As chairman of Bolton Motorcycle Club, I have a great deal of sympathy with the writer and her son (Young bikers ask for space, March 23).
However, your article does raise once again the need to reply and correct a few things as listed below.
1. The machine pictured is neither high-powered or designed for "tearing" around anywhere. It is a "Trials Model" not Trail. These machines are used in a competion at slow speed to traverse marked obstacles, the object being for the riders to keep their feet on the pedals so as not to loose marks. The winner of this type of motorcycle sport is the rider who loses the least marks over a course containing these obstacles.
2. From the picture, Liam is probably a "Motocross type" rider who is interested in speed, his machine is not built for that and, as such, he may be interested in our kind of sport (details of contacts below).
3. Unfortunately, there is a problem with designated areas around Bolton for "tearing around". Massive claims have been made against owners and leasees of land used as "training tracks" for the reasons mentioned, and indeed from participants who have hurt themselves.
4. The council has on occassions offered my club the use of land for this purpose, but we are a volunteer club. This kind of facility needs full time control in these days of litigation.
5. The direction must be to guide these youngsters into organised competion which has the required control and insurance protection. Unfortunately, the "not on my doorstep syndrome" now appears and the authorities simply move them on.
The Auto Cycle Union is the governing body of motorcycle sport in the UK, try www.motorcyclinggb.co.uk
Local contacts are available in library and town guides.
John Green
Chairman, Bolton MCC
Pennine Close
Horwich
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