After over nine years at Allen House I will be stepping down from my role as CEO of the VMCC LTD effective 31/12/13.

As many of you who know me might imagine, this has been a very difficult decision for me and it is one which I have been wrestling with for some time. However, after nearly a decade in the role I felt it was time to seek a fresh challenge which allowed me to use my experience & skills in a new area. Whilst something of a cliché I am also looking forward to having more weekend time with my young family who I have neglected at times, especially over the past few springs and summers. I am delighted that many VMCC members I have met over the years have become good friends and  I am looking forward to remaining a VMCC member myself whilst taking part in VMCC runs & events as a “civilian”!

My role here at the VMCC has been an extremely satisfying one and I am very proud of what the team here at Allen House has achieved. Against a backdrop of failing membership numbers within similar organisations we have seen huge growth in this area and events such as The VMCC Festival of 1000 Bikes have brought us to the attention of a new, younger audience. I am confident that the foundations laid in recent years can now be built upon to bring further success to this wonderful, unique organisation.

I also want to reassure VMCC Members and key stakeholders alike that I will be involved in the handover to ensure a smooth transition to what I believe will be a new management structure which will be based around the Club’s elected Directors.  

Finally I want to thank everyone for the overwhelming amount of support and encouragement I have received over the years in the job that some had described as “an impossible task”. Leading a membership based organisation of so many differing views, interests and opinions has certainly been a challenge but is one I wouldn’t have missed it for the World!

With Kindest Regards

James

James Hewing, CEO, VMCC LTD.     

Motorcycle Live – which is taking place this week at The NEC, Birmingham – today hosted an official Guinness World Record attempt by BMX riders Kye Forte and Kona Hellier, with Hellier successfully setting a brand new record for a BMX High Jump, clearing the bar at 6.68 metres.

The two riders went head-to-head in front of an excited crowd in an attempt to beat the existing Guinness World Record for a BMX High jump of 6.38m, held by Forte. The riders were allowed three tries each and it was Forte who was the first to set a new record with a jump of 6.48m.

Hellier then stepped up to the ramp and proceeded to not only smash Forte’s new record but set two further new records of 6.58m, then finally 6.68m to become the new World Record holder for BMX High Jump. The photographs and footage of the attempt will be supplied to the Guinness World Records team for verification and to make the record official.

“I’m still shaking, I’m so pumped, that was awesome,” said Hellier, who is 20 years old and from Newton-Abbot in Devon. “When you’re on the ramp it feels like everything stops. You just tuck in as hard as you can to make it work. It’s scary but fun, I just go white-knuckle and hang on!

See the video here:

Both Hellier and Forte are performing at Motorcycle Live as part of the Crank’d live action stunt show, which takes British superstars from BMX, mountain bike trials, motorcycle trials and road bike stunt riding and blends these pedal and petrol-powered performers together for a battle of the cranks over a bespoke indoor playground comprising dirt ramps, jump boxes, high jumps and flatland sections.

Motorcycle Live 2013, the UK’s biggest bike show, will be at The NEC, Birmingham until Sunday 1 December. Every major manufacturer and 150 other exhibitors showcasing the very best in motorcycle products and services are present, as well as 17 FREE live features and zones – including nine opportunities to ride a bike – to keep motorcycle fans of all ages entertained.

Tickets are £20 per adult, £13 for Seniors and £9 for children aged 6-16 (kids five and under accompanied by a paying adult go free). Bike parking is free of charge and subject to availability. Reduced car parking costs of £8 – subsidised by Motorcycle Live. To book your tickets, call 0844 581 2345 or visit www.motorcyclelive.co.uk

Dean Harrison and Alan Oversby are set to delight classic racing fans when they line up for the Black Eagle Racing Team at the 2014 Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts, on board fabulously exotic MV Agusta 4 cylinder machines.

Dean Harrison is one of the most exciting new talents on the road racing scene, achieving his debut TT podium in the 2013 Lightweight Race. He also took victory at the inaugural Classic TT, crossing the line first in the Motorsport Merchandise Formula Classic Race. Dean will ride in both the Bennetts 500cc and Okells 350cc Classic TT Races for Black Eagle Racing.

Alan Oversby is one of the UK’s most prolific riders on the Classic Racing scene with a glittering CV of race victories. Alan was in contention for top six finishes in both the 500cc and 350cc Classic TT Races earlier in the year before retiring with mechanical issues. Alan will ride a 350cc machine for the team.

After years of involvement in the racing world, David and Mark Kay formed the Black Eagle Team in 2008. Given the high specification of their machines their race outings are limited, so a two rider effort at the Classic TT is a large commitment on their part and a major coup for the Classic TT.

Team Manager for the Black Eagle Race Team Brian Richards commented: “We visited the Classic TT this year and were very impressed with what we saw. It is clearly the event to be at and win, so we are coming armed with what we believe are the best possible machines with two top notch riders on board. Dean is turning into a big star in road racing and he will lead the line for us in both the 500cc and 350cc Races. Alan has ridden successfully for us for a number of years and will ride in the 350cc Race. Both riders are capable of winning as are the machines and we can’t wait to get started.”

TT & Motorsport Development Manager Paul Phillips added: “We are delighted to welcome Black Eagle Racing to the Classic TT. People love to see and hear MV Agusta's being ridden on the TT Course in anger and to have such a top quality team with two first rate riders is great news for the event. We are keen to make sure that the Classic TT continues to grow in 2014 from its successful first year and this news is evidence of this.”

An Italian tour operator dedicated exclusively to those who want to know Italy while riding a motorcycle.

Hear The Road offers great motorcycle road-trips to choose from depending on the time you have available, and the type of road experience you are looking for. All trips start and end in Rome.

The guided tours run from May to September. Experienced motorcyclists will take you along the most beautiful and breathtaking scenic drives of Italy. Ride along quiet back country roads in the gentle morning breeze; discover the charm, history, and traditions of this marvelous land; ride through cool, pristine mountains as the day gets warmer; stop for a taste of local food or wine in one of the many small less-known villages; visit famous art cities such as Rome, Siena, Orvieto, Assisi, and Florence. Stop overnight in welcoming, family-run hotels; taste delicious local cuisine in the typical “trattorie”; explore the friendly Italian summer nightlife. Participants can be set up by us with our motorcycles, or – if they are coming from another European country – they can bring their own bike! Hear The Road: a wonderful way to explore Italy on a motorcycle, with gas, heart, and eyes wide open!

www.motorcycletoursitaly.com