Viva Valencia! is the name given to the charity motorcycle ride being undertaken by Danny John-Jules (Red Dwarf's The Cat), Matt Roberts (BBC MotoGP presenter) and Steve Keys (owner of the first UK Yamaha dealership) in order to raise money for Riders for Health, an organisation that provides and maintains reliable motorcycles so that health workers can reach people in remote parts of Africa to treat diseases that needlessly kill millions.

Clad in pink helmets and leathers to match the pink Yamaha R1 bikes, the distinctive Viva Valencia! team will be present at various events, shows and races throughout the year to help raise awareness for the charity and for their 1200 mile trip, leaving on October 30 from the Ace Cafe, London, to Valencia, Spain, for the final round of the MotoGP championship.

The entire team will also be present at the final British Superbike round this Sunday (October 9, 2011) at Brands Hatch, where they will conduct a parade lap of the circuit and be part of the Pit Lane Walk.

Following the success of online motorcycle site Bike Channel, it’s now being launched on Sky TV Channel 203 as from Monday 10th October at 7.30pm.  
 
The Bike Channel was first launched on the internet in 2006 by Alan Rawlings, who after working in TV for many years realised there was a gap in the market for an interesting motorcycle programme covering Sportbikes, MX and Stunt Riding.
 
Five years on and the Bike Channel now produces bike reviews for Auto Trader, the Independent, Fast Bikes Magazine, Ace Café, Motorcycle Dealers & Tyre Companies to name a few.
 
The Bike Channel show will have an up-to-date approach into the Motorcycle World appealing to viewers of all ages and interests. We’ll be reviewing the latest bikes & gear, motorcycle events, interviewing riders, attending race & stunt schools, etc.  Presenters will be set challenges and famous riders will also be joining them to make the programme as informative and interesting as possible.
 
Presenter Suzy Taylor, herself an MX rider, will be fronting the Bike Channel show along with Luke Wilkins, an ex-Kerrang radio DJ who gained a following through his enthusiastic motorcycle diaries on the web.

A fantastic new Harley-Davidson motorbike has been added to the Customizing, Culture & Harley-Davidson exhibition at MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester) to mark the extension of the exhibition, which now runs until 30 October 2011.

The 2006 FLSTCI Heritage Softail, has been made by Shaw Speed and Custom and includes a beautifully designed vintage gas tank and rear fender by Roland Sands Design.

The Heritage Softail motorcycle was one of Sussex-based Shaw Speed and Custom’s launch bikes in 2007 and is a fantastic example of British skills in customisation. The design features striking red candy paint by Image Design Custom, including light smoking with skulls and finished with pinstripes and flames.

Customising, Culture and Harley-Davidson spans early Harley-Davidsons to the very latest in customised motorcycles, many of which have never been displayed to the public before. The exhibition is created by the Claridon Group and MOSI. It is the first time ever that an exhibition has showcased the historic and radical customs of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles, and the culture surrounding them.

Exhibition organiser Chris Scott of Claridon said: “I’m delighted to showcase this fantastic example of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, to celebrate the extension of the Customising Culture & Harley-Davidson exhibition. We’ve had a fantastic response to the exhibition and visitors love the combination of these beautiful machines set against a backdrop of American culture and history, as well as the modern customisation scene in the UK and Europe. I’m pleased to announce the extension of the exhibition until the end of October, so don’t miss your chance to see it!”

Over 30 motorcycles are featured in the exhibition, including models from the UK, Germany, Japan and the US. Each bike has its own story, from a rare 1909 model built in the first decade of Harley-Davidson’s production heritage, to the 1956 KH motorcycle like the one Elvis Presley rode, to the 1948 Ice Road Panhead, which defied motorcycle capabilities in conditions of minus 53 degrees, to complete an expedition to the Arctic.

The exhibition includes a section on the tradition of radically customised Harley-Davidson® motorcycles, two of which have been created especially for the exhibition. There is also a rolling programme of guest motorcycles in the exhibition, courtesy of Sussex-based authorised dealership Shaw Harley-Davidson.

The exhibition also looks at the bike builders, owners and enthusiasts who have embraced the customisation culture to create a unique machine that truly reflects their individual personality and sense of style, as well as the groups that enjoy the freedom that the Harley-Davidson lifestyle has to offer.

All Harley-Davidson bikes are manufactured in Milwaukee, USA, but the almost endless array of available aftermarket parts and accessories worldwide provides radical customisation opportunities and enables owners to realise their own personal dream machine. A full list of all motorcycles in the exhibition is available.

Customising, Culture and Harley-Davidson now runs until 30 October.

Adults £8, Concessions £6.50, HOG Members £6.50, Children (5-16) £2; Under 5s Free; Family £20 (2 adults, 3 children). Tickets can be bought from the MOSI Information Desk in the Great Western Warehouse or at www.ticketmaster.co.uk or by calling 0844 847 2261 (24 hours)*

*order processing fee applies to telephone or online sales

For more information on MOSI look up www.mosi.org.uk

The Honda TT Legends achieved a world-first last weekend, completing the Le Mans 24-hour aboard a Combined ABS-equipped CBR1000RR Fireblade to become the first team to run the system at World Championship level.
  
The Endurance World Championship contenders have been testing Combined ABS throughout the 2011 season, working towards a potential launch at the 8-hour race in Qatar in November. Development has gone so well that the team decided to bring forward the introduction of the system and run it during the ultimate challenge of the Le Mans 24-hour.
 
The Combined ABS system ran smoothly throughout the demanding race, which saw the Honda TT Legends place fifth in a field of 62 teams to rise to ninth in the 2011 Endurance World Championship standings.
 
Honda pioneered the introduction of ABS on road-going motorcycles and the manufacturer has already experienced racing success at national level when a Combined ABS-equipped Fireblade ridden by Karl Muggeridge won the 2010 German Superbike Championship. The Honda TT Legends team will now continue to run Combined ABS for the remainder of the 2011 season – which concludes in Qatar– and into 2012.
 
Neil Tuxworth – Honda TT Legends team manager
 
Our plan was always to develop ABS during the 2011 season and we’ve done a lot of work at various tests. We were very confident that we were ready to go out and race it so we took the risk to use it at Le Mans. Honda has a long history of proving its technology in the ultimate competitive environment and what could be more testing that the Le Mans 24-hour race. We are over the moon with the performance and we had no problems with it whatsoever. The riders were very happy and while we’ll obviously keep developing the system, for this first time being used in World-level racing everything has certainly gone very well.

John McGuinness
 
We had no problems with the Combined ABS system at all. It’s still in the early stages and there are lots of sophisticated parts on the bike, but the brakes were fantastic for the whole of the 24-hours. There are certainly no complaints from me. To get fifth place on the first outing for the system is mega and hopefully we’ll get on the podium with it at some stage.
  
Cameron Donald

Having Combined ABS on the bike was definitely a benefit. I’m sure it got me out of trouble more than once, especially late on the race when fatigue was kicking in. The system ran so smoothly throughout the entire race and I can’t wait to see how it will develop. It’s definitely an exciting prospect.

Keith Amor

We didn’t really know what to expect when the team took the decision to run the Combined ABS bike. It’s pretty much brand new, so to come here and for the bike to last and do what it’s done is fantastic. 24 hours is a long time to race around here on any bike and to finish the race and place fifth on the new ABS machine is brilliant.

Rat Bikes, Rat Rods and other rodent inspired vehicles are all welcome to attend the cafe from 8am on Sunday 30th October, but all should be aware that 'The Cat' and friends will also be present!    

'The Cat', Danny John-Jules, together with Steve Keys and Matt Roberts will be departing the cafe at 10am on their 'Viva Valencia' ride to the final round of MotoGP 2011, all in aid of the charity 'Riders for Health'.

Raise a paw and wave them off!   As well as 'The Cat' riding his Pink bike, Matt Roberts will be riding the unique Jorge Lorenzo Tribute bike, built especially for Lorenzo to ride around TT 2010 - on it's return to the UK the bike is to be auctioned, in aid of Riders for Health, at the forthcoming NEC Birmingham Motorcycle Live Show www.motorcyclelive.co.uk

To help look after The Cat, the Rats and their friends, will be 'kittens' courtesy of Carole Nash and, if stripes are your thing, graphic artist and pinstriper Johnny 'Rat' Bradnam will be on hand with his paint van!  

More information about Viva Valencia and to donate to Riders for Health, check out:   www.motoventures.co.uk