Category: Random

1. Honda’s elite riders visit English Institute of Sport

   Posted on 9:13am Monday 16th Dec 2013

   The Honda Racing family was out in force yesterday as a selection of its elite riders from various disciplines took part in an Assessment Day at the English Institute of Sport – the organisation behind much of Team GB’s outstanding success at the London 2012 Olympics.

   The roll call included: Pata Honda World Superbike star Leon Haslam and World Supersport riders Lorenzo Zanetti and Michael van der Mark; Honda’s 2014 road racing squad of 20-time Isle of Man TT winner John McGuinness and his new team-mate Conor Cummins; the new World Endurance Championship line-up of Freddy Foray, Julien Da Costa and Sebastien Gimbert; Honda Motocross World Championship riders Evgeny Bobryshev and Max Nagl; Gariboldi Honda MX2 star Tim Gajser and last-but-not-least, 2013 Enduro World Champion Alex Salvini. 

   The riders – who have eight world championship titles between them – took part in physio and isometric testing, strength and conditioning assessments and a fitness analysis, as well as a seminar on sleep patterns and jet lag in relation to sporting performance. The data collected from each rider will be collated and used to form the basis of their training and fitness programmes for the 2014 racing season.

   “It’s great for us to welcome the Honda riders to the English Institute of Sport,” said EIS Director of Operations Richard Parker. “Everything we do here is about maximising the performance of athletes and today provides an opportunity for us to assess the riders and see how we can give them some programmes to improve their performance on the bike in the coming year.”

   As the riders departed at the end of the day, they were in high spirits. “It has been great today as it’s always a pleasure to work with riders from other disciplines,” explains Honda’s new World Endurance signing Freddy Foray. “I am really looking forward to getting the results because I think it’s going to be really useful in training and racing next year. I know I have a few problems with my shoulder for example, and this will help me find out some more information about that and how I can deal with it going forward.”

   “To be honest I lost a bit of sleep about coming here as it’s to be fair it’s not my kind of thing, but it’s actually been good fun,” said road racer John McGuinness. “I’ve learned quite a lot and in the end I’m happy that I’ve done it. I’m buzzing to have spent the day with all these top riders from MX, Enduro and SBK and to do a bit of bonding with my new team-mate Conor. I’ve got some areas that I can tidy up, as I’m sure we all have, and hopefully next time I’ll be a bit stronger and we can put it all to the test.”

   For more information on the English Institute of Sport visit www.eis2win.co.uk

2. New world record set for pre war car driving non stop across USA

   Posted on 11:13am Friday 6th Dec 2013

   Vintage Adventurer Rod Wade and co-driver Michael Flanders have created a new World record for driving a pre-war car across the USA, from New York to Los Angeles in 50 hours, 20 minutes and 6 seconds.

   Australians Rod and Michael began the 3,000 miles journey in their 1930 Ford Model A at Staten Island at 00:01am on Friday November 22nd with the aim of reaching Venice Fishing Pier in around 60 hours, giving an estimated arrival time of the morning of Sunday November 24th.

   Despite horrendous weather conditions including rain storms, extreme winds and snow through New Mexico, the driving duo arrived much sooner than expected, reaching Venice Fishing Pier, Venice Beach, just after 11.15pm on Saturday evening (23rd Nov).

   The team experienced the worst of the turbulent weather in Amarillo, the place where the Model A suffered a broken crankshaft after 38 hours of driving in an earlier attempt in October of this year. The freezing rain, fog and snow forced Rod and Michael to stop every two miles to clear the windscreen of ice as there is no heated windscreen in the classic car.

   On arriving at Venice Fishing Pier, Rod said: “I can’t believe we got here in such a good time. It got scary through Amarillo again but we battled on. If it wasn’t for the weather conditions, we would have done it on 40’odd hours. Maybe next time!”

   Next time will in fact see the Vintage Adventurer team take on the Ocean to Ocean Australia, driving from Queensland to Freemantle but also making the return journey. This is scheduled for June 2014.

   The whole reason for setting the World record is to raise awareness and funds to support kidney disease suffers all over the world. With kidney disease affecting Rod’s wife and daughter, he has raised thousands of dollars for kidney charities and the Wade family has just commissioned the first ‘Kidney Kamper’ to get the ball rolling.
   
   Rod added: “The money we raise will allow us to outfit RVs and campervans with dialysis machines so people requiring dialysis can have a little personal freedom to travel and enjoy life, instead of needing to be constantly within reach of a machine at their home, clinic, or hospital.”

   Rod and Michael were accompanied by the team’s support vehicle – a 1988 Plymouth retired police car that also made the journey with them. The support crew was made up of engine builder Ora Landis of Schwalms, Ricardo Da Cruz as lead mechanic/photographer, both from the USA. Arron Hage from Australia’s Network 7 and UK media manager Andrea Seed.

   For more information on the Ocean to Ocean Challenge, the Vintage Adventurer and the latest updates, visit www.vintageadventurer.com

3. Channel 4’s hit weight loss show Secret Eaters is back...

   Posted on 8:28am Wednesday 27th Nov 2013

   They are looking for families, households, couples and colleagues to take part.

   Have you tried every diet out there and never got results?

   Do you think you’re eating well, but your waistline is still expanding?

   Secret eaters can help!

   e-mail [email protected] for more information

   

    

4. THE REBIRTH OF HESKETH MOTORCYCLES

   Posted on 6:58am Thursday 21st Nov 2013

   It has been over 30 years since Hesketh Motorcycles produced their last new model back in the early eighties. However, it is in 2013 that the re-launch of this famous brand will reach fruition as Hesketh owner Paul Sleeman, will unveil details of the first all new Hesketh model before the end of the year. Known as ‘The Hesketh 24’ (the number of the Hesketh Racing F1 Grand Prix winning car of James Hunt) the new model will bring the great British brand into the 21st Century with high quality engineering and a uniquely British design.

   Hesketh has also undergone a careful rebranding since Sleeman took over, celebrating the British roots and high quality of these gentleman’s motorcycles, the marque now has a new logo and new modern website at www.heskethmotorcycles.co.uk

   New Hesketh Luxury Clothing Collection The first official Hesketh Motorcycles merchandise in more than thirty years is also now available to buy directly on the website. Featuring the new vintage Union Jack design on t-shirts and 100% soft lambswool embroidered jumpers, these items are made to reflect the quality of this high class brand. Prices start at just £6.95 for a genuine leather embossed Hesketh keyring, while the red, white and blue embroidered cap, celebrating the team colours of the famous Hesketh Racing F1 team and the success enjoyed by the notorious James Hunt in his F1 car, comes in at £14.95.

   The black, round neck t-shirt with vintage union jack and Hesketh logo design is available in sizes small to XXL and retails at £31.95. While the lambswool jumpers in black with embroidered Hesketh logo detail on the breast, also small to XXL are available now for £59.95.

   The pièce de résistance of the new collection is undoubtedly the luxuriously soft Hesketh leather jacket. Handmade, from the finest leather, this casual jacket again continues the Hesketh red, white and blue theme with the different coloured leathers bordering the collar and central zip. Fully lined and with the Hesketh logo applique on the arm, chest and back, this is truly a unique jacket of quintessentially British design. Each jacket is hand sewn from the butter soft leather and will remain one of only a small number to be made; this coupled with the timeless design, means this jacket remains a piece to be enjoyed for life. The classic Hesketh leather jacket will be available in the Hesketh online shop from mid-December at £595.

   For more information about Hesketh Motorcycles or to purchase any items from the new collection visit www.heskethmotorcycles.co.uk

5. TOP 10 THINGS TO DO by THE BIKER GUIDE

   Posted on 2:25pm Tuesday 22nd Oct 2013

   1 Go through a long tunnel on a bike with loud pipes

   2 Ride over a suspension bridge

   3 Attend a large Biker Rally, eg: Nabdness, Farmyard, Stormin' the Castle, etc...

   4 Buy decent gear (to keep you warm/cool/safe)

   5 Go on a trip abroad with your Motorcycle by ferry

   6 Go on an large organised ride out

   7 Attend a Motorcycle event abroad such as Daytona, Florida, Sturgis, FH-DCE Super Rally, Faro, etc...

   8 Stay at the Bikers Loft in Belgium.

   9 Ride (and own) different bikes, from Harleys to Hondas, Benelli to BMW. Embrace the machines, technology and the riding experince.

   10 Get on your bike and ride!

    

   The above is merely the meandering thoughts based on the experiences and thoughts of THE BIKER GUIDE team and visitors.

   Put down the map and get wonderfully lost!

   

    

    

   Many thanks for all those who are involved in this list and also to those who supplied us images which include;

   Daytona Bike Week, David Norton, Jayne Wilkinson, John Booth, Kenny Rodger, Madelaine McLaughlin, Marcus Wallace, Mikey Gregg, Mr Creature, Phil McGladdery and Robin Head.