Sales and registrations of powered two-wheelers (PTWs) surged by 570% last month as consumer demand rocketed back along with the gradual lifting of the COVID-19 lockdown. New statistics released by the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) revealed a vast increased in sales and registrations compared to the same period in 2020. Almost every category – with the sole exception of the ‘Unspecified’ category, which only accounted for eight machines - saw major growth of more than 100% year-on-year. In some categories, this growth reached spectacular four-digit percentages. There were particular success stories in the Adventure Sport category (1,357%) and the Touring category (2,671%), while scooters also saw noteworthy growth with a 384% increase year-on-year. Although April 2020’s sales were noticeably low, as the BMF

The British Motorcyclists Federation is concerned by discrimination against motorcyclists at petrol stations that is potentially putting their safety at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. Petrol stations asking motorcyclists to remove their helmets or withholding service until they do so is a recurring issue and one that many bikers have personally experienced. This request is often made for dubious and poorly defined reasons, and it is particularly significant amid the current pandemic. Because wearing a second mask under a helmet is uncomfortable, impractical or even impossible, many bikers use their helmets as their sole face-covering while travelling. We were recently contacted by BMF member Paul Myler, who highlighted his experience at the MFG Ketley petrol station in Telford. A long-standing biker who

If you're thinking of taking a holiday in Europe later this year, there are a number of things you might want to consider before you go due to the changes prompted by Brexit. This document does not cover travel for work or trade or countries outside the EU and EEA, and does not take account of any restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Links to relevant official webpages are included to make it easy to check for up-to-date information. This is recommended because the advice may change. The basics Generally, what applies to EU countries also applies to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, henceforth referred to as EU+4. Your passport must have at least six months left AND be less than 10

Less than a month since the launch of the National Motorcyclists Council (NMC), initial meetings with the government have revealed strong interest from key officials in exploring potential next steps for policy development in relation to motorcycling. The NMC is calling for a Government Motorcycling Strategy, with the key elements of this presented during the NMC's launch which was attended by both government representatives and parliamentarians. Subsequent meetings with key officials have been held to explore next steps in several policy areas related to the strategy, with officials welcoming the combined approach to these issues from the range of organisations that have been brought together by the NMC. A range of possible next steps have been discussed, and the NMC has

The British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) has warmly welcomed the launch of the National Motorcyclists Council (NMC). A new initiative designed to help bring the UK’s leading motorcycle rider organisations together, the NMC’s fundamental purpose is to represent motorcyclists with a single voice on significant issues such as government policy, safety, motorcycle sports and regulatory matters where there is a great deal of common ground. The BMF is a founder member of the NMC alongside the Auto Cycle Union, the Institute of Advanced Motorists, the Motorcycle Action Group and the Trail Riders Fellowship. Motorcycling is currently undergoing once-in-a-generation changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the introduction of new technologies such as electric and autonomous vehicles, evolving demographics that are changing the

The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that ethanol-blended E10 fuel will go on sale at British petrol stations as early as September this year. A combination of 90% conventional petrol and 10% ethanol biofuel derived from sugar, grain and wood, the E10 mix is intended to help cut carbon dioxide emissions by 750,000 tonnes per year. A similar E5 blend of 95% petrol and 5% biofuel is already widely available in the UK and it will continue to be sold as the so-called ‘Super’ grade. Some machines will only be able to use E5 and not E10, and the DfT has advised anyone unsure of whether their vehicle can run on E10 to consult their checker here. However, the transition to any

The Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed that the government plans to scrap the controversial ‘Vnuk’ motor insurance law that could have seen premiums sharply increase. As the BMF reported at the time, a decision by the European Court of Justice after a Slovenian tractor accident prompted a review of the Motor Insurance Directive that led to it being interpreted more widely to include, among other things, private land, more vehicles and significant ramifications for motorsport. A statement by the DfT argued that: “Had the EU law been implemented in Great Britain, it would have meant the insurance industry would have been liable for almost £2 billion in extra overall costs. These costs would likely have been passed onto their customers –

The British Motorcyclists Federation held a weekend of Regional meetings by Zoom on January 9-10 2021. Many topics were discussed, so here is a record of the proceedings from the various meetings. All of the meetings opened with Management Team (MT) introductions: Jim Freeman (JF) – BMF Chair Sheonagh Ravensdale (SR) – Communications Director Anna Zee (AZ) – Political and Technical Services Director Tom Duncan (TD) – Admin Director Peter Laidlaw (PL) – Director of Member Services Howard Anderson (HA) – Finance Director Helen Hancock (HH) – BMF Administrator SR: I am the newly appointed Director of Communications. I have been riding bikes for all my adult life and my particular passion is touring the world by bike. I am a member of the Women’s International Motorcycle Association (WIMA),

The British Motorcyclists Federation is highlighting a study conducted by a student at Queen’s University Belfast into motorcyclists’ attitudes towards the use of wire road barriers and their thoughts on alternative designs. You can contribute to it here. While wire road barriers may stop a larger vehicle, they can be particularly hazardous for motorcyclists due to the risk of striking a metal support pillar at speed or going beneath the wire to emerge on the other side of a road in the face of oncoming traffic. Impact with the wires themselves, which are usually galvanised steel, can also be dangerous or even lethal. Despite this, wire road barriers are often seen as cheaper alternatives to full concrete barriers. The BMF has conducted

Do loud pipes save lives? Mike Waters tries to make sense of the eternal controversy around motorcycle noise... The big, ugly, long-running debate over motorcycle noise is back and, as with so many things these days, we can blame COVID-19. Traffic dropped sharply when the first lockdown was brought in, so the sound of motorcycles stood out instead of blending in and complaints surged. People even contacted the British Motorcyclists Federation to complain, although precisely what they were expecting the BMF to do is a bit of a mystery. But these complaints can’t just be dismissed, because complainers are also voters and a big enough number of voters tends to get the attention of politicians. Moves have already been made to ban motorcycles

BMF Political and Technical Services Director Anna Zee finds some troubling implications in proposed changes to the Highway Code. One of the ways for anyone to make their opinions known on issues is to respond to consultations. One of the consultations I am currently looking at on behalf of the BMF is on the Highway Code. The Highway Code proposals reflect a major shift in the UK’s road safety thinking. No, I’ll rephrase that – the road safety thinking has been shifting over several years and these Highway Code proposals are a concrete realisation of that thinking. The biggest change is the introduction of a hierarchy of road users, with the most vulnerable (pedestrians) at one end and those capable of the greatest

After 60 years of fighting for motorcyclists’ rights – and counting! – it’s time to look back at what the BMF has achieved for bikers. BMF Motorcycle Rider editor Jeremy Pick writes jusdevoyage C9nDxzGKXgM unsplashSince July 1960, the BMF has been the unified voice of motorcycling in the UK, fighting to protect motorcyclists’ rights and interests at the governmental level through specialist lobbyists and a UK-wide network of committed volunteers. As one of the largest rider groups in the world, the BMF is committed to protecting, advising and educating all motorcyclists from the beginner to the experienced – and the need for effective lobbying is now as great as or greater than it ever was. But there is more to the BMF