Biker News - Regularly updated

Welcome to our News section, where articles are listed below and if relevant within the categories on the right, just to make it easier for you to find what you wish to read...

Please note that the content within our News section (text and images), follows the same copyright laws/notice as all other content on the website - ie not to be reproduced (including slightly amending) without prior consent. 

 RSS Feed

  1. Riders Are Voters Invite Bikers to 'Motorcycle Question Time' as General Election Looms

    Posted on

    Riders Are Voters (RAV), the motorcycle community General Election Campaign, is organising 'Question Time' style events across the country so that riders and local motorcycling businesses will have the opportunity to directly quiz Parliamentary Candidates about biking issues on the run up to the General Election.

    Riders are Voters is a partnership of the main motorcycle organisations, the Motor Cycle Industry Association (MCI), the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) and the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF). The three organisations have joined forces to lobby Parliamentary Candidates in advance of the General Election, in order to gain support for motorcycling in the new Parliament.?? The 'Question Time' events are being held in dealer showrooms, with a special session also being held at the Manchester Bike Show.

    This is an opportunity for Parliamentary Candidates to meet motorcycling voters and learn more about key biking issues. Riders will have the opportunity to quiz the politicians who are seeking votes.?? Topics such as potholes, the training and testing situation, bikes in bus lanes and motorcycling in overall transport policy will be on the agenda. Riders will have the opportunity to ask politicians whether they support the fitting of non-slip manhole covers, or provision of secure free parking, among other issues.

    Steve Kenward, MCI's CEO commented; " Now is the best time for riders and the industry to work together and discuss motorcycling issues with the people who want to represent us in Parliament.  These local events offer a chance to ask the decision makers the important questions that matter to the biking community and industry."

    "Don't miss these unique events and bring your riding friends, so that we can stimulate an interesting debate at this range of venues."

    . Whitehaven in Cumbria, Dave Millings Motorcycles, Monday 29th March at 7.30pm
    . Manchester Central, part of the Bike Show, Saturday 3rd April at 1.00pm
    . Bristol, Fowlers Motorcycles, Tuesday 6th April at 7.30pm
    . Slough, George White Suzuki, Thursday 8th April at 7.30pm
    . Kings Lynn, C&A Superbikes, Tuesday 13th April at 7.30pm
    . Salisbury, Hayball Motorcycles, Thursday 15th April at 7.30pm

    For more information go to the website www.ridersarevoters.org

  2. Bring Out Your Bike as British Summer Time Begins

    Posted on

    This weekend is the start of British Summer Time and the unofficial beginning of the riding season as we all benefit from the longer, lighter days.

    There are about 1.3 million licensed motorcycles in Great Britain, which according to the latest Government statistics were ridden over 5.billion kilometers at the last count.

    As we prepare for the warmer weather it is important that bikes and scooters that have been locked up over the Winter months are also fully prepared for the roads.

    Preparing for a season of riding requires riders to undertake a thorough inspection of their bike, and we would recommend that inspection be carried out by one of the countries network of dealers.

    Kit to should be checked as the spring opens up many more opportunities whether riding for purely pleasure or convenience and pleasure.

    Bike Preparation - This will depend on what you did prior to putting your bike in storage. However, over the winter months bad weather can cause some problems so it is important that you give your bike a number of checks, such as looking for corrosion, checking the oil and brake fluid and brake pads.

    If you don't do your own maintenance or are unsure of all the things you need to look for it get in touch with your nearest dealer as mentioned Be ready to enjoy safe riding and remember regular maintenance is essential and will also help to prolong the life of your motorcycle

    Washing and applying a fresh coat of wax to your bike not only keeps it looking good, it can also prevent rust and corrosion from occurring.

    Kit - In addition to your bike, you should give your motorbike gear and any leather clothing some attention. If you've just dug out a helmet you wore years ago or have been wearing for a few years check that it's still good enough. If it has been stored in sunlight, the lining is compressed, the strap is stretched or frayed or the visor is scratched it's probably time to buy yourself a new one.

    If you would prefer an alternative to leathers, you can now get jeans reinforced with Kevlar and similar materials. Whether you go for leathers or textiles, look out for armour at vulnerable points like knees, hips, elbows and shoulders. It should be CE approved. Again try the Get
    Out and About - Plenty of events will be taking place during the riding season that are the perfect opportunity to take the bike out too. The racing season commences in Europe this weekend with the World Superbike taking place in Portugal. The British Superbike rolls out the 2nd April at Brands Hatch followed by the MotoGP on 11th April.

    Steve Kenward CEO of the MCI said "Getting on a bike as the warmer weather approaches brings many benefits to the individual and other road users.  It is a fun leisure activity that brings together people from all walks of life as well as providing a cost-effective commuting alternative.

    "Anyone who hasn't got a licence, but is interested in life on two wheels can now have the chance to have a FREE one-hour experience as part of the industry's Get On campaign"

    For more information about life on two wheels and choosing your motorcycle kit go to the website www.geton.co.uk

  3. Contact Us Page - Marketing tips fromTHE BIKER GUIDE

    Posted on

    To many of you this may seem like a very straight forward section to have on your web-site, however many websites just get it SO wrong...

    The entire purpose of a Contact Us page is to help people contact your business as easy as possible, in a variety of different ways.  

    One click Wonder...  
     
    There are certain pages that visitors expect to be able to reach in one click from any page of a website, such as the home page. The Contact Us page is one of these kinds of pages.  
     
    It is not user friendly to include this information at the bottom of your website as many visitors are not going to bother scrolling down. People use the internet as they want information quickly, so make it easy to find at close to the top of the website as possible, either in your left-side navigation or across-the-top navigation... or even both!  
     
    Trust  
     
    Despite the fact that many large companies, such as Amazon, make it hard to find their contact information, it is generally true that if you do not make your contact information easy to find, visitors will trust you less. Trust is everything on the Internet, especially when you're trying to run a business. In general, people will not buy from those they do not trust. Your Contact Us page does not need to have a lot of information; indeed, it's likely to be the smallest page on your website. What should it contain? I'm glad you asked...

    The following three are imperative:  
     
    address - with postal code telephone number, including a land line and a mobile e-mail - not just as a contact us form   You can also include on this page information about yourselves and even a photograph - Remember people buy people so why not let your potential customers know who you are!  
     
    Address - with postal code or gps  
     
    Many people will search your address to plan the route, so include your full address, with postcode and if you can include a hype-link from the post-code to a Google map, even better.  
     
    Telephone number, including a land line and a mobile  
     
    Many people prefer to call on a land-line than a mobile, so try and include both. If you do not have a mobile connected to the business then get one. If someone wants to contact you, they usually want it instantly and not wait for a returned call from your answering service.  
     
    e-mail - not just as a contact us form  
     
    Some people do not like to include their actual e-mail address as you can get spam. So what? Do not put potential customers off by making them fill in a lengthy form when all they want to do is ask you a simple question.   And for the love of all things holy, make that e-mail address relevant to your business. If you own the web-site the e-mail should relate to it. Use any of the following before your web-site address and just get it directed to your e-mail or you can set up a new e-mail account for less than £15 per annum, which relates to this address.   info@ sales@, stay@, enquiries@, etc...
     
    Most people use e-mail these days and for some people they simply prefer it as a means of correspondence - yes rather than talking on a telephone!  
     
    It is now expected that people do not have to speak to someone to ask a question and get an answer. Using e-mail means everyone gets a solid record of the communication, too, providing an extra layer of protection in case things go awry. Also it gives your customers an easy way to contact you after hours.  
     
    Available 24/7/365  
     
    Not everyone will be in a position to call you during your normal business hours. That is simply a fact of life, if you are doing business globally – which you are, technically, if you're doing business on the internet.  So by including all of the above you can be contacted, with ease, any time of the day or night.  
     
    Customers you have not met yet!  
     
    By updating your Contact Us page, your potential customers will appreciate it and you should see a marked increase in enquiries.  
     
    As with all marketing suggestion from THE BIKER GUIDE, apologies if you are already doing this.
     
    THE BIKER GUIDE  
     
    Bringing the Biker Community together!  
     

  4. Guest comments on your website

    Posted on

    We just wanted to share with you a very easy marketing tip, which if used will not only increase your SEO* on the internet and visitors to your site, but ultimately should increase the response levels.  
     
    Review websites  
     
    In recent studies of buying habits it has been discovered that users of the world wide web are now more likely to be swayed towards using one business/product than another because of recommendations rather than price. If you look at sites such as Trip Advisor, Review Centre, Holidays Uncovered, Mobile Phone UK and Test Freaks, these are sites which are mainly ran on the contributions from the general public on the reviewing of or simply rating of (usually out of 5 or 10) a business/product.   Recommendations are also used when you buy from e-bay, as the Sellers feedback is paramount to their success. Sellers strive to ensure that they have no negative feedback so as not to deter future customers.   In fact they are all around us, from choosing which movie to watch, what restaurant to eat in and where to holiday and stay.

    So as the general public are now putting trust in the views of someone that they do not even know, I suppose this only emphasizes how important word-of-mouth is. It has always been one of the most credible forms of advertising because a person puts their reputation on the line every time they make a recommendation and that person has nothing to gain, but the appreciation of those who are listening.  
     
    So, what can you do to make sure your potential ambassadors of your business recommend it to others?   Simple...Guest comments on your website!  
     
    Many of you will have accumulated books of guest comments over the years and some of you already have included these on your web-sites, however it is imperative that they are included on a specific page which can easily be found, i.e.: In the top bar, named simply Guest Comments. These comments should be typed out and displayed in a easy to read manner. It is also possible for a page to be included onto your web-site where guests can leave there own comments, so freeing your time on this project.  
     
    Not only will new visitors to your web-site read these comments and make decisions from what they read, but by including such information it helps with search engines finding your web-site and so increasing your SEO, naturally and at no cost other than your time.  
     
    For example...   If you included the following statement onto your site:  
     
    'I recently stayed at a wonderful place in the Yorkshire Dales; The Rose of Sharon B&B. It was close to the local village of Hawkes where there is a great Biker cafe, which we visited on the Sunday and found Motorcycles from all over the UK, including some great guys from the local Motorcycle club, Bikers are Great MCC. The owners, Sandra and John (Bikers themselves) were on hand to help us with information about the local area, where to visit and which routes to use. A fantastic breakfast was served, which we only just made as our bed was so comfortable we did not want to get out!  A drying room and secure parking only help to make this a very Biker Friendly place. Highly recommended'   From the above, in time search engine will pick up on the words used and when someone searches for the following the web-site should be found;
    • Yorkshire Dales B&B
    • Hawkes Biker cafe
    • Yorkshire Dales Biker cafe
    • Bikers are Great MCC
    • Biker Friendly place
    • Biker Friendly Yorkshire B&B
    • Motorcycle UK Friendly
    • Secure parking Hawkes
      If you would like an example of a web-site who has done this well sent over to you just let me know.   
     
    THE BIKER GUIDE   Bringing the Biker Community together!  
     
     
    * SEO: Search engine Optimisation

  5. Motorcycle Testing – Millions Spent, Nothing Gained say bmf

    Posted on

    The British Motorcyclists Federation have welcomed the findings of the Transport Select Committee’s report ‘The new European motorcycle test’ published today, bearing out the bmf’s own submission to the committee that the introduction of the new test by the Driving Standards Agency had been ‘gold plated’, badly handled and poorly executed.
      
    The bmf totally supports the main conclusions of the committee that the Government’s decision to introduce large Multi Purpose Test Centres (MPTCs) and close down many small, convenient motorcycle test sites was ‘unjustified’, that it’s implementation was ‘bungled’ and that it ‘was unacceptable that the Driving Standards Agency has failed to get all 66 planned centres operational, therefore delaying introduction of the new test.’
     
    In launching the report, Committee Chair, Louise Ellman MP said, “many candidates and trainers now have to travel too far for their motorcycle test. This adds to the cost, and in some cases, exposes candidates to fast and dangerous roads on the way to a test site - before they have even taken their test. The Driving Standards Agency needs to give much greater priority to customer service and convenience for test candidates and trainers.”
     
    The planned MPTCs, unique within Europe, were budgeted at £72 million but are still not all operational. Worse still say the bmf, they were primarily constructed to carry out a combined swerve and stop test that is not prescriptive in the directive, something the committee agreed the DSA should have been more flexible over. 
     
    The bmf is pleased to note that the Committee supports this line and that it also ‘condemns Ministers’ failure to negotiate an exemption from the EU requirement that parts of the test should be performed at 50 km/h (31.07 mph).’ The Committee MPs said that ‘it is both bizarre and confusing that tests should be performed at speeds not permitted on the public highway in built-up areas, and that it should be measured in units not commonly used in the UK.’
     
    Commenting on the report, the bmf’s Government Relations Executive Chris Hodder said: “We have always maintained that the Government should have negotiated a derogation from this directive, so allowing most of the testing to be done on UK roads, however, this is now so it is a matter of real urgency that the Government takes heed of this damning report and at the least increases the number of operational MPTCs.”
     
    The bmf will be joining forces with other interest groups in lobbying the incoming government.