South West Blood Bikes receives new Blood Bike

South West Blood Bikes' Plymouth team have taken delivery of a brand-new Yamaha Tracer 900 Blood Bike, thanks entirely to the generosity of the Devonport Royal Dockyard Sport and Social Club, whose members have raised the funds and donated this bike to the charity.

This is the first of a new homologated Blood Bike developed for groups by Yamaha UK Limited.

This is a bespoke model, based on the standard road bike, but this has been professionally tested by the manufacture to be able to carry two fully loaded NHSBT Blood Boxes or Donor Milk Boxes. In the design process, these bikes were fully tested on carrying a full load, and they are certified for use in the Blood Bike role.

A spokesman for the team said: "There has been a lot of discussion on the weight carrying capacity of motorcycles, due to some insurance discussions with other groups and manufacturers, with the legal advice we have received being that these heavy boxes should now only be carried on bikes specifically built and tested as fit for purpose rather than standard road bikes adapted to do this, and so this is the first of these new generation of machines we will be adding to the fleet.

"Being a brand new machine, this means that it will give the people of Plymouth many years of trouble free service, backed up by a warranty - and benefit the charity by reducing our maintenance costs, which are considerable due to the age and mileage of some of our bikes.

"The bike comes fully equipped and ready to work from the factory, with even the livery having been applied before it comes to us, and has many advanced features such as cornering ABS, Traction Control and a quick shifter.

"We cannot express strongly enough our gratitude to them for this incredible donation, which will strengthen the service we provide to the NHS and St Luke's Hospice in the city."

Pictured is volunteer Steve collecting the bike from the supplying dealer, and the presentation of the bike to our charity by the members of Devonport Royal Dockyard Sports and Social Club earlier this week.