America’s top-selling and leading motorcycle magazine, Cycle World has announced its “10 Best Bikes of 2011” and among them awarded Italian manufacturer, Ducati, with “Best Open Streetbike” award for the Multistrada 1200 S Sport and “Best Cruiser” for the incredible new Diavel Carbon. 

It is for the second successive year that the game-changing Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Sport has won the “Best Open Streetbike” award, underlining the incredible success of the innovative 4-bikes-in-1 concept that has made it Ducati’s top-selling model world-wide.

Recognising the motorcycle’s design, Cycle World wrote:

“For the second year running, Ducati’s Multistrada 1200 S Sport has proven that its do-anything design, awesome on and off-road performance and category-leading features deserve recognition… Its tall adventure-bike stature puts its pilot in a comfortable and commanding seating position. Even in standard form, without the Sport’s excellent electronically adjustable Öhlins suspension, Ducati Traction Control, ABS and multiple-power-mode, ride-by-wire fuel injection, this Italian V-Twin is a sure winner. But with these weapons at its disposal, the Multistrada 1200 S Sport is one of the most capable and potent all-around machines we’ve ever tested.”

When unveiled at the Milan motorcycle show at the end of 2010, the Ducati Diavel represented a bold departure from the company’s sporting image, but the Bologna based manufacturer combined its sport technology and experience with elements of cruiser styling to present its own interpretation. This courageous, out-of-the-box thinking is something that has set Ducati aside from its competitors and enabled it to constantly redefine established sectors of the market.

Cycle World celebrated the Diavel’s challenge to the industry and wrote:

“Sure, you can go apehanger, floorboards or any number of more traditional routes in this most traditional of categories. Or you can say, Screw it! and let the focus groups focus on their navels. Ducati did just that, channelling the performance-minded spirit of classic American V-Twins like the Crocker and infusing it with garlic and other more modern powerful Italian spices (such as carbon fiber) to come up with one of the coolest, fastest, most fun motorcycles ever made, one that happens to be a “cruiser.”…it was impossible not to pick it as Best Cruiser.”

This important recognition mirrors the current success of Ducati in the US, where the famous Bologna brand has turned crisis into opportunity, with exciting product responsible for increasing its first half-year sales by 18.1% compared to 2010. In a market which has actually retreated by 8.8%, this clearly underlines the value of the award-winning Ducati Diavel and Multistrada 1200 as well as the Hypermotard 796, Monster 696 and 796 models. With the new Monster 1100EVO about to arrive stateside, Ducati are highly confident of their continued performance in the very important US market .

Ace Cafe London has teamed up with Rock of Ages - The Musical. Pick up a Rock of Ages postcard at the cafe, or from the Ace stand at either this weekend's High Voltage Festival, Victoria Park, London or at the cafe's Streetfighter & Stunt Festival, Brent Cross (Sunday 31st July) or at the cafe's Harley weekend (Thursday 25th - Sunday 28th August) to be in with a chance of winning two top price tickets and a nights stay at the Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury, Central London.
 
In addition, pairs of tickets to the show are for grabs as prizes for "Best Harleys" on Warr's HD Nights at the cafe, from 6pm on the last Thursdays of July, August and September.
 
The show, featuring 28 classic anthems, starring Justin Lee Collins & Shayne Ward, has been described as "Spinal Tap meets Rocky Horror", kicks off on Wednesday 31st August at London's Shaftsbury Theatre.
 
www.rockofagesmusical.co.uk

Red Dwarf’s ‘Cat’ and BBC MotoGP presenter lead charity ride on bright pink bikes from London to Southern Spain

Viva Valencia!, the charity ride being undertaken by Red Dwarf’s The Cat, real name Danny John-Jules, BBC MotoGP presenter, Matt Roberts, and Steve Keys, now has an official website – www.motoventures.co.uk
 
John-Jules and Keys, owner of the UK’s first Yamaha dealer, have been raising awareness and money for the charity, Riders for Health, by attending numerous events and shows on two bright pink Yamaha R1s over the past year. In October, the boys will be joined by Roberts to ride 1200 miles from Ace Cafe London to the Ricardo Tormo circuit, Valencia, Spain for the last race of the 2011 MotoGP championship.

The new website will bring news, updates, photos and list events that the Viva Valencia! team are attending, but, more importantly, it will be a place for people to donate to the charity, either using the pledge button or buying one of the special T-shirts on offer.

Riders for Health works by supplying and maintaining reliable transport for health workers to reach people in remote parts of Africa. Millions of people in Africa die from easily preventable diseases and the charity tries to prevent this by making sure these people can receive regular, reliable health care often for the first time in their lives.

The ride, which will be filmed for a TV documentary, will leave on October 30th from the Ace Cafe on London’s North Circular and follow a route taking in France’s Champagne region, Dijon, Montpellier and Barcelona; giving the boys plenty of time to take in local culture.

Once the team arrives in Valencia on November 3rd, they will be meeting up with local supporters of Riders for Health and then lead approximately 200 bikes into the circuit for a parade lap, followed by Spain's very own Day of Champions where, it is hoped, they will be auctioning for the charity some of the exclusive items they have gathered during their trip.

Danny John-Jules, currently in Guadalupe filming the new BBC One series Death in Paradise, said: ‘I’m a huge bike racing fan and supporter of the amazing work that Riders for Health does for the people living in remote parts of Africa. The charity provides and maintains motorcycles so that doctors and medical staff can reach these people – basic, but essential and life saving. To be able to ride down to the Valencia MotoGP with a couple of mates and help this charity along the way is a fantastic way to spend a week!

Matt Roberts will ride the 1200 miles on the specially painted Yamaha R1 that MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo used during a parade lap at the 2010 Isle of Man TT:

"As soon as Danny (John-Jules) and Steve (Keys) told me about their plan to ride to Valencia, I wanted in! I know it is going to be a long trip and the R1 isn't exactly built for comfort, but it's all for a great cause and I know there'll be plenty of laughs along the way. I'm also a big Red Dwarf fan so for me it doesn't get much cooler than riding with the Cat!"

Visit www.motoventures.co.uk to donate and keep up with regular news.

As from Wednesday 3rd August, the Motorcycle Evenings will move to The Events Area at Hatton Country World, just a mile down the road.

Following an in depth review of The Waterman business and various safety issues, we have reluctantly concluded that the large number of motorcyclists we welcome on Wednesday evenings during the Summer make it impossible for us to give our increasing number of midweek diners a consistently pleasant experience. We cannot accommodate both and our primary concern has to be our core restaurant customers.

The shops and farm village at Hatton Country World close at 5:30pm, so motorcyclists will enjoy exclusive use of the venue. The events area already hosts a number of car rallies and charity events.

In addition to the existing catering and toilet facilities, we will also operate an outside bar and BBQ.

We look forward to seeing you at the Events Area on Wednesdays from 3rd August.

Johnnie Arkwright @ Hatton Estate

www.hattonestate.co.uk

AFTER COST OF MOTORCYCLE THEFT PUT AT OVER £100m RESEARCH REVEALS LONDON BIKERS NEARLY FIVE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO HAVE THEIR BIKE STOLEN

London bikers are most at risk of having their motorcycle stolen with those living in the South West of the capital suffering  theft rates nearly five times the UK average according to new data published by the UK’s biggest motorcycle insurance specialist.

The publication of Carole Nash’s annual Motorcycle Theft Survey follows a warning from the Motorcycle Crime Reduction Group that bike thefts rates are rising and now cost an estimated £105m annually. It also follows reports that the Metropolitan Police’s Stole Vehicle Unit, one of the last remaining in Britain, is set to be disbanded following budget cuts.

The survey pinpoints the nation’s hotspots by comparing the number of theft claims Carole Nash received against the number of bikers it insures in each area of the country.  The results show massive variations in risk with London boroughs occupying nine of the top ten worst hit areas.

Bikers in South West London, who topped the table, were found to suffer a theft rate over 30 times higher than those in low risk areas such as Shrewsbury or Bath. Outside of London the highest rates were found in Huddersfield – the only provincial entry in the top ten – Edinburgh, Halifax, Dundee and Manchester. The highest climber in the league of 116 main postcode areas was Walsall, the West Midlands town leaping 71 places from 90th to 19th.

To see how bikers fared in your area view the full league table.

“We’ve been conducting this research for a number of years now and the London boroughs have consistently suffered the highest theft rates. The message could not be clearer to bikers in these high risk areas that they must minimise the dangers they face by investing in effective security devices and choosing sensible places to park” commented Carole Nash’s commercial director, Simon Jackson. “It also highlights the need for local authorities and private sector providers to increase the availability of dedicated secure motorcycle parking facilities.”

The company said that whilst most bikers took sensible precautions against theft, some were less diligent. “At the end of the day a determined thief will move hell and high water to steal a high value bike, even dismantling a garage breezeblock by breezeblock. But a lot of thefts are simply opportunistic and some bikers are guilty of creating opportunity,” explained Jackson.

The Carole Nash research comes in the wake of similar findings by the Motorcycle Crime Reduction Group which has reported that 50 percent of all thefts occurred in London. The MCRG - which includes representatives from the police, insurers, security companies and bike manufacturers - has expressed concern that motorcycle theft has increased. Analysing data from the Police National Computer it found that in 2009 nearly 26,000 bikes were stolen. “Compared to other automotive sectors motorcycle theft is rising, especially when taking into account the number of new machines being registered these days ” commented MCRG chairman, Kevin Howells. “Using PNC data, on average there are 77 motorcycles and scooters being stolen every day which creates a massive financial bill for riders, manufacturers, dealers, finance companies and insurers and can deter people from continuing to ride or even taking up two wheels, precisely at a time when the industry is working so hard to raise awareness and highlight the benefits including lower costs and convenience that biking offers over other forms of transport.”

Jackson agreed saying: “Much of the bill is borne by insurers and, ultimately, by bikers in the premiums they pay so it is in all our interests to tackle the theft problem”.

He offered a range of tips to help reduce theft risk and minimise insurance costs.

• Spend as much as you can afford on insurance approved security devices like ground anchors, tagging systems and immobilisers. As well as helping protect your machine they should earn you a welcome discount on your insurance (Carole Nash offer up to 10 percent off).
• Garage it. If you can, try to keep your bike out of sight in a locked garage. If you must leave it on a driveway fit a ground anchor and use a cover.
• Be careful where you park.  With too few designated secure motorcycle parking facilities, the onus is on you. Choose a well lit, highly visible public area, preferably covered by CCTV. 
• Lock it to an immovable object. Organised thieves often simply lift bikes off the pavement and spirit them away in the back of a van. Don’t make it easy for them – secure your bike to an immovable object using a hefty lock, and use an ear-splitting alarm that’ll rattle their cages.
• Whenever possible keep locks and chains off the floor – this will prevent thieves from smashing them on tarmac or concrete with a lump hammer.
• If there are a few of you riding, lock your bikes together. There’s safety in numbers.

The Carole Nash survey also revealed which types of bikers suffered the highest theft rates.  Perhaps unsurprisingly scooters and mopeds were most favoured by thieves. They were almost twice as likely to be stolen as tourers which were least at risk of all motorcycle types.