I’ve been asked to write a few words, as a closing comment on 2021, and looking forward to 2022. Something ‘between a Christmas card and the queen’s speech’, apparently, but knowing who said that [thanks Helen!] I’ll take that as I find it. Last year? When we discovered, still are, that Covid wasn’t going to be a ‘one hit wonder’, that we were going to have to live with it. We learnt that making plans was a chancy business, individually and as the BMF. That being careful about mundane things was going to be second nature. That’s enough gloom and doom. We also made progress, in some unlikely ways. For many people the push to get everyone to ‘walk, cycle, public transport’

The BMF does not accept the Government’s views on modernising vehicle standards if that means it will be come harder or even impossible to keep older bikes on the roads. The BMF has called for greater clarity on proposed anti-tampering legislation currently being considered by the Department for Transport. “The BMF disagrees with the proposals as defined because the scope appears unlimited,” said Anna Zee, the BMF's Political and Technical Services Director. “There is no indication of who will enforce the legislation or how.” The BMF has chosen to take part in the consultation but has done so under protest. With this consultation the BMF - and other motorcyclists’ organisations - are forced to answer questions and statements that should not be

Department for Transport officials have tried to reassure representatives of the NMC, including the BMF's Anna Zee, that motorcyclists have nothing to fear from the recent anti-tampering consultation. The original wording of the consultation – a maze of legal language – implied that any modification of a machine could be outlawed, and classed as 'tampering,' although the spirit of the wording was aimed at items which increase noise or emissions, such as aftermarket exhausts without a catalyser. Anna Zee said: “We were invited to a meeting with DfT officials on 27th October to discuss this section of the consultation. They were quick to admit this could have been worded better; it is NOT intended to prevent customisation of bikes or the fitting

The BMF, working with the other members of the NMC, are recommending comprehensive changes to the motorcycle licensing system, to enhance safety and usability. The UK’s exit from the EU provides an opportunity to revise a complex rider licensing system that has not led to road safety improvements October 12, 2021 The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) is today calling for changes to the UK’s motorcycle licence testing and training regime. In a new position paper published by the NMC (here), the Council outlines how the licensing system has evolved under the EU’s Driving Licence Directive (DLD) regime and has analysed the effect of changes to motorcycle licensing rules since 2009. Training and testing regulations need to fulfil a basic mission – to make motorcycling

The BMF has warned that aftermarket accessories could be under threat by a new government consultation which aims to outlaw 'tampering products.' 'The Future of transport regulatory review consultation: Modernising vehicle standards' to give the consulation its full, unwieldy title, is clearly aimed primarily at items such as rechipping or non-catalysed exhausts, but the 'legalise' language used is fairly broad and could be interpreted in different ways by different authorities. The key phrases in the consultation are these: “We will create new offences for tampering with a system, part or component of a vehicle intended or adapted to be used on a road.” The tampering product is defined as, “where a principal effect of the product is to bypass, defeat, reduce the

The British Motorcyclists Federation held it’s AGM today, 9th October 2021, at 11.00. The event, held on Zoom, for the second time, was a great success with 29 attending, from both Clubs and as individual members. Regular business was dealt with briskly, enabling wide ranging discussion on a number of topics. The meeting heard reports from the Chair, Jim Freeman, and fellow Directors Howard Anderson (Finance), Peter Laidlaw (Membership Services), Sheonagh Ravensdale (Communications) and Anna Zee (Political & Technical Services). The meeting was hosted by Helen Hancock, the BMF’s Administrator, who managed the polls and voting. Jim Freeman was re-elected as Chair with 91% of the zoom poll. Sheonagh Ravensdale was confirmed as the Communications Director, also with 91% of the poll. BMF Councillors

The National Motorcyclists Council makes progress, but serious issues remain with motorcycle freighting into the EU. Procedures are emerging for owners transporting their own road registered motorcycles into the EU in vans or on trailers, but serious issues remain for freighting companies. In this update, NMC Chair Anna Zee explores the issues surrounding transporting motorcycles into the EU via vans and trailers and the progress the NMC is making to get new post-Brexit procedures in place. This article follows up from the NMC press release in June 2021 which alerted to problems in this area (here). If you like to take a biking holiday in Europe and you prefer to ship the bike out and back rather than riding it all the

It's been suggested as a joke in the past, but now Yamaha is developing it for real – computer generated exhaust notes for electric motorcycles and cars. Electric bikes have been criticised by some for lacking the soul of a petrol motorcycle, whether it's the deep rumble of a V-twin or the high pitched wail for a four-cylinder superbike. Hideo Fujita, a sound developer at the company, told the business news service Bloomberg that the device would mimic the sound of an ICE engine as well as other noises. “Even one that sounds like Star Wars.” But it's not just about emotion – Yamaha engineers believe that sound is crucial for the rider to have a sense of control and speed. Yamaha

A report by the All Party Parliamentary Group of MPs on Fair Fuel condems the Government’s plans to ban the sale of new fossil fuelled car and bikes. BMF's Peter Henshaw calls the report a travesty. It sounds pretty official, doesn't it? A report by the All Party Parliamentary Group of MPs on Fair Fuel finds that the Government's decision to end sales of new petrol and diesel cars in 2030 is wrong headed and demands that it be abandoned. It says that MPs are 'lining up' to support its stance and that a survey of the public backs this up. 'Just 19 MPs supported this report – out of 600+ MPs, it's not a landslide majority.' Except that this 'report' is a

MPs come out to condemn the Government’s 2030 ban on new fossil fuelled car sales and the ill-informed push for us all to drive electric. MPs have endorsed a ground-breaking new report from the APPG for Fair Fuel for UK motorists and UK hauliers. It brings to the attention of decision makers that UK’s 37m drivers also want clean air to breathe. But at the same time to show that the current unilateral Government policies for road users, whilst on the surface seem laudable, are instead set to be damaging for the economy and the Nation’s role in ‘helping out’ with global climate change. APPG Chair, Craig Mackinlay says: “The only thing that’s protecting the Government from electoral harm on

The BMF is whole-heartedly supporting the National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) encouragement of government, public authorities and organisations involved in road safety to adopt the ‘Welcoming Roads’ approach to Vision Zero messaging which was put forward by the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) in June. The NMC welcomed the approach as an important contribution to the road safety messaging debate when Welcoming Roads was launched. It has since been supported by several organisations and has been promoted to the Government.  MAG has since made available a new edition of the core Welcoming Roads message, which is available for download on the NMC website and is in a form which can be used by any organisation or individual. Vision Zero has been at the core of international

Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) are being increasingly misused by local councils, warns the National Motorcyclists Council (NMC). TROs are a ban on motorised traffic, which can be imposed by local authorities as a temporary or permanent measure. Previous examples have included the use of HGVs in residential areas or the restriction of traffic on green lanes to prevent damage during bad weather.  “The recent trend of using TROs,” said Jim Freeman, Chair of the BMF. “has seen their insidious use by many local authorities, in many cases unwelcomed by local users.” Jim Freeman, along with the NMC and the Trail Riders Federation (TRF) is concerned that motorcyclists are getting caught up in bans which are primarily aimed at car and 4x4 drivers. TROs