On the Road Again!

IAM RoadSmart has launched a petition calling on the Government to scrap VAT on life-saving air vests which are currently subject to a 20% VAT rate.  Other lifesaving equipment, like motorcycle helmets, are either zero rated or lower rated. Click the red button to read more and add your support... https://www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk/bmf-support-iam-petition/

The National Motorcyclists Council have produced a document on their ideas for the future of motorcycling. http://www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk/the-future-of-transport-policy-the-nmc-sets-out-the-next-steps-for-motorcycling/

I was looking through a box of stuff and came across the paperwork for the first FIM Rally we ever went on. It was 1986. I was a bit fed up at work and Audrey, my partner at the time, was a lecturer at a college in North London, she had time off of course for the summer. So fully expecting to come back and easily find a job, I quit. We were full members of the British Motorcyclist Federation (BMF) and also affiliated members through the Suzuki Owners Club. Audrey was also a member of the Women's International Motorcycle Association  (WIMA) and affiliated there too!  These memberships allow access to the  Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and all the events it puts on from racing to touring categories. The outward journey would take us through Western Europe and into Austria.  Out first port of call was to visit my long term friend, Ivan Benda, in his home in Bohunice , a suburb of Brno in what was still Czechoslovakia then. We stayed in...

The weekend is here! But before you start riding, don't forget to join your national motorcyclists' association! You will find them here: https://www.femamotorcycling.eu/about-us/members/ In the UK we have two riders rights associations.  The BMF and MAG. http: rs

The country’s largest motorcycling organisations have today jointly  submitted a White Paper to the Secretary of State, Grant Shapps, and to  each of the three devolved administrations.   The coalition of organisations is calling for the Government to fully  take the role of motorcycling into account as the UK continues to deal  with the Covid19 crisis and its aftermath. The coalition also sets out  the case for a Government-supported code of guidance for maintaining  social distancing for motorcycling in the present situation.  The coalition of organisations consists of the Motorcycle Action Group  (MAG), Vintage Motorcycle Club (VMCC), the Trail Riders Fellowship (TRF)  and the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF).  The groups jointly  commissioned a White Paper which was submitted to the Secretary of State  earlier today.  The white paper: •       Reviews ways the crisis is affect...

It may have been a bit of a rush, but in less than two weeks we have managed to get a large rectangle of land at Detling and some stuff and bikes to display on it. GEMS here we come. The Kent Centre "Regulars" have risen the the challenge and will man the stand.  It's going to be hard work as there are only three people each day to keep awake (!) and welcome visitors to the stand. Due to other commitments Claire and I will make an appearance on Sunday.

When I got up at 5.45am, some 45 minutes before I get up everyday to got to work, on a SUNDAY, I looked out of the window to see it was still dark, but the unmistakable reflection of the streetlights in the puddles in the road foretold that the start of the day was going to be damp and miserable. Exactly what it turned out to be as I made my way out of Hythe to the A20 and the blast up to Tesco's to fill the tank. The roadway even partly flooded through Sellinge, and slippery. For me, objective 1 was to meet fellow SOC and IMTC member Nigel Jones on his Triumph 3-cyl Wotsit and a friend of his, Charles, who came on a Ducati 916. The meeting was 7.30am at the Moto Services on the M2 near Gillingham. I arrived with 10 minutes to spare! Unusual for me!! Both are IAM members and Nigel is doing the assessed rides and Charles is the Secretary of the East Kent Group of ther IAM... and I was in the middle with Charles behind me. Best behaviour Paul. Objective 2 was to ride up to Blackheath...

Not my idea. Certainly not to get up at the crack of dawn on a January Sunday for a 65 mile ride to the start point of an event to take in all 26 places immortalised on the original London version of Monopoly. The idea is to obtain sponsorship to help buy a new horse for the Riding for the Disabled in Kent. We meet at the Tea Hut at Blackheath at 0830 on Sunday 7th January. The run is being organised by Steve Cole from the "BMF in Kent" Club. If you want more details and a sponsorship form, please contact him directly - stevecolex@aol.com More details later and a write-up and links to the "results" page.

Not unusual, but this project ground to a halt quite rapidly. See http://invictamoto.blogspot.com/2006/08/hi-viz-vestjacket-project.html for original posting. Despite wasting my time and effort to contact the various nation's motorcycle federations and the initial euphoria of getting answers, the whole lot has stalled. If they all manage to work this slowly or completely ignoring requests how are we to get them off their arses to respond to the re-emergence of the Euro License Directive that might kill off biking for younger riders and make it harder for us to go about our lives? Let's hope they have someone awake when it arrives and that someone actually gives a toss eh?

Having spoken a bit too soon I found myself challenged by Tony Young, BMF Region 6 Chairman, to assist the BMF ensure that their Touring information in printed form and on the website was up to date. I searched the FIM website. Found email addresses for all the major European federations and emailed them to ask if they had any knowledge in their country whether riders need carry and wear a Hi-Viz jacket or vest when attending a breakdown on the highway. Unsurprisingly, they have been very slow in responding. I extended the email scope to include other bodies in countries, for example the FFMC in France. They replied quickly. Since then there has been an unsteady trickle... to see where we stand so far, logon to the BMF Touring forum and check out the thread and contents. It goes without saying that if you know something for definite, please add to the thread.