Call to action: let’s stop road bans for motorcyclists together Opinion pieces December 20, 2023December 20, 2023 Road bans as a result of complaints about excessive noise are a serious problem in countries like Austria and Germany. Regina Stiller, chair of Bikers’ Voice, the Austrian motorcyclists’ organisation, calls on all motorcyclists to stand together in the fight against these road bans. What if the unfortunate 95 dB stationary
Climate plans provide chances for motorcycles Opinion pieces May 4, 2022May 4, 2022 FEMA's Dolf Willigers: 'Motorcycles are not the problem but part of the solution and go well with the present climate ambitions'. The fuel- and material-efficiency of motorcycles could provide chances in an environment where decarbonisation and reduction of weight and materials are the new goals. On the 14th of July 2021, both
Energy transition and the future of motorcycling Opinion pieces March 11, 2022March 11, 2022 Will motorcycling as we know it change - or maybe even vanish - because of the energy transition that is announced by many governments? FEMA's Dolf Willigers explored what is going on and what it means for us. Are there alternatives, and what do they mean for motorcycling, and what
‘Norway tells statistical lies to prove motorcycling is dangerous’ Opinion pieces July 8, 2021July 8, 2021 Norwegian authorities claim that it is becoming increasingly dangerous to ride motorcycles and they have the statistics to prove it. Odd Terje Døvik, president of the Norwegian motorcyclists’ organization NMCU, claims it has never been safer to ride a bike in Norway. According to the saying, there are three types of
Loud pipes save lives: fake or fact? Opinion pieces September 7, 2020September 7, 2020 For some motorcyclists noise is a source of pleasure, for others it is a guarantee of safety, stating that ‘loud pipes save lives’. Motorcycle journalist Chloé Gaillard has a different opinion. Ah, noise… An old debate among riders. And more and more, when it is excessive, a significant nuisance for other
Corona crisis: Greece has turned to motorcycles Opinion pieces May 4, 2020May 4, 2020 ‘For substantial, fast and efficient transportation there is one solution: motorcycles.’ FEMA veteran Thomas Kakadiaris looks at motorcycling during the coronavirus crisis from a Greek perspective. For years, a large number of traffic experts and traffic planners have made clear their support for public transport, often supporting policies which neglect powered
UPDATED: Lisa from Sweden wants to ride, but ‘the system’ won’t let her Opinion pieces March 31, 2020March 31, 2020 Do you remember Lisa from Sweden, who wants to get her motorcycle licence, but due to a lifelong disability must use a bike with automatic gears? She is not allowed to use her own bike with automatic gears for the exam, there are no traffic schools in Sweden with that
The motorcycle is here to stay Opinion pieces February 20, 2020September 21, 2021 It is easy for 'outsiders' to be negative about motorcyling, but we at FEMA have a different view. FEMA's Dolf Willigers about the continuing success story of motorcycling. Motorcycles play an important role in our society. Many people use motorcycles for commuting and leisure, professionals use them to do their work.
Acoustic cameras: do we want big brother to measure motorcycle sound? Opinion pieces September 10, 2019March 3, 2022 New on our streets: ‘acoustic cameras’ or sound enforcement cameras, a combination of several microphones and a camera, designed to register and fine vehicles that produce excessive noise. When the sound equipment measures a sound level that is over the limit and recognizes the source (that’s why it has to have
Is motorcycling expensive? Opinion pieces June 12, 2019June 7, 2022 According to a recently published study for the European Commission, motorcycles are by far the most expensive way of road transport for our society. FEMA's Dolf Willigers questions the research. So if we ask 'is motorcycling expensive?', don’t look at your own motorcycle and your own wallet now. This is not