Minutes of a Motorcycle Addict

Two fellow rider's life work is in jeopardy. The road leading up to Biker's Farm has been closed for bikes!

The text below is from the rider's rights organisation Write to Ride - Right to Ride in Northern Ireland, who e-mailed me about this. It's a worrying story, mainly because people are in jeopardy of losing their life's work, but also because it's the result of  arbitrary implementation of regulations solely aimed at motorcycle riders. It's a clear-cut example of discrimination of riders. That we must fight! This time it's in Germany. Next time it's here. See further down how you can help fight this! Thanks for your efforts!

HansP

Motorcycle Access Prohibited -
No Motorcycles For The Weekend

Got your touring holiday booked - heading off - panniers packed - tank bag strapped on?

WriteTo Ride reports on a successful motorcycle business in Germany that faces disaster because of a prohibition banning motorcycles along a stretch of road.

A real threat to us as a riding community wherever we live, a threat to our way of life.

10 years ago Petra Kussler and Sven Ebner discovered a hotel and restaurant on a piece of land which is situated on the Bulderner Lake.

It was up for sale, so Petra and Sven turned their hobby into a job and purchased the Hotel and restaurant then took on the task of making itinto a leisure facility especially for motorcyclists but welcoming other visitors as well.

They obtained permission and licences from the officials of the city of Dülmen which allowed them to conduct their new business.

Over the years Petra and Sven worked extremely hard, invested a lot of money, blood, sweat and tears, all of this hard work paid off and they now have a very successful business with visitors from all over Germany, Holland the United Kingdom, Ireland and just about every other European country.

This success has enabled them to employ quite a number of local people to help run the hotel and local suppliers also provide food and drink and services such as electricians.

As the business expanded, the City of Dülmen granted further permission to expand the motorcycle and car park and construct a beer garden.

So successful were they, that the City of Dülmen even included the Bikers Farm musical events in festivals which were held in 2003.

Suddenly in 2009 new road signs were put up on the approach roads to the Bikers Farm, these road signs prohibit motorcycles from using these roads at the weekends particularly on a Sunday. It seems that a new neighbour has moved in and does not like the volume of motorcycle traffic passing his front door so he has complained to theDülmen authorities, who in turn have decided that no one owns or is responsible for these roads.

On this basis and without any consultation, motorcycles have been banned from going on them (and therefore to the Biker Farm) at weekends.

At the moment Petra and Sven are trying to find a compromise to enable them to keep open and would be grateful for any assistance.

For further information and support for The Bikers Farm on this ban to motorcycle leisure:

Contact Ian Lee via email: ian[at]leeian[dot]orangehome[dot]co[dot]uk

Website: www.bikers-farm.de/index.php/de/