Moto Gymkhana - What is Moto Gymkhana? you may ask. You may have watched videos of bikes on You Tube been ridden round and around cones, you may have marvelled at skills of tight turns and machine control. However, is Moto Gymkhana much more than riding around cones in an empty car park and have we just offended Moto Gymkhana worldwide aficionados in our description? The Moto Gymkhana Association in the UK says, “it is the most fun you can have on a motorbike” involving improving riders, “Confidence, Bike control, speed, braking, turning, accuracy and space to … [Read more...]
Kramer Evo2: Story Behind The Bike
Racing - A feature in the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) members’ magazine “Motorcycle Rider” tells the story behind the Kramer Evo2 race bike drew my attention with the mention of Road Racing and the struggle of one rider to keep an amateur road race career going. The mention of Road Racing always makes my ears prick up. Stating from an early age as a spectator with my parents on the railway embankment at Metropole at the North West 200, trudging over muddy fields to get a good vantage point (why did it always seem to rain at Dundrod?) to weeks at the Isle Of … [Read more...]
Shell Motorcycle Passion
United Kingdom – What could be simpler than when your motorcycle requires fuel to pull onto a garage forecourt and fill your bike with petrol and go and pay for your fuel and then be on your way? Well one would think that would be a simple act however as far back as we can remember – at least ten years – this simple act has and continues to cause a rash of social media opinion, consternation and unfortunately a whiff of bigotry, the call of “biker” discrimination hits social media like an itch that needs scratched on a regular basis. From garage rules on the ground to … [Read more...]
Australian – Sikh Helmet Exemption
Australia – A group of motorcyclists in the Australian state of New South Wales are seeking an exemption from the mandatory wearing of motorcycle crash helmets. The group who are Sikh motorcyclists are asking for the exemption in the helmet wearing law that states: The rider of a motorcycle must wear an approved motorcycle helmet securely fitted and fastened on the rider's head. The rider of a motorcycle must not ride with a passenger unless the passenger is wearing an approved motorcycle helmet. From various reports – ABC News – Daily Mail – Motorbike … [Read more...]
Sharpen Up With Bikesafe 2017
United Kingdom - We have always been a supporter of the police run BikeSafe initiative since its current inception in 1997 in Yorkshire, in our various guises of involvement in motorcycling "issues". Why would we be any different at Motorcycle Minds? Although BikeSafe is prevalent across the UK in different Police forces, BikeSafe has over the last few years, gathered those police forces and served up one massive festival of biking, which attracted 5000 people at the Rockingham race circuit in Corby. The heart of this year's event is to showcase the freedom and … [Read more...]
The Retiring War Horse
Norway - Earlier this year, at their annual meeting, the rider group - The Swedish Motorcyclists Association (SMC) - awarded Morten Hansen from the Norsk Motorcykkel Union (NMCU) with honorary membership for his cooperation with SMC, for his success in promoting motorcyclists in traffic policy issues and his upcoming retirement. We had the privilege of knowing Morten through our past life at the Motorcycle Action Group and at FEMA (Federation Of European Motorcyclists Associations) and with continued dialogue as Right To Ride then Motorcycle Minds. He is someone we … [Read more...]
Ability or Disability? – That is the question…
United Kingdom - National Association of Bikers with a Disability (NABD) - Support of people with disabilities who wish to enjoy the freedom and independence of motorcycling It is about ten months now since I was first contacted by Andy from Exeter. He explained that he had suffered a cerebral abscess in 1984, at the age of fourteen, which had affected his vision, in particular a field of vision to the right of centre; he asked if I could help him to get a provisional licence to ride a motorcycle. My initial though wasn’t one of great optimism. The DVLA rules on … [Read more...]
