Wakefield MAG July 2012 Newsletter

Dear Wakefield MAG member,

Welcome to the Wakefield MAG e-newsletter. If you can't attend our Wednesday meetings regularly, it's the next best thing to keep you up to date with what we are up to.

CONTENTS

1) Farmyard Party Report
2) MAG National Demo Report
3) Wakefield & Barnsley MAG Bike Show
4) Trans-Pennine Pub Crawl Report
5) Yorkshire Pudding Rally
6) DSA Update
7) VJMC Show
8) Yorkshire Region AGM
9) Help the Wakefield Hospice
10) Forthcoming Events (for July and beyond)

1) Farmyard Party Report

Check out the event report Here

2) MAG National Demo Report

Check out the demo report Here

3) Wakefield & Barnsley MAG Bike Show

Check out the event report Here

4) Trans-Pennine Pub Crawl Report

Check out the event report Here

5) Yorkshire Pudding Rally

Our branch allocation of YPR tickets are now all sold, and no more tickets are available from the MAG Central Ticket Hotline, so this most splendid event is now SOLD OUT. If you have your tickets already, you are most fortunate, if you haven't, you will have to throw yourself at the mercy of eBay, or hope that someone you know can't go any more, and hence has a ticket to sell.

If you are attending the YPR, we are looking for marshals to help run the event. All the Yorkshire MAG rallies are run by volunteers, who pay for their tickets the same as everyone else. They then freely give up their time, in order to help run those events, in a most professional way. The Yorkshire MAG donations to Central (made from these rally profits and local branch fund raising activity), pay for the wage bill of all the staff at MAG Central. Without this volunteer effort, MAG wouldn't be able to employ lobbying staff, without lobbying staff, lots and lots of anti-bike legislation would be passed unopposed and literally, the end of biking as we know it would be upon us in around 5 years. It really is that simple. This is why our volunteer marshals are vital, as there is no spare profit to pay them (that said, there is a very generous marshals package in place ensuring you are fed, watered and T-shirted !!!!).

If you have never volunteered for MAG rally marshalling before, the Yorkshire Pudding Rally is a great introduction, as it's small, relaxed, friendly, non of the shifts are particularly onerous, and it's actually really good fun. The deadline to submit your marshals forms is 20th July, so if you would like to volunteer, please let me know before then .... you could just be the saviour of motorcycling for the future generations (I kid you not !!!). A life on strangled small capacity bikes, with leg protectors, air bags, monitoring and speed control systems, automatic surveillance of riding habits, compulsory day-glo, inability to change anything from the manufacturers original specification etc etc ..... doesn't make for a rosy future at all !!!!

Ride Free !!!

6) DSA Update

Following the article in last months newsletter regarding the new motorcycle testing regime (EU 3rd Driving Licence Directive), the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) recently released the bikes that they have approved as test suitable, for the new licensing categories that come into force on the 19th January 2013.

The initial list published raised a few eyebrows, as unfortunately they didn't include any bikes from Honda (the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer), Suzuki, BMW (Europe's largest motorcycle manufacturer) or Triumph (the UK's largest British owned motor manufacturer). They also listed a Brough Superior as an approved A2 test vehicle, as they obviously expected hundreds of learners to be using such a rare and extremely valuable motorcycle to pass their tests on.

However, the initial ridicule (and perhaps a bit of common sense prevailing) has resulted in a more realistic list being published. We suspect this list will be very regularly updated as more and more bikes are approved for the different test categories. The best advice is to keep an eye on the current list, which is available at this link:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_202135.pdf

The requirements for suitable test vehicles for the different licence categories are:

Different requirements may apply to disabled riders.

For category AM and A1, DSA will accept all 'learner legal' machines for test unless there is clear evidence they don't meet the minimum test vehicle requirements.

For category A2 & A, DSA will accept evidence from manufacturers or official importers that a specific model of motorcycle meets these requirements and will publish this information where it applies to a number of machines of a specific type.

For machines not on this list or where an individual machine has been restricted to comply with the minimum test vehicle requirements it will be accepted for test providing certified proof of compliance or restriction is available for the examiner.

Of course, the best advice is to pass your test this year if you possibly can, whilst the test regime is still fairly straightforward !!!!!

7) VJMC Show

Wakefield MAG will again be hosting the Yorkshire MAG stand at this years Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club Lotherton Hall Japanese Bike Show, on Sunday 29th July. In addition to hosting the stand, we will also be helping our good friends at the VJMC marshal this most excellent event, so if you would like to help out, please let me know. The show is open to all Japanese motorcycles and despite the name, they don't have to be vintage or classics, you can enter anything (but it must have been made in Japan). Hope to see you there.

8) Yorkshire Region AGM

The date for the Yorkshire MAG Region Annual General Meeting has been set, which is Saturday 20th October, from 12 noon. Venue TBA but as Scarborough MAG are hosting the AGM this year, I expect it will be somewhere in Scarborough. Watch this space for more details.

9) Help the Wakefield Hospice

You can help raise funds for our local charity, the Wakefield Hospice, in just a few mouse clicks on your computer, and it will cost you nothing !!!! Read on ....

New Tyre Services Ltd, based near the Wakefield Hospice warehouse has nominated Wakefield Hospice as one of two local charities to receive funding through a Kumho Tyres 'Cash for Causes' promotion.

Click on this link below to vote for the hospice:

http://kumhocauses.com/find-a-cause/retailer.php?retailer=7641E1CA

Voting is based on email addresses, so if you have more than one email address, you can vote more than once! The Hospice will win some money from having been nominated, but if they finish in the top one or two places nationally, they could get even more!

10) Forthcoming Events (for July and beyond)

Sunday 8th July - NE Lincolnshire MAG's Grand Day Out

Lower Kingsway & Promenade, Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. One Day biker festival in aid of Help the Heroes. Free Entry. Live music all day (12 bands), Motorcycle Dealerships & Trade Stalls, Custom Bike & Scooter Show, refreshments, etc.

Sunday 8th July - North West MAG Blackpool Motorbike Show

11am till 5pm. £2 per bike/trike parking which gains free entry in the show. Trophies for best in each class and overall. Location: The Italian Gardens, Stanley Park, Blackpool

Wednesday 18th July - Guest speaker at Branch Meeting

We welcome along Steve Clarke, the Yorkshire Rep for the biking charity NABD (National Association for Bikers with a Disability). Over the years NABD has helped thousands of people with disabilities to enjoy the freedom and independence of motorcycling. NABD's underlying ethos is that 'when it comes to motorcycling, a disability should not be a handicap'. A very worthy cause. Steve has a guest speaker slot at our meeting and will take the floor around 20:50ish. Steve will tell us all about the great work NABD does and will be able to field any questions you may have. Let's give him a good turnout and pack the room to the rafters. Meeting place, as usual, in the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield, WF1 4EJ. Hope to see you there.

Friday 27th - Sunday 29th July - Halfway Heroes MCC Leathered in Lincoln Rally

MAG affiliated club rally. New site at Whisby Garden Centre. 4 live bands, The Gypsies, No Mercy for Percy, The Detonators, UK Skunk plus the smacked arse comedy show. Location: Whisby Garden Centre, Lincoln, LN6 9BY. Just off A46.
Web: http://www.halfway-heroes.co.uk
Free Entry to FYP Marshals !!!!

Saturday 28th July - NE MAG's 'Levelling Tan Hill'

MAG Stall and live music all day at Britain's Highest Inn. The Spirit Levellers plus support acts from the Richmond music scene. Camping available £4 from the MAG Stall with proceeds in aid MAG and the Inn's charity of the month. Location: Tan Hill Inn, near Reeth North Yorkshire

Sunday 29th July - Wakefield MAG at the West Yorkshire VJMC Show

Once again we will be helping our good friends in the West Yorkshire VJMC marshal their excellent and very well attended All Japanese bike show at Lotherton Hall

Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th August - Yorkshire Pudding Rally 2012

Hesley Wood Scout Camp, Chapeltown (Nr M1 J35).

Sunday 12th August - Wakefield MAG Rideout (Destination: Whitby (there just had to be a visit to the seaside in the summer !!!)

Meet 9:30am (leaving at 10:00am) at Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield, WF1 4EJ

Friday 31st (Aug) - Sunday 2nd September - Stormin' The Castle Rally & Custom Bike Show 2012

Witton Castle, Witton le Wear, Co.Durham. DL14 0DE. Live bands on 2 stages, 4 on-site Bars, Fairground rides, Traders village, Food court and Camping. For tickets, send a cheque payable to 'Stormin the Castle Ltd' with an SAE to: Stormin' the Castle, PO Box 293, Durham, DH1 4XS. Pre book ticket deadlines: by Post 11th August / Payment card & on-line 22nd August. Ticket Prices: Pre book Adults £25, Child £5 / On the gate £35 (motorcycle or trike only).
Web: http://www.storminthecastle.co.uk

That's all for this month and I hope to see you all soon.

Ride Safe .. Ride Free
Steve Travis
Chairman
Wakefield MAG
0772 078 4734

Wakefield MAG meet at the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield at 8:30pm every Wednesday. New (and Old) faces are always welcome.