EU Council: ‘implement national driving disqualifications across the EU’

The European Council has adopted a negotiating position to improve road safety by addressing driving disqualifications across the EU. The proposal requires that a member state which issues a driving licence must enforce driving disqualifications imposed by another member state for serious traffic offences, improving road safety by removing dangerous drivers across the EU. The next step is negotiations with the European Parliament.The European Parliament earlier said driving disqualification should apply in all EU countries (click here for an article from 29 November 2023). Key points include: The proposal aims to ensure mutual recognition of disqualifications for non-resident drivers. Certain disqualifications (less than three months or with under a month remaining) will be excluded. Information will be exchanged digitally via the EU

Government Unveils Its Vision For A National Integrated Transport Strategy

The Government Unveils Its Vision For A National Integrated Transport Strategy in England In launching a new strategy for a future integrated transport model across England, the Government has called for ideas on how it can deliver on its vision. There is a real opportunity, as the new strategy is developed, for the Government to recognise motorcycling within its core transport policy and, importantly, to realise the significant benefits that motorcycling can deliver in terms of a hugely versatile, affordable, zero congesting and lower polluting transport solution. You can read further details regarding the Government’s announcement, including a statement from the BMF’s Political and Technical Services Director Anna Zee, by clicking on the following link to the National Motorcyclists Council's (NMC) Press Release

Bagger Racing Coming to MotoGP?

King of the Baggers – Harley-Davidson’s race series for fully-equipped touring Harleys – could be coming to Europe after the company signed an agreement with Dorna, organiser of MotoGP. Bagger racing (somebody had to say it...) first appeared in 2020 and has been a huge success in the US as part of MotoAmerica series, with the touring bike rounds acting as support races. The sight of big twin Harleys, battling it out on track, complete with fairings and panniers, is certainly a spectacle. To publicise the agreement signed between Harley and Dorna, the Baggers made a guest appearance at Barcelona this year after the final MotoGP round of the season. It’s still not confirmed whether bagger racing will join the MotoGP schedule

Watsonian Launch Affordable Sidecar

Watsonian-Squire, the British sidecar manufacturer, unveiled a new outfit at Motorcycle Live with a very special feature – a low price of just £7,999. It’ll even be available for a limited offer at £7,499, a £500 saving. Watsonian sidecars normally cost £5-7,000, just for the chair, so this complete, ready-to-ride outfit looks like a bargain Ben Matthews, Watsonian Squire’s Managing Director, said that the new budget sidecar drew on the company’s heritage. “Back in the 1980s Squire produced hundreds of sidecars for the importers of budget Jawa and MZ motorcycles. This created fantastic economics of scale and made sidecars an affordable option for thousands of riders. We still get enquiries from customers looking to buy a complete outfit ‘off the shelf’

Government Rejects Universal Access For Motorcyclists to UK Bus Lanes

Government Rejects Universal Access For Motorcyclists to UK Bus Lanes To see Government consultation, please click here The Government has today announced that there will be no change in policy to allow universal access for motorcycles to UK bus lanes. Decisions on bus lane access for motorcycles will remain at local level with local authorities. Paul Morgan CBE BMF's Government Relations Executive said: " This is a missed opportunity to significantly improve the safety of motorcyclists across the UK's road network. The BMF will now consider the Government's decision in consultation with our key partner the National Motorcyclists Council (NMC), and in liaison with other motorcycling groups, to formulate a detailed response to the Government's decision." To read full Government outcome of the consultation please click

Road markings for motorcyclists win road safety award

In Brussels the European Road Safety Charter Excellence in Road Safety Awards 2024 were presented to the winners of five different categories: Education Motorcycling Pedestrians and cyclists Technology and innovation Urban The European Road Safety Charter, led by the European Commission, is the largest civil society platform on road safety. To date, more than 4,000 public and private entities have committed to the Charter and carried out road safety actions and initiatives targeted at their members, employees and the rest of civil society. Together, these various entities form a community in which members can share their expertise and actions, inspiring and learning from each other. FEMA is a member of the European Road Safety Charter. Pedestrians and cyclists >> Alternative mobility strategy

NMC sends evidence to Parliament re state of the roads

National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) responds to the Parliamentary Accounts Committee’s Call For Evidence on the State of the Road Network The NMC has forwarded written evidence to the Parliamentary Accounts Committee highlighting the dire condition of England’s road network and calling for an effective government strategy, supported by adequate funding, to urgently resolve the current situation. NMC Chair and BMF Political and Technical Services Director, Anna Zee, said: “ The current state of the UK’s road network is a disgrace, with many roads in an unacceptable and dangerous state through lack of sufficient investment over a number of years. The scourge of potholes, in particular, represents a real danger to motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users and needs to be fixed urgently through

Gift a Life-Saving Motorcycle

Riders for Health, sister charity of the long-established Two Wheels for Life, has come up with a novel way of supporting its life-saving work – asking us to buy a motorcycle. For over 30 years, Riders for Health has been supplying healthcare workers in Africa with motorcycle transport, plus training and protective gear. It’s a model that works well, as workers on tough, basic 100 or 125cc bikes can get to remote villages which are usually difficult to access, and at far lower cost than a 4x4. Now the charity, which operates in The Gambia, Nigeria, Malawi and Lesotho, needs to replace its ageing fleet of bikes and is appealing for individuals or businesses to donate £1,400 apiece. This buys a

Royal Enfield Launches Electric Flea

Meet the Flying Flee. Royal Enfield unveiled its new electric bike brand at EICMA – like Harley-Davidson and its Livewire sub-brand, Royal Enfield has chosen to market a new range of electrics under a different name. Flying Flea, another badge plucked from the company’s bulging archive, this one evoking a lightweight 125cc two-stroke from the 1950s, originally developed as a parachute bike for airborne troops in World War II. Clearly aimed at the British-built Maeving, this 21st Century Flying Flea shouts ‘retro’, with a forged aluminium girder fork (recalling the original Flea’s ‘rubber band’ front suspension), solo seat and curved ‘fuel’ tank. The battery is hidden, Live Wire style, behind a mass of curvaceous fins. Technical details are few, but the Flying

The British Motorcyclists Federation has today joined the National Young Riders Forum

The British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) has today joined the National Young Riders Forum (NYRF); a move that will bring together the knowledge and expertise of both organisations, alongside other expert representatives from the motorcycle and road safety arenas, to improve the safety of young motorcyclists, who remain amongst the most vulnerable of UK road users. NYRF brings together members with a wealth of expertise from all corners of the road casualty reduction sector, including leading motorcyclist organisations and representatives from Local Authority Road Safety Teams, Safer Roads Partnerships, UK Police forces, Fire and Rescue and the DVSA. Anna Zee, Political and Technical Services Director of the British Motorcyclists Federation said: “ The BMF is delighted to be joining the NYRF to work

Three Major Bike Dealers Close

In a sign that the UK motorcycle market – especially for big 1000cc+ machines – is struggling, comes news that at least three major dealership chains went into receivership in September and October. Pidcock Motorcycles fell on 21st October, closing its Triumph and Ducati sites, and leaving its remaining BMW outlet in doubt, though there was interest for that part of the business from a potential buyer. Nathan Jones, a partner at FRP Advisory which is administering the business, told MCN: “Pidcock is not the first retailer to struggle in challenging market conditions over the past year...While it’s unfortunate that a viable route forward for all three sites hasn’t been possible, we’re hopeful of a positive outcome for the BMW outlet.” Pidcock’s

Sidecar Guys Set New Reverse Record

Matt Bishop and Reece Gilkes – better known as the Sidecar Guys – have set a new Guinness World Record...for reversing a sidecar outfit. They rode a Ural outfit 107 miles (backwards), without stopping, at Tranwell Airfield, near Morpeth in Northumberland. One of them was in control of the bike while the other sat backwards in the sidecar to direct operations. It took them 13 hours and 54 minutes, and an average of less than 10mph. “It was great fun,” Matt Bishop told the BMF. “We refuelled as we went along and made a bacon roll on the sidecar, but we didn’t stop, even for toilet breaks. We’re putting a film together which will be out soon.” The Sidecar Guys are no

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