BIKERS have hit back after Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman urged people to stop male relatives from buying motorbikes.

Mr Sheerman told the Examiner on Monday: “If you have a husband, boyfriend or son who wants a motorbike, please persuade them to get something with four wheels, two wheels is too vulnerable.”

He also said motorbikes were being bought by men who “wanted to regain their youth”.

Mr Sheerman was speaking after he told the House of Commons that more motorcyclists had been killed in the last two years (650 per year) than members of the armed forces in the last 40 years. The comments have caused a furious reaction on the website of leading motorcycle publication Motorcycle News.

Members of the website’s forum accused Mr Sheerman of painting a very one-sided picture and said statistics showed 65% of biker deaths were caused by car, van and lorry drivers.

Golcar biker, Sandra Garside, said the comments were “out of order”.

She said: “He needs to realise there are a hell of a lot of lady bikers out there and we’re not just on little piddly bikes, we’re talking big bikes.

“It’s very sexist that he says it’s fine to look after your men folk.”

Mrs Garside, who rides a 900cc Honda Hornet, said her husband and son both rode motorbikes.

She added: “My son can’t afford a car so he’s got a bike. The Government is trying to reduce car journeys but we all know that motorbikes do more miles to the gallon than cars.

“Most accidents are caused by car drivers not seeing us. Yeah it’s dangerous, but so is life.

“We do a lot of fundraising for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and local charities.”

Joe Olejniak, leader of the Colne Valley Motorcycle Action Group, said Mr Sheerman’s comments were “totally unfounded”. He said: “I think he was being very sexist because a lot of our members are female bikers.

“Is he saying male bikers are more dangerous than female ones? Males and females ride bikes the same. Has he ever been on a motorbike and does he know how vigilant we are?

“Most bikers are very safe, it’s car drivers that should be getting more safety advice on how to look out for bikers.

“Recently a friend of mine was hit by a car while he was stationary on Manchester Road.”

Mr Olejniak, 53, said both he and his wife had been riding since they were 17 and neither of them had ever had an accident.