Welsh Byway Plans Raise Hackles

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

New Ducati Option Aids Wheelies

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

Glow in the Dark Road Markings On the Way?

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,

The NMC Reinforces Calls for a Fundamental Review of the Motorcycle Licensing Regime

BMF SAYS... The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) has today issued a second edition of its 2022 position on motorcycle licensing, testing and training which sets out updated proposals for a change to the current regime. The BMF has been a key contributor to the document, working closely with our partner NMC to set out the need for a regime that is easier to understand and access, with reduced cost, bureaucracy and repetition, whilst maintaining high training standards. In particular, the document calls for government to undertake a fundamental review of the current regime to create a training and testing regime that is fit for the 21st century; a regime which allows riders to progress more efficiently through relevant motorcycle licensing stages to

Motorcycle Advert

The BMF has called out the recent JD Sports advert depicting the inappropriate riding of motorcycles by young riders wearing casual shoes whilst performing stunts and wheelies against an urban backdrop. The advert is completely irresponsible and encourages behaviour that could result in serious injury, not only to riders but to other road users. Effective safety gear for motorcyclists, that provides adequate protection from impact and abrasion, is vital and can make the difference between riders suffering minor injuries or much more serious ones when involved in accidents. Casual shoes and trainers will always be entirely inappropriate for riding motorcycles as they are likely to shred or slip off in the event of an accident causing significant injury to the rider. You can read

Hackney Bike Parking Charges

Hackney Council To Go Ahead with The Introduction of New Motorcycle Parking Charges Despite Strong Opposition From The UK Motorcycling Lobby Despite sustained objections from the BMF, other motorcycling organisations, and thousands of individual riders against the proposal by Hackney Council to introduce new motorcycle charges within Hackney, we have been advised by the Council that they have decided to "overrule all objections received" and introduce new parking charges and restrictions regardless.   Hackney Council plan to charge motorcycle parking rates 10-20 times higher than anywhere else in the UK, anticipating that this will reduce motorcycle parking in the Borough by 70%. The Council claims its priority is to "reclaim the kerbside space" used by motorcycles, despite only 0.2% of parking space in

Government Consults on Default Access to Bus Lanes by Motorcycles

Consultation issued after work by NMC and its member organisations to bring clarity to the current patchwork of access The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) has strongly welcomed a new consultation by the Department for Transport (DfT) which seeks views on making motorcycle access to bus lanes a default position in regulations in England. In his introduction to the consultation, Transport Minister Guy Opperman MP said “Motorcycles are an important but sometimes overlooked mode of transport, not just by drivers who fail to spot bikers, but occasionally by government too. Their size and nature make them a dynamic and affordable option for road users, and with that it’s only right that our roads become as dynamic as those using them.” Mr Opperman’s remarks

Motorcycles in Bus Lanes

Government launches consultation on allowing motorcycles to access bus lanes by default. Responses required by 9 June 2024. The Government has launched its much anticipated consultation on whether motorcycles should be allowed access to bus lanes by default, as part of its commitment set out in the Plan For Drivers published on 2 October 2023. The BMF has pushed for many years for motorcyclists to be allowed default access to bus lanes, predominantly on safety grounds by removing potential conflicts with other road traffic. There are also wider benefits in terms of reducing traffic congestion and journey times for motorcyclists. Although some local authorities have allowed motorcyclists to use some bus lanes, current access is neither universal nor consistent across local authorities. The

ULEZ Failures Can be Donated to Ukraine

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

Philippines City Bans Full-Face Helmets

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

A New Life in the Isle of Man?

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

New Bike Online Sales Platform Launched

ReactiveMART.com, a motorcycle-only online sales platform to rival eBay and Facebook Marketplace, is about to go live. Set up by ex-TT racer and owner of Reactive Parts Steve Heneghan, it is designed for sale of bikes, spare parts, clothing and accessories, and is aimed at both trade and private sellers. It’s a reaction to complaints about the established online platforms. Talking to trade magazine British Dealer News, Steve Heneghan said: “We’ve been getting feedback from dealers and sellers with complaints including increased costs, higher listing and final value fees...and reduced visibility for listings.” Reactive aims to undercut its mainstream rivals with zero listing fees for both auctions and fixed price ads, final value fees of 7.8% and classified adverts for £9.99, using

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