There are two albums for the day as John Attle took photos on the morning and then his camera broke, so I (Bob Brown) took some in the afternoon in case John didn't get any pictures off his camera.
A great fun day after a miserable (damp / drizzle) start.
Please CLICK HERE to go to the the gallery on the website and then click on the thumbnail pictures for the 19th April
Many THANKS to John Attle and to all who helped on the day
If you can help to set up the track or take it down at the end it would be appreciated.
If anybody can marshal , see the girls at the signing on desk, sign the form and then well tell you what to do :-)
Weather forecast at the moment looks good for Sunday.
Check website / Facebook / Twitter if you have any doubt about the weather.
Any cancellation will be posted by 0915hrs.
Next date is Tuesday the 28th April, then fortnightly through to the end of October.
There are usually two track configurations for you to try and the circuit is floodlit if the light starts to fade, so you can then get the real MotoGP experience of Qatar (perhaps a bit warmer there)
Cost is £20 per rider.
Teeside Autodrome is easy to find, has excellent facilities
For further details contact the circuit on 01642 231117
All sessions will be posted on the BikeWise events calendar and also on the BikeWise Mini Bike Club website.
The circuit is located at :
Teesside Autodrome
South Tees Motor Sports Park
South Bank Road
Middlesbrough
TS6 6XH
Next meeting of the BikeWise Mini Bike Club will be on
Sunday 19th April at Carrville Park & Ride, Durham.
Usual start time of 1030hrs with signing on from 1000hrs.
If you can help to set up the track or take it down at the end it would be appreciated.
If anybody can marshal , see the girls at the signing on desk, sign the form and then well tell you what to do :-)
Weather forecast at the moment looks good for Sunday.
Check website / Facebook / Twitter if you have any doubt about the weather.
Any cancellation will be posted by 0915hrs.
Good luck to all our riders who will be competing in the first round of the Scottish Championship
Old style paper driving licences issued before the photocard was introduced in 1998 will still be valid and should not be destroyed.
The DVLA confirmed that there would be no charge for changing an old style paper licence to a photocard licence with a change of details. However, once the motorist has the photocard licence, they will have to pay £20 each time it is renewed (every 10 years).
Anyone over the age of 70 will need to renew their licence every three years, updating it with any medical conditions. This is free of charge. "If a driver updated their licence with a change of address, name or notified a medical conditions then the updated licence issued will be a photocard licence," the DVLA said.
This change means that all licences, including the old style pre-1998 paper licences, will no longer be annotated with new driving convictions and penalty points. Instead, drivers will be able to share their licence details with third parties via a new digital service called "View Driving Licence". Motorists can go online to view their own driving record at gov.uk/view-driving-licence.
This service allows drivers to see how many penalty points they have and what vehicles they can drive.
The DVLA said it was developing another service for those who need to check the driving record of an employee or customer.
A spokesman for the DVLA said: “We want to make it as easy as possible for motorists to access government services.
“Getting rid of needless bits of paper, making changes to free up drivers' time, while saving money for the taxpayer, is all part of our commitment to cut unnecessary red tape. That is why we are introducing new and easy to use digital services that will allow drivers and businesses to check driving entitlement and endorsements. This means there will no longer be a need for the paper counterpart of the driving licence which will save drivers over £5m every year."
Photos are now online from Round 2 of the National Mini-bike Road Racing Championship which was held at Teesside Autodrome on Saturday 4th April 2015.
BikeWise Mini Bike Club was well represented at the event with riders competing in the Junior Gearbox & Mini Moto classes.
Many Thanks to Alan Lord (NMRRC) for bringing the event up to the North East and to Paul Franklin down at Teesside Autodrome for hosting the event.
Further details of the NMRRC championship can be found by CLICKING HERE
To view the results from Teesside – PLEASE CLICK HERE
To view photos from the event please click on the image of BWMBC member Franco Bourne, seen here on his race winning ride in the Junior Gearbox, Metrakit GP70 class
Many Thanks to all who helped with the preparation and taking down of the track, signing on of riders and marshalling at the event – we couldn't run the club without your help & support.
Once again Thanks to John Attle of Durham Photographic Society for taking all the photos.
To view the photos of the meeting, please click on the image , which will take you to the BWMBC website gallery and then click on the thumbnail image for the 22nd March 2015
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The Iron Run Motorcycle Rally at Queenstown, New Zealand
Iron Run is an annual motorcycle lifestyle event jointly managed by the six Authorized NZ Harley-Davidson Dealers supported by Harley-Davidson Australia.
The event was held on Saturday 21st March and involves a mass ride of bikes from Queenstown to Arrowtown (similar to the Easter Egg Run) with minimal police input.
Bikes then return to Queenstown in their own time for a Harley owners bike show at the marina mid afternoon.
Great mix of motorcyclists and general public - a fun day for all
To view all the pictures of the ride and the show, please click on any of the images above
Next meeting of the BikeWise Mini Bike Club will be :
Sunday 22nd March at Carrville Park & Ride, Durham.
Usual start time of 1030hrs with signing on from 1000hrs.
If you can help to set up the track or take it down at the end it would be appreciated.
If anybody can marshal , see the girls at the signing on desk, sign the form and then well tell you what to do :-)
Check Facebook if you have any doubt about the weather.
Any cancellation will be posted on Facebook by 0915hrs.
(Please note that the website will not be updated & you will not receive an email on this occasion – if you have any doubts please give Gary Ward a ring)
Photos are now online from the first meeting of 2015 of the BikeWise Mini Bike Club at Carrville on Sunday 1st March 2015.
In the dawn of new drug drive legislation, THINK! is encouraging people who take medicines and aren’t sure if they are safe to drive to check with their pharmacist or doctor. The new law comes into force from the 2nd March and is designed to catch people who risk other people’s lives by getting behind the wheel after taking drugs, and not those taking legitimate medicines that don’t impair their ability to drive.
The new law sets limits at very low levels for 8 drugs commonly associated with illegal use such as cannabis and cocaine. There are also 8 prescription drugs that are included within the new law. These are:
However, the limits that have been set for these drugs exceed normal prescribed doses, meaning that the vast majority of people can drive as they normally would, so long as:
It is illegal to drive if your driving is impaired by legal or illegal drugs.
If the police stop you and think you’re on drugs they can do a ‘Field Impairment Assessment’. This is a series of tests that assesses a driver’s capability to drive.
If they think you’re unfit to drive because of taking drugs, you’ll be arrested and will have a blood test at a police station. If the test shows that you’ve taken drugs you could be charged with a crime.
You don’t have to be on illegal drugs to be unfit to drive - many prescription or over-the-counter medicines can also impair your ability to drive. If you’re taking medicines, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or healthcare professional before driving.
The penalties for drug driving are the same as for drink driving. If you are convicted you will receive:
The consequences of a drug drive conviction are far reaching and can include:
Drug drive law is changing to make it easier for the police to detect and prosecute drug drivers.
A new offence of driving with certain controlled drugs above specified limits is due to come into force on 2 March 2015. These new rules will mean it will be an offence to be over the specified limits for each drug whilst driving, as it is with drink driving. The new offence will work alongside the existing offence of driving whilst impaired through drink or drugs. Drugs covered by the new rules include cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine. The limits for illegal drugs will be extremely low – one smoke of cannabis will put you over the limit.
We’ve taken an early decision to cancel todays BikeWise Mini Bike Club meeting at Carville (Sunday 22nd February 2015)There is a heavy frost in the Durham area with no sign of the sun to ‘burn it off’ due to cloud cover.
Rain is also forecast just before dinner time time and the wind chill factor is just above freezing point – not a day to enjoy riding motorcycles !!
We’re going to try & run a meeting next Sunday (1st March) so hopefully it might be warmer & drier 
Sorry for the short notice, Carrville is now booked and we have a permit from the ACU so we are going to try and run a meeting (weather permitting) this Sunday
Sunday 22nd February at Carrville Park & Ride, Durham.
Usual start time of 1030hrs with signing on from 1000hrs.
If you can help to set up the track or take it down at the end it would be appreciated.
If anybody can marshal , see the girls at the signing on desk, sign the form and then well tell you what to do :-)
Weather forecast at the moment looks unsettled for Sunday, possible rain !!, so keep your fingers crossed
Check website / Facebook / Twitter if you have any doubt about the weather.
Any cancellation will be posted by 0915hrs.
ACU Licence Renewals 2015 – Most of you will now have received your ACU licenses through the post - Thank You...
However there are still quite a few of our 'regular club' members who have not renewed their licenses.
Your ACU licence is renewable now every year on the 1st January and if you haven't applied for a licence then you are not able to ride at ACU events (BikeWise meetings) or receive your club discount at Warden Law.
PLEASE don't turn up on Sunday with your application form and expect us to allow you to ride – we cannot, ACU rules do not allow that
PLEASE if you wish to remain in the club, print a form off, fill it in and send it to me so that I can get you licensed with the ACU
Rider Registration can be downloaded /printed from here
We'll need a passport photo and either complete the form (card details), include a cheque for £5 made payable to the ACU or put £5 in the envelope.
Hopefully see you on Sunday, with plenty of warm clothing for us 'oldies' who are standing around !!
Bob
Sad to see that Croft is not on the BSB calendar for 2015
Oulton Park once again has two(2) rounds and Brands Hatch three (3) rounds
Cadwell, Donington, Knockhill or even Assen (with a ferry from Newcastle) look like being the closest we’ll get to seeing some BSB racing in the North East
North East Motorcycle Racing Club are holding a meeting at Croft on the 28th & 29th March and the Vintage Motor Cycle Club hold a meeting there on the 13th & 14th June
Since its inception in 1995, the BikeWise approach to reducing the risks that motorcyclists are exposed to has hinged upon Durham Police Motorcyclists engaging with riders on our roads.
Our success over the years resulted in BikeWise as a casualty reduction strategy being awarded the Highways Magazine Excellence Award, as Road Safety Scheme of the year in 2008. This was followed up in 2009 when BikeWise was awarded the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award.
Since it started in 2008 until the end of 2012 BikeWise Training was delivered to approximately 500 riders by ex -Durham motorcycle officers Bob Brown and Mick Alder.
Many of these riders went on to gain IAM and RoADAR qualifications.
From 2013 officers from Durham Constabulary Motorcycle Section have been successfully providing BikeSafe workshops, and the feedback up to now has been excellent.
BikeSafe is a national police led motorcycle project that is run by most forces throughout the UK. The main aim is to reduce motorcycle related road casualties and by improving skills, knowledge and hazard awareness it will hopefully make riding safer and more enjoyable.
The BikeSafe workshop’s which we run, explore the main issues facing today’s bikers. It also explores the principles of advanced riding through the on-road element. The BikeSafe Durham Police observer will give assessment and feedback which will highlight areas where the rider needs to develop. BikeSafe is about starting on the right path to development as it "Bridges the Gap".
All motorcyclists in possession of a category A, A1 or A2 licence are welcome on our workshops provided they have passed their test, but If you have only just passed your test you would benefit from getting at least a few months of riding experience without ‘L’ plates before attending your BikeSafe workshop. BikeSafe workshops are not aimed at riders who have passed an advanced motorcycle test already.
Most types of motorcycle are welcome ie. Category A1 light motorcycle, Category A2 restricted motorcycle, or category A unrestricted motorcycle. BikeSafe is not suitable for mopeds or 125 cc learner bikes. Category A1 bikes that are not learner and are capable of national speed limits are welcome. Whatever bike you bring it must be in a legal roadworthy condition.
Our 2015 courses are being run between 9am and 5 pm from our new base at Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, Spennymoor Police Office, Wesleyan Road, Spennymoor, Co. Durham DL16 6FB.
The format of the day consists of an interactive presentation by Advanced Police motorcyclists in the morning, followed by an on road assessed ride in the afternoon.
The cost for your BikeSafe Durham workshop is £20. For this you will get the workshop presentation and assessed ride as described, a copy of Motorcycle Roadcraft and the Highway Code, plus refreshments including lunch will be provided during the day.
During your day you will get the option to enrol on an IAM ‘Skills for life’ riding course in the weeks ahead with Durham Advanced Motorcyclists (DAM), and provided you work through their package to test standard then you will receive a £75 refund towards your training from the Durham Road Safety Partnership. You will have an opportunity during your day to speak to someone from DAM about this great offer, and even enrol on the day if you wish.
By providing feedback via the BikeSafe website you will also receive a BikeSafe certificate. Gift vouchers are also available if required.
If you are now ready to ‘Bridge the Gap’ with a BikeSafe Durham workshop, then you can book your 2015 place straight away by clicking the National BikeSafe button above, where you will also find all relevant workshop information. Hope to see you in 2015!
Dates for the 2015 Durham BikeSafe workshops are :
Saturday 21st March
Saturday 18th April
Saturday 9th May
Saturday 30th May
Saturday 15th August
There will be ten (10) places on each workshop so please contact BikeSafe and book your place as they will quickly be taken.
Back for 2015 with Moto Gp. WSB & BSB all included again this year.
So… pick a team from the worlds racing stars, join to BikeWise league and lets have a bit of fun during 2015
Once you’ve registered and selected your team, join the BikeWise league using the Pin Number : 19892
The free-to-play MCN Fantasy Road Race 2015 game, in association with Bennetts.co.uk, offers you the opportunity to manage the ultimate motorcycling team. Select from the cream of the crop in MotoGP, World Superbikes and British Superbikes and compete to win some fantastic prizes.
The entrant who tops the overall leaderboard at the end of the competition will win a VIP trip to a European round of MotoGP in 2016, courtesy of Bennetts.co.uk.
Calendar of events for the NMRRC (which is televised and shown on Motors TV) has been released, with a ten round championship starting on Sunday March 8th. All these events (and more) can be viewed on the ‘Whats On’ page of the website or by clicking on the image below
BikeWise Mini Bike Club members had a fantastic season in this championship in 2014 in the following categories :
Metrakit GP 50 : Jake Hopper was 2nd
Metrakit GP 70 : James Alderson was 1st & Franco Bourne 2nd
Mini Moto Junior Production : James Alderson was 1st & Franco Bourne 4th. Other points scorers were Charlie Farrer, Andrew Thornton, Owen & Dylan Mellor, Cody Johnson & Rishon Hickey
Mini Moto Junior 4.2 : Franco Bourne was 3rd. Other points scorers were Jake Hopper, Owen & Dylan Mellor, Cody Johnson & Rishon Hickey
Looking forward to seeing our local riders riding in a National Championship and being able to watch them racing on Motors TV 
For further details please visit the NMRRC website at : www.nmrrc.co.uk
Warden Law Motorsports Centre (KNE)
Starting again Monday 30th March 2015
5pm – 8pm & then every two weeks until the end of October
Hoping for some fine weather and a lot of fun on two wheels (again) in 2015
Will Tom Sykes, Jonathan Rea, Leon Haslam, Chaz Davies, Alex Lowes or Leon Camier win the championship this year ??
We’ll soon be finding out 
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It’s almost that time of year again 
Marquez…. Rossi…. Lorenzo…. Pedrosa…. Crutchlow ??
Who will be the World Champion in 2015
