Gillbert Sills, Cretingham Crank Co, is retiring. £20k. Contact Andy Tiernan
Sir Ralf Speth (ex-JLR) becomes Norton parent (TVS Motor) chairman
Graeme Murray Walker, commentator and MC racer has died aged 97
Suffolk/Bedford Police seize 11 bikes/1 quad in "day of anti-social action"
Moto Guzzi: 100 yrs manufacture. Factory celebration 9th-12th Sept 2021
UK government urges bikers to sign up for post-Covid-19 MOT reminders
Ryan Morrissey: H-D Chief Electric Vehicle Officer. New position created
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45 motorcycles 10 didn't sell That's a 1959 500cc BSA DBD34 that you're ogling (immediately above), and that bike was the top selling lot at the H&H online sale held on 24th March 2021. Restored in 2008 to "a very good standard", the Beeza was part of a private collection. It carries a BSA Owners Club dating certificate, and has been dry stored for the past few years; consequently, some re-commissioning might be needed. All the correct parts are present, including the highly desirable RRT2 gearbox. There's a V5C too, so this classic is ready to roll ... straight into another garage. Let's hope it also gets a little action on the tarmac. Bikes prefer it that way. The BSA was Lot 110 and sold for £20,250. Overall, there were 45 motorcycles (as distinct from motorcycle lots) in the sale of which 10 went unsold. Notable failed-sales include Lot 128 which was a 1950 Vincent Grey Flash Evocation (replica) using some original parts. The estimate was £45,000 - £50,000, but nobody raised a hand. Can't say we're totally surprised at that price. Also unable to find a buyer was Lot 113, a 1958 Norton 350cc International. This bike was one of just a handful produced, we hear. It was estimated at £17,000 - £19,000.  .
▲ Lot 119 was a 1937 Norton International which sold for £18,083. We're told that this bike was featured in the book "Norton International Super Profile" by C. J. Ayton (on the front cover and inside). V5C and continuation logbook.
▲ Lot 111 was listed as a 1965 BSA M20, but is almost certainly a much older bike, probably from the 1940s. We suspect that "1965" was when the motorcycle was demobbed. That's the usual story. It looks to be all there, more or less, but clearly needs a little attention. It has apparently seen some film work, and it sold for £5,625.  Overall, it looks like a reasonably respectable sale with prices that are generally lower rather than higher—and certainly it seems that most of the high priced stuff didn't sell. Seems that there's still plenty of scope to pick up "a bargain", whatever the hell that is anymore.
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Sunday 3rd October 2021 is the date But Madeira Drive is off the boil The date for the next Pioneer Run has been confirmed as Sunday 3rd October 2021, and the location has also been confirmed as Brighton City Airport—which most people will perhaps better recognise as Shoreham Airport. The starting point is once again Tattenham Corner at Epsom Downs. 8am sharp. But riding down to Madeira Drive in Brighton is ... well, history. A new route has instead been worked out that will avoid most, or all, of the pinch-points that, due to modern traffic flows and pressures, were becoming too dangerous to pioneer era crocks. So the organisers have re-thought the journey which will feature more sedate highways and byways. That's the plan, anyway. It's a pity that Madeira Drive is no longer the end point for the run. At Sump, we're by no mean big on tradition. But there is a certain "cosiness" and welcome familiarity in returning to old territory, so to speak. But for the foreseeable future, riders will have to get familiar with Shoreham Airport. And that's not actually a bad place to visit. It's got form. The airfield dates back to 1910. The main (art deco) terminal building was opened in 1936. The airport was militarised during WW1, and militarised again during WW2 when it operated largely as an air-sea rescue station (also utilising high speed air-sea rescue launches based in the nearby harbour). If you recall the infamous and (arguably) failed Dieppe Raid (Operation Jubilee, 1942) when allied forces landed at Dieppe in Northern France to test and probe German invasion defences—and got a heavy duty response for their troubles—you might be interested to know that Shoreham Airport (or Airfield) played a significant role in the fiasco. Later in WW2, the airport/airfield played a role in the 1944 D-Day landings. In more recent times, Shoreham Airport has been a popular flight training school and a charter base both for fixed wing craft and rotary wingers. Numerous clubs of all kinds have staged events there, and it's a fitting venue for a few thousand motorcyclists to congregate in the usual aimless but enjoyable way. And if Madeira Drive is important to anyone, you can take a 4 or 5 mile jaunt east along the A259 and make your own pilgrimage to the sacred tarmac. The Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club is still the organiser of this event. So if you're interested either as a participant or a more general visitor/wowser, these are the guys to talk to. And once again, if you attend this event and follow the route, please remember to give the old crocks plenty of elbow room. These bikes are over 100 years old, and some of the riders aren't much younger. So have a heart and give way. And need we say that various Covid-19 restrictions might still be in place come the autumn? It ain't over until it's over, etc.  Finally, we should mention that two event trophies have gone missing, and the club would like to see them returned. One is the Kennard Trophy. The other is the Comerford Cup. Both were last seen in 2016. The financial value is typically very small. But the historical value is more significant. If you've got them/nicked them/or spot them on an autojumble stall or something, please contact the SMCC to arrange for their safe return. Someone out there has probably still got 'em.
Also see: 2020 Pioneer Run cancelled
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▲ Follow the link for a larger image of the Triumph TE-1 electric New electric concept on the road by October 2021 Three established high-tech firms partner Hinckley Triumph Motorcycles has firmly nailed its colours to the electric motorcycle mast with the firm's current EV project, the uninspiringly named TE-1. Hinckley might have called it something like the Voltster, or the Ampster, or the Electrospeed Triple or something of that ilk. But no, the official moniker is the aforementioned TE-1; so we'll just have to like it, or suck it up. That aside, electric bikes are, if not the entire motorcycling future, at least a significant part of it—and if Triumph wants to be in the game (which it clearly does), it needs a very compelling hand of cards, and a clear strategy. 
The brains behind this project are (aside from Hinckley's own engineers) Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), Integral Powertrain, and Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) which is based at the University of Warwick. Meanwhile, much of the money is the result of a grant from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles. And if the government is handing out taxpayer dosh, why would you not want a slice of it? Williams is a specialist in electric battery technology with clients in the bicycle world, the automotive world, the motor racing world, the bus transportation world, the aviation world, the defence industry and the nautical world (among others). Motorcycles are a new departure, but Williams has promised to rise to the challenge of presenting the best compromise possible between weight, size, range and aesthetics using available technology. That said, this is a company that always pushes boundaries rather than merely follow them. WAE is based in Wantage, Oxfordshire. Integral Powertrain hails from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The company has expertise in electric motors, controllers and inverters. The firm is also new to motorcycles and has been tasked with producing a power unit that looks good, weighs little, provides excellent performance, whilst promoting energy efficiency (thanks to cutting-edge silicon-carbide switching technology). We've already mentioned where Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) is based (hint: Warwick), and we can also tell you that this outfit is handling computer modelling for the entire project—whilst also helping cement the build stages via its related expertise. What it means is that much of the developmental work is handled virtually as opposed to actually. Consequently, the designers and engineers can rapidly progress through the various concept stages without so much as looking at a lathe, a milling machine or screwdriver. That just leaves Triumph to handle the rolling chassis, the bodywork, the riding ergonomics and suchlike. As you can see, the proposed styling isn't out of step with contemporary thinking. But the absence of an exhaust system and silencer, or silencers, leaves a gap in our expectations. 
The motor, we're told, produces 130kW which equates to nearly 180 horsepower (actually about 177), and that motor carries a weight burden of only 10 kilograms. No details have emerged regarding the all-up weight. But it will probably be fairly high—and unfortunately, batteries (unlike conventional fuel tanks), don't get any lighter as the miles roll by. The range of the proposed bike is currently a maximum of 120 miles. That's not bad for a sporting roadster, but it's a long way short of what many—or even most—riders will demand. That said, this is a prototype, and the technology is almost daily taking huge leaps. And if you do need a fast charge (and who doesn't from time to time?), Triumph reckons that the batteries will accept an 80 percent boost in just twenty minutes; about the time it takes to have a cuppa and a sandwich at a roadside cafe—assuming the cafe has a fast-charging facility, which is another hurdle slowing the electric motorcycle uptake. So when will this bike be ready? And has it really even progressed from the computer screen to anything you can actually straddle? Well to answer the second question first, Triumph has apparently got one of these (or most of one) in the workshop right now being assembled. And that leads us to the second question which revolves around factory rider testing which will happen by October this year (2021). Or so we're told. Therefore, and this is pure speculation, we doubt that the finished bike will be ready for marketing this year. But it might. 
Actually, there's one more thing we ought to mention. The price. And of course, Triumph hasn't got one. Yet. And you can't blame 'em. Not at this stage. But the firm is acutely mindful of the fact that price is a MAJOR issue. However, perhaps equally important is the fact that riders want something that simply looks fantastic. That's the thinking at Hinckley. And we agree. We've had many bikes that were functional rather than pretty, and they didn't get ridden too often. Meanwhile, we've owned a few that technically were left wanting, but just looked so good. And these were the machines that racked up the miles. Yes, focussing on looks is pretty shallow. But give us a few beers and see how deep we can get.  Whatever price tag gets hung on this one (which is apparently a pretty accurate representation of what's currently in the workshop) it won't be cheap—but perhaps not as expensive as some of its rivals. Triumph clearly wants to nail this one, and we'll be surprised if we're not surprised, pricewise, when it finally hits the showrooms.
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Pay-per-mile instead of monthly or annually A smartphone is required
You'll soon be seeing plenty of the above little doo-dahs affixed to British car windscreens. At least, that's the hope of RAC insurance which today, 17th March 2021, launched its latest "pioneering" insurance wheeze.
The idea is simple enough. Instead of paying for a year's insurance based upon a set block of miles (i.e. 10,000 per annum, or 6,000 per annum), this DriveTag gizmo records your mileage and adjusts your premiums accordingly. Of course, there will be a basic set-up costs. At present, that's said to be a £50 one-off activation charge—plus an unspecified fee per month (Parked Premium, apparently). As for the mileage cost, the RAC tells us that we're looking at as little as 4p per mile. But remember; that's the lowest figure. No doubt that will rise in line with whatever personal risk factors you're burdened with (drunk driving convictions/speeding fines/age/health/etc). If you're driving less than 6,000 miles per annum, the DriveTag concept could be for you. Or so we're told. What makes it perhaps a little more convenient for drivers is that the RAC is promising "no cancellation costs", and reckon there's no 12-monthly contract to wrestle with. You'll need a smartphone (Android or iPhone) which will pair itself with the DriveTag and fire-off the mileage information. And supposedly, that's all it will record. Believe that if you feel like it. We're undecided, but dubious. Also, it's not yet clear if the tag is switchable between vehicles. And there's no word on whether motorcycles will at some point be included in the scheme. We did contact the RAC to ask, but not untypically, nobody (after long and tortuous waits) knew anything about anything. If you're thinking of making enquiries of your own, you might want to know that general RAC insurance policies are handled by a firm called BISL (Budget Insurance Services). The new DriveTag scheme is, we hear, handled by a firm called Wrisk Transfer Ltd, or just Wrisk. But the path to contact either of these companies is too long. So we gave up when we saw the breadth and depth of the undergrowth. Maybe you're made of tougher stuff. www.rac.co.uk/insurance/pay-by-mile
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2021 Rocket 3 GT Triple Black and R Black revealed. 2,500cc. 165hp
National Motorcycle Museum "initial reopening" Monday 17th May 2021
Highways England launches "GO LEFT" emergency breakdown campaign
UK petrol 4th month in a row price rise. Avg 123.38 ppl (diesel 126.47 ppl)
Anne Sacoolas (Harry Dunn) "will accept community service" (UK? or US?)
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In November 2020 we brought you the unwelcome news that the 2021 Isle of Man TT had been cancelled. At that point, the word was that the Classic TT would however be going ahead. But that's now changed, and the "fish is off", so to speak.
It isn't just the problem of insufficient visitors, lockdown fears and event insurance. Or so we understand. It's also the problem of generally recruiting enough marshals, medical staff and sundry volunteers. Things, after all, will take a while to return to the old normal. Paul Phillips, the TT Business Development Manager, commented: "Obviously this is yet another disappointing announcement for us to have to make, but as with the cancellation of the 2021 TT Races, it was important that an early decision was made to give clarity and certainty to the thousands of visitors and individuals that come together for the Classic TT.
"A two-year break from racing on the Island is not what anyone would have wanted, but our Motorsport Team have been hard at work to ensure that the TT and Classic TT return stronger than ever in 2022 and we look forward to sharing some of these developments in the coming weeks and months." 
The event had been scheduled for Sunday 22nd August and Monday 30th August 2021. So you'll have to find something else to do over that weekend (assuming the government deems us ready to be let loose again). Might happen. 2021 Isle of Man TT cancelled
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Here's a new spin on the contemporary SS100 Titanium, aluminium and carbon fibre cruiser There's a new Brough Superior model on the prowl looking for buyers—and we suspect that it won't have to look too hard. Named in memory of T E Lawrence (Brough's most illustrious customer), we've penned a few details of this latest machine for your interest and edification. But you'll have to follow the link below to our Motorcycle News page. Brough Superior Lawrence www.broughsuperiormotorcycles.com
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Can I be next for the vomit bucket please? So someone with too much money buys a highly regarded long dead British brand has it built in France out of mostly French/German components then puts a Voxan engine in it and calls it a Brough? Sacrilege!!!!!!! And there was me thinking T E Lawrence went to Nottingham to buy his Broughs.—MC
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Lorne Cheetham, organiser of the Kickback Custom 'N' Retro Show, has contacted us with the welcome news that the event has been dusted off and reset for May 2021. In light of the current Covid-19 uncertainty, we're tempted to say that we'll believe it when we see it. However, sometimes you simply have to take things on faith—meaning that if you're in a hole, you have to start climbing or digging.
Or stay there. However, the coronavirus emergency will be having an impact at the show. Specifically, there can be only a half capacity operating at any one time in the venue hall. So, there will be a morning session and an afternoon session, and it's an all ticket event with limited visitor numbers. So if you want to attend, book sooner rather than later—and expect to bring a face mask (and keep some suitable alcohol hand wash in your pocket, just in case, etc. You know the drill). The venue will be the "beautiful regency town hall" in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1NQ. The date is Sunday 23rd May 2021. The show is open from 10am - 1.30pm, and 1.30pm - 5pm. As ever, expect some very high quality custom motorcycles including bobbers, cafe racers, chops, brats, retros and whatnot. And of course, The Cotswolds is prime riding country. Refreshment-wise, there's a licensed bar and a cafe. For tickets, visit http://www.ticketsource.co.uk and just enter kickback in search button.
www.facebook.com/TheCustomShow
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February 2021
2021 production Harley-Davidson Pan Americas revealed. 1,250cc. 150hp
UK gov scraps Vnuk [compulsory MC private land/racing insurance] plans
French 5yr MC lane-splitting experiment. 12% crash rise. Splitting banned
E10 petrol in the UK by summer 2021. E5 Super grade "also be on sale" 
"2022" Indian range (116ci/1,890cc Chief Bobber Dark Horse shown)
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Motorcycle News' figures are worse than ever Classic Bike is also shedding large numbers of readers We used this cheeky image back in 2014 when the story was that Motorcycle News (MCN) was facing a large fall in its average weekly circulation (down from 94,941 in 2012 to 85,651 in 2013—a 9.78% drop). But we think our graphic can stand another viewing. That's partly because we see from the latest ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation) figures that 2019 - 2020 is no exception to the remorseless decline. Check the chart immediately below for 2019 - 2020 Bauer Publishing ABC figures which detail the circulations of the four biggest motorcycle print publications in the UK*. The numbers in brackets are last year's figures. MCN: 44,241 (48,525)
Bike: 31,191 (31,813) Classic Bike: 26,213 (30,776)
Ride Magazine: 24,831 (28,057)
Now check the figures for 2012 - 2013. Despite the fact that there's still a fairly healthy interest in motorcycling in the UK, it seems clear that the print magazines are steadily losing ground—no doubt largely because of the internet motorcycle sites, forums and suchlike that (arguably) better serve people's current needs. Then again, when viewed in the light of the coronavirus pandemic, the publications are not doing so bad. But it's not good.
| Publication | 2013 | 2012 | Change | | Motor Cycle News | 85,651 | 94,941 | -9.78% | | Bike | 38,486 | 44,277 | -13.08% | | Classic Bike | 39,125 | 41,191 | -5.02% | | RiDE | 35,276 | 40,434 | -12.76% | | Performance Bikes | 16,384 | 18,811 | -12.90% | | Practical Sportsbikes | 20,277 | 20,895 | -2.96% | | Fast Bikes | 17,626 | 20,553 | -14.24% | | Total | 252,825 | 281,102 | -10.06% |
It's also worth remembering that twenty or so years ago, MCN was somewhere north of 150,000 copies per week. And we well remember Bike and Performance Bikes at two or three times the average monthly sales numbers they currently enjoy (for want of a better word). Where things are biting even harder now is the chronic loss of advertising revenue which, unless there's a rapid change in fortunes, will ultimately send more than a few UK motorcycle print publications to the wall. It can only be a question of time—or will they simply bumble along at a new and barely sustainable low? We'll see. Meanwhile, we'd like to give you some circulation numbers for Mortons Media Group motorcycle publications. But typically, the Lincolnshire-based outfit refuses to have their sales figures independently audited. However, historically speaking the Bauer rags (previously owned by EMAP) comfortably outgunned Mortons—but, of course, we invite Mortons to spin us a different tale. And Mortons, we see, is also suffering the repeated cancellations of its breadwinning shows and must therefore be facing serious financial worries. Among the classic bike community, confidence in Morton's shows is currently very low. And what with the privations of the current lockdown (that under the auspices of Project Boris wasn't supposed to happen), it's difficult to see how these events can be soundly re-established in 2021. * Note that having no clear evidence to the contrary, we're assuming the aforementioned Bauer titles are still the UK's largest. But it's possible that one or more Mortons motorcycle titles has a greater circulation. However, we doubt it. If you know differently, let us know please.
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www.britishdealernews.co.uk 
A new dawn for Fantic How the European bike market coped with covid Motorcycle Live to rise like a phoenix [re-scheduled for 4th - 12th Dec 2021]
www.motorcyclenews.com Interest in collectible bikes climbs during covid Harry Dunn: [US] Judge dismisses Sacoolas objections [civil case pending] Leaving the EU reveals new hidden costs to move bikes [Carnet issue]
www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial 
Buell is back [EBR Motorcycles "regains rights" to Buell name]
www.visordown.com 
Custom R.E Continental GT 650. Anthony Partridge of Goblin Works Win a brand-new Triumph Trident 660 with Apex 66
www.motorbikewriter.com Lane filtering study has shock results Are bike shows and press launches dead?
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Scammers are at work again Fake Facebook page created re long established London parts dealer We have to take great care when writing news stories such as this. That's because we're often getting (dozy) emails from folk who have read what we wrote, and then promptly picked up the wrong end of the spanner having totally misunderstood what we were talking about. And that could lead to damaging misinformation being bandied around. So let's start by saying that Russell Motors in Battersea, London is a good classic bike parts business that's been serving the motorcycle community well for decades. Yes, their bedside manner could use a little Solvol (and it pains us to say that). But when the business is on form, people speak highly of Russell's who have many times helped folk out of a jam. However, we've been tipped off that someone is covertly operating a Facebook account in the name of Russell Motors, and what we're hearing sounds like an ongoing scam. Certainly, Russell Motors hasn't progressed beyond the telephone and fax machine stage when it comes to business communications. In short, there is no legitimate website or Facebook page associated with this company. But there's always another very plausible scammer (often with some or lots of knowledge of classic motorcycles) waiting to suck up your money. There is a mobile telephone number associated with this Facebook page. Don't use it. And don't buy from this page. You've been warned. And naturally, we're not directing anyone to that page. Meanwhile you can still do legitimate business with Russell's, but telephone only using the number below. Repeat, telephone first. Or take a trip there and buy/collect across the counter. So let's re-state our message for anyone who still hasn't got it: RUSSELL MOTORS ARE GOOD GUYS. BUT SOMEONE HAS APPARENTLY HIJACKED THEIR IDENTITY. Here's the correct address for Russell's: 125 Falcon Rd, Battersea, London SW11 2PE And here's the correct telephone number: 0207 924 4273 or 0044 207 924 4273 from overseas And one more thing. Don't even take our word for it. Check around elsewhere, do some legwork, be suspicious, and make sure you know who you're dealing with—especially if large sums of money are concerned. Come to that, let's not give the scammers any small change either. What do you say, people?
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Milwaukee is pulling the apparel plug after just 2 years on the platform Amazon is yet to respond It was back in 2018 that Harley-Davidson announced that it was partnering with online shopping giant, Amazon, and would be flogging its branded apparel through the controversial Seattle-based multinational. Here's what H-D senior vice president of marketing and branding, Heather Malenshek, said at the time via a press release. "The reach Amazon offers is critical to building stronger customer relationships, inspiring new people and creating an integrated online and in-dealership retail experience—all of which leads to profitable growth and a stronger brand."
Sounds promising and upbeat. The tie-up was intended to address the problem of continued falling sales of H-D branded T-shirts, baseball caps, sweatshirts and the like. But the deal has since soured, and MoCo has now pulled the plug and said adios to Amazon citing price-bashing issues that were undercutting its established dealer network profits. But wait a minute? What about letting market forces set the prices? Isn't that the American way? Well yes. But arguably only up to a point. The fact is Amazon's entire ethos is to disrupt the market for pretty much everyone else and not merely "compete fairly" in the more orthodox way. So much so that as a public company, Amazon took years to make a profit whilst artfully squeezing tens of thousands of honest/established/traditional businesses clean out of business. Meanwhile, old skool bricks-and-mortar businesses, which pay their civic rates and expect (or at least would like) some protection from the huge players who have effectively rigged the market by dominating giant sections of the www, have long been pretty much hung out to dry. 
Well, Harley-Davidson has seemingly made a move in the right direction, and its dealers are naturally said to be pleased. But whether or not Milwaukee, in the current nose-diving economic climate, can afford to stay out of Amazon's clutches remains to be seen. And we should say that there's much about this story that we don't understand; notably exactly how H-D has been operating its pricing on Amazon's platform, and what terms and conditions were being applied—and what the hell MoCo really expected with the (unlikely?) union. As ever, there's usually much more going on than you read in the headlines. Harley-Davidson CEO Jochen Zeitz has been quoted as saying: "We want to have a fully integrated, digital e-commerce business with our dealers, Amazon was not really something that got our dealers into the mix." Given the amount of poor quality knock-offs and poor trading practices that go on out there in Consumerland, it's amazing that anyone still buys anything from Amazon, not least from the big name firms. But of course, the lure of low-low prices is powerful voodoo for even the best of us, never mind that the long term consequences of backing or indulging the likes of Amazon, Google, Facebook, YouTube et al is little more than a self-inflicted economic wound, and in that regard we're already seeing the blood flowing. Vive la revolution, as we're fond of saying (if it ever comes). We're vainly hoping that everyone dumps Amazon. But it probably ain't going to happen. Not soon, anyway.
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Harley currently reminds me of VW in that when the Beetle finally reached the end of the road, Adolf's car company struggled to find a place in the market with new products. I think the various machinations taking place at Harley Davidson now are all part of them trying to find their way again as the V-twin they've produced for so long is approaching its demise—along with the Harley owners that love it. Frankly I wish them well. To date they've survived a few crisis situations and I hope they survive this one. Life without Harley Davidson? It's a hard concept to take on, even though I've only owned one myself.—The Village Squire
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Another warning from the self-appointed guardians of liberty Madeleine Stowe shares a few misgivings Civil liberties campaigning group Big Brother Watch (BBW) has asked us to share the above You Tube video, and we're happy (or at least willing) to oblige. The video is catchily titled: 5 Things You Need To Know About The UK's Current Lockdown. It's a six minute diatribe by BBW's Madeleine Stowe expounding on some of the darker issues relating to the UK government's handling (mishandling?) of the current Covid-19 emergency, and on the face of it it doesn't look like too much to get excited about. Yet. Yes, there could be some significant smoke building here. But we don't see any flames yet. However, as ever we think we should err on the side of caution, etc, and we've got our own reasons for questioning the antics of the British police who feature widely in this footage (and, as we've said before, we're not anti-police per se—we just think they should be kept on a very short leash). There's background music throughout this video that irritates the hell out of us. But if you can stomach that, have a listen and (where appropriate) share your own experiences with BBW. www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk 5 Things You Tube Video
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Dear Sumpers, Again you are sharing very dubious content from the fringe tin foil hat minority. There's nothing wrong with fringe or with tin foil hats off course [sic] but this is a one sided argument and if you are genuine about what you are as journalists you should be more balanced and verify the views you share. The policing of public discourse is everywhere in a state of chaos. Footballers and film stars are deluged with anonymous abuse. Mendacity about corona-virus, not reasonable scepticism, is allowed free rein at any cost to lives and liberty. Fake news feeds mob rule without restraint, correction or retribution. People are dying in huge numbers and many many people are ignoring public safety advice to reduce risk and follow guidelines. Self policing isn't working and so sadly in the absence of self policing, rigid enforcement has become necessary. The argument fell on the floor with seat belts, speed limits and helmets; if the public won't act in the greater good then enforcement will inevitably follow. For every video of police over zealousness I can show you 100 of irrisponsible [sic] individuals putting lives at risk, shirking their responsibilities so threatening all of our safety and by consequence our liberty. Are you going to start showing videos of empty hospital corridors?—Phil Cowley. No. We're just going to let people make up their own minds. It's stupid and impractical to suggest that we, at Sump, must verify everything that comes our way. It's up to individuals to do that and check as many sources as possible. We think that it's you that's backing a one-sided argument and trying to censor opposing views. We're not saying that BBW is right. We're simply letting people know what they are saying. But you go on and suck up all the propaganda you want. We're keeping an open mind and just watching.—Dexxion
Really enjoy SUMP news and articles but please don’t put these videos of the likes of BBW on here, we are about bikes and bikers, we don’t want to here about these hippies that have nothing better to do than complain about everything, probably claiming all the benefits, not paid a penny in tax. Round them all up and put them in the forces.—Philip Jackson
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