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) Wakefield MAG Bike Show
2) Devils Bridge Rideout Report
3) Leeds MAG Demo Report
4) Les développements draconiens pour les motocyclistes Français
5) YPR Rally Tickets
6) Edinburgh Rally
7) Fred Hill Memorial Run (Fred Rides Again)
8) Yorkshire Warriors Sponsored Rideout
9) Bikers Dream Raffle Tickets
10) Wakefield MAG Mid-Summer Mayhem Party
11) Forthcoming Events (for June and beyond)
Check out the Bike Show report and photos Here
2) Devils Bridge Rideout Report
Check out the Rideout report and photos Here
The weather was fairly awful with steady rain on Saturday 28th May, but that didn't stop over twenty of us on eighteen bikes (and one trike) meeting up at the Grey Horse, for the Leeds MAG Demo Run. The demo run this year was protesting against the proposed EU anti-modification laws, which if passed, will severely curtail riders freedom.
We soggily set off at 10:00 taking the A650 out of Wakefield towards Tingley roundabout, then the A653 and A6110, before heading past Leeds United's Elland Road ground, then onto Armley Gyratory, and the A647 Stanningley Road, taking a right onto Armley Ridge Road and the demo run meeting point at Gotts Park Golf Club.
We parked up at the Golf Club (which resembled a country mansion) and enjoyed tea's and coffee's in the sunshine !!!! (Leeds obviously enjoys nicer weather than Wakefield !!!). Great to see so many other Yorkshire MAG members at the meeting point, together with numerous other riders.
A run marshals briefing was held, attended by the Police also, who were accompanying the ride and closing off junctions for us. A speech by Nich Brown (MAG's General Secretary) followed, then we prepared to set off at 12:00.
Several hundred riders enjoyed a marshalled rideout along the ring road, then into Leeds via Scott Hall Road. The ride through Leeds city centre started at the bus station, then onto the Calls, onto City Square, Whitehall Road, past the Yorkshire Post Building, then back onto Armley Gyratory and back to Gotts Park Golf Club. The city centre element of the demo run had to be curtailed from previous years due to road closures and another demo at the same time protesting about the closure of the Childrens Ward at St James's Hospital.
However, lots of people saw the demo ride, and we were videoed on lots of camera phones. The marshals who were blocking junctions for our passage, did an excellent job of explaining to waiting motorists the purpose of the demo ride. The ride was also covered in the Yorkshire Post newspaper the week before, so the profile of MAG's campaign against this crippling EU legislation should have been raised a few notches.
All in all, an excellent demo run, which should have generated a lot of publicity for the proposed draconian EU legislation hopefully NOT coming our way.
A huge thanks to the most impressive turnout from Wakefield MAG, in what were pretty horrible weather conditions. 75 branch points well earned for all Wakefield MAG attendees !!!!
4) Les développements draconiens pour les motocyclistes Français
Not so good news for our biker friends across the channel !!! A series of draconian measures are proposed by the French Government which will severely curtail bikers freedom, all based on the premise of improved road safety. These include:
Other measures are proposed that will affect car drivers more than motorcyclists, specifically around driving whilst using a mobile phone etc.
FEMA (Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations) advise this could be a spring-board for similar attacks on freedom Europe-wide. Apart from a few safety zealots, these proposals are being widely opposed on the continent, with the French government being accused of wanting to make more money out of riders / drivers, and nothing for actual road safety (Surely not !?!?!?!).
There are a number of protests already starting, with a a very big one planned for the 18th of June in France, with not only bikers but car drivers, mopeds, taxis, trucks, buses, and even the police pledging support. Similar protests are planned on the same day in Belgium.
FFMC (the MAG equivalent in France) are keen to make this into a massive, Europe-wide protest to plead against unified enforcement of draconian so called safety measures, and for a serious PTW policy to be established. Watch this space for news on the MAG planned protests in support of this.
Our remaining batch of Yorkshire Pudding Rally tickets will shortly be recalled to MAG Central to be sold on the ticket hotline. We will only have our branch allocation for the next two weeks (meetings on Wednesday 1st & Wednesday 8th June). After this, tickets will be available for a short time from MAG Central (with a £1.50 booking fee), but once sold out, they are gone, and you cant purchase tickets on the gate. So, if you want YPR tickets, at the bargain price of £15, buy them fast before they sell out !!!!. YPR is on Friday 5th - Sunday 7th August at Hesley Wood Scout Camp, Chapeltown, Nr Sheffield.
We also still have plenty of Farmyard Party tickets available, also for sale at the branch meetings. Tickets for the 25th FYP are £25 (pre-book) or £35 if you buy them on the gate. FYP is on Friday 17th - Sunday 19th June at Duncombe Park Estate, Helmsley.
Seventeen of us are attending this years Edinburgh MAG rally, on Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th June, at West Torphin Farm, Harburn, West Calder, Edinburgh, EH55 8RT. An advance party are travelling up on the Thursday and staying overnight in Jedburgh. The rest of us will be meeting at the Grey Horse on Friday morning at 09:30, leaving at 10:00. If you haven't already pre-booked your tickets, they can be bought on the gate, for £20. So, if you would like to come along to the Edinburgh MAG rally this year, meet us on Friday 3rd June at 09:30 at the Grey Horse and we can travel up in convoy. We take the A1 and the very scenic A68 right up to the Edinburgh ring road, where it's a relatively short ride to the rally site. Who needs to cross the sea to enjoy a rally in another country !!!!
7) Fred Hill Memorial Run (Fred Rides Again)
Sunday 12th June sees Wakefield MAG host a memorial run, dedicated to the memory of Fred Hill. Most Fred Hill memorial runs are held in February (on the anniversary of his untimely death in Pentonville Prison). However, we are holding this one in June to co-incide with the anniversary of the passing of the helmet law in June 1973 (and it was this law which prompted Fred to run his campaign, and coincidentally, the very reason the Motorcycle Action Group was formed 38 years ago). June should also have a little better weather than February (although don't put any money on it !!!).
The run assembles at 9:30am (leaving at 10:00am) at the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield, WF1 4EJ. From Wakefield, we will head over to Squires, leaving Squires at 11:00, then head over to Bridlington, leaving Bridlington Harbour at 13:00 for our final destination, which is Scarborough. We will ride along Marine Drive and park up on Marine Drive, close to Scarborough Harbour.
Lots of options for Yorkshire Bikers, MAG Groups & MCC's to join up with the run, at a point most convenient to them. Hope to see you at one of the joining points on Sunday 12th June.
8) Yorkshire Warriors Sponsored Rideout
Our Yorkshire Warriors Sponsored rideout to York Racecourse (Knavesmire), in aid of The Yorkshire Regiment Charitable Trust (1114624) will be held on Sunday 10th July. We have attended a planning meeting at the Regimental HQ in York and unfortunately there wont now be any displays and attractions at the racecourse when we get there. This is because most of the regiment (all three regular battalions and one TA battalion) are fully occupied preparing for another operational tour in Afghanistan. However, representatives from the charity will be there to meet us and receive our sponsorship & donations, together with a uniformed presence. The regiment are also investigating the possibility of one or more of the Yorkshire Regiment dispatch riders leading the rideout (but that is understandably dependant upon their operational tour preparations).
Sponsorship forms are available at the Branch Meetings or you can sponsor us on-line, via PayPal, on our website. The sponsored run will meet at 9:30am (leaving at 10:00am) at the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield, WF1 4EJ. We will stop at Squires at 11:00 en-route to York, to collect other riders / sponsorship. For riders without sponsorship, we will have a donations whip-round on the day.
Really hope you can make the sponsored rideout, for a very worthwhile cause, and which comes at a very timely point for the charity !!!
9) Bikers Dream Raffle Tickets
Our good friends at Colne Valley MAG are running a 'Bikers Dream' raffle. There are multiple top prizes on offer including a spectacular 1st Prize of a Ron Haslam Intermediate and Elite Track Day, worth a whopping £658.00!
The full Prize list reads as follows:
Tickets are £1.00 each and the draw will take place on the evening of Saturday 6th August at the Yorkshire Pudding Rally. Proceeds go to MAG UK and Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
We have a batch of tickets for sale at the Wakefield MAG meetings so if you want one (or more), let us know.
10) Wakefield MAG Mid-Summer Mayhem Party
Wakefield MAG’s 2nd Mid-Summer Mayhem Party is being held on Saturday 2nd July, at the Duke of Wellington, 220 Horbury Road, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF2 8RE. All the usual MAG party night attractions including live music from local band (and MAG members) Justice Rising, Silly Games, Raffle, Fancy Dress (optional, but prize for the best outfit) and lots more. 7pm till Late. Demand is high and entry by Pre-Book ticket only so be sure to get yours quick before they sell out. Tickets are only £5 and available from our branch meetings. If you can't make the meetings, let us know (via email or phone) and we'll reserve your tickets. All proceeds from the party will go to the MAG Fighting Fund.
Last years Mid-Summer Mayhem Party was a cracking event and raised £283 for the MAG Fighting Fund. Let's try to beat that this year !!!
11) Forthcoming Events (for June and beyond)
Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th June - Edinburgh MAG Ag Ol Anns An Achadh Rally
See above. Wakefield MAG’s favourite rally, back on again due to popular demand, at the same site at West Torphin Farm, Harburn, West Calder, Edinburgh, EH55 8RT. Tickets £20 OTG (unless you have already pre-booked at £15). Ride up with us on Friday 3rd – Meet 09:30 (leaving at 10:00am) at Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield, WF1 4EJ.
Sunday 12th June - Fred Rides Again Memorial Rideout
See Above. Multiple joining points:
Friday 17th - Sunday 19th June - 25th Farmyard Party
Duncombe Park Estate, Helmsley. Tickets are £25.00 if you buy them in advance or £35.00 on the gate. Tickets still available at the branch meetings.
Saturday 2nd July - Wakefield MAG’s 2nd Mid-Summer Mayhem Party
See above. All the usual MAG party night attractions including live music from local band (and MAG members) Justice Rising, Silly Games, Raffle, Fancy Dress (optional, but prize for the best outfit) and lots more. Duke of Wellington, 220 Horbury Road, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF2 8RE. 7pm till Late. £5 (Pre-Book Tickets only). All proceeds to the MAG Fighting Fund.
Sunday 10th July - Yorkshire Heroes Sponsored Rideout
See Above. Wakefield MAG Sponsored rideout to York Racecourse, Knavesmire in aid of The Yorkshire Regiment Charitable Trust (1114624). Sponsorship forms are available at the Branch Meetings or you can sponsor us on-line, via PayPal, on our website. Meet 9:30am (leaving at 10:00am) at the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield, WF1 4EJ. We will stop at Squires at 11:00 en-route to York, to collect other riders / sponsorship / donations.
Sunday 17th July - Wakefield MAG Treasure Hunt
The Thinking Riders Rideout. Multiple clues, Multiple answers, Multiple destinations, Multiple opportunities to get totally lost. Prizes for the most correct answers (1st , 2nd & 3rd place), plus a booby prize for coming last.
Meet 9:30am (to get clues/instructions) at the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield, WF1 4EJ (Treasure Hunt will leave at 10:00am)
Sunday 24th July - VJMC Japanese Bike Show
Wakefield MAG will be hosting the Yorkshire MAG stand at the hugely popular VJMC Japanese Bike Show, at Lotherton Hall. We will again be helping our very good friends at the West Yorkshire VJMC Section marshal their show, as we have for several years now. Let me know if you would like to volunteer to help marshal this most excellent bike show, which also features a sizeable autojumble and other attractions. Free entrance for all Wakefield MAG marshals.
Friday 5th August - Sunday 7th August - The Yorkshire Pudding Rally
Yorkshire MAGs small but perfectly formed rally, held at Hesley Wood Scout Camp, Chapeltown, Nr Sheffield, S.Yorkshire. Pre-book only, first come first served. Tickets still available at branch meetings (for £15) until Wednesday 8th June only !!!
That's all for this month and I hope to see you all soon.
Ride Safe
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.