One of the most important aspects of the National Motorcycle Museum friend’s scheme is giving its members the chance to take part in some riding activities that just wouldn’t be possible otherwise. Some of this unique content includes the chance for museum friend’s to ride some of the best bikes in our inventory!

NMM Friend’s Classic Bike Tour Day

Saturday 24th March saw six museum friends scheme members having the opportunity to ride some of the most exciting and valuable classic motorcycles from the museums inventory.

Those taking part received an induction and “off road” training before being escorted by ex-police motorcyclists/IAM instructors around the beautiful Warwickshire countryside. Riding via Henley in Arden and other local beauty spots our riders enjoyed various museum bikes including a 1939 Triumph Tiger 100 and a 1960 Triumph Bonneville T120.
Each class of machine attracts a different “hire” fee which includes insurance cover and lunch in the museum restaurant. The next tours date we have planned is Saturday 12/05/18.

NMM Friend’s “Ride a Classic” Day

Saturday 31st March saw a capacity entry of 60 museum friend’s scheme members having the opportunity to ride a diverse range of classic motorcycles from the museums inventory in our first “ride a classic” day of 2018.
The day was split into two with 30 friends pre-booked onto either morning or afternoon sessions which gave everyone the chance to sample all of the eleven machines on offer.

Museum friend’s were treated to a host of exotic machinery including a Velocette Venom, Sunbeam Model 9, Ariel Cyclone 650cc, and even our very own “Steve McQueen/Great Escape” Triumph 650cc replica!

In addition to their annual membership fee the day cost museum friends just £10.00 per rider to help cover insurance costs. The next “ride a classic” day we have planned is Saturday 09/06/18.

Become a Friend Of The National Motorcycle Museum and Ride Our Bikes

Access to the above plus many other exclusive events & benefits for an annual subscription of-
Adults 18-65 £29.95
Senior Citizens 65+ £27.45
Junior 0-18 £19.95
Family (2 Adults & 2 Children) £49.95
By Phone: Call the National Motorcycle Museum on (01675) 443311

Join on-line www.thenmm.co.uk

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) is asking local bikers to step up a gear to support the charity.

Ride4Life, two new Ride Out events, are planned to help raise vital funds for HIOWAA. Ride4Life Isle of Wight will take place on Sunday 10^th June and Ride4Life Hampshire is scheduled for later in the year, on Sunday 16^th September.

It is hoped bikers will come together to enjoy the Ride Outs, taking in the best scenery Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have to offer, with routes covering forest and coastal roads.

In 2017, 45% of incidents attended by HIOWAA were road traffic incidents. Motorcyclists make up just 1% of Britain’s total road traffic, but account for 19% of all road deaths.

This year alone, the HIOWAA Critical Care Team have attended 49 road traffic incidents.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance Chief Executive and keen motorcyclist, Alex Lochrane said:

“Our Critical Care Teams attend road traffic incidents throughout the year, many involving bikers, and this is a fantastic way for bikers to do their bit to help keep the Air Ambulance flying and saving lives. Our Ride4Life events promise to be a great day out for bikers and their families, as well as an opportunity for us to raise awareness for our life-saving service amongst the biking community.”

Online registration is now open for both events at www.hiowaa.org. Entry is £10 per person, +£5 per pillion and each participant will receive an ‘iRide 4 HIOWAA’ wristband.

The participant to raise the most sponsorship will win a water bottle signed by British motorcycle road racer, James Hillier, pictured with the HIOWAA Critical Care Team. 

Visit them all when staying in these fab-u-lous lodges in Bath, Somerset!

Lovely lodges for Bikers to stay in Somerset, where a warm welcome awaits from owner Chris (a Biker himself) who can assist with local routes and places to head to...

Fabulous facilities including hot-tubs, outdoor heated swimming pool, a gym with sauna, barbeque, sun terrace and ample seating areas for you to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of your surroundings.

IAM RoadSmart has welcomed the Department of Transport commitment to monitor the Northern Ireland Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Scheme as a possible model for future roll out across the rest of the UK in the future.

IAM RoadSmart, the UK’s largest road safety charity has long campaigned for a bespoke British graduated driving licensing scheme for new drivers, who are the biggest at-risk driving group by a significant margin.

Under its long awaited proposals, the Northern Ireland Government plans to bring a number of provisions into force in 2019/20 including passenger carrying restrictions and a six-month mandatory learning period.

IAM RoadSmart is wholly in favour of the Northern Ireland approach, in particular the minimum learning period and some restrictions on peer group passengers. We remain to be convinced about the value of night curfews, but the real world experience in Northern Ireland will help ensure that the next steps are evidence based.

In addition IAM RoadSmart also strongly supports the Department for Transport’s commissioning of a £2 million young driver research programme. This will look into the effectiveness of a range of safety measures for young and novice drivers, both pre and post-test. These will include getting parents more involved in managing post-test hazardous situations as well as greater use of telematics to manage driver behaviour.

IAM RoadSmart is ready to provide its knowledge and expertise in developing the content of any new driver learning system and post-test interventions.

Sarah Sillars, IAM RoadSmart Chief Executive Officer, said: “IAM RoadSmart welcomes the new scheme for GDL in Northern Ireland. Road crashes are the biggest killer of young people in the UK today. New drivers are most at risk in their first year of driving and yet the current system abandons them to learn by their own, sometimes fatal, mistakes.”

She added: “The risk factors are well known; lack of experience in all traffic conditions but, especially rural roads, darkness and poor weather, attitude, distraction (by peer passengers or smartphones) and alcohol and drugs. Choosing effective restrictions to limit these risk factors should be the key objective of the government in creating a new licensing system that is practical, affordable and works to reduce young driver road deaths and injuries.

“Today’s news is a great first step in ensuring that a young person’s lifetime journey on our roads does not end before it has even started.”

Customers of James Whitham’s track day training schools at Mallory Park can also test ride the GSX-R1000R, with added incentives for those that go on to purchase the championship-winning machine.

Starting from next week’s event on April 18 at the ‘friendly circuit’ and included at no extra cost, customers can choose to take a GSX-R1000R out on track for a 20-minute session. Those that go on to purchase a new GSX-R1000 or GSX-R1000 before the end of 2018 will then have the cost of the track day reimbursed, and will be automatically granted a free place on Suzuki’s 2019 All-Star track day event.

Three-time British Superbike champion John Reynolds – who played a pivotal role in the development of the GSX-R1000 both in Japan and Europe – will also be on hand to answer any questions and offer additional on-track instruction.

Suzuki GB marketing manager, Rob Cooper, said, “There’s nowhere better to get a taste for a GSX-R1000R than a race track, which is why we want to give people that chance. James already uses GSX-R1000Rs for the instructors on his days, so it made sense to add to the number of bikes at his Mallory Park events and let customers experience the bike for themselves too, including its full suite of electronics and MotoGP-derived engine.”

Customers that purchase before the end of April will also get a free Yoshimura Hepta Force exhaust, while the GSX-R1000 is currently on Suzuki’s low-rate finance offer, which allows customers to choose from either a PCP or hire purchase deal, 2%, 3%, or 4% APR, and an agreement term to match. The offer runs until the end of June.

To book a place on James Whitham track days, visit www.jameswhitham.com/track-training. GSX-R1000R test rides will only be available at Mallory Park events.