Virtual Reality technology has enabled us to explore far-flung locations that we might never have been able to visit, which is great for people with a motorcycle hobby who don’t get much time to get out on the open road.

VR headsets, software and devices have allowed motorcycle fanatics to continue enjoying their hobby in a much cheaper and more convenient way. Find out more about how VR will change the motorcycle hobby right here.

How is VR changing the motorcycle hobby?  

People who enjoy motorcycling as a hobby often have to plan out ways to reach desirable locations well in advance, which means finding anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days or more.

These same people tend to work long hours, therefore, don’t get too much time to indulge in their passion for going out on the open road. VR technology is changing this.

Thanks to the latest developments in VR headsets and other cutting-edge VR technology, motorcyclists looking to get away can now experience being out on the open road from the comfort of their homes.

It means they get to spend more time with the family and can still enjoy their favourite pastime. It may not be the same as being on a motorcycle taking in the Scottish Highlands, the African Wilderness, the Mountains of Nepal, or the Australian outback, but it’s the next best thing, and it’s becoming extremely popular.

Are VR casinos a thing? You can now take up more hobbies thanks to VR technology, one of which is VR casinos. You can enjoy online poker at today’s best VR casinos, although they are still not yet as good as live dealer casinos from award-winning software providers, such as Evolution Gaming, Playtech, NetEnt, and Pragmatic Play.

What are the best VR headsets in 2023?

If you’re looking to see what all the fuss is about and get your hands on a VR headset in 2023, then you may want to consider investing in one of these top-of-the-range devices before purchasing any other VR headsets.

Some of the best VR headsets on the market today are the following impressive devices:

● Valve Index VR Kit – this innovative piece of kit will set you back around $1,000, and it’s regarded by many as the best PC VR headset for gamers

● Meta Quest 2 – you can get your hands on this all-round relatively affordable device for just $400, and it’s a huge hit with most people

● HTC VIVE Pro 2 – this top-of-the-range headset costs just over $1,280, but if you want the best of the best, this is the device for you

● HP Reverb G2 – if you’re looking for a decent device for less than $400, then you may want to invest in this for just $380

Honourable mentions

One of the other reliable VR devices on the market today is the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite. If you’re looking for something much cheaper, you may want a headset you can hook up to your smartphone or Nintendo Switch.

Examples include the BNEXT VR Headset, which is compatible with iPhone and Android phones, the OIVO VR Headset, which is compatible with the Nintendo Switch, and the VR Shinecon Virtual Reality Headset.

You also have the Pansonite VR Headset with remote control, the Viotek Spectre VR headset for most smartphones, the PlayStation VR Marvel’s Iron Man VR Bundle, and Atlasonix VR Headset, and the Oivo VR headset for the Nintendo Switch, to name just a few great VR devices.

Top 5 motorcycle destinations in the world

If you aren’t yet convinced by VR headsets and would prefer to visit some of the world’s best motorcycle road trip destinations in person, there are several highly recommended locations you should add to your bucket list. They include the following:

● Australia’s Oxley Highway

● Spain/Morocco’s Granada to Marrakech

● America’s Pacific Coast Highway  

● Wales’s Historic Coastline

● Nepal’s Kathmandu to Mount Everest Base Camp

People are also fond of several other top locations, such as the Pan American Highway in South Peru, Paso de San Francisco in Argentina, and even the Coast of Britain.

If that’s not enough to keep you going, you also have Dalton Highway in Alaska, the Valley of the Rocks in the Bolivian Andes, Salar de Uyuni (the Salt Flats), which is also in Bolivia, and Cairo to Khartoum in Egypt / Sudan.

Preparing your trip to any of these destinations will take months of planning, but don’t forget that plenty of helpful websites can help do all the hard work for you and take the stress out of the planning part of the operation.

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After last year’s great satisfaction, the will to share the on-track excitement had to continue and this is why we will see the logo of the well-known, Cotignola-based company BATTIPAV on the conveyor of Di Giannantonio and new arrival Alex Marquez’s Ducati machines, as well as on the riders’ leathers, pit-box panels and hospitality.  

This is a worthy tribute to celebrate the 40 years of activity for the company specialised in machines and tools for the building industry, which operates both on the Italian territory and Internationally thanks to the state-of-the-art projects by the Tondini family.  

Passion and Made in Italy will be back in full display in Europe and around the world, to deliver unforgettable moments of true sport to the millions of enthusiasts.  

STEFANO TONDINI – GENERAL MANAGER, BATTIPAV
“The level of succes achieved in 2022 has created plenty of buzz, but also excited the guests selected by Battipav, who had the lucky chance to celebrate together with Team Gresini at the track! There will be plenty of benefits and surprises in store this year, too, for those brand Ambassadors who chose to wear the colours and values of the Italian company – and will enjoy a true #BattipavExperience. 
 
CARLO MERLINI – MARKETING AND COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, GRESINI RACING
“First of all, I would like to wish a happy birthday to Battipav! Forty years are quite the milestone for this company, which was able to combine a family atmosphere with innovation, digitalisation and strong attention to human resources – the real asset of every company. And we’re glad that this recurrence coincides with another year of partnership with Team Gresini MotoGP. Last year, in what was the debut season of the Battipav – Gresini MotoGP partnership, was quite a sensational one and we’re sure 2023 has plenty of more excitement in store with Alex and Diggia, two young, talented and extremely motivated riders! I would like to thank Stefano, Ketty and Claudio for their passion and trust.”

Suzuki has confirmed its withdrawal from the British Superbike Championship, ahead of the 2023 season.

Aligning with its global racing strategy – which saw the termination of its MotoGP project as well as a scaling back of factory support in the Endurance World Championship – and following the departure of the current GSX-R1000R model from European markets, Suzuki has suspended its official involvement in the premier domestic superbike series.

Over the past six seasons – in partnership with Hawk Racing – the Suzuki GSX-R1000R has won superbike and superstock races with the likes of Bradley Ray, Richard Cooper, Sylvain Guintoli, Kyle Ryde, Gino Rea, Tim Neave, Billy McConnell, and Charlie Nesbitt behind the ‘bars. And in 2019 Cooper also helped steer Suzuki and Hawk Racing to the National Superstock 1000 Championship title.

There has also been success on the roads, with Cooper taking podium finishes at the North West 200, while Michael Dunlop raced the GSX-R to victory in the 2017 Senior TT, the bike’s first appearance at the prestigious Isle of Man TT races.

Suzuki would like to thank the riders and fans for their support, and especially Steve and Stuart Hicken and everyone at Hawk Racing for their hard work and dedication over the last six years, without which none of those historic results would have been possible. Everyone at Suzuki wishes the team well for the future.

Suzuki will continue to support racers campaigning GSX-R machinery at all levels via its Race Parts Programme.

There are some excellent cafes scattered around the UK, and some are better than others in terms of the meals they serve up and the general hospitality on offer. However, some cafes go the extra mile and not only welcome bikers but are geared towards groups of bikers stopping by. And we have the lowdown on the best of them below.

Super Sausage Café    

The Super Sausage Café, which is located on the A5 close to Potterspury, is the number one biker café in the whole of the UK in the eyes of many. You know a place means business when it wins awards, and this place has won multiple. For the owners, everything they do revolves around quality, from the equipment they use to the food they serve, as part of a process. The café’s hospitality is also great as visitors can tuck into a fantastic breakfast, read the paper, and even looking at the latest news for all the latest GP events at any of the trusted online sportsbetting sites.

The Old Brewery Cafe   

The Old Brewery Cafe is an interesting inclusion because it’s based at Moto Corsa in Gillingham, which is a state-of-the-art showroom described as “the home of rare & exceptional motorcycles.” Now, in our opinion, this place could very well be the stuff dreams are made of for bikers because not only can they check out some great rides, they can then head into The Old Brewery Cafe and enjoy some excellent food too. It’s essentially the perfect combination, especially for those who have to travel a bit of a way to get there or for bikers who are in the market to make a new purchase.

Harry’s Café  

We think The Old Brewery Cafe and the link-up with Moto Corsa is so fantastic that the next inclusion on this list follows suit.  
Harry’s Café is another place perfect for bikers to dine that is attached to a bike shop, and this time it’s Fowlers of Bristol where the magic occurs. At Fowler’s of Bristol, which is, of course, based in Bristol, there is everything a biker could ever want or need, from kit through to motorcycles themselves. And then, in what is an impressive building, there is Harry’s Café, where all the traditional biker fare is available to eat in or take away.  

Penny Garth Café     

Penny Garth Café is the final entry on this list, and in many ways, it takes somewhat of a different approach to the other inclusions, which makes it the perfect way to end. Penny Garth Café is in the ideal location of Hawes in North Yorkshire because those riding through the Yorkshire Dales will find it en route. It’s smaller than the other cafés listed in one sense , ut larger than a lot of cafés, with seating outdoors and plenty of bike parking available. Everything they serve, from breakfasts to cakes, is great, and the added touch of a 24-hour webcam allowing bikers to determine the weather before travelling is fantastic.

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FIRST TESTS FOR ALEIX, MAVERICK, AND THE NEW RS-GP: APRILIA’S WORK OVER THE WINTER BREAK PASSES WITH FLYING COLOURS

One of the most highly anticipated events of the year came to a close today with the chequered flag over the first of the 2023 MotoGP tests. Three days that riders and techs exploited to test and analyse the new technical solutions developed over the winter break.

All exams were passed in the Aprilia camp. Both Aleix and Maverick approved the new RS-GP, considering it a positive step in all the major areas. From the most visible aerodynamics – the feather in the Italian racing department’s cap – to equally fundamental details such as the engine, the chassis and the electronics package.

The information gathered during the six days of testing (if we also consider the three shakedown sessions done by tester Lorenzo Savadori), will be analysed and assessed ahead of the Portimão tests. Four weeks of intense work to introduce more new features and to confirm the technical package for the season start.

Aleix Espargaró
"I can consider myself satisfied with this first test, despite the weather costing us time yesterday. The new RS-GP is definitely faster than the previous version. It has improved a bit in every area and if we add up many small improvements, the end result is good. This doesn’t change the fact that it’s still too early to form a definitive opinion. The engineers will have a month before the next test in Portimão and much can still change."

Maverick Viñales
"I’m pleased. Aprilia did a lot of work over the winter and I already feel much more comfortable on the RS-GP. There are clearly still things to improve, also because in these first tests we tried a lot of different components without going in depth into the setting details. But overall, I think we have higher technical potential than we did at the end of last season and that is an outstanding sensation to have for the first test."