Category: Events and Shows

1. Unlock the secrets of great driving or riding at UK racing circuits with IAM RoadSmart’s Skills Days

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 28th Nov 2018

   The 2019 schedule for IAM RoadSmart’s ever-popular Skills Days has been announced; the perfect way to sharpen up driving or riding skills in your own car or motorbike at top racing circuits around the UK.

   The Skills Days, run by the UK’s biggest independent road safety charity, take place from April to September at Croft, Mallory Park and Thruxton circuits – all tracks steeped in motorsport history.

   Skills Days are open to anyone with a full car or motorcycle licence, and any road-legal car or motorbike. You do not have to be an IAM RoadSmart member to take part.

   They involve working either one-to-one in a car, or in a very small group on motorcycles with a dedicated instructor. During a day that aims to be fun as well as safe, drivers and riders taking part can expect to learn new techniques and gain greater understanding about the capability of their car or motorcycle.

   Expect to learn about your own capabilities and that of your machine; entry, apex and exit points, how they vary from road to circuit; where to brake, when and how much to brake, how it feels in an emergency; controlled, progressive, smooth cornering; and how to use the accelerator or throttle to add stability to the car or motorcycle when cornering.

   Here is the full schedule of motorcycle days:

   Tuesday 9 April – Thruxton

   Wednesday 15 May – Mallory Park

   Tuesday 28 May – Thruxton

   Tuesday 18 June – Thruxton

   Tuesday 25 June – Croft

   Tuesday 9 July – Thruxton

   Tuesday 16 July – Mallory Park (ladies’ day)

   Tuesday 27 August – Thruxton

   Wednesday 11 September – Mallory Park

   Tuesday 17 September – Thruxton

   Here are the car days:

   Monday 8 April – Thruxton

   Wednesday 12 June – Mallory Park

   Monday 16 September - Thruxton

   Queen of Bikers and IAM RoadSmart ambassador, Maria Costello, will be leading the ladies’ motorcycle Skills Day at Mallory Park on 16 July.

   Maria has made more than 40 starts at the daunting Isle of Man TT and returned there this summer. She became the first woman ever to claim a podium at the 2016 Classic TT alongside 23 times TT winner John McGuinness.

   For five years Maria held the Guinness World Record as the fastest woman to lap the Isle of Man TT course, when she lapped the Snaefell mountain course at an average speed of 114.73 mph in 2004.

   Mike Quinton, IAM RoadSmart Chief Executive Officer, said: “Skills Days are all about advancing the ability of drivers, riders and their machines, guided by experts in a safe controlled environment.

   “We will help you unlock the secrets of getting the best from your car or bike, how to handle your machine to the best of its capabilities, without risking yourself or people around you. Safe driving can also be fun driving and our Skills Days are the key to that.

   “Launched at the Motorcycle Live event at the NEC this week, Skills Days are flying out so book soon.”

   Motorcycle days are £149 per rider (full day). Car days are £135 a driver (half day).

   For more information visit our dedicated web page on Skills day here: https://www.iamroadsmart.com/skillsday or call our booking hotline on 0300 303 1134.

2. Motorcycle Live hailed a success as over 100,000 bikes fans enjoy the show

   Posted on 6:00pm Sunday 25th Nov 2018

   Motorcycle Live 2018 saw 103,702 bike fans enjoy nine days of action-packed, interactive two-wheeled entertainment, during a show that has been hailed a success by exhibitors and visitors alike.  

   The event was packed with brand-new metal from over 40 of the world’s leading manufacturers. Much of the 2019 machinery on display had been launched just one week previously at EICMA in Milan, while Kawasaki, Norton and CCM chose Motorcycle Live to unveil never-seen-before 2019 models to the bike-mad crowd. 

   The brand-new Moto-Cirque arena debuted with a spectacular live stunt show combining FMX, street bikes, BMX and dance – all taking place in total darkness aside from meticulously-coordinated LED lights and lasers set to an awesome soundtrack.

   "What a show, we've had an amazing week", said CEO of Norton Motorcycles, Stuart Garner. "It's the biggest show we've ever done and we've had the biggest footfall we've ever seen on the stand, so a huge thank you to the organisers for making it happen. It's been a record show for Norton and we hope everyone has enjoyed it as much as we have."

   "We have broken the European record in terms of sales at shows, so Motorcycle Live has been really successful," said Peter Riley, managing director of Airvest Ltd/Helite UK. "That is obviously fantastic, but what has been the real joy about this year's show is the people that have visited the stand to tell us how our product has saved their life. It's moments like that that make coming to the show absolutely worthwhile."

   Motorcycle Live 2019 will take place at The NEC, Birmingham from 16-24 November – save the date!

3. Suzuki to rebuild first ever RG500 at Motorcycle Live

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 4th Nov 2018

   Suzuki will restore arguably the most important racing motorcycle it ever produced at this year’s Motorcycle Live – which takes place at Birmingham’s NEC 17-25 November – with the rebuild of the G-54, the precursor to the iconic XR14 and RG500 machines that went on to take Suzuki and Barry Sheene to world championship glory.
   
   
   

   The bike will be rebuilt over the first weekend of the show and fired into life on Monday 19 November, before being stripped and rebuilt again over the final weekend ready for a second start up on Sunday 25 November, giving visitors two chances to see the iconic machine being built.

   The restoration will be carried out by former Grand Prix technician Nigel Everett. Everett worked in Grand Prix racing from the early ‘70s through to 1988, when he setup Racing Restorations, working with the likes of Sheene, Mick Grant, Kevin Schwantz, James Whitham, Roger Marshall, and John Reynolds. He also worked with Suzuki in World Superbikes from 1995 to 1997. Also present over both weekends will be legendary Suzuki technician Martyn Ogborne and former Grand Prix ace Paul Smart.

   Suzuki GB’s aftersales co-ordinator, Tim Davies, said, “I think this is the most excited we’ve been for our Motorcycle Live feature build, and that’s saying something as we’ve managed to do some really cool projects in the past, from restoring a Kevin Schwantz RGV500 to building a brand new TL1000S from parts. But this bike – the G-54 – is a really rare and really special thing. It paved the way for Suzuki’s return to Grand Prix racing and spawned the bikes that took Barry Sheene to world championship glory and was raced by some incredible riders in its day. It is probably one of the most important bikes from our history, so to not only be able to restore it using our Vintage Parts Programme but do so with the likes of Martyn Ogborne and Nigel Everett is really special.”

   The G-54 concept was born in May 1973, five years after Suzuki withdrew from Grand Prix racing following regulation changes by the F.I.M. But, after competing in the smaller 50cc, 125cc, and 250cc classes, Suzuki had decided to make a return, this time in the premier 500cc class.

   The bike – where G denoted Grand Prix use only and 54, strangely, stood for 1974 – was designed and built under the stewardship of Makoto Hase and Makoto Suzuki, who had previously been tasked with converting the GT250, GT500, and GT750 machines into the TR250, TR500, and TR750 race bikes. The project pulled in staff that worked on the two and three cylinder 50cc machines, the twin and V4 125cc machines, plus the square-four 250cc machine.

   Barry Sheene got his first taste of the machine in November 1973, but to help keep the weight down the G-54 employed an open cradle chassis with no lower chassis rails beneath the engine. However, despite finishing second in its first ever Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand in April with Sheene aboard, by June the chassis had been replaced with a conventional double cradle design. It was raced by Sheene, Paul Smart, and Jack Findlay that year.

   The bike will be built and displayed on Suzuki’s stand throughout the show, located in Hall 2.

   For more show and ticket information, click here. For information on Suzuki’s Vintage Parts Programme, click here.

4. Moto Cirque – brand-new live action arena set to debut at Motorcycle Live!

   Posted on 12:00pm Saturday 3rd Nov 2018

   A brand-new, high-tech, high-energy live action stunt show will be debuting at Motorcycle Live 2018. Moto Cirque is the brainchild of pioneering show creators Arena Sports Live and will be the first spectacle of its kind to take place in the UK.

   The intensely choreographed daily performances will include world-class street bike stunt riding, BMX, freestyle Motocross and moto trials in an intoxicating mix of lights, lasers and theatrical performances. The show will be set within an amphitheater-style layout of ramps, structures and platforms, and surrounded by 2,000 seats for Motorcycle Live visitors to get a birds-eye view of the stunning show.

   Entry to the Moto Cirque arena is completely FREE, with performances taking place at 12.00 and 14.00 from Monday-Thursday, 12.00, 14.00 and 15.30 on Friday and at 11.30, 14.00 and 15.30 at the weekends. 

   “We like to push the limits on what’s possible with a live performance and Moto Cirque will be the first of its kind,” said Matt Bates, director of Arena Sports Live. “It’s an all-new show in a completely different layout that showcases everything possible on two wheels; but what makes this show stand out, is that it’s all performed in the dark. If you’re visiting Motorcycle Live, you can’t afford to miss it!”

   Motorcycle Live 2018 takes place at The NEC, Birmingham from 17-25 November. Advance tickets are on sale now priced at just £19.50 per adult, £12 for Seniors, £1 for 11-16 year olds* and FREE for children aged ten and under**. There is also a £25 advance ticket, which includes entry to the show and an Oxford HD MAX disc lock worth £25.00.

   To book, call 0844 581 2345 or visit www.motorcyclelive.co.uk  

5. The Manchester Bike Show 2019

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 2nd Nov 2018

   The Manchester Bike Show is back for an 8th successful year on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th March 2019 - 18,000 sq m of motorcycle heaven all under one roof.
   
   The Manchester Bike Show delivers an unrivalled opportunity for retailers, our retail village attracts huge numbers of visitors, with leathers, helmets, accessories, parts and services on offer. Make your business part of the 2019 Manchester Bike Show and reap the benefits of meeting over 17,500 potential new customers over the 2 day show.
   
   Stand prices are very competitive, allowing the smallest of small businesses to join the largest of corporations under the same roof. It’s a formula that has proven highly successful, with visitors regularly praising the variety of stands as one of the reasons they love the show.
   
   Whether you are a veteran of motorcycle shows or are looking to exhibit for the first time, our experienced and friendly team are here to help you every step of the way.
   
   

   The Manchester Bike Show is back for an 8th successful year on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th March 2019 - 18,000 sq m of motorcycle heaven all under one roof.
   The Manchester Bike Show delivers an unrivalled opportunity for retailers, our retail village attracts huge numbers of visitors, with leathers, helmets, accessories, parts and services on offer. Make your business part of the 2019 Manchester Bike Show and reap the benefits of meeting over 17,500 potential new customers over the 2 day show.
   Stand prices are very competitive, allowing the smallest of small businesses to join the largest of corporations under the same roof. It’s a formula that has proven highly successful, with visitors regularly praising the variety of stands as one of the reasons they love the show.
   Whether you are a veteran of motorcycle shows or are looking to exhibit for the first time, our experienced and friendly team are here to help you every step of the way.