Electric Bike Breaks Distance Record

Egyptian rider Ali Abdo has set a new world record for the longest journey by electric motorcycle. He rode 12,749km (7921.86 miles) across Egypt in what he billed as his ‘Ride to COP 27’, hoping the feat would raise awareness about climate change, especially amongst the young. It took him 30 days (10th October to 9th November), averaging 264 miles a day. And the bike? A standard spec Energica EVA EsseEsse9, which has an 18.9kwh battery and an official range of 143 miles. Abdo has previously broken electric records on an EsseEsse9, setting the longest distance ridden in 24 hours (571.58 miles) and last year broke the record for the longest journey on an electric motorcycle in a single country –

Free electrics

We know the Government is keen for us to transition from petrol-powered motorcycles and scooters to electrics, but how far are they prepared to go? The government of Uganda has shown the way, by offering all Ugandan riders a free electric bike if they’re prepared to trade-in their petrol machine! Uganda, like many African countries, relies on fleets of 125cc geared motorcycles as cheap local taxis. Governments are keen to electrify these ‘boda bodas’ or ‘okadas’, and back in October we reported how okadas are being banned in Lagos, the capital of Nigeria, though on safety grounds. President Msueveni’s policy is more generous – in his year-end national address he announced that the government will provide a new electric motorcycle as a

The National Road Rally and the BMF

With regret the British Motorcyclists Federation has decided to withdraw from the operation of the National Road Rally (NRR). This is because the BMF feel that, over a number of years, the National Road Rally has been taken in a direction that we can no longer take responsibility for. The event’s direction has been overwhelmingly dominated by Auto Cycle Union (ACU) officials, which means that the BMF has been taking joint responsibility for an event over which we have no control. The BMF offered to run and finance the National Road Rally, and associated Welsh and Scottish events, on the basis that we have sufficient control, to match the responsibility. This was rejected by the Auto Cycle Union officials. The BMF wishes all the

Royal Enfield looks West to Electrify

Royal Enfield is investing 50 million euros in Spanish manufacturer Stark, which builds an electric MX bike, as a quicker route to developing its own battery-powered machines. We reported in October last year that Indian giant Hero is investing in Zero as a quick buy-in to electric bike technology – now it seems that Eicher Motors (EML) – Royal Enfield’s parent company – is also looking west for electrics. Stark Future currently makes the Varg, an electric motocross bike which claims more power than a typical 450cc MX machine. Now Royal Enfield’s parent will gain a 10% stake in the Spanish company and pave the way for a partnership that will include, “collaborative research and development in electric motorcycles, technology sharing,

Seasons Greetings from the chair

I have never been one for doom and gloom, and I truly believe we may be living in one of the most exciting eras for motorcycling. Never before have we seen so many new developments and technical progress, never before have I heard so many young people getting excited by the idea of getting their own motorcycle. Yes, we need to stay vigilant and defend what is rightfully ours, but we must also pave the way for those that will follow in our tyre tracks. The future for motorcycling is bright, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. In 2022 we saw a significant growth of our membership, showing us that BMF is still the place to go for riders who

2022 BMF Review of the Year

We would like to start this review with a message from our Director of Member Services, Peter Laidlaw "The BMF is supported by its membership, both individuals and clubs, who make it possible for the volunteers and staff to carry out the valuable work of representing the motorcycling family to UK government. Our partners for insurance, legal services and breakdown services provide benefits for members but also support the organisation with sponsorship. Membership numbers are stable, those members and sponsors are owed a great deal of thanks for their support, without them the work of the BMF could not continue." Next, we next have a brief outline of the year by Emily Rochester - Government Relations Executive and Anna Zee -

125-year-old bike restored to working order

Sammy Miller’s museum has just completed the restoration of an 1898 Quadrant – at 125 years old it’s one of the oldest surviving British motorcycles there is. It features a French-made Le Brutus engine with period automatic inlet valve, offering 1.5hp. Unusually, it has a two-speed transmission with shaft final drive at a time when most bikes stuck with a relatively crude single-speed belt-drive set up. Starting is via bicycle-type pedals and as with any veteran machine, the rider has to cope with several controls to keep the engine happy, including mixture and ignition timing adjustments. The Quadrant is the oldest bike on display at Sammy Miller’s New Forest-based museum, which is well worth a visit. Another recent restoration – much

New Government Strategic Group Focuses on Motorcycling

The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) welcomes new Government focus on motorcycling in transport policy. The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) has strongly welcomed the announcement of a new Government strategic group that brings together several strands of policy activity relating to motorcycling. The Motorcycle Strategic Focus Group, which will be managed by DfT and DVSA, will consider a range of issues affecting motorcyclists. For the first time since the Government Advisory Group for Motorcycling was convened in the early 2000s, the new Group will be looking at motorcycling in the context of wider policy. These include areas such as technology and future connectivity advances and how Government embeds motorcycling more effectively in future policies and road safety strategies. It will also consider motorcycling

2022: FEMA’s review of the year

Even though after the summer break most restrictions of the Covid19-measures were lifted, it soon became clear that there would be no return to the pre-pandemic normality. This did not stop us continuing our work. The number of visits to Brussels may be less than we were used to before 2020, we are still able to advocate the rights and interests of the European motorcyclists in Brussels and to a lesser extend in Geneva. In this review we will first give a summary and then you will find the more detailed actions, ordered in the way of our strategic plan 2016-2026 by the four main topics. 2022 in numbers Newsletter subscribers > 10,360 Facebook posts > 129 Facebook followers > 64,597 Instagram posts > 81 Instagram followers

Motorcycle/Skidoo Hybrid Launched

A motorcycle which converts into a skidoo or snowmobile? Not as daft as it sounds, with parts of the UK possibly becoming snowbound before Christmas. Canadian manufacturer Daymak has launched the Combat, which can swap its wheels for a snow-friendly track-and-ski chassis. In motorcycle form, the Daymak Combat looks like a fat-tyred monkey bike. Designed more for off-road terrain than tarmac (it’s not actually road legal), it’s powered by a 5Kw electric motor which peaks at 19Kw (nearly 19bhp). The 4.8KWh battery is what you’d expect for a 125cc-equivalent bike, though Daymak claims a relatively modest 50-mile range, and the top speed is limited to 44mph. Converting the Combat to snow use doesn’t look like a five-minute job, with the front wheel and

FEMA survey: ‘no road tax or technical inspection for historic motorcycles’

Historic motorcycles should be exempt from mandatory periodical technical inspections, from low and/or zero emission zones and from road taxes, according to a large majority of the motorcyclists who responded to FEMA's survey on the definition and use of historic vehicles. Why this survey? Different EU member states, other European countries, and the EU use different definitions to describe historic vehicles. For political purposes, especially when it comes to the position of motorcycles and other powered two-wheelers in both national and international legislation about road tax, low emission zones, periodical technical inspections et cetera, FEMA wanted to survey motorcyclists in Europe on the subject. 1.614 people from 31 countries responded to the survey. 95.61% of the respondents is male, 4.39% is female.

New Two-Stroke meets Euro 5

We’ve heard it said before, but has the death of the two-stroke been exaggerated? For road bikes perhaps, but Italian engine maker Motori Minarelli still thinks there is life in the stroker, at least for enduro machines – it has unveiled a new engine which it says meets Euro 5 emissions standards (Euro 5 is the fifth iteration of European emissions limits that have got steadily stricter since the original Euro1 came in 1999.) The company showed the new single-cylinder 300cc engine at the EICMA show in Milan. Said to be based on Yamaha’s YZ250 power unit, which is designed for enduro use, Minarelli’s version has been designed in-house and features electronic fuel injection and electric start. The University of Modena

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