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1. Davys Bikes – Gets The Card

   Posted on 9:03am Thursday 15th May 2014

   Davys Bikes situated in Bangor and based in the heartland of Balloo Industrial Estate is the latest dealer to stock the Biker NI (CRASH) Safety Card.

   We popped into the shop recently, which hosts a wide variety of stock from new/used motorcycles to brake pads and the latest clothing from IXON and were enthusiastically welcomed by the director of the business David Milliken.

   Davy has been trading in the motorcycle industry for over 30 years with an expertise second to none when it comes to motorcycle sales and service.

   Davys Bikes is continuing to improve their new showroom on a daily basis and are now stocking well known and reliable brands such as Roof, Suomy, Oxford, EBC, NGK, RING, LS2, AKITO, Silkolene and Castrol.

   The FREE to riders safety card which brings the “Ambulance Motorcycle Club” Crash Card initiative to Northern Ireland, supported by the major agencies involved in keeping us safe on the road: PSNI Bikesafe – Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) – Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS).

   The free of charge card, is placed inside your helmet as a medical alert, details which you the rider have written on the card, provides vital information for attending ambulance crews or emergency responders if the motorcyclist is injured in a road traffic collision or unable to talk coherently because of concussion or having been knocked out.

   To let those attending the scene of a collision know about this vital information the rider places a sticker on the outside of the helmet, on the right hand side (NOT on the visor or other attachments), indicating that a rider or pillion is carrying a safety card inside the lining of their helmet.

   So only 15 minutes from the centre of Belfast Davys Bikes is worth a visit to experience friendly knowledgeable staff with plenty of bargains to be had, with a fully operational workshop for all your motorcycle’s servicing needs, get along and get a card!

   On facebook

    

   Biker NI Safety Card

   www.righttoride.co.uk
   

2. Motorcycle RWT – 2022‏

   Posted on 8:07am Thursday 19th Dec 2013

   It would appear ahead of schedule that negotiations with the European Parliament and the European Council on the Road Worthiness Test (RWT) Package, have been finalised.

   The Lithuanian Presidency of The Council have announced that heavy motorcycles will be subject to periodic roadworthiness tests from 2022.

   However giving breathing space to those motorcyclists in European Member States (11 – member states) who do not have mandatory RWT (MoT) for motorcycles and whose rider organisations who have been fighting hard against mandatory RWT, the compromise news is that those Member States may:

   “Exclude these vehicles from testing if they have put in place alternative effective road safety measures, taking into account in particular road safety statistics of the 5 years.

   If heavy motorcycles are included in the scope of periodic roadworthiness testing, specific testing methods, inspection areas and frequency are decided at the Member State level.”

   Of course the devil is in the detail, for example what is meant by heavy motorcycles, what this means for low-performance and medium powered motorcycles and whether the compromise will be accepted by those riders and their organistions who will be affected by this compromise.

   “Final Compromise”

   With this “final compromise” text agreed the final vote is down to the elected body of MEPs at the European Parliament.

   For the UK with our own RWT through our MoT it looks like there is no major change or shake up to our system of testing.

   At Right To Ride EU in the cold darkness of this evening, having just learnt of this outcome, it looks like a compromise that can be lived with.

   As we have said all along our view is simply that, different countries with different situations require a different solution and that this must always be a national decision based on the needs and requirements of each country and their citizens.

   We will be off to study some of the finer details.

   Read the article leave comments on Right To Ride EU

3. Right To Ride - Distracted Driving‏

   Posted on 7:40am Wednesday 16th Oct 2013

   MAG Ireland, the Irish Motorcyclists’ Action Group, reports that at its recent AGM MAG Ireland members voted to adopt a new policy on distracted driving in light of the increase in motorcycle accidents.

   MAG Ireland say, “It is clear from research carried out by the RSA (Road Safety Authority) among others, that distracted driving (most typically use of a mobile phone while driving) is both a growing problem and a significant contributor to motorcycle accidents where another vehicle is involved. RSA figures suggest it may be as high as one in four collisions.”

   At Right To Ride, riders in the context of vulnerable road users, are more than just concerned of the increasing use of mobile phone and other electronic devices by other road users.

   MAG Ireland have brought a rational position to this debate, with suggestions for cyclists and car drivers as well as drivers of goods, construction, agricultural or public transport vehicles and including motorcyclists for policy, rigorous enforcement of the existing laws, public road safety education and funding to get rid of this road user menace and socially unacceptable driving on our roads.

   In Northern Ireland we can only support MAG Ireland’s position as well as the inclusion written in Northern Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy To 2020:
   
   •Educate and inform people about the dangers of using any mobile phone while driving, including hands free kits.
   •Consider further measures to reduce mobile phone usage, including texting, while driving.

   Information on mobile phone use contained in the Northern Ireland Survey of Seat Belt Wearing 2013, states that “In total 13,293 cars were observed and details of 19,792 occupants recorded. This recording took place in eight half hour sessions between 08:30 and 17:00 on Tuesday 23rd and Saturday 27th April 2013.”
   
   •1 per cent of drivers in 2013 were observed using a mobile phone which is the same as reported for 2012 (0.7 per cent were using a hand – held phone and 0.4 per cent were using a hands – free phone)

   Travel along any street, road, urban or rural byway and it would not be too long before the count of mobile phone use exceeds the number of fingers you have to count on.

   These pariahs of mobile phone use, should be penalised for their actions due to the danger they cause and as motorcyclists or any other road users, avoided at all costs!

   Read the article in full on Right To Ride...

4. ABS Will Sell Well?

   Posted on 8:51am Wednesday 2nd Oct 2013

   Over at Right To Ride EU we have just taken a look at the announcement from KTM that the production of their new 2014 models the 1190 Adventure and Adventure R will feature, “a truly revolutionary rider assistance system”, Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC). 

   If MSC works in real world riding conditions then motorcycling is in for a big change, within the laws of physics.

   So it looks like we have systems from KTM with Bosch for riders whose abilities come below the abilities of the motorcycle and those whose abilities and experience sometimes get caught out by the laws of physics.

   These KTMs are designed or promoted with an off-road ability, either on non-metallic roads (roads with a “loose” surface) that still require the rider and bike to be road legal (insurance/VED etc) or fully off-road or  perhaps a mixture of the two on a round the world trip through far flung outer Mongolia.

   The “off” capability of the systems is to facilitate this type of riding, so when returning to the tarmac the bike the systems can be engaged which makes the bike suitable again to that surface.

   But in all this (recently agreed European Legislation) there is nothing in any regulation that stops manufacturers fitting an off switch!

   So did riders ask for all these new technological systems? Like the latest tablet or phone technology when it is announced to the buying public and clambered over, as a must have, to a degree as riders hold some decorum, there is a want for new technology!

   There is of course the rhetoric that these systems and legislation to introduce them as compulsory, removes the freedom of choice – for riders to choose to have or not have the system on a bike – we have to be careful here in case of a back lash on the freedom of choice issue.

   However with over 27 million PTWs (motorcycles – scooters – mopeds) in use in Europe and their riders –  the average rider – the majority of riders, want the freedom of choice to have these systems on their bikes and do not care that there is no alternative.

   For these riders there appears to be no concern of these systems being fitted or the inconvenience or cost if there are electronic failures, these riders do not care, it is a part of modern acceptability and they want their bikes to have the latest technology fitted.

   Perhaps instead of some sort of panacea being offered to reduce collisions, fatalities and injuries what we are being offered is an actual cure or at least a partial remedy?

   However we would say that all this technology is going to sell well!

   Read the article in full at Right To Ride EU and view the videos of the system in action

5. Right To Ride - Belfast Motorcycle Parking‏

   Posted on 7:41am Saturday 14th Sep 2013

   If you have been parking in Belfast last week, you may have had a questionnaire placed on your bike from Roads Service – Proposed Provision of Free On-Street Parking Facilities For Motorcycles.

   The survey is intended to access the parking needs of riders in Belfast with the hope to improve motorcycle parking facilities in Belfast city centre. The intention then is to carry out a pilot project by converting some existing on-street Pay and Display parking bays, at a number of locations throughout Belfast City centre, to allow motorcycles and scooters to park free of charge and without time limit.

   At present we can only take the purpose and the aim of the survey at face value as a positive move for riders, as one rider commented on the Right To Ride website:

   “This is a very welcomed proposal and I applaud Roads Service for considering it at least.Dedicated FREE motorcycle parking without time limits is a great concept considering the limited spaces that motorcyclists currently are able to occupy in Belfast and riders would be able to park without any worries of receiving a parking ticket. The recent changes made to the Met College traffic island used by bikers have made it more awkward for riders who use it, with more limited access and space for parking. It appears that riders were not considered when they planned the changes in any case so alternative areas would be great.

   Anyway I would encourage anyone who received the questionnaire to complete and return it so they receive some feedback at least and show we have a presence and an interest that they meet riders needs for parking in Belfast.”

   It would be nice if there was the provision of some sort of locking facility, not necessarily individual ground anchors but the likes of a locking rail.

   If you missed the survey don’t despair as Roads Service will be carrying out more on–street surveys in the near future, to obtain as representative a response as possible from the most frequent motorcycle parkers in Belfast city centre.

   We have been promised some hard copies of the questionnaire which we will make available and an electronic copy which can be printed out!

   Read the full article on Right To Ride

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