Steaming On!
The South-West's largest festival of vintage transport makes a welcome return

The 46th Annual Gloucestershire Vintage & Country Extravaganza, South Cerney Airfield, Cirencester 5-7 August 2022
After a 2-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the 46th Gloucestershire Vintage & Country Extravaganza will make a welcome return to South Cerney Airfield, Cirencester on the 5-7 August 2022.

Rally Chairman Martyn Slater, said: 'The show will be packed full of exhibits, displays, entertainment and stalls to keep the whole family entertained. We pride ourself on being one of the best value days out for all. As such we’ve frozen our prices for the 11th year. What’s more, the event helps local and national charities’ with up to 30 represented on site raising money and awareness of their respective causes. The Club (S.V.T.E.C) has donated over £200,000 for charity in recent years. So, whether you are an exhibitor, visitor, trade stand, entertainer or volunteer, we can’t wait to welcome you back to the show and let the good times roll...’

Live Action Arena - the Steam Section is at the heart of the show and will be packed with nearly 70 full-size Steam Engines of all descriptions. The infamous 'Demonstration Arena' puts these mighty machines to the test, plus there’s the opportunity to drive one. Don’t miss the grand parade of miniature steam in the Alec Tanner arena or watch The Royal British Legion Poppy Parachute Display Team daily descent.

The Countryside Arena - promotes animal conservation and features fun and educational displays from bird of prey flying demonstrations, ferret racing, rare breeds, shire horses, horse logging, reptiles to bee hive making. The popular Dog Show will make its return with all money raised going to a local animal shelter.

Kids will love it too – there’s so much to keep them entertained from the vintage fairground with the popular Fairground Organs, 'electric yachts', waltzers, big wheel, steam-driven 'gallopers', traditional penny arcade games, to passenger rides on board a 10¼ inch scale steam locomotive or ‘Chuffy the train’ to Professor Colliwobble with his traditional Punch and Judy Show.

Massive Trade Stand zone - featuring 180 trade stands, autojumble and craft marquees where you can have a rummage to find a hidden gem or bargain along the way.

Food & Drink - There’s plenty of food and drink ‘pit stops’ across the showground, a firm favourite is the vintage tea room with the 1940s Radio.com broadcasting a great selection of tunes, Lindy Hop dancers plus regular sets by vintage singer Miss Franny Delight. Miss Franny will delight you with songs from the 1920s through to modern day with a vintage twist.

FREE vintage bus rides - Operating around the perimeter of the show site, and to and from Cirencester Town Centre and Kemble railway station to the show ground connecting with selected First Great Western Trains inc Stroud, Glos and Chelt.

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For further information, please visit: www.glosvintageextravaganza.co.uk

The new Harley-Davidson Pan America is nothing less than a milestone in the company's history. Up until now, the Motor Company has never developed a vehicle specifically for offroad use.
Scouting the Adventure Country Track across the Pyrenees, the Touratech test team ascertained that the Pan America is indeed a serious player in this sector. And it's no wonder that numerous concepts for accessories ideal for adventures big and small were born out of this tough ride.
 
Protectors for comprehensive protection
The Pan America provided an open flank in terms of vehicle protection in offroad use. The developers saw great potential, in terms of remedying the danger to the engine from flying stones and impacts and providing fall protection for radiators, tank and bodywork, and developed solutions. Comprehensive protection is provided through the combination of the Expedition engine guard and the crash bars. The protector package is rounded off by radiator and manifold guards, as well as headlight protectors, with versions available in either metal or Makrolon.
 
Versatile luggage solutions
For transporting luggage on the Pan Am, Touratech has created the exclusive, specially designed ZEGA Evo X "Premium Edition" system. In addition to the two aluminium panniers made of black anodised aluminium - one of which is recessed to fit snugly around the exhaust - this set includes a black-coated stainless steel rack, two high-quality inner bags and a complete set of locks.
Smaller items of equipment that need to be quickly accessible can be stored in the waterproof, super-durable EXTREME Edition tank bag. And of course, the Touratech developers have also thought of a rack to hold the tried and tested ZEGA topcases.
 
Attention to detail
Smart details, such as the anti-theft guard for the TFT, the side stand base extension, the comfortable long-distance foot pegs or the mounting adapter for navigation devices, are the direct result of practical travel experience.
With these parts from Touratech, the Harley-Davidson Pan America is ideally equipped for any adventure between Milwaukee and Madagascar.
 
Further information can be found in the Webshop

A very important three-day test has drawn to a close today at Lombok, which also ended winter testing for MotoGP. Team Gresini showed they can be among the protagonists straight from the get-go with an excellent performance by Bastianini both at Sepang and Mandalika, while Fabio Di Giannantonio has already proved he can comfortably be within the premier class. The Mandalika Circuit has surely presented some challenges for the two riders: track conditions were never perfect and line mistakes, which are absolutely normal on a new track, came with a big price to pay.

Fabio Di Giannantonio crashed unhurt twice, one on the opening day (turn ten) and the other on the second and final day (turn 11): both crashes came after similar mistakes, as the rider #49 lost the front-end and tumbled onto the very-wide gravel traps of the Indonesian track. The Rome-born rider did well in making sure those setbacks did not affect him as he worked both on time attack and race pace, with the priority being to improve his feeling with the Desmosedici GP21 machine.

Enea Bastianini had another great weekend, on a track that does not suit his riding style perfectly. Less late braking, but great feeling especially in the fast part of the track and with soft tyres, which helped the premier class sophomore log the 13th quickest time on the Ducati – one tenth shy of top five. One thing the Italian did remarkably well was to find his time attack lap in a matter of a few minutes, which is something absolutely crucial qualifying-wise ahead of the season.

13th - ENEA BASTIANINI #23 (1’31.599 – 129 laps)
“It was a very positive test, and we’re ready for Qatar. I got to know the 2021 bike properly, even though I also liked it at Jerez. Today’s result is not very indicative… We only worked on the race pace and the feeling was excellent. Things are going great with the team and I think we made a step forward even compared to Sepang: the more time we spend on the bike, the more we can be competitive. We have a little more experience compared to last season and honestly speaking it is also easier to work with the team: now I know what to ask for and what to tell them. I just can’t wait now.”

21st - FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49 (1’31.915 – 149 laps)
“It has been a positive preseason for us. We improved a lot aboard the Ducati and we managed to do so day after day. Today we also did a race simulation and we’re very happy. We are still in our early ‘school’ days but there’s plenty of motivation to do well. Compared to Sepang - where we lost a few days - we made an important step forward and now we need to keep both feet on the ground and think one step at the time. Qatar is around the corner so now it will be about anxiously waiting for another three weeks.”

ALEIX AND MAVERICK CONSISTENT ONCE AGAIN ON THE NEW INDONESIAN CIRCUIT AND READY FOR THE FIRST 2022 RACE IN QATAR 

New track, same feedback: on the Indonesian circuit of Mandalika, just like in Sepang, the 2022 Aprilia RS-GP once again proved to be a project with good potential. Over the course of the three days of testing, the last tests before the official season start in Qatar, Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales put the new prototypes to the test and agreeing that the work done by Aprilia’s techs has passed with flying colours.

The track, where the second race of the season will be held, did not offer a great deal of grip for this first approach. This is a complicated situation, but also a chance to see how the new bike reacts in less than optimum grip conditions. The good sensations perceived in Malaysia were confirmed, not only by the lap times, but especially by the good feelings both riders had in terms of overall improvements to the bike, with plenty of margin to work with and a good base to take to Qatar.

Aleix Espargaró
"We can’t evaluate the worth of preseason tests so much based on times as on the confidence that we’ve done a good job. From this point of view, I think that both Aprilia and I are headed to Qatar with a good base. The new bike has demonstrated improvements in all areas. We can and must improve, that much is certain, also because my goal is to do better than last year. It will not be at all simple because, in my opinion, this will be the most competitive and demanding MotoGP season ever."

Maverick Viñales
"I'm pleased with our tests. It’s still early to define our level with certainty, but the new RS-GP proved to be fast on two extremely different tracks like Sepang and Mandalika. My feeling also improved progressively, although I still can't say it’s perfect, while Aprilia’s techs are getting better and better at meeting my needs. I still need time in the saddle, especially on race weekends, because I feel like I still have plenty of margin to be faster. In any case, I'm feeling positive ahead of the first race in Qatar - a track where I have always been comfortable."

AN ADVANCED RS-GP AND THREE TOP-LEVEL RIDERS: ALEIX ESPARGARÓ, MAVERICK VIÑALES, AND TEST RIDER LORENZO SAVADORI

 ON THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR FIRST WORLD TITLE, APRILIA RACING IS FINALLY ON THE GRID AS A FACTORY TEAM.

MASSIMO RIVOLA: "A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY BUT ALSO ADDED MOTIVATION"

ROMANO ALBESIANO: "THE NEW RS-GP IS THE PROFOUND EVOLUTION OF AN ALREADY OUTSTANDING PROJECT"

The year 2022 marks an important time for Aprilia Racing in its young MotoGP history. In fact, the Italian team gains Factory Team status, yet another step forward in a growth trend that has been clear over the last two seasons, culminating in the podium at Silverstone last year, a result that Aprilia had never before achieved in its history in MotoGP.

At the end of the 2021 season, Aleix Espargaró finished eighth in the overall championship standings, moving up nine positions and tripling the points he had earned in the previous seasons. This is a great result which is only the starting point for the 2022 evolution, a season where Aprilia will be on the grid with a profoundly revamped RS-GP with respect to what has proven to be a good technical base. Not only the results, but more than anything else, the gap behind the best riders (never before so consistently low in the brand’s history), convinced the racing department engineers to focus their work on all areas of performance. Without revolutionising, but with the innovative ability that has always made Aprilia’s efforts stand out in racing.

Taking the new RS-GP machines onto the track will be a line-up of extremely high-level riders. Riding alongside the ultra-confirmed “team captain” Aleix Espargaró will be Maverick Viñales, the newest member of the Aprilia family. Carrying out the dual role of tester and wild-card rider will be Lorenzo Savadori, the young rider who has demonstrated consistent progress since his début in an extremely demanding category.

Aleix Espargaró
“I can't wait to get back on the track with my team. After many years together, they are no longer just mechs and techs. They are truly part of my family and, from that point of view, the winter break always seems too long. I'm extremely pumped up. The years may pass, but I am still just as hungry as I was when I began and I'm at the top of my game physically. For the first tests, I chose a helmet with graphics dedicated to all Aprilia’s fist podiums in the various classes, including the one we earned together at Silverstone. It seems like the right way to kick off the season and pay tribute to this brand’s great racing heritage. The goal is obviously to add more images to this gallery”.

Maverick Viñales
“From my first moment on this team, I realised that I had been chosen for a purpose - to take Aprilia to the top of modern MotoGP. This is the goal we are all working towards. I don’t think it’s fair to make predictions. I prefer focusing on the job at hand and on preparing because I believe that results are a direct consequence of our efforts. We had the great opportunity of getting to know one another ahead of time, doing a few races together and beginning to understand our reciprocal needs. We’ll need to exploit this advantage as much as possible. I am highly satisfied with the job the racing department did over the winter and now all that’s left is to show our progress on the track”.

Lorenzo Savadori
“The role of tester, also considering the fact that I’ll do some wild card races, is extremely important in MotoGP. Everyone at Aprilia is working hard to improve the RS-GP even more. We are competing in a category where continued investments of time, resources, and efforts is indispensable. The overall level of our rivals is extremely high, but we are growing and we need to continue this trend. I’ve been part of this project since 2020 and I have grown along with the RS-GP, a bike that has consistently and progressively improved, and I'm confident that it will take another step forward in this new season”.

Massimo Rivola
“This is an important season. We are coming into MotoGP as a Factory Team precisely on the thirtieth anniversary of Aprilia’s first World Championship GP Motorcycle Racing title, won with Alex Gramigni. This is a great responsibility, but also an injection of extra motivation. The racing department is now a group of highly skilled individuals who work extremely well together and with a strong Italian footprint that we are extremely proud of. We are working well and the competitiveness we demonstrated last year must be just the starting points. The ’21 season was a good one, but we need to forget about it straight away and look forward. In my opinion, the 2022 RS-GP will be the most beautiful bike on the grid and I hope that it will also be one of the fastest. I think we have done some significant work, certain of the direction we have taken. We have three top-level riders: the "team captain" Aleix and a great champion like Maverick who we are getting to know better and better every day. Lorenzo will be our test rider. In spite of a season conditioned by injuries, he demonstrated significant growth and he will be a big help in developing the project”.

Romano Albesiano
“The RS-GP 2022 is a profound evolution of the outstanding base used in 2021. We focused on the main performance areas. The engine has undergone significant internal changes, maintaining the previous layout. The aerodynamics are constantly evolving and the chassis architecture and software areas have been revamped with the goal of improving important aspects such as braking, acceleration and the starting strategy. We have three riders with very different characteristics, both physically and in terms of riding style, and that means that we are able to develop a bike which is effective in a wider range of needs. In recent years, we have seen an uptick in performance, including our own, which is why we worked particularly hard during the winter break. I'm confident that we will have good cards to play in the 2022 championship season”.