Bikers at heart, the BMF are your unified voice in defending the rights and interests of UK Motorcyclists and its associated industries. ‘
LEARNING TO RIDE FROM PUTTING ON L-PLATES TO YOUR FULL LICENCE PAGE 8 P37 worth of prizes in our free draw... WIN £1250+
There’s a lot to take in during the CBT but you’ll enjoy the experience!
Compulsory Basic Training is exactly that and is the bare minimum you need to get on the road to stay legal and safe
Currently, there are five key sections. There’s no time limit; 6-8 hours is normal, but it can be spread over two days. A classroom-based introduction spells out the legal aspects of riding (see tinyurl.com/ qcf3tjk), checks you have a licence and roadworthy bike with tax, insurance and MOT (if applicable) plus L-plates front and rear. Most centres will rent you a bike with insurance. After the briefing, the practical on-site training begins where you’ll learn:
■ Basic controls & checks
■ Starting/stopping the engine
■ Using the stands
■ Wheeling the bike
■ Using the brakes
You’ll then move onto an off-road area to start riding. Here you’ll learn:
■ Using the clutch & gears
■ Riding in a straight line, circles and figures of eight
■ Slow, controlled riding
■ Emergency stops and how to deal with skids
■ Dealing with turns and junctions
A classroom-based briefing follows on the Highway Code, staying visible, road signs and riding defensively.
You’ll next ride for at least two hours on various roads that take in traffic lights, junctions and roundabouts. When your instructor feels you’re safe to ride solo, you’ll be issued with the DL196 (CBT) Certificate. This is valid for two years and entitles you to ride on the road with L-plates but not carry a pillion or ride on motorways. You’ll need to re-take the CBT if you don’t pass both the theory and practical tests before the CBT Certificate expires.
Taking a motorbike off road is great fun, provided you are on a bike designed for the job and you stay the right side of the law. But riding on footpaths, bridleways or in public parks is a big no-no. There are a range of measures the police could take if you ignore the rules. Under the Police Reform Act 2002, they could even seize your bike!
This is where you can ride off road, so long as you give space to others.
■ Byways open to all traffic (check the key on an OS map).
■ Private land, with the owner’s permission (check insurance still covers you).
The Trail Riders Fellowship www.trf.org.uk is a great resource for responsible trail riding.
AGE: 16
You can now ride any 50cc moped restricted to 28mph and fitted with L-plates. You can’t carry passengers and you’re also not allowed on motorways.
THEORY TEST TAKES JUST30 MINS
AGE: 17+
You can now ride any machine up to 125cc as long as it is fitted with L-plates. No passengers are allowed and you’re also not allowed to ride on motorways.
You must hold a valid motorcycle theory test certificate before you take your practical tests.
Two-part test MODULE 1 - off road MODULE 2 - on road
AGE 16
AM - MOPED LICENCE
You can now ride a 50cc moped restricted to 28mph. No need for L-plates and passengers are allowed, but you can’t use the motorway.
YOUR OPTIONS NOW. . .
■ Keep riding a moped (limited to 50cc).
■ At 17 years or over, take a motorcycle test so you can graduate to a larger, more powerful machine.
AGE 17-18 AGE 19 CBT ONLY VALID FOR 2 YEARS
A1 LICENCE
You can now ride an 11kw (14.8bhp) 125cc bike. There’s no need to have L-plates and passengers are allowed. You can now use the motorway.
YOUR OPTIONS NOW. . .
■ Keep riding a 125cc motorcycle.
■ At 19 years or over, you can now take your category A2 test and ride a bike of up to 35kW (46.6bhp).
A2 LICENCE
You can now ride any bike up to 35kW (46.6 bhp). No L-plates need to be fitted, and passengers are allowed. You can use the motorway.
YOUR OPTIONS NOW. . .
■ Keep riding a motorcycle of up to 35kw (46.6bhp).
■ After 2 years, or on reaching 24 years of age, you can take a Category A motorcycle test to ride any machine you like.
There’s a huge choice of motorcycle jackets and trousers, and that’s before you decide whether you prefer leather or textile for the material.
Leather has been the traditional choice thanks to its abrasion-resistance, but modern textiles are now every bit as good while offering better protection from the wind, rain and cold. Textile clothing can also be cooler in warm weather. Look for textile clothing made from Cordura and Gore-Tex.
Whichever material you opt for, make sure the jacket and trousers come with CEapproved armour. This should be a comfortable fit in all of the most vulnerable spots, including shoulders, elbows, back, hips and knees. Also allow for some space under the motorcycle clothing so you can wear extra layers in colder weather – adjustable straps on the jacket and trousers help keep them
snugly fitted.
Clothing can be made of leather or a textile such as Cordura; all should be at least double-stitched and have integral CE-approved armour in the most ‘at-risk’ areas, such as elbows and shoulders. Often, back protection costs extra.
For outstanding value, the Oxford Montreal 4.0 MS Dry2Dry is hard to beat. With a high-density polyester outer shell and a breathable
Fit – before buying a jacket or trousers, try sitting on a motorcycle with the kit so you know it’s comfortable. Armour – only buy clothing with CE-approved armour, and make sure the armour doesn’t move around as you wear the kit.
Stitch up – only buy clothing that is double- or triplestitched on the seams so it
resists splitting if you fall off. Zip it – always zip up your jacket when riding to give maximum protection. Check the zip is not directly touching skin in case it transmits friction heat if you fall off.
Leather – leather clothing should be at least 1.2mm thick, but make sure you are happy with comfort
Dry2Dry membrane, this jacket is works well across a wide range of temperatures and weather. Pair it with the matching Montreal trouser for similar leg protection.
and weight.
Textile – look for layers that can be added or removed to make the clothing more waterproof or warmer depending on riding conditions.
Jeans – armoured jeans reinforced with Kevlar are another option, but offer less protection from the elements.
As a motorcyclist, your hands and feet are among the most exposed parts of your body.
Leather is the most common material for gloves. Extra protection on the knuckles and wrist from plastic or carbon-fibre inserts is desirable. Lighter weight gloves for summer will keep your hands cool,
while insulated or electrically heated gloves are ideal for winter temperatures.
These Richa Artic gloves are a safe and comfortable choice across a wide range of temperatures. They feature an abrasion-resistant textile construction, a fully waterproof internal membrane, TPU knuckle armour, and reflective panels for nightime visibility.
There are 26 bones in each foot, so protecting them is vitally important. Forget trainers or work shoes and invest in good quality motorcycle boots. Most are made from leather or Lorica synthetic leather for excellent abrasion-resistance. Make sure they cover and support your ankles.
The RST Tracetech Evo 3 is a microfibre boot with TPU external protection and a breathable membrane so your feet shouldn’t overheat.
PRICE £149.99
Shoes must be comfortable as you could be wearing them for hours at a time. Don’t wear regular shoes, however comfy, as they won’t offer enough protection.
Fit like a… gloves should feel tailored to your hands, but not tight. Make sure you can curl your fingers, while a wrist strap helps secure the glove.
Protection – look for gloves and boots with extra protection around knuckles and ankles to take care of these vulnerable areas.
Type of use – choose the right boots and gloves for the riding you do. Racing kit is great on track, but can be uncomfortable on a long trip. Sew good – check any gloves or boots for good quality double or triple stitching as it makes the kit strong in a crash.
Your hands are vulnerable in a crash and you can easily lose a finger, so always wear specialist motorcycling gloves –a strong protective layer is essential.
PRICE£99.99
There is no better feeling than buying your first bike. But if you want that silly grin to last for mile after mile, you need to choose carefully
1 CAN I AFFORD IT?
Saving money is one of the big advantages of travelling on two wheels rather than four, but don’t throw away the saving by spending more than you can really afford. It’s more important to budget for a high-quality helmet, shoes, jacket, gloves and trousers to keep you safe.
2 HOW MUCH WILL IT COST TO INSURE?
Get some quotes before you commit to buying a particular bike, as insurance for young and inexperienced riders can be pricey.
3 WHAT WILL THE BIKE COST TO RUN?
Bikes use much less fuel than cars, but petrol isn’t cheap. The better the bike’s fuel economy, the more money you’ll keep in your pocket.
4 DOES IT SUIT MY STYLE OF RIDING?
On-bike storage can be really handy if you need to take a change of clothes or a laptop with you, so that’s something
to consider. If you’re going to use the bike for long journeys, a bigger fuel tank means you’ll go further between fillups, and a bike with a fairing will protect you from the wind when riding at speed.
5 SHOULD I GO FOR A PETROL OR ELECTRIC BIKE?
Petrol bikes are usually a lot cheaper to buy than the electric equivalent, although the cost of charging a battery is a lot less than the price of a tank of unleaded.
One thing to remember is that while the petrol bikes are rated by ‘peak’ power, the regulations around electric models use ‘continuous’ power (measured over a set period). The upshot is electric bikes can be quicker than you’d expect.
FROM£1949
WK SCRAMBLER 50
Retro has never looked so cool. The WK Scrambler 50 is a great budget buy, with a choice of stealthy black and classy grey finishes. A two-year warranty is standard.
FROM£2565
This stylish Italian moped comes in four colours and looks great in all of them. The low seat height makes it ideal for shorter riders, and the auto transmission means it’s easy to ride.
FROM £1449.99
Your life on two wheels starts here! From mopeds to supermoto bikes, there’s something for everyone
The stylish Kisbee is ideal around town and has plenty of comfort for you and a pillion when you pass your test. Nimble handling is ideal for commuting.
LEXMOTO ECHO 50
New bikes don’t come much cheaper than the Echo 50. It’s a nippy ride, with sporty looks, nimble handling, and low running costs. There’s plenty of under-seat storage too.
FROM£2199
FROM £3855
A supermoto bike with a six-speed gearbox, the MRT 50 SM looks cool and is great fun to ride. It’s not the cheapest first bike, though.
FROM£3349
Timeless good looks and a choice of five colours make the Vespa a stylish way to nip around town. The four-stroke engine sips fuel, but the Primavera costs a little more than some mopeds.
Small in size but big on under-seat storage, the Piaggio Zip makes Italian style affordable. Thanks to the twist-and-go transmission, the Zip is really easy to ride.
FROM£2365
You get the looks of a motorbike for moped money with the Yamasaki MB50. Would you guess it’s priced at just over £2k? The MB50 has a four-speed ’box and returns around 120mpg.
The CB300R can be ridden on an A2 licence, but it has the looks of one of Honda’s bigger naked bikes. It’s lively, easy to ride, and huge fun. The price is keen for such a highquality bike.
MASH TWO FIFTY
The fun doesn’t stop when the road does with the Mash Two Fifty thanks to its scrambler style and chunky tyres. It’s also good around town.
KAWASAKI Z650RS
Enjoy retro style without the hassle of a classic bike with the Kawasaki Z650RS. With a punchy 68hp from its twocylinder engine, the Z will appeal to A2 licence holders who appreciate old-school looks.
TRIUMPH TIGER SPORT 660
With the sporty character of a threecyinder engine, this punchy and practical bike is ready for whatever two-wheeled adventure you can dream up.
FROM £6800
VESPA ELETTRICA
Pricier than some, but the Elettrica comes with all of the Vespa looks, heritage and quality along with quicker recharging than most electric scooters.
If you are 17 or over, you can ride an electric bike with up to 11kW of continuous power after taking your CBT. You’ve then got two years to pass your theory and practical, or you’ll need to go through CBT again.
Electric scooters and motorcycles are now more affordable than ever, and they offer no-hassle, low-emissions riding FROM£3195 FROM£6299
VMOTO STASH
The Stash can be ridden on an A1 licence. It’s super-cheap to run but great fun to ride with an official range of around 90 miles.
HORWIN EK-3
The EK-3 looks great and has a range of up to 60 miles. You can charge your phone using the USB in the storage cubby.
IT’S A SOBERING statistic, but motorcyclists make up just 0.8% of the total traffic on the UK’s roads, but account for around 20% of the total numbers killed or seriously injured each year.
Despite the millions of pounds spent developing safer systems on motorcycles such as anti-lock brakes and traction control, motorcycle riders do not have the luxury of side impact bars or crumple zones and only one motorcycle – Honda’s Gold Wing – has ever
been fitted with an airbag system. That’s why the best way to stay intact on a motorcycle or scooter is not get into a dangerous situation in the first place.
This is why motorcyclists need even greater awareness on the road of their own actions, their surroundings, the road surface and the behaviour of others around them.
But don’t worry – you can cope with it all. Here are some golden rules to help you stay safe.
Visibility isn’t just about how well you can see the road ahead, but it’s also how easily other road users can see you. The Police Rider’s Handbook (Roadcraft) says that a third of drivers involved in a daylight collision with a motorcyclist claim to have not seen the bike or scooter before the crash. At night that figure rises to half. Part of the reason
is that bikes can be hard to see from head-on as they are relatively small compared to most other road traffic, making it difficult for the driver to assess their speed and distance.
Also, if the road is very busy, then motorbike and rider can all too easily get lost against a cluttered background, often with disastrous results. This is why you need to make yourself as conspicuous as possible when you are out on the open road.
Statistically, junctions can be a big hazard. Make eye contact with the driver and watch their wheels as they creep out from the junction
YOU CAN DO A LOT MORE HARM WITH AN HGV THAN A 50CC MOPED. And a moped can do a lot more damage than a child on foot. That’s now reflected in the Highway Code.
Loads of changes were made in a big update in January 2022. Some existing rules were tidied up or clarified, but the guiding principle is the ‘hierarchy of road users’ – those who can do the greatest harm must take the
greatest responsibility.
The likes of HGV and coach drivers have the greatest duty to look out for other road users, because they’re driving the biggest, heaviest vehicles with the most potential to do damage. Pedestrians are at the opposite end of the hierarchy, as they’re likely to come off worst in any collision. Moped and motorbike riders sit near the middle, as they’re vulnerable to larger and heavier vehicles, but need to take extra care around horse riders, cyclists, and people on foot.
GETTING PAID TO RIDE YOUR MOPED OR SCOOTER SOUNDS LIKE THE DREAM JOB. Choose a gig with a food delivery company and this could become reality, and you get to pick the working hours that suit you.
With the huge increase in the home food and takeaway delivery market since Covid, there’s been an increasing need for delivery riders. In the UK, this market grew by a quarter in 2021, and it’s estimated an extra 10,000 delivery riders are needed to
Making your scooter pay for itself is possible if you take on a delivery job.
Here’s what you need to know.
keep pace with demand.
For anyone with a moped or scooter, and their CBT completed, it can be a way to make your machine pay for itself. Some riders can earn up to £1000 per week, though £40 per daily shift is more common.
The big players in the home food delivery market are Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats. Each works in a similar way where you sign up and agree to their terms, download the work app to your phone, and start delivering food orders. Then the money starts rolling in!
The phone app will send through delivery orders, and you decide whether to take the job or not. If you do, the companies expect you to collect the food from the restaurant and deliver it promptly and safely. The more orders you deliver, the more you earn. To help with this, the app will always try to bundle together orders from the same restaurant that are being delivered to homes near each other. This saves you making multiple journeys back and forth to collect food and deliver it.
However, you should remember that there will be slow periods, with Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday reckoned to be the quietest days. Weekends are always busiest, especially around lunchtime and the evenings. Many riders choose to work only at busy times, though it also means there’s more competition for work.
You have to bear in mind that big cities are where most of the work for food delivery riders will be. If you live in a small rural town, it could be
difficult to earn enough to justify the effort. You should also think about how long it will take to deliver an order. A scooter is ideal for short and medium distance orders, but anything over five miles can make it uneconomic to accept the job through the app.
Many delivery riders sign up to more than one company, maximising the number of orders they can choose to accept. However, you cannot deliver orders from different apps at the same time. Doing this can have you banned from the companies and leave you out of work.
Dom Junec is a 19-yearold student living in London. He’s been riding a scooter for two years and has worked as a food delivery rider since he turned 18. He says:
“There are good and bad sides. The best bit is that I can fit delivering around my university work and social life. If I’m busy with one or the other, I don’t sign on to the app.
“Another upside is if I need a quick boost to my bank account, I can put in a long weekend of delivering and use the instant pay option to have the money straight away. This is really useful if my rent is due or a big bill crops up.
“I love riding my scooter around London, so this is a great job. It takes me to loads of places I would never know about, though I sometimes have to keep an eye on the scooter when I’m delivering, especially at night.
“As a part-time job, delivering food by scooter is good for a student, but it would be hard to earn a proper living. Even working seven days a week, there are slow times, and you have to factor in scooter running costs.”
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MOTOGP IN FOCUS
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Around 2000 motorcycles and scooters are stolen each month, so keep your bike safe from thieves
BWHETHER YOUR BIKE IS AT HOME, or you need to leave it on the street, it’s always a target for thieves. There are lots of simple steps you can take to cut the risk of criminals stealing your bike.
1: LOCK IT INSIDE
Keep your bike garaged. Ideally fit a garage door defender, which makes it
much harder for a thief to open up-and-over garage doors. If you don’t have a garage, a sturdy motorbike storage shed is the next best thing. If the bike is kept securely out of sight it’s a much less obvious target for thieves.
2: KEEP IT CHAINED UP
If possible, install a ground anchor at home and chain the bike to it. If you don’t have a
ground anchor, still use a stout security chain that’s highly rated by the security experts at Thatcham (thatcham.org) and Sold Secure (soldsecure.com). Products which meet Sold Secure’s Diamond and Gold standards will be among the best you can buy.
3: IMMOBILISE IT
Use an alarm and immobiliser (your insurer may insist on
Think about adding layers of security to your bike. A good lock is just the start. Consider where you park, fit a tracking device and add security marking as well. Every extra layer of security helps beat the thieves.
this). Look for devices with Thatcham approval. Just don’t think an immobiliser will stop a determined criminal. Many stolen bikes are pushed away then loaded into a van.
Whenever possible, use a dedicated motorcycle parking bay with fixed locking points. Look on parkmark.co.uk to find a car park near your destination which is highly rated by the police for its security.
A good quality chain or D-lock will slow down a thief or persuade them to pinch another bike that’s less well protected. A disc-lock is a good lightweight option.
Helmets are much cheaper than a bike but they’re also a lot easier to nick. Take your helmet with you when you park your bike or buy a lockable helmet bag. The best bags will protect your lid
from bad weather as well as theft, and they only cost £30 or so.
There are dedicated tracking devices from the likes of Tracker (tracker. co.uk). These use satellite, mobile phone, or VHF signals to keep tabs on your machine. Some high-end tracking devices use a combination of all three. A hidden Apple AirTag or Galaxy SmartTag are budget alternatives, but won’t offer all the features of a dedicated motorbike tracking device.
Security marks and tags from companies like Datatag (datatag.co.uk) aren’t just about recovering your bike if it’s stolen. Security marking systems that use a variety of different measures also act as a deterrent. If a thief sees that a bike is marked, the chances are they’ll move on to a bike that’s less well protected. Even if they do steal the bike, there’s a much better chance of having your pride and joy back if it’s been security marked. Yes, a criminal will try to find and remove all the tags, but they’ll struggle if the package includes etching that’s only visible under UV light, tiny data dots, and hidden transponders as well as visible warning labels. A Datatag security package will register your bike or moped with a database that can be accessed by the police, making it easy for the authorities to find you once the bike has been recovered.
“A good quality D-lock will slow down a thief or persuade them to pinch a bike that’s less well protected”
Thatcham is the insurance industry’s research body, so they know a thing or two about bike security. It’s easy to be confused by Thatcham security ratings. Category 1 must be better than Category 2, right? Wrong. The various categories are for different types of security product, so one isn’t better than the other – just different.
CAT 1: Alarm and immobiliser
CAT 2: Immobiliser only
CAT 2.1: A retrofit alarm upgrade meeting the requirements of Cat 1
CAT 3: No longer available
CAT 4: Locking wheelnuts
S5: Stolen vehicle recovery products with a ‘Driver ID’ fob
S7: Stolen vehicle recovery products
Whether you’ve just passed your CBT or hold a category A, A2 or A1 licence, we can help you find great cover at a lower price than you might think. Policy benefits can include:
£100,000 of free legal cover
Premiums available for experienced and novice young bikers
Repairs guaranteed for three years*
Direct debit available for 16 year olds (subject to guarantor)
Paying for insurance is one of the least fun things about riding a bike. But you’ll be glad you sorted cover if you need to make a claim
If you’re riding a moped or motorbike, it needs to be insured. It’s not just the smart thing to do – it’s a legal requirement. Get caught without insurance and you could be landed with six penalty points and a fine. You could even end up in court.
The good news is cover for a moped or small-capacity motorbike is usually cheaper than car insurance. According to Comparethemarket. com, the average price of motorbike insurance is £652 per year, compared with £729 for a car. It’s one of the many ways that choosing two wheels rather than four can save you money.
Third party. The most basic kind of cover, and the minimum legal requirement. Third party covers the cost of damage or injury to another person and their property. It
doesn’t cover any damage to your bike and won’t pay out if your bike is stolen.
Third party, fire and theft. If your bike is nicked, or gets damaged by fire, this type of insurance should pay out. Otherwise it offers the same cover as a basic third-party policy. Fully comprehensive. Unless you are on the tightest of tight budgets, this is the type of insurance you want. Not only does it pay out if your bike is stolen or burnt in a fire, it also covers you and your bike if you have a crash or collision, even if it turns out to have been your fault.
If you are going to work on your bike, make sure the policy covers ‘social, domestic, pleasure and commuting’ rather than ‘social, domestic and pleasure’.
Never choose a bike insurance:beforecheckingthecostof itisabigchunkof whatyouspendtogetonthe insurersroad.Donot‘forget’totell aboutanychanges or modifications to the machine either.
It gets a bit more complicated if you are at college or uni. Does heading onto campus for a lecture count as commuting? Different insurers treat this differently, so your best bet is to give them a call.
● Limit your annual mileage. If you’re not going to ride far each year, think about a limited mileage policy.
● Increase the voluntary excess. You should also consider increasing the voluntary excess (the amount you pay out yourself if you make a claim), but only if you can afford it.
● Add security kit. Fitting security devices to your bike, keeping it in a garage rather than on the road, and avoiding any
modifications will also help keep the cost down.
● Use specialist insurers. Comparison sites are timesavers, but for the best deal, we’d recommended going direct to specialists too. Try Bikesure (Bikesure.co.uk), Lexham Insurance (Lexhaminsurance. co.uk) and Motorcycle Direct (motorcycledirect. co.uk).
Nobody likes paying for insurance, so clearly when comparing quotes the lowest price is going to be appealing. But price isn’t everything.
When looking at different quotes, don’t just focus on the premium. Think about what you are getting for your money. Are legal services included in the price? Are there other extras, such as membership of motorcycle groups, that might be worth paying a little more for?And if you plan to carry a pillion passenger on the back (and have a licence that allows this), make sure pillion cover is included.
Most big insurers will have ratings from real customers on their websites. What do other riders make of them? How helpful are they when a rider needs to make a claim?
Take a Biker Down course: it could help you save another rider’s life
Would you know what to do if you came around a corner and found another biker lying in the road? That’s the question posed by Biker Down, a first aid course for motorcyclists. Actually, Biker Down covers more than first aid. Over three hours or so you learn how to keep yourself and others safe at the scene of a crash, as well as tips on being seen by other road users.
So, back to scene of the collision. There’s not just another biker, but a car as well, with an injured driver and passenger. Whose safety do you need to attend to first? Yours.
Jim Sanderson, the course’s founder and a crew manager with the Kent Fire and Rescue service, explains. “If a fire fighter attends a road traffic collision, their first job is to make sure the scene is safe for the crew to work. It’s the same for a biker. You might have to walk past people who are lying on the ground screaming to go up to the first
bend and stop the next car from coming around the corner.
“If you get caught up helping people and a car comes around the bend and hits everyone, you’ve failed.”
Likewise think carefully before using your own bike with hazard lights on as a warning to other road users. If it is too close to the scene it could be hit by another vehicle causing further injuries – or worse.
The first of Biker Down’s three modules tells you all about incident scene management. This includes deciding who needs your help first.
It’s probably not the person making the most noise. Check anyone who is quiet and not moving first for breathing and a pulse.
DOING YOUR BEST BEATS DOING NOTHING
In Module 2, Biker Down moves on to casualty care. You’ll learn all sorts of techniques, including CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
The best way to learn CPR is on a course where you can practise hands on. But here are the basics:
● Kneel next to the person and place the heel of your hand on the breastbone at the centre of their chest. Place the palm of your other hand on top of the hand on the chest. Interlock your fingers.
● Position your shoulders directly above your hands.
● Use your bodyweight (not just your arms) to press down straight by 5-6cm.
● Keeping your hands on their chest, allow the chest to return to its original position.
● Repeat these compressions 100 to 120 times a minute.
If you haven’t been on a first aid course recently, you may not be confident in the technique. But it’s better to try to save a life than to always wonder if you could have made a difference.
“I should never take off another biker’s helmet after a crash.”
Wrong. If a biker’s airway is obstructed or they’re not breathing, you will need to remove their helmet to clear the airway or perform CPR with rescue breaths. Biker Down teaches how to do it.
There are first aid kits designed specifically for motorcycle use, such as those from Held and Qbag. They can be stowed under the seat, so they’re always there when you need them. They come with all the basics to deal with cuts
and burns. Look for a kit that meets the DIN 131672014 standard, which is specific to motorcycles. A good quality, compact first aid kit for your bike costs from less than £10, so there’s no excuse for not carrying one.
SO, HOW DOES IT WORK?
Further training will make biking more fun – and could cut the cost of insurance
THE BETTER YOU RIDE, THE MORE ENJOYABLE BIKING BECOMES. There are few things as satisfying as honing a new skill, and with motorcycles there are so many new skills to learn.
Mopeds and motorbikes get under your skin, and becoming a better rider will be part of what drives you on. These are some of the schemes that can improve your riding, and often reduce your insurance premium too.
A free three-hour course, Biker Down covers accident scene management, first aid for motorcyclists, and the science of being seen. bikerdown.co.uk
BikeSafe is a national motorcycle initiative run by the police. Workshops involve an observed ride with a police-graded motorcyclist or an approved BikeSafe observer. Many police forces in England and Wales are involved in BikeSafe, with 75 workshop venues. BikeSafe costs £84 per rider. bikesafe.co.uk
The Enhanced Rider Scheme (ERS) is run by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA). Costs vary depending on how much training you need. gov. uk/enhanced-rider-scheme
The BMF promotes motorcycling, campaigns for bikers’ rights, and runs shows and rallies across the UK. There are more than 200 local clubs affiliated to the BMF across the country. Membership costs £28 per year (£34 for two people living at the same address). bmf.co.uk
The Advanced Rider course costs £215. You’ll be paired with one of IAM’s observers, who will help develop core skills including road positioning and bike control. You’ll also receive a handbook and associate membership of IAM RoadSmart. After several rides the observer will decide you are ready for the test. Once you pass, full IAM RoadSmart membership will cost you £47. iamroadsmart.com
Run by volunteers, MAG promotes motorcycling in the UK and stands up for riders’ rights. It runs both national and local events, and offers members various benefits including discounted insurance. It costs £30 for single membership and £45 for two adults. mag-uk.org
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