Category: Other

1. Michelin Introduces New Tyres for Select 2018 Harley-Davidson® Softail® Motorcycles

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 17th Sep 2017

   Michelin introduces Scorcher® tyres to equip the 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy®, Low Rider® and Breakout® motorcycles which were revealed in mid-August.  

   For select 2018 Softail motorcycles, two new Michelin-Harley-Davidson co-branded Scorcher tyres are available as original equipment. The MICHELIN Scorcher® 31 features traditional cruiser styling cues while the MICHELIN Scorcher® 11 provides a sportier look. The compounds selected for the treads of the new MICHELIN Scorcher® 11 and the new MICHELIN Scorcher® 31 deliver superior grip in cold, wet and damp conditions, as well as longer service life. The Scorcher® “11” and Scorcher® “31” are factory-installed on many models, and can be installed as a replacement tyre on other specified models.

   Michelin worked with Harley-Davidson® for two years to develop these new tyres. Using advanced modeling, engineers from both companies were able to work virtually across global research centers to co-design the tyres and fine-tune them to exact specifications. The focused efforts, rigorous quality standards and collaboration resulted in tyres that are perfectly matched to deliver the performance needs of the motorcycles.

   The exclusive look and performance of these new Harley-Davidson® motorcycles has led to the availability of exclusive sizes. For example, in a landmark first in the cruiser motorcycle market, the new Fat Boy® combines a 160/60R18 front MICHELIN Scorcher® 11 with a 240/40R18 rear for a bold, distinctive stance, plus exceptional riding pleasure and a great feel.

   Meanwhile, in addition to providing riders with a lightweight feel, the lighter weight and enhanced high-speed stability made possible by the use of Aramid fibre* – another feature of Michelin’s hypersport tyres – helps to maintain the tyres’ profile and ensure consistent performance at high speeds

   Front (130/60B21) and rear (240/40R18) MICHELIN Scorcher® 11s are the original equipment on Breakout® models, while the Low Rider® models are originally equipped with MICHELIN Scorcher® 31s front (110/90B19) and rear (180/70B16).

   These new MICHELIN Scorcher® tyres will be available across Harley-Davidson’s extensive network, as well as from specialist dealers.

   (*) Except 110/90B19

   About Michelin

   Michelin, the leading tyre company, is dedicated to enhancing its clients’ mobility, sustainably; designing and distributing the most suitable tyres, services and solutions for its clients’ needs; providing digital services, maps and guides to help enrich trips and travels and make them unique experiences; and developing high-technology materials that serve the mobility industry. Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present in 171 countries, has 111,700 employees and operates 68 production facilities in 17 countries which together produced 187 million tyres in 2016.

   www.michelin.com

2. Dalegate Market, with independent shops, pop up shops, supermarket, fuel station and Deepdale Café, where Bikers are most welcome...

   Posted on 11:00am Wednesday 13th Sep 2017

   At the heart of the North Norfolk Coast, along the A149 coast road, in the small village of Burnham Deepdale, yards from Deepdale Camping and the salt marshes.

   Open all year, Dalegate Market is a great little North Norfolk Coast hub, with plenty of parking for bikes and plenty of space to sit inside or outside of Deepdale Cafe for a bite to eat. 

   Deepdale Cafe serving hearty breakfasts, lunches, Afternoon Tea, daily specials, coffees and cakes. Open daily, from 7.30am to 5pm in the Summer and 8am to 4pm in the Winter.

   www.dalegatemarket.co.uk

   www.facebook.com/dalegate.market

3. Bikes in peril

   Posted on 12:00pm Tuesday 12th Sep 2017

   It’s not surprising that many motorbikes are in danger of being stolen specifically for the value of the parts. This is because either the parts are rare (classics) or too expensive. For the police and insurance companies this is a real problem:
   
   1. Parts rarely have ID on them so cannot be linked back to the theft of the vehicle and for those that do have marked parts there are draw backs with systems that:
       (a) Require specialist people and equipment and do not give immediate results.
       (b) Do not provide individual ID for each component.
       (c) Have costly annual registration subscriptions.
   
   2. Often the police know where these bikes are worked on but cannot obtain a search warrant because they will not be able to link parts to crime reports for stolen vehicles.
   
   3. Parts are easily sold with a high demand for parts to keep bikes running.
   
   The solution – Auto Link
   
   You can easily mark components with individual ID  and help put a stop to this.
   1. NFC tags and UV writing are difficult to find, even for the police until they have the locations given to them by the owner.
   2. NFC and UV markings are revealed with standard police procedures and  equipment (smart phone and UV light).
   3. No annual subscription or concerns over data protection because you don’t have to register any of the ID unless the vehicle is stolen when it’s the police national computer system (PNC) and your insurer you tell.
   
   Auto-Link  £33.32 +vat + P&P = £42.78
   
   Content
   
   3 x NFC Tags These self-adhesive tags can be fixed on any surface including metal and are heat resistant and suitable for engine and gearbox but not the exhaust or a catalyser.The tags come pre-programmed but if you have an NFC enabled phone you can add to this and lock it down.They operate on a frequency that can be read by most police issue smart phones but you have to be able to virtually touch the tag to obtain a reading.
   
   1 x UV pen and light The UV leaves an invisible marking which shows up under ultra violet light. The pen includes a built-in UV torch.You can write whatever ID mark you want.Most police forces in the UK have UV torches.
   
   1 x Instructions and log Fitting instructions are included and on the reverse is space for recording the ID marks you have made and where they can be found.
   You can also buy a more extensive kit and mark spares and tools.
   
   Available from www.rbs-propertymarking.co.uk
   
   Club members’ discounts are available contact Stan Ratcliffe

4. FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE AT MISANO

   Posted on 3:00pm Sunday 10th Sep 2017

   THE NEW RS-GP AERODYNAMIC SOLUTION IS ON THE TRACK WITH GOOD FEEDBACK
   
   Aleix Espargaró and Sam Lowes tackled the first day of free practice at Misano as the natural continuation of the tests held here two weeks ago. In continuity with those sessions, the Aprilia team continued working especially on tyre choice, partially because of the asphalt conditions which are rather different than those they had found during the tests.

   The comparison between the various solutions continued until the final laps, giving the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini technicians plenty of feedback which will be translated into the final choices for the settings tomorrow in the decisive qualifying session.

   In both FP1 and FP2, Aleix Espargaró (who finished in eleventh place with a time of 1'33.832, just 6 tenths behind the leader) tested a new aerodynamic fairing on his RS-GP. The feedback was very positive, so much that the new aerodynamic solution will be used again tomorrow.

   Slowed in part by a couple of harmless crashes, Sam Lowes finished the Friday sessions in 22nd place with a time of 1'34.903.
   
   ALEIX ESPARGARO'
   "I struggled a bit more than I had expected because the track conditions are very different than they were for the tests. There is not much grip and I have a bit of trouble stopping the bike. These are the two main areas to work on. We also saved a few tyre solutions for tomorrow, since we know which tyres work best thanks to the tests. I liked the new fairing a lot. I had asked the engineers for it and they did a great job getting it ready in just 10 days. I will definitely use it for this weekend, but I think it is a solution that can work well on all the tracks."
   
   SAM LOWES
   "A strange day for everyone. A lot of guys tested here not long ago, including us, but today the track conditions were completely different. This morning the asphalt was damp too, which was just one more difficulty. Despite everything, we found a good base to work on tomorrow, especially in the final laps of the second session. I'm in a group of riders that are all within a half a second of one another. Tomorrow with higher temperatures we will definitely be able to have our say."

5. New figures show that MASTER protected motorcycles are 6 times less likely to be stolen

   Posted on 12:00pm Monday 4th Sep 2017

   Recent analysis of theft data for new motorcycles sold in 2017, shows there is a huge difference between machines which are marked with the MASTER Security Scheme, compared to those which are not. New MASTER protected bikes are six time less likely to be stolen.

   MASTER, which stands for Motorcycle and Scooter Tagged Equipment Registration, is the UK’s only official and national scheme and has been adopted by the majority of major motorcycle manufacturers since its launch in 2013. It both deters theft and makes it easier to secure a conviction.

   What do new statistics show?

   Information from the MASTER Scheme database and new registration data shows 66,423 new motorcycles and scooters were registered in the UK from the beginning of this year to the end of July 2017. 42,254 were marked with the MASTER system, of which only 78 have been reported stolen. Of the 24,169 motorcycles and scooters which were not protected by MASTER, 285 have been stolen.

   Rates of theft

   There is a clear and significant difference in rates of theft. MASTER tagged machines registered in the first seven months of the year have a theft rate of just 0.18%, while non-MASTER tagged new bikes have a theft rate of 1.17%, showing MASTER tagged bikes are more than six times less likely to be stolen than bikes which are not protected by the MASTER Scheme.

   Steve Kenward, CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Association, which first introduced the MASTER Scheme in 2013 says:

   “The MASTER Security Scheme represents a significant investment by major brands and these figures confirm that the decision to invest in the official MASTER scheme was the right thing to do. This data is very encouraging and hopefully will persuade those manufacturers not yet marking bikes to reconsider the MASTER Scheme as significant benefit to their customers.”

   How does the MASTER Security Scheme work?

   The MASTER Security Scheme uses a sophisticated array of technology to mark the motorcycle or scooter’s major component parts providing a unique 'fingerprint'. This layered approach involves a combination of visible and concealed elements including tamper evident warning labels, hidden microscopic Datadots, stealth UV etching and a number of unique radio frequency identification transponders which are embedded into parts. This is similar to the technology that allows the chipping of cats and dogs, but cannot be altered or erased.

   The combination of hidden elements (detailed above), along with the high visibility and the unique number on each tag, offer both peace of mind to consumers and help the police secure prosecution when recovering stolen motorcycles. Police have access to the MASTER Security Scheme secure database 24 hours a day.

   The MASTER Scheme system includes a highly visible ultra-destruct identification/warning label that is fixed in a prominent place on the bike (generally on the frame near the headstock), alerting potential thieves to the fact that it is marked and registered. The label disintegrates if it is tampered with and alarm bells will ring for police and subsequent owners if the label is missing on models from participating manufacturers.

   All motorcycles and scooters from participating manufacturers are registered on the MASTER Security Scheme’s national secure database. This is updated continuously, which means the reporting of stolen vehicles is immediate.

   It would be virtually impossible for a thief to remove all traces of the MASTER Scheme technologies from all parts, which is why this makes protected bikes far less attractive to them.

   There are now over 250,000 MASTER protected machines and this number increases each year.

   Facts about motorcycle theft

   43% of all insurance pay outs are due to theft (according to MCIA research).

   Many motorcycles are ‘cloned’, which involves being broken up into parts within hours of being stolen and reassembled onto legally acquired frames, which have log books. This can net thieves thousands of pounds a day.*
   80% of these ‘cloned’ motorcycles find their way into the legitimate dealer network. Before the MASTER Scheme it was virtually impossible for dealers or the police to identify stolen parts.*

   **(Facts and figures supplied by the Motorcycle Crime Reduction Group).

   

   www.masterscheme.org