Europe - Motorcycle industry launches new European Training Quality Label at motorcycle safety conference. The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers, ACEM, hosted today (8th September 2016) its 12th annual conference, ‘The Safe Ride to the Future’, around the issue of motorcycling safety in the European Union. This edition of the Brussels annual conference attracted more than 150 attendees from the motorcycle industry, European and national administrations and users’ organisations, as well as a wide range of stakeholders. The event explored key issues around … [Read more...]
Pedants ‘R’ Us
Europe - The one thing that we (Motorcycle Minds) try to ensure in the reporting of our articles is that they are factual to the point of being pedantically detailed. What we detest in articles or reports that we come across by others, is misrepresentation, misinterpretation, no references, or a just lack of professionalism. A general rule of thumb is that it’s not good to pass your personal opinion across as fact or truth in articles. While it might give the author a warm fuzzy feeling, it does not help the reader to understand the issues which are central to whatever … [Read more...]
FEMA – Emissions Survey
Europe – The Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations (FEMA) is asking motorcyclists to fill out its survey on emissions! With growing pressure from city councils on older motorcycles with less than Euro 3 (built in 2006 and earlier) and threats or even concrete plans to ban them from cities, or toll them like in Paris, London and several Italian cities, we are experiencing a growing pressure to switch from older motorcycles to new, less fuel consumption and cleaner motorcycles. At Motorcycle Minds we ask what is this Euro 3 that is referred to? “Starting at the … [Read more...]
FIM Europe Road Safety Conference – Kavala (Greece)
Europe - In our transition of “retiring” from Right to Ride in Northern Ireland to the South West of France, to our gradual return through Motorcycle Minds, we recall all the conferences we attended with varying degrees of interest, though generally with the real conversations taking place over lunch or a couple of post conference aperitifs. As we kick off Motorcycle Minds, we can report on one that has just taken place - the 22nd FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) Europe Congress which hosted the 10th edition of the Road Safety Conference at Kavala … [Read more...]
FIM – Women In Motorcycling
Global - Special Action For A Milestone Anniversary - This year the FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme) Women in Motorcycling Commission is celebrating its 10 year anniversary. Back in June 2006, the FIM made a major commitment towards women in motorcycling by signing the Brighton Declaration, a document drafted in 1994 in Great Britain (Brighton) during the first World Conference on Women and Sport. To date, 419 organisations worldwide have endorsed the Declaration with the goal to “enable and value full involvement of women in every aspect of Sport”. Over … [Read more...]
Sweden – Free Advanced Training
Sweden - Swedish Motorcyclists Association - SMC - FREE Advanced Riders’ Training bundle with new motorcycles in Sweden! Riding a new motorcycle will no longer mean an increased accident risk. Buying a new motorcycle is usually associated with great joy and happiness, whether you have had a motorcycle before, or if it is the very first bike you just bought. The Swedish Motorcyclists Association, SMC, wants to contribute to keep that nice feeling among the new owners by teaching them how handle the new motorcycle. Meanwhile the risk of being involved in an accident is … [Read more...]
Is the glass half full or half empty?
An interesting article from the AMA - American Motorcyclist Association (see article below) has appeared on the FEMA (Federation of European Motorcyclist's Associations) website with FEMA’s General Secretary Dolf Willigers and FEMA board member Maria Nordqvist from SMC Sweden offering advice to American riders. You should all know me by now, I can be pedantic to the extreme where issues about motorcycling are concerned. But reading the AMA article I just wonder if the glass (of motorcycling in Europe) is half full or half empty. Wayne Allard, AMA vice president of … [Read more...]
