Internal combustion engine ban extended to 2040? Could the ban on new sales of petrol bikes be extended to 2040, as reported in the Daily Telegraph on 12th May? Tony Campbell, CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Association, told MCN  on16th May that he was expecting an announcement ahead of the summer recess, but this has since been overtaken by events, with Rishi Sunak’s surprise announcement of the General Election on 4th July. This means that government policy is effectively on hold until the election, which may or may not see a change of administration. The end date for petrol-powered two-wheelers has been in limbo since September 2023, when the Conservative government announced it was pushing the car ban back from 2030 to

Filtering...we all do it, and according to the Highway Code, common sense rules apply – there is no legal right to filter in the UK, nor is it specifically outlawed, but riders are expected to exercise caution. Now the North American state of Colorado has made filtering legal but hedged it about with several restrictions. First off, the vehicles being passed must be stationary – if they start moving, riders have to slip back into the traffic stream. Only two-wheelers are allowed to filter (which presumably means Yamaha Tricity and Piaggio MP3 riders can’t) and at no more than 15mph. Actually, not many in the UK would disagree with the 15mph limit, but the ultimate restriction for urban riding is that

Ever wondered what a motorcycle with caterpillar tracks might be like to ride? You might get your chance in 2025, as Latvian company Oruga is developing just such a beast, designed to replace the typical quad bike with a motorcycle which can tackle the worst rough terrain. The Oruga Unitrack is described as, “the world’s first all-terrain electric monotrack vehicle for use in a variety of terrains, seasons and operations.” Previous attempts at an all-terrain utility bike have included the Rokon (two-wheel drive) and the EcoRider (big balloon tyres). The Unitrack has its two wheels mounted inside a crawler track to spread its weight over a wider area – it also has a third idler wheel mounted higher up at the

Indian giant Bajaj, which builds Triumph’s Speed 400, will soon launch a motorcycle powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), according to a report by Cycle World magazine. Two concepts are currently being developed, one of which should be on sale on the Indian home market in June. Bajaj has form with CNG vehicles, being a well-established maker of CNG-powered autorickshaws, increasingly favoured in Indian cities thanks to their lower emissions. CNG is a fossil fuel, but emits fewer emissions than equivalent petrol or diesel engines. It’s also a cheaper fuel, and is more widely available in India than in many other countries. The downside of CNG is that it’s less dense than petrol or diesel, so needs a bigger tank, which must

An electric bike has entered the Lands End Trial for the first time – and finished. Engineer Fred Spaven, riding his home built Royal Enfield-based machine, made it to the finish without any problems. “I’ve been working on this project for two years,” said Fred, who has previously ridden an electric Enfield from Lands End to John o’ Groats and is currently studying for a PhD in electric motorcycle technology. “I chose the Lands End Trial because although it’s over 300 miles, the road sections are relatively low speed, so it suits an electric bike. I knew the electric Enfield would be controllable off-road, thanks to its low speed power delivery.” The Lands End Trial, one of the UK’s oldest

Cadwell Park is the favourite venue for track day riders, according to a survey by Trackdays.co.uk. It’s the second year running Cadwell has topped the track list, accounting for one in five track day bookings in the last 12 months. It was closely followed by Snetterton (17% of bookings), Donington Park (14%) and Brands Hatch (13%). Silverstone, Lydden Hill and Croft were less popular, scoring 2% apiece. The survey analysed 1600 bookings from a number of leading trackday suppliers across the UK. So, good news for Cadwell, but the survey also found that track days in general are being hit by the cost of living, with spending down by a third as riders prioritise their spending. Dan Jones, operations manager of

Powys Council has raised a storm with plans to resurface a section of track over the Cambrian Mountains which would benefit trail riders and mountain bikers. Monks Trod is a BOAT (Byway Open to All Traffic), which makes it legal for motorised vehicles, unless the local authority puts a restriction in place. Because some of the five-mile byway is over boggy, easily damaged ground, the Council closed it to four-wheeled vehicles in 1990 via a TRO (Traffic Regulation Order), which was extended to bikes in 2002 – in 2021, it was reopened to two-wheelers only. Now Powys Council plans to resurface a section of Monks Trod, raising a storm of protest from Powys Local Access Forum, amongst others, which maintains that

Ducati has announced a wheelie-assist option on the Hypermotard 698 Mono which uses existing electronics to keep that front wheel in the air, rather than on the tarmac. Wheelie control systems aren’t new and the current generation make use of a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) which measures a bike’s roll, pitch and yaw, plus sensors for engine speed, wheel speeds and several other factors to detect when a wheelie is about to start, and limiting torque momentarily to keep the front wheel on the ground. The standard Hypermoto has four levels of wheelie control, with level 1 allowing the front wheel up before intervening and level 4 keeping it on tarmac at all times. Now there’s a new option which

We’ve all been there, even on modern bikes with relatively good lights – a dark, wet road at night with oncoming headlights can be a nightmare of poor vision. But now an Australian engineering firm reckons it may have the answer – glow in the dark white lines. Tarmac Linemarking of Victoria has developed photoluminescent paint which absorbs UV light during the day, enabling it to emit light after dark. There’s nothing new about the idea, which has been used for watch hands and children's’ toys for years, but this is thought to be the first time it has been applied to road markings. Special phosphors in the paint absorb invisible UV light during the day, which cause it to glow,

Motorcycles which do not meet the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) emissions standards can now be donated to Ukraine instead of being scrapped. The scheme, being run by charity British Ukrainian Aid, has been set up with the agreement of London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London (TfL). The ULEZ scrappage scheme currently pays London-resident owners of non-compliant motorcycles and scooters £1000 if the bike is scrapped. If their application for the scrappage scheme is successful, owners can now apply to British Ukrainian Aid to donate their bike to Ukraine – they will still receive their scrappage allowance from  Transport for London. “To confirm, all vehicles which successfully apply to the scrappage scheme, including motorbikes, are included,” said TfL spokesperson

The safety benefits of full-face helmets over open-face are beyond dispute, so why is the city of San Carlos in the Philippines banning the use of full-face lids altogether? Perversely, it’s also made them compulsory in other areas. According to the Philippine News Agency, the city government has introduced the measure to combat crime, with criminals taking advantage of full-face helmet anonymity and the getaway capability of a motorcycle. Mayor Renato Gustilo of San Carlos said that the ban only applied “within the city proper” but that “starting in any of these (stated) areas going outside San Carlos City, the wearing of a full-face helmet is required.” So, full-face banned in the city, but compulsory outside it. The new law will be

If you’ve ever fancied leaving your job, selling the house and moving to a new life on the Isle of Man, now’s your chance. Biker Mike Powell is selling a bungalow and shop business on the Island – the shop is in Ramsey town centre and the house is just 500 metres from Ramsey Hairpin on the TT Course. Mike, who is selling the properties on behalf of his late mother-in-law, said: “I wish I was 50 years younger. It’s an ideal opportunity for a retiring couple. The shop is a long-established going concern selling china and glassware as well as IOM and TT merchandise.” He’s asking about £150,000 for the house (a bungalow on a serviced estate for the over