As motorcyclists, we know we have to do a lot more preparation before heading out on the open  road compared to a car driver. While those on four wheels can just get in and drive away, we need to at least don our protective gear before firing up our bikes.  

If you’re travelling with others, you’ll likely need to test your communications equipment and discuss what route you’ll take.

You might also want to consider using some apps as part of this preparation as they can provide us with crucial information about road conditions, help us find the best roads for biking, and keep an eye on us while we’re riding.

Social Apps

One of the best things about riding a motorcycle is the community of other riders that share the same passion. Of course, there are many cafes, bars, and rest stops where you can almost always find bikers congregating, social apps add a new element to this experience.

Kappa, Riser, and Rever are all great options for this. Most include planning and tracking features, but they also include social features like friend tracking, challenges, message boards, and community areas.

This is especially great for when you’re heading on multi-day rides and you want to get tips on where to stay or advice from those that have ridden the route before you.

Entertainment

In that same vein, if you’re riding for more than a day, you’ll need to spend some time resting to ensure you’re fresh for the next day in the saddle. Thankfully, there are thousands of mobile entertainment options that cater to just about every taste.

If you’re kicking back in a hotel, you might want to put your feet up and watch a movie. In which case, apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Britbox are great options. There are plenty of motorcycle shows, movies, and documentaries on all three of these platforms.

Alternatively, you could use the MotoGP app to watch the latest shows including live coverage of races and exclusive interviews with people close to the sport. Those that enjoy betting on MotoGP races while they watch could also download the app of one of the many bookmakers that cover motorbike racing. You can improve the experience even further by creating an account with one of the companies that also offer free bets or one that offers live race updates right in the app.

Navigation Apps   

There are plenty of great navigation apps that motorcyclists can use while riding. They all connect to your smartphone’s GPS to give you a precise location and most will also give you indications of the traffic locations.

The most commonly used apps are Apple Maps and Google Maps, depending on which type of smartphone you own. These are great and will serve most people well, however, you may want to give Waze a try.

Waze uses the same traffic data as the other two apps do, but adds in community reports to alert you to stopped vehicles, police cars, accidents, road closures, traffic cameras, and more.
This means you’ll get faster notification of incidents on your route than you would with any other app.

Tracking

Tracking your riding stats has become a popular hobby among bike enthusiasts in recent years. There are plenty of apps out there that will track your route, speed, and even lean angle.

Apps like EatSleepRIDE will then give you maps that let you see your route, the changes in elevation you went through, and other interesting data. You can then share it to social media or keep a record in case you want to retrace your steps.

Safety

Safety is important when riding. Much of that is your own responsibility, so apps like Autoist can help keep track of your servicing and MOT so you never forget to get your bike checked.

Some apps, including the tracking app EatSleepRIDE, also feature an automatic crash detection feature. This will use your smartphone’s sensors to pick up if you’ve fallen off or crashed your bike and will begin a countdown timer. If you don’t cancel it, the app will automatically alert the emergency services to your location so help can be summoned if you’re incapacitated.

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ON THE OCCASION OF ITS RETURN TO MOTOGP AS A FACTORY TEAM, APRILIA WELCOMES A GREAT CHAMPION TO JOIN ALEIX ESPARGARÓ: WELCOME MAVERICK!

It is with great pleasure that Aprilia welcomes Maverick Viñales to the Aprilia Racing factory team.

This completes the official team for the 2022 MotoGP season, with Maverick coming alongside Aleix Espargaró astride the RS-GP. The Spanish rider has signed an annual contract with an option for renewal.

The signing of Viñales is another step in the Italian team's growth and development strategy, which comes just in the year of the transition to a factory team. Two events that testify to Aprilia's desire to continue to grow in the top category of world motorcycling.

Born in 1995, Maverick Viñales made his début in World Championship GP Motorcycle Racing in 2011 astride an Aprilia in the 125 category, taking 4 wins and 5 podiums, making him the best rookie of the season and finishing third overall. After another high-level season, he won the Moto3 World Title in 2013 before moving up to Moto2 the next season. Thanks to the potential demonstrated in the intermediate class, he earned a seat in MotoGP from the 2015 season with Suzuki and on Yamaha from 2017.

In the premier class Viñales has taken 9 wins, 13 pole positions and 28 podium finishes, in addition to two overall third places as his best final placement in the rider standings.

MASSIMO RIVOLA - APRILIA RACING CEO
"We are extremely happy to announce that we have signed Maverick Viñales, a very high-level rider and one of the purest talents in the premier category. Our project has now been enriched with the value that Maverick brings - a World Champion who has confirmed his talent as a top rider in MotoGP - at a time of great change, after bringing a completely revamped bike to the track and having consistently established ourselves in the group of protagonists, we are also facing a switch in status as a Factory Team now, in order to take Aprilia to success. We are honoured to be able to make all of our best skills available to Viñales along with our enthusiasm and our passion. I am confident that, like Aleix, he will embrace this extremely high-potential project. The arrival of Maverick in no way distances Lorenzo Savadori from the team, as he will remain an integral part of the Aprilia Racing family."

Motorcycle Live, in association with Bikesure Insurance, is delighted to announce the show’s return to The NEC, Birmingham in 2021. Taking place from Saturday 4 – Sunday 12 December, the UK’s largest motorcycle show will welcome back the very best of the industry to delight, entertain and inform bike enthusiasts of all ages.

Motorcycle Live is pleased to ‘Welcome Back’ manufacturers, exhibitors and show goers to the spectacular nine-day event, as the 2021 show returns with a bang. There will be numerous opportunities to get on two wheels, interact with new features, technologies and displays, as well as seeing the return of the much-loved Custom and Classic Zones.   

Whether it’s catching up with friends and family, browsing for bargains, getting a two-wheel taster session, or checking out the brand-new models manufacturers have to offer, Motorcycle Live is set to spread joy to show goers of all ages. Race fans will also be able to meet their racing heroes, as stars from WorldSBK, British Superbike and road racing will be making an appearance across the nine days.

Valentino Rossi’s announcement of retirement brings down the curtain on an incredible career in the MotoGP motorcycle world championships. With his nine titles, including seven in the premier class, he is widely regarded as the greatest motorcycle racer of all time, and his 26 seasons of Grand Prix racing make him unique across both motorcycling and Formula 1. Rossi has been captivating fans since he won his first Grand Prix at the age of 17 and even in his final season, at the age of 42, he has been riding faster than ever.

In this major new book by top MotoGP journalist Mat Oxley, each and every one of these races comes under the microscope, complete with perspectives about Rossi’s achievements, the controversies, his character, and analysis of his bikes. This is a Valentino Rossi book like no other.

“It’s been a joy watching Valentino’s GP career from the very beginning in 1996 and I’ve really enjoyed reliving so many of his great moments through writing this book,” says Mat. “In fact I started with his first international campaign in 1995, dissecting and analysing every one of his 400 plus races since then. It’s a career that may never be matched and it’s been an honour to write this book, which I hope becomes the ultimate tribute to Valentino’s brilliance.”

“Mat wrote the world’s first biography of Valentino in 2002,” says Mark Hughes, Evro’s Publishing Director. “Working for the publisher then, I saw how Mat not only knew Valentino well and thought the world of him, but also wrote about his subject with sublime skill and insight. Back then, we could never have imagined just how much Valentino would go on to achieve, nor that he would still be racing nearly 20 years later. Now, upon his retirement, there is no-one better than Mat to record every single moment of his incredible career.”

Key content

Early days, from karting and minimoto bikes to a first GP win, on a 125 Aprilia in the 1996 Czech GP, then onwards to claim the 125cc world title in 1997.
Moving up to the 250cc class in 1998 brought four consecutive end-of-season wins riding for Aprilia, followed by a decisive title in 1999 with nine victories.
Grabbed by Honda to race its super-successful NSR500, Rossi graduated to the ‘class of kings’ for 2000, almost becoming champion that season — but the following year he sealed the last two-stroke 500cc crown with 11 wins.
MotoGP, for 990cc four-stroke bikes, took over and Rossi immediately reigned supreme aboard his Honda RC211V, securing back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003, before a surprise departure to uncompetitive Yamaha.
Rossi rates his first year with Yamaha, 2004, as his best: defying expectation, he won first time out on the YZR-M1 and took a fourth successive title with nine wins.
In six more seasons with Yamaha, 2005–10, Rossi collected three more championship crowns, his 2008 success especially sweet because it involved a fightback after two leaner years.
Rossi’s move to Ducati looked to be an appetising all-Italian prospect but his two winless seasons there, 2011 and 2012, were disastrous.
A return to Yamaha never quite recaptured his greatest glories, but Rossi was championship runner-up three times and came very close to another title in 2015.

Valentino Rossi - All His Races. Author Mat Oxley

Publication date: 13 January 2022
Price: £50.00
ISBN: 978-1-910505-21-2
Format: 280x235mm hardback
Page extent: 336
Illustration: 280 photos

Available to pre-order - Valentino Rossi: All His Races | Evro (evropublishing.com)

Independently acclaimed as the World´s Coolest Motorcycle Event, the Ace Cafe Reunion 2021 takes place at  Ace Cafe London premises, and on Madeira Drive, Brighton from 3rd - 5th September.

Celebrating the history and heritage of the Ace 25 years after it had closed in 1969, the first Ace Cafe Reunion was held at the legendary North London premises in 1994, and this year it is not only the 27th annual Ace Cafe Reunion and the 20th anniversary of the cafe having fully re-opened in 2001, it is also 25 years since the first Ace Cafe Reunion held on the famous and ever popular seafront at Brighton in 1996!

Kicking off at the Ace with the popular Bike Night on evening of Friday 3rd, Saturday 4th at the Ace includes live music, ride outs, special guests & more.
 

On Sunday 5th September ,motorcyclists will gather at the Ace premises celebrating the history and heritage of what is now regarded by many as an icon, Ace Cafe London.

At 10.30am the assembled motorcycle ride-out departs the Ace for Brighton, "waved off" as in the years to date by the Mayor of Brent.

We will be joined on the day by  riders participating in the inaugural Ride Global “Memorial Ride” which is taking place on Sunday 5.9.21 raising funds  on-line in aid of  COVAX.

 Route: A406 - A40 - M25 - M23 - A23 to Madeira Drive, Brighton Seafront
 Rev up and Ride, with the Rockers!
 See you at the Ace, and in Brighton!

Strictly no deckchairs