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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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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)
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1–5 SEPTEMBER 2021 - Salon Privé Week is renowned as being a celebration of two-wheeled machinery as well as four, and this year Blenheim Palace will host the world debut of a unique and hugely significant motor bicycle. Over the course of its long and illustrious history, Triumph became one of the most recognisable of all marques thanks to legendary models such as the Speed Twin and Bonneville, while screen icon Marlon Brando famously rode a Thunderbird 6T in The Wild One. 
Having been producing bicycles at its Coventry factory since 1889, Triumph moved into the world of motor bicycles at the turn of the 20th century and was a pioneering force in the burgeoning British motorcycle industry. Siegfried Bettmann and Moritz Schulte were responsible for the design, which used a 3/4hp 172cc Minerva engine from Belgium. A rear band brake was employed, and an eccentric crank to enable the rider to adjust the rear chain. The Triumph motor bicycle was launched in September 1901 for the 1902 season. By the outbreak of The Great War the marque's reputation for quality and reliability was well established, leading to substantial orders for military use.
The example that will be on display at Blenheim Palace as part of the Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance is the very first Triumph motor bicycle ever made and actually dates from 1901. Its appearance represents a unique opportunity to see this historic motor bicycle – the forerunner of all subsequent Triumphs – in public for the first time since 1937.
The prestigious Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance presented by Aviva takes place on Wednesday 1 September, and will feature two classes – Exceptional Motorcycles and Exceptional Competition Motorcycles. Previous class winners have included renowned motorcycle builder Allen Millyard, who has claimed multiple Salon Privé awards. His exquisite Honda SS100 V-twin is a previous Best in Show winner, and in 2019 his Velocette MAC V-Twin received the Most Spectacular Motorbike award from the event host, the Duke of Marlborough.
Millyard will return this year with his Kawasaki Z1 Super Six. This beautifully engineered machine uses a six-cylinder engine that is based on the standard Z1’s double-overhead-camshaft four-cylinder unit, and uses original Kawasaki parts. Everything else on the motorcycle is standard, giving a subtle end result that looks like something the factory itself could have produced.
The judging panel for the Concours d’Elégance includes some of the most respected experts in the motorcycle world. Writer and consultant Somer Hooker will be joined by broadcaster Henry Cole, historians Dennis Frost and Mike Jackson, along with former racer Steve Parrish. The Motorcycle Awards Ceremony will take place at noon on Thursday 2 September with judges, owners and the Duke of Marlborough present.
A new addition for 2021 is the introduction of a motorcycle parade to open the event on the mornings of Wednesday 1 September and Thursday 2 September. Entrants will start outside the show field, then parade through the grounds of Blenheim Palace and into place on the elegant South Lawn.
There will also be the opportunity for motorcycle entrants to take part in Tour Privé for the first time, on Tuesday 31 August. The 100-mile route will depart from the Great Court at Blenheim Palace and travel through the spectacular Cotswold countryside, with a luncheon stop at Grittleton House in the picturesque village of Grittleton, Wiltshire.
Elsewhere on the South Lawn, Thornton Hundred will be among the brands showcasing their latest designs. The British company’s line-up will include the ‘World’s Fastest Bobber’ – a 202bhp technological tour de force– and a 2021 Triumph Bonneville Bobber Black, both are a Salon Privé debut.
‘We’re thrilled to be welcoming the first-ever Triumph motor bicycle to Blenheim Palace,’ said Salon Privé Concours Chairman Andrew Bagley, ‘and there will be a real buzz around it considering that it hasn’t been seen in public for more than 80 years. With more exceptional motorcycles already being entered into the Concours d’Elégance, this year’s event is shaping up to be a memorable celebration of motoring in all its forms.’
Some of the world’s most famous brands have chosen Salon Privé as the perfect location for a global, European or UK debut, while a brand-new element for 2021 – Salon Privé TIME – will feature the world’s leading watchmakers.
With a programme that includes Ladies’ Day presented by Boodles on Friday, the Salon Privé Club Trophy presented by Lockton on Saturday, and Sunday’s Classic and Supercar event, all the elements are in place for another unmissable Salon Privé Week.
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The British Motor Museum is to host the Electric Vehicles Festival on Saturday 7th August. The Show, which began in 2019, will give visitors the opportunity to see hundreds of electric vehicles on display. All Fully Pure Electrics (BEV) are welcome to join the show for a celebration and display their vehicles including Electric Cars, E-Commercials, E-Bikes, E-Buses and E-Coaches. 
Key exhibits will include a Harley-Davidson Live Wire Electric MotorCycle and a Citroen AMI which is only making its second UK public appearance. The Ardingly Ifield Solar Challenge Team will be at the Festival as part of their tour from John 'o' Groats to Brighton along with the Cambridge University Solar Challenge Team. MG Motors UK will be showcasing their facelift MG5 and MG-ZS EV that made its second UK appearance at the Festival in 2019. There will also be an electric boat ‘Silent Adventure’, and Tommy Tesla. Eco-Classics, an electric vehicle conversion company, will be bringing along something new and Streetbikes will be showcasing their Zero Electric Motorcycles. Finally #EV Twizy Park will be making a comeback celebrating the Renault Twizy!
For the first time the Festival will incorporate a mini arena with presentations provided by Octopus Electric Vehicles throughout the day. The festival is also the perfect place for those thinking about going electric. There will be an array of different makes and models on display as well as the opportunity to talk to the owners and find out what convinced them to take the plunge and go electric.
Jeff Coope, Managing Director at the British Motor Museum said, “The future of Electric Vehicles (EV) and events such as this is very important to the Museum and the evolution of EV technology is an important story for us to tell. We have already invested in 10 electric charging points for visitors and event organisers to use, with the infrastructure to support more. This has attracted public events such as the EV festival but also corporate EV events and product launches for many of the large motoring manufacturers. This is only the start of our EV journey”.
Exploring the future of the car is particularly important to the Museum. In 2019/2020 the Museum hosted a topical and thought provoking exhibition entitled “The Car. The Future. Me” which sparked much debate amongst its visitors.
Show tickets cost £14.50 per adult, £9 per child, £12.50 per concession and £40 for a family. All tickets for the show must be pre-booked. For more information, please visit the website www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk or call 01926 641188.
For more information about the Electric Vehicles Festival visit www.electricvehiclesfestival.com
For more information on Electric Vehicles see here
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The world’s top footballers can easily earn eight-figure sums in a single year, and most are not shy about spending it just as quickly. The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are famous for their multi-million dollar car collections. But there are some footballers who prefer to get their kicks on two wheels. Let’s meet them.
Sweden’s most famous export since IKEA seems to have been around forever. He’ll be turning 40 next year, but is still plying his trade at AC Millan – indeed, only a cruciate ligament injury ruled him out of Sweden’s Euro 2020 dates, in a tournament that first introduced him to an international audience back in 2004.
Zlatan loves his toys and recently bought himself an exclusive Ferrari Monza SP2. But he’s first and foremost a biker, and took delivery of the first Softail Harley Davidson VRSCF V-Rod in all of Scandinavia.
Striker, TV pundit and all-round cheeky chappie Ian Wright has loved bikes ever since he was a teenager. Battling poverty in his teens and early 20s, he little suspected that his dream of riding from one side of the United States to the other on a Harley Davidson would one day become a reality, but that’s exactly what he did for his TV series Wright Across America.
Wright has eight children, two of whom have followed in their father’s footsteps and become professional footballers. Eldest son Shaun Wright Phillips, who played for England and Manchester City, shares his father’s Harley fascination and has been involved in several high profile charity rides.
Wayne Rooney
The former England skipper can be a polarising character, and has courted plenty of controversy over the years. But while the press will talk at length about anything salacious, you see less said about the many great charitable projects he’s been involved in.
One such initiative saw him fulfil a lifelong dream in getting a custom builder to create a one-off chopper style bike to his own specification. It included a special diamond-encrusted paint job that featured the famous WR10 shirt, and the man himself signed the fuel tank. The finished article was sold at auction for more than £100,000 and all proceeds were donated to a children’s charity.
Last but not least, we reach football’s most famous biker. Barely a day goes by without Becks being snapped riding one of his collection of customised specials near his home in the Hollywood Hills. Like the good American he has become, Beckham has several Harleys in his fleet. But he has not forgotten his roots, and the former England and Manchester United star also has an unshakable affection for Triumphs. 
In 2015, he appeared in a documentary called David Beckham into the Unknown, in which he rode his personal favourite, a modified Triumph Bonneville T100 into the deepest, darkest depths of the Amazon, accompanied by a group of friends. He described the bike as: “part desert sled, part Scrambler, part classic Bonneville.”
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