Don’t know about you – I’m talking to motorcycling females at the moment – don’t you find it tough buying a gift for the motorcycling man in your life?

Now before the men out there start suggesting the latest R1/Harley/Royal Enfield etc and all the women stop rolling around on the floor laughing, I’m talking about something er, a tad smaller.

I’m also talking about buying gifts for men that aren’t necessarily your nearest and dearest (although it’s good for them too), but maybe a close relative or a friend who has a penchant for motorcycles.

Just such an occasion for pondering presented itself recently for a friend of ours whose birthday looms this week.

I had initially planned to buy him the sponsorship of a motorcycle at the London Motorcycle Museum , which is in itself a great gift,or indeed a years membership entitling him to a couple of free visits, another great gift I’m sure you’ll agree.

However, there was a link from the museums pages that presented an altogether better offer, in my opinion, and that is membership of the British Motorcycle Charitable Trust which is a registered charity “run by motorcycle enthusiasts to promote and support the preservation and restoration of our motorcycle heritage.” Fab, got to love that.

Now membership is a very reasonable £20 per annum, especially when you consider that you get entry to some of our finest motorcycle musems for free, thrown in, how good is that?

Because the trust exhibits machines in many of our finest Motorcycle, Transport and cultural museums, Members are entitled to FREE ADMISSION for themselves and families (2 adults & up to 3 children) to the following collections:-

· The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu

· The Haynes Museum, Sparkford

· The Black Country Living Museum, Dudley

· Coventry Transport Museum, Coventry

· The Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon

· The Sammy Miller Museum, New Milton

· The National Motorcycle Museum, Solihull*

· London Motorcycle Museum, Greenford

. Brooklands Museum, Weybridge

* This museum offers free entry to the member only

There’s also the opportunity to get involved in the work of the museum if you so choose by, for example, contributing knowledge in the way of engineering expertise or motorcycling reminiscences for the club newsletter.

My friend’s membership pack arrived today and includes a welcome letter, his wallet size membership card – laminated with his name on the front and a list of the museums he can visit for free on the back – as well as the latest club newsletter.

You might have guessed I rather like this membership and may well be giving them out all over the place to the men in my life and also feeling rather good about myself for helping to keep such a worthy cause running and preserving our motorcycling heritage.

Proper job!

You can find out more about the London Motorcycle Museum by clicking here

and

The British Motorcycle Charitable Trust by clicking here