INTERNATIONAL RIDE TO WORK DAY UK - MONDAY 18 JUNE 2012

COMMUTE HAPPY: WHY MOTORCYCLES AND SCOOTERS MAKE SENSE

There are millions of them on Britain’s roads and there are approximately 4 million motorcycle licence holders in the UK. Why have you never considered them? Motorcycles and scooters that is.

Monday 18 June is International Ride to Work Day, a day when people around the globe are encouraged to ride to work on a motorbike or scooter to demonstrate to a wider audience just how enjoyable their commute is. Riding to work saves time and money, it also opens up a whole new concept to many commuters – that commuting can be fun. How many people do you know who arrive at work with a smile on their face?

To find out more and to see the Ride to Work Day viral video (over 90,000 views and counting) go to www.ridetoworkday.co.uk. You can even book a free ride on a motorbike or scooter at www.geton.co.uk

So just what is the attraction?

Cheaper
Did you know that some motorcycles and scooters can do up to 160 miles per gallon [i]. That’s the equivalent of riding from London to Middlesborough, and in these times of rising fuel prices, saving money on fuel is a welcome benefit. Plus you’ll save money on road tax, for a 125cc motorcycle it costs just £16 per year. Not bad eh?

To find out how much you could save by switching to a motorcycle or scooter visit the Travel Savings Calculator at www.geton.co.uk

Greener
Of course we all want to reduce our carbon footprint and do what we can for the environment. In that case you might consider ditching the car in favour of two-wheels as motorcycles are proven to be a far greener mode of transport, especially the smaller engine models. Motorcycles produce less CO2 than cars and, of course, use fewer raw materials and less energy for their construction. They also cost less to recycle as up to 75% of their components can be re-used, with the rest recycled.

Quicker
So you’ll save money and do your bit for the environment, but do you have time to look into riding a motorcycle and scooter? The answer to that is simple – do you have time not to?!

The average Briton spends two months of their lives stuck in traffic during their commute to and from work [ii]. TWO MONTHS!

Riding a motorcycle or scooter means you’ll keep moving even when cars come to standstill. You’ll also be helping to ease congestion yourself as a recent Belgian study [iii] proved. Motorcycles not only take up less space on the road, they also help to ease congestion at peak times, as bikers keep on moving.

Celebs keep on the move
Even boy band Blake has recognised the benefits of commuting on two wheels, after they arrived two hours late for a major rehearsal at the Royal Albert Hall for the BRIT Awards. Using the 'we got struck in traffic' excuse in front of a top orchestra, choirs, TV crews and famous singers, didn’t feel good; so they switched to commuting by motorcycle to make sure that wouldn't happen again. Blake will be riding to work on Monday 18 June!

Get On with a FREE ride
Getting started on a motorcycle or a scooter is simple – head over to www.geton.co.uk and take advantage of a no strings, free ride with a qualified instructor at a location near you. If you like it as much as we think you will, they’ll be able to guide you through the next steps to your full licence.

If you decide to start riding then step one is a compulsory basic training course, usually completed in a day, which allows you to ride a motorbike or scooter up to 125cc for two years, while you progress further towards getting your full licence.

So you’ll save money on fuel, save time and not get stuck in traffic and chances are you’ll be doing your bit for the environment too. But there’s more...

No more circling car parks looking for that elusive space, most bikes and scooters are able to park in special areas in city centres (where cars would take up too much space) and more often than not this parking is FREE!

If you travel by train or tube then no more being at the mercy of ‘leaves on the line’, drivers arriving late and track repairs. If you have your own motorbike then you can choose where you travel and when you travel, no more being subjected to someone else’s timetable.

So when you’re next stuck in another traffic jam, or your train is delayed, think about how bikers keep moving and arrive on time and ask yourself…Why am I not one of them?

International Ride to Work Day: Monday 18 June 2012
www.ridetoworkday.co.uk

i. Honda CBF125. Manufacturer quote: 35.2 m/l (160 mpg) (WMTC Mode). www.honda.co.uk

ii. Study carried out by MCI, 2011. http://goo.gl/iVu6W

iii. Research carried out by Transport & Mobility Leuven, a Belgian transport specialist. www.tmleuven.be

Issued by the Ride to Work Day team, Promark PR
Shirley Pattison press@ridetoworkday.co.uk mobile 07780 990603
Charlotte Hempsted 01293 823891

More press information available at www.ridetoworkday.co.uk/press 

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