Welcome to NAM

Please note: The next club night (Tuesday 9 September) will be held at the Duke of Wellington, Kenton Lane. This is a one-off event owing to our normal venue being unavailable at this time.

General meeting details can be found on our meetings page.

Northumbria police will be running another set of the popular 'Cornering clinics' later this year.

These sessions are an excellent opportunity for anyone who is looking for information on advanced riding.

Each session lasts for around 2 hours and consists of an informative classroom presentation followed by an opportunity to take part in a free 'observed' rideout with a representative from an advanced riding organization.

If you decide to take part in an observed ride, you will end with an informal chat about you riding style and an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have. You will be given further contact details should you decide you want to pursue advanced riding. At no time will you be pressurized or expected to take things any further.

The details of the clinics are...

• Saturday 30 August 2008 at Morpeth County Council offices
• Sunday 31 August 2008 at Washington Fire & Rescue centre
• Saturday 6 September 2008 at Morpeth County Council offices
• Sunday 7 September 2008 at Washington Fire & Rescue centre

All events start at 10:00 and there is no need to book, just turn up on the day.

Our next monthly rideout is on Sunday 21 September. Jack Stewart will lead this Rideout to the Lakes.

More general rideout details on our rideout's page.

At its AGM in November, the IAM are to propose an increase in annual subscriptions of £10.50 for those who pay by direct debit, and £12 for those who pay by other means, and would take effect from January 2009.

This will result in a new annual fee of £28 for those who pay by Direct Debit, and £30 for those who pay by other means.

This is obviously a substantial increase on the current rates and could have a significant effect on new membership rates and retention of existing members.

If you have any views or concerns on this issue, please contact a committee member or use our Contact us page.

On Saturday, 28th June, NAM was presented with this certificate for the 2007-2008 'Group Achievement Awards' which is in recognition of 'Dedicated service in promotion and commitment in prepairing people for the standard of IAM test'.

As the certificate says, this is a group effort, so each and every one of you deserves to be congratulated on this achievement. Well done!

View the certificate

The club has booked a modern hostel near Abergele on the North Wales coast for 2 nights at the beginning of September.

There are 31 places available at the hostel at a cost of £10 per person, per night, including bedding and a continental breakfast.

As with the Pitlochry weekend there will be the opportunity to join a group on the ride down to North Wales on the Friday morning or later in the afternoon straight from work.

On the Saturday, there will be the option to join an organized rideout around Mt. Snowdon, the Conway Valley and the National Park, to be led by Dave Thornton.

See Michael Sutherland or Dave Thornton for further details and to make a reservation.

Payment is due at the club nights on 10 June or 8 July.

Louise Bennett is organizing a 1st World War battlefield tour with a professional guide.

The plan is to leave on Friday evening, 11th September 2009, and go from North Shields by DFDS Seaways to Amsterdam and then travel to the Somme for 4 nights and then to Flanders for 3 nights.

The price will be around £450 per person, which includes:

• The return ferry journey with a motorcycle
• 7 nights bed and breakfast
• All entry fees where charged
• A guide who will be with us for the 7 days that we are visiting the battlefields

The price is based on 2 people sharing a twin room, en suite, at the B&B's and 4 people sharing a cabin on the ferry. We return on the 19 September 2009, arriving back in North Shields on the morning of Sunday 20 September 2009.

If you're interested please contact Louise Bennett on 07951 035038.

Some riders have been members of the IAM for many years and it is often some time since they passed their advanced motorcycle test.

With this in mind the Training Group is offering any NAM member in this position the opportunity to undertake an observed ride at any time with a senior observer to ensure that their skill level has not deteriorated.

So if you would like confirmation that you are still “up to the mark” contact a member of the Training Group (either directly or via our contact us page) and arrange an observed ride.

Cost is £10.00 just like any other observed ride.