BMF Show - Anna Zee Interview

Sixteen and I have independent travel. No more having to ask Mum for a lift, no more being dependant on Dad picking me up. There, in the garage, is my chariot; my shiny, red, two-wheeled dream machine, my moped. Stands to reason that I join the BMF. The British Motorcyclist’s Federation. They are the guys that “fight” the government when they try to bring in silly laws for the motorcyclist. They represent motorcyclists, trike riders, scooter riders and, yes, moped riders. The place where I did my CBT told me all about them. They were formed almost 50 years ago and are still there watching out for us.

One way that they raise money to fund their lobbying is having a huge motorcycle show. The largest outdoor motorcycle show in Europe. The BMF Show. It is held every May at Peterborough and it was last weekend. There is no way I could describe the show here. The people, the sounds, the motorcycles, the clothing, The Purple Helmets, the races, the food, the sweets. The pictures do it far more justice than I could. While I was there though, I was lucky to meet two really interesting people. The first, Eddie Kidd (ask your Mum about him!!!) was a really famous stunt man in the seventies and eighties. He was Britain’s answer to Evel Knievel apparently. He used to jump over buses on his motorbike and did all kinds of fancy stunts. He was also in lots of films like James Bond. Unfortunately he had a bad accident in Warwickshire in the nineties and he is now disabled. He was made an honorary member of the BMF at the Show.

The other person I met was Anna Zee, the Chairman of the BMF. I spoke to Anna for quite a time and asked her ten questions.

Alex: What was your first motorcycle?

Anna: A Honda CB125S

Alex: Why did you start motorcycling?

Anna: A boyfriend of mine gave me my first motorcycle lesson on some back road out near Brands Hatch. I didn’t touch a bike again until about 5years later when I needed transport in London. Then I decided that maybe a bike would be a good idea (as I failed my car test!!!!) and this time I went to an RAC/ACU training scheme and did it properly. That was it, I was bitten. It took me three goes to pass my car test and only one to pass the bike test.

Alex: When I took my CBT I found that when I went on the road for the first time I was quite worried. Have you ever felt like that?

Anna: I had had car driving lessons prior to riding my bike so I had some road experience and it wasn’t quite the same.

Alex: Around the show there are lots of gadgets for sale. What gadget could you not live without?

Anna: I am not really a gadget person. I have managed to live without lots of things. If I had to name one important thing it would probably be a camera.

Alex: What star sign are you?

Anna: Capricorn.

Alex: There are loads of people here with tattoos. Have you got one, or would you ever consider having one done?

Anna: No, I haven’t ever had one done and I don’t think I’d bother now.

Alex: What is your favourite type of food?

Anna: Good food. I am not fussy, British, French, Chinese, Italian, Indian just so long as it is good.

Alex: What is your favourite type of music?

Anna: Jazz. Pete King.

Alex: What would be your ideal holiday if money were no object?

Anna: Exploring China. A bike for some of the time, but maybe not in Shanghi. Some off road. I spent two days with WIMA (Women’s International Motorcycle Association) in Derbyshire on a “dirty weekend” off roading and it was a great experience. Completely different way of riding. As a road rider you very often don’t use engine braking but off road you do.

If you are going down hill you do not pull the clutch in. It goes against all your instincts, of twenty years on the road, not to pull the clutch in.

Alex: If there was one piece of advice that you could give a new motorcyclist what would it be?

Anna: To spend as much time as possible on your bike to get used to it. You need to be part of your bike. Take a week off, if you can, be on your bike every day, really get to know it.

All in all I had a really good day and my thanks to Anna Zee for meeting me. If you get the chance, get to one of the five BMF shows. The best bit? Well if I’m honest – it was the Hamster Balls!

By Alex