The latest Department for Transport road casualty statistics released today show a welcome decrease in the overall number of deaths and serious injuries in the year ending September 2013

However, despite the decrease, the IAM are concerned that two-wheeled road users are still a growing risk and must be given even greater priority for investment and education.

•For reported road accidents in the year ending September 2013:1,730 people were killed, a 2 per cent drop from 1,761 in the year ending September 2012. The number of killed or seriously injured casualties fell to 23,380, a 6 per cent decrease compared with the previous year.
•For the year ending September 2013, there were 184,010 reported road casualties of all severities, 7 per cent fewer than the 197,700 for the year ending September 2012.
•In the year ending September 2013 there were 1,730 reported road fatalities, a 2 per cent drop from 1,761 in the year ending September 2012. The number of killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties fell by 6 per cent, to 23,380, and the total number of casualties fell by 7 per cent to 184,010. In comparison, motor vehicle traffic rose by 1.1 per cent over the same period.
•A total of 8,490 car user KSI casualties occurred in the year ending September 2013, a fall of 6 per cent from the previous 12-month period.
•KSI casualties for the vulnerable road user groups – pedestrians, pedal cyclists and motorcyclists – showed overall decreases of 10, 2 and 6 per cent respectively.

IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig said: “It is reassuring to see an overall drop in the number of road casualties. But the fact remains that nearly a quarter of road deaths are a result for criminal driving acts such as dangerous driving, drink driving, careless driving and aggravated theft. Targeted action by the police to drive down the numbers of these criminal driving acts could potentially have huge societal benefits.”

www.iam.org.uk

Rico Penzkofer's Penz13.com team has confirmed that Simon Andrews will ride for the German outfit at the 2014 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy.

Andrews will ride a BMW HP4 S1000RR prepared by the Penz13.com BMW Racing Team, supported by the BMW HP Race Support team, at the Isle of Man TT as well as the North West 200 and Macau Grand Prix.

He also has the potential to represent the Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing Team in the FIM World Endurance Superstock Cup races. Andrews will be the reserve rider at the Bol d’Or and the legendary Le Mans 24 hours with the opportunity to be selected for the team during qualifying.

Andrews' TT record has included four top fifteen finishes including 11th place in last year's RL360 Superstock Race. He made his TT debut in 2011, taking 11th in both the Superstock and Senior Races, also finishing as the fastest newcomer with a lap of 125.134, the third fastest newcomer in the all-time list. He has a fastest lap to date of 126.001mph around the TT Mountain Course. He also finished third in the 2012 Macau Grand Prix.

The 29 year old from Evesham is now recovering from his injuries sustained in last year's accident while competing in the World Endurance at Le Mans and is expected to have his first test on the bike later this month.

Commenting on the move, Simon Andrews said: "I’m pleased to sign with Penz13.com BMW Racing Team for the Road Racings in 2014. I’ve raced against Rico and know his bikes are well built. I’ve had some success with BMW already when I started on the roads earlier in my career. With the help and support of BMW I believe the team will give me a good competitive bike. I'm looking forward to meeting all the team and really seeing what we can do together."

Rico Penzkofer, Penz13.com Team Principal commented: "We've been in negotiations with Simon for a while and he was scheduled to ride for us in last year’s Macau Grand Prix before his accident at Le Mans last year so I'm really pleased that we've now signed him."

He continued: "The Isle of Man or Macau has been my greatest passion, my life, if you like. Over recent years we've built a special wealth of experience as a team and focused on the TT - not least because I raced the TT myself. I now want to use this experience and get closer to the sharp end. Steve Mercer delivered our team’s best TT result last year with an 8th spot. I am happy that we've signed Simon and that he has faith in our team as he's a really talented road racer."

SYLVAIN GUINTOLI IS BACK IN THE SADDLE AFTER THE LONG RECOVERY FROM THE INJURY TO HIS RIGHT SHOULDER WHILE IN THE MEANTIME MARCO MELANDRI HAS COME INTO HIS OWN WITH HIS RSV4.

Jerez, 6 February 2014 – The weather certainly did not help the Aprilia Racing Superbike Team during the preseason tests. As happened at Portimao, once again at Jerez the damp track affected progress on making some final tweaks before leaving for Phillip Island. Only on the second day were the riders able to take a few laps on a track that was dry, although still not perfect in terms of grip.

In any case, the most important feedback wasn't expected to come from lap times. In fact, all eyes were on Sylvain Guintoli, back in the saddle after a long recovery from a double surgery on his right shoulder which was injured in mid 2013. The French rider hadn't ridden since the final race last season, right here at Jerez.

First impressions were encouraging. After a cautious start to re-familiarise himself with the bike and hone his reflexes, Sylvain came back to the pit with a smile on his face: the shoulder reacted well. It still needs some toning but all the groundwork is there to begin the season in the best possible conditions. Toward the end of the second day Sylvain fell victim to a low speed crash, but without any physical consequences. Guintoli put in 68 laps, the best of which in 1’42.605.

Sylvain Guintoli: “It's great to be back after such a long winter! Yesterday I rediscovered the RSV4 in the wet, whereas today it was nice to get out and take some laps in the dry. I found a good feeling straight away. It's a bit like riding a bike: it's hard to forget how. I'm quite pleased even if my shoulder is very tired now. I even crashed on my right side, so I suppose this can be considered a complete test! Let's keep our fingers crossed but there shouldn't be any big problems. Now I need to go back home and get ready for Phillip Island. I am very relieved now because before coming here I was very concerned. Actually, after almost four months without a bike I wasn't even sure I'd be able to ride, but now I know I'm ready for Australia.”

On the other side of the garage Marco Melandri has by now finished his “apprenticeship”. By now feeling confident with the RSV4, he did not have an opportunity to push to the limit but both Marco and his team took best advantage of these two days of testing anyway. The rider from Ravenna also fell victim to a crash on the damp track in the fastest turn of the twisting Spanish circuit. He took a bad spill at 200 kph, fortunately without serious physical consequences but which kept him from going on with the tests. Melandri took 44 laps in all with a best time of 1’42.308.

Marco Melandri: “We had two difficult days here again. The weather didn't help. Yesterday we tried a few things with the electronics in the wet and things were going well. Then I made a stupid mistake and crashed. Today we were able to lap on a dry track although there were still a lot of wet spots and it was quite windy. I think we're on the right path. Now all we can do is wait for Phillip Island and hope that we have two sunny days for the tests so we can fine tune the settings for the first race. I'm very confident and satisfied. We have definitely reached a good level.”

The next appearance is set for Phillip Island where the first round of the 2014 World Superbike Championship will be held. Riders and teams will be busy with the usual tests on the Monday and Tuesday prior to the race weekend.

Wanting to do something completely different, Sam learned to ride a motorcycle and within three months he’d set off to ride the length of Africa. This one-year trip turned into an eight-year, 200,000 mile, motorcycle adventure across 55 countries around the world.  

Sam is a keen advocate of motorcycle travel and when not writing his books, magazine articles and conducting multimedia travel presentations around the UK, he is very much involved with travel related organisations, including Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travel and The Ted Simon Foundation.

‘One of the best story tellers of adventure in the world today’ - Side Stand Up Radio, USA

www.sam-manicom.com

Adventure Motorcycle Travel Books by Sam Manicom

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Ducati UK to work in partnership with California Superbike School from 2014
• School will use a mix of 1199 Panigale, 899 Panigale and Monster 1200
• California Superbike School hosting 15 dates in UK using Ducati Motorcycles

Ducati UK has come to an agreement to supply the UK branch of the California Superbike School with Ducati Motorcycles. The two companies have long been associated with each other through Superbike School Limited (SSL) the event division of California Superbike School. SSL has over a number of years been responsible for operating the Ducati UK Roadshow throughout the UK as well as a number of successful track events.

The Silverstone circuit neighbours will begin their partnership immediately and Ducati UK will supply the school with the flagship 1199 Panigale, the new and highly acclaimed 899 Panigale and the soon to be launched Monster 1200. The bikes will be available to hire for students preferring not to use their own bikes and wishing to experience a Ducati on track and will also be used by the school instructors.

The first opportunity for students to experience a Ducati on a California Superbike School day will be 27 April at the Stowe Circuit, Silverstone. The agreement is for the UK specifically and there will be a total of 15 California Superbike School dates in the UK this year to choose from.

“We have worked with Superbike School Limited for a number of years and I have always been impressed with their professionalism and passion for what they do. Ducati considers rider training to be very important and in the UK we have supported the road based Bike Safe programme for some time and so it is a natural progression to support one of the leading exponents of track based advanced training. I am sure using a Ducati on the school will prove very popular amongst students and will expose many people to the thrill of riding a Ducati. We are certainly looking forward to this new venture.”

Tim Maccabee, Managing Director, Ducati UK

“I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with Ducati on the California Superbike School. I have been involved with Ducati for over 3 years with their Roadshows and I have become a big fan of the brand. Their range is one of the most technologically advanced on the market and the traction control and riding modes add an important element of safety to the school. Welcoming a premium brand such as Ducati to the California Superbike School can only encourage more people to join us in honing their skills.”

Richard (Badger) Brown, Executive Director and Rider Coach, California Superbike School

For information on the California Superbike School or to book online visit www.superbikeschool.co.uk/ and to view the Ducati model range visit www.ducatiuk.com

California Superbike School – Superbike School Limited

Founded by the legendary Keith Code in 1980, the California Superbike School offers a step-by-step method of technique oriented rider training in the art of cornering motorcycles. The California Superbike School operates in the USA, Australia and the UK. The UK branch was founded in 1999 and has since gone on to teach many thousands of pupils including regional, national and World Champions.