Former BMF Public Relations and Communications Director and one time army corporal, Dave Muckle, is leading a team of seven riders, all on Triumph Bonneville’s, on a charity ride that follows the route taken by Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, the mastermind of the plot depicted in the film The Great Escape.

The Bonnevilles were chosen in homage to Steve McQueen who was famously seen escaping from prison camp Stalag Luft 111, (the scene of the film the Great Escape), by leaping the prison camp fence on a Triumph motorcycle. In fact one of the bikes will be a modern day replica of Steve’s bike and will be auctioned off after the ride as part of the fund-raising attempt.

The trip, The Great Escape 2, is planned to begin on 4^th June 2011 and aims to cover 3,500 miles in two weeks. The Bonnevilles and all riding equipment will be supplied by Triumph Motorcycles through Laguna Motorcycles Of Maidstone, Kent, with Nissan UK providing back up vehicles.

The aim of the ride is to raise £10,000, to be divided between the charity Help for Heroes and The Royal British Legion, assisting in the care of our injured troops. To date just over £6000 has been raised but further donations, large or small, can be made through the website

The team intend to follow the route of Squadron Leader Bushell from a starting point at former RAF Biggin Hill, via Dover to the beaches of Dunkirk and then through Belgium to sites in Holland, Germany and returning via Trier train station where Roger was caught. After a night in Ypres to take part in the Last Post Parade, they return to Dunkirk and home.

Full details on the background to the Great Escape and the route to be taken this time around can be found at www.greatescape2.net

Kettering’s pure road racer James McBride has decided to bow out of the sport he loves whilst on a high. In 2010 he won the inaugural Isle of Man TT Privateer’s Championship and amongst other superb achievements throughout last season he joined the elusive 130mph club at the Ulster Grand Prix.

McBride was awarded a commemorative 130mph medal at the Adelaide Motorcycle Festival in Belfast last weekend by road race legend Raymond McCullough. With a plethora of 2010 results under his belt McBride felt it was time to step back and let this be the final accolade.

McBride said: “I’ve been thinking about this for quite a while but I made my decision whilst travelling back home from the Belfast Bike Show. I have been truly really humbled and flattered by my Irish fans and sponsor support from the weekend but after receiving my award I felt it was time to retire my own efforts.”  

This doesn’t mean James is hanging up his leathers he is still keen to take part in the racing he loves, and should a suitable team offer appear from a competitive team looking to employ a very capable racer  he would certainly consider it. However running himself and keeping the team at a high level is a big job and one he wants to back off from.

He said: “To improve on last season’s riding I would almost certainly need a stronger budget and dedication from everyone involved, but life is getting busy right now in a number of ways and to retire my own personal efforts would free me up to cope. However it would allow room for improvement to my own riding performance with much less energy and focus spent on managing a team and more time to focus purely on my racing.  So be it if I don’t get to race much in 2011 but I am currently enjoying riding Enduro on my 450 Yamaha regularly and I will still structure a return to Macau in November.”

To better his 2010 season would take a lot of time and investment in new machinery as well as plenty of organisation to ensure McBride can perform at the high level he is used to. So as things currently stand McBride will be stepping out of the lime light and spending time with partner Dorothy and daughter Molly.

James would like to take this opportunity to thank all of his sponsor’s friends and family members whom have helped him achieve all the successes racing has to offer. These people have stood by from the early days in 1998 with the Club Championships which he won, to the lows of 2000 and 2008 where he was side lined through injury and now to the heights of 2010.

McBride finished on this note: “Without my sponsors, some of whom are no longer with us, today wouldn’t be so poignant in terms of racing for 13 consecutive seasons. Racing became an interest back then but spare money just wasn’t available and it took three to four years before support came along. I’m very grateful to anyone who has helped with costs or support from day one to year 13. I salute you all....”

The Motorcycle Industry Association (MCI) has published a new report aimed at encouraging the Government to recognise the place of electric powered two wheelers (e-PTW's) as part of its low carbon transport strategy.  

The report, titled 'Report on the Sector and Opportunities for Realising Government Objectives' was written in response to the omission of e-PTW's from the recent electric transport initiative called the 'Plug in Grant'. A key objective of the report is to brief Government on the potential for ePTW and to illustrate why is makes sense to include ePTWs in the 'Plugged in Car Grant' framework.

As the media spotlight has followed the Grant and focussed on electric cars, so the electric motorcycle sector has been left in a public awareness black hole.  For a sector that has terrific growth potential and can offer a key component in strategies to reduce Co2, this is not good news and something that the MCI is keen to see change quickly.

The Report outlines how e-PTW's can be included in the phase two roll out of the Plug in Grant and also how through strategic support of the sector, the UK can position itself as a world leader in electric technology and development.  Many of the e-PTW sectors leading voices and experts contributed to the writing of the report. This included existing major motorcycle brands, who are developing new technologies and also new market players and key individuals such as Victoria Atherton of Love2scoot, Alex Bamberg of Charge Point Services and Danny Tendler of E-City Wheels.

The MCI recognises that with the appropriate support, the UK e-PTW sector can become a strong and influential player in the development of a UK wide low carbon transport strategy, and that it is important that the sector develops its own voice and identity within the wider industry.  To this end the MCI has created a specialist group for the e-PTW sector within the MCI to give manufactures and importers, both from new and already well known existing companies, plus other stake holders a clear voice in developing a clean transport future.

Right To Ride’s Trevor Baird attended the official launch of Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) by the Environment Minister Edwin Poots at Parliament Buildings, Stormont on the 16th February 2011.

CBT will be officially introduced on Monday 21st February 2011 and will fundamentally change training requirements for those wishing to ride a motorcycle as a learner rider on public roads.

Mr Poots said the new training scheme was essential to improve safety for all road users and that, "Road safety is my top priority, and I believe that this initiative will help us to further drive down deaths and serious injuries on the roads. Biking can be a great experience, but ridden inappropriately, a motorcycle becomes a lethal weapon.”

The minister added that, "The introduction of CBT will improve learners’ riding skills because they will receive training in a safe environment before proceeding to ride on public roads. The evidence shows that the scheme will improve safety for both motorcyclists and other road users."

The introduction of CBT will mean that new moped and motorcycle riders will not be permitted to ride unaccompanied on public roads without valid CBT certificates. CBT can only be delivered by a registered Approved Motorcycle Instructor (AMI).

“However those with provisional motorcycle or moped licences issued prior to 21 February 2011 will have 12 months to either complete a CBT course or obtain a full motorcycle licence.”

 “If they choose the CBT course option they will be entitled to ride with L-plates for a period of two years or until they have passed their practical test.”

The CBT course has three modules:

• introduction and practical training, for example touch and feel
• practical riding (either off-road or on-road in a safe environment) and preparation for on-road riding (theory)
• practical on-road riding

Right To Ride also welcomed the continued recognition by the department that, “It should be noted that half of all motorcyclist casualties are caused by other drivers.” The department has also encouraged motorists to give extra consideration to motorcyclists through campaigns such as the 'Underneath' campaign where drivers are reminded to look out for bikes when overtaking, at junctions, when turning right and when emerging onto main roads.

At Right To Ride we have been reporting over the last year on the proposals for CBT and along with the British Motorcyclists Federation have had our views represented on the stakeholder group that has delivered the CBT scheme by David McMcGuckin from Ballymena Rider Training.

We believe that initial rider training in whatever form it is presented, is crucial for novice riders. CBT will provide “off road” and “on road” training elements, giving new riders the basic instruction of how to handle a motorcycle on public roads.

There will be a cost to this of course, but we would expect that this cost will be kept to a level that is affordable. 

For more information see Right To Ride on CBT