Category: Random

1. Mediocre museums, ringside comedy gold and grandiose cathedrals

   Posted on 10:00am Monday 24th Aug 2015

   Upon saying our toodaloos to Leanne and Calvin in El Tule, we tootled off with the mountains and volcanoes flirting in our periphery onto Puebla—70 miles southeast of the capital. As well as the city, Puebla is also a Mexican state and the Spanish word for ‘seed that a gardener sows’. Might as well kill three birds…Meeting overlanders Chloe and Toby (from Carpe Viam), with whom we’d become acquainted at Overlander Oasis at an Air B&B apartment there was both a respite and a splurge for the month. Jason’s eye had just been all but taken out by a firework, unlucky lad.

   Indulging in the apartment’s amenities such as: the swallow-me-whole-and-leave-me-here-forever sofa, coffee machine and double bed with en suite, set the mood to be a comfortable and convenient one. Just as well because a mind-bogglingly abstract tour around a museum in the afternoon left me uninspired and my brain aching—post a couple of hours of failing to fathom what the heck I was looking at—much to Chloe’s amusement and Toby’s surprise. Thank Karma it was free entry that day.

   Clearly far more cultured city folk than we were, Toby arched his perplexed brow and asked inquisitively “Well if you’re not museum people, what kind of people are you?” ‘Oh that’s easy!’ I mused. “We’re outdoorsy types, anywhere there are big open spaces preferably with wildlife,” I conveyed in a smiling tone. “Oh.”
   
   Read more here

2. Ladies Day‏ - FEMALE MOTORCYCLISTS ATTEMPT TO SET A NEW WORLD RECORD

   Posted on 10:00am Wednesday 12th Aug 2015

   Hundreds of lady bikers will be gathering  at the Ace Cafe in North West London on 16th August 2015 in an attempt to create a new world record for the largest number of female motorcyclists meeting together in one place.
   
   Between 400 and 600 women aged 24 to 65 years are expected to ride to the meeting, coming from as far afield as Ireland, North Yorkshire, Dorset and Wales.  In September 2014, 221 Australian women on 190 bikes set a record for being the most women riding motorcycles at once.  

   The world-famous Ace Cafe London has agreed to host the event on their annual Ladies Day and confirmed sponsors include Circuit of Wales, Mike Dawson Racing, Oval Motorcycle Centre (OMC) and Woodridge Motorcycles. OMC and Mike Dawson Racing will be in attendance on the day.  Mike Dawson and his team will be offering free suspension advice and basic suspension adjustments and the Team from OMC will be offering free 9 Point Safety Checks.  

   There will be a charity fund raising raffle, with prizes including Moto GP tickets, bike services, tyres, biketime suspension set up, workbench time, Motorcycle Maintenance training courses and Ace Café goodies.  The charity to benefit from the day is The Hospice of The Valleys, whom Circuit of Wales support.

   The meeting is the brainchild of bikers Nimisha Patel from London and Sherrie Woolf from Wales. They are keen to raise awareness of the increasing number of women riding motorcycles, particularly for bike and clothing manufacturers in the hope of seeing improved product ranges aimed at women. “When shopping for protective clothing, the female section is usually lacking in options and often the quality is lesser than the male counterparts. Sizing is also a huge problem that could be resolved with quite simple solutions. The assumptions are very frustrating with many ladies leather trousers not having the Velcro area to attach knee sliders. It’s time to realise that women are no longer just sitting on the back of the men’s bikes, we’re buying our own and using them for touring, off-roading, track days and commuting, just like the guys!” quotes Sherrie Woolf.   

   Karen Cole, Safety and Training Director at the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) and a long term rider herself explained:  “We believe the industry’s Get On programme has been instrumental in bringing more women into motorcycling.  40% of people who took a free ride with Get On were women, according to survey replies from nearly 9000 people. 

   Get On made it easy for women to try motorcycling for the first time.*Social-media has surely played a part in bringing women riders together in the past few years. The proliferation of female biking groups on Facebook has meant women riders can easily find friends to ride out with locally.  As a result, small informal groups have been springing up across the country, which obviously helps generate and sustain interest in riding.”  Pages have been set up on social media sites to share news of the event and organise logistics. Even celebrity bikers are spreading the word, including James Whitham and Maria Costello, herself an ambassador for ladies in the sport of motorcycle racing.  “We hope that even more women will hear about the record attempt in the lead up to the event so that we can get as many lady bikers together as possible on 16th August. It will be a great opportunity for women to meet, share information and hopefully encourage more ladies to get involved with bikes.”

   For further information about the event, please contact Nimisha Patel and Sherrie Woolf on [email protected]

    

   facebook event

3. Motorbike insurance – how to find the best deal

   Posted on 9:00am Wednesday 1st Jul 2015

   Ensuring you have adequate motorbike insurance is as essential for a biker as having a helmet and leathers. However not all policies are the same so how do you know the policy you have provides all the cover you need?

   Know what to look for…

   Motorbike insurance is a legal necessity in the UK however many bikers just opt for the cheapest deal they can find. However, this can be a mistake as the cheapest deal may not offer the level of cover you require.

   Choose from:

   • Third party only: This covers liability for injuries to others and damage to their property.
   • Third party, fire and theft: All the protection of third party cover plus cover for your own bike against theft, attempted theft and fire damage.
   • Comprehensive: Everything that’s included in third party, fire and theft cover plus repairs to your own bike in the event of an accident (subject to policy exclusions). What’s offered under comprehensive motorbike insurance will usually vary between companies but typically includes medical expenses, accidental damage cover and personal accident cover.
   • Third party and third party, fire and theft policies are best suited to riders who are inexperienced or who have claims and convictions on their record as premiums for comprehensive insurance may be too high. A third party deal may also be suitable if you ride a relatively inexpensive bike.

   However, generally the more cover you have the better, which is why if you’re comparing comprehensive insurance you should examine the terms and conditions carefully to see exactly what is included in the policy – what is offered as standard by some insurance companies may not be included in other policies and there may also be optional extras to choose from – cover features for which you can pay an additional premium. Some of the policy options to look out for include: breakdown cover; legal expenses cover; a temporary replacement bike while yours is repaired; cover to ride other motorbikes (with the owner’s permission) in emergency situations; and travelling in Europe.

   What else should you consider?

   While the level of cover available should be your primary concern there are several other key factors that are worth considering while you shop around:

   • Excess levels: An excess is the amount you pay towards a claim. Usually this is split into a compulsory excess established by the insurance company itself and a voluntary excess, which is an additional amount you agree to pay, when taking the insurance out, in case a claim is necessary.
   • No-claims discounts: Making claims on your insurance costs your provider money – and so they rewards bikers who don’t make claims. Avoiding claims for four or more years could even reduce premiums by as much as 60 per cent.
   • Other discounts: There may be additional incentives offered by an insurer – for example you may get a discount for insuring more than one bike with the same company; and there may be discounts for buying online.
   • Policy exclusions: Read the terms and conditions of any policy that interests you carefully, and be on the lookout for exclusions (these are circumstances in which you will not be covered).

   So which company offers the best deal?

   There’s no set answer as to which motorbike insurance provider offers the best deal, or indeed which is the cheapest. This is because premiums can vary widely between insurers due to the assessments they make of how likely you are to make a claim – this can be influenced by factors including your riding history; your address – such as if you live in a busy traffic or high crime area; your annual mileage; your personal circumstances – do you use your bike as part of your job, for example; and the bike itself.

   Due to the contrasts in the way these factors are evaluated it makes sense to gather as many quotes as possible before settling on the best deal. A comparison website is a great starting point as the leading websites can compare policies from as many as 25 insurance companies. The key however, is to look beyond price alone (the cheapest deal is listed first) and also consider the level of cover you’re receiving.

   There are steps you can take to reduce premiums too – here are some quick tips:

   • Agree to a mileage limit: The fewer miles you travel, the lower the risk of an accident occurring.
   • Choose a suitable bike: Older bikes with smaller engines usually qualify for cheaper premiums as they are cheaper to repair/replace and less likely to travel at fast speeds.
   • Increase excess: Agreeing to a higher excess can lower premiums but keep it at a level you can comfortably afford.
   • Increase security: Consider adding electronic and mechanical security to reduce the risk of theft and park in a locked garage overnight.
   • Pay annually: By paying premiums upfront you can avoid interest charges.

   See our insurance section

4. Custom Beckham Bonneville Competition

   Posted on 9:00am Wednesday 17th Jun 2015

   Motolegends, the Guildford based retro clothing specialist, has recently created a replica of the customised Triumph Bonnevilles that David Beckham and his pals rode up the Amazon last year.

   The bike is going to be given away at the NEC later this year, in a free prize draw.

   Many people assumed that the bikes they rode were Triumph’s latest Scrambler model; and that was because, like the Scrambler, those bikes wore a high-level, off road, Arrow exhaust.

   But, in fact, the starting point was nothing other than a humble Bonneville.

   Motolegends acquired their donor bike, a 2001 model, from a local ex-policeman. Even though it was over 10 years old, it had been meticulously looked after, and so presented an excellent starting point for the project.

   The build was actually incredibly simple, and although the end result is quite dramatic, the work is well within the scope of any budding ,‘bike-shed’ mechanic.

   Part one was the strip-down. Off came the mudguards, the indicators, the rear grab rail, the exhaust, and so on.

   What was left was treated to a matt black paint job that included the wheels, fuel tank, engine casing, cylinder head and, handlebars on.

   The wheels were re-shod with Metzler Karoo 3s as per the original bike; rubber fork gaiters were added, the seat was re-trimmed, and a new rear mudguard and number plate holder was fabricated.

   The pièce de résistance, and the most expensive single part on the bike, was the Arrow exhaust. But it only comes in a metal finish, so it was sent off for a black ceramic coating. A bracket was fabricated, to allow it to hang correctly off the side of the bike.

   Final touches involved moving the rear brake master cylinder to a new location, as the rear brake positioning couldn’t have been at all convenient on the original bikes.

   Discrete indicators were then fitted front and back. On the Amazon bikes there were no rear indicators; just front ones.

   The end result is a bike that somehow seems more than the sum of its parts.

   There are hugely complicated and intricate builds out there that sometimes fail to hit the spot. This bike is simplicity itself, yet has an undeniable wow factor to it.

   With the baffle removed, the bike sounds far better than a Bonneville has any right to. Being lighter than the original, it handles well, and the Metzeler tyres give a purposeful look, without any real detrimental effect as far as rideabilty and comfort are concerned.

   The bike was built by Phil and Graham at FCL in Cranleigh. Including the original bike, parts, paint labour and so on, the build came in at around £10k, although some specialists are demanding £16,000 or more for similar replicas.

   It’s got to be said that, close as the bike is to Beckham’s, it’s not a slavish reproduction. But it’s certainly not far off!

   The only part that proved totally elusive was the small, under-handlebar mirror that the Amazon bikes sported. If anyone knows where it’s from, Motolegends would like to know!

   Beckham fan or not, there’s no denying that the bike has an ineffably cool, laid back vibe to it.

   And all it takes, if you want the chance to lock it away in your shed, is for you to give your name and address to Motolegends. To enter the competition, just click here.

   The bike will be given away at the end of the NEC show this November.

5. Museum To Restore Foggys First Bike!‏

   Posted on 10:00am Tuesday 16th Jun 2015

   The National Motorcycle Museum is proud to announce that four times World Superbike Champion Carl Fogarty MBE has chosen the Museum’s workshop to restore his very first motorcycle!

   This little Honda C50 based special was the product of Honda dealer Ken Martin who made the bike for his son Chris around 1972. Indeed, the specially manufactured tank badge’s still read “motochris” in recognition of the little bikes first owner.

   Purchased from Ken Martin in 1975 by Carl’s dad George the bike was given to Foggy for his 10th Birthday.

   Recently re-united with the bike after nearly 40 years, Foggy was looking to get the machine restored and phoned Museum Director James Hewing.

   Speaking of the call James recalled: “I have worked with Carl in the past & was really pleased that he thought of the Museum’s restoration team to restore the bike for him. We have restored everything from the earliest and rarest veterans through to superbikes of the 1970s but never anything like this!”

   Foggy commented: “It’s in a rough state but I know the lad’s at the Museum will restore it back to just how it was when my dad gave it to me back in 1975”
   
   www.thenmm.co.uk