Category: Other

1. Happy Valentines Day!

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 14th Feb 2019

2. Suzuki raises over £4000 for charity at Motorcycle Live

   Posted on 12:00pm Tuesday 11th Dec 2018

   Suzuki successfully raised over £4,000 for charity at Motorcycle Live, which took place from 17-25 November at Birmingham’s NEC. The Japanese brand’s hospitality area, from voluntary donations for free hot refreshments, raised over £3,000 for the automotive industry’s BEN fund, while the Vintage Parts display and race bike build raised over £1,000 for the Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

   The pop-up coffee stop, situated on Suzuki’s show stand, has become a Motorcycle Live mainstay in recent years. Providing an area for show-goers to enjoy a break from wandering the halls, grab a hot beverage and take the weight off their feet for a few minutes, it served over 8,500 cups of tea and coffee over the nine-day show. 

   This year Suzuki raised a total of £3,527.50 for BEN, an independent charity and dedicated partner to the automotive industry, providing support for life for its people and their family dependents, whether that be financial, physical, mental or social.

   Meanwhile, Suzuki’s Vintage Parts Programme always provides visitors with an impressive array of classic road and race bikes, and this year rebuilt the very first RG500 race bike built in 1973, before it was raced in Grands Prix in 1974. Collecting for Birmingham Children’s Hospital during the restoration, £1,036.61 was raised over the course of the show.

   Suzuki GB head of marketing, Fiona Cole, commented, “Every year Suzuki takes the opportunity to raise money for charity at Motorcycle Live. The hospitality area always proves to be incredibly popular with visitors to the show and whilst the drinks are free, we encourage visitors to make a donation to our nominated charities and we’re incredibly thankful to everyone who made kind donations to help us raise as much as we did for the two superb causes.”

   To find out more news and views from Suzuki, visit www.bikes.suzuki.co.uk.

3. Henry Cole signing A Biker’s Life Ace Cafe London - 26th October

   Posted on 12:00pm Tuesday 23rd Oct 2018

   Come and meet Henry Cole who will be launching his new book “A Bikers Life”, from 8pm on Friday 26th October @ Ace Cafe London.  

   The event is free and Henry will be personally signing copies which will be available to purchase on the day.

   Henry Cole is on television most days of the year as the presenter of shows like Find It, Fix It, Flog It!, Shed and Buried, The World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides and The Motorbike Show.
   
   

   

4. SHARK Helmets releases early preview of new 2019 graphics

   Posted on 12:00pm Tuesday 16th Oct 2018

   Ahead of the unveiling of the full 2019 collection later this year, SHARK Helmets is releasing an early preview of three brand-new colour schemes on some of its most popular models. All three will be available to buy in UK dealers this month.

   
   
   SPARTAN CARBON - PRIONA
   
   The Spartan Carbon was developed with a striking design, state-of-the-art safety features and advanced aerodynamics for the perfect all-round riding helmet. For 2019, SHARK Helmets have reengineered the interior for optimal rider comfort, and introduced the brand-new PRIONA design; a modern, glossy graphic giving the Spartan Carbon a refined, streamlined look and drawing attention to the smooth lines of the helmet shape. The stunning dark green, gold and black version will be available on early release.
   
   The Spartan Carbon in PRIONA DQW graphic is available in size XS (53/54cm) – XXL (63/64cm), with an RRP of £389.99.
   
   D-SKWAL - KANHJI
   
   SHARK Helmet’s Pulse division is designed with both performance and style and mind. Developed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technology, the D-SKWAL features optimised ventilation and an ‘Autoseal’ system used to flatten the visor onto the helmet, creating better soundproofing and seals the helmet against water and cold. SHARK Helmets will introduce four versions of the all-new KANHJI design – an intricate and distinct helmet graphic that has a dark edge. The fluo yellow and black version will be available on early release.
   
   The D-SKWAL in KANHJI KYA graphic is available in size XS (53/54cm) – XL (61/62cm), with an RRP of £169.99.
   
   SKWAL 2 - OLIVEIRA
   SHARK Helmets is well-known to the world of racing, supporting a number of world-class riders, and this is set to be no different for 2019; the company has introduced the popular SKWAL 2 in replica graphics of Moto2 rider Miguel Oliveira. Another helmet in the SHARK Helmet Pulse division, the SKWAL 2 has a unique shape and striking integrated LED system, complimented by the bright new colours that highlight the aerodynamic lines of the helmet.
   
   The SKWAL 2 in OLIVEIRA KBY graphic is available in size XS (53/54cm) – XL (61/62cm), with an RRP of £249.99.
   
   To locate your nearest SHARK Helmets dealer, visit www.nevis.uk.com or call 01425 478936.

5. Honda and Ducati Bringing the MotoGP Tussle to the Boil

   Posted on 9:00am Thursday 27th Sep 2018

   The 2018 MotoGP season is drawing ever closer and with just five races to go, the battle between Honda and Ducati looks set to go all the way.

   After Spaniard Marc Márquez took victory on his Honda at the weekends Aragon motorcycle Grand Prix, the gap at the top of the riders championship stretched to 72 points over rival and Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso.

   With just a maximum of 125 points still available for winning the final five races, it means barring an almighty collapse from the 25-year-old Spaniard, that particular championship is all but a done deal.

   However, not so the factory team battle, as old rivals Honda and Ducati are duking it out across the globe’s fastest patches of tarmac in a tense fight for the right to be called the number one manufacturer in bikes.

   As it stands, Ducati trail Honda by just 28-points in the standings as Ducati seek only their second ever MotoGP constructors title whilst Honda are out to bag their 24th title and seventh of the decade so far.

   Much like in MotoGP’s brother Formula One in which the fight between Mercedes and Ferrari dominance is set to go to the wire with Mercedes priced at 1/4 as of Tuesday 25th September with Betway to become champions, it appears the form sides in both series are edging the betting markets and fancied to take the ultimate crown.

   Ducati have been kept in the hunt largely thanks to Italian Andrea Dovizioso who has taken three wins and Jorge Lorenzo who has three of his own.

   Aside from the dominant Marc Márquez, Honda’s next highest championship standing rider is Britain’s Cal Crutchlow who took victory at the seasons second event in Argentina after Dovizioso took victory in the opening race on his Ducati but Crutchlow is on the LCR Honda and not a factory rider meaning his points are null and void.

   From there, a series of retirements for Dovizioso seriously hampered his and Ducati’s chances of the title but thanks to consistent performance from Lorenzo and a series of wins from Italian Dovizioso, the title fight is back on.

   Largely thanks to the retiring Dani Pedrosa who is Marquez’s team mate and has struggled to make an impact all season which has opened the door for Ducati. 

   A tepid start saw the Spaniard finish seventh in the season opener before retiring in his second outing and another seventh at the third race of the season in the USA. In fact, Pedrosa hasn't finished higher than fifth in the entire season. 
   
   
   

   A series of 6th, 7th and 8th place finishes may have kept the points flowing steadily, but had the 32-year-old been anywhere near the top of his game, then it is likely the championship would have been all but settled by now.

   Bike Specifications

   One of the best things about MotoGP is its competitiveness and this comes down to the specifications of the competing bikes.

   All engines are 1000cc and naturally aspirated and churn out 260 BHP with a power to weight ratio of 1.51 bhp/kg. The valve train benefits from four-valves per cylinder and are fuelled using unleaded 100 octane.

   All bikes are set to this specification with very few tweaks to performance being able to be made but it is in the tyres and how each bike reacts to the chosen tyres that is often the big difference.

   For example, at the last outing at Aragon, championship leader Marc Márquez opted for the softer tyre which is quicker but does not have quite the same lifespan as say the harder tyre which most of his competitors chose.

   However, after Lorenzo crashed out on the opening lap, Marquez was able to follow Dovizioso for numerous laps and thus save his tyres before late surge saw the four-time World Champion get ahead and thus strike a blow to the Ducati cause.

   Can Ducati Topple Honda?

   Yes, they certainly can but it will require team work from both lead Ducati riders Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo.

   It has been three races now since Lorenzo even so much as picked up a point (including the cancelled British GP due to rain), when he won in Austria. 

   

   A 17th-place finish and a retirement last time out has hurt the factory Ducati team and Honda has taken advantage picking up 36 points last time out to Ducati’s 20.

   Where to Next?

   A series of races in Asia and Australasia all but ends the season with the finale occurring back on Spanish soil.

   The riders head to Thailand next for a race that promises to be a step into the unknown with Ducati well aware that time is fast running out. 

    

   
   
   article supplied