Recent analysis of theft data for new motorcycles sold in 2017, shows there is a huge difference between machines which are marked with the MASTER Security Scheme, compared to those which are not. New MASTER protected bikes are six time less likely to be stolen.

MASTER, which stands for Motorcycle and Scooter Tagged Equipment Registration, is the UK’s only official and national scheme and has been adopted by the majority of major motorcycle manufacturers since its launch in 2013. It both deters theft and makes it easier to secure a conviction.

What do new statistics show?

Information from the MASTER Scheme database and new registration data shows 66,423 new motorcycles and scooters were registered in the UK from the beginning of this year to the end of July 2017. 42,254 were marked with the MASTER system, of which only 78 have been reported stolen. Of the 24,169 motorcycles and scooters which were not protected by MASTER, 285 have been stolen.

Rates of theft

There is a clear and significant difference in rates of theft. MASTER tagged machines registered in the first seven months of the year have a theft rate of just 0.18%, while non-MASTER tagged new bikes have a theft rate of 1.17%, showing MASTER tagged bikes are more than six times less likely to be stolen than bikes which are not protected by the MASTER Scheme.

Steve Kenward, CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Association, which first introduced the MASTER Scheme in 2013 says:

“The MASTER Security Scheme represents a significant investment by major brands and these figures confirm that the decision to invest in the official MASTER scheme was the right thing to do. This data is very encouraging and hopefully will persuade those manufacturers not yet marking bikes to reconsider the MASTER Scheme as significant benefit to their customers.”

How does the MASTER Security Scheme work?

The MASTER Security Scheme uses a sophisticated array of technology to mark the motorcycle or scooter’s major component parts providing a unique 'fingerprint'. This layered approach involves a combination of visible and concealed elements including tamper evident warning labels, hidden microscopic Datadots, stealth UV etching and a number of unique radio frequency identification transponders which are embedded into parts. This is similar to the technology that allows the chipping of cats and dogs, but cannot be altered or erased.

The combination of hidden elements (detailed above), along with the high visibility and the unique number on each tag, offer both peace of mind to consumers and help the police secure prosecution when recovering stolen motorcycles. Police have access to the MASTER Security Scheme secure database 24 hours a day.

The MASTER Scheme system includes a highly visible ultra-destruct identification/warning label that is fixed in a prominent place on the bike (generally on the frame near the headstock), alerting potential thieves to the fact that it is marked and registered. The label disintegrates if it is tampered with and alarm bells will ring for police and subsequent owners if the label is missing on models from participating manufacturers.

All motorcycles and scooters from participating manufacturers are registered on the MASTER Security Scheme’s national secure database. This is updated continuously, which means the reporting of stolen vehicles is immediate.

It would be virtually impossible for a thief to remove all traces of the MASTER Scheme technologies from all parts, which is why this makes protected bikes far less attractive to them.

There are now over 250,000 MASTER protected machines and this number increases each year.

Facts about motorcycle theft

43% of all insurance pay outs are due to theft (according to MCIA research).

Many motorcycles are ‘cloned’, which involves being broken up into parts within hours of being stolen and reassembled onto legally acquired frames, which have log books. This can net thieves thousands of pounds a day.*
80% of these ‘cloned’ motorcycles find their way into the legitimate dealer network. Before the MASTER Scheme it was virtually impossible for dealers or the police to identify stolen parts.*

**(Facts and figures supplied by the Motorcycle Crime Reduction Group).

www.masterscheme.org

Join Essex & Herts Air Ambulance and a convoy of over 4,000 motorcyclists to make a 60 mile journey across Essex for their annual Motorcycle Run, now in its 18th year!

Pre-register to take part in this event and you’ll be in with a chance to win one of three £550 vouchers for motorbike kit, sponsored by Devitt Insurance and supplied by the Bike Shop.

Named this week by the Daily Telegraph as ‘one of the best biking events on the planet’, the 2017 Classic TT presented by Bennetts, part of the Isle of Man Festival of Motor Cycling, sealed its reputation as a nostalgia inspired, forward thinking sports and lifestyle event to rival any in the annual worldwide Motorcycling calendar.  

The event saw the best motorcycle racers tackle the TT Mountain Course on machines rooted in the Isle of Man’s rich heritage, interspersed with a packed schedule of sold out events that supported the high quality entertainment.

The Classic TT centres round a four-day programme of entertainment across the August Bank Holiday weekend, which sees some of the world’s most valuable motorcycles being raced around the 37 and ¾ mile TT Mountain Course.

Stand out performances included a brace of lap records for the evergreen Bruce Anstey from New Zealand. Anstey smashed the previous best speeds in both the Motorsport Merchandise Superbike Race where he finished runner up to Bradford’s Dean Harrison, and the Dunlop Lightweight Race, which he won convincingly including the first 120mph lap of the Mountain Course on a 250cc machine. 2015 British Superbike Champion Josh Brookes won the Bennetts Senior Race on his Classic TT debut while TT veteran Michael Rutter took the honours in the Sure Junior event, a race he had previously won back in 2015.  

For 2017 the entertainment on track also included a recreation of Bob McIntyre’s first 100mph Mountain Course lap by leading current TT racer Michael Dunlop on an exact replica of the Gilera machine McIntyre used 60 years previously as well as an appearance from one of the most technically advanced machines ever to race in the TT – the priceless ‘Honda 6’ owned by New York based Team Obsolete and demonstrated by former Honda TT factory rider Steve Plater.

Away from the race track this year’s entertainment included the now traditional Classic TT Paddock Carnival which drew large crowds, a vintage car and motorcycle Concours d’Elegance competition, an outdoor cinema screening iconic motorcycle themed films, live music from the award winning '50s act the Bluejays, stunt shows from the iconic Purple Helmets and the Vintage Motorcycle Club’s Festival of Jurby with thousands of fans visiting the event at Jurby Aerodrome.

This year there were sold out notices posted for the grandstand seats for all of the Classic TT Races while tickets for the Classic TT Party and RST Heroes Dinner also both sold out in advance.

The Department of Economic Development, promoter of the Classic TT, has commissioned a visitor survey to review the economic contribution that the event makes with the results expected to be available in October. The early indications suggest another significant increase in the number of air and ferry visitors, with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company reporting a 5.6% increase in the number of motorcycles carried for the Festival of Motorcycling this year.

TV highlights of the Classic TT will be aired on ITV4 this Thursday at 9pm featuring highlights of the four races as well as coverage of the Festival of Jurby. The programme will also go behind the scenes and look in depth at some of the bikes making the headlines at this year’s event. A number of international broadcasters are also expected to carry the programme.

Vince Chaney, Managing Director, commented:

“Bennetts have proudly title sponsored the Classic TT since its inception in 2013 and have enjoyed watching it grow at a rapid pace in such a short period of time. The event offers fans a unique blend of high-speed racing and a varied mix of off track entertainment whilst drawing in the most wide-ranging mix of classic and vintage motorcycles you will find anywhere in the world. The Classic TT is a great platform for us to engage with our customers and we look forward to seeing it develop and grow in the years to come.” 

Laurence Skelly MHK, Minister for Economic Development added:

“We believe that the Classic TT has reached a tipping point in terms of awareness and interest and is now firmly established in the eyes of classic and vintage motorcycle fans around the world as the premier event in its genre after just five years. We will continue to build on this interest to grow the event’s contribution to the Island’s economy through increased visitors and spend as well as maximising the significant commercial opportunities and growing the media profile of the event.”

The Festival of Motorcycling also includes the Manx Grand Prix which concludes this week with the Senior MGP on Friday after three exciting race days including some stand out performances from newcomers to the TT Mountain Course in Monday’s Newcomers race and Wednesday’s Junior and Lightweight MGP Races.

Rob Callister, Isle of Man Government Political Member with Responsibility for Tourism and Motorsport commented:

“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to everyone that has supported the Festival of Motorcycling including all of the volunteers, the dedicated marshals and medics and officials of the Manx Motor Cycle Club, the organisers of the event who have helped us to established a really vibrant two week festival.”

The UK’s biggest road safety charity IAM RoadSmart has warned that the rush of drivers investing in dash cams may not yield any increase in prosecutions for dangerous driving as many hope – and may also lead to fewer visible traffic patrols as officers spend more time analysing amateur footage.

In 2015 The Daily Telegraph reported that sales of dash cams had increased by 918% (reference 1), with many insurance companies now accepting footage as part of insurance claims.

But IAM RoadSmart has urged caution, as drivers are potentially lulled into a false sense of security in thinking a dash cam will protect them or exonerate them from all blame in the event of a crash – when in fact the opposite might be the case.

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, said dash cam footage often does not show the full picture of a crash – often being too short, poor quality, failing to show how a crash developed or only showing one very restricted angle.

He added that there is no consistency over which police forces would accept dash cam footage – on Monday (21 August) both North and South Wales Police were widely quoted in the media as saying they would welcome it (reference 2) through its Operation Snap, but as of now the situation is vastly different or unknown by many across the country.

Neil added: ”IAM RoadSmart is calling for consistent national guidelines on the standard of dash cam footage required for prosecutions, what the police will do with it and how to submit it in the correct way. Our members are very supportive of high profile policing but it takes time for police to evaluate the footage, decide what to follow up, trace the driver, serve paperwork and then obtain a successful prosecution within legal time limits. Our main concern is that dash cams must not become a replacement for fully trained officer undertaking high profile roads policing.

Neil said: “A dash cam isn’t the be-all and end-all. People need to realise they must improve their own standards of driving as well as expecting others to do the same. “We at IAM RoadSmart are very concerned that drivers might be investing in a dash cam as a substitute for better driving, instead of using it as a back-up.

“In many ways a dash cam is the end of the line; real accident prevention requires better driver training and tackling ingrained attitudes and behaviours.”

The new 67-plate registration prefix will be debuted on 1 September 2017 – with over 20 models in the current line-up and a whole host of finance deals available on 2017 models, it’s a fantastic opportunity to ride away on the ‘green’ machine of your dreams.

Kawasaki’s range of motorcycles has something to suit everyone, at all stages of their riding career; from the recently-launched J125, the commuting companion with plenty of underseat storage and A1 licence friendly option, to the top of the range, limited-edition Ninja H2 Carbon with its Supercharged engine, carbon fibre upper cowl and Öhlins rear suspension.

Developed by the Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT) and Kawasaki factory in Japan, the new Ninja ZX-10R and ZX10RR has been tested, refined and approved by Double World Superbike Champion, Jonathan Rea, and 2013 World Superbike Champion, Tom Sykes. #GetCloser to the Ninja ZX-10R and experience the KRT technology up close by booking a test ride with your local authorised dealer.

The thrill seeking ZZR1400 has been won over fans by matching Kawasaki’s passion for engineering with rider’s desire for ultimate performance. Dominating acceleration mated to sophisticated rider aids mean that power has never felt so good.

For more information on finance packages and to tailor a dealer around your monthly budgets, visit www.kawasaki-kalculator.co.uk.

With a full network of Kawasaki dealers across the UK and Ireland, there’s plenty of help and advice available.

Every new Kawasaki comes with K-PAC including a 12-month membership to Club Kawasaki.

Members of Club Kawasaki enjoy a range of benefits including discounts on genuine Kawasaki clothing and accessories, a range of events and experiences from Virgin Experience Days and other exclusive partners, a Club magazine twice a year plus regular news updates on the world of Kawasaki. But you don’t have to ride a Kawasaki to join – for just £29.95, everyone is welcome into the Kawasaki world.

Visit www.kawasaki.co.uk to see the full range or to locate your nearest dealer.