🏍️ Star Bikers 47th Charity Toy Run: Stoke-on-Trent Rides for Christmas Cheer On Sunday 30th November 2025, Stoke-on-Trent witnessed one of its most cherished traditions - the Star Bikers 47th Annual Charity Toy Run. With around 2,000 motorcycles taking part, the streets came alive with the roar of engines, festive spirit and the generosity of bikers determined to make Christmas brighter for children who might otherwise go without. The Route and Atmosphere The run set off from the bet365 Stadium at 11am, winding its way through Trentham, Blurton, Weston Coyney, Bentilee, Baddeley Green, Milton, Sneyd Green and Northwood. Along the route hundreds of local residents lined the streets, many holding out carrier bags filled with toys for bikers to collect. The atmosphere was

Electric motorcycles will be exempt from eVED (extended Vehicle Excise Duty) the new electric vehicle mileage charge, which is due to come into force in April 2028. You might have missed it in the small print of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Autumn Budget, but battery bikes will not be expected to pay the 3p/mile charge when it comes in. The reason given is that, along with electric vans, buses and HGVs, the market for e-motorcycles is deemed to be at an earlier stage than that for electric cars and needs more encouragement. Electric bikes will start paying conventional VED from April 2026, albeit at the lowest rate of £26 for a year. There was more good news for petrol bikers in the Budget

If your thoughts are already turning next year’s summer holiday, then Rome could be a good choice, with a new museum dedicated to Hondas opening there soon. The Honda Classic Museum will showcase the legendary oval-piston NR750 as well as a whole collection of historic Honda road and race bikes. Not only that, but the collection will be rotated on a regular basis, to keep it fresh. The museum is owned by Honda Moto Roma, said to be the largest Honda dealer in Europe, and judging by the collection of Honda bigwigs who turned up for the official opening on 26th November 2025, it’s seen as a significant moment for the company. Mr Okuda, President of Honda Motor Europe and Mr

Mental Health Motorbike (MHMB) Advocates for the mental health benefits of motorcycling at historic Men's Health Strategy unveiling with Prime Minister and Health Secretary 10 DOWNING STREET, LONDON, UK – November 20, 2025 Mental Health Motorbike (MHMB) is the country's first dedicated national free mental health support service for the motorcycling community. They are proud to announce their participation in the official unveiling of the government’s first-ever national Men's Health Strategy. Founder Paul Oxborough and MP Natalie Fleet (Bolsover) met with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting at 10 Downing Street on November 19, 2025, to discuss the critical role MHMB plays in addressing mental health challenges within the UK's 1.5+ million

Suzuki GB has announced an ‘up to ten-year warranty’ cover on all of its new bikes. Not only that, but the cover will be transferrable to subsequent owners, so effectively it will apply to 2026-on used machines as well. When the standard three-year/unlimited mileage warranty is over, the bike will be covered for an extra seven years or 70,000 miles, whichever comes up first. The only stipulation is that it must be serviced at a Suzuki dealer every year, but even that has a loophole – if a used bike has a gap of more than 250 miles or 14 days in its service history, the warranty may be reinstated, if the machine is then serviced and gets a health check

Driving test rules are being changed in a bid to reduce waiting lists and prevent slots being sold at inflated prices. In recent years we’ve seen a flurry of online ‘bots’ booking the sought after slots automatically. These are then sold on to learner riders/drivers for up to £500 by private companies. The standard fee is £62 for a weekday slot, or £75 for an evening or weekend, but some learners appear to be willing to pay the inflated fees, just to avoid the long waiting list. New rules announced by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander mean only learner drivers will be able to book test slots themselves. Instructors will no longer be able to book tests on their behalf and a

🏍 Remembering in Red: The 2025 Ring of Red Ride Sunday, 9th November 2025, the motorcycling community once again came together in a powerful act of remembrance. Thousands of riders joined the Ring of Red Ride around the M25 and M60, donning red to form a moving poppy in honour of the UK’s armed forces. A Tribute Framed by Autumn Against a backdrop of crisp autumn skies and falling leaves, riders from across the country gathered at designated meeting points from 10:00 am before setting off on their clockwise routes at approximately 13:30. Wearing red gear, displaying poppies and flags with many accompanied with pillion passengers, participants transformed the motorways into a living, moving tribute. The turnout once again reflected the strength, unity and

National Men Make Dinner Day: Ride Out, Cook In – 7 November 2025 Category: Lifestyle & Culture | Region: UK-wide Every first Thursday in November, National Men Make Dinner Day invites men to take charge of the evening meal—no BBQs, no takeaways, and no excuses. It’s a light-hearted nudge to get more men into the kitchen, especially those who usually leave the cooking to someone else. This year, we’re giving it a motorcycling twist. Picture this: your partner heads out for a solo autumn ride, soaking up the golden leaves and crisp air, while you stay back and tackle dinner duty. Whether you’re a dab hand with the frying pan or just figuring out how to boil pasta, it’s all about effort, humour,

Blood Bikes Cumbria: Riding to Save Lives, Powered by Local Support Category: Charity Spotlight | Region: North West Blood Bikes Cumbria is a registered charity run entirely by volunteers, providing a free, out-of-hours emergency transport service for the North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust and the Great North Air Ambulance Service. Their fleet of motorcycles and cars deliver blood, plasma, breast milk and urgent medical supplies across the region—365 days a year. This vital service is funded solely through public donations and community-led fundraising. From supermarket collections to bike shows and charity walks, every pound raised helps keep their bikes on the road and their mission alive. How You Can Help Whether you're a rider, fundraiser, or simply passionate about supporting your local NHS,

Spain has a long history of building off-road bikes, especially trials machines, but now GasGas, one of the most successful, is to relocate production to Austria. GasGas was founded in 1985 after Bultaco closed, and ex-employees Narcis Casas and Josep Pibernat decided to strike out on their own. Concentrating on trials bikes at first, the new venture did well, expanding through the 1990s and early 2000s into the enduro and motocross markets, but financial problems saw it taken over by KTM in 2019. KTM’s own financial tribulations of recent years, which saw it pause motorcycle production in 2025, is behind the news. KTM says it will transfer production of GasGas motorcycles to its own factory in Austria, though the plant will

The Auto Cycle Union (ACU) is working to prevent a rash of fake helmet approval stickers, which were being offered for sale online. The ‘ACU Approved’ gold stickers, which are required on helmets for racing and track days in the UK, are usually applied to approved helmets when they are new – riders don’t need to add them later. Supported by Trading Standards and legal partners, the ACU has had over 5000 fake stickers removed from the market. “This is a serious issue for rider safety,” said Matthew Edwards-Wear, CEO of the ACU. “Anyone using a helmet with a fake or tampered sticker is putting themselves in serious danger.” The genuine stickers bear the words ‘British Motorcycle Sport’ and the ‘ACU

British motorcycle manufacturer CCM Motorcycles has entered administration, marking the end of a legacy spanning over five decades. The Lancashire company’s remaining motorcycle, parts, tooling and factory assets are now being auctioned through a timed online sale hosted by Gateway Auctions Limited. Founded in 1971 by Alan Clews, CCM (Clews Competition Machines) became renowned for its lightweight, hand-built motorcycles and its strong connection to British motorcycling heritage. The company developed a cult following through models such as the Spitfire series and the Heritage ‘71. Despite this reputation, the company faced mounting financial difficulties in recent years. On 26 June 2025, CCM Motorcycles formally entered administration following a significant drop in production which had reportedly fallen to around 150 bikes annually - down