BMF or MAG?

Hi
Was wondering who is a member of BMF or MAG?
After looking at both of the websites was wondering about joining one of the two.
Are they worth joining ( although I can see some benefits they offer listed on the websites) and is one better than the other, recommendations?

I have long supported the BMF ( am still BMF liaison officer on club committee )

I am afraid I much as MAG are more real world biker, I cannot take them seriously
MAG is a group that was started to lobby parliament on riders behalf. Specifically I believe over the bash hat laws
They sent their lobbyist to meetings dressed in jeans, leather jacket and cherry reds .. very 'down with the kids' but did NOTHINGS for the bike riders cause
Fine if you are lobbying bike club members but not with politicians
After several years they got the message and saw how the BMF did it, but by that time MAG was tainted in the eyes of politicians

Lee said:

Hi
Was wondering who is a member of BMF or MAG?
After looking at both of the websites was wondering about joining one of the two.
Are they worth joining ( although I can see some benefits they offer listed on the websites) and is one better than the other, recommendations?

Click to expand...

There is a third and better option - The Tufty Club.

I was a MAG member for well over 20 years

jaws is partially right, in the early days mag didn't have a clue about how to lobby MP's but there again nobody else was attempting to stand up for riders rights & all those that have come along since have learnt the lessons as have MAG themselves

The most effective method MAG found to make MP's sit up & take notice were the much publicised demo's sadly those seem to happen all too infrequently now but without them & the hard work of a few willing folk you could well see your bike fitted with leg protectors, air bags & be subjected to type approval/TUV as in other countries, BMF did bugger all about this stuff by comparison although they are now a much more effective organisation

The problem with MAG now & partly the reason I left is there has been a few years of in fighting between various committee members that has reduced their effectiveness a great deal

Another organisation well worth looking into is NABD which I have been a member of for a good few years now, my thinking being it only takes one mistake or one illness & it could be me (or you) needing help to stay on a bike

slim63 said:

but there again nobody else was attempting to stand up for riders rights

Click to expand...

What utter biased tosh !!
In the early days of MAG in the mid 70's every single issue they raised was a direct crib off the BMF lobbyists.. See below ......
While Den Howard was a pretty good bloke with definite aims, my opinion of Milward is similar to that which I have of a rather small penis suffering premature ejaculation

BMF potted history up to 71


1961

• Concerned with the new ten-year MOT tests for vehicles, the rise of insurance and how to get better deals for riders.
• We vehemently oppose the 1961 Cronin Bill that proposes passenger insurance.
• Legislation implemented in 1961 restricts learner riders to motorcycles 
no larger than 250cc.

1962

• 
The compulsory wearing of helmets is debated in parliament.
• An action plan is produced, promoting riding at reasonable speeds.

1963-1964

• 
The Fellowship of Riders (FOR) set up to cater for non-club members - soon membership stood at 10,000.

1965

• 
Public attitudes toward riders begins to grow colder and the motorcycle industry is in decline.
• In August, the FNOMCC changes its name to the British Motorcyclists Federation. A new constitution is drawn up - elements of which still exist today.

1966

• 
70mph limit is introduced on all roads in Britain.
• The entire motorcycle industry is under attack - insurance and the notion of banning bikes altogether comes to the fore.
• Membership doubles as we continued to oppose raising the minimum age of motorcycle riding to 17. Motorcycle registrations continue to fall - even with the rise of Japanese bikes, the public still preferred to use cars.

1970s

• The BMF continues to grow its membership and gains an admirable reputation.
• Compulsory passenger insurance is introduced - we look to campaign over its unreasonably high cost.

1971

• 
The British motorcycle industry struggles with the rise of Japanese machinery.
• The BMF campaigns against restricting 16-year-old learners to 50cc mopeds. A petition of 23,800 signatures is 
presented to Downing Street – though sadly to no avail. By the end of the year we had also achieved 
representation on the influential RAC Motorcycle Committee.

So bmf
1961 opposed Cronin bill & failed, opposed the 250 law & failed

1962 through to 1970, no doubt lobbying but to no effect I can see by that potted history apart from "looking" to campaign over passenger insurance whatever that means ?

1971 campaigns over 16 year olds being restricted to 50cc & fails

The rest is about growing membership & how clever they are, nothing more substantial than that, sorry jaws but despite the good intentions they really didn't have much real world effect

And I fully agree with your comment about millward I have met him twice & had to walk away before I got arrested
..........................................................................................................................................................

Now back in the real world it is my belief that MAG is a spent force due to in fighting caused mainly by that arse millward & the BMF have the smallest chance of opposing new laws that will effect us all, that's despite their undoubted good intentions

That's an opinion you can agree with or not as you please I'm out of it & intend to stay that way

slim63 said:

So bmf
1961 opposed Cronin bill & failed, opposed the 250 law & failed

1962 through to 1970, no doubt lobbying but to no effect I can see by that potted history apart from "looking" to campaign over passenger insurance whatever that means ?

1971 campaigns over 16 year olds being restricted to 50cc & fails

The rest is about growing membership & how clever they are, nothing more substantial than that, sorry jaws but despite the good intentions they really didn't have much real world effect

And I fully agree with your comment about millward I have met him twice & had to walk away before I got arrested
..........................................................................................................................................................

Now back in the real world it is my belief that MAG is a spent force due to in fighting caused mainly by that arse millward & the BMF have the smallest chance of opposing new laws that will effect us all, that's despite their undoubted good intentions

That's an opinion you can agree with or not as you please I'm out of it & intend to stay that way

Click to expand...

All valid Slim... What are the MAG headline successes ?

I told you The Tufty Club was a better option.


Avoids all this bickering.

Jaws said:

All valid Slim... What are the MAG headline successes ?

Click to expand...

Before I answer that, just to be clear I'm not rubbishing the BMF's attempts at defending our rights as riders & I'm sure there is much work going on behind the scenes that does not get promoted or discussed in the media just as there is in MAG

So in answer, in my opinion MAG's biggest success was bringing the whole issue of riders rights to mass public & media attention along with making some MP's realise that there was a great number of scruffy bikers that were also voters that wouldn't be supporting them unless they took notice ............. a more pro active approach if you will, the culmination of that approach for me was the euro demo which certainly made Brussels sit up & take notice

So in summery I personally think both organisations have their place & both have done good work or attempted to against stiff opposition, its just a matter of which group you feel more comfortable with & if there wasn't so much of an us & them attitude between both the BMF & MAG then my personal opinion is results would have been much more favourable for us all

After all that you should all still join NABD ............. there but for the grace of god & all that

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2001/june/is-time-running-out-for-mag-and-the-bmf/

interesting article from about the time I started to get sick of the in fighting between various riders rights groups, I'm not sure much has changed to be honest, I have done my bit but do hope younger brighter folk than me continue to fight against discriminatory legislation