As the 2013 MotoGP season warms-up for the opening race of the year, preparations for Ducati Grandstands move into full swing ready for fans to support full-factory Ducati Team riders, Andrea Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden and factory-supported Pramac Racing Team riders, Andrea Iannone and Ben Spies.

Helping to inject Ducati passion into the series since 2003, Ducati Grandstands 2013 will roar into action under the floodlights of Qatar on 7 April, the highly-anticipated season opener. The brand-new Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, USA will host the next Ducati Grandstand on 21 April, an event sure to be buzzing with local support for Ben Spies aboard his Pramac Racing Team Ducati Desmosedici GP13.

These first events will set the standard for Ducatisti to arrive en masse for the “home” Italian races of Mugello and Misano, before continuing around the world to tracks such as Le Mans, Assen, Laguna Seca, Silverstone, Valencia and the Sachsenring in Germany.

Silverstone will be host to the British MotoGP race on September 1, where Ducati fans will be able to see the action from a reserved Grandstand at Luffield B. The covered Luffield B Grandstand provides fans with a spectacular view of the bikes arriving down the Wellington Straight into Brooklands Corner before negotiating Luffield. The Luffield complex provides the spectators with not only a fantastic view but also an amazing atmosphere.

Weekend ticket prices for a reserved seat in the Luffield B stand are £110 and £95 for Sunday only. Included in the price of the Grandstand ticket will be a 'goody bag' which will include a Ducati T-shirt, lanyard and flag.

All Ducati Grandstand information, including details on how to purchase tickets is available in the “Experience” section of the official Ducati.com website or the national Ducati websites of participating countries.

The 2013 British MotoGP takes place from Fri 30 August - Sunday 01 September and tickets are available from Silverstone. 

 Or call: 08443 750 740

SHARK Helmets has introduced a brand new helmet into its extensive collection. The Race –R PRO CARBON has been developed from the Race –R PRO and will be worn by SHARK racers in MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3, World Superbike and British Superbikes during the 2013 season.       

Sitting at the top of SHARK’s Racing Division, the Race –R PRO CARBON has a significant noise reduction of 4.5db(A), compared with the Race –R PRO. The helmet benefits from its lightweight carbon/aramid shell construction and has superb aerodynamics thanks to its shape and rear spoiler. It also features SHARK’s brand new bamboo comfort fibre interior.      

SHARK has its own safety laboratory where helmets are pushed to their limits and strict safety tests are carried out, to ensure these helmets meet the five-star levels of protection achieved by the Race -R PRO.      

The Race –R PRO CARBON is available in a variety of colours, which all show a section of the carbon/aramid fibre that makes up the helmet, and is priced at £479.99.

www.shark-helmets.com

New exhibitors confirmed since last week include: ADS Verbatim, Atomic 56 LTD, Earnshaws, Ekselsior LTD, Hadrian V-Twin Tours & Clinton Enterprises to name just a few!

We are now 90% full, click here to see the full list of exhibitors.

All the major manufacturers are now on board: BMW, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Harley Davidson, Honda, Yamaha, Triumph, Ducati, MV Augusta, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi AND Bimota.

The total number of exhibitors now stands at over 120, including THE BIKER GUIDE® making The Manchester Bike Show the largest indoor motorcycle show in the UK after the NEC and the largest in the North by miles and miles!  

The total number of classic, custom and racing bikes on display from clubs and private individuals is now in excess of 400 and along with the 100 or so motorcycles on the trade stands we will have over 500 motorcycles in the building.

Advance tickets now selling at double last years rate so with easy access and free parking at EventCity we are expecting a bumper crowd over the weekend of 23rd & 24th March.

Stunt displays from the Inch Perfect Trials team and live music from Aces N Eights are all in place, the big screen advert has just started in the adjacent Trafford Centre, the radio campaign is about to start on Real Radio XS as is the local media campaign throughout the North West. The Manchester Bike Show at EventCity is less than two weeks away, don’t miss it!  

We look forward to seeing you there,  The Manchester Bike Show Team  

To reserve your tickets and save 25% with no booking or transaction fee please call 01749 813899 or go to www.bradsons.co.uk

For reasons of poor health, Filippo Preziosi has taken the decision to resign his position.

The company thanks him for 19 years of outstanding professional service. The now vacant position of Ducati Motor Holding Director of R&D to be announced

Borgo Panigale, (Bologna, Italy) 28 February 2013 - Engineer, Filippo Preziosi, has communicated his intention to resign from his position at Ducati Motor Holding.

Declaring reasons of poor health related to his particular physical condition, Preziosi’s resignation was accepted by Ducati, saddened and disappointed to lose such an accomplished and strategic member of staff. The company respectfully acknowledges the 45-year old Italian’s decision and thanks him for his significant contribution during his 19 years with Ducati, 12 of which were within Ducati Corse.

Previously occupying the role of General Manager of Ducati Corse, Preziosi, was appointed Director of Research and Development of Ducati Motor Holding at the end of 2012 and was to start his new role after a period of rest. An announcement of the successor to this strategic role, now left vacant by the resignation, will be communicated in due course.

French manufacturer Furygan is introducing a new generation of D3O limb protectors into its products, which meet the new CE standard introduced this week. The T5 EVO Pro protectors pass level 2 of the new CE standard across ambient, wet and cold (-10ºC) conditions and pass level 1 when tested in hot conditions at 40ºC.

The soft and flexible protectors are for hips, knees, shoulders and elbows and will be fitted as standard in all Furygan’s leather and textile jackets and pants (excluding the Genesis Range). They are lightweight and breathable, offering greater protection without compromising on comfort. Existing Furygan textile products that are equipped with D3O’s T5 Pro level 1 protectors can be fitted with the new T5 EVO Pro version.      

D3O is the first company to market a solution that exceeds the highest level of performance in all tests for the new standard EN1621-1. It uses a unique patented technology, which produces a superior shock absorbing material. In standard conditions, the material’s molecules flow freely allowing the material to remain soft and flexible, but on impact, they lock together to absorb impact energy and reduce the force transmitted. The molecules instantly return to their flexible state.      

By introducing the new D3O range into its products, Furygan is reinforcing its already superior offering in terms of protective clothing. The company’s in-house Motion Lab testing facility already ensures that every garment produced is constructed from leather or textile material that not only meets, but in some cases exceeds current European regulations for motorcyclist protection. Together, Furygan and D3O aim to deliver the highest level of protective performance in the motorcycle apparel market.      

www.nevis.uk.com

www.D3O.com