first time, I just didn’t want to get off it. They’re quite easy to ride, no clutch or gears but can get up to about 50mph, which seemed really fast.

n When did the racing start?

when I was 12, I moved up to Mini GP bikes, which have gears and a 140 engine. My mum and dad didn’t want me to race so soon, but in the end they agreed. I won both races at my first event, then most of the races after that, except the last one when I accidentally turned the fuel tap off with my leg! I was third in the championship, despite missing four races. In 2017 I won the championship with two rounds to go – I had to miss one round because Mum had booked a holiday.

n And you raced with adults at 14?

Yes, in 2018 on a CRF150, riding against men who were 30 or older. But it was good because they’d all been

racing a long time and I was able to learn a lot from them. I was able get several top tens.

Then MRS Racing bought me a Yamaha R3 to ride in the Junior series of the British Superbike Championship. I was 12th at Silverstone and 7th at Brands in the wet –I’m quite confident in the wet because it creates a level playing field. I was in the top 15s-20s in 2019 but 2020 didn’t go so well as it was rushed – 2021 was better, with more top tens and a few 6th places.

n What now?

This year I’m on an R6 in 600cc Supersport. It’s a massive step and quite an eye opener, but I’m learning as I go and getting faster all the time. I do love the extra power – of all the bikes I’ve raced so far, the R6 is the best.

n Are there many other women racing?

It’s changing. I was the only girl in the 300s, but now there are five or six in that class. It’s just me in the supersport class, though I’m used to it! early on I did get a few comments about people not liking being beaten by a girl. even now, there’s a couple that don’t like a girl racing, but the majority are fine.

n What’s next?

I want to spend the next couple of years in the 600s, get some good results and then hopefully move up to the stock class and then British Superbikes, world Superbikes and maybe Moto GP!

n Who has inspired you?

Valentino Rossi, as he’ll always be the best, but also Maria Costello and Jenny Tinmouth – when people were telling me I couldn’t race because I was a girl, I looked at them and saw that I could too.

n Top 5 Sponsors

Rich energy OMG Racing

Catering Investments Brands Hatch Revellers

PCR Performance

Rhys Stephenson – Looking to the Future

eSkuta

n Do you have a racing background?

My dad has raced in the past and my three brothers all ride – Daniel (age 11) races in British Mini Bikes and the twins Callum and Ayden (7) ride Pw50s – I think they may start racing next year.

n Remember your first race?

It was on Mablethorpe beach and I’ll remember it forever.

I was on a KTM 50 racing against much bigger bikes and finished a respectable fourth place to collect my very first trophy. I prefer racing on tarmac now, but it's always fun to be on the loose stuff too.

n How important was the British Mini Bike series to you?

British Mini Bikes has been very beneficial, and without that experience I wouldn't be where I am now. 2020 was the best year, racing a Bucci BR12 in the MiniGP 190 class, against BSB riders like Peter Hickman and then going on to win the MiniGP 190 class championship. I did a lot of winning that year.

n How did Covid affect racing?

It was really weird, lots of time off school but not able to go racing, but slowly things opened up and we were out as much as we could – racing was a good distraction.

In fact without Covid I wouldn't have had the chance to race with BSB riders like Peter Hickman, Richard Cooper and many other great racers in the ProAM race in July 2020, as without Covid they would have been doing their normal racing.

n Highlights and low points of your career so far?

In racing it's always a rollercoaster of emotions, depending how things are going at the time. when there

are more lows than highs, it leaves me doubting my capabilities, but other times I feel that there's no stopping me. Just recently I've had a few offs but I'm remaining positive and learning from any mistakes. Biggest highlight of all so far was getting on the podium in 2nd place at Oulton Park this year – all the effort and hard work boiled down to that point; it really was the best feeling.

n Racing ambitions for the next 2-3 years?

My ultimate goal is to race in MotoGP, but my next step will probably be on to a stock 600 in BSB. If I was picked by Dorna sports, Red Bull Rookies or Junior world moto3, it would be fantastic – if I were to be given that opportunity, I would grab it with both hands. If not, I’ll stay racing in the UK, most likely in Junior Superstock 600 at BSB. wherever I go I am determined to get to the top.

n Any plans post-school?

I'm just coming to the end of my GCSes and have signed up to a local college to study engineering which is something I enjoy doing. Beyond college I'm not sure, but my first choice is professional motorcycle racer.

n Top 5 Sponsors

I would like to thank all my sponsors; their help is amazing and without them I wouldn't be racing at this level. The top five are:

Pell Plant Hire

A Brooks Heating

MNM Soundproofing Breedon Group plc

Slipstream Motorcycles, Skegness

I’d also like to thank my family and friends who make up our little Rocket Racing team for having 100% faith in me, and all the time they take to help

British Mini Bikes have a great learning curve for Rhys

Lissy Whitmore – TT Ambition

n

Any family background in racing?

No, my dad has always had road bikes and commutes by bike but that’s it.

n Road bike?

Yes, I’ve passed my CBT and have a 125cc Endurance race bike, but at the moment I’ve just got a moped for the road.

n

Job or college?

I’m at college studying Public Services, which prepares you for the military. I’d like to join the RAF eventually.

n

When did you start racing?

Easter 2017 when I was 12. I did a few track days on my pit bike and got the bug for it, so my dad entered me for the British Mini Bike Championship. I scored points in my first race and it sort of spiralled from there and I did a full season in 2018.

n

What was the next step?

By late 2018 I wasn’t really enjoying the mini bikes as much, as by then I had a KTM RC390 which was much quicker. I did my ACU licence at Darley Moor when it was really wet, but the bike was on three-year-old dry tyres because we didn’t have any wets! Then we bought a Yamaha R3 and were about to start the 2020 season when everything stopped because of Covid! When the season restarted, they were able to get just three rounds in – I did OK, getting a few podiums in the Newcomer class. In 2021 I did well at Brands Hatch and Donington, but then at Castle Combe I got knocked off and broke my arm.

n But now you’re in British Superbike Juniors?

A sponsor stepped forward and said they

wanted to try me in BSB Juniors on the R3, but it wasn’t a good start. In Juniors you have to use a PowerCommander ECU, which wasn’t relating to the quick shifter properly, so I didn’t do well and missed Silverstone as well. Once the bike was fixed, I won both my races at No Limits at Cadwell, finished 28th in my first proper BSB race and got a podium in every race at Thundersport.

n And now you’re part of the OMG team?

Yeah, they offered me some testing time at Cartegna, which was brilliant, especially riding the practice Yamaha R3 with a slipper clutch, which made a massive difference. They offered me a full season for 2022. I said yes – who wouldn’t! Chloe and I share a mechanic and we’re treated exactly the same as Bradley and Kyle, the other OMG riders.

n Good season so far?

I was told multiple times that there was no expectation to go out and smash lap times simply because I was on a new bike. The other thing was that the Junior series was having lots of accidents because a few of the riders were being silly. So the organisers sat us all down and said that if everyone didn’t behave they wouldn’t run the class in 2023! They’ve put in a lot of new measures like walking the track before riding it. At the first round I was heading for a top 15 in qualifying but crashed and we had to scramble to fix the bike, but I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.

n What’s next?

I’d like to do road racing and went to the TT this year to get a look behind the scenes. Track riding is brilliant, but road racing would be more of a challenge.

This year has seen Lissy progress from Junior BSB to Supersport

Laura Peters – Later Starter

n What’s your biking background?

I got my licence 14 years ago, but gave up after six months. Then a friend kept nagging me to try again, so I bought a Yamaha FZR400 and did the Stoke-on-Trent Toy Run as my first ride. Hayley Bell’s Women Rider’s World Relay was a wakeup call, with 52mph side winds, rain, hail and snow… I replaced the FZR with a Triumph Tiger 800xrt, which was great on my first big solo ride, to Luxembourg.

n How did you start racing?

I bought a Triumph Daytona Moto2 as an investment, but a friend was pestering me to go racing. I didn’t think much of the idea, but Triumph invited me up to Donnington for the BSB meet to do a parade lap. Suddenly, I understood the point of riding on a track and decided to try racing.

n What bike?

A Yamaha TZR250, which was a complete culture shock for me as I’m used to riding big four-strokes on the road. The previous owner had set the bike up for track days, so we had to change a few things to comply with class and ACU rules. It’s been fun, setting it all up just how I want it.

n First race?

Bemsee event at Silverstone. I did some testing in one of the big groups, which was an eye opener in itself, as four or five different classes go out together, all taking different lines into corners. I thought I was tight going into a corner when an MZ came past underneath me... But I qualified and my fastest race lap was three seconds quicker than my test times, which I was quite pleased with.

n What’s next?

I’d like to do the rest of the season on the TZR. It’s just a case of building up the confidence each time and finding the bike’s limits. Silverstone was the perfect place to do it as there’s a lot of run off. I did explore a couple of bits, but not as much as some others…

Laura has also been helping Steph Jeavons, the overlander, with her women-only rides in Wales.

I was officially there as a paying punter, but it was a real mix of bikes, abilities and experience from a 125 up to big bikes, so with my Triumph Scrambler I was one of the ones operating the drop-off system, showing the way at junctions then scooting past them to be in place for the next one. That was good fun. Steph’s now setting up Moto Camp Wales at Dollgellau, which will do things like off-road training – I’ve been helping clear the site and some of the offroad routes.

n So, what’s next?

This year it’ll be a combination of racing and travelling, especially now that travel is getting a little bit easier (if not the fuel costs). I’d really like to go to New Zealand. And I’d really like to do enough racing to get rid of that orange novice vest. I think the last couple of years have seen an increase in the number of younger female racers starting out – it’s good to see.

Photos: Rachel Bourne (Bourne Photographic) and Laura Peters bournephoto.photoshelter.com/about

TZR 250 has been the ideal affordable race bike

She can’t wait to shrug off that orange bib

MaRia COSTellO Trail Blazer

Maria Costello MBE needs no introduction, so we’ll keep this paragraph brief, but Britain’s best-known (and arguably most successful) female motorcycle racer of modern times has achieved an awful lot. In a career spanning 26 years (and counting, because she’s not finished yet), she was the fastest woman around the TT course for five years, has raced all over the world and is a tireless campaigner to encourage women in bike racing. As we went to press, she was about to head off to the Island to contest the Supertwins race and attempt the fastest female sidecar lap record.

n Some racers have a family background in racing – did you?

I didn’t have a family background in biking, so it was just me. In fact, my first powered two-wheeler was just transport to get me to work, training to be a veterinary nurse. I bought a Honda Melody, which was lethal! Then I got a TZR 125, my first bike. My parents weren’t into it at all, and when I started racing it was hard – I was about 19 and had a different attitude. I was a girl in a man’s world and thought I had a point to prove, but that didn’t do me any harm; it fuelled my fire.

n How did you get into racing?

I got knocked off the TZR on the way to work by a car driver with dodgy eyesight, and the compensation money bought my first race bike, an RGV 250. I hadn't really thought about racing when I was young, and as I say motorcycling wasn’t in the family, so in a way I came to it quite late.

n Were any other women racing then?

There were some, notably Sandra Barnett, so there were the odd one or two. When I saw Sandra racing it flicked a switch inside me which said ‘Yeah, I can do this.’ I think things have improved for female riders because they are getting more opportunities.

n Obvious question – why road racing?

I just love road racing, the atmosphere, the people. Actually it’s not the crowds while you’re racing. People say did you see the crowds on the North West, and I didn’t because at the time I was concentrating on riding.

Motorcycle Rider managed to catch up with Maria just before she was due to head off for the TT

n Road racing or short circuits?

Road racing, it's just better! I started on short circuits but I've spent most of my career on road racing, ridden all of the Irish road events and had lots of success at the Isle of Man. Racing at the TT means the world to me and the North West 200 is another highlight.

n Are you naturally motivated in all areas of life?

My life is mainly bike racing, but yes I'm a pretty active person and like keeping fit, which is handy because it's so important for racing. I've got a beautiful Saracen mountain bike, love being outside – mountain biking, paddle boarding and walking. I don’t really have weekends or a set routine – one minute I’m out testing in Spain, the next minute I’m at home doing the housework – but there are elements that are consistent. My coach, Tom Loasby, is brilliant. I can’t ride as much as I want to because track days are expensive, so physical fitness is important. Mental fitness is important too. After I really hurt myself at the TT, my hypnotherapist helped me get my mojo back, working on how to focus and on self-belief.

n Women-only track days – how did they start?

I was getting a lot of messages on social media from ladies looking to ride with me on track. I really got the impression that there was a place for these track days, and having done them I know that there is. I had a big range – from complete beginners those looking to race. I think the key thing is that there are options for women now in motorcycling.

n Will there be more?

It’s hard to make them happen because the cost of hiring a circuit in the UK is so expensive, especially compared to other countries. There are only two track day companies in Britain now, and I think that speaks volumes – there used to be loads. The pandemic hasn’t helped of course and we haven’t held one of these days for three years, but I would love to run one again.

n You run your own team now – what’s that like?

Well you have to do everything. From emails, phone calls, ordering parts, planning entries, driving the truck, loading the truck... Actually racing is just the last bit! I have to be completely self-motivated to run my team, get sponsorship and find the money to live, which involves lots of boring things like telephone calls, emails and writing proposals.

n You now race sidecars as well?

Yes, I started that a few years ago, raced at the TT in 2019 and started a couple of years before that. I think sidecars are amazing. Vicky Cook is my passenger this year and we were developing the relationship in 2021, building up to the TT this year. We’re going for the female sidecar lap record, currently 110mph.

n You've ridden singles, twins, triples and fours – which do you prefer?

I've been very fortunate in the variety of bikes I've been able to race, sometimes riding 12 different bikes in a season. I love the differences between them, and who doesn't love a bike with lots of character? The twins and triples are especially good fun. I really like the classic Paton, which I've raced before, while the modern one uses a Kawasaki ER-6 engine, so it's very similar to my Supertwin Kawasaki.

n And you’re presenting at the TT this year?

I’ve been doing a bit of presenting on and off throughout my career and this year I’m part of the presenting team at the TT. I enjoy it and would like to do more. The presenting work has been more towards the latter end of my career. It’s a tough old game you know, difficult to make a living at. I say I’m a professional racer but I still have to earn money to live, hence the riding for Triumph and other things.

n And the future?

Oh, my life is bike racing and I’ll carry on for the foreseeable future. The best thing I ever did was get on a motorbike and I’m fortunate that I’ve made a career out of it that’s lasted over 26 years. With additional information from Hagerty Insurance. Page 16 photos: Stephen Davison and IOM Newspapers

Not many riders have contested both solo and sidecar races in the same TT

Photo: Steve Babb)

My First Bike

Our new series kicks off with a Honda 90 with dodgy forks and shocks

Words & Pics: Pete Laidlaw

the only time I dropped it was being silly going around a street corner near home and I have to say that the engine was a belter.

Pete (left) still has his Honda 90, (below) now awaiting a refurb

Even though I have been riding since I legally could (and a bit before that off-road), I haven’t owned many bikes and tend to keep them and enjoy riding them. Only long-term familiarity with a bike brings out the best in it, with all its quirks.

My brother was several years older than me so my first experiences were riding pillion, mostly on camping or mountaineering trips. Only two bikes featured – a BSA 250 Starfire and then a Norton 750 Commando – from which I learnt a lot about how bikes were ridden well in all weathers, even in freezing conditions. At this time, and because we were usually going climbing, the gear I had was just that, textile cagoule and overtrousers with climbing helmet. Different times!

My first bike was a hand down from my brother and was his first, which he bought from a contact at the garage where he worked as a mechanic. He stripped it completely, got it to a good running state and used it for a while before passing it onto me. I remember my first short ride on it in 1972, just up the cobbled back street and around the block but, despite all my experience as a pillion, soon realised I had a lot to learn. Confidence grew on this 1965 Honda 90, but the suspension was never too good on these bikes. Over the moorland road, it would bounce all over making some horrid shapes, me on a steep learning curve. In fact

What’s your First Bike?

During college years I graduated to a new Honda XL250 which was a revelation. I began developing riding into a serious hobby, not to mention a good point of interest in our early courting years. We rode many places with friends and fully enjoyed those times.

By then the bug had hit and I progressed onto bigger bikes – all Hondas at first – with a 400/4 and then a CB900 moving through a VF1000 Bol d’Or, CBF1000 and ST1100 Pan European (two of those), before changing to an Aprilia Tuono 1000 and now a KTM 1290GT.

I suppose it adds up to quite a number but when spread over 50 years and countless thousands of miles, only a few of these bikes were well used and fully experienced. One thing I do recommend to anyone starting out is to begin with smaller machines – getting the best out of small engines is a learning experience in itself as experience builds.

The Honda 90 is still in my garage and awaiting a second total refurbishment so it can be ridden again. Fond memories are recalled when I look at it – I’ve even bought new suspension parts!

Do you remember your first bike? Of course you do – tell us the story (in about 500 words, preferably with a picture) and we’ll print it in Motorcycle Rider. Send your My First Bike story to editor@bmf.co.uk

Training a Racer

STEPHEn MiLLS found himself training professional racer Jonathan Rea – here’s how it happened

Above: Jonathan Rea (right) did his CBT and test on the school’s Kawasaki Z650

“H

ello, this is Jonathan Rea.” It’s not the sort of ‘hello’ you expect when you run a motorcycle training school and pick up the phone to a prospective pupil. I run Moto Training NI, a training school based in Broughsane in the Glens of Antrim and I’m the Chief Instructor/Assessor for the BMF’s Blue Riband scheme in Northern Ireland.

“Hello Stephen, this is Jonathan Rea, I believe you’re the man to talk to about obtaining my road licence.” Initially I thought this was a practical joke, but it soon became clear that this really was Jonathan on the other end of the call. It transpired that the sixtimes World Super Bike Champion, who rides at speeds in excess of 200mph at weekends, had never got around to getting a road licence for a motorcycle.

Moto Training NI is the only school in Northern Ireland approved by a major manufacturer, in this case Kawasaki, so an obvious choice for Jonathan as he is contracted to the Kawasaki WSB team until the end of this season. I have to be honest – I’m a huge Jonathan Rea fan, so it was an honour that he chose my wee school to do his training.

Taking delivery of his new Z900RS. Next step, advanced training

Left: Stephen Mills is the go-to guy for BMF Blue Riband in NI

Juggling spare time between his busy race calendar Jonathan completed his CBT, followed by lessons towards both practical tests on the school’s Kawasaki Z650. He passed both without even a minor fault.

After passing his final test Jonathan lost no time in ordering a new Kawasaki Z900RS from Coleraine Kawasaki, the same dealer that provides my school bikes. I was delighted to be invited to the handover of Jonathan getting his new bike.

Since completing his basic licence, Jonathan has kept in touch. We hope to organise a charity ride-out once his race season finishes, and that he returns to Moto Training NI soon to commence his advanced training.

Blue Riband in Northern Ireland

Want to train for your Blue Riband in NI? Moto Training NI offer one-to-one training and make learning to ride fun. Their passion is advanced training, having two Blue Riband Instructor/Assessors on the staff. The NI Police Service have invited Moto Training NI to give a presentation on advanced training options at each of their workshops throughout Northern Ireland.

Contact Stephen: Phone: 07973 502600 Email: info@mototrainingni.com Web: www.mototrainingni.com

As well as being the Blue Riband’s Chief Instructor in Northern Ireland, Stephen Mills has an IAM Masters with distinction and a RoSPA Diploma in advanced instruction. He is a volunteer blood biker in his spare time and enjoys training and encouraging new blood bikers.

Raise Your Gaze

what do we see on the road? Groundbreaking new research from a docbikes/ bournemouth Uni joint project

If you have a mental image of a researcher into neuropsychology, then Shel Smith probably doesn’t fit the bill. She’s a cheerful all-year-round motorcyclist from Dorset who typically rides 20,000 miles a year, a mix of commuting, big tours and track days. Learnt to ride aged four on a Honda Z50R (dad welded on a pair of stabilisers…) and after a few teenage years off-road, took her CBT at 16 and passed her test at 17. At 19, she bought a secondhand BMW K75S for commuting, which she still has, along with an R1100S and R1200GS. “I have a car licence but rarely have a car,” she says. “I use the K75 for commuting and the R1100S was my dream bike as a teenager, really nice. I’ve done a bit of off-road on the GS but really it’s a touring bike.”

Shel trained in developmental and clinical neuropsychology, and was visiting Dorset schools to help kids with autism or

Downs syndrome, when she saw an advert for a PhD research project into risk perception among motorcyclists. A joint project between Bournemouth University and DocBike (which came up with the idea and is match funding it), it’s been measuring how riders and drivers perceive risk on the road, measuring eye movements and conducting a series of one to one interviews. “Ian at DocBike started looking at the research and realised there wasn’t much that dealt with this,” says Shel. “There’s been a lot on high-vis clothing, on helmets, some on training, but nothing on targeted collision prevention,” adding that she thinks she clinched the job when she turned up for interview on a bike! “Being a biker has helped massively,” she says. “Other candidates had more education than me but none of them was a motorcyclist, which gives an extra insight.”

interview: Peter henshaw

eye tracking machine reveals exactly what you're looking at and for how long.

Below: A still from the video volunteers were shown

Above: Typical eye tracks from a car driver with a reasonable spread of attention

Above right: Motorcyclist is more interested in the pothole

Previous page (below left): Researcher Shel Smith is a keen biker

The subjects were all volunteers, with equal numbers of those with advanced training, or who had passed the DVSA test only. “Most of the motorcyclists were older,” said Shel, “with not many under 30, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, because counter intuitively those most at risk of dying on a bike are males aged 5565 on a 500cc+ machine. All those young food delivery riders you see darting around town, they have plenty of collisions, but are far less likely to die because the speeds are lower.”

eYeS dOwn

These willing volunteers were sat in front of an eye tracking machine, which sends infrared lasers towards the pupil, able to measure precisely what the eye is focusing on. As the subjects watched a video of riding on a typical urban street with plenty of

hazards going on, the machine recorded what they were focusing on and crucially for how long. And the results were eye opening (sorry, but I had to).

Compared to drivers, the motorcyclists spent significantly longer looking at certain things, especially dodgy road surfaces and potholes – “the motorcyclist wasn’t just looking at the pothole, they were fixated on it.” Drivers tended to look at more things for less time – while the riders were still looking at a pothole, drivers were noticing the bus stop, cars pulling out of junctions and so on. In the pictures, the circles are what the eye has focused on, and the bigger the circle, the longer it was looked at. The lines between the circles show eye movement between these focuses, what’s known as the saccay. The crucial thing about saccay is that the rider/driver is effectively ‘blind’ while the eye is moving. “The brain shuts the information off for a split second,” says Shel, “which is just to stop you getting dizzy. You think you can still see because the brain overlays a snapshot of the last image you took in, which is called saccadic masking. It’s this which can hide a motorcycle or cyclist. Think of a car driver at a junction, wanting to get out into the traffic, thinking about other things, and quickly scanning the road left to right. Because the scan is so large they’re not seeing a damn thing. What you need to do is to take the time to look. The Government campaign is to look twice, but really it should be to ‘look longer’. That allows the brain to focus on things.” Apparently there’s nothing new about this, and pilots have been taught this ‘look longer’ as a visual strategy for many years, but it sounds like we would all benefit from doing the same.

Another thing which works against car drivers noticing a bike is something called salience bias. Car drivers typically aren’t interested in motorcyclists, though other motorcyclists are. It’s a bit like taking your dog to the park – the dog is only interested in smells, food and other dogs, and won’t really notice anything else. Changing seasons have a similar effect on drivers’ perception of bikers. “In winter,” says Shel, “drivers hardly see any bikes on the road, but then in April they start to come out, but drivers don’t expect them – when things are more familiar, we start to look for them. There are two reasons why motorcycle deaths peak in

April/May – one is that drivers aren’t expecting motorcyclists, and research has established that. The other is that rider skills are rusty – most of them haven’t ridden since the previous October, but think their skills are just as good as when they put the bike away for the winter.”

whY we CRaSh

The one to one interviews with 21 riders and drivers were, if anything, even more revealing than those on eye movements.

Asked what are the top hazards, motorcyclists put road surfaces in the top five every time. And yet it seems that rider perception (fixating on them) of dodgy surfaces is just as likely to cause an accident as actually hitting a pothole. Of the 340 or so motorcycle deaths per year in the UK, surface problems are a contributory factor in about 70 of them, so it’s part of the mix, but not the overwhelming cause.

By contrast, police accident data shows that many accidents happen when riders are in groups – you’re about 70% more likely to have a collision when out with a group of mates. Shel asked the riders whether they ride differently in a group than when solo, and a clear picture emerged. They tended to ride more quickly, but usually just to keep up – meanwhile, they’re having to keep an eye on the riders closest to them as well as the guy out in front. “The brain has the capacity to process about seven items at a time, but group riders can have three times that going on, whether it’s beautiful scenery, tricky corners or higher speeds than riders are used to,” says Smith.

So what can we do? Knowing your route beforehand is a good idea, especially if riding in a group, and as Tail End Charlie is the most difficult position to ride in, it makes sense to put the most experienced rider at the back.

TRaininG iS keY

But rider training is at the core of this research project, with some concrete recommendations going forward to the DVSA. “Roadcraft covers the visual aspect to a certain extent,” says Shel, “but the DVSA rider training manual doesn’t. The DVSA manual has two pages on rearward observation, but none on strategic forward observation. It’s an implicit skill, so it’s sort of assumed by DVSA that novice riders have it.”

She adds that there are certain things you can do, such as being in the right position on the road and getting into it when a driver can see you. It’s this extra movement (moving out to the white line before passing a junction for example) that drivers notice. “It’s an evolutionary thing – we’ve evolved to notice sudden movements, which for a lion means food or if it’s for a small animal, means danger. In a field of vision, we only focus on about 5% of what we can see – the other 95% is this rather blurry peripheral vision, but any movement within that will focus our attention onto it.” Interestingly, research indicates that this sort of training would have more beneficial effect than wearing high-vis, with previous studies showing that bright colours have little effect on whether you will be noticed –saccadic masking, not to mention a door pillar, tree or another car, can hide a bike, even when the rider is cloaked in high-vis. Extra lights can make a difference, especially a pair of day running lights arranged so that there’s a triangular formation, which allows the brain to process the speed of an object, but drivers still need to see and register the bike in the first place.

And the key advice for motorcyclists? Look high, raise your gaze, whatever you want to call it, but look ahead, not just at the road immediately in front of you. “We want to change the DVSA training to take account of this. Novice riders tend to focus on what’s immediately in front of them, but we need to look ahead at what’s coming. Balance is also better if you look up and forward.

“We’d like to see all these findings applied to DVSA training,” says Shel. “It doesn’t take an advanced rider to do this – it just needs a couple of pages devoted to forward observation in the DVSA manual and in lessons while training. There has only been one other study on this (in the US) and it was found that after this training was applied to novices, their gaze did go up and forward. While we’re at it, I’d like to have a couple of pages in the DVSA manual about group riding – let’s face it, motorcyclists are social beasts and the vast majority of riding is social.”

The good news is that Shel has spoken to the Chief Examiner of DVSA who has said he is open to these changes, but wants to see the evidence. That should come when this research project is finished early next year. “We’re quietly confident,” says Shel Smith, “that this will happen. We don’t want to beat people with this data; we want to work with them, equipping riders with the training they need to avoid problems.”

Assen by 125

Two-up on a 125cc Honda PCX to watch World Superbikes

Words and Pics: David Kershaw

There it was laid out before us, the Assen circuit, ‘The Cathedral of Speed’. We removed our helmets and were instantly immersed in the atmosphere. The sounds and smells of our first international race. We had watched the World Superbikes on TV, but being there in person was something else – and we’d ridden here on a 125.

The trip to the ferry, border control and the overnight ferry from Newcastle were uneventful, save for the fact that the staff will not touch your bike and will not help you secure your pride and joy. Once in the Netherlands, I found it better to ride using the wind rather than by map. Just keep heading into the wind and you are going in the right direction – all roads seem to head to Amsterdam anyway. People are lovely and polite, fuel is quite pricey, food delicious and not everywhere accepts Visa. But it’s flat, the surfaces are wonderful and the speed limits are perfect for a 125.

We cantered to the nearest entrance and caught our first real look at the bikes exiting the final chicane before the start/finish straight – it felt like we could literally touch them. We thought it couldn’t get any better, but then it did. It turned out that my wife’s employer, Medallia, sponsors Jonathan Rea, so we had a special welcome from the Kawasaki Racing Team. We toured the pit lane, were shown around the pit box and spoke to Jonathan before seeing him take his 100th win for Kawasaki. In fact, it was inspiring to see how the riders reacted to the race fans, giving them time and attention.

Top Left: Left to right: Alex Lowes, Jonathan Rea, Samantha, Above: David hobnobbed with racers in the paddock – Alex Lowes here Left: PCX proved capable of the two-up trip to Assen

As the final curtain fell on a magnificent Assen weekend, Samantha and I reflected on a wonderful journey. Not only had we seen some great racing up close, but our faithful Honda PCX had taken us the 185 miles there, into the wind, at 92.4mpg, and that was riding at national speed limits. Now, Honda PCXs are packaged as commuter bikes, and yes there are limitations to two-up touring over long distances. Wind and steep inclines do reduce speed, but not to the extent that you become dangerous. Yes, you have to think ahead, and you can forget an A-road overtake much above 50mph. Nor are you likely to have people flock across the car park to remark on your, “wicked ride, man.”

But surely touring is about just that…touring? Soaking up the sights, taking the longer route due to the superb fuel economy, integrating with the country and not seeing everything in a blur. All right, I would like adjustable rear shocks and the seat does become tiresome two up, but for people wanting to tour on a budget, take in the country and not cost the earth… well you decide. No matter what you ride, be it 125cc or 1250cc, the main thing is to keep riding. As I said before. Throw on a rucksack and expand your horizons.

Adapt & Ride

The phrase ‘life changing injuries’ usually tells a sad story (to put it mildly), but for Talan SkeelPiggins, it’s been a tale of grit, determination and sheer achievement, coming back from a serious motorcycle accident to ski, sail and ride a bike. Not only that, but he started The Bike Experience, which has enabled disabled motorcyclists to ride a bike again.

The ex-naval officer was already a high achiever, captain of the RN Ski Team, and a PE teacher looking forward to a career in physical education. Then in March 2003, riding his bike to a rugby match, the car in front stopped suddenly, Talan slid off onto the other side of the road and was run over by an oncoming car. He suffered catastrophic spinal cord injuries leaving him paralysed from the mid-chest down. Imagine the blow, if your life is built around physical activity and achievement.

Then just ten days after the crash, Talan met a guy who had been in a wheelchair for five years, who told him that it was possible for a paraplegic to ski. Within a couple of days, he had decided he would not only get back to skiing but compete for Britain in the Paralympics. And he did just that, using a special sit ski that enabled him to steer leaning his whole body. Talan ended up as European Champion, going on to teach other paraplegic skiers.

But he needed another goal, and this time it was to get back on a motorcycle – not a trike or sidecar outfit, but a two-wheeler. “Some people like trikes, and that’s great,” Talan told me, “but I wanted the freedom, the movement of a bike. Wheeling yourself around in a wheelchair you're completely upright; that's your life. I really missed that flowing movement through corners. Being paralysed from the armpits down, I don't have any stomach muscle power, so on a trike the lateral forces make your upper body slump to one side, but on a bike, the forces push you down into the bike – so I can corner as fast as I want, and once you're moving it's fine.”

Practicalities

That’s all very well, but how does it work out in practice? “The first problem is staying on the bike,” says Talan. I’ve fitted cycle toeclips to the footpegs – the pegs take the weight, and the clips with Velcro straps keep the feet in place, while my legs are strapped in, with Velcro on the knee sliders, otherwise they would flap about. To change gear, there’s a thumb-operated Kliktronic solenoid, which has no finesse but works and for track days that’s all I need. For racing, you have to have two operational brakes so I have a thumb rear brake as well.”

Once on the bike and moving, he can ride, steer and bank round corners like anyone else, but the tricky bit, when you can’t put your feet down, is stopping and starting. “Basically I have two helpers. The bike is on a paddock stand and I wheelchair up beside it before being lifted on and strapped in. Then one helper holds the front of the bike and the other removes the paddock stand and holds the rear; I start the bike, put it in gear, the front helper

The bike experience enables disabled people to get back on a motorbike, but it needs help

Words: Peter Henshaw Pictures: Talan Skeel-Piggins

stands to one side and I ride off. It sounds difficult but it’s really quite easy, just like pulling away from the lights, but you do just have to make sure you don’t stall, because if the bike stops you fall off. And you have to really trust your two helpers, who have to be in place to catch you when you come back in.”

Otherwise, Talan on a bike looks indistinguishable from anyone else enjoying a trackday or racing. If there’s an incident out on the track and he just has to stop, it’s clutch in and drift over to a gentle stop, leaning on the armco. If that’s not possible, he looks for a patch of grass and does a planned topple off at subwalking pace. “But not on gravel, because it hurts and, more to the point, damages the bike.” None of which has stopped Talan racing all over the world, winning the 600cc World Championship (Paralysed category) twice with podium finishes in open races.

The bike experience

All good stuff, but Talan knew that there are other paraplegics, ex-motorcyclists, who wanted to get back on a bike again. So he set up The Bike Experience as a charity to make this possible. Sponsorship from Awards for All and Bennetts Insurance helped cover the considerable costs such as public liability insurance and hiring a venue – all the riders had to do was bring themselves, two helpers and their kit. As The Bike Experience grew, it was able to provide kit and helpers, while a fleet of six adapted bikes was built up. There’s a 125cc Honda Varadero (with legs linked to the suspension to keep it upright), two autotransmission Aprilia Manas, two SV650s and a Suzuki GSF, so plenty of variety.

“Riders who turned up to do this were often very scared,” says Talan, “with their self-belief down to zero. But by the end of the day they would discover that they could ride a bike and their confidence would skyrocket. It's very rewarding for the volunteers as well as me, and makes up for all that time spent organising everything.” Some riders went on to do track days and others to race – Andy Houghton learnt to ride again with The Bike Experience and now races an S1000RR.

But then Covid came along. “That really threw a

Left and above: Two helpers hold the bike upright until the rider is ready to take off - it's simple but effective

Bottom: Talan's race bike - he's won the 600cc world Championship (Paralysed class) twice

spanner in the works, because all charity funding was channelled towards Covid – everything else just dried up.” The plain truth is that The Bike Experience, which did such good work pre-Covid and went into hibernation through the lockdowns, is now finding it difficult to restart – it may even have to shut up shop altogether.

“It all comes down to money,” says Talan. “All told, the running costs come to about £25,000 a year to include insurance, the venues, servicing the bikes, tyres and fuel. Nobody gets paid, including me.” In the meantime, all the bikes, kit and trailer have to be stored, which costs £650 a month, something Talan is currently funding out of his own pocket.

So what’s the future for The Bike Experience? “If by September we don’t have any new funding come forward,” says Talan, "I may have to dissolve the charity.” Which would be a great shame, because it has clearly done great work in getting disabled riders back onto bikes and rebuilding their self-confidence, not just in motorcycling, but life in general. Let’s hope that those adapted bikes, plus the sheer motivation of Talan Skeel-Piggins, can be put to work again.

want to see The bike experience?

You can see The Bike Experience in action at the British Motor Show at Farnborough, 18th-21st August 2022.

S PORT FOR A LL

Thorneycroft – the BMF’s Legal Line solicitors – support motorcycle sport…in all its forms

Words: Mary Lomas

Thorneycroft solicitors are proud to support the motorbike community and in particular the racing community in all its guises. Those of you who follow us will know that we sponsor Christian Iddon who races in British Superbikes and this year has a ride with the Buildbase Suzuki Team. Christian is a pleasure to sponsor and is very supportive of our Bike Safety campaigns.

Sticking with the BSB theme we sponsor Bradley Wilson, a racer himself, who runs team Thorneycroft 56, with three riders in the Honda British Talent Cup. One has come over from America to experience the special atmosphere of the British Superbikes circuits. Look out for the team if you go to BSB – they have very distinctive flashes of Thorneycroft Pink!

We believe that it is important to support young talent, to help nurture the future of the sport. There is no doubt that bike racing is an expensive hobby/occupation, but these young people show immense commitment, focus and drive. It is vital that they are encouraged to help the sport grow and develop.

Thorneycroft also sponsor Belle Vue Speedway and in particular the younger riders there. It’s surprising how many motorcyclists went to the speedway when they were younger but haven’t been back. Manchester Speedway is the best stadium in the country and makes a fabulous night out. The track provides excellent racing, the races are fast and exciting, and some of the best riders in the world take part. It really is worth a visit, and we can guarantee you will be hooked.

Belle Vue do their very best to nurture young talent and they also have the Colts team to bring young riders on. They do not shy away from helping local youngsters to keep them off the streets, and the dedication and commitment of these young people should be commended.

Related to speedway we also support local club Cheshire Grass Track. Grass track is exciting, racing stripped down to the basics, and the riders show no fear – sidecar grass track is something else.... Cheshire are holding a sand track event at St Anne’s Beach, Flyde on 17th September, with special permission from Flyde Council. If you fancy some fish and chips and racing by the sea, make sure you check it out.

As specialist motorbike solicitors we understand the passion riders have about bikes. We are keen advocates of motorcycle safety, but while we encourage you to take every precaution on the road, we recommend taking a look at some of the sports mentioned here. Why not try out a track day, which includes Belle Vue Speedway, where you can try racing without brakes!

Remember, if you do have a collision on the road that wasn’t your fault, give us a call on the dedicated BMF Legal Line and we will help and support you through your claim. We make sure you get the best possible care and attention. You don’t have to use the solicitors your insurers tell you to use – make sure you use a motorbike specialist who are as passionate about bikes as you are.

MZ T WO -S TROKES

In the late 1970s and 1980s, when 750, 900 and 1000cc fours became mainstream and sports bikes (race replicas as they were called) dominated the sales charts, one idiosyncratic motorcycle was apparently out of tune with the times. Yet it sold in big numbers and had surprisingly positive write-ups in an increasingly sports bike obsessed UK press.

What else but the MZ. Idiosyncratic yes, not to mention weird looking (ugly, some would say) and unashamedly utilitarian. It stuck with four speeds, drum brakes and pre-mix oiling long after the Japanese equivalents had all forged ahead into a more sophisticated future and was tuned for reliability rather than speed.

But the MZ 125, 150 and 250 two-strokes were cheap, costing between half and two-thirds as much as a Japanese 125 or 250. Better still, they were solid, well-made bikes with lots of highquality alloy parts, decent paint and practical touches like fork gaiters and a fully-enclosed drive chain. For all these reasons, and despite being seemingly outclassed, they sold well, securing a niche in the UK market for a simple, reliable bike.

And for all the same reasons, MZs make for a good affordable classic today. There are plenty around, partly because MZ made legions of the things – quarter of a million ES125s/250s, 140,000 Supa 5s – and also because their good-build quality means they’ve survived well into the bargain. In 125, 150 and especially 250cc form, they’re easily fast enough to keep up with modern traffic – I once did Lands End to John o’Groats with a group of low-powered bikes and the MZs had no problem. One nice thing about the 250 is that top gear (whether four- or five-speed) is relatively high, so it lopes along at 50-60mph quite happily – these are not peaky, picky two-strokes.

Maximum MZ street cred comes with the early models, complete with Earles forks and absolutely no concessions to Western capitalist excess. These look like nothing else and proudly wear their Eastern Bloc ethic. The later ES then TS bikes were the start of a compromise, with telescopic forks and slightly less voluminous mudguards, though sticking with pre-mix lubrication and six-volt electrics. The five-speed Supa5 250 was especially popular. But the

Above: east German affordable classic? You could do worse Right: Measuring out two-stroke oil, just part of the MZ experience

Above Left: early MZs have a certain Communist chic

Above: MZs make great workhorses - this one did Lands end to John ‘o Groats

Great Leap Forward came with the ETZ series in 1983, sporting 12 volts, a Mikuni oil pump and (for the 250s) a very effective front disc brake. A 300cc version followed (with little more power but a bit more torque) before production moved to Kanuni in Turkey. It’s thought that the MZ two-strokes finally ceased production in the early 2000s.

What’s your Affordable Classic?

Do you own a bike more than 25 years old and generally available used for less than £3000? Tell us about it in 500 words (with a few high resolution pictures) and send to:

editor@bmf.co.uk

There are plenty of other things to recommend the MZ as an affordable classic. Prices are still reasonable, with £1000-£1500 buying a thoroughly rideable, useable example, which in classic terms these days is pretty cheap. Plus being small bikes they are cheap to run into the bargain. The MZ Riders Club is excellent – friendly, active and knowledgeable – and the spares back up is very good. If you want a simple, useable classic which won’t break the bank, you could do a lot worse.

H ILL C OUNTRY

Trough of bowland and the best of east lancs

– PeTeR laidlaw

Ilive in East Lancashire, an area some (uninformed folk, I’d say) see as a previously active industrial area which is now in decline – dark satanic mills country. It’s true that East Lancs saw massive development in the industrial revolution and I remember that pollution in the 1960s could be horrific compared to today’s standards.

Top: Looking east from Pendle

Top right: Newton in Bowland, and a great day out

Above: Twisty down to Grindleton

Below: River Hodder at Slaidburn

Despite which, one is never far from green spaces because of the hills and surrounding moorland always offering an escape. To a certain extent this is true today even though the built environment has changed a lot. This day ride is a celebration of what is good about the Lancashire countryside and its hills. Back in 1999 I was involved in a tourism initiative and used this same run to show visitors the area.

ridden so far. Then we’re through Whitewell (famous as one of HM Queen’s favourite places), to the same road to Dunsop Bridge where we take the B road for Slaidburn.

what’s your favourite day ride? Tell us about it in 500 words with a few pictures (high resolution please). You could see it later in Motorcycle Rider and receive a bMF gift! Send to: editor@bmf.co.uk

Starting in Burnley (though this is a circular route that could be started anywhere), it’s not far to Whalley where we turn left to Mitton and then to Chipping through the farmland of the Ribble valley after the confluence of the rivers Hodder, Calder and Ribble. From Chipping a small road bypasses Whitewell, climbing over Greystoneley to join the road to Dunsop Bridge. The phone box, at the foot of the Trough of Bowland, is listed as the geographical centre of Britain. Mind the ducks! We carry on through the village and follow the road to Newton and then Slaidburn. For even better views, there is an alternative route from Whalley to Longridge and then over Longridge Fell from where you can see the route we’ve

Slaidburn, on the B6478, has a brilliant little tea shop and dedicated bike parking next to the village green and river. After tea, take a steep incline out of the village and a right turn towards Chatburn giving another viewpoint of the Ribble Valley with Pendle Hill in the background. Down the hill through Chatburn and continuing south now through Downham, again minding the ducks, we skirt the east side of Pendle Hill through Barley and Newchurch. This is where the 1612 witch trials took place, but that doesn’t stop us riding on to Fence and the A6068, turning left to Barrowford and Colne. This is a built-up section and timing is important to miss heavy traffic at work and school times, but the 30 limits are soon over and from Colne we take the road to Trawden, turning right at the church over the ridge above Nelson to Catlow, then left to Catlow Bottoms to Widdop. Past the reservoirs down Hebden Water valley but not quite to Hebden Bridge where we can turn right at Slack, high over the valley containing Todmorden. Then it’s past the wind farm on the Long Causeway and back to Burnley.

There has been a little excursion into Yorkshire here but this can be forgiven for the fantastic views and hills in this part of the world – the hills and moors of East Lancs.

BOOK REVIEW

The Complete book of ducati Motorcycles

The strapline for this 280-page tome is ‘Every model since 1946,’ and that’s really all you need to know. Ian Falloon’s latest Ducati title (and he has written a few) is an updated second edition and covers every single Ducati model ever made, from the very first Cucciolo T1 (a bolt-on engine for cyclemotors) to the 2022 Panigale V4 and the DesertX.

What it doesn’t do is give an in-depth assessment of milestone bikes like the first desmo L-twin or the 916, nor Ducati’s troubled corporate background, the brushes with bankruptcy and changes of ownership. Instead, it’s a proper gazeteer of all the Ducatis large and small – once you’ve looked up your favourite of the lot, you’ll get a lot of pleasure browsing through and reading about the others, with pictures and specs on most of them.

Hate to use a book reviewer’s cliché, but this one’s a must for Ducati fans.

MEMBERS

B IKER D OWN

Biker Down is the UK Fire Service’s response to a safety concern we identified amongst motorcyclists. Namely that they often ride in groups and so the first person ‘on scene’ at a motorcycle incident is often another biker. But with little knowledge of accident scene management and basic first aid skills, they may find themselves struggling to cope until the emergency services arrive.

In 2010 I witnessed a motorcycle accident whilst off duty – I am a crew manager of the fire bike team at Kent Fire and Rescue Service – and used my own training as a firefighter to assist at the scene. On reflection, I realised the skills and knowledge I had could benefit fellow bikers. The Biker Down scheme was born and I delivered the first course in August 2011 at Ashford Fire Station in Kent.

The course is endorsed by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) as one of their recognised Road Safety Strategies and is the main initiative for their prevention work targeting bikers. Since 2011, the course has also been a focus for fire and rescue services across the UK and is delivered free to the public.

One of the challenging issues trainers and safety advisors face is changing people’s behaviour – experience shows that motorcyclists and drivers are particularly difficult to influence in this area. Shock tactics may work for some, but with the high number of fatalities and casualties involving motorcyclists on our roads, NFCC recognises that an educational approach is needed.

Biker Down is designed to support other training available, something demonstrated in several of the Police Bike Safe courses around the UK where Biker Down is being incorporated in the syllabus. It has also been partnered with the DocBike Scheme, where staff and volunteers from DocBike are now also assisting in the delivery in conjunction with their own work towards motorcycle safety.

Consisting of three modules over a session lasting three to four hours, Biker Down offers people the ability to train in essential life skills and knowledge based on operational firefighter training. This helps them to cope should they encounter or be involved in a road traffic collision, rather than just give them information on the consequences of crashing.

Biker Down believes this will bring about a greater sense of responsibility when out on the road and hopefully a change in attitude that will keep bikers safer, both in their riding technique and how they react at the roadside.

The course is free to bikers of all ages and abilities so that there is no financial barrier to taking part. Specifically, the course includes the very latest advice surrounding the thorny issue of helmet removal.

JiM SandeRSOn, founder of biker down, explains how this free ‘scene of accident’ course works

Above: Liveried-up bikes match the fire engine to get the message across

Below: L to R: Jim, Prince Michael of Kent and Lawrence Pater

Below right: Have they seen you?

Module One – Incident Scene Management, is presented by a firefighter and explores how we ensure the safety of a fallen rider and anyone else involved in offering first aid, as well as advice on alerting the emergency services.

Module Two – Casualty Care, deals specifically with motorcycle-related first aid including typical trauma and mechanism of injury, dealing with major bleeds and basic life support, CPR, managing spinal injuries and crash helmet removal.

Module Three – The Thinking Biker, looks at the way the brain interprets data sent by the eye so that what’s visible isn’t always seen, examining phenomena such as motion camouflage, saccadic masking and looming, and offers some positive advice on how to make the most of our chances of being seen. It’s presented in the form of a film, ‘The Thinking Biker,’ and further illustrated by graphics used during subsequent group discussion. Biker Down puts the point over that hi-vis clothing, daytime riding lights and retro-reflective materials don’t guarantee we’ll be seen by other road users. It highlights that a biker’s best defence is assuming that he/she might not be seen and riding accordingly!

The course is highly interactive with plenty of lively discussion and questions, plus the hands-on experience of the first aid module. At the end of the day, participants receive a certificate of attendance as well as an ‘aide memoire’ to help remember the content of the course, and a Medical Data Carrier for medical and emergency contact details to be attached to the rider’s helmet.

Fire bike and Biker Down teams across the UK have been delivering this course for 11 years now. It’s been run for motorcycle clubs and groups of all backgrounds, from Harley owners to track day addicts, advanced motorcyclists to patch clubs and the general public.

For the year 2016/17, 6,109 bikers attended the course, the last official stats we have pre-Covid. Since Covid the demand has been just as high, if not higher! We’ve had feedback from several people who’ve attended not just bike accidents, but also car crashes and even non-road related incidents and put their skills to good use.

Although started in Kent at a single fire station back in 2011, there are now over 45 Biker Down teams around the UK, mainly from fire and rescue services, but in some instances other road safety practitioners – two police forces have also started delivery in their areas. It is the main product that fire bike teams in the UK promote.

Biker Down was recognised at the Prince Michael of Kent International Road Safety Awards in December 2012 and went on to win a National Alarm Award in August 2013. As founder of the course, I was delighted in 2019 to be awarded the Ministry of Defence Road Safety Award for my work in training military instructors from all three services, to deliver Biker Down to their own staff.

For further information or to sign up for the course (open to anyone in or outside Kent) contact me by email at james. sanderson@kent.fire-uk.org or you can make contact via Facebook by searching Kent Fire Bike. For national enquiries look for the ‘Biker Down UK’ page, or the website at www.bikerdown.co.uk

dUC aT i

Owne RS ClU b G b

JOhn niChOlaS highlights dOC Gb, one of the oldest one-make bike clubs

Ducati owners have two big birthdays to look forward to, not only the 100th birthday of the company in 2026 but the 50th anniversary of Ducati Owners Club GB in 2024!

Ducati was founded by three brothers – Adriano, Bruno and Marcello plus father Antonio – in Bologna. Originally an electronics company, it did not start producing bikes until the beginning of the ‘50s, with the Cucciolo-based 55M. So successful was it that motorcycles soon became its main business.

Top

Top

Contact: www.docgb.org

Since then, Ducati has been owned by various companies (including Texas Pacific, Cagiva and Audi), but its ability to produce innovative and beautiful motorbikes remains undiminished. Evocative names such as Taglioni, Terblanche and Tamburini have produced stunning machines, enjoying great success on both road and track. Ducati is a storied part of motorsport history and legends such as Hailwood, Smart, Fogarty and Stoner have added huge amounts of silverware in both WSB and MotoGP.

Less than a quarter century after Ducati started making motorcycles, Steve Finch decided to start a club in Britain to share his passion with fellow owners. Within a few months a bimonthly magazine was added, and barely two years later, the club had swollen to 200+ members and had already organised a rally, a factory

tour and its very own race! Desmo, the club magazine, has been published ever since and is now sent out to over 2500 members.

The club went from strength to strength, becoming the official owners club for Great Britain (and arguably one of the biggest Ducati clubs in the world), all the while remaining essentially the same, a place for friendly people with a love for all things Ducati. Whether you cherish an old Bevel or a trackday-only Superleggera special, nobody is left out and all are welcome.

Rallies, show displays and branch-led meetups, ride-outs and tours are held throughout the year, all over the country. There are 34 branches so there is most likely something happening near you – do come along; you’ll get a very friendly welcome and the chance to see what we do.

Along with in-person activities, the club has a wide range of services for members, such as a members-only website, forum, DVLA machine dating, tool hire (for those hard-to-find items you’re never going to use more than once), technical advice, access to technical literature and our archive of parts books and manuals. You get discounts on insurance, at dealerships, on Ducati Riding Experiences, the club’s very own merchandise and free factory tours. Possibly the most popular benefit remains the magazine, still produced six times a year – it’s a full colour treasure trove of news, reviews, trips, articles, opinions, advice and assistance. Check the club out on our website (www. docgb.org) and social media to find out more about us. And if that whets your appetite, come and see us. We would love to see you out there in 2022!

Promote your Club!

Want your club to be profiled on these pages? Email us: editor@bmf.co.uk

BIKESURE AMBASSADOR USER NAMEKATE

REVEALS HER TOP 3 SUPERBIKES

Motorcycle blogger and Bikesure ambassador UsernameKate, AKA Kate Ralph, works for BMW and gets access to some of the best bikes money can buy. Here she provides the lowdown on her favourite three superbikes.

1. Ducati Panigale 1299 S Anniversario

I think I need to kick this list off with a little spice, a little Italian exotica, which leads me to the Ducati Panigale 1299 S Anniversario.

The first in my list of my top three superbikes has to be a motorcycle I saw for the first time while working at my local Ducati franchise. It was here I first saw the Ducati Panigale 1299 S Anniversario in all its glory. This magnificent machine was produced in 2016 as a limited edition model with only 500 produced worldwide.

Something about this bike made me fall in love! A Panigale is a piece of art as it is, but the black, red and white body work combined with the light gold wheels and Akrapovic underslung exhaust totally enamoured me.

2. BMW M1000RR Competition Package

As a frequent rider of the newest generation S1000RR, I think BMW stepped it up a level when they launched the M1000RR. Although these bikes aren’t limited in number, there is something spectacular about them.

There are many things I love about the M1000RR Competition Package. I love the way its carbon glistens under showroom lights, its aggressive looking wings, its bold and obnoxious

asymmetrical colour scheme and of course, its uprated titanium internals give it more power, more torque and of course, less weight.

3. Suzuki Team Classic RG500

Despite the Suzuki Team Classics RG500 being around 35-years-old, it’s still considered an absolute force to be reckoned with.

We managed to see an appearance of this bike in 2018 and 2019 at the Isle of Man Classic TT where it was ridden by racer Danny Webb.

Unfortunately, after a blown head gasket, the bike had to retire early, but that’s not before capturing some on-board footage from the laps it managed. Watching that footage gets the blood pumping, there is nothing like the manic screams of a two stroke revving its knackers off!

I also think the Team Classic livery is one of the most timeless colour schemes going and it inspired the paint work on my own Suzuki GSXR 750 track bike.

Looking for motorbike insurance?

Bikesure administers the British Motorcyclists Federation insurance scheme and are more than happy to help BMF find you affordable, tailored motorcycle cover whether you ride a superbike or something a little more run of the mill. We can provide great rates for track days too. Call 0800 587 2955 for a free, no obligation, quote.

BMF AGM N OTICE

Make a date – 8th October 2022 – the BMF AGM online

Notice is hereby given that the 2022 Annual General Meeting of the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) will take place on Saturday 8th October 2022 at 10am. The meeting will be held virtually using electronic meeting software. Please note that any and all updates will be via the BMF website.

All full and affiliate members of the BMF are cordially invited to register their intention to take part in the AGM. Voting rights of those taking part are set out in Section 6 of the BMF Constitution. Registration of your intention to attend will be through BMF membership administration – contact admin@bmf.co.uk. Please take the opportunity to update your details as soon as possible. All future communications regarding the AGM (including the issuing of all papers and documents for the AGM) will be through the BMF membership database. It is important that we have the most up-to-date contact information for you.

Business of the AGM shall include:

(a) Consider the appointment of Patron, President, Vice Presidents and honorary members

(b) Elect the Chairman

(c) Elect members of the Management Team (MT)

(d) Elect the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee

(e) Receive a progress report from each member of the MT, including a report from the Chairman on the state of the BMF

(f) Question members of the MT on the reports submitted in (e) above

(g) Receive financial reports including the annual audited accounts of British Motorcyclists Federation (Enterprises) Ltd

(h) Receive and approve the Action Plan

(i) Consider motions placed before it

(j) Alter, amend, rescind or add to the Constitution, Disciplinary Procedures and Standing Orders of the BMF

(k) Hear final appeals under the disciplinary procedure

(l) Ratify the election of BMF council members.

The AGM shall be the sole authority as to the interpretation of the Constitution of the BMF. Full details of the procedure for making a nomination or motion to the BMF AGM are contained in the BMF Constitution and Standing Orders.

See the website for a copy of the constitution. As the meeting will be a virtual meeting, you will need to

download and print copies of all papers that you will need for the AGM. If you do not have internet access or access to printing facilities, please contact the BMF office who will be able to send you paper copies of the documentation that you need.

You must be a current BMF or club member to take part in the AGM. If you are a voting representative of a club, please submit to the BMF office a letter from your Club Secretary showing that you have been appointed to represent the club. It would be helpful if that letter could be sent to the office at least two weeks before the AGM (ie by 24th September 2022) so that appropriate steps can be taken to deal with the letter.

This notice is hereby given on the 8th day of June 2022. Jim Freeman, Chair, BMF Register to attend the AGM – admin@bmf.co.uk

bMF annual Regional Meetings

Region 1: 25th June at 11am Chalmers Hall, Linlithgow Bridge, Linlithgow EH49 7PR

Region 7: 26th June at 2pm Woodbridge Inn, North Newton, Pewsey, SN96JZ

Regions 5 and 6: 2nd July at 10am - ONLINE

Region 8: 2nd July at 11am Lion Royal Hotel, Rhyader Regions 3 and 4: 9th July at 10am - ONLINE

Region 9: 9th July at 12 midday Carnforth Railway Heritage Centre, Carnforth Station

Region 2: 10th July at 11am Manor Café, Banbridge, N. Yorkshire

NAOMC: 23rd July at 10am - ONLINE

If your region is not mentioned here, please check the BMF website.

Anyone who wishes to put themselves forward, who is not already either a Regional Chair or Councillor, should apply for an official nomination form from admin@bmf.co.uk All nomination forms should be returned to admin@bmf.co.uk at least six weeks before the AGM ie by 27th August 2022.

dO wn YOUR waY

ALL THE BMF cOnTAcTS yOU nEEd

REGION 1 – SCOTLAND

Regional Chair - Tom Duncan, 01506 842131, 07887 835321, tom@tomduncan.co.uk

aYRShiRe - Pauline Speirs, 01560 321791, fastrakscotland@aol.com

GlaSGOw - Nick Elliott, 01416 379305, drnickelliott@gmail.com

REGION 2 – NORTH EAST

binGleY - John lancaster, 01274 560174, john-lancaster@sky.com

Tina walker, 01377 217242

REGION 3 – MIDLANDS

COVenTRY and weST MidlandS

John Nelson, jsnlsn@btinternet.com

waRwiCkShiRe - Mark Lunt, 07767 870117, mark.a.lunt@gmail.com nOTTinGhaMShiRe Jerry Hough, 07825 997969, jerry. hough@mail.com

heReFORd and wORCeSTeR Frank Whittaker, 01531 635843, frankwhittaker62@gmail.com

ShROPShiRe -James Ellerby, jamesellerby@btinternet.com

REGION 4 – EAST ENGLAND

CaMbRidGeShiRe

Tim Flinders, 01223 212721

REGION 5 – LONDON

Contact - Anna Zee, anna.zee@bmf.co.uk

Councillor - Jim Freeman, jim.freeman@bmf.co.uk

SOUTh lOndOn Charles Deakin Deakie57@live.co.uk 07951 978 283

REGION 6 – SOUTH EAST

beRkShiRe - John Ward, 01344 428667, 07880 645970, john.c.ward@hotmail.co.uk

haMPShiRe - Ian Hammond, 07989 531121 iphamonda@googlemail.com

kenT - Mike Gallafent, 01322 400775, 07503 165035, michaelgallafent@yahoo.co.uk

OxFORdShiRe - Hugh Jaeger, 01865 554814, 07762 093310, hugh_jaeger@hotmail.com

SUSSex - Mark O’Dwyer 07824 554 927 Markodwyer67@gmail.com

REGION 7 – SOUTH WEST

Regional Chair - Jim Peel-Cross, 01249 819671, 07470 899546, jimpcross@hotmail.co.uk

baTh - Carenza Ellery, 01225 835599, 07962 076370 (text preferred) cbx550mini@gmail.com

CORnwall - Tiffany Coates, 07805 078062, tiffanycoates@hotmail.com

weST SOMeRSeT - Brian Cox, 07498 300504, briancox1965@gmail.com

weST wilTShiRe Les Simper, 07789 354371, SOUTh wilTShiRe Roger Stone, 01264 398134 07928 822671, r.stone703@ntlworld.com

REGION 8 – WALES

Central wales area Representative - Phil Harries, 07968 168486, dpharries1@aol.com

REGION 9 – NORTH WEST

Regional Chair - Peter Laidlaw, 01282 776336, 07939 260524, peter.laidlaw@bmf.co.uk

numbered Regions

Rep/Councillor - Dave Barton, 01772 455018, 07971 519004, bmf_r9@notrab.co.uk

Councillor - Mick Gibbons, 07940 816492, mick.gibbonsindarwen@ googlemail.com

CheShiRe - Jim Bradburn, 01606 836782 jimbradburn@hotmail.co.uk

CUMbRia

David Kershaw david.kershaw@bmf.co.uk 01697 742 201

eaST lanCaShiRe Mick Gibbons, 07940 816492, mick.gibbonsindarwen@ googlemail.com Steven bartley, 01254 278187 ste.bartley@googlemail.com

REGION 10 - NORTHERN IRELAND

Regional Chair

Howard Anderson, 07918 903497, howand@hotmail.co.uk

USEFUL CONTACTS

Jim Freeman, BMF chair

jim.freeman@bmf.co.uk

CO. anTRiM

David Gillespie (club liaison) 02893 350495, 07882 525777 gwocni@hotmail.com

NATIONAL AND ONE-MAKE CLUBS FORUM (NAOMC)

Chair Stephen Davenport stephendavenport98@me.com

deputy Chair

Jacqueline Bickerstaff, 01327 705258 jacqueline.bickerstaff@btinternet. com

Secretary - John Gardner, 01695 622792, john.gardner119@gmail.com

Sheonagh Ravensdale, communications director sheonagh.ravensdale@bmf.co.uk

Peter Laidlaw, director of member services peter.laidlaw@bmf.co.uk

Howard Anderson, finance director howand@hotmail.com

Anna Zee, political & technical services director anna.zee@bmf.co.uk

emily Rochester, Government relations exec emily.rochester@bmf.co.uk

Cheryl McMonnies, membership secretary membership@bmf.co.uk 0116 2795 112

Helen Hancock, admin & anything! admin@bmf.co.uk 07918 903 500

MORE BMF REPS NEEDED!

If your county is not listed and you would like to be a BMF rep, we would love to hear from you - please email admin@bmf.co.uk

WRONG NUMBER?

If these aren’t the right contact details, let us know at admin@bmf.co.uk and we’ll put it right.

For every policy sold the federation gets a contribution which ensures it can continue to campaign on your behalf on the issues that really matter to

BMF Insurance is designed with riders like you in mind. We know bikes and we know bikers and we have the expertise to provide a competitive insurance quote that is truly reflective of your insurance needs. We want you on the road as much as you want you on the road, so we’ll do all we can to get you a deal with better cover at a better price.

But the best thing of all, your policy will be underwritten by Bikesure who have been leading the field in the motorcycle insurance business for more than 30 years.

Motorcycle Funerals ltd

Motorcycle Funerals we create an alternative send off for your Special Someone. Our fleet serves England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and includes Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Isle of Wight, regardless of weather, we will be there in rain or snow, with our weatherproof sidecar hearses, as we have for 20 years. Even during the current pandemic, we have strived for funeral service excellence and travelled across the UK to make sure everyone has a safe, celebrated and dignified final journey.