Is it worth joining...

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...one of the motorcycling organisations - BMF or MAG?

Just seeking other opinions as I have thought about this but got mixed interest when I was at NEC earlier in November.

Went to the MAG stand and was told they're into negotiations and compromise. I was also disappointed to find they're still promoting the fact that leg protectors weren't made compulsory as a major achievement. From what I gather this was now so long ago most people don't know about it anyhow (1992 ish I think).

Went to BMF and their major selling point to me was cheap entry into their show at Peterborough, oh and it'd cost less to join by direct debit (sorry, don't keep my bank account number, sort code etc. in my head).

So all in all I'm yet to be convinced
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[NickD]

I've been a Mag member for as long as I can remember, because if I am not contributing to the defence of biking (and it is constantly under attack), I have no right to complain about whatever stupid, ill informed legislation is pushed through, it's as simple as that. Visit the MAG UK site for details of past and current campaigns (the idea of leg protectors actually came up again in a government document in 2002, albeit in a modified form). I totally believe that were it not for MAG, the proposed 100 bhp limit would have gone through, like that would we?, Bikes are exempt from congestion charges (at the moment), there are pilot schemes for bikes in bus lanes and much more. Locally we managed to get vastly increased bike parking in the city centre, with fixed anchor points, have a monthly forum with the local council, including reps from other riders rights groups and local bike dealers, and as a result all countless roads have been repaired, and all council vehicles, busses etc carry overfilling warning stickers on their diesel tanks.

Also, through the 'MAG protected' scheme, any MAG member whose bike is stolen can advertise a £500 reward for information leading to conviction of the thief (this was negotioated with the Norwich Union). This has been quite a success, 'cos for 500 quid, thieves are falling over themselves to shop each other............... Is that alone not worth a measly 20 quid a year?
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I was only doing what it said on my licence officer....
Tear along the dotted line!

[Sparks!]

[NickD]

I've no doubt that every biker 'cares', unfortunately 'caring' doesn't help.
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I was only doing what it said on my licence officer....
Tear along the dotted line!

[MarJay]

Yams, what you are saying there is that you deserve the protection that MAG and the BMF provides for biking without contributing anything towards it.

Thats a bit selfish IMO. You have two bikes, you can afford a measly twenty quid a year!


Next time you feel strongly about the government or police being nasty to bikers, ask yourself if its worth twenty quid a year to stop them.

The answer is obvious!
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[NickD]

[8316]

can joining either of them get a decent discount on £300+ insurance?
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Now own a Fireblade!! Speed Limits? Bah!

[Sparks!]

[zx636]

I belong to BMF and do get some advantages like the insurance is about 50p a year cheaper.

I think the problem with these kind of organisations, and that really goes for any kind of association, is that the views or arguments put forward by them are quite often the blinkered views of the select few at the top and not the views of the members as a whole. The ugly question of what do they do for me so often raises its head and thats why they have such a small membership in relation to the number of bikers.

[Sadie]

One of the reasons to join BMF/MAG is that if every one of the 1.5 million bikers paid £20 a year to join, the bike lobbying organisations would have £30m to fight against the various types of anti-bike descrimination.

Given that, even with the limited amounts of money within both organisations currently, the motorcycle lobby is considered by MEPs to be the most powerful political lobby in the voluntary sector at the moment, just think what we could do with money behind us.
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With experience comes age.

[Rory]

There's a lot of stuff that goes on that you never hear about, badgering councils to provide bike parking, secure bike parking, to consider bikes in their transport stragtegies, etc. It's not all high-profile work, it's not glamorous, and frankly it's not very interesting. But the measly cost of membership, you get someone else to worry about it. It also pays for some quite clever people to go to Parliament and actively engage with the politicians to get them to see our point of view.

Plus you can get money off quite a lot of stuff with the BMF, it's not just insurance
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My Old CBR400RR | Bike Oil FAQ | Petrol FAQ

[Sparks!]

[Sadie]

[zx636]

No one stated it was just insurance, and there are other discounts available, I put insurance down because none of the other discounts were of personal interest.

I happen to be one of the bikers who wrote to the BMF re parking in London, or the lack of it for bikers. Its obvious that they are heavily into debate with politicians because after six months they havent even bothered to reply or acknowledge my letter. I even sent a copy just in case they did not receive the 1st but it looks like they were busy both times.


Yea, £20 well spent.

[innominate]

I may join after my xmas bonus.
I mean £20 aint that much out of the few hundred quid lump sum I will be getting.


Mby I can geth MAG to lobby government to ban the car
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I, as a responsible adult human being, will never concede the power to anyone to regulate my choice of what I put into my body, or where I go with my mind. From the skin inwards is my jurisdiction, is it not? I choose what may or may not cross that border. Here I am the customs agent. I am the coast-guard. I am the sole legal and spiritual government of this territory, and only the laws I choose to enact within myself are applicable.

[Sadie]

[zx636]

Sadie.
Thanks but with respect the original question was to find out if it was worth joining. In my case I dont believe so especially with the two letters. I certainly am not going to do a third.

I will save my membership fee and put it towards something that it quantitive such as my insurance or breakdown cover.

[Sadie]

[map]

From what I can gather the benefits are:
From BMF for £22
* Save 15% on the RAC's range of breakdown cover.
* Travel insurance
* BMF Visa card
* Discount stays at Express by Holiday Inn
* Tyre discounts
* Preferential rates for your bike insurance with Bennetts
* Biker Legal Line
* Bi-monthly Motorcycle Rider magazine
* National and local club contacts

From MAG for £20
* Streetbiker
* Discounted Events and Goods
* Motorcycle Insurance
* Travel Insurance
* UK & Europe Road Rescue and Recovery
* MAG Six Wheel Rescue
* Cheap Electrical Goods
* Private Medical Insurance
* Ferry Discounts
* MAG Protected
* MAGmax Clubs Affiliation Package
* MAG Benevolent Scheme

As I said originally, the MAG pitch was all about the big picture and talking to government. I got the impression the aim was just to water down government plans each time to avoid being confrontational. No mention was made of local organisations/campaigns. The BMF pitch was worse, no mention of any lobbying, just I could get bargains at the BMF show

So I gues in theory it's a good idea to have these groups but in practice what do they actually offer (apart from that warm feeling of belonging)?

- as an example York council now charges motorcycles to use their car parks (before they were free). Now it's my understanding the local MAG group has done, wait for it, nothing to contest this.
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[Sadie]

MAG campaigns nationally, as you already know, but also has a network of approximately 150 local groups who campaign on local issues.

These groups also have a social aspect and usually meet between once a week and once a month. You can find them on the MAG website. Why not pop along to your local group to find out what they are doing?

The BMF does lobby locally as well, and I personally sit on the Local Transport Planning Committee. I have also been to the European Parliament to lobby on behalf of the BMF. It is quite probable that we don't "sell" the memberships using the lobbying card, but this is probably because most bikers/motorcyclists are more interested in the financial benefits than the political ones.

There are plans afoot to make the BMF more accessible to local members at the moment.
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With experience comes age.

[JonB]

So, which is better? BMF or MAG? As I am not forking out £42.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[NickD]

Ask me....... MAG no question.

Ask Sadie.........BMF all the way.
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I was only doing what it said on my licence officer....
Tear along the dotted line!

[Ste]

I do have to agree with Yams, the whole "well you're not a MAG/BMF member so you obviously don't care and can't complain. I on the other hand am a member which shows I care and means I can complain." Just because you're not a member doesn't mean that you don't care, and paying to be a member does not "protect" you from anything, although it does mean you can complain about sutff without being told "stfu or join MAG/BMF".

[NickD]

It's not that you don't care, it's just that caring won't help you, only action will. I dislike many things about both organisations, but realise that without money and membership they can do nothing.


You can either moan about sitting in the dark, or you can get of your arse and look for the light switch.
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I was only doing what it said on my licence officer....
Tear along the dotted line!

[aqualung1]

some of this in the ends depends on what you want out of them

both groups have a large amount of sleeping members and i will own up to that as well

one way is to look see where a group is locally and find out by going along, if you are in an owners club you may already be affiliated to one or the other

MAG also have a mag sport section for sports bike orientated people, with a social aspect there

as with most societies clubs you reap what you sow..

some groups are active some carry on..

i would urge you to at least join one to help protect future etc.. no one forces you to join either, the financial benefits etc should not be a high priroity for joining..remember at shows etc the people you mainly meet are volunteers, so may not have all the answers you want

enjoy yourself however you choose
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"still no idea where poohsticks bridge is"
www.bosunsbikes.com