Police in Telford are the latest force to adopt off-road bikes as a means to tackling illegal off-road riding. According to West Mercia Police, there’s been an increasing number of complaints in the area about trail bikes and quads being ridden on footpaths and in parks. Operation Spree is aimed at combatting the illegal riders, with off-road machines supplied by West Midlands Police and support from the National Police Air Service, which can spot and track riders from the sky. “We’re taking this issue to them directly,” Sgt David Williams told BBC Radio Shropshire, “as opposed to waiting for a call and nobody being available.” He added, “Telford is mainly built up of close communities. So they’re riding on pavements around

Donnington Park, one of Britain’s most historic race circuits, could have over 4,000 new homes next door housing an estimated 10,000 residents, if plans submitted to North Leicestershire District Council are approved. The new development, named Isely Woodhouse, could also include three schools, shops and hotels. Of the houses, 1200 would be classed as affordable, which ticks a key government policy aim – everyone seems to agree that we need more housing, especially at the lower end of the market. The question is how Isely Woodhouse would affect Donnington Park. Would some of the new residents complain about the noise? On the plans, the closest part of the development to the circuit is listed as ‘mixed use/employment’ rather than residential. But

A pioneering new road safety initiative that is designed to make motorcycling safer has been introduced in North and Mid Wales. PRIMEs (Perceptual Rider Information for Maximising Expertise and Enjoyment) are innovative road markings and signage that aim to help motorcyclists make safer decisions when approaching and negotiating bends in roads. Following a highly successful trial in Scotland — where over 32,000 motorcyclist journeys were analysed across 22 sites — the Welsh Government, in partnership with the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent (NMWTRA), has rolled out PRIME markings at four key sites in North and Mid Wales. These are: • A487 Pantperthog, Gwynedd • A5 Coed Bwlch, Rhysgog, Llangollen. • A483 North of Llanbadarn Fynydd • A483 Glascoed Hall, South of Newtown. Evidence shows that

The Imps Motorcycle Display Team appears to be on pause, having cancelled all future performances with immediate effect. Although there’s no indication what the cause might be, but a statement on the group’s website stated: “A recent review of the organisation has brought to light several critical areas that need attention before any future activity could even be considered.” It went on: “These are not easy fixes. They require time, care and thoughtful reflection. To press on regardless would risk compromising the very standards and values that made The Imps what they are today." The Imps is an East London-based charity, set up by the late Roy Pratt MBE in 1970, to train children aged between five and 16 to learn

UK motorcycle dealers are not having a good 2025 so far, with new sales in June 2025 falling by 18.6% compared to the previous year – the year-to-date figures are down by 20.1% (figures supplied by the MCIA). And it’s affecting everything from mopeds to superbikes and giant adventure tourers. However, the UK trade can console itself with the fact that it is not alone – motorcycle sales across the major EU markets (with the exception of Spain) are also on a downward trend. In France, Germany and Italy ¬– which together with Spain and the UK make up the five biggest bike markets in Europe – saw sales slump in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period

Energica, the Italian electric superbike manufacturer, may have been saved. The company, which has been making electric bikes since 2010, was declared bankrupt in October 2024. In early July 2025 we reported that a possible new investor was in the wings, but it was all a bit vague. But according to a video posted on the official Energica YouTube channel in mid-July, a rapid restructuring of the company was due to be complete in about 60 days. Energica Global Sales Director Stefano Benatti said in a statement: “The news is true, Energica is resurging...The judicial process undergoing the sale of Energica has received an offer with a significant deposit from investors based in Singapore...If the process comes through successfully, the same

The Women Riders World Relay (WRWR) is coming back in 2026, and opening up to thousands more than before, thanks to an app. The original relay, which took place in 2019, saw a succession of female motorcyclists all over the world carry a physical baton over 60,000 miles through over 100 countries. The BMF’s own Louise Hillier took part, helping carry the baton from Cornwall to London. The 2026 WRWR will be different, with a virtual baton based in an app, open to all women riders Hayley Bell, founder of WRWR, told MCN: “We wanted to build a tool that could include everyone. Women bikers have been crying out for a voice, this is the tool to use it. One of

Thefts of powered two-wheelers of all types totalled 2064 in June 2025, slightly down (by 72) compared to May. According to statistics compiled by Bennetts, and sponsored by Datatool and BikeTrac, this overall figure hid some big regional variations, with some police authority areas reporting an increase in thefts. In Warwickshire, thefts soared by 76% (up from 21 in May to 37 in June) while Hampshire (from 53 to 80) and Staffordshire (50 to 71) were also hard hit. Some areas saw huge percentage increases, but this was down to the small number of cases involved – thefts were up in Northern Ireland by 700%, but only because the eight cases in June dwarfed that of May, when just a single

Remember the Adventure Travel Film Festival? It ran for over a decade, showing a weekend of travel films at various sites in the UK, ostensibly about all forms of travel but often focusing on bikes. The last ATFF was held in 2023, but now a successor is close to launching, and it will concentrate solely on motorcycle travel. The Adventure Motorcycle Film Festival will debut on 28th February 2026 at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal, Cumbria. Sponsored by gear specialists Adventure Spec, the one-day festival has been organised by podcasters Clive Barber (Trail and Adventure Motorbike Podcast) and Simon Josey (Reel Riders Podcast). Barber told MCN there were would eight to ten internationally-made films shown on the day, selected by a

Honda appears to be developing a battery-electric sports bike as well as a 125cc-equivalent machine, if its patent applications are any guide – but at the same time, the UK Government has been accused of neglecting sales incentives for electric bikes, while expanding them for battery-powered cars. According to a report in Visor Down, the projected sports bike looks like an ‘electric FireBlade’ and shows certain similarities with the Honda-sponsored Mugen Shinden electric TT racer, which won the TT Zero race on the Island six times. Both bikes have the motor and transmission mounted relatively far back, creating more space for the battery and electronics, plus allowing for a longer swingarm and shorter wheelbase. An integrated motor, swingarm and rear suspension is

We’ve had some gloomy news recently, what with KTM’s well publicised restructuring, CCM going into administration and the end of the MCN London Motorcycle Show. However, there are some hopeful glimmers as well. One side effect of the financial collapse of KTM is independent ownership for MV Agusta, which is being bought by Art of Mobility, owned by the Russian Sardarov family. An official statement read: “The official transfer of full ownership from Pierer Mobility AG to Art of Mobility is approaching its final stages. This makes a pivotal step in the company’s strategy to reaffirm its independence.” MV Executive Director Luca Martin also told British Dealer News that MV will be coming back to the UK with a wholly-owned subsidiary,

All MOT testers will soon be required to take photos of every vehicle they put through the test, after a successful pilot scheme. As reported by the BMF in March 2025, the move is aimed at reducing MOT fraud, and for testers to turn a blind eye to items such as illegally small number plates. Chris Price, head of the DVSA’s head of MOT policy, said at the time: “We want to create a level playing field where high quality testing is the standard. Capturing images at the time of the test will help prevent fraud while ensuring MOTs are conducted correctly.” A six-week trial involving 62 testing stations and around 170 testers saw over 13,000 photos uploaded to the MOT