Membership involves two organisations: the “parent” IAM and the local Group which you choose to join, hopefully, us. There are also different types of membership within each organisation. More details of the types of memberships with each organisation are shown on the tabs below.
If you would like to discuss details of membership please contact the MBEAM Membership Secretary
There are two types of membership within IAM for the Advanced Rider course.
IAM Associate Membership
The IAM’s Advanced Rider Course currently costs only £175 and discounts or rebates may be available.
The Course fee covers:
- Associate Membership (i.e. someone who has not yet passed the advanced test) of the IAM and the Group you choose to join e.g. Morecambe Bay Estuaries Advanced Motorcyclists Group (MBEAM)
- a flexible “training” programme with MBEAM (6 core sessions of 1.5 to 2 hours each)
- a copy of the IAM’s Advanced Rider Course Logbook
- the IAM’s Test Fee
- your first year’s Membership of the IAM as an IAM Associate, and membership of MBEAM until April of the following year
- access to certain Member services and events
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Note: you can apply for the full Course and if you wish, take the IAM Test direct without joining an IAM local Group but the pass rate is lower this way compared to going through an IAM local Group or a qualified private instructor.
IAM Full Membership
If you have joined the IAM as an Associate through the Advanced Rider Course then, on passing your test, the IAM will write to you to confirm that you have become a Full Member of the IAM.
Your first year’s IAM membership fee was included in the Course fee from the date you joined a local Group.
To retain your IAM membership each year, you will have to pay the IAM their annual membership fee. This can be done by cheque or automatically through a bank account.
Full Membership of the IAM will entitle you to apply for Full Membership of an IAM local Group (or Groups), but you will have to pay any local Group you join their annual membership fee in addition to the IAM’s annual membership fee.
If you pass your test while you are an associate member of MBEAM, you will be invited to join MBEAM as a Full Member with your fees covered until April of the following year.
Associate Membership
When you join the IAM as an Associate Member on the Advanced Rider course the fee paid to the IAM covers Associate membership of MBEAM until April the following year.
If you have not passed your test prior to April the following year (most unusual) the Group committee must agree to extend your membership and reserves the right to levy the annual subscription fee for a Full Member.
Having passed your test you will become a Full Member of MBEAM for the remaining period (i.e. until April the following year).
Observer Contributions
Observers guiding associates to take the car test travel with the Associate in his/her car – this is obviously not the case with Observers guiding Motorcycle Associates.
Motorcycle Observers, therefore, incur a personal expense in regard to fuel; wear and tear (e.g. tyres) etc; and may incur penalties associated with higher than average mileage.
The IAM provides guidance that the associate can be required to make a contribution towards these costs.
MBEAM’s current policy is that no payment is required from the associate to cover these personal expenses incurred by the observer. As a gesture, associates are expected to pay for the tea/coffee that usually marks the end of an observed ride.
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Full Membership
Only fully paid up members of the IAM are permitted to become or remain Full Members of MBEAM.
Single Membership
The MBEAM Full membership fee is currently set at £12 per annum payable on a ‘pro-rata’ basis by cheque for the first payment only and, thereafter, by standing order.
The ‘pro-rata’ basis is calculated at a rate of £1 per month from and including the month you become a full member up to and including the month of March.
For example, a Full Member joining the group in June would have to pay £10 by cheque or BACS for the remaining months of June until March with the renewal fee of £12 paid, preferably by standing order, in April.
All Full memberships are due for renewal on 22 April each year.
Standing orders are the norm for ALL full membership renewals (i.e. one payment in April each year to the value of the annual subscription fee).
Alternative methods of renewal payment (e.g. by cheque) are only permitted by the Group Committee in exceptional circumstances.
Joint Membership
The Group offers a 25% discount on annual full membership fees for spouses or partners who:
- live at the same address and
- use one account to pay by standing order
So, under the present arrangements, that makes the fee £18 for joint membership for people who meet the criteria instead of £24.
In situations where the spouse/ partner become Full Members at different times, Group Joint Memberships would only start from the first April annual renewal date when they are both Full Members.
For spouses who become Full Members of the Group at the same time (e.g. moving to our part of the country) the 25% discount rule will apply to them from the start as they will both be joining the Group on the same date.
