Category: Random

1. The Meteoric Rise of Fabio Quartararo

   Posted on 3:00pm Tuesday 11th May 2021

   MotoGP is the pinnacle of motorcycle racing. Every biker worth their salt dreams of getting aboard one of the amazing bikes and racing at breakneck speed around some of the most demanding and exhilarating tracks around the world. Fabio Quartararo is one young man realising his MotoGP dreams.

   The 22-year-old Frenchman is a MotoGP superstar in the making. He started his professional career during the 2015 season where he raced for Team Estrella Galicia in Moto3. Quartararo finished 10th in his debut season before switching to the KTM of Leopard Racing for 2016. A 13th place finish followed before Quartararo stepped up to Moto2 with the Kalex of Pons HP40. Another 13th place in the rider’s championship was followed by a 10th place in 2018 before Quartararo got his MotoGP break in time for the 2019 season.

   "Fabio Quartara" by motorsports.com is licensed under CC BY 3.0

   Yamaha Takes A Gamble That Pays Off

   Petronas Yamaha SRT gave Quartararo a shot at the big time. Yamaha initially planned to give Quartararo a 2018-spec bike but gave him a factory-spec Yamaha instead. It turned out to be a masterstroke from the Japanese racing giant because Quartararo was incredible. He went from having a reputation as a talented rookie to being one of the race favourites almost overnight. 

   Quartararo qualified for the Spanish Grand Prix in pole position and became the youngest-ever polesitter in MotoGP history. Disaster struck, however, on Lap 20, and Quartararo retired with a gearbox problem, but he had shown the world what he was capable of.

   The young Frenchman’s first podium finish came three races later at the Catalan Grand Prix. Quartararo started in pole position again before finishing second to the fantastic Marc Marquez. Two third-place finishes and a further four runner-up finishes, including at the season finale in Valencia, resulted in Quartararo finishing fifth in the championship race with an impressive 192 points.

   "Fabio Quartara on the track" by PETRONAS is licensed under CC BY 3.0

   First MotoGP Victories

   Quartararo started the 2020 campaign in style with his first and second MotoGP victories in back-to-back races. After yet another pole position, he won the Spanish Grand Prix before taking the chequered flag at the Andalusian Grand Prix, again from a pole position start.

   His 2020 campaign was helped by a severe arm injury to championship favourite Marques. The Spaniard was involved in an accident in Spain and hardly races again during the COVID-19 hit season. Quartararo ultimately finished eighth with 127 points from 14 races.

   Quartararo’s 2021 campaign has started well. He followed up a fifth-place finish at the Qatar Grand Prix, which is Yamaha teammate Maverick Vinales won, with victories in Doha and Portugal. Quartararo qualified for the Doha Grand Prix fifth on the grid but rode an epic race to finish on top of the podium. The talented Frenchman led for 17 of 25 laps during his second win of the season in Portimao.

   His Portuguese Grand Prix victory placed him first in the overall standings, but Quartararo failed to build on his lead after a disappointing showing in Spain. Quartararo languished down in 13th place, some 19 seconds behind Ducati’s Jack Miller and despite setting a new course record for the fastest lap.

   MotoGP experts have already drawn comparisons between Quartararo and the great Marques. Six-time world champion Marques is a motorcycle racing legend with 56 wins, 95 podium finishes, 62 poles, and 57 fastest laps from 130 starts. If Quartararo manages to enjoy even half the success of his Spanish rival, he will have enjoyed a glistening career.

    

    

    

    

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2. Essex riders take more than 100,000 journeys with Spin e-scooters since trials launched

   Posted on 11:00am Tuesday 11th May 2021

   Spin, the micromobility unit of Ford Motor Company, today announces that its e-scooter riders have taken more than 100,000 rides since the trial launched, underscoring the relevance of the scheme that is part of Essex County Council’s (ECC) Safer Greener Healthier campaign.

3. Essential Tips for Motorcycling Beginners

   Posted on 2:00pm Monday 10th May 2021

   Bike riding is a thrilling experience, and it is pure freedom for many riders. However, bikers should also know that motorcycling is dangerous than driving a car, and that is why safety and attentiveness are important. If you are a new biker then you need to be very careful and a normal mistake can have a huge impact. Therefore, we have summarized some crucial tips for beginners who are new to bike riding.

   Basic: Learn to Ride

   Well, riding a bike is not that difficult, but riding safely is overlooked by most beginners. If you are new to biking, it is best to find out a mentor or a driving instructor with good experience. It should be noted that the driving instructor is also a private motorcyclist and has experience. In addition, don’t change the instructor one you have found the best one for you.

   Right Protective Gears

   This practical tip is essential for safe motorcycle riding. Those who are not adequately protected with gear endanger their health and also the risk of being seriously injured in an accident. The first requirement is obviously the helmet. There are various variants in helmet such as jet helmet, full-face helmet, and many more. You need to check the safety certification of the helmet, and it should be perfect for the size.

   Along with that, clothing for riding is also important. Jacket, shoes, knee pads, pants, gloves, and son. The protective clothing offers good protection against impacts in the event of a fall, and it also offers a certain amount of protection against other external circumstances, such as bad weather conditions. The clothes should be suitable for all weathers.

   Find A Perfect Place for Practice

   Another important factor to keep in mind is that the practice should not be stopped. You need to practice your braking, avoid hurdles, speed control, and such things. If you want to make a career in moto racing, then you have to work even harder. Motorcycling is one of the loved sports worldwide. It has fans all across the world, and many sports betting online platforms offer moto racing in their catalogue. Thus, it can be your best choice if you are good at it.

   It takes a lot of practice to perfect braking. Most riders make mistakes of braking with the front wheel, but a combination of both brakes makes sense. The anti-lock braking system is helpful for better braking. Dodging and speed control is also very important. This is how you can save yourself from accidents.

   Perfect Bike for You

   A new bike would always be good, but if you are totally new, then a used bike can be perfect for you for practice. However, it must be safe for biking. It should be given proper care after and before every tour and checked regularly. You need to check the brakes, lights, tires, and batteries. Any defect in these things can lead to problems in your journey.

   If you ride a bike at night, the lightings are also important. Your view should be perfect at night. Plus, the signal should be used properly so that other road users can identify your moves. Carrying hazard lights, warning triangles and warning lights as the equipment is not required by law for biking but can increase your safety standard for safe motorcycling.

   These tips can be very helpful for the new as well old riders. However, you need to understand that a certain level of risk is always there in motorcycling. Therefore, you should practice safe driving and avoid driving crazily.

    

    

    

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4. Touratech Accessories for KTM 890 Adventure

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 30th Apr 2021

   To cover the KTM 890 Adventure's broad range of use, Touratech offers an extensive selection of accessories. This selection includes luggage systems, protectors, ergonomically designed parts and lots of practical accessories.
   
   Luggage systems
   For transporting luggage, there is the tried and tested pannier rack made of robust 18 mm stainless steel tubing, which has been perfectly adapted to the geometry of the 890. The rack - available with an electro-polished or black-coated surface - can be fitted with the complete range of ZEGA aluminium panniers. This clever, specially designed system fits tightly around the rear silencer, making particularly efficient use of the space available at the rear and saving on overall width. A topcase rack and luggage plates are also available for securely lashing a luggage roll.
   In addition, there is a choice of numerous soft luggage items including three model-specific tank bags and a range of other bags.
   Protectors
   Of course, robust protector equipment is an absolute must on a meaty enduro like the KTM 790 Adventure. The three-piece Rallye Evo engine guard is designed for tough use. It consists of an extra-robust Skid Plate made of canted aluminium and hydro-formed side panels that hug the engine tightly with their complex three-dimensional design. If you want to continue using the standard KTM engine guard, Touratech offers a Hard Part for reinforcement. A strong bracket made of 25 mm stainless steel tube is responsible for protecting the fairing and the tank. The brand new Defensa hand protectors are, of course, also available for the 890. Thanks to diverse configurations, they can be perfectly adapted to different usage profiles, from hard enduro riding to touring.
   Effective protectors for sensors, expansion tanks or headlight round off the selection.
   Ergonomics
   And, when it comes to ergonomics, the 890 Adventure can also be further upgraded with Touratech Parts. Comfort seats, which are available in three heights, ensure optimum long-distance capability. The Pivot Pegz articulated foot pegs, or wide long-distance foot pegs, and handlebar risers are excellent for off-road use, while the windscreen is a favourite with tour riders.
   Riders who don't like the Adventure's airy seat height will be thrilled by the 30 millimetre lowering of the suspension.
   Accessories
   Touratech also offers a huge range of accessories for the KTM 890 Adventure - from adjustable handlebar levers and a professional tool set through to support widening for the legendary kick stand - providing that little extra bit of riding enjoyment and practical benefit.
   
   Touratech Parts for KTM 890 Adventure (selection)
   • Stainless steel tank crash bar
   • Stainless steel fairing crash bar
   • Rally Evo engine guard
   • Defensa hand protectors
   • Headlight protection
   • Long-distance foot pegs
   • Handlebar riser
   • Comfort seat (available in three heights)
   • Windscreen
   • Topcase rack
   • Stainless steel pannier rack
   • ZEGA Topcase
   • ZEGA Aluminium pannier
   • Ambato Exp tank bag
   • Ambato Pure tank bag
   • Ambato Exp Rallye tank bag
   • Ambato tail rack bag for the luggage rack
   • Suspension lowering

5. Who are Blood Bikers?

   Posted on 11:00am Tuesday 27th Apr 2021

   Blood Bikers might sound like a less than friendly motorcycle gang, but in reality, this is actually an organization that saves lives and makes a huge difference to healthcare. Essentially, blood bikers provide a professional rapid response medi-cal transport service to the NHS transporting things like blood, surgical instru-ments, human donor milk, medication and more recently COVID-19 serial testing.  

   A Noble Charity
   
   Run by unpaid volunteers, Blood Bikers have roots going back over 50 years with the rapid response motorcycle charity providing a highly valuable service to the NHS and public as a whole through delivering key medical products in the quick-est possible way. The group is constantly growing too, which means that they can provide a nationwide service and make a big difference to public health

   Life as a Blood Biker

   Motorbike insurance specialist Carole Nash supports Manchester Blood Bikes and looked into what a day in the life of this important role is like with Malcolm - a Blood Biker from Sunderland. Malcolm decided to join the cause after his sister was involved in a serious accident with her life being saved by the air ambulance. This led Malcolm to seek out ways to support them, which took him to the North-umbria Blood Bikes website. Malcolm described his best experience as a blood biker:

   “One time I got an urgent job for some blood to be taken to a hospital about 15 miles away. Because I was on a blood bike, I could cut through the traffic and ar-rived there very quickly before delivering the blood on time. The next day some-one posted a story about the lady we’d saved on Facebook. Apparently, this lady had cancer, and wouldn’t have survived without the blood transfusion she was able to have as a result of our work as Blood Bikers. That is one of the things that stands out for me. You never know who you are helping from one night to the next.”

   Blood Bikes Leinster

   Blood Bikes Leinster, which was established in 2013 and supports hospitals throughout Ireland. Fergus Lennon, Director of Blood Bikes Leinster, commented on the support offering by the Dublin-based motorbike insurance specialist:

   Blood Bikers do fantastic and noble work helping to transport vital medical supplies in times of need to save lives and make the work of NHS staff much easier. This is also a growing organization and one that deserves as much support and praise as possible.

   “We are truly grateful to Carole Nash who have sponsored us and provided our bike insurance for the fourth year running. Every penny adds up for our small charity and we are so appreciative of their support.”

   “We also take the Carole Nash Blood Bike teddy bear with us on our Blood Bike travels which has brought a smile on the face of many a poorly child.”

    

    

    

    

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