BMF News

The BMF has now been fighting for Riders' rights for over 40 years, but how many of your rights are you actually aware of? Is your exhaust system legal? What is the minimum age for pillion passengers? What is the
current standard for crash helmets? And, if you get stopped, does the Police Officer know?

The BMF receives regular requests for answers to these so it has decided to produce a series of "Fast Facts" cards covering the most common questions. The first two cards were introduced in November and were given
away on the BMF Stand at the International Motorcycle Show.

Card No.1 is concerned with the rider, covering such questions as Helmets, Visors, Pillion Passengers, Body Armour & Protective Clothing, Speeding Penalties, Drink-Driving and Totting-up of Penalty Points.

Card No.2 is concerned with your bike, covering: Headlights, Indicators, Numberplates, Silencers, Speedometers, Tyres, Tax Discs and (for older machines) Tax Exemption.

Further cards will cover other aspects of motorcycling such as statistical information on motorcycle use and touring guides.

If you would like a free set of the currently available Fast Facts cards please send an SAE to; BMF (Fast Facts),14-16 Briton Street, Leicester LE3 OAA.

News that the European Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (ACEM) has adopted the practice of Automatic Headlamp On (AHO) for all motorcycles, scooters and moped from 2003, has robbed the rider of choice says the British Motorcyclists Federation.

AHO means that the headlight is “hard-wired” to illuminate automatically whenever the ignition is switched on and, therefore, the normal on-off headlight switch is not even fitted. While accepting that the majority of riders already use their headlights in daylight, that is their choice; but the other riders will have no choice, says the BMF.

The BMF sees the implementation of this measure before consultation with users as a mistake.

“Nowhere in the world has the effectiveness of either DRLs or dipped headlights in reducing accidents ever been proven” says the BMF. “In fact, research has shown that the speed of an approaching motorcycle is far more difficult to assess with its headlight on than off!”

Ironically, this news has come just as the EU is calling for further research into the effectiveness of permanent Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) for cars, itself a move by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association to head-off proposals for costly pedestrian-friendly car design regulations.

Commenting, BMF Chief Executive Simon Wilkinson said:

“We suspect the main reason for this move is the manufacturers’ wish for globalisation of standards to cut production costs, not to improve road safety. While evidence of the effectiveness of DRLs in reducing accidents, either between vehicles or between vehicles and pedestrians is yet to be proved, removing choice from the rider is a major issue in itself that deserves proper debate. We shall be making our objections known when Type Approval is sought.”

The BMF was successful in 1983 in getting the then Government Transport Minister, Lynda Chalker, to drop plans to make DRLs compulsory on motorcycles and also succeeded in getting the Advertising Standards Authority to force Lucas Industries to withdraw adverts for DRLs on the grounds that their safety benefits were not proven.