On Sunday 24th May, where owners Martin Webb and Ray Waller will be revealing their new promotional vehicle – a 1951 Ford F1 truck restored by Wheeler Dealers’ Mike Brewer and Edd China.

Mike will be at the showroom and global distribution centre of the classic motorcycle specialist, to hand over the restored pick-up that featured in the second episode of the series currently being shown on the Discovery Channel.

Martin said: “We had been looking for a vehicle but wanted something in keeping with the period of the motorbikes we specialise in. When we saw the F1, we knew it was exactly what we were looking for.” Martin and Ray plan to use the F1 to transport their motorcycles to various events during show season.

The truck will also be joined at the company’s Emsworth base by the MGA that appeared in episode three. This classic 50s sportscar had just been finished when Martin was telling Ray about the vehicles Mike and his mechanic Edd China were working on.

Wheeler Dealer and classic bike fans are invited to join Martin and Ray at Comet Classics, bringing along their own classic bikes or cars for an informal open day, starting at 10am.  There you will be able to meet Mike and other like-minded enthusiasts and see the vehicles from the show as well as the current line-up of motorbikes on offer

Martin added: “We’re thrilled to have Mike join us for our inaugural event and hope classic motorcycle fans will come along and join us for what promises to be a fun event.”

Comet Classics was born out of two friend's enthusiasm for classic & vintage motorcycles and petrol pumps.  Between them, Martin and Ray have over 80 years of automotive and motorcycle experience. What started as a private collection is now a three-year-old business with over 100 classics motorcycles and petrol pumps in stock.  Many are appreciating classics and all represent excellent value for money.

‘Classics and Coffee’ will take place at Comet Classics, Windsor House, Clovelly Road, Southbourne, Esmworth, PO10 8PF, starting at 10am.

www.cometclassics.co.uk

For more information on Mike Brewer, visit www.mikebrewer.tv

Bautista and Melandri are keen to confirm the progress demonstrated during the last race in Argentina

Jerez (Spain), 28 April 2015 - Aprilia Racing Team Gresini comes to the first European round to confirm the initial progress demonstrated by the RS-GP bikes in the American rounds. At Austin the first point was earned thanks to Bautista's placement and in Argentina the gap behind the leaders and the central pack of bikes and riders was reduced significantly with Melandri almost catching his team mate up.

The classic round on the Jerez track is just around the corner to confirm and consolidate this growth process which is the primary goal of the 2015 season for the Italian team. The first set of European races should also allow the team to work more on the bikes and accelerate development.


ROMANO ALBESIANO (Aprilia Racing Manager)
"The first three races showed us just how big a challenge we accepted by entering MotoGP a year ahead of schedule. It's no surprise but rather it confirms that the level of bikes and riders, grown compared to recent seasons, is very high. For this reason we are looking at our initial progress as a positive and important sign. In particular in Argentina both riders crossed the wire, reduced the gap behind the leaders and finished just a few seconds (just over four) behind that central pack which is our goal at the moment. Marco has also come much closer to Alvaro in confirmation of his improved feeling with the bike. These are all important indications that we need to confirm. The next few weeks will also let us to speed up development on the RS-GP, an operation which is quite complex during non-European rounds, following the indications that can out of this first part of the season."

FAUSTO GRESINI (Team Manager)
“At Jerez the long European season of the Championship begins on a track where we have already tested. It would be nice to be able to take a few more steps forward. After all, in Argentina we already showed that we can fight for positions from twelfth on, which is in line with our expectations. We'll keep working to grow step by step, determined and strongly motivated.”

ALVARO BAUTISTA
"Like every year the Jerez round is a special occasion for me. There will be a lot of fans there to support me. We'll keep working hard on developing the bike like we did both in Austin and in Argentina, hoping to be able to identify new valid solutions. The track is very difficult with all kinds of turns so it will be important to work well on the setup and on power distribution as well because there are a lot of sections where the bikes restart at low speeds where good grip is needed.”

MARCO MELANDRI
“The Jerez track is really nice but it is also quite difficult and complete from a technical point of view with both slow turns and fast turns. Restarting after the slow curves is a particularly demanding situation where we need to improve but I'm counting a lot on the technical changes that Aprilia has prepared for this round. I hope that they will let us take another step forward. We'll be putting forth our best effort as always.”

When we spend our lives stuck at traffic lights, it’s easy to forget why we fell in love with riding in the first place.

The majestic ‘beauty’ of a Tesco Express just doesn’t evoke that ‘road trip’ feeling, and popping up to Loch Lomond for a quick spin isn’t exactly convenient when you live in central Manchester.

But we’re lucky enough to have beautiful strips of asphalt all around us - it’s just a case of knowing where to look! So, after conducting a study and sampling some of our customers’ favourite roads in Britain, we’ve come up with some indisputable winners.

Spanning Scotland, Wales, Northern England, The Midlands and the South, we’ve got a scenic route for everyone in the UK. Where possible, we’ve also listed the pubs and eateries along the way.

So, get kitted up and let’s bring Sunday rides back!

A57 – Snake Pass

This route is notoriously dangerous for bikers. A mix of sharp turns, steep drops and clowns who like to overtake makes this a road which takes serious wits. The pass is often shut during the winter months and it isn’t uncommon to encounter both black ice and sheep on the roads and verges!

But when you take it steady, the Snake Pass is a stunning run with a varied landscape. From peaking over Glossop and taking in the heathery moors, to descending to Lady Bower reservoir, you could be cruising through the Scottish Highlands, not the North West of England.

There’s a great bikers’ pub on route called the Ladybower Inn too. It’s popular and you’ll certainly have to get there early on a sunny Sunday, but the food is great, the atmosphere is friendly and there’s even rooms available. There’s numerous stops along Snake Pass too, so stop safely and take in the scenery where you can.

A4085 – Aberglaslyn Pass

Wales is brimming with great roads. The Brecon Beacons in general is a particular favourite of ours, but for scenery and camping you can’t beat this 20 mile stretch of road between Caernarfon and Penrhyndeudreath. It’s frequently used for test-drives and poses quite a challenging course for drivers and bikers.

Bikers will have to account for narrowing stretches of road, level crossings and tight corners, but the views are simply stunning. If you get the chance, head over the Menai Bridge into Anglesey too. With miles of open road, this little island is an (almost!) traffic-less gem.

Fosse Way – Lincoln to Exeter

If you jump on the Fosse way at Warwickshire (B4455) then you’re in prime Jaguar, Bentley, Land Rover and Aston Martin Country! With bases at Gaydon, this road is a popular route for staff commutes and test-drives, so it’s not uncommon to see a bit of camou on some beautiful new models down this way.

The Fosse Way was a Roman road and it started life as a marker for the Western Frontier of Roman rule. It’s possible that it was built as a ditch, with ‘Fosse’ meaning ditch in Latin. Nowadays it’s anything but a ditch, but for some stretches you’ll need good suspension!

While it spans 230 miles (Lincoln – Exeter), there’s numerous places to jump on and off. We’d particularly recommend joining via the B4455 and stopping off at Royal Leamington Spa for a bite to eat. There’s also some great gastro-pubs on route.

A9 from Stirling to Inverness

Not every scenic Scottish road has to snake around a Loch to be beautiful. As the longest road in Scotland (273 miles), the A9 was historically the main road between Edinburgh and John O’Groats.

Nowadays, riders should take the road between Stirling and Inverness to take in the best sights. If you’re looking to take a longer road trip around Scotland, then you can extend your route and visit villages such as Pitlochry, and take a short detour to Loch Ness.

A39 – Porlock to Lynmouth

This stretch has been used in numerous car adverts, but as the UK’s steepest main road, it’s not for the faint-hearted!

But with great heights come great views and the scenery over Lynmouth Bay is postcard perfect. On a summer’s day you could be relaxing in the med, while the grey, turbulent sea 1,400 ft below makes for a stunning ride on colder days.

Porlock has bagged itself a ‘best village’ in Somerset award and receives regular Trip Advisor accolades for its quaint beauty. Stop off at the coaching inn for a little light refreshment before heading down to the small shingle bay.

If we haven’t covered your favourite scenic road, please add them to the comments or get in touch on social media, we know that plenty of petrol heads have left their hearts in Cumbria too! It goes without saying, many of the roads mentioned here are accident hotspots, so always ride carefully when you’re exploring new routes.

Article supplied 

Dan Sayle has had an impressive first run out with John Holden with the pair teaming up to win both races in the opening round of the ACU/FSRA F2 British Championship round at Oulton Park at the weekend. The victories took Holden to 40 wins Dan now has three - his first since winning with Nick Crowe in 2007.

The pair will team up again at this year's Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy with Dan returning to the sidecar paddock after a year's absence. The Sulby man will passenger for John Holden after Holden's regular passenger Andrew Winkle withdrew with a suspected broken hand in an incident during the previous World Championship round at Donnington Park.

Sayle has won TT Races with Tim Reeves, Dave Molyneux and Klaus Klaffenbock. His eighth victory came when he teamed up with Tim Reeves in 2013, which made him the joint most successful passenger in history, joining Rick Long on eight victories.

John Holden became the oldest first time TT race winner in the event's history when he won in 2011 at the age of 54 and the Lancashire based racer's Silicone Engineering/Barnes Racing outfit will again be one of the team's to beat with Sayle on board. Holden took two podium places at the 2014 meeting.

Sayle made his debut in 2002 and took his first podium a year later, partnering Greg Lambert. His first victory came in 2004 when he teamed up with fellow Manxman Dave Molyneux. He also has two victories from the Manx Grand Prix as a solo competitor.

Commenting on his return to the paddock Dan said:

"I've got a huge amount of respect for John and his record at the TT and I think that together we can have a good go at this year's races. I'm really looking forward to getting back in the sidecar around the Mountain Course and I think we'll be one of the teams to beat. It was good to get a run together at Oulton Park and I already feel that John and I are gelling as a team."

This year's Sure Sidecar races boast the largest field for ten years with 70 entries confirmed to start including seven former race winners.

Many many thanks for the free tickets to the the Prescott Bike Fest 2015. We had a lovely day out, even though the Missus was stuck in a wheelchair due to Gall Stones! Not pleasant. We were treated to fresh, yet fine and sunny weather, so that made all the difference.

Never attended a race rally before so we were intrigued by the rules, track and procedure. Brilliant atmosphere! Great to see lots of different bikes and 3 wheelers competing to win the race. Sport bikes, racers and even a couple of FS1E's. A replica of the Shuttleworth TT racer ( George Formby) was there. Sadly no photo..

Managed to see Charlie Boorman being interviewed. He intimated that he would be doing a survival/TV reality show soon, but definitely NOT the Jungle ( cannot possibly repeat his story of penis' and balls!!!)... sort of guessed at the Bear Grylls, but who knows.

Only managed to take a few snaps for you. Linda insisted on the one next to the Club House sign!  

The event was well attended and I can only guess at being successful. The only negative was that the venue was not very "disabled" friendly. It was a rough terrain to push a manual wheelchair!  However, all in all, worth the 220 mile round trip.

Our next biking adventure is to visit the Harley Rally at Faaker Am See in Austria, September 2015, which looks like 2,200 mile.  

Once again, thanks for the tickets, and the new edition of the Handbook - proudly displayed... An excellent need to have book.

All the very best
Cheers

Pete and Linda.