Wakefield MAG May 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) 2012 MAG Annual General Conference
2) Wakefield Hospice 10K Race Marshalling
3) Wakefield & Barnsley MAG Bike Show
4) Rally Tickets For Sale
5) Call for Farmyard Party Marshals
6) Trans-Pennine Pub Crawl Update
7) Leeds MAG Demo Run (the appetizer for the Big One !!!)
8) Coordinated Europe Wide Demos (The Big One !!!)
9) NABD talk
10) Forthcoming Events (for May and beyond)

1) 2012 MAG Annual General Conference

Check out the event report Here

2) Wakefield Hospice 10K Race Marshalling

Check out the event report Here

3) Wakefield & Barnsley MAG Bike Show

This year our popular annual bike show will be held in-conjunction with our good friends in Barnsley MAG, at the Dodworth Gala, Barnsley, on Sunday 1st July. The Dodworth Gala is a popular event and as well as Wakefield & Barnsley MAG branches, the Riders Branch of the Royal British Legion will also be there in force. In short, there will be plenty of bikes on show.

There will be multiple Show Categories / Awards, catering for all types of Bike, Scooter, Combination & Trike. Show to be judged at 15:00, Entry into show from 09:30 onwards (Gala officially opens at 10:00).

All Welcome to come along and show off their pride & Joy. Hope to see you there.

4) Rally Tickets For Sale

Our Into the Valley tickets are all gone but we still have plenty of Farmyard Party and Yorkshire Pudding Rally tickets for sale at our Wednesday meetings, at double-dip recession busting prices of £25 and £15 respectively.

Yorkshire Pudding Tickets always sell out the week after the Farmyard Party (mid-June) and we don't expect this year to be any different. This event is pre-book only and once the tickets are gone, they are all gone, as you cant buy them on the gate !!!

We have restocked our ticket supply as we had virtually sold all our first allocation so let me know if you want some tickets (sooner rather than later, they WILL sell out by mid June).

5) Call for Farmyard Party Marshals

The call has gone out for marshals to help run this years 26th Farmyard Party Rally (and just when you thought it was safe to turn on your PC again !!!).

This rally, the biggest biker only rally in Europe, and one of MAG's biggest fund raising events, simply couldn't run at a profit without our volunteer marshals, and all the profits made go towards the MAG fighting fund to protect rider's rights.

Wakefield MAG exclusively marshal the Blues Tent at the FYP, which is widely recognised as one of the best places to marshal at the FYP.

The Thank You package for marshals is excellent and consists of:

All marshals also have the exclusive use of the showers and a secure marshals camping area. Entry onto the site free of charge on Thursday evening is also a perk for FYP marshals.

Marshalling can be great fun so if you have never given it a go, why not consider volunteering your services. Let us know if you would like to volunteer and we will give you further details and put your name(s) forward.

Closing date for FYP marshal registration is Sunday 27th of May.

6) Trans-Pennine Pub Crawl Update

We have changed the date for our much anticipated Wakefield MAG Trans-Pennine Pub Crawl as it was the day before a rather special event (the Coordinated Europe Wide Demos - see below).

Recognising it is not such a good idea to ride our bikes the day after such a monumental pub crawl, we have rearranged the aforementioned monumental pub crawl from Saturday 23rd June to Saturday 30th June.

All other details remain the same i.e. We will take the train from Dewsbury to Stalybridge and our start point. Using the hourly stopping train service between Stalybridge and Huddersfield, then a change at Huddersfield for the Dewsbury train, we will visit at least 7 real ale pubs, enjoying a different pint in each from independent and small breweries all without leaving the station or at most just walking across the road.

More details of the exact start time and the train(s) to catch nearer the date, but for now, mark Saturday 30th June in your diary for a cracking day out !!!!

7) Leeds MAG Demo Run (the appetizer for the Big One !!!)

This year's Leeds MAG Demo Run will be held on Saturday 26th May 2012. The Demo Ride will follow the usual format with a police escorted ride right through Leeds City Centre, packed with Saturday afternoon shoppers. It is a spectacle in itself, and a fantastic opportunity to get our message across. It is also brilliant fun and a not to be missed event.

This years Demo Run is to raise awareness of the EU proposals for compulsory ABS and anti modification of motorcycles and to promote motorcycling as a viable alternative to the car.

The key message we are putting out is to highlight the latest legislation from the unelected Eurocrats in Brussels, which will be voted on soon by uninformed MEP's, without any supporting evidence to back up the 'safety' claims, which as well as restricting an individual motorcyclists right of free choice, will actually make it harder, more expensive and less appealing to ride a motorcycle in the first place.

In these days of high taxation, high fuel costs and high congestion, the motorcycle is a big part of the solution and certainly not a cause that should be legislated off of the road!

It is estimated that over 80% of cars that commute on a daily basis, do so with one occupant and only 3% have 3 or more people on board.

In a recent Belgian study it was estimated that if 10% of car drivers changed to commuting by motorcycle or scooter it would bring about a 63% reduction in congestion and if 25% of drivers turned to two wheels, congestion would be eliminated altogether.

Considering that the average learner motorcycle should happily achieve 100+ MPG, can nip through traffic and generally can be parked for free, we feel that we are a large part of the solution and NOT the problem.

And the final message (particularly for those committed car drivers), is that if you think that this will only affect motorcyclists, then think again - you could be next on the E.U. Radar!

The demo run starts and ends at Squires Cafe, Newthorpe, LS25 5LX. Assemble at Squires from 1pm to leave at 2pm prompt. Wakefield MAG will meet at the Grey Horse at 12 noon, leaving at 12:30 for a ride over to Squires, arriving in plenty of time to grab a cuppa at Squires before the demo leaves at 2pm.

This demo is a mere appetizer for the Big One !!! (see below).

8) Coordinated Europe Wide Demos (The Big One !!!)

Following on from MAG's UK wide co-ordinated demos last September, against the proposed draconian EU anti-bike legislation, here comes the BIG ONE .....

In-conjunction with FEMA and all the European riders rights organisations, a huge co-ordinated demo is being held all across Europe, all at the same time !!!!!!

The day is Sunday 24th June. In the UK, there will be 12 start points for the demo, one per MEP constituency. Ours will be Yorkshire, for the Yorkshire & Humber constituency. Across Europe, exactly the same will be happening, with start points corresponding to all MEP constituencies, in all EU countries. Over a MILLION bikers are expected on this demo ..... the first such co-ordinated Europe wide demo, EVER !!! Stand up and be counted, the EU cannot ignore such a display of public opinion. This will be front page news !!!!!

T Shirts are also available to order for the demo, so let me know if you want one (or more).

Put the date in your diary and move whatever mountain you have to move to be there .... Let's show the EU we are no longer prepared to be dictated to by faceless and unelected Eurocrats who think they know better than us how we should live our lives. Needless to say, 75 branch points for any Wakefield MAG member in attendance .... and the chance to claim you were there, making history !!!!!

9) NABD talk

We are planning to host a talk in the near future by Steve Clarke, Yorkshire Rep for the biking charity NABD (National Association for Bikers with a Disability). NABD was one of Wakefield MAG's chosen charities to support, from our Post Christmas Auction held earlier this year. NABD do a most splendid job providing help, support and grants to convert bikes and trikes so they can be ridden by disabled riders, and hence maintain their freedom. NABD have a long history of close ties with MAG and it is great that Steve has agreed to come along to a branch meeting to tell us more about NABD and the great work it does. We are still firming up a date but we'll let you know as soon as it is booked.

Let's have a big turnout and hope to see you there.

10) Forthcoming Events (for May and beyond)

Friday 4th May - Sunday 6th May - Into the Valley Rally

Dalton Estate, South Dalton, East Yorkshire. £20 OTG. Wakefield MAG are judging the Saturday afternoon bike show at ITV, so bribes gratefully taken in exchange for a show win ;-)

Saturday 12th May - The Thundersprint Bike Show

Northwich Memorial Hall, Chester Way, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 5QJ

Sunday 13th May - The Thundersprint

Leicester Street Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 5LG

Saturday 26th May - Leeds MAG Annual Demo Run

See Above. The demo run starts and ends at Squires Cafe, Newthorpe, LS25 5LX. Assemble at Squires from 1pm to leave at 2pm prompt. Wakefield MAG will meet at the Grey Horse at 12 noon, leaving at 12:30 for a ride over to Squires, arriving in plenty of time to grab a cuppa at Squires before the demo leaves at 2pm.

Sunday 27th May - Wakefield MAG Rideout (Destination: Bubble Car Museum in Lincolnshire)

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

Sunday 10th June - Wakefield MAG Rideout (Destination: Rivington Barn)

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

Friday 15th - Sunday 17th June - Farmyard Party Rally 2012

Duncombe Estate, Helmsley, North Yorkshire. £25 Pre Book; £35 OTG. Tickets available at Branch meetings (See Above).

Sunday 24th June - Coordinated Europe Wide Demos

Above. Yorkshire & Humber constituency start point and time TBC in next months newsletter

Saturday 30th June - Wakefield MAG Trans-Pennine Pub Crawl

See Above

Sunday 1st July - Wakefield & Barnsley MAG Bike Show

See Above. This year our popular annual bike show will be held in-conjunction with our good friends in Barnsley MAG, at the Dodworth Gala, Barnsley

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.