• Check your bike’s battery is fully charged
• Half of all bike breakdowns are due to non-start or cut-out issues
• Mechanical issues cause a third of breakdowns

The motorcycling season is kick-starting and riders need to make essential checks to avoid common breakdown issues, says leading provider Start Rescue.

“Our data shows that half of all motorcycle breakdowns are due to the engine not starting or cutting out,” says Lee Puffett, Managing Director of Start Rescue. “Non-start issues, such as a flat battery, account for 34% of call-outs, while a cut-out where the engine stops unexpectedly make up 16% of calls. That’s why it’s vital to keep your bike’s battery properly charged or replace it when necessary.”

A further 30% of motorcycle call-outs are due to: general mechanical faults (13%), gearbox and clutch issues (11%), and problems with the chain (6%). Other issues can be caused by tyres and fuel systems that have degraded while the bike has been stored over winter.

Most motorcycle breakdowns happen within a short distance from home, which is why Start Rescue motorcycle cover includes Local Recovery up to 10 miles and most policies include National Recovery too.

Lee Puffett adds: “Our dedicated motorcycle cover is among the most affordable on the market. As well as motorcycles, we also cover scooters and mopeds, and our operatives have the correct equipment to repair or transport your treasured motorcycle.

“We are the quickest to respond to a breakdown and reach 77% of call-outs within 30 minutes to an hour. You can also take out personal cover if you’re riding pillion, so you are still protected in the event of a breakdown.”

Start Rescue has just been named Your Money’s Best Breakdown Provider 2024 and the judges commented: “This shows you can win if you provide outstanding customer service, appealing products, and cater for Brits on a budget.”

Start Rescue has a 4.4-star rating on Trustpilot, a five-star Defaqto* rating and has achieved Which? Recommended Provider status for five years running. Start Rescue has also been awarded best Breakdown Cover provider in the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards 2024 (www.finder.com), scoring 4.9 out of 5 for overall satisfaction with a 94% recommendation rate.

In the What Car? Survey of Best Breakdown Cover Start Rescue come top for best response time, reaching 77% of call-outs in 30 minutes to an hour and didn’t leave anyone waiting for more than two hours. Start Rescue also won best in the survey for performing temporary repairs that let people continue with their journeys.

Launched in 2009, Start Rescue is an integral part of the nation’s fourth largest breakdown and recovery service, Call Assist, which now has more than two million UK customers.

For further breakdown advice, please visit startrescue.co.uk

article supplied

The outcome of this morning’s FP1 at Le Mans had created a very different degree of expectations for Marc and Alex Marquez, who in the end could not finish Practice higher than 13^th and 19^th, respectively. An afternoon characterised by high temperatures that saw a crash (for the #93) and a bit too many yellow flag situations did not help in what was extremely competitive session, with the top-12 lapping under the 1’31s barrier. 
 
For the first time in the season, both standard bearers of Team Gresini Racing MotoGP will be forced to tackle Q1 tomorrow from 10:50 local time (GMT +2). 

13^th - MARC MARQUEZ #93 (1’31.097s)
“I never felt comfortable in the afternoon set-up wise, and we need to react quickly. I’m not really fond of Q1 and it’s going to be a key but also complicated session. Unfortunately I got a yellow flag during my quick lap attempt and then made a mistake at the last second. We went in the wrong direction with the set-up so there’s a lot of work to do to be competitive tomorrow.”
 
19^th - ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (1’31.530s)
“I managed to only do one time attack. We tried some adjustments that we working well this morning, but not as much in the afternoon. We need to make a step back, I had an idea set-up wise that I thought could have helped, but it turned out not to be. There’s margin to do well, but we need a bike that is not as nervous. Q1 is a complicated session and it’ll be even more challenging tomorrow with so many fast riders.”

Sunday 12th May
9am – 5pm
 
Ace Cafe London’s annual BMW Bike “Treffen Special” Day, Sunday 12th May 2024, celebrates all that is BMW Motorrad 101 years on since first having produced motorcycles since 1923.

With a long history of racing success ( including at WSB and  the IoM TT ), the long heritage includes the two-valve and four-valve shaft drive boxer “twins”, the singles and their chains, the parallel twins, from the R80GS “Air head” and “Para levers”, to “Oil heads”, the F’s,  HP4’s, 1000RR’s, RnineT’s, and the latest R1250GS’s and R18 boxers.

Along with other models from the extensive BMW array, all are to be celebrated and enjoyed at the Ace.

See Michael Dunlop set a “fast way round” lap record of 133.393MPH at IoM TT on 4.6.16 riding the RST BMW Superbike:

From “classics” to “carbon”, “Make Life A Ride” and show and share yours!

See you at The Ace 

Listen, revel and be immersed in a mix of the best rock and roll and rockabilly, blended with the London sub-culture sounds, broadcasting 24/7 on online radio and social media.

The British Motor Museum is to host an exhibition entitled “The Gallery 2024” opening on 29 April. The exhibition, a continuing collaboration with Historic Car Art, will run until 30 June 2024. Visitors will be able to enjoy a collection of motoring-related pieces from a variety of Britain’s most creative automotive artists and sculptors.

Alongside the exhibition, the Museum will also be running a competition for young artists to enter. The competition will be judged by a panel consisting of Head of Collections & Engagement, Stephen Laing, Historic Car Art Gallery owner Rupert Whyte and featured artists John Ketchell and Kate Alger. As part of the prize, winning young artists will have their work displayed at the Museum over the summer holidays. More information on the competition and how to submit artwork can be found on the Museum website.

The Gallery showcases a number of leading motoring artists including Simon Britnell, Kate Alger,  John Ketchell, Emma Carpenter and Neil Collins. The artists work with a variety of media, including acrylics, oil, watercolour, pen, and pastels. Alongside the evocative paintings, Jonny Ambrose and Chris Twitchell will bring their eye-catching sculptures to the exhibition.

Historic Car Art has been operating from its rural Derbyshire base since 2004. It has been built over time from a passion for art, cars, automotive history and the racing exploits of drivers and manufacturers, combined with a great interest in how this has all been depicted over the years in both artwork and promotional advertising. Historic Car Art is now a leader in acquiring and supplying original automotive art and vintage posters, building collections for discerning private and corporate clients worldwide.

Rupert Whyte, Historic Car Art Gallery owner, commented “It’s been fantastic to have the opportunity to work with the British Motor Museum again for this exhibition. There are so many talented artists working in the automotive art scene today, and it’s a privilege for Historic Car Art to be able to bring our work to a wider audience through this partnership. We hope visitors enjoy perusing this collection - no matter what kind of car fan they are, they’re bound to find a piece that will capture their imagination.”

Stephen Laing, Head of Collections & Engagement at the British Motor Museum, added: "We're delighted to collaborate for a second year with Historic Car Art to showcase the work of some of Britain's most talented artists. The community of artists in Britain taking inspiration from the automobile and motorsport has arguably never been stronger. There is such a wide array of styles and media, capturing the motor car in almost every era and situation”.

Access to the exhibition is included with standard Museum admission tickets. Museum entry is just £43 for a family in advance or £49 on the day, £16 for adults in advance or £19 on the day, £14 for concessions in advance or £17 on the day, £9 for children (5-16 years) in advance or £10 on the day and under 5s are FREE. There is also the option to Gift Aid or donate your entry fee and get an Annual Pass in return, at no extra cost.  To find out more information about the exhibition, please visit the website at https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/explore/the-gallery