BMF RIDER SUMMER 2023

Motorcycle

rider no. 100 SUMMER 2023 £4.95

100th Issue!

Taxi!

Motorcycle Life in Tanzania

PLUS

| Re-making the Honda Six | Summer of ’72 - MOTORCYCLE RIDER No1

| Nepal Adventure | Summer Events | Training Taster www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

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no. 100 SUM

Mer 2023 £4.9

Motorcycle

rider

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100th ISSUe!

axi!

T Motorcycle Life in Tanzania

Honda Six | Re-making the E RIDER No1 - MOTORCYCL | Summer of ’72 ining Taster Tra | nts Eve r ure | Summe | Nepal Advent

CONTENTS

PlUS www.brit

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cyclists.c

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Cover Picture: The women of MJ Piki are educating taxi riders in Tanzania. Photo: kathietiffanyphotography.com MOTORCYCLE RIDER IS PUBLISHED BY THE BRITISH MOTORCYCLISTS FEDERATION (ENTERPRISES) LIMITED Motorcycle Rider Editor | Peter Henshaw - editor@bmf.co.uk Designer | Louise Hillier - design@bmf.co.uk Advertising | Steve Gibbons - 07394 015726

steve.gibbons@bmf.co.uk

All BMF correspondence to: Helen Hancock Administrator BMF, PO Box 9036, Enderby Leicester, LE19 9BE Tel: 01162 795112 Mob: 07918 903 500 Email: admin@bmf.co.uk 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 ‘This is FSC & carbon FSC Carbon balanced certified paper Logo Balance and printed using vegan based environmentally Logo friendly inks’ Printed and distributed: Tewkesbury Printing

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04

NEWS Lobby Round Up

Anna Zee on how the BMF has been lobbying for riders’ rights

05

News

07

FEATURES Mark Williams

08

Photo Comp

10

Craig Carey-Clinch reports on meeting the Transport Minister

“It’s simple physics – the soft human body versus the hard, gravelly road surface…”

Your photos of bikes, roads and riders (some with four legs)

Motorcycle RIDER No1

It’s the summer of ’72, and the first issue of Motorcycle RIDER arrives with BMF members

14

18

24 25

31

My 1st Bike

32

Bikes for Good

22

RESOURCES Upcoming Events

Namaste Nepal

“...Riding in traffic is like a ninja filtering exercise...” – Kona, Major Ram, Kumar and assorted Brits tackle Nepalese roads

Honda Six

Amazing story. Recreating ten exact replicas of Honda’s legendary six-cylinder racer from the ‘60s

Club Profile

This time, it’s Medusa

Training Taster

Ever wanted to have a free try at Blue Riband?

29

See page 8

Day Ride

Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain and all that prehistoric jazz

In 1984, Suzuki’s XN85 was turbocharged, and it was Shenton’s first big bike Pikilily – training African taxibike riders, and keeping them safe

All the big events this summer

26

Regional Reps

28

Thorneycroft

30

Bikesure

35

AGM Notice

36

Down Your Way

Why you should be a BMF regional rep Advice from Thorneycroft Solicitors Bikesure's top six electric bikes Make a date – the BMF’s AGM is on 14th October BMF contacts in your area

Motorcycle R I D E R

1

From the Chair

100, not out D

ear Fellow Rider reader, Welcome to the Summer ’23 edition.

I’ve been guilty of not introducing the magazine’s content in previous issues, so this time let’s see what we’ve got in this our 100th issue. For me the first page I turn to is the inimitable Mark Williams; we’re lucky to have him. We thought that some readers would like to comment directly, so go to mark.williams@bmf. co.uk, and in fact while I’m here, can I suggest reading ‘Mark’s Sparks will fly’ blog https://markswill.wordpress.com where Mark talks about ‘Life, the universe and everything’.

We’ve got a real blast from the past with the original issue of Rider, 100 issues ago. In those days it was A5 format in B&W, with, dare I say it, a distinctly DIY feel to it. The names may be familiar to some of the older readers, like me: Bruce Preston, Chaz Deane, Bertie Goodman, the latter pictured with Miss Federation Linda Bick, captioned ‘enjoying the perks of the job’. 1972 was a different era, no question! Linda’s not only still with us, but has led a fascinating life since then, including some epic bike trips, long before everyone seemed to be doing them.

Talking of bike trips, Kona Macphee, BMF councillor for Scotland, went on a splendid group effort to Nepal riding Enfields, not the average holiday. We featured Claire Elsdon’s African adventure, unbelievably five years ago; we’ve an update on the social enterprise she set up, Pikilily, which is still extant.

For classic racing enthusiasts, we have the incredible Honda RC 174 replica story, 10 replicas of the original

6-cylinder racer created in a mind-blowing tribute to the original. It was possibly the clearest statement that Honda ever made, that they wanted to be the best, most creative, motorcycle manufacturer on the planet. Unless you’re MV Agusta, of course.

Turning to the BMF’s own events, the Dambuster Rally returns in August, with over 150 bookings as I write. The site has been reorganised somewhat, to allow for more people to attend, without overcrowding, with the numbers limited to 200. Which is my way of saying that if you want to go; when this hits the doormat, don’t delay, it may already be sold out! www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk/dambuster-rally The BMF events team, including Peter Laidlaw and Gary Wilkes, are working on some other event ideas, with updates to come. The first fruit of their endeavours is the Lucky Cup Rally at a very scenic venue in Cumbria, with more details in the events updates on pages 22-23.

Always check out the website and social media for the latest news.

The AGM, details in this issue, will be on 14th October.

Given that the AGM has to be run, we’ll be doing it like last year’s, on Zoom. On the subject of Zoom, we will be running Annual Regional meetings this year. Some will be held physically, others via Zoom. Again, updates on the website, at www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk Have a great summer, when it arrives, with sunshine and dry roads.

Stay safe, ride safe,

"Please join us as an individual member if you aren't already! Just point your phone at the QR code to go to the right spot on our website!"

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Motorcycle R I D E R

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Motorcycle R I D E R

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summer.

News

Lobby News Round Up Anna Zee, Political and Technical Services Director NNNPS & the Minister

N

ever heard of the NNNPS? It's not something I was aware of until last year.

NNNPS stands for ‘National Networks National Policy Statement.’ This snappily titled body defines its purpose as follows: “The NNNPS provides policy and guidance on matters such as good scheme design, transport decarbonisation, avoidance and mitigation of environmental effects and environmental enhancement.

In this way, both the National Planning Policy Framework and the NNNPS seek to achieve sustainable development, by ensuring the right infrastructure is delivered in the right place and at the right time to support sustainable growth, and it recognises that different approaches, interventions and measures will be necessary to achieve this. At a very high level, the objective of sustainable development can be summarised as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Yes, it's a pretty high-level policy document and a draft revision is out for consultation. Such expertise as I have is not sufficient to answer the consultation's actual questions but they will be getting a response from the BMF nonetheless. Why? Well, it’s a classic example of how some parts of our governmental system tries to ignore motorcycling in the vain hope that it will go away. The draft proposal manages to list three different forms of 'active travel' and even mentions horse riding twice but one 4

Motorcycle R I D E R

form of legitimate transport – motorcycling – is completely left out. This is not just ridiculous, it's outrageous. Note: the previous version of the NNNPS, from 2014, did mention motorcycles once; unfortunately only in a footnote to explain that the traffic counts in one of the graphs did not include motorcycles.

However, the timing of the NMC/BMF meeting with Minister Richard Holden was fortunate with respect to the NNNPS. It is actually part of his portfolio, so we raised the issue. He seemed reasonably receptive to the idea that motorcycling needs to be included as a matter of course in transport policy, and also accounted for in testing automated driving systems.

In fact, the Minister seemed keen to be seen to be delivering something and it was pointed out that improvements to CBT have been hanging fire for about five years; what is most needed is determination to get the changes into the parliamentary timetable.

For more details of the ministerial meeting see Craig's piece below.

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

Building Blocks

Craig Carey-Clinch Executive Director, National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) Road Safety Education Forum

A group in the Department for Transport (DfT) is working on guidance about road safety interventions, what works and what doesn’t. The Road Safety Framework is awaiting approval from ministers. I think the last update I had was that it might get published before the summer parliamentary recess.

Motorcycle Strategic Focus Group

This group was set up this year, headed up by Mark Winn of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). At the last meeting we were told that DVSA and DfT officials have discussed post-crash treatment with a couple of different groups – we expect updates on research to be provided. Other agenda items included a discussion on setting objectives and another on the gig economy. The latter proved sufficiently absorbing that a meeting on this issue will be held with nothing else on the agenda. Some concern was expressed that the experts on motorcycles and road design have now both retired, leaving a skills gap which needs to be filled.

National Highways (NH) Motorcycle Working Group

This group has restarted work. Previous work by an infrastructure subgroup resulted in improvements to the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB), particularly in inspection and maintenance manuals taking better account of motorcyclists' needs. One topic for the future will be the IHE (Institute of Highway Engineers) guidelines, which need to be updated. It is perhaps fortunate that there are a limited number of versions of guidance for infrastructure design for motorcycles and the TfL version was originally based on the IHE guidance in the first place.

And then there is the Manual for Streets, another authoritative publication in road safety circles. So I think there should perhaps be a wider discussion about what fits where.

Transport Focus Road User Panel

Transport Focus – the independent watchdog for transport users.

Transport Focus will be carrying out a full programme of surveys on user satisfaction this year. A survey done by IAMRoadSmart shows the cost of motoring is the number one concern, displacing potholes to second place. www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

2023

is proving to be a strange year. At least, it is in terms of the annual political cycle. Progress on several issues after the successful NMC/MCIA parliamentary reception in February gave way to a further hiatus in mainstream politics as winter turned to spring. With bank holidays in May extended by a further day due to the coronation, shortly followed by the national obsession that seems to be Eurovision, it seemed like nothing much was going on aside from political ‘silly season’ stuff such as who did what in relation to a speeding ticket, eclipsing much more fundamental issues for which politicians don’t seem to have answers.

It’s easy to get the sense that we are experiencing a government running out of steam and a resurgent opposition making the headlines. But even in such an environment it’s possible to make gains and commitments which can become cross-party as we move towards a general election. This was effectively how we managed to get all-round commitment in 1997 from the main parties to create a Government Motorcycling Strategy, which after a lot of work was published in 2005.

So the NMC is now working more regularly with the main opposition parties as they develop their transport policies, while continuing to build productive relations with the current administration. All positive stuff, but the backdrop of numerous stalled government consultations remain: anti-tampering, decarbonisation, the road safety strategy, the Traffic Regulation Order review, the Landscapes Review – all consultations that disappeared into the depth of DfT and DEFRA, with little progress since the consultation periods ended, in one case more than 18 months ago.

It was against this background that a group of us met Transport Minister Richard Holden MP. This session was attended by the BMF’s very own Anna Zee, IAM RoadSmart CEO Antony Kildare and Graeme Collins, the TRF’s CEO, with yours truly representing the NMC.

Making the Case

Holden was an interesting change from other holders of what is the roads and road safety brief at DfT. He was quick to acknowledge that he knew little about motorcycling issues and Motorcycle R I D E R

5

News expressed a willingness to consider how motorcycling could fit within transport policies. He agreed that further work on rider licensing, safety and various areas of regulation is needed and accepted that the practice overlooking or ignoring motorcycling in various policy initiatives deserves reconsideration.

The NMC team outlined how motorcycling represents an important area of transport, mainly focused around commuting and practical purposes, but with a strong leisure and organised sports contribution. The benefits of motorcycles as a key step towards decarbonisation was highlighted and the need to not apply a 'one size fits all' approach to different road users for phasing out fossil-fuelled vehicles, but instead to adopt a multitechnological approach.

Anna focused on the lack of motorcycling in wider transport policies, the need for emerging ‘smart’ roads and vehicle technologies, plus automated systems, to take motorcycles into account in both R&D and in practice. IAM RoadSmart raised the issue of research and advancements in PPE, making safer equipment more accessible through removing VAT, plus offering grants for certain items. The need for improved riding skills, particularly in the gig economy, was discussed, plus support for post-test training. The issue of potholes was also raised by IAM RoadSmart and the need for a long-term funding strategy to eliminate the backlog of road repairs. Motorcycle access to bus lanes, and the case for making this universal in all areas, was also raised, something that Mr Holden strongly agreed with. How that can be achieved, particularly by local authorities will be explored further.

The TRF focused on green roads matters, illustrating how riding unsealed highways is not just a leisure pursuit, but also

6

Motorcycle R I D E R

a key part of what can be described as ‘more active travel’ due to the health and mental wellbeing benefits that comes from riding green roads and green lanes. The TRF also raised the issue of the confusing patchwork of regulation and how a more commonsense approach to Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) needs to be established.

Open Minded?

Holden seems to have a genuinely open mind on these issues and committed the DfT to follow up work in several areas. So far, all good. But what happens once the meeting is out of the way and how do we bring what riders need to life as actual policies?

Holden’s admission that he knew little about motorcycling does in itself reflect poorly on DfT officials, who do not appear to have ever fully briefed him on the issues. This needs to be addressed.

But at least the building blocks are being put in place, with the NMC’s recent membership of the DfT Motorists Forum, a high level group of senior industry, road user groups and DfT officials at director level, chaired by ministers. Plus the new DfT/DVSA Motorcycle Strategy Group has recently commenced work and one of our key asks of Holden was for him to provide DfT officials with the tools and the mandate needed to develop the work of the Group, so that it can move towards creating strategic policies for motorcycling as part of transport policy overall.

Building Blocks

The same week as the Holden meeting saw a major international transport ministers’ conference held under the International Transport Forum banner, in Leipzig, but under the UK presidency.

The FIM sponsored this major event, which was attended by the international glitterati of transport policy influencers. A stand promoting motorcycling attracted a lot of interest, including from the UK’s Transport Secretary Mark Harper, who took time to discuss key motorcycling issues with the FIM team. There was also a motorcycle-focused fringe event, where the DfT had sent a director-level official to speak.

So despite what seems to be a very strange wider political environment and a sense that many in Whitehall seem to be waiting for the general election, the NMC continues to make political gains and several building blocks are being laid towards a better biking future in government policy.

Much remains to be done during what is likely to be a time of change in UK politics, but I am optimistic that with the range of skills and expertise among the NMC’s membership, we will be able to navigate that change and achieve the political recognition that motorcycling needs. www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

Unreliable Sauce / Mark Williams

CRASHINGLY OBLIVIOUS Mark Williams reckons the consequences of climate change are not all bad, or all good

A

s we look forward to another hot, climate-changed summer, and with both of my bikes taxed and running properly at last – oh the shame of it – I’ll be taking them in turns to get out there a few times a week... Assuming E10 is still on sale eight miles away.

But headlines recalled from last year have cast a pall over my reverie, for hot weather prompts a serious temptation to ride even more dangerously than normal because I tend to go faster to keep cool (really!). Then I remember the 42-year-old rider from Cardiff who came off his bike wearing shorts and flip-flops – yes, flip-flops – and spent several days receiving plastic surgery to re-build his left buttock.

As consultant surgeon Hywel Dafydd explained, “It’s simple physics – the soft human body versus the hard, gravelly road surface… Essentially what you get is an ‘abrasion’ – a bit like the graze you might get on your knee if you fell over running, but going at even 30mph the degree of tissue damage is many, many times worse – sometimes bone-deep (causing) lifelong scarring and damages everything in between, tendons and nerves.”

Well yes, I think that any half-sentient biker knows that if you have an ‘off’ on the road and you’re not wearing some sort of protective clothing you’re almost certain to sustain serious physical damage even if you don’t break any bones or worse still, buy the farm.

Yet back in the ’70s I was riding around London in flared jeans, jean jacket and Chelsea boots on a 135mph Laverda Jota, not much more when commuting to Wales, and even less whanging sans helmet round the California canyons on my CB750F. Yet even last summer I occasionally went out in shorts, T-shirt and an open face lid (though not flip-flops) because it was just too damn hot to wear anything more. And I subconsciously justified this because I wasn’t going for long rides – maybe just the eight miles to the nearest filling station! But as we all know, a lot can happen in eight miles and for that matter according to Statistics For Wales (which is my patch), 84% of all ‘bike accidents occur in fine weather’ and there were 232 serious injuries and 22 deaths here last year.

Which after I read that compelled me to make sure that like a sensible grown-up I wore my armoured Sinsalo jacket and new Knox reinforced jeans whenever I ventured out more seriously.

But then I came across a study – admittedly carried out in the USA – which claimed that motorcyclists over the age of 60 are, “three times more likely to be hospitalised after a crash than

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

younger bikers.”

Whilst comparative figures for the UK are unavailable, it would seem to be a global trend. In Australia for example, there was a 54% increase in fatalities amongst over-50s bikers, and an 80% increase in serious injuries, not least because as we age our reaction times and our bone strength and elasticity diminish – a fairly toxic combination.

Now this of course matters to all of us, because the active motorcycling population is ageing. A survey carried out amongst 4429 bike owners by Bridgestone revealed that almost a third of them were aged between 41 and 50, and quarter aged 51 or over. The DfT has no comparable statistics available but it’s pretty clear from a visit to any motorcycle event or biker cafe that the majority of us are older than we were 30 years ago. (I can’t find the source but also read somewhere that our average age has risen by 8% in the past ten years, which would seem about right).

Trying to wrestle those figures and anecdotal evidence to a coherent conclusion would be dubious, but as I’ve bleated here before it does seem to me that for motorcycling to survive, never mind prosper, we have to attract many more new, young riders and however well intentioned the MCIA, BMF, MAG etc might be, their efforts just aren’t really doing the business. And at up to a grand to train for and achieve a full licence, and the extortionate insurance premiums, you can understand why. So unless until we can find a way to entice a new generation away from their smartphones and X-boxes and onto two wheels, perhaps the best hope for our future is for old farts like me to buy a lot more safety clothing.

Motorcycle R I D E R

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✶ WINNER ✶ Left: Ah, the open road, in

this case the open road to Glencoe, taken in April 2023.

Photographer is Gary Robertson and the bike, if you can’t make it out from the shadow, is a Vespa GTS.

Win

a year's free BMF membership

The BMF Photo Comp

Above: Dan Wantall’s Ducati Scrambler in a suitably scrambly setting – on top of Devil's Dyke, East Sussex.

Below: Now that’s dramatic, but then Humy Zaman and his CCM GP450 were on an off-road trip in Oman.

V

ariety is what makes the BMF – ipso facto, variety does the same for our Photo Comp. So this time we’ve got scooters to massive V-twins and Goldwings; southern beaches to Glencoe; and a dog call Mr Finn...

Thanks to everyone who sent in photos and apologies to all those we didn’t have room for – do keep sending them in, as we’ve got another Photo Comp coming up in the Autumn issue of MOTORCYCLE RIDER and as ever, the winner receives a free 12-month membership of the BMF. And the subject? It could be anything motorcycle-related.

Twisty tarmac, beautiful scenery, the folk at your local bike night – anything, in fact, with a motorcycle theme. And remember, bikes are like small children – when taking pictures, crouch down to their level for a more intimate and impressive shot. The winner, plus the best selection of runners-up, will be printed in the next issue of Motorcycle RIDER. Send your photos to: editor@bmf.co.uk

8

Motorcycle R I D E R

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

Right: Victoria Bailey, mid-helmet adjustment, with her Honda CBR600RR. “After five years on a 125 and Covid delaying things I finally got round to obtaining my full licence last year – now into my second year with the CBR.”

Above: David

Below right: Nope,

Bunker didn’t

not a Harley, but Steve

take this picture

Boreham’s 15-year-

of him and Angie

old Suzuki VN1600,

Dickinson on his

captured in the “wilds of

2018 Goldwing –

Lincolnshire, somewhere

Biker Pics did – but

between Spalding,

it’s a happy snap

Bourne and Grantham.”

either way. Taken

Below: On the beach.

on the A158 Burgh

Frazer Andrews set up

road, just outside

this one of himself and

Skegness.

his Yamaha

Above right: A537

MT-07 at Avon Beach in

taken by Ian Shaw

Christchurch, Dorset, or is

Right: Still life.

it the Big Sur?

Danny Caulton took

Bottom right: Have

this picture recently

dog, will travel. Sefton

on a trip to Portugal

James and Mr Finn

with six fellow IAM

took a 1600-mile trip

members.

through the Lake District and around the Scottish

Left: Massimiliano

coastline. “Any bike is an

Pollice was on an epic

adventure bike,” writes

ride to Epping Forest

Sefton. Quite right too.

on his Yamaha XSR 125 when he took his snap – after three hours, he writes, he felt like some refreshment...

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

Motorcycle R I D E R

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RIDER No1 This is the 100th issue of MOTORCYCLE RIDER and to celebrate the fact, we’re highlighting MR No1 from June/July 1972

W

here were you in the summer of ’72? Decimalisation was a year old and the UK was a year away from joining the EEC (as it was then). Slade topped the charts, Space Hoppers and Raleigh Choppers were the height of playground cool, while flappy flares and frizzy hair were quite the thing. We still had a motorcycle industry, though BSA/Triumph were struggling, as was Norton – a merger of the two was just around the corner.

Meanwhile, if you had any connection with the BMF, 1972 was a milestone. Not only was the old club magazine ‘Unity’ replaced by the snazzier ‘MOTORCYCLE RIDER’, edited by the stalwart Bruce Preston but a Fighting Fund was established to turn the BMF into a professional organisation with a full-time secretary.

“After over ten years of sterling work for motorcycling the British Motorcyclists Federation are at the crossroads,” wrote Harrry Louis, Editor-in-Chief of Motor Cycle in an editorial. “The problem is that the necessary administration is too big a load for part-time volunteers and to carry on, a full-time secretary is essential...the appeal is out to all those who believe, as they surely must, that the BMF activities fill a need in motorcycling. Some 20,000 riders are represented by the Federation. That’s under 2% of the total in Britain, yet the Federation’s activities benefit us all.”

The aim was to raise £5000 – over £500 had already rolled in – and that the BMF would become self-supporting in two or three years. Did it work? Well, 51 years later, we’re still here...

Dear Sir....

MOTORCYCLE RIDER’S letters page was a bit of an eye opener.

Some folk had obviously been discussing when the new Norton Commando Interstate would have an electric start. It didn’t in 1972 of course, and this was a beefy 750cc twin, selling against big Japanese bikes which all had button starting. But John E. Goodbury thought all of them were missing the point.

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Motorcycle R I D E R

“As useful as this would undoubtedly prove, there are surely many other more essential refinements to be provided to this fine machine.”

Mr Goodbury thought the Interstate was spoiled by details: the front mudguard was too skimpy, the big tank had no knee grips and the seat appeared to slope forwards. Rear shocks and (especially) the chain should be “enclosed and properly lubricated....I regret the public lack of concern over chaincases.” Poor Mr Goodbury – we wonder what he would make of 2023 mudguards.

Meanwhile, the dust was still settling from the Heath government’s decision in 1971 to restrict 16-year-olds to 50cc.

Fifties weren’t yet restricted to 30mph, so sports mopeds were about to become a thing, but the furore over sixteeners raged on – was restricting the youngsters to mopeds bad for motorcycling?

Most assumed it was, but W.W. French took the opposite view.

Aged 45 (well into middle age by rider standards of the time), he thought that if sixteen-year-olds were keen enough they’d go on to a bigger bike anyway, but “most...are only riding motorcycles because they are not old enough to drive a car.” Better, he thought to generate enthusiasm amongst 30-year-olds who might stick with motorcycling long-term.

In any case, were the youngsters actually more dangerous on two wheels than older riders? Not according to MOTORCYCLE RIDER. On page 6 under the headline 'PROOF! 16-year-olds are SAFER.' Frank Gladwin & Son, insurance brokers based in www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

The first issue of MOTORCYCLE RIDER carried plenty of advertising from the big names of the day, but were Lewis Leathers really the world’s largest motorcycle clothing specialists? Ago seemed to think so. Avon are still with us, though soon to stop making bike tyres in the UK

Scunthorpe, ruffled through the claim files and found that just over 30% of 17-20-year-olds reported an accident (yes, nearly one in three!), with the 21-25s not far behind. The over-25s (amazing to think that 26-year-olds were in the ‘oldest motorcyclist’ category) confirmed their sensible middle-aged status with just over 9% of them reporting a prang. And the 16-year-olds? Only 3.5% had reported having an accident – either most of them kept it quiet, or they were less of a liability than the Department of Transport seemed to think.

Helmets...

Helmets were only months away from being made compulsory in the UK – the law was passed on 7th February 1973 and swiftly put into practice in June, but it had been given a further debate in the House of Commons and was seen by some as an infringement of personal liberty. In practice, most riders were now wearing helmets anyway by choice, with one (unsourced) figure of 88%.

The BMF had run petitions against both the helmet law and the restriction of 16-year-olds to mopeds, and in MOTORCYCLE RIDER No1, Geoff Pedlar was in no doubt which side of the fence he was on – for him, compulsory helmets were the thin end of the wedge which would only lead to more restrictions. “You want a few examples? Well, let us make a natural progression from helmet compulsion: i) compulsory gloves, ii) compulsory leather boots, jackets and trousers....And so on through a gradually widening series of ‘musts’ until we reach the ‘must not’ stage...

If you are not now convinced that compulsory helmet wearing is totally undesirable and should be resisted to the last, then George Orwell obviously means nothing to you.”

Day Out at Woburn

Back in 1972 the BMF’s big rally was the Woburn, attended by 4000 members with over 50 trade and club tents. Rain threatened...but held off, though “a chilly wind and overcast skies Motorcycle R I D E R

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Helmets, shortly to be made compulsory, because as Bruce Preston wrote, all of the petitions and letters to MPs looked like they had had no effect. Instead, traditionalists could opt for an open face Everoak Clubman while the more daring might fork out £24 (or more) for the futuristic looking Premier 555.

And not a Bluetooth in sight...

ensured that early arrivals kept most of their riding gear on.” They could at least warm up with tug of war, a gymkhana and fivea-side football – were motorcyclists more active in those days?

Certainly younger, so maybe there’s your answer.

Highlight of the day appears to have been put on by the Royal Marines Motorcycle Display Team, watched by spectators “six deep along every inch of the arena....On the damp grass one or two spills were inevitable but they took it all in their stride.”

There were of course winners and losers. We’re talking far enough back in history for a ‘Miss Federation’ to have been crowned, and Linda Bick was the one (see box). Susan Tindall bagged the Best Pillion Rider award, with Kathleen Vogel runnerup. Fosse Riders won the five-a-side and the best tug of war team was the BSA Owners Club, who pipped the BMW lot and even a team of Royal Marines. This was a rally, so there was a furthest travelled award – it went to Michael Ayriss and Philip Frestone, who had ridden 766 miles from Glasgow. Anita Manley won the ladies equivalent prize. As well as winning the five-aside, Fosse Riders were named Best Club Display, so a good day for them.

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www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

Linda Bick – ‘Miss Federation 1972’

Linda Bick learned to ride in 1963, emigrated to Australia in ’69 and won the Miss Federation title on a trip back to the UK in ’72. What happened next?

“Not returning to Australia, I stayed in the UK, Above: Linda as she is now bought an old BMW R50 and rode down through Africa in 1974/5, and then went by ship with my bike back to UK. However I went to live in Namibia for a while before returning to Australia about 1978 where I settled in Adelaide.

I started an Australian WIMA (Womens International Motorcyclists Association) division in South Australia in 1984, after doing a three-month trip in America where I met the WIMA founder Louise Scherbyn who helped me buy a 360cc Honda for the journey.

I did try my hand at racing once more in Australia on a borrowed BSA, but did not follow that sport. I was still rallying on my old BMW but then bought an R60/7, shipping it to the UK when I moved back there in 1989. I rode it to Gibraltar to take part in a sailing project there and settled in southern Spain for a while, taking women friends on trips (on my bike) to Morocco.

After several years, I returned to Australia where I have been living ever since. My old R60/7 remains in Germany and I went to visit it while I was in Europe last year, speaking at the Overland Event in Oxford. I do not have a bike on the road at the moment as my Postie bike is sick.”

Still With Us...

Several BMF-affiliated clubs from 1972 are still with us in 2023, give or

Before Rider

Before MR, the BMF’s official magazine was ‘Unity’ and the August/Sept 1965 issue carried big news. The Federation of National and One Make Motorcycle Clubs (snappy title) was to be renamed the British Motorcyclists Federation (the much snappier BMF). “This is a major step forward,” wrote Unity’s Editor Harold Booty, “and one which can only have far-reaching beneficial effects.”

As well as that big rebranding, this issue of Unity carried advice from Duckhams on which oil to use – the company was hot on the new multigrades then available. Jim Lee, Chairman of the Ariel Owners Club, had a letter published in the Nuneaton Evening Tribune – in response to the paper running an editorial rant about “motorcycle cowboys,” Jim’s letter was headed ‘Motorcyclists are responsible people.’ But two-wheeler casualties were clearly a big issue, the latest figures showing over 300 rider and passenger fatalities in January-April 1965. There was talk of compulsory passenger insurance, and the letters pages of Unity were full of member comments – one view was that they’d accept it, but didn’t want to pay more than 10 shillings.

How Much?

A few sample prices from the summer of ’72...

take the odd name change AJS North Essex BMW Club BSA Bantam Owners Club Fosse Riders MCA Honda Owners Club International Motorcyclists Tour Club Leicester Phoenix MCC Skegness & District MCC Solent MCC Swindon & District MCC Tees Tornadoes MCC Triumph Owners MCC Vincent-HRD Owners Club

MOT test for motorcycles 81p BMF tie (in terylene) £1 Motorcycle Sport subscription £2 (13p per issue) Camping (per night, with showers) 25p Rivetts one-piece leather suit £45.50 Everoak Clubmaster £6.10 Moped insurance (comprehensive) £4 BMF membership 13p per club member (£1 individual) Gallon of petrol 35p Pint of beer 14-18p Raleigh Chopper £35.60 Drip-dry nylon shirt (Woolworths) £1.25

Warrington MCC

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

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Namaste Nepal!

KONA MACPHEE did guinea pig duty in Nepal, testing a new adventure tour

A

h, adventure! Sometimes you work hard to hunt it out.

Sometimes, magically, it just appears right in front of you.

In February 2022, an email pinged in from my biking buddy Steve G, tantalizingly entitled ‘Motorbike tour of Nepal.’ Steve said he was heading out to Nepal for a few months with his wife Ali. His long-time friend, retired Gurkha Major Ramprasad Gurung, wanted to develop motorcycle adventure tours in the Annapurna region – would I be interested in being a guinea pig, testing out the proposed bikes and routes?

Coming hard on the heels of two years of Covid enforced nontravel, this offer was tempting. Add in the fact that I'm an avid armchair mountaineer, already fascinated by Nepal and the High Himalaya, and the answer was easy and immediate. Yes! Just over two months later, after a mad scramble for travel vaccinations, an intrepid band of bikers arrived at the brandnew (indeed not-quite-finished-yet) Kailash Kutee Hotel in Kathmandu, ready for the biking adventure of their lives. There were six of us: organiser Steve G, his fellow Ducatista Steve S and son George, myself and my husband Patrick, and our mate Nigel (aka intrepid adventurer The Wandering XRV). Our prior experience of travel in Asia ranged from ‘veteran expedition organiser’ (Steve G) to ‘wide-eyed first-timer’ (most of the rest of us). Similarly, our collective off-road experience ranged from ‘off-road training junkie’ (me) to ‘game to give it a go’ (my longsuffering husband, once again roped into a mad adventure by my manic enthusiasm).

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Above: Kumar, on the Indian market Honda 350, and his ducklings – Patrick is still smiling, despite the Meteor Left: Dusty Road of Death brought on helmet hair with a vengeance

Acclimatisation

Having been greeted by Major Ram and our cheery lead rider Kumar, it was agreed that we'd collect our bikes and have a familiarisation ride before starting the tour proper. The plan had been to hire six Enfield Classic 350s, but plans have a habit of changing out from under you in Nepal, and we ended up collecting four Classics, a similarlystyled Honda CB350 ‘H'ness,’ and (to general dismay) an Enfield Meteor, which with its chopper-style forward pegs was hardly the best choice for rough conditions. Steve G bravely volunteered for the Meteor, Nigel took the Honda, and off we went, straight out into full-on Kathmandu traffic!

Initially, I'd been reassured to hear that Nepal follows the British Highway Code. That is, until I'd spent a day as a pedestrian, and realised that apart from a convention for driving on the left (mostly), the highway code appeared to be entirely vestigial. Lane discipline doesn't exist, so riding in traffic is like a ninja filtering exercise with sharp slalom challenges and the odd snoozing cow obstacle thrown in. At intersections, anything could come at you from any direction, heading any which way, and you can't afford to hesitate. If you stop, you're like a rock in a fast-flowing river, the space in front of you continuously filled by a stream of small motorbikes and scooters coming from behind. www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

The secret is to keep moving slowly and steadily, making your best guess at where oncoming vehicles might be trying to go, and deciding which way to weave to avoid them. The convention seems to be that the vehicles behind or overtaking you should avoid hitting you, and you should avoid hitting the vehicles you can see ahead – and somehow it all just works! The average speed is much lower than in the UK, but the precision riding and driving skills on show are genuinely impressive.

Unsurprisingly, on this first ride we were all so busy coping with the traffic that we couldn't think too much about the actual bikes. (In all the glorious mayhem I kept getting the giggles, which didn't help.) Patrick, riding behind me, seemed to be lagging, and it turned out that his Classic had a mis-wired throttle that was working in reverse (roll on to slow down, roll off to speed up. On top of everything else, it was quite a cognitive challenge...) Patrick ended up adopting the dreaded Meteor, and we got a replacement Classic before leaving Kathmandu the following day.

Road of Death

For the next seven days we were on the road, savouring a route that took us south to hot and sunny Chitwan on the Indian border, northwest to lakeside Pokhara in the Annapurna region, further north to remote Jomsom and Muktinath in the arid Lower Mustang, and back to Kathmandu via the stunning hilltop towns of Bandipur and Gorkha. (YouTube fans can sample a similar route in Ollie Moto's 2020 film ‘Nepal: A Himalayan Adventure’).

The sealed road network in Nepal is growing all the time, and our planned route was nominally 80% tarmac and 20% unsurfaced roads. We quickly learned that even the tarmac roads are partially unsurfaced – you continually encounter stretches of roadworks, or rockfall obstructions, where all traffic is diverted onto lumpy hard-pack (or worse). On the main routes, these unsurfaced sections are treated by bikes and scooters as an opportunity to fang it past as many lorries and buses as possible (the big vehicles have to slow down to avoid breaking an axle). We rapidly got into the local spirit and belted through the bumps with the rest of www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

Above left: In our ATGATT attire, we stood out like space aliens. Lead rider Kumar, at the back, demonstrates local riding gear Above: Rockfalls and bulldust – it’s not for the faint-hearted Below: What a contrast – view from Muktinath in the stunning Lower Mustang reveals a lush cultivated valley

Below: The dreaded Meteor, complete with forward pegs and gear change.

Nice colour though...

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Above: Then sometimes the tarmac was freshly-laid and perfect Left: Did we mention the mud?

And this is in the dry season...

Right: Patrick, Nigel, George, Kona, Steve S and Steve G at the Gurkha Museum in Pokhara

the two-wheelers. Similarly, we soon adopted the Nepali riders' approach to traffic jams, squeezing our bikes around tightlypacked stationary vehicles, however implausibly narrow the gaps might seem.

By far the most adventurous stretch of our journey was the road up to Jomsom in the Lower Mustang, along the Kali Gandaki Gorge (the world's deepest). When Steve G first visited Nepal in the late 1980s, you could only get to Jomsom on foot. Now there’s a road, albeit a very sketchy, generally narrow, mostly unpaved road which clings to the cliffs. It features a lumpy surface dotted with large rocks and deep potholes, with stretches of tractionless bulldust and sloppy mud, plus competition from intrepid lorries and buses lurching along and trying not to go over the highly exposed edges.

It was on this challenging stretch – only afterwards described 16

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to us by its local nickname ‘The Road of Death’ – that poor Patrick came to rue his bike choice. Due to peg positioning, even the Enfield Classics don't allow for a stood-up off-road stance, so you endure a lot of bumping and bouncing on the seat. On the forward-peg Meteor, the riding position is more laid back, so the rider is stuck in full sack-of-potatoes mode with no chance of weighting the pegs. Much kudos to Patrick, and we still have no idea how he got that bike all the way along the Road of Death and back, especially given his lack of prior off-road experience.

Not only that, but his side-stand switch started playing up and randomly cutting the engine.

Apart from the traffic and the road surface conditions, the other notable riding difference in Nepal was the rocker-style gear shifters on our bikes – shifting down a gear by pressing forward with the toes, and up by pressing backwards with the heel. This www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

Right: Too busy reading the road ahead to think about the drop-off (just as well, eh?)

Below: Morning view in Jomsom

Left: The group’s introduction to Nepalese traffic – urban chaos Below left: We made it to Jomsom – grubby, knackered and proud of ourselves.

mechanism is standard issue in Nepal, presumably because so many people ride bare-toed in flip-flops or open sandals (or even kitten-heeled mules, as spotted on one lady scooter rider).

Heel-shifting feels perfectly intuitive once you get used to it, albeit a little lacking in feedback through the sole of your boot.

However, the rocker-style shifters proved to be less than ideal in the rough. It's very disconcerting to be powering up a steep, bumpy momentum climb in first gear, only to knock the shifter

accidentally with your heel as you're flung about, and suddenly find yourself in neutral – cue much swearing and stamping on the toe-shifter.

Knackered, Exhilarated

Our seven days of adventure touring were over all too soon. In our role as Tour Testers, we concluded that the route was fabulous, and the wee Enfield Classics were a good choice of bike, being nimble and balanced in traffic, surprisingly robust in the rough and generally rather good fun. (But don't mention the Meteor).

By the time we got back to Kathmandu, we were knackered but exhilarated. We'd ridden on everything from immaculate fresh tarmac to boulder-strewn riverbeds. We'd visited huge hectic cities and tiny remote villages, and encountered exotic wildlife including rhinos, elephants, crocodiles and griffon vultures. We'd enjoyed views over verdant hills, arid sculpted moonscapes and snowy High Himalayan peaks. We'd visited temples and markets, soaked in natural hot springs, and tried many variants of the delicious national dish, Dhal Bhat. Most importantly we'd met some of the endlessly friendly, good-humoured and affectionate Nepali people. We all hope to return to explore more of the remarkable roads and landscapes of the Himalayas – Namaste Nepal.

Who is Kona?

Kona Andrews Macphee is a BMF Council member, and a professional writer and IT expert. She's the motorbike maven behind the Crieff Cloverleaf (www.cloverleaf.scot), a set of free all-day motorcycle touring routes in Scotland, all starting and finishing in Crieff, Perthshire.

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

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Ultimate Race Replica GEORGE BEALE co-ordinated the building of ten exact replicas of Honda’s six-cylinder racer from the ‘60s

Soichiro Honda had a racing dream – to beat his two-stroke rivals with an air-cooled four-stroke. The result was the legendary RC174 six, dripping in titanium and aluminium and with a red line of 18,000rpm – Mike Hailwood took it to a World Championship in 1967. Thirty years later, George Beale also had a dream – to remanufacture the RC174 in perfect detail.

Years of painstaking effort followed. One of the original racers was loaned, completely disassembled and every part re-made.

Despite many setbacks, the replica RC174 reached the dyno, then the race track, and has been ridden by several professional racers of the modern era...all of whom love it. Twenty-five years since obtaining the blessing from Honda, George Beale has written a book about the whole project, and how it was done. These extracts give just a flavour of what was involved.

T

he engineering journey to reconstruct the RC174 began with a chance phone call to George Beale on a business trip to Paris. Word had travelled fast and he was soon talking to the owner of an engineering factory in the village of Vibraye, 40km east of Le Mans.

JPX was a busy domestic engineering operation but the pull of the Honda Six meant there was always an available slot in the

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manufacturing schedule. However, this willingness in Pays de la Loire would almost scupper the whole project several months into the agreement.

Planning and economics were taking shape nicely when the call came in. (George Beale takes up the story): “When Honda ordered the first bike I worked it out then that if I could pre-sell four then I could really start the project. Honda had paid me a 50% deposit and, if everybody else did the same, then I would have sufficient funds to get cracking.

“I’d pre-sold three of them and then for some reason I was in Paris and had a phone call from Jacques Buchoux at JPX saying that he’d read in a newspaper that I was going to be building a Honda Six.” When George arrived in Vibraye he was very impressed. “It was just like a hospital, everything was clean, the staff were all dressed well and the machines were all nice and clean. The floor was immaculate.”

In terms of producing replica engines, JPX could do everything from drawings to patterns, castings and final assembly. Two weeks later George was back in Vibraye with the factory refurbished RC174 power unit removed from the donor bike which had been secreted in Murayama’s cellar for so long. But www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

Opposite page: John Cronshaw, like the other modern-day racers who rode it, was impressed with the replica Left: Soichiro never had access to this – CAD was used to speed up the process

Above: CAD 3D image of the crankcase

the excitement soon faded!

“Unfortunately they were very slow and I was in a hurry – I wanted to get the project underway. Every time I rang he would say, ‘Oh yes Mr Beale, we are doing OK. After a couple of months I went to see him and realised that they had done very little....

The setting up process cost around £150,000 (£120,000 for the patterns, £34,000 for the CAD and hard copy drawings)...”

The Crankshaft

As reconstruction got underway, it was understandably the crankshaft which posed many of the early challenges, given its complexity...This was after all the key component to allow Honda to add two extra cylinders, and their accompanying horsepower, to a four-cylinder block and prove Soichiro Honda’s ideal that a four-stroke air-cooled engine could match and defeat the dominant two-stroke rivals.

But that bridge was not a straightforward component and it was only the genius of lead designer Shinichi Miyakoshi and the 16-man design team’s concept of miniaturization, that enabled this feat of engineering to be achieved and deliver the new package within the dimensions of existing stablemates.

Miyakoshi’s groundbreaking thinking combined with six tiny cylinders, four cams, 24 valves, six carburettors and a sevenspeed gearbox, would deliver the same pro-rata bhp as the company’s modern day racers which took Marc Marquez to his impressive sequence of Moto GP titles 50 years later!

The groundbreaking crankshaft had 13 separate components allowing it to spin 333 times per second. The camshafts were barrel-shaped and the oilways...were as narrow as half a millimetre in places. And all of this was drawn with slide rules on drafting tables – the age of computer-aided design was still more than a decade away. Julien Charnolé, at just 21 years of age, was All complete bar the fairing – replica RC174 is perfect in every detail (Photo: Double Red)

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

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Far left: None of your injection mouldings here – casting was a specialized (and expensive) job Left: On the bench at last – initial results were disappointing, but the six would come on

leading the most challenging reconstruction in classic motorcycle racing history. “The crankshaft was a big piece...we made several attempts,” he recalled. Not only was the crankshaft unique but also the range of bespoke bearings which populated the engine....

song Left: Man, machine and the book.

George Beale

Exhaust Pipes

When you consider that the sight and sound of the iconic Honda Six exhaust system is perhaps its most memorable feature, it’s no surprise that each system was hand crafted. The talented hands of fabricator Larry Swann were responsible. After receiving the original system from the ex-Mike Hailwood RC174, Larry used 22 gauge steel to create this crucial piece of the reconstruction.

The classic V of the rear aspect is not actually a V. “As you look at them from the back, the actual look was more like a curved V,” explained Larry. “Without that distinctive look to them it would have been very obvious that they weren’t original.”

To get the pipes right, Larry improvised with a jig to enable him to get the curvature of the V absolutely right. “It was rather a crude jig, and that was on the megaphones only. On the front pipes we just took a photograph of the original and then we did it by eye and height...To fabricate the pipes we packed them with sand and hand bent them, and the same with the megaphones.”

The process was labour intensive as, in keeping with the 1960s originals, there were no two pipes the same. But in the end Larry was happy with the result. “Yes we got it right...(but) every single pipe was individual.”

The Clutch

The Honda Six engineering team of the 1960s had the biggest budget in the history of motorcycle racing and could gorge themselves on the most exotic metals available – why then did they use a steel clutch? After his meticulous reconstruction of the engine over the past 20 years, Julien Charnolé has his own considered theory about this anomaly.

Honda’s weight-loss directive worked spectacularly, and combined with the miniaturisation concept, which enabled the R&D team to accommodate an extra two cylinders within the existing parameters of its 250cc GP racer, it created the boundless revs the project demanded to out-run the two-strokes. But there was a challenging byproduct – nothing to tame the rpm and a 20

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is rightly proud of his RC174 re-creation

constant tendency for the engine to die when not engaged with the gearbox. “If your boss says, ‘Make the crankshaft as light as possible,’ you have no choice but to do it. If the crankshaft is to work at 18,000rpm it is necessary...So I think the (engineers), to create something rideable, made the clutch basket in steel to have a bit of inertia.” George Beale had spoken to the late Ralph Evans on this very issue. “The clutch is the only thing on the engine which holds back the revs because of the weight...that’s exactly what Ralph Bryans told me.”

Final Assembly

Julien Charnolé: “You can imagine, having almost 600 drawings, 600 part numbers and you make copies of all these parts and sometimes you make a mistake. So when you start to assemble you find these mistakes and you have to remake that part. I can’t tell you exactly the number of which were necessary to re-grind or to adapt or change, but there were a number.”

Milling also caused problems and delays when cleaning up had to be undertaken, as Julien explained. “Yes, this was a problem because the castings are not exactly well balanced. You put the casting in the milling machine, you try to find the best point but you always have deformation so the gearbox is touching here, touching there...build, remove, restart.”

The process of trial and error was frustrating but necessary and once completed reduced the build time from a month to two www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

to rev much above 10,000 or 11,000rpm,” explained George. “When the carburettors were produced, I had lots of different size jets made and spare slides. When we couldn’t get it to run properly we were changing all the jets and it made no difference at all! I thought, we’ve made the ignition and the carburettors...the reason it is not running right is either carburation or ignition.”

Confident that he’d narrowed down the performance issues, George contacted Tim Miller, a professor of electronic engineering at Glasgow University, to run diagnostics in laboratory conditions. That discounted the ignition, so the problem was in carburation.

Later track testing determined that the wrong needles had been supplied, something which took two years to rectify. With the correct needles, the engine would have performed much better sooner. “This was the last thing we had to do to get all the bikes running correctly,” said George.

Riding the Six

Above: Harris built the frames - Nick Daish (left) and George Beale with one of the ten

hours! Within that process the cylinder head was one of the most time consuming. “The cylinder head takes a long time because you have to adjust 24 valves.”

Finally, the six-cylinder replica engine was assembled and on the dyno – time to start up...

“When I first started the engine on the dyno we had no power...I remember we had 32bhp! The engine was so asthmatic....We had questions about the cam, what happened, why 32bhp? We would strip the engine...we had to do the porting correctly so my colleague Christophe did that. Then we were at something like 14,000rpm and I had 45bhp – I called George and said, ‘I think the engine is almost correct!’”

So at 180bhp per litre the project was on track for carburation tuning. Julien called George and asked for instructions. “We decided to stop the rig testing...it was not necessary to break something.”

After four and a half years of trials and tribulations, replica No1 was ready for the Donington Park test track, but the eager anticipation was soon tempered as George and test rider John Cronshaw began searching for the 6000 missing revs!

“The problem I had originally was that we couldn’t get the bike www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

Former Honda UK rider Michael Rutter rode the first RC174 replica at Cadwell Park in 2003 and couldn’t believe how good it was, so smooth and powerful that he chased team mate Ryuichi Kiyonari around the Lincolnshire track on his brand new Honda Supersport 600.

“They said it’s got no flywheel effect, it will just stop dead. So I got on and rode very carefully to the top of the paddock...I just shut the throttle to go into the hairpin and it just stopped dead! You can’t believe how many revs you’ve got to keep on it just to keep it running.

Going down the start/finish straight I couldn’t believe how smooth it was...I really expected a lot of vibration. So I thought, right, I’ll rev it! Then I couldn’t believe how quick it was. It just flew...”

The surprising performance of the replica allowed Rutter to keep in touch with Kiyonari on the 600. “I thought they would leave us, but down the start and finish straight I could keep with him...what a bike!”

Thanks to George Beale and Andrew McKinnon for the photography.

Studio shot by Double Red.

Buy the Book

For the full story of re-making the Honda Six, you’ll need to buy the book, and George Beale’s coffee table tome takes you through the whole process over 236 pages with over 300 photos, as well as detailing Honda’s ‘60s race story and interviews with key figures from the story like Jim Redman (who rode the first Honda Six), ex-Honda UK supremo Gerald Davison and many others.

Price: £75 including UK p&p from Charterhouse Auctioneers and Valuers. charterhouse-bikes.com/book

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Upcoming Events

Summer 2023

No excuses for staying at home this summer, with plenty of bike events happening all over the country – if you spot the BMF stand at any of these, come and say hello!

n July 9th Staffordshire Bikers Breakfast Tittesworth Reservoir – BMF Stand – www.staffsbiker.co.uk

n August 13th Staffordshire Bikers Breakfast JCB, Rocester – BMF Stand – ww.staffsbiker.co.uk

n July 15th/16th Mallory Bike Bonanza BMF stand as a get-together for reps, old and new and those who are rep-curious! See advert page 34.

n August 18th/20th BMF Dambusters Rally Another sold-out event

n July 27th/30th Armchair Adventure Festival Mt Edgcumbe, Cornwall – Brought to you by the Sidecar Guys we featured in RIDER Spring 2023 www.armchairadventurefestival.com n July 29th Calne Bike Meet BMF stand – www.calnebikemeet.com n August, Evolution WMC members only Annual

Adventure Weekend

Contact: sec.ewmcc@gmail.com or www.evolutionwmcc.com

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n August 19th/20th Women in Motorcycling Exhibition

Tutbury Racecourse. We’re really looking forward to the third event in a new venue – look out for the BMF’s bright orange gazebo! n August 31st-September 3rd The Overland Event Hill End, Oxford, OX2 9NJ – www.overlandevent.com n September 8th/10th BMF Lucky Cup Rally At the amazing Muncaster Castle, Cumbria – be there or be square!

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

BMF Lucky Cup Rally September 8th-10th 2023

Exciting new venue for 2023, Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass, Cumbria CA18 1RQ We are keeping the laid-back style for this rally, with a slight festival twist! Live music, fantastic food, rally bar, traders, display stands and of course club stands, all in an amazing venue steeped in history. And it’s an excellent ride-out location to explore the fabulous Cumbrian countryside.

Why the Lucky Cup Rally?

We decided to recognise the history of Muncaster Castle. Henry VI left a drinking bowl here – ‘The Luck of Muncaster’ – hence the name.

What’s There?

Muncaster Castle venue tickets will be available at a special rally goers’ price, either with your rally ticket or on showing your wristband at the ticket office over the weekend.

Hawk & Owl Centre, found within the gardens of Muncaster Castle, is open daily. The Centre and the inspiring flying displays are included in your castle grounds ticket.

Castle Gardens – 77 acres of the most tranquil historic gardens in Cumbria, with a blend of cultivated areas, lawns and woodlands together with play areas and the Enchanted Trail for smaller visitors! There’s always a quiet corner even on busier days and miles of paths and fascinating vistas to discover and explore. Dog-friendly.

So there’s plenty to see and do. The rally also has a fantastic ‘barn’ festival area, with open air/undercover seating, chilling out area, bar, local food vendors and a great live music stage area.

What’s On?

Friday Night Bands • •

BMF rally favourites The Gypsies from Lincolnshire The Band from County Hell will be headlining for us again – exciting!

• • • • • •

Lincolnshire solo artist – Paul Whitton One-Man Band from the Humber Delta – Stompin’ Steve Cumbrian Alternative Rock Band – Jet Stream 20/20 Classic British Electric Blues Rock Band – Delta Geckos Cumbrian Deep Purple Show – Perfect Strangers Local band, playing those songs everyone knows and sings along to – Blank Canvas

Saturday Afternoon & Night Bands

Other Attractions • • • • • •

Club stands Stalls Displays Ride-out information and routes provided by local clubs Well-stocked bar Great food available all day

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

The Campsite

Large camping field for all bikes, tents and bike-towed trailers.

Campsite showers and toilets.

Campers, trailer tents (towed by CAR) and caravans, will have separate booking fee and will be pitched separately to the canvas field.

No open fires, candles, BBQs or anything that will cause concern for fire safety.

Dog-friendly site, but obviously please be responsible owners and scoop the poop!

No alcohol to be brought onsite please due to licensing laws.

Prices

BMF members: £29 – includes camping but Not the castle or gardens Non-members: £35 – includes camping but Not the castle or gardens Camper/Trailer-Tent (towed by car)/Caravan: additional £5 for the weekend Muncaster tickets are NOT included in rally, but can be purchased at a discounted price on booking rally tickets or at the event.

Muncaster Weekend Tickets: Castle, Gardens, Hawk & Owl Centre: £18 adult/£9 child (3-15yrs) Gardens, Hawk & Owl Centre: £13 adult/£6.50 child (3-15yrs)

More information and tickets

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk/events/bmf-lucky-cup-rally

Club stands, traders or any questions?

Please email Helen: admin@bmf.co.uk

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Medusa MC 1%

Medusa has been a BMF-affiliated club for many years – STROG is our guide

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ow to begin to describe the journey from the humble start of Medusa MCC, to the Medusa MC 1% that we are today, pushing towards two decades of existence. How can it be told in simple words? Hard, very tough at times, even ruddy dodgy, but extremely rewarding. Without exception, there is not a member that is not proud of their cuts, what’s on them, or the journey taken to get us there.

We have risen from MCC to WMCC, onto WMC; WMC with a slight change of colours; then MC, finally to wear the 1%.

The club had taken a lot of flak initially for putting up the 1% diamond, mainly from folk (not just men) that know little to nothing of us, but once met, we are difficult to forget. We have always been supportive of most clubs. At the end of the day, we recognise their value for holding the many rallies and events over the years, keeping the scene alive. We make no excuses though, that we are exactly what our cuts say we are. We are a ‘sanctioned’ club, which sometimes causes confusion because it’s by a male club. We do not see this as detrimental, as we are the same as all MCs on the same level.

We are old school, and some of us started club life or involvement 40-plus years ago. We live by a code! It’s our way of life, not a weekend hobby. All new members need to put in a minimum prospect period to become a full patch. You cannot just buy a Medusa MC patch and put it up. Those that know, know!

With more women coming up through, we are happy to support and guide them on their journey. We believe in encouraging them in following the time honoured, trusted methods and protocols to achieve their aims.

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Motorcycle R I D E R

For many years we have run our annual bike show, ‘Show Us Your Ride’, which is very well supported and has received many good reviews in various publications. Our show is different, in that there are trophy categories – not just for highly polished customs, but also for everyday rides/hacks. It’s called Show Us Your Ride for a reason – every bike/trike there must have been ridden in.

Many of our ladies are capable of working deep inside their bikes, some have specialist abilities and so not afraid of getting their hands dirty. So as you can see, we are about it!

We are based in one county but we have members stretching right across the South and West of this island.

We have come a long way and are not slowing down. We do not actively recruit, women must decide on their own whether this is the right road for them, but more information can be found on our website – www.medusamotorcycleclub.co.uk, Facebook and Instagram. Or, get off your ar*es and support our events.

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

Photos: Alex Parsons-Hulse

Taster Day O

rganised by the region’s Chief Instructor for BMF Blue Riband, Ian Speight, the event took place on 15th April, kindly hosted by 3D Motorcycle Training Centre in Tockwith, near York.

A former Class 1 police rider, Ian now runs Ian Speight Advanced Rider Training with the ambition of sharing his years of experience with riders keen to develop their skills. On the day Ian was joined by fellow riding coaches Alf Garnet of AG Rider Training, Jim Bryant of Enhanced Riding, and Mark and Martin of 3D Motorcycle Training. Together they formed a dynamic quintet of two-wheeled experience, ready to share their knowledge and biscuits.

The BMF Blue Riband Rider Development programme aims to increase your enjoyment of motorcycling by further developing riding skills through improving observation, planning and control, giving greater confidence and helping on your journey to becoming a safer rider. The taster day was free to attend, and after a short briefing riders departed on a 45-minute observed ride with one of the experienced coaches, taking in varying road and traffic conditions. The ride was followed by a detailed debrief focusing both on existing strengths and any opportunities for improvement. Three time slots were available on the day to give more people the opportunity to take part and in total ten riders enjoyed a thankfully dry day, and hopefully one or two of Alf’s Jaffa cakes.

All ten rode their own bikes and it was great to see a diverse mixture of machines on show from the usual BMWs to Geoff’s red VFR750. Star of the show, however, was Debbie’s mint condition RVF 400. This was a truly lovely machine that sparked a lot of interest and a good deal of muttering about the good old days and being younger and fitter. It was lovely to meet everyone and we received some very useful feedback that will help us when organising future events. www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

ALEX PARSONS-HULSE, North East Region 2 rep, was the brains behind a Blue Riband Taster

Above: Left to right: Mark Child, Ian Speight, Kevin Hill, Debbie Schofield, Martin Benson, Jim Bryant, Mark Glasswell, Alf Garnett, Luke Mountford.

Below: Gabor Takacs got a lot out of the day Below Left: Debbie Schofield’s RVF 400 got a lot of attention

Gabor, one of the first riders to arrive on the day, had this to say: “I truly enjoyed it. Going out for a ride with Ian was informative and assured me in my opinion that I need to improve my riding skills. It was also satisfying when Ian pointed out some of the things I did well.” Brian, one of the final riders on the day, was equally happy: “I very much enjoyed the ride with Mark. Having only done the IAM qualification a couple of years ago it’s amazing how you slip back into bad habits and the feedback and comments from Mark just refocused some points.”

If any members in the North East region would like to know more about the Blue Riband Rider Development Programme, then please get in touch with either Ian or myself and we can put you in contact with one of the rider coaches local to your area.

Alex Parsons-Hulse BMFregion2rep@bmf.co.uk Ian Speight ian@ianspeighttraining.co.uk www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk/about-us/bmf-blue-riband-rider-award Motorcycle R I D E R

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Regional Reps – the BMF Needs You! Would you like to become a BMF Regional Rep? Sheonagh Ravensdale and Helen Hancock explain what’s involved If you are already a BMF Rep, thank you – if not, would you like to become one?

Take a look at the map on page 36 – the BMF has 10 regions and each one needs proactive people to promote our organisation and keep their ear to the ground to identify local issues. There are lots of gaps on that page – WE NEED YOU!

Why do we need Reps?

The BMF needs ears and eyes all over the country to keep us informed about issues affecting us as motorcyclists – new parking restrictions, access to bus lanes, ULEZs, potholes, it’s an endless list. We can offer advice on who to lobby about these issues, what to say, and put you in touch with other areas faced with the same problems.

What does the role involve?

*Ask your local dealers and biker cafes to support us by displaying a BMF Biker Friendly sticker in their window and having some BMF leaflets on display. *Make contact with the local clubs, maybe visit them on their club nights to understand what their concerns are. The BMF is very keen to know what’s going on at the grassroots level, and where we can help, we will. On the website you’ll see a link to all our current affiliated clubs, but do feel free to visit the nonaffiliated ones as well. *Check out the local motorcycling social media groups and let us know what’s going on. With our years of experience, we should be able to give you some helpful advice. *Monitor the BMF website, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We are constantly updating them, so you’ll be fully informed about all current topics and initiatives. *Promote the BMF and what it stands for whenever you are out and about. Let people know about the free e-Newsletters, open to non-members. Share the information you receive in the monthly club and regional rep news bulletins, even just take a handful of leaflets and Members Guides when you go out for a ride – you never know who’ll you meet! *The same goes for local shows and events. Can you help us by spending some time on one of our show stands, helping set up and organise a group to staff it?

We absolutely understand that everyone’s time is precious, and there is no expectation for any one individual to take on all of the activities detailed above, but we will be extremely grateful for whatever you can do to promote the BMF in your local biking community. We only ask that you do what you can, when you can! www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk/get-involved

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New Face in the BMF office

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Introducing our new Membership Secretary – Net Hopkinson

ack in March, we said a fond farewell to Cheryl, who for personal reasons decided that the time had come for her to step back from the membership secretary role. She will be missed, but we hope to keep in touch and see Cheryl out and about at biking events in the future.

Now we would like to introduce and welcome Antoinette Hopkinson (aka Net) as our membership secretary. She’ll be based in the office, the voice on the end of the landline! Over to you Net...

“Based in rural Leicestershire, I’m an avid motorcyclist, having ridden for over 30 years. I just love getting out and about to bike nights, club rides, rallies, exhibitions and anything bike related.

And in pretty much any weather, because there’s nothing like a ride to clear away the cobwebs!

“I’ve recently discovered that I enjoy camping with my bikes (currently 1999 1200 and 600cc Suzuki Bandits) and hope to go touring next year, possibly Europe but I’ve a lifetime’s ambition to travel Cambodia and Vietnam on a bike...we can all dream! I’m sure there’s plenty of you have done this trip and I would love to hear your experiences and maybe glean some advice. After all, that’s what we do as bikers – no matter what you ride, we help each other.

“I’m a passionate advocate for female riders, taking part most recently in the International Female Riders’ Day, which was a fantastic opportunity to meet up with complete strangers, discuss anything, ride together, enjoy the obligatory cake and make friends for life.

“I’m looking forward to meeting members old, new and in between, as a club or an individual. And if you have any membership enquiries, please contact us and we will do our utmost to help you.”

Ride Safe! Net xx

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

Meet the Reps David Kershaw – North West (region 9)

I am the North West Rep, based in Brampton near Carlisle and have been riding for around 30 years, most of that time has been in the company of BMF members!

Although I have owned and ridden larger bikes, my passion is now for smaller machines – in fact I like them so much that I currently own five (soon to be six!)

I commute around 60 miles a day – mainly on motorways, but whenever possible, I head for the hills. My wife and I have toured parts of the Netherlands, joined the BMF on their Run to the Midnight Sun in the north of Scotland and attended other BMF rallies.

Plans are now afoot for new charity fundraising, starting with the NC500 in a day on a 125 and then Africa and back with another BMF member, again on the 125cc beast, in June 2024.

Recent discussions are looking positive, with a new stand and monthly meeting venue looking likely. I hope to be able to grow the club membership, attract speakers and offer a forum where members can discuss their concerns, provide feedback and organise ride-outs. So watch this space for the announcement of the venue in the near future. Hope to meet you soon – and ride safe!

Alex Parsons-Hulse – North East (region 2)

I am fairly new to the BMF and being an area representative. I live near Halifax with my wife Amanda and ride a BMW F800GT. I have been riding on and off since passing my test back in 1992 at the age of 18 and am currently on my third comeback, having returned to two wheels during lockdown. I have moved through an eclectic mix of machinery, and the first bike I owned was a Suzuki GT380, which I bought from a friend for £50. It had a seized middle cylinder and taught me a lot about fixing motorcycles.

I have always had an interest in improving my riding skills and was very happy to be involved in the region’s first free Blue Riband Rider Award taster day in April. Hopefully this is something we can build on in the future as another way of bringing riders together.

Motorcycling is at risk now more than ever. As we move towards a world free from risk, where autonomous vehicles provide a safe means of transport free from human error, motorcycles pose a problem. A problem most easily overcome by their elimination from the transport mix. Let’s work together to make sure this doesn’t happen. www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

Region 7 reps ready to welcome the crowds at Calne Bike Meet 2022

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Here Comes the Summer Are you out and about this season? Thorneycroft Solicitors will be. Words: Mary Lomas

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t’s great to see you all getting out and about now that the weather is picking up. Being based in Derbyshire and Cheshire, we see plenty of bikers out at this time of year enjoying the fabulous roads and bikerfriendly venues in this part of the country. Naturally we are out and about again at the bike shows and events, and are particularly excited by the monthly bike nights we’re organising with local bike clothing boutique Geared 2 Go, supporting the biker community and a brilliant local business at the same time.

As you get out on the road more, the risks of being involved in an accident do increase. Remember that if you are unfortunate enough to be involved in a collision, you don’t have to use the solicitors your insurers tell you to use. You may be advised that you have to use them, and that your legal expense insurance may not be valid otherwise. This isn’t strictly true and it is worth speaking to us to see if your policy will still be valid. If you don’t

have legal expense insurance, there are other ways to fund your claim and you can take out an after-the-event policy. Legal expense funding can be complex, so it is worth speaking to a solicitor about it if you are unsure.

I am sure you are all aware that there are plenty of hazards out on the road. You may have an accident involving a pothole, a spillage on the road, faulty road surface or even an escaped animal. If you have an accident involving anything like this, please do call us for a chat to see if there could be a claim. This column is too short to go into too much detail in this respect as these issues can be complex and can require case by case analysis. Quite often the injuries sustained in such an accident can be serious and the results expensive, so it is worth taking legal advice.

I know a lot of groups organise ride-outs and the BMF receives questions about organiser liability. I will be preparing a special blog for the BMF website about this, so please keep an eye open for that. But please do keep on organising events and ride-outs and enjoying each other’s company – the main thing to remember is to use your common sense and risk assess.

So enjoy the summer and don’t forget to come and say hello if you see us out and about. You can also check out our social media for more details of where we will be.

Right: Young biker and his mum enjoying the stand Far Right: Tash Scragg from the Thorneycroft office and Chris Cookson (Staffordshire Doc Bikes) with his family.

www.thorneycroftsolicitors.co.uk BMF Legal Line: 01625 506697 28

Motorcycle R I D E R

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

DAY RIDE

Plains & Valleys

PETER HENSHAW on an 80-mile circuit across Salisbury Plain – chalk ridges, deep valleys and unexploded ordinance

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Top: Thatched quaintness on the lower Avon Valley Above: There are some straight bits to this ride...

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

his day ride starts in the small Wiltshire town of Mere. Hop onto the A303 for London (not that we’ll be going anywhere near the Smoke) and climb up onto Salisbury Plain in a dramatic start – from cosy fieldscape to a windswept hilltop within a couple of miles. Fork right at the Esso garage and at the traffic lights take a right-then-left for the B3089 to Chilmark.

This is a very entertaining piece of road, with a nice combination of bends before it spits us out on the A30 about 10 miles later. Carry on through Wilton to the roundabout and straight over (or right if you want to see Salisbury) to follow a dead straight road uphill to the next roundabout and the A360. Bear left and immediately right (signed the Woodfords) for a dramatic, almost hairpin, descent down to the Avon Valley.

At the bottom, turn left and all the traffic falls away. We’re on a quiet country lane which echoes the meanders of the River Avon, just to our right – laidback, leafy and slow. We end up at Amesbury, just a couple of miles from Stonehenge and after crossing the A303 we’re now on the A345. We’re still in the Avon Valley, but it’s less cosy, more upland in feel, mostly 50 limit but with a nice selection of curvy bits. Just before Upavon, fork left (signed A342 Devizes) and in half a mile turn left up a no-through road (signed Shooting Club) climbing right up onto the high ground and MOD territory.

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

If gravel tracks are your thing, there’s a byway at the top. If not, head back to the A342 and turn left, but be sure not to miss another left turn in Rushall (I did, so you don’t have to), keeping the high ridge of the Plain on your left. A few miles on, fork left onto the B3098 and follow that all the way to West Lavington and the A360.

Left onto the A road which finally climbs away from the village before romping off southwards through an avenue of trees.

Where the main road turns sharp left on the edge of Tilshead, we turn right, heading south west across country. We’re still in MOD territory, the road flanked by artillery ranges and crisscrossed by tank tracks, so try not to argue with any armoured personnel carriers you might meet.

We’re firmly back in civvy land at Chitterne, with its 20 limit and lovely flint-walled church.

Turn right onto the B390, then back up and over the Plain to join the busy A36. Turn right and at the next roundabout, take the minor road signed Sutton Veny. At Sutton, it’s straight over the oblique cross-roads before following your nose to Longbridge Deverill. Left onto the A350 and almost immediately right for the B3095 for the Deverill valley before climbing back onto high ground. We’ve nearly finished, but what a finale, with brilliant views all round, most of all looking south just before we drop off the edge of the Plain and back to Mere.

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SIX OF THE BEST ELECTRIC BIKES ON THE MARKET BIKES FOR GOOD

Electric vehicles of all kinds have become a more regular sight in recent years, and electric motorbikes are no exception. With more affordable options appearing on the market, Bikesure takes a look at (six of the best) the latest lithium powered machines, for anyone considering abandoning the internal combustion engine.

UK, with a range that includes some of the most affordable electric scooters.

The Cypher is their first electric machine in the shape of a motorbike and, costing under £2k, is the cheapest on the market. Its 30 mph top speed puts it in the moped category, meaning it can be ridden on an AM category licence at the age of 16.

1. Zero S Zero’s city electric motorbike includes a range of incremental improvements over the previous models. It’s not the fastest, but it offers mature technology from an established company so it’s a good, reliable choice for anyone with £12k to spare. It’s also classed as A1, meaning it’s good for learners too.

Their top of the range model is the Zero SR/S for around £20,000.

4. Energica

2. Cake OSA+ The Osa+ is intended as a workhorse utility electric motorbike, which strips the concept of a motorcycle down to a few lines, and that can be customised with a range of accessories for different purposes. A maximum load of 250 kg means it can carry a good amount of stuff and it claims a recharge time of just three hours. Prices start around £7,700.

3. Lexmoto Cypher Lexmoto is arguably the most popular manufacturer of budget bikes in the

The Energica Experia sees the Italian brand branch into a touring segment.

Energica states its latest bike has the largest battery capacity of any of their bikes at 22.5kWh. The battery, which has undergone maintenance to boost its capacity, now sees the Experia’s range increasing to up to 261 miles on a single charge. However, that figure drops significantly to around 130 miles if you’re riding on motorways and dual carriageways. Great performance and tech comes at a premium, with prices starting from £27,790.

5. Harley-Davidson Livewire Even pricier, the Livewire starts at just under £29k. Harley-Davidson’s first electric motorbike is quite a break from its history in terms of looks.

It’s more reminiscent of a cafe racer than Harley’s iconic chopper, and includes all the top-end components and technological refinements you’d expect from a big, expensive bike. A maximum range of around 140 miles

Advertising Feature

gives you an indication of the kind of money you need to spend to match the performance of more powerful ICE motorcycles, but the Livewire makes a convincing argument to justify its cost.

6. Yamaha Neo’s The Neo’s is Yamaha’s prestigious electric motorbike, with a stunning design and a 50.4V lithium-ion battery sitting underneath the chassis.

Weighing just 8kg, the battery can be removed from the Neo’s body for charging, which takes around eight hours using a domestic socket.

Yamaha says the Neo’s can do 23 miles between charges.

Whilst the mileage may seem poor when compared to others on this list, it’s the Neo’s price that sets it apart as it starts at £3,005.

ELECTRIC BIKE INSURANCE WITH BIKESURE Whether you ride an electric motorbike or a traditional petrol powered machine, you will ride itwith more confidence when it is protected by reliable, Defaqto 5* rated insurance.

Bikesure’s best policies are usually available over the phone so call 0800 503 3275 for a quote today.

Get a quote today, call 0800 503 3275 BMF Insurance is administered by Bikesure Insurance Services who are a trading name of Adrian Flux Insurance Services. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

My First Bike

Shenton Heard-White – Suzuki XN85

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ctually, make that ‘my first big bike,’ because I owned a few before the Suzuki. A Honda 50SS (in black with high level exhaust) was used mostly for the journey to school until the engine gave up, but was great fun.

After that I kept pestering my father to buy a Honda 125SL – that bike was amazing; it got really hammered but survived my abuse. In fact I’m surprised it kept running as – wanting more power – I had upgraded it with a 180cc big bore kit and an offroad pipe. Another fun machine – purely off-road, this one – was an old Husqvarna motocrosser, a 1980 CR250. I didn’t have this too long as I had no trailer to take it to trails, so I traded it in for a Suzuki GT380. With a three-into-one pipe this was truly the sound of the ‘80s, but oh, the neighbours did complain.

And so to the XN85, Suzuki’s 650cc turbocharged four. I bought it new in 1984 (on finance) from Motorcycle City near Heathrow Airport. I remember reading the brochure and don’t remember the details, but I did learn how the engine worked. The extra cooling jets spraying oil under the pistons to keep the heat levels down and the 16-bit processor under the seat controlling the fuel injectors were selling points, and having started my mechanical training at Kingston Polytechnic this was my interest at the time.

I used the Suzuki for commuting to work every day and it was absolutely 100% reliable, whatever the weather. I would change the oil every six months regardless, using only the best

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

fully synthetic Mobil 1. This was new to the market and not really recommended for wet clutches on motorcycles but I had no problems at all, clocking up 38,000 miles.

The longest rides I did were to Brighton and along the south coast or to Box Hill where the roads were less controlled. The XN’s handling was spot on with Michelin Pilot tyres – those foot pegs could spark – and the small flyscreen was just about adequate but you really had to tuck down on the fuel tank. It also didn’t do much for your vision. Riding back to London from Bournemouth once, it was late evening and I was at high speed looking though the flyscreen. It was dark, and even darker with that tinted screen.

That was why I didn’t spot two cars up ahead which had crashed, until it was too late to stop. Somehow I just avoided the car doors opening as the drivers stepped out – a close call, and somebody up there likes me. The XN85 was a totally enjoyable ride and it’s a shame we can’t hang onto our older machines. I certainly regretted selling this one.

What’s your First Bike?

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

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BIKES FOR GOOD

Pikilily CLAIRE ELSDON on Pikilily, which trains African motorcycle taxi riders – and if you have any spare body armour or boots, she’d like to hear from you Photos: kathietiffanyphotography.com

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ack in 2012/13, I rode London to Cape Town on my trusty Suzuki DRZ, finding that the kindness of strangers (as other travellers had told me) became a strong theme. This inspired me to see how I could weave some volunteering into my trip as a way of giving back. With my experience in banking, the most obvious was microfinance, so I offered my services at Microloan, based in Kasungu, Malawi.

Safety Champions

On arrival, it turned out that they didn’t need my financial skills, but someone to solve the issue of frequent breakdowns in their fleet of 80 small motorcycles. The loan officers were dependent on these bikes to reach rural groups of women and provide them with microloans, but they were often suffering avoidable accidents, costly in more ways than one.

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I found that a lack of basic maintenance and road safety awareness was at the root, so designed a ‘love your motorcycle, love your life,’ course for all the loan officers to share. Not only was this really impactful, but everyone enjoyed it and I wondered if there was a greater need for this course elsewhere. As it happened, travelling through Tanzania, I found the same issues there, but on a far greater scale. The market had been flooded with cheap Chinese motorcycles since the early 2010s, most of which were being used as motorcycle taxis.

Crashes were becoming commonplace, and were having a devastating impact in often low-income families, for whom the taxi rider was the income-provider – having them unable to earn for weeks or months could mean children being forced to drop out of school, reduced access to food and healthcare. In a study of riders based in Mwanza, Tanzania, the charity AMEND found that riders had a 69% chance of a crash in any one year. I did some research, moved to Mwanza and started a social enterprise to help address these issues.

The idea was that women would be trained as community motorcycle safety champions. Having learnt to ride and maintain their bikes, they would balance their time between community training – both riders and passengers – and riding wellmaintained motorcycles as taxis. It is teaching by example and also provides some income to help keep the project sustainable.

Since then the project has evolved constantly, now known locally as MJ Piki, a name the women riders came up with which stands for, ‘Mwanamke jasiri ya piki piki,’ in Swahili, or ‘brave

BIKES FOR GOOD woman on a motorcycle.’ I think it’s a great name for the project that has trained nine Tanzanian women to ride and become community champions.

5000 Trained

When we last featured in MOTORCYCLE RIDER (five years ago), we were developing work to renovate dilapidated motorcycle ambulances into a fleet of rescue vehicles to bring labouring mothers into hospitals and health centres for safer births. So far, the renovation part has sadly proven far simpler than working with the local health authorities to actually implement it.

As a result, we’ve put this project on ice and concentrated on the champions project. On this basis, the amazing women of MJ Piki have trained over 5000 local riders and passengers how to stay safe on a motorcycle, with a significant slant towards children. Though this might seem odd, it has worked really well as many children take motorcycles to and from school, many of them ‘mishkaki’ or kebab style, often two or three children lined up behind the rider. None of them wear any safety gear at all so when the inevitable accidents happen, these can be very serious.

Thankfully, the flip side of this is that the children are fascinated to welcome these brave women who come into their classrooms and learn about how to stay safe as a passenger, such as how to spot a bald tyre. The children are full of enthusiasm for the subject matter and eagerly share the information with their parents, who in turn learn how to choose a rider with a roadworthy bike. In the absence of any kind of MOT test, or police who actively engage in motorcycles, this positive passenger power is a much better carrot to reinforce the message amongst the local riding community.

Better still, we have recently found a way to scale up through a really exciting partnership with transport charity Transaid, who have professionally recorded our women giving short 90-second motorcycle safety tips. Available now in Swahili, Hausa and English, these clips are freely available to share on smartphones, enabling us to spread the word on a scale which would otherwise take years to do.

See the whole video here: https://youtu.be/zcgmObaRpA8

The delivery service for local householders is another useful income stream.

More broadly, we’ve also run body armour distribution sessions amongst local taxi riders, as few ride in more than jeans, a T-shirt and cotton jacket, so when accidents do happen, injuries can be severe. Donated body armour from the UK has been really gratefully received locally. Our team has run a really effective patchwork campaign of stitching patches into riders’ clothes to accommodate the body armour. While they sew they share snippets of road safety advice, a great way to get busy riders who otherwise would be reluctant to give up earning time to take a short break and invest in their safety.

We are continuing to collect body armour so if anyone has any knee, back, shoulder or elbow pads they could share with us, please let me know. Lastly, we are also collecting pre-loved motorcycle boots for the same purpose, which are being kindly shipped to Tanzania for us by the amazing charity Sal’s Shoes.

So if you have a pair of street (not motocross) riding boots in size 6-10, we’d love to have them.

Many thanks to everyone who has supported us over the years! As a grassroots charity, we couldn’t have done it without you. Contact: claire@pikilily.com or www.pikilily.com

Read Claire’s Story

One last plug – if anyone would like to read a snippet of what happened on Claire’s London to Cape Town trip, see her chapter to Sam Manicom’s fantastic book ‘The Moment Collectors.’ Highly recommended. www.sam-manicom.com Claire will also be speaking at The Overland Event (www.overlandevent.com) 31st Aug-3rd September.

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

Motorcycle R I D E R

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british motorcyclists federation

LUCKY CUP RALLY 2023

8th – 10th September 2023

At Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass, Cumbria CA18 1RQ

What a Fantastic location for a Brilliant Camping Weekend!

Join us for our Brand New LUCKY CUP RALLY at the Award Winning Muncaster Castle in the Lake District.

Overlooking the River Esk, Muncaster Castle, is the jewel in the majestic setting of the Western Lake District.

With its sumptuous state rooms, beautiful furniture and works of art, the Castle is testament to the centuries of Pennington family occupation, whilst outdoors, the centuries-old gardens and grounds are amongst the best of their kind. ...A laid-back rally, LUCKY CUP 2023 will feature live music, fantastic food, a rally bar, and traders, all in an amazing venue, plus it’s an excellent ride-out location to explore the fabulous Cumbrian countryside.

BMF members - £29 Non-members - £35 Trailer-tent/camper/caravan additional £5 – pre-booked only.

More info and Tickets from www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk/events/bmf-lucky-cup-rally

BMF INSURANCE

Up to nt iscou 10% d BMF for ers memb

FOR BMF MEMBERS It’s time to get a great deal on your motorcycle cover with BMF Insurance, underwritten by Bikesure, the broker that likes to do insurance a little differently.

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.

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Free legal expenses cover

Get a quote today, call 0800 587 2955 BMF Insurance is administered by Bikesure Insurance Services who are a trading name of Adrian Flux Insurance Services. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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Motorcycle R I D E R

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

BMF AGM Notice

Make a date – 14th October the BMF AGM online

N

otice is hereby given that the 2023 Annual General Meeting of the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) will take place on 14th October 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 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.

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

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 an email or letter from your Club Secretary showing that you have been appointed to represent the club. It would be helpful if this could be sent to the office at least two weeks before the AGM (ie by 30th September 2023) so that appropriate steps can be taken to deal with it.

This notice is hereby given on the 5th day of June 2023.

Jim Freeman, Chair, BMF

Register to attend the AGM – admin@bmf.co.uk 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 2nd September 2023.

Motorcycle R I D E R

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Down YOUR WAY ALL THE BMF CONTACTS YOU NEED SCOTLAND – REGION 1

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 NORTH EAST– REGION 2

Regional Chair - Alex Parsons-Hulse 07702 229 311 bmfregion2rep@bmf.co.uk BINGLEY - John Lancaster 01274 560174, john-lancaster@sky.com Tina Walker, 01377 217242 MIDLANDS – REGION 3

COVENTRY AND WEST MIDLANDS John Nelson, jsnlsn@btinternet.com DERBYSHIRE - John Hutchinson 07876 756 356 hutchpeaks@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 LINCOLNSHIRE - Mitch Elliott 07982 802 588 elliott.mitch@gmail.com SHROPSHIRE - James Ellerby jamesellerby@btinternet.com STAFFORDSHIRE - Jeffrey Brook 07401 070 934 jeffbrook89@outlook.com EAST ENGLAND – REGION 4

CAMBRIDGESHIRE - Tim Flinders, 01223 212721 LONDON– REGION 5

Anna Zee, anna.zee@bmf.co.uk South London Charles Deakin 07951 978 283, deakie57@live.co.uk SOUTH EAST – REGION 6

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

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Motorcycle R I D E R

SURREY - Michael Gray hello@graymic.co.uk West Sussex - Mark O’Dwyer 07824 554 927 markodwyer67@gmail.com SOUTH WEST – REGION 7

Regional Chair - Jim Peel-Cross 01249 819671, 07470 899546 jimpcross@hotmail.co.uk Deputy Chair - Adrian Lambert 07971 908 604 adrian.lambert@mac.com BATH - Carenza Ellery 01225 835599 07962 076370 cbx550mini@gmail.com BRISTOL - Alan Maynard 07305 544 884 excalibur08@blueyonder.co.uk CORNWALL - Tiffany Coates 07805 078062 tiffanycoates@hotmail.com DEVON - James Maynard 07791 412 957 maynard23@live.co.uk DORSET - Adrian Lambert 07971 908 604 adrian.lambert@mac.com

SOMERSET - Rachel Lawrence 07786 736 526 rachellawrence9@btinternet.com WEST WILTSHIRE - Les Simper 07789 354371 leslie.simper@btinternet.com SOUTH WILTSHIRE - Roger Stone 07928 822671 r.stone703@ntlworld.com

Numbered Regions CHESHIRE - Jim Bradburn 01606 836782 jimbradburn@hotmail.co.uk Cumbria - David Kershaw 01697 742 201 david.kershaw@bmf.co.uk EAST LANCASHIRE - Mick Gibbons 07940 816492 mick.gibbonsindarwen@googlemail.com Steven Bartley, 01254 278187 ste.bartley@googlemail.com WEST LANCASHIRE - Dave Barton 01772 455018, 07971 519004 bmf_r9@notrab.co.uk NORTHERN IRELAND- REGION 10

Regional Chair - Howard Anderson 07918 903497 howand@hotmail.co.uk CO. ANTRIM - David Gillespie (club liaison) 02893 350495, 07882 525777 gwocni@hotmail.com

WALES – REGION 8

Central Wales - Phil Harries 07968 168486 dpharries1@aol.com SOUTH WALES - Steve Preston 07906 167 357 steve@stephenjpreston.com NORTH WEST – REGION 9

Regional Chair - Peter Laidlaw 07939 260524 peter.laidlaw@ntlworld.com

COUNCILLORS

R1 - Kona Macphee, 07747 651 877 kona@cloverleaf.scot R2 - Alex Parsons-Hulse 07702 229 311 bmfregion2rep@bmf.co.uk R3 - Mitch Elliott, 07982 802 588 elliott.mitch@gmail.com R5 - Juergen Buechner, 07786 931 729 jwbuechner@mail.co.uk Jim Freeman, jim.freeman@bmf.co.uk

Jim Freeman, BMF Chair Sheonagh Ravensdale, Communications Director Peter Laidlaw, Director of Member Services Howard Anderson, Finance Director Anna Zee, Political & Technical Services Director Emily Rochester, Government Relations Exec Alex Parsons-Hulse, Reps Liaison Officer Steve Gibbons, Advertising Manager Helen Hancock, Admin & Anything!

Membership Secretary

R6 - Norman Powers, 01635 254 154 pollard1942@mail.com R6 - Neil Smith, 07961 576 624 gunnersmith1959@gmail.com R7 - Adrian Lambert, 07971 908 604 adrian.lambert@mac.com R9 - Anthony Beard, 07944 661 779 anthonybeard@blueyonder.co.uk R10 - David Gillespie, 07882 525 777 gwocni@hotmail.com NATIONAL AND ONE-MAKE CLUBS FORUM (NaOMC)

Chair - Stephen Davenport stephendavenport98@me.com Secretary - John Gardner 01695 622792 john.gardner119@gmail.com NaOMC Councillors

Tim Kirker - Vincent HRD tim.kirker@zen.co.uk John Gardner - TOMCC john.gardner119@gmail.com Jacqueline Bickerstaff - Vincent HRD jacqueline.bickerstaff@btinternet.com John Nelson - TOMCC jsnlsn@btinternet.com John Nicholas - Ducati bmfrep@docgb.net Pete Wilson - BSA Bantam secretary@bsabantamclub.org.uk

USEFUL CONTACTS

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

jim.freeman@bmf.co.uk sheonagh.ravensdale@bmf.co.uk peter.laidlaw@ntlworld.com howand@hotmail.com anna.zee@bmf.co.uk emily.rochester@bmf.co.uk bmfregion2rep@bmf.co.uk 07702 229311 steve.gibbons@bmf.co.uk 07394 015726 admin@bmf.co.uk 07918 903 500 membership@bmf.co.uk 0116 2795 112

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

Biker Friendly Accommodation, Cafes, Camping, Clothing, Events, Meeting Places, Parts, Pubs, Rallies, Shows, Touring

and much, much more...

The website is free and easy to use, packed full of up to date information, with lots of events, news and free to enter competitions, along with an extensive business directory aimed at motorcyclists, with a wide range of businesses included.

Bringing The Biking Community Together

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info@thebikerguide.co.uk

www.thebikerguide.co.uk www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk

Motorcycle Funerals Ltd

M

otorcycle 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.

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T: 01530 274888 • www.motorcyclefunerals.com

Motorcycle R I D E R

www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk