At the Irish Motorcycle Show just gone by among the many exhibitors I got to chat to were the always interesting people at the MAG Ireland stall. So who is MAG Ireland?

First off they are the Motorcycle Action Group and the best way to describe their role is to think of them as an ‘union for motorcyclists’, so MAG is only ever going to be as strong and influential as its membership. You sign up for a nominal fee which also entitles you to discounts to certain motorcycle shops and a quarterly newsletter to keep you up to pace with what is going on.

Among the many issues that are threatening the health of the motorcycle community the following are a few examples of what they are involved with here in Ireland;

– The Introduction Of Compulsory Basic Training
– New Elements To The Motorcycle Test
– Introduction Of The ‘Direct Access’ Test
– The Ongoing Bus Lanes Fiasco
– VAT On Motorcycle PPE

Then on European wide issues in conjunction with FEMA they are tackling;

– The Introduction Of Daylight Running Lights On All Cars From 2011
– UN Proposal To Reduce Noise On Motorcycles
– CO2 Emissions
– Road Worthiness Testing
– Restricting ALL EU Motorcycles To 100bhp!

Interested in getting involved yet??

They are also a useful source of information concerning upcoming events in the motorcycle community. So help do your part in making motorcycling in Ireland and Europe better for motorcyclists and not suffer at the whim of blinkered bureaucrats.

MEP elections are just a few weeks away…ask the next person who knocks on your door wanting your vote what they will do for motorcyclists? Ban us, restrict us or work with us to make the roads safer and enjoyable for everyone?

As always, keep the rubber side down.