We would like to wish all our advertisers, visitors, customers, contributors and supporters a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2017!

During 2016 we attended many shows, events, Biker Friendly cafes and meeting places to promote THE BIKER GUIDE® brand, name and ethos, given away many prizes, cards, stickers and booklets, ran adverts in BMF and Stormin' the Castle magazines, had an on-going marketing campaign on Google, have grown the large facebook page and groups to enforce the brand and community spirit and continue to trademark THE BIKER GUIDE® to secure our brand, name and ethos!

In the year we have spent lots of time promoting THE BIKER GUIDE to gain new visitors and keep the ones we have, so we continue to be 'the' website where so many from the Motorcycle community come to find information.

We value our clients and work hard to maintain and grow the visitors to the website and readers of the printed booklet.

On the website we have popular pages for the ever growing Meeting Places and What's On sections, many articles in the News sections for Ace Café, Ducati, IAM, Safety, Superbikes, TT, Tourism & Travel and of course news from us @ THE BIKER GUIDE®, increased the size and amounts of photographes included in the listings for Biker Friendly Accommodation, Campsites, Pubs and Touring, along with many other new sections and so our daily visitors have now grown to over 3,450 a day...

In a survey we found that 89% of our visitors use only www.thebikerguide.co.uk when looking for anything Motorcycle related, which is mainly due to the large amount of information included, which is regularly updated and relevant.

THE BIKER GUIDE® would especially like to thank our advertisers for trusting us to promote your business to the Motorcycle community, for your many lovely comments on our service and products and for your continued involvement with us @ THE BIKER GUIDE® on the website and within the 6th edition of printed booklet.

A Merry Christmas from the team (Rockin' out for your pleasure) @ THE BIKER GUIDE®

A few of us have seen or know about the hit American TV programme Sons of Anarchy and while they make joining a motorcycle club seem exiting and exhilarating, most of the times its actually just about friends creating a community. So if you feel like changing something in your life, you may feel joining a community which may bring some prosperity into your life. Motorcycle communities can be the best groups to be with.  

There are thousands of different official motorcycle clubs which don’t tag as outlaws or what you see on TV. Joining a Motorcycle community is pretty simple really. You will usually be required to fill out a membership form and pay a small fee in order to join one of these communities. There are most often no other entry requirements, however each club will vary with rules and regulations. Clubs may also have additional benefits to its members; this may include special discounts that have been organised with companies such as insurance providers or motorcycle retailers.

Unofficial Communities

Some unofficial motorcycle communities contain an extremely larger number of motorcycle riders. These communities nowadays are mostly centred on internet groups, message boards and forums. These communities do not have any official legal standing in most situations and are most likely not have any official presidents or secretaries. It’s really simple in regards to joining these communities and may just take a simple message. In the majority of cases there are absolutely no fees associated with these communities. 

There are lots of events and tours, that are really interesting and worthwhile to attend and at THE BIKER GUIDE, there are various Motorcycle Tour companies such as:

-          H-C Travel: The longest established motorcycle touring company operating in the UK, with tours to countries such as Tibet, Australia, and New Zealand, etc...

-          EXtraMILe bike tours: With tours running through Northern Spain, Spain & Portugal and long weekends across various other locations in Europe.

-          Magellan Motorcyle tours: offering accessible and affordable motorcycle tours across Europe and further afield, some locations includes France, Germany, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia

As well as tours, clubs and communities offer good bonding activities, which include coffee stops at cafes, pub lunches and even get together’s at casinos where you can find the best casino deals, BBQ’s and social parties.

Joining a community is a really enjoyable thing to do, it will definitely make you feel your part of something and you will be well looked after.

Instead of sitting at home or having a pint on your own at the pub, if you have a motorcycle license, then join a community now, where you will be given some of the best days of your life and you will most certainly look back and cherish the memories you have created with these communities. 

Joint statement from the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), the Amateur Motor Cycle Association (AMCA) and the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU)

British motorsport could end due to EU ruling

The outcome of a government consultation on a piece of EU insurance legislation could end motorsport in the UK.

Yesterday, the Government issued a document for public consultation, which gives an option of implementing the European Court decision known as the ‘Vnuk judgment’.  The ruling makes it compulsory for anyone using any form of motorised transport to have third party damage and injury insurance. This will affect all participants in all forms of motorsport.

The insurance industry has made it clear to government that third party risks for motorsport activities are uninsurable, not least because of the sheer number of potential vehicle damage claims that would arise. Therefore, if implemented, the Vnuk judgment would wipe out all legal motor and motorcycle sport activity.

In the UK, the motorsport industry employs over 50,000 people, generates a total of £11 billion of sales each year and is backed up by a world-leading high performance engineering industry.

Motorcycle competition is a popular UK Sport and generates much needed income in rural areas, with over 1.9 million spectators watching around 58,000 riders attend an average of over 4000 off-road and track events each year.   These range from junior motocross to the British Superbikes, which would all end without the required insurance under the ECJ ruling.* 

MCIA, ACU and AMCA call on the government to exempt motor and motorcycle sport from any changes to insurance law which arise from the ECJ judgement.  While the UK remains in the EU, even a temporary implementation of the ruling, as suggested by the Department for Transport in its consultation document, would be fatally damaging to what is an important industry and net contributor to the UK economy.

Speaking for the ACU, AMCA and MCIA, Steve Kenward, CEO of MCIA says: “At a stroke, this would wipe out a successful industry and all the jobs that go with it, as well as eliminating a popular leisure pursuit for 1.9 million people, along with the boost that this gives to both local and national economies. 

“If the government implements the Vnuk judgment un-amended, British motorcycle sport would end in the UK.  Given that we are coming out of the EU, we are astonished that the government is even considering an option to implement Vnuk.  We call on ministers to end uncertainty and put a stop to Vnuk in the UK.”

Background

The Vnuk judgment imposes compulsory third party injury and damage insurance to all vehicles of any kind when used on any type of land.  As well as affecting all motorsport vehicles, it could affect electric bicycles, sit-on lawnmowers, golf buggies, mobility scooters and even uninsured vehicles parked on private property under the Statutory Off-Road Notification scheme.  The ruling stems from a case involving a Slovenian farm worker, who was hurt falling from a ladder, which was hit by a reversing tractor.

For additional information please contact Steve Muir on 07989 378597 or email [email protected]

Grass roots events like the Skegness beach race (pictured) would end if Vnuk is implemented

Information

• You can read the consultation document here
• The original judgement arises from Damijan Vnuk v Zavarovalnica Triglav C-162/13.  See here
• *Figures come from MCIA industry commissioned report

Former Formula 1 World Champion Nigel Mansell CBE has given his backing to road safety charity IAM RoadSmart’s Christmas drink drive campaign, which urges no alcohol at all if you are driving during the festive season.

The charity’s campaign also encourages groups of friends to reward their designated driver as a true ‘hero of the road’ this season.

Nigel, who has been President of IAM RoadSmart for 10 years, says that as a Formula 1 driver he couldn’t have achieved the success he had without the backing of his team – and that similarly, a group of friends need to work as a team and make sure the designated driver feels a part of the evening. In this way, there is no temptation to down a swift pint and risk the lives of everyone in the vehicle.

IAM RoadSmart wants to remind everyone of some of the shocking statics that surround drink driving:

• There were 35,000 drink drive offences recorded in the first nine months of 2015

• Having alcohol in your system at just below the limit increases your chances of dying in a crash six fold

• The total number of drink drive related accidents of all severities were 5,620 in 2014

Nigel, who won 31 Formula 1 races for Ferrari and Williams, said: “Often racing drivers are seen as heroes. But to me, the real heroes of the road are those who make sure their friends and family get home safe and sound during the festive season.

“So let’s make sure these real heroes of the road are rewarded. Treat them to a meal or their soft drinks for the evening. And don’t forget to take part in IAM RoadSmart’s designated driver competition for a chance of winning a very special prize.”

To give that hero designated driver and their guest a pat on the back, IAM RoadSmart is offering afternoon tea at The Savoy in London as a competition prize – all entrants have to do is tweet a picture to the IAM RoadSmart Twitter page using the hashtag #herooftheroad, showing your designated driver being celebrated by his or her group of friends.

Nigel added: “Let’s make this festive season one to remember for everyone. And let’s show some love for our designated drivers, who all make sure we are safe on the roads this month.”

First of all let me wish everyone a safe and peaceful Christmas and New Year: 2016 has seen its ups and downs however everyone at the Henry Surtees Foundation deserves a pat on the back for the sterling work achieved during this very busy year raising not just funds, but awareness too.
 
My sincere thanks also to the faithful sponsors and supporters as without them we would not be able to continue to run our two biggest events, and more importantly fund the numerous life-saving work throughout the country.
 
2017 will see another great step forward for the foundation with many plans afoot (watch this space for more details!)
 
Kind regards,
 
John Surtees CBE
Edenbridge, Kent