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This article is rather long and I apologise but it affects you directly in terms of your freedom to ride in ACU organised events. The affiliation system affects the whole of the ACU organisation nationwide, not just the Eastern Centre. It is therefore highly recommended that you read this article particularly if you are new to the ACU.
When I first became involved in motorcycle sport, ACU affiliations were handled by the member’s club. The subscription fee included £2.00 for affiliation to the ACU and this was paid by the club at the end of the year to the local centre who then forwarded it to the ACU at Rugby. However, since 2001 ALL members are have to look after their own affiliation albeit with a little input from the club. First though a little information as to why the system has been introduced.
Back in 2001, there were some 16 reasons listed by the ACU for introducing this system, the most prominent reason of which was multiple affiliation. This occurred whenever someone joined a multiplicity of clubs since the club had to pay £2.00 for all members irrespective of how many clubs they already belonged to. This affected many ACU members nationwide. One rider told me he belonged to five or possibly six clubs thus paying £10 or £12 pound in affiliation. At one time, Jim and myself belonged to two clubs in the Eastern Centre and another in Kent. As a result we both paid £6.00 affiliation!
The current system was designed to eliminate multiple affiliation so that riders pay just one affiliation fee. It doesn't stop riders from joining more than one club, indeed it may be necessary depending on where you wish to ride, but it does mean that on joining a second (or subsequent) club, the member does not have to pay any affiliation element.
There were some 15 other reasons listed by the ACU as to why this system was devised although most of these are of relevance to club officials, the local centres and the ACU.
If you are not already affiliated, when you join a club you will be sent either a Competitions Licence Application (trials riders may be a single sheet Registration Application. If you require a competitions licence (motocross, enduro and grass track only), your affiliation fee will be included in your licence fee. Currently licences cost £43.00 including the affiliation fee. When you receive your Affiliation Application Form/Licence Application Form, it must be completed and sent with a passport sized photo (write your name and date of birth on the back) to your club for signing by either your club Secretary or Chairman and stamped with the official club stamp. Rather than having your form stamped, you can alternatively send your membership card (not something I particularly recommend). However, that is up to you - all I can say is that it MUST be appropriately signed by your club before going to the ACU otherwise it will be returned to you.
Under the new system, all affiliated members are issued with a colour coded credit card style licence/affiliation by the ACU which has a unique Membership Number printed on it. When entering events, this number must be entered on the entry form and the Membership Card/Licence (as applicable) should also be available for showing when signing-on if required by the Secretary of the Meeting. This is designed to ensure that everyone riding an ACU organised event is an affiliated member of the ACU, is a member of an ACU club and, more importantly, who, as an affiliated member, is covered under the comprehensive insurance policies of the ACU. So please, when riding an event, DO NOT forget to take your ACU Membership Card / Competitions Licence with you when signing-on. However, please be patient when signing-on (particularly at trials) as it will take longer since Secretaries of the Meeting must check the Membership Cards and/or Competitions Licences you present.
The answer to this question depends on your involvement in the sport. In short everyone who wants to ride in ACU organised events at whatever level MUST affiliate. You cannot enter any event without an ACU Membership Number and you won't get that without first affiliating.
All licensed officials are required affiliate whether they ride or not. Also required to affiliate are several other event officials who are not licensed or who do not ride, i.e. Assistant Clerks of the Course, Secretaries of the Meeting, Club Stewards, Chief Marshals (but not "ordinary" marshals or trials observers) and Safety Officers etc. The list of event officials required to affiliate to the ACU is in the National Sporting Code (chapter 5, para 5.02), printed in the back of the annual ACU Handbook.
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For all disciplines other than trials, there is a system of One Day Licences which will continue. However, they are somewhat expensive (£15 per licence) and are only be available for events of below National status. The first One-Day Licence purchased by a competitor during any one year will be regarded as incorporating an Individual Affiliation fee – but no reduction in cost will be permitted for subsequent One-Day Licences purchased!
For trials riders who are not affiliated, Secretaries of the Meeting are required to ensure the rider completes an Individual Affiliated Member Application form, provides a passport sized photo (if not affiliated before) and pays the appropriate £10.00 fee. This is then sent to the ACU at Rugby after the event. In addition, of course, clubs will also be free to charge a one-day or temporary membership of the club. The main aim of all this is to ensure that all riders are covered under the terms of the ACU’s insurance policies for sporting events and that all entrants of events ride under the same conditions.
I know this article is somewhat heavy in nature and may have been tedious to read. However, it is essential reading for club members, particularly riders, event officials and licensed officials. So thank you for reading this article, carefully I hope, for your own benefit. If you have any questions on the system, then please contact us and we will do our best to help or we'll try to get an answer for you.
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