The IAM is reducing its Skill for Life advanced driving and riding programmes by ten per cent this Christmas, to £125 from £139, on special Christmas gift voucher purchases.
 
Skill for Life is available for car drivers and motorcyclists, and consists of regular coaching sessions with one of 200 regional volunteer groups. Your group allocates a local observer who, when you’re ready, will put you forward for the advanced test. Eighty-five per cent of drivers and riders pass first time.
 
Passing the advanced test also qualifies you for insurance discounts from IAM Surety, which beats other competitive quotes in 93 per cent of cases for IAM members. IAM membership also offers a host of other benefits, from breakdown cover through to discounts on weekend breaks. You’ll also learn green driving techniques, which save up to 15 per cent on fuel costs.
 
For drivers or motorcyclists who want a refresher, DriveCheckPlus or RideCheckPlus is a short on-road assessment with an IAM examiner. This one-hour course improves confidence by identifying what you’re doing well and where you can develop. For those who have held their licence for a bit longer, DriveCheck55 gives older drivers an opportunity to check their driving is still up to scratch.
 
Momentum is a two part assessment for young drivers, online and on-road with an IAM examiner. It raises awareness of dangers and improves the experience of our highest-risk road users. And for riders of scooters, mopeds or sub-125cc machines there is RoadRider Plus – a half-day assessment  which gives a clear indication of current skills and abilities, and is a great way of progressing after the essential Compulsory Basic Training (CBT).
 
The IAM cycling membership gift voucher costs £15 (normally £19.99) and includes the How to be a better cyclist book – a comprehensive guide to better, safer and more confident cycling – and a range of benefits including cycle insurance cover. How to be a better cyclist can be bought separately for £9.99, and makes a great stocking filler. We also offer three levels of cycle training to suit anyone from the real beginner, to those wanting to increase their confidence in busy traffic.
 
And if improving your driving or riding while learning more about the limits of your vehicle is your thing, why not try one of our Skills Days? These events are held at five major circuits around the UK and include at least six separate 'on-track' sessions with the focus on anticipation, cornering, planning, smoothness and understanding how your vehicle performs in a variety of situations.
 
IAM Christmas gift vouchers are available from your local IAM group or can be purchased at www.iam.org.uk/xmas

Motorcycle Show, the long-awaited dates and location for the World Ducati Week 2012 event are now confirmed for passionate Ducati fans all over the world as 21-24 June, 2012 at the circuit of Misano in Italy.

First organised in 1998, WDW successfully brought together ‘Ducatisti’ from all over the world to celebrate their shared passion for the legendary Italian-made motorcycles. The event has since attracted an ever-increasing attendance of people who enjoy the high-powered fun and community spirit of the iconic brand, with a record-breaking attendance of 60,000 fans from 5 continents and 28 countries recorded at the last event in 2010.

WDW2012 is sure to follow the tried and tested formula of race track events, shows, top riders, competitions and great music all combined with the incredible atmosphere created by thousands of motorcycles arriving from all around the globe.

As the event’s massive attendance is sure to invade the entire Riviera Romagnola, Ducati’s WDW2012 organisation has enjoyed the close cooperation and special partnership of authorities such as the Province of Rimini, Municipality of Misano, Municipality of Cattolica, Municipality of Riccione and the Republic of San Marino. Continued cooperation with the Leardini Group has also underlined the region’s Misano circuit venue as the ‘theatre’ for WDW, an event further supported by APT Emilia Romagna, promoting a region of Italy famously known as ‘Motor Valley’.

Ducati offer further information at www.ducati.com

The first annual Prescott Bike Festival in 2011 was successful beyond expectations. The one-day event attracted in excess of 5,500 visitors, 100 exhibitors and some unforgettable opportunities to celebrate all things two and three wheeled. Most importantly, it raised more than £52,000 for charities.

The Prescott Bike Festival was born out of the need to raise awareness and funds for the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes and one of its member groups, Severn Freewheelers. For Sunday 22nd April 2012 (a new date to avoid a clash with major bike motor sport events), the Prescott Bike Festival will be bigger and even better. It will hopefully generate even more money for the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes than in 2011.

Set at one of the most prestigious hill climb venues in the UK against the beautiful backdrop of the Cotswold countryside, the Prescott Bike Festival aims to provide something for everyone; a relaxed family atmosphere, a huge variety of entertainment and a rare opportunity to ‘Run the Hill’ on your own motorcycle.

Well supported by the bike industry, highlights of the 2011 event included the UK debut of the Morgan 3 Wheeler, classic machinery from the Brooklands Museum, helicopter rides, live bands, the opportunity to meet the stars of the British Superbike Championship and riders aged from 8 to 81 taking to the hill.

In 2012, the Festival will feature the addition of a new Race Bikes Thru’ the Ages display. Never before will such an extensive collection of bikes have been brought together. Here, festival goers will not only be able to get up close with rare exotica, early pioneering machinery, modern MotoGP bikes and more but they will see many of them in action, ridden by race riders. Of particular note is support from competitors in the Lansdowne Classic Series, who will display some of the most prestigious race bikes of the 1950s and 1960s. The 2012 Festival also promises a new Orchard Food & Bar Village, a Run the Hill Fancy Dress competition and much more. One of the most amusing new features for the Prescott Bike Festival 2012 was inspired by the unexpected entry of Superman in the 2011 Run the Hill. For 2012, entrants can choose to tackle the hill climb in fancy dress to raise money for the Blood Bike charities and for the chance of winning a fantastic prize for the best costume of the day!

www.prescottbikefestival.co.uk has just been launched to provide more details of what will be in store and give riders the opportunity to purchase advance tickets and secure their place to Run the Hill. There are just 200 places available to Run the Hill, so it’s best to book early!

Scott Lawrie and James Neave, one of the UK’s leading sidecar outfits has confirmed that they will be making their first time appearance on the Mountain Course at the 2012 Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy. The pair made the announcement at ‘TT Day’ at Motorcycle Live at the NEC.

Scottish driver Lawrie has had a rapid rise in the British F1 Sidecar Championship and, after finishing 12th in 2010, he shot up the table this season to take a superb 3rd place overall, only denied the runner-up spot to eventual Champion Tim Reeves after bad luck in the closing rounds. With 9 podiums from the 20 race series, it’s clear the talented Edinburgh man will be one to watch as he pits his wits against the 37 and ¾-mile circuit for the first time.

He also impressed on the World stage and although he only had two appearances in the 2011 World Championship, he made it count with 4th and 5th at the two races held at Oschersleben and 8th in race 1 at Schleiz. That was good enough to place him 9th overall in the Championship table and backed up his 7th place in the 2010 series where his best race result was again 4th, at Rijeka, Croatia.

Meanwhile, Neave, despite being one of the youngest passengers on the grid at 23, has already tasted race action at the TT having been in the chair with Andy Laidlow in 2009 where they finished 10th in the only race held that year. Their fastest lap was a more than creditable 106.069mph and, having partnered Lawrie since 2009, he’ll be the perfect ballast come June.

As well as going into 2012 as major British and World Championship F1 contenders, Scott and James are keen to make an impression at the Isle of Man TT, an event they have always been keen to try together and, with this in mind they have readily entered this year’s event where they will contest both three-lap Sure Sidecar Races.

The pairing have already begun preparing both outfits for the coming season and will call on the expertise of Steve Webster, the ten-times World Champion, who has been assisting their quest in recent years.

Talking about his debut, Lawrie commented:

“I’ve been thinking about contesting the Isle of Man for a while and believe the time is now right for me to make my debut. The F2 MR Equipeoutfit will be new to me as well as the Mountain Course, obviously, so I realise that I still have a lot to learn but with James already having solid experience on the Island it will stand us in good stead. The Newcomers have done incredibly well in recent years but I’ll approach the event in my own way and won’t set myself too many targets in my first year. It’s a long term project for me so the main thing for 2012 is to learn the course, do a good, solid job, enjoy myself and come back stronger in subsequent years.”

With two former World Champions, Tim Reeves and Ben Birchall, again on the entry list for the 2012 TT, as well as the established leading runners, including John Holden and the returning 14-times winner Dave Molyneux, the F2 Sidecar races at the Isle of Man continue to be the most prestigious sidecar races in the world and the two races in June promise action and quality of the very highest order.

Paul Phillips, TT and Motorsport Manager, commented:

“I’m delighted that we have secured the participation of this outfit as they are hugely promising competitors who I’m sure will do well on the Isle of Man for many years to come. The sidecar class, once again promises to be the unofficial World Championship and there are a number of very interesting crews in this year’s race.”

The 2012 Isle of Man TT begins with a week of practice from May 26th through to June 1st with the two three-lap Sidecar Races set for Saturday June 2nd and Wednesday June 6th.

As the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) committee heads towards the scheduled vote on the 5th December regarding EU Regulations for motorcycles, we take a closer look at issues in the lead up to the vote.
 
The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK) reported on November 23rd that “today sees the start of a new Impact Assessment into the EU Type Approval Regulation.” Stating that, “This has been demanded by the European Parliament following the incredible amount of work which has been done by every one of us who wrote to our MEPs or who rode in the protests of the 25th September.”
 
Regarding the scheduled vote in the IMCO committee, Paddy Tyson from MAG UK comments, “we have very good cause to believe it will be moved yet again, as there is no way the IA can be completed, a report prepared, and the Committee members have time to read it, before the 5th December”.
 
At Right To Ride, we make it our business to look in-depth at the issues, we always take a step back to look at the wider picture, to look at the background surrounding the issues before reporting factually and giving our opinion.
 
While we have every respect for MAG the organisation, is this information supplied by MAG’s Campaign Manager Paddy Tyson offering false hope to riders without an understanding of the technical contents of the proposal?
 
Paddy Tyson says this new Impact Assessment into the EU Type Approval Regulation will, “delay proceedings enough to set back the regulation till the Spring, at a Strasbourg meeting, which will be “MAG’s time to get out on the streets again.”
 
The Impact Assessment that Paddy Tyson mentions is not looking at the whole regulation proposal as submitted by the European Commission. The Impact Assessment will be looking at three compromise amendments which were submitted by MEPs to the IMCO Rapporteur, Mr van de Camp’s report.
 
To clarify, the European Commission has already had an Impact Assessment carried out and published on their proposed regulation.
 
Because these three amendments are substantive amendments to the proposal, the Chair of the IMCO committee, UK MEP Malcolm Harbour, has asked for an Impact Assessment specifically in relation to these three amendments.
 
These three amendments are:
 •Moving the ABS introduction date forward by a year.
 •Extending ABS cover to Powered Two Wheelers more than 50cc.
 •Earlier introduction of On Board Diagnostics II (OBD II)
 
The reason for the Impact Assessment on these amendments, is that none of these specific amendments have ever been costed. So the European Parliament through the IMCO committee, as the responsible committee, is assessing the amendments for potential impacts to the regulation.
 
So are there any advantages for riders in this specific Impact Assessment?

Our view is: Not in the grand scheme of things. It would appear that the Impact Assessment on these three amendments (as amendments that would have an impact on the proposed regulation), is to determine the cost and any disadvantages to manufacturers and riders.

The vote on the amendments in the IMCO committee is scheduled for the 5th December and it is possible that the Impact Assessment (relating to the three amendments mentioned above) would not be completed before this vote.
 
However our understanding is that even if the Impact Assessment is not ready for the vote on the 5th December, work on the Impact Assessment (relating to the three amendments mentioned above) would continue and once concluded would be used in informal negotiations known as trilogues.
 
It would appear not to be the great hope of, “every delay is a minor victory” but a tidying up of amendments to get to the bottom of the issues and to better align with and take into account the progress in the Council and introduction dates.

Full details on Right To Ride EU