The Motor Cycle Industry Association has appointed a new Chairman. Howard Dale, General Manager, Kawasaki Motors UK, having been Vice Chairman for two years takes over from Tara Glen of E P Barrus Ltd who retires having been chair for the last two years.

Howard spent 10 years working in a motorcycle dealership before joining a major manufacturer in 1991 and with close on 30 years experience of the motorcycle industry has  during this time developed a rounded knowledge of the issues affecting the industry at all levels.

Although Howard is taking on the role during a time of economic challenge, the industry Association, MCI is set fair to meet the challenges of the future and work with all stakeholders to ensure its key aims of improving both the accessibility to motorcycling, and its safety record though the delivery of the "route to safer motorcycling" initiative are achieved.

Howard commented: "As roads become more congested, motorcycling can and will play its part in governments mainstream transport proposals, MCI will work with government to this effect and I am excited about leading MCI during the period when the opportunity for our industry to become a solution provider becomes a reality".  Commenting on his appointment, Howard said: "As someone who has spent their entire career working within the motorcycle industry, I am both humbled and honoured to have been appointed Chairman of the MCI".

"Together with the MCI board of directors we will be working hard to increase accessibility to motorcycling and ensuring motorcycling becomes established as part of the UK's mainstream transport policy."

"It won't be easy but, as an industry working to a single ambition, we have a realistic chance of making some significant changes to the way motorcycles are currently regarded."

Howard will be in attendance at this year's Carole Nash Motorcycle Live (27th Nov - 5th Dec) at the NEC in Birmingham, one of the most important motorcycle events in the UK, where he will host both the visit of Transport Minister - Mike Penning and on the 30th November the first annual MCI member conference, of recent times, which will provide insights into current issues being managed by the Association on behalf of its members.

Geoff Hill and Collin O'Carroll are celebrating the publication of their inspiring and hilarious travelogue, Oz: Around Australia on a Triumph.

The celebration takes place on Wednesday 24 November, during an Oz themed launch at Adelaide Insurance Services, 4-6 Boucher Road, Belfast. The pair circumnavigated Australia on Tiger 1050s, taking 10-12 weeks to cover the 15,000 miles of the legendary Highway One before the road is decommissioned in 2010.

Geoff, who's already ridden from Delhi to Belfast on an Enfield and Chile to Alaska on a Triumph for the best-selling books Way to Go and The Road to Gobblers Knob, faced his mightiest challenge: the wombats of Oz. To give you a flavour of their adventure we have lifted this from their website blog, The Adelaide To Adelaide Adventure:

“Since Geoff has only been to Perth before, and since Colin was born in Northern Ireland and grew up in Australia wrestling sharks, snogging kangaroos and riding dirt bikes, the series and book will be written from two contrasting and equally entertaining viewpoints: Geoff as a relative first-timer and Colin revisiting the land of his lost youth, which is the subject of his own book, Belfast Boomerang, to be published by Blackstaff Press in 2011. It’s the wombats that worry me most,” said Geoff. “Apparently they go to sleep in the middle of the road because it’s nice and warm, so if you’re stupid enough to ride at night, you hit this furry speed bump. They’re saved by a layer of cartilage on their back which protects them from dingo attacks, but you end up down the road in a heap of wreckage.”

Come along from 4.30 pm and crack open a tinny with Geoff and Colin as they discuss their adventure around Oz on a Triumph.

Exclusive film footage recorded during their trip will be shown, a live band will play and, refreshments will be available.

www.blackstaffpress.com

www.adelaideadventures.com

Fans of off-road bikes and sport will be flocking to Birmingham on 4th December for Dirt Day at Carole Nash Motorcycle Live with the news that more of the world’s top off-road racers will be appearing.

The Event has already announced the attendance of MX GP aces Sébastien Pourcel and Gautier Paulin and this has been bolstered by the news that Honda’s British MX1 champion Evgeny Bobryshev will also be at Carole Nash Motorcycle Live on 4 December.

The popular Russian will join other top level off-road racers heading for Birmingham, including Shaun Simpson, Zach Osborne, Martin Barr, Jake Nicholls, Nathan Parker and Paul Malin. But fans can do so much more than just look at new bikes and world-class riders.

Visitors from the age of five can have a go themselves on a variety of off-road riding activities, including Suzuki’s Off-road Experience which features a series of berms and straights with expert adv ice from qualified motocross experts.

Yamaha comes to Carole Nash Motorcycle Live with an indoor motocross school and an outdoor enduro experience and there’s even an opportunity for visitors to test their skill and balance in a free trials lesson in the ACU Trials Zone.

With more new off-road models on display under one roof than anywhere else in the UK, Carole Nash Motorcycle Live will also offer fans the opportunity to see the latest products up-close and personal from 27 November to 5 December, but with special attention paid to Dirt Day, when stars from the world of dirt drop in to meet fans and chat on the Black Horse stage in the Arai Entertainment Zone.

Finlay McAllan, Managing Director of Event organisers, MCI Exhibitions, said: “Naturally we're thrilled that all these top riders have chosen our Event to interact with their fans. We’re also delighted to have more new off-road product than at any other UK event. Off- road sport is incredibly important to the future of motorcycling, allowing kids to get onto two wheels at a very early stage.”

He added: “While it's fantastic to have all these great riders appearing and major manufacturers exhibiting their latest models, we're especially pleased to be able to offer the opportunity to get on and ride at the NEC, too. With several off-road experience features, you really can try motocross, trials and enduro all in one-day while taking in a freestyle MX show and getting the kids onto two-wheels for the first time.”

Carole Nash Motorcycle Live runs from 27 November – 5 December 2010. Tickets are £15 in advance for adults, £10 for Seniors, £5 for children aged 11-16 and kids under 10 go free. All riding experiences are free. The Ramp’d Up display is £5 per adult and £2.50 for children 5 - 16.

For Yamaha Off-Road and Enduro Experiences, participants must have s ome experience of having ridden a clutch-operated motorbike. For the ACU trials lessons, riders must have a valid DVLA motorcycle licence or current CBT certificate. Participation is subject to availability and can only be booked at the event. Age and height restrictions apply.

www.motorcyclelive.co.uk

North west road safety initiative RideSafe BackSafe and the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) are heralding their Rider Assessment Scheme a great success after nearly 150 motorcyclists  completed the courses.

The series of one day events were held monthly from April to October in Chorley, Lancashire and primarily appealed to full motorcycle licence holders wishing to improve their riding skills with help from advanced riding assessors. The format included an interactive theory session about the challenges that motorcyclists face as vulnerable road users and a one-to-one appraisal for every rider after an observed ride on local roads.

North west Regional Groups Co-ordinator for the IAM, Ian Marginson, explains; "Motorcyclists came to us from Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cumbria and further afield and the feedback at the end of each day was always good. 90% of riders were men, although we are seeing the number of women who take part increase steadily each year. The cost of the scheme was just £20 per person and nearly half of participants also signed up for the IAM’s ‘Skills For Life’ course to improve their riding skills even further. RideSafe BackSafe has played an integral part by promoting the scheme and making an introductory presentation about how they aim to reduce casualties on the road. It has worked really well in 2010 and we are all keen to expand this next year“.

Nearly 20% of all fatal and serious injury casualties involved in road traffic collisions are motorcyclists and yet, they make up less than one percent of all road users.                                                                                                                  

RideSafe BackSafe Spokesperson, Karen Delaney, continues; “Other road users need to ‘think bike’ and ‘think biker’, but we can also help motorcyclists directly by giving them easy and affordable access to schemes such as this to develop their riding skills and improve their well-being on the roads. We would like to continue working with the IAM in 2011 and have a few new ideas that would increase the appeal and the reach of this scheme“.

More information can be viewed at either www.ridesafebacksafe.co.uk or www.iam.org.uk