The British Motorcyclists Federation is highlighting a study conducted by a student at Queen’s University Belfast into motorcyclists’ attitudes towards the use of wire road barriers and their thoughts on alternative designs. You can contribute to it here. While wire road barriers may stop a larger vehicle, they can be particularly hazardous for motorcyclists due to the risk of striking a metal support pillar at speed or going beneath the wire to emerge on the other side of a road in the face of oncoming traffic. Impact with the wires themselves, which are usually galvanised steel, can also be dangerous or even lethal. Despite this, wire road barriers are often seen as cheaper alternatives to full concrete barriers. The BMF has conducted

Do loud pipes save lives? Mike Waters tries to make sense of the eternal controversy around motorcycle noise... The big, ugly, long-running debate over motorcycle noise is back and, as with so many things these days, we can blame COVID-19. Traffic dropped sharply when the first lockdown was brought in, so the sound of motorcycles stood out instead of blending in and complaints surged. People even contacted the British Motorcyclists Federation to complain, although precisely what they were expecting the BMF to do is a bit of a mystery. But these complaints can’t just be dismissed, because complainers are also voters and a big enough number of voters tends to get the attention of politicians. Moves have already been made to ban motorcycles

BMF Political and Technical Services Director Anna Zee finds some troubling implications in proposed changes to the Highway Code. One of the ways for anyone to make their opinions known on issues is to respond to consultations. One of the consultations I am currently looking at on behalf of the BMF is on the Highway Code. The Highway Code proposals reflect a major shift in the UK’s road safety thinking. No, I’ll rephrase that – the road safety thinking has been shifting over several years and these Highway Code proposals are a concrete realisation of that thinking. The biggest change is the introduction of a hierarchy of road users, with the most vulnerable (pedestrians) at one end and those capable of the greatest

After 60 years of fighting for motorcyclists’ rights – and counting! – it’s time to look back at what the BMF has achieved for bikers. BMF Motorcycle Rider editor Jeremy Pick writes jusdevoyage C9nDxzGKXgM unsplashSince July 1960, the BMF has been the unified voice of motorcycling in the UK, fighting to protect motorcyclists’ rights and interests at the governmental level through specialist lobbyists and a UK-wide network of committed volunteers. As one of the largest rider groups in the world, the BMF is committed to protecting, advising and educating all motorcyclists from the beginner to the experienced – and the need for effective lobbying is now as great as or greater than it ever was. But there is more to the BMF

The British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) has welcomed assurances by the Department for Transport (DfT) that motorcycles will not be included in the government’s recently announced plans to ban the sale of certain categories of new petrol and diesel vehicles as soon as 2030. Last month, the government published its ‘Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution’ and confirmed that the UK “will end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, ten years earlier than planned”, with an extension until 2035 for hybrid vehicles that emit no carbon. However, the BMF has welcomed a new clarification by the DfT that the scope of the Ten Point Plan will not include motorcycles powered by internal combustion engine (ICE)

Clean air zones are probably coming to somewhere near you soon if they aren’t there already, so what are they and what do you need to know? Mike Waters explores... The first thing to know about clean air zones (CAZs) is that the name pretty much says it all. In summary, they’re a defined area in which the authorities want to reduce or prevent airborne pollution by vehicles. There are plenty of variations – London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone, Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone and so on – but the gist is the same. If you want to go in and your bike doesn’t meet the zone’s standards, you pay a fee up front or a fine when

Jess Bennett explains everything you need to know about the new motorcycle helmet safety regulations and why they're good news for bikers... Helmets save lives, and lots of them. According to a major study (link) that reviewed a vast library of medical data from around the world, helmets are 42% effective in preventing motorcyclist deaths and 69% effective in preventing brain injuries. When the worst happens and your head needs protection, that advantage can be crucial. You’ll surely be well aware of the importance of buying from reputable brands with industry standard safety ratings. However, those safety ratings change over time and, in June 2020, the United Nations voted to update the motorcycle helmet regulations for the first time in more than

The National Motorcycle Museum (NMM) has appealed for help amid the COVID-19 pandemic and is launching a raffle to help raise essential funds. A statement from the NMM said: “Many visitors will not realise that the National Motorcycle Museum receives no external funding whatsoever. This means that, not only do we rely on visitors to the museum, but mainly on the income from our conference business and two sister hotels. Everyone knows that hospitality and leisure has been one of the worst hit sectors, and we don’t know when our National Conference Centre, Manor Hotel Meriden and Windmill Village Hotel Coventry will be able to reopen fully, let alone trade profitably.” Museum Director James Hewing explained further: “The museum itself requires a

The members of the Coalition of Motorcycling Organisations have issued a statement thanking motorcyclists for their restraint and responsible actions so far. Ahead of further - and more complex - changes to the lockdown regulations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland this weekend, the Coalition points out that the guidelines on meeting in public are not changing to any significant degree. The Coalition’s existing COVID-safe guidelines will be kept under review. The statement reads: “The Coalition of Motorcycling Organisations is pleased that the vast majority of motorcyclists have adhered to Government Coronavirus guidelines. We appreciate that the restrictions have had a significant impact on motorcyclists in terms of the sport, social and utility aspects of riding. We are pleased that

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has confirmed new requirements for testing and training in England amid the adjustment of regulations brought in due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the BMF has previously reported, testing is due to resume on July 4. To achieve this safely, students will need to wear a face covering and their own earpiece, and there should not be physical contact between documentation and either the student or examiner. Furthermore, Scotland and Wales will also see theory testing which had been suspended rescheduled to July 14 onwards. Those affected by this change will be contacted by the DVSA to inform them, and critical workers will be exempt.

The government has announced that mandatory MOT vehicle testing will resume in England, Scotland and Wales as of August 1st. As the BMF has previously reported, six-month extensions to MOT deadlines were granted in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those with an MOT deadline date before August 1st will still get the six-month extension, but are able to get their vehicle tested earlier. A statement by the Department for Transport noted that “all vehicles must continue to be properly maintained and kept in a roadworthy condition, and people are able to voluntarily get their MOT sooner should they wish, even if they are exempt from the legal requirement. Motorists can be prosecuted for driving an unsafe vehicle.” Roads Minister Baroness Vere said: