September 2014

Welcome,

Well September came and went, the evenings are beginning to close in and the leaves are falling, but there's still lots happening.

This month we have news of  MAG Ireland's Annual General Meeting where members get to decide the future shape and direction of the organisation. Elsewhere, we report on a jump in new bike sales and we went along to a charity ride out. Read all about it below!

If you’re planning a motorcycle related event in Ireland in 2014, let us know by sending details to events@magireland.org and we'll add it to the Irish Motorcycle Events Calendar and the MAG Ireland smartphone app for free.

Your feedback (email to roadrunner@magireland.org) is always welcome.

Editor

MAG Ireland AGM Announced

The 2014 Annual General Meeting of MAG Ireland will take place from 1 pm on Saturday 11th October 2014 in the Commercial rowing Club, Islandbridge, Dublin 8.

MAG Ireland is the only democratically accountable riders rights organisation representing Irish motorcyclists today. Our AGM is where our members decide the future shape and direction of the organisation.

Over the past twelve months we were successful in winning a compromise on the controversial proposals for Roadworthiness Testing from the EU. The year before that it was Type Approval.

Here at home we continue to be threatened with mandatory long sleeved high visibility clothing for rider and pillion alike. We're not opposed to high visibility clothing, but we are opposed to it being compulsory every time you get on your bike. We say "let the rider decide".

The issues we face are complex. They demand a level of expertise and focus that a voluntary organisation like MAG Ireland can struggle to achieve.

For MAG Ireland members this is your opportunity to have your say in how your organisation is run on your behalf. Why not take the next step and join us in Dublin on October 11th to help shape the future of motorcycling in Ireland?

Note:
This is a members only event, and a current valid membership must be produced on the day. Lapsed members can renew at the AGM. If you are unsure of your membership status, e-mail office@magireland.org with your name and address.

Updates and details will be available at:
http ://www . magireland . org/agm-2014

The Annual Veteran, Vintage and Classic Motorcycle Autojumble, Show and Sale will take place again at Leopardstown Race Course on Saturday 11th October 2014.

MAG Ireland will have a stand at the show where we’ll have all the latest information on a range of current issues. Our AGM will take place later the same day in the Commercial Rowing Club, Islandbridge, Dublin for those wishing to take in both events.

IVVMCC Leopardstown Show

"Long Way To Go" Neuroblastoma run

Five days, over 1000 miles, two and a half metres of elephant and ONE epic motorbiking adventure! So goes the tag line for a UK & Ireland charity ride aiming to raise awareness & funds for the neuroblastoma children's cancer alliance charity in the UK.

Starting off at the iconic Ace Café in London and taking in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales the riders brought along a huge fibreglass elephant nicknamed "Ellie" which served as a focal point. Nothing like an elephant to raise awareness!

When we heard that the intrepid tourers were stopping over in Slane, we went along to find out more. NCCA UK is the charity in question, and their focus is on three key areas, awareness, research and access to treatment. The riders were a jovial and diverse group who all appeared to be enjoying what was actually quite a tough ride. 

We tagged along for Day 4 of their 5 day journey and accompanied the group from Slane via Drogheda on on to Dublin. It turned out to be a glorious Autumn day and near perfect biking weather. MAG Ireland's Declan McGuire and Paul Browne from Bike Buyers Guide were honoured to lead the group for this leg of their journey which took a laid back route involving some of Ireland's lesser known biking roads before seeing the group off on the ferry from Dublin port for their bivouac in Wales ahead of the final leg on the Sunday. We're happy to report they all arrived safely.

SIMI - New motorcycle sales up 21%

MAG Ireland researcher Garret Maher is new to the team but he's wasted no time in getting stuck into the latest data on Irish motorcycle sales.

Figures recently released by SIMI suggested a surge in sales during the first eight months of this year compared to the same period last year.

As can be seen from the graph above, sales through the middle part of the year were notably better, although it must be said that we are coming off a very low base. The figures here combine new and second hand sales, however it is new sales which show the bulk of the improvement.

Read MAG Ireland in Bike Buyers Guide

The new issue of Bike Buyers Guide is out on September 25th and regular readers will be aware that MAG Ireland has been afforded the opportunity to explore some of the issues facing motorcycling through a page in the magazine.

This month's column looks at the links between vacuum cleaners, political unrest in Ukraine and what the EU has in store for us as riders.

Read our take in the October issue of Bike Buyers Guide, in shops now.

Mobility Test Event

On Wednesday 10th September last, MAG Ireland carried out a mobility test as part of a pan European initiative by FEMA aimed at measuring commuting times for different modes of transport in various EU cities.

The format is for a group of people to start at the same point in the suburbs and commute to a city centre location using public transport, a car, a bicycle and a motorcycle. It's not a race - the objective is to record the commuting times and observations of the participants for comparison with other cities. It includes things like availability and cost of public transport, car parking and traffic restrictions.

We were fortunate to secure the expert assistance of Paul Browne, associate editor at Bike Buyers Guide, who turned up on a Ducati Multistrada and photographer Cormac Ryan Meenan who arrived armed with a proper camera. The event will be covered in a future issue of the magazine.

For the car we were fortunate enough to bag something a bit special in the shape of the 1974 Datsun 260Z pictured above. If you're going to be sitting in traffic, you might as well do it in style!

As you might expect two wheels is the quickest way to travel in all of the cities tested. The biggest differences were recorded in Dublin and Oslo. For full details, head on over to the FEMA web site.

FEMA Welcomes MEP's to work in Brussels

FEMA - The Federation of European Motorcyclists' Associations - has written to all incoming MEP's welcoming them to Brussels.

Here's what FEMA had to say:

Dear Sir, Madam,

On behalf of the 40 million European citizens who use powered two and three-wheelers - to commute or for leisure, professionally or for a private use, with a moped or a big motorcycle - we congratulate you on your election to the European parliament.

Amongst the many issues you will have to deal with during your mandate, motorcycling may look like a minor topic. However, it relates to many of the challenges our society has to face: mobility, environment, consumer protection, freedom of choice, and of course road safety. You will find that the riders are very passionate people, eager to defend their rights and their freedom. They are also experts on motorcycling, and have a lot of experience and propositions to share.

Unfortunately the road users are not always listened to. Many regulations regarding them are designed without taking their input into account, which leads to poorly designed regulations, badly written, sometimes with results opposite to those intended. Yet we all share the objectives of better road safety, cleaner environment, less traffic, etc. The riders across Europe are very creative and dynamic in proposing training, awareness campaigns, and many other forms of actions they are more than willing to share, to reach these objectives in an effective, public-spirited way.

The Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations democratically represents national road-riders organizations from many member states. As a liaison between the citizens and the European institutions, with a permanent office in Brussels, FEMA is available to answer all your questions regarding this mode of transportation, especially in light of the upcoming votes. Our experts, researchers and elected representatives would appreciate the chance to provide you or your assistant with the relevant objective facts and actual, from-the-road on two-wheels experience. Please do not hesitate to contact us as part of your process of determining your opinion on these complicated issues.

Again, welcome (back) to the European parliament, we look forward to a constructive collaboration and wish you a constructive term in Parliament.

The riders of Europe, represented by FEMA

Yours sincerely,

Aline DELHAYE

Secretary General

Liberty Insurance meeting

MAG Ireland recently met with Liberty Insurance in Dublin to discuss a number of issues raised by members including the implications of the revised driving licence arrangements from January 2013 which introduced the new A2 category.

One issue which has frequently been raised by our members is the apparent imposition of a 400 cc limit in some circumstances. We're happy to report that Liberty Insurance do not impose such a limit.

The confusion appears to spring from the criteria used to define the motorcycles on which a candidate can sit the practical test.

These criteria do specify capacity limits, but they apply only to the motorcycle on which you undertake the practical test, and not to your license category.

For example, a person holding a valid A2 learner permit could legally ride a CBR250 but could not use that motorcycle to take the test because it does not meet the minimum capacity of 395 cc which applies to motorcycles used on the A2 test.

In these circumstances, the RSA would expect the test candidate to use a training school's motorcycle to sit the test.

Liberty Insurance have assured us that procedures are being put in place to make staff aware that there are no capacity limits applied to motorcycles in the A2 and A license categories.

We in MAG Ireland would like to extend our thanks to Liberty Insurance for facilitating what proved to be a very informative meeting.

Adelaide insurance rebrands as Cornmarket

Adelaide Insurance Services has recently completed a comprehensive refurbishment and expansion of their Belfast premises and is rebranding as Cornmarket Insurance Services.

The Boucher Road based broker, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cornmarket Group Financial Services, will begin operating under its new name on 18 September 2014.

While the company will take on the Cornmarket name, it will maintain the Adelaide brand for its motorcycle scheme which is available across the UK and Ireland.

New members discount

We aim to save you the cost of your membership many times over and now MAG Ireland members can get 10% off all full price items on Elverys.ie through our latest exclusive online offer!

If sport's not your thing, how about a 6% discount on all gift cards from B&Q? Simply purchase a card and use in store! There are new offers every month exclusively for MAG Ireland members so why not see what you can save today?

Some content from our website ....

MAG Ireland Smartphone App Discontinued

The software platform on which the MAG Ireland smartphone app is built is being discontinued which means we have had to choose between putting software development effort into migrating to another platform or discontinuing the app. We are discontinuing the app.

The decision was taken to spend the effort on other communication channels such as the mobile website and RoadRunner instead.

Volunteer app developers are welcome to contact us with other ideas.

Motorcycle Events Calendar

September highlights

• September 14th - Highwaymen MCC Lisburn, Charity Rideout
• September 27th - Celtic Wolves MCC, Rally
• September 28th - Blood Bikes North West, Family fun day fundraiser
• October 11th - MAG Ireland AGM

Full details of these and other events we've been notified of are on the Irish Motorcycle Events Calendar. Click the button for more.

Join Us

MAG Ireland represents Irish riders and is funded by Irish riders but we can only do that with the financial support of members subscriptions.

It costs just €25 for a years membership, that’s less than 7 cent per day.

Not only that but we aim to save you the cost of your membership many times over via our exclusive vouchers and our group discount scheme. To get your member-only discounts follow the link on the top right hand side of  the site: www.magireland.groupscheme,com. All you need is your membership number to potentially save the cost of your membership many times over with great discounts like 10% off at all Halfords stores. 

If you can’t stretch to a membership subscription but you’d still like to help, just click the donate link on the menu at www.magireland.org and give whatever you can.