Category: Random

1. Adventure travel books by Chris Scott

   Posted on 9:00am Wednesday 13th Apr 2016

   After 25 years in print, the 7th edition of Chris Scott’s legendary Adventure Motorcycling Handbook (AMH) was published recently, including contributions from world travellers like Lois Pryce and Sam Manicom.

    

   Set in the late 1970s and following decade when Thatcherism polarised the nation, Chris’ ‘motobiography’ The Street Riding Years describes his start on bikes and his subsequent dozen years as a London motorcycle messenger. By the end of the 1980s Chris had owned nearly 40 bikes, despatching on everything from classic Brit twins and thundering Italian street racers, to demented dirt bikes and nitrox-injected dinosaurs.

    

   Using a backdrop of major events and films as well as the great bikes and music, Chris recalls was golden era when badly behaved messengers got rich quick during London’s 80s boom, before Gatsos, the internet and even mobile phones. Street Riding is most definitely not a handbook but if you were riding at that time, you’ll get it. The Street Riding Years was voted RiDE magazine’s ‘Book of the Year’ and has been an Amazon best seller since publication. 

   
   Desert Travels is also set in the 1980s but covers a more conventional type of adventuring: Chris’ early biking forays into the Sahara, initially on a clapped-out XT500, then on a series of better prepared Yamaha Teneres. But most of the book covers Chris’ first Sahara tour, an ambitious expedition to the very southern edges of the Algerian Sahara. Six hopeful young riders met up in Marseille port on a selection of trail bikes – only one came back riding.

    

   Some twenty years- and at least as many Sahara trips later, the Desert Riders dvd describes Chris’ most adventurous expedition. Capitalising on his vast experience, and with the aid of fuel and food drops buried in advance, Chris and two mates rode their XR650Ls across southern Algeria’s rocky plateaux and deep into Niger’s Tenere desert to the Lost Tree,
   where the Dakar Rally founder Thierry Sabine had his ashes scattered in 1986. The dvd also includes a shorter version broadcast on National Geographic Channel, as well as other riding films from the Canadian wilderness on KLRs and the Australian Outback aboard BMW GS twins. 
   
   
   

    

   See more on the websites -  

   www.adventure-motorcycling.com
   
   www.sahara-overland.com

    

2. MARQUEZ DOMINANT ON NEW MICHELIN RUBBER AT COTA

   Posted on 9:00am Tuesday 12th Apr 2016

   Michelin’s MotoGP™ debut at the Circuit Of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, America has been totally dominated by Marc Marquez on a Honda as he secured his fourth successive victory at the Texan track.

   Michelin brought new rear tyres to the American circuit following a decision after last weekend’s race to begin production on a brand new version in readiness for today’s race. The tyres began their build process on Monday in Clermont Ferrand, France and were then shipped to Houston in Texas, before finally arriving in separate batches at the track on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening. The new tyres had a stiffer construction with a softer compound, designed specifically for the Texan circuit, and built with a significant respect for safety to counter any incidents like the one encountered in Argentina last weekend, although the result of the analysis of Scott Redding’s tyre is not yet available.

   Free Practice and qualifying went well with the new MICHELIN Power Slicks with all teams and riders adapting to the new rubber and dialling in the settings as practice continued, before Marquez secured his fourth pole position in-a-row at COTA on the Saturday afternoon. Today’s race was held in warm, but cloudy, conditions and as the lights changed to signal the start of the race in front of over 56,000 enthusiastic fans, Marquez led off the line, but was passed by reigning World Champion Jorge Lorenzo. The 2015 champion was unable to make the move permanent and his Yamaha was relegated to second as Marquez again took the lead – a position that he would not relinquish again as he stormed to back-to-back victories on Michelin tyres, the first rider to do so since Valentino Rossi in 2006.

   Behind the dominant Marquez, Lorenzo rode a lonely race and was never really pressured as he took a comfortable second place, with Andrea Iannone in third on a Ducati to complete a podium of three different manufacturers. The variation in machines continued into fourth place after a race-long battle between Suzuki riders Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaro, saw the former just edge out his team-mate. Sixth position and the honour of First Independent Team Rider went to Ducati’s Scott Redding, While Yamaha’s Pol Espargaro finished in seventh. Eighth and ninth positions went to Ducati, one ridden by Michele Pirro and the other by Hector Barbera respectively, whilst a solid ride from Stefan Bradl secured tenth for Aprilia and the fifth different brand in the top-10. Marquez’s victory takes him to the top of the championship classification after three-rounds, in front of Lorenzo and Yamaha’s Rossi – who unfortunately crashed on lap-three due to a clutch issue he suffered at the start of the race.

   Michelin and the whole MotoGP paddock now heads back across the Atlantic ocean on its way to Europe as it moves to Jerez in Spain for round-four of the championship, which will be held on Sunday 24th April in the heart of Andalucía.

   Marc Marquez – Repsol Honda:

   “During this weekend we have all done a really good job together. I want to say this victory is not only for me and my team, but for my Michelin Technician, because he convinced me that the soft front tyre option was good for me and it would be the right option for my riding style and that really convinced me. With this choice I was able to do a great race and I am very happy with the result. Now we go to Europe, these are tracks that are very different to where we have already been and also Michelin has more experience on them – because the tracks are older – so we will try to work hard again when we get there.”

   Nicolas Goubert - Deputy Director, Technical Director and Supervisor of the MotoGP Programme:

   “What we really wanted to do here was to show that we could react in the correct way after the issue that Scott had in Argentina. We did exactly what we said we would do and brought some new tyres that were based on the extra tyre that we should have run in Argentina, but with compounds more suited to the track here. It was tight in the factory to get it done, but it worked and the tyres did a pretty good job, so we are pleased about that. Considering this is the first time that we have had these constructions on the race-track we are quite satisfied with the results.”

   Piero Taramasso - Manager of the Two-Wheel Motorsport Group:

   “This has been quite a demanding week, because after Argentina we had to react quickly, so we had to build the tyre, ship it, get it through customs and then get it delivered to the track, so the logistics of that were not easy – but luckily everything went well. We got all the tyres in time so that the teams and the riders had time to test it properly and make the correct settings and then make the right tyre choice for the race. I really want to give a special mention to the Michelin technicians and fitters here at the track for their hard work this week, and especially the staff back in the factory who pushed so hard to make sure the tyres were made and sent here for us to use.”

3. Marquez recovers from crash to lead the way in Austin

   Posted on 3:00pm Monday 11th Apr 2016

   Having followed up a third placed finish in the opening race of the Moto GP season in Qatar with victory in Argentina last time around, Marc Marquez is seemingly growing in confidence with his Honda team. The rider, who is unbeaten at the Circuit of Americas since joining Moto GP back in 2013, has set the fastest time in practice in Austin. With riders testing out new soft and medium Michelin tyres following previous issues with Scott Redding’s Pramac Ducati, it was Marquez who looked the most comfortable as he posted the fastest lap of the day in 2 minutes 04.953 seconds. 

   His closest challenge in Austin on Friday was world champion George Lorenzo who managed to close to within 0.252 seconds of his countryman. Marquez had earlier recovered from a crash in which he lost control on the final corner of the circuit, eventually regaining his composure in the afternoon session. The Spaniard was favourite for the championship at the start of the season, and early performances have done little to effect this, with bookmakers Betway offering him odds of as little as 1.66/1 on to claim glory come the end of the campaign.

   Italian Andrea Iannone ended the day in third place in practice, however the Ducati rider a massive 0.617 seconds adrift of leader Marquez. Marquez certainly looks to be the man to beat this season, with his performances on his way to a dominant win in Argentina last time around having his nearest rivals worried. Having seen of early pressure from Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi in Argentina, Marquez was left to watch the carnage unfold behind him as the conditions led to collisions across the circuit. The two Ducati riders collided on the final lap, in a race that had already been shortened by twenty laps due to tyre concerns https://sports.betway.com/ win, lose or draw offer the best odds on motor racing around, with team mates Iannone and Dovizioso priced at 9/1 and 12/1 respectively to recover from events in Argentina with victory.

   It remains to be seen who will pose the greatest threat to Marquez, who won the world championship in both 2013 and 2014. The Spaniard is one of only four riders to have won titles in three different categories, after successes in Moto2 and 125cc. The talented rider will certainly be difficult to stop this year, however the unpredictability of Moto GP means that nothing is ever certain. 

4. Get paid for giving your views and opinions on a future generation Motorbike!

   Posted on 10:00am Friday 1st Apr 2016

   A famous motorbike manufacturer is looking for roadster/naked bike owners over 500cc+ who bought their bike from new and since 2013.

    

   A group of riders will be given the opportunity and privilege to see a Motorcycle that has been designed for the future and before it has been released to the general public. You will be part of the development as your views and opinions will assist in this future generation bike.

    

   This will be held in Birmingham next weekend (9th / 10th April). Those who take part will be paid for your time, which includes travel expenses. Refreshments will be provided. The session will last 2.5 hours during one specific time and day over the weekend. The times will depend on the bike you own. 

    

   Examples of qualifying bikes are: Ducati Monsters, Harley-Davidson forty eight, Harley-Davidson softail slim, Street Bob, Yamaha Bolt, Honda CB1000, Yamaha XJR1300, Kawasaki Z800/100, Asprilia, MV Augusta Brutale, BMW R800/R1200R among others.

    

   If you have such a Motorcycle and fancy being part of this, contact Simon @ [email protected] letting him know which model you own, along with contact details.

5. MICHELIN HEADING SOUTH FOR AN ARGENTINIAN INITIATION

   Posted on 6:00pm Thursday 31st Mar 2016

   Michelin is taking the long journey over the Equator as it heads to Argentina for the second round of the MotoGP™ World Championship and its debut at the Termas de Río Hondo circuit following an impressive result for the French company at the season-opener in Qatar.

   The Argentinian track is one of the fastest on the calendar and a true test of riders and tyres alike. With its fast sweeping corners – some with very noticeably high cambers – and hard-braking areas, the 4,806m long circuit will certainly give extra demands to the tyres that Michelin will take to the event. The long turn-six and turn-eleven left-handers will undoubtedly be a true test due to the high temperatures the tyres will generate. But with nine right-hand bends and just five left-handers, the overall usage on either side of the tyre will be comparable, and careful tyre management will be needed from the riders to get the best from their machines.

   Michelin will take two front tyre selections for the race weekend. These will be the hard option MICHELIN Power Slick – identified by the yellow band on the tyre wall and a medium option MICHELIN Power slick – which will have no band applied to it. For the rear, the hard compound MICHELIN Power Slick will be available for all riders – complete with its yellow sidewall stripe – along with the medium compound version, which like the front will have no identifying band. For the first time this season the rain and intermediate tyres will be available, should the weather play a part in proceedings. The soft MICHELIN Power Rain will have a blue stripe for both front and rear, with the hard version having no band, whilst the MICHELIN Power Inter will show a silver line on the side of both tyres.

   The Termas de Río Hondo Circuit was constructed in 2007 and opened the following year. It is one of the few tracks on the calendar that Michelin has never competed on, so this weekend will be yet another chapter in the French tyre company’s rich history. MotoGP made its debut here in 2014, with Honda’s Marc Marquez taking victory, whilst Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi secured the win last year. Located just outside of the city which gives the venue its name, the circuit is in the Province of Santiago del Estero and approximately 1,100km from the country’s capital of Buenos Aires.

   The weekend’s action will get underway on Friday 1st April with two Free Practice sessions, followed by the third Free Practice the following morning. Qualifying for the 25-lap race will take place on Saturday afternoon. Sunday’s race will start at a later time of 16.00hrs local time (21.00hrs CEST, 19.00hrs UST/GMT, 20.00hrs BST).

   Nicolas Goubert – Director of the Two-Wheel Motorsport Group: “Argentina is a big challenge for us because it wasn’t on the calendar when we were last in MotoGP and we have only had a one-day test there. Since then our project has evolved quite a lot, so it is a real challenge to decide which tyre to build. We will be assessing the situation all weekend and analysing all the data intensely. The track seems to be very challenging for the front tyres, with tremendous wear. We have got ready some robust solutions so that we are able to have a good race and make it as competitive as possible.”

   Piero Taramasso – Manager of the Two-Wheel Motorsport Group: “This is the first time we have been to this circuit in Argentina to race, but it is very significant for us because South America is a vital market for Michelin, so this is an extremely important race. People there love motorbike racing, from Dakar rally raids to MotoGP they have a passion for two-wheel sport and I’m sure the festive atmosphere in Termas de Río Hondo for the Grand Prix will certainly be special. The race track is very close to Andes mountain range and the weather could also be a big factor, because at this time of the year it is could be very hot or extremely cold, so we also have to see what this brings. The whole event is not an easy one from a logistical point of view due to the geographic locations, but I’m sure it will be worth it as I hear the meat and barbeques are spectacular!”