... thanks to winning tickets on THE BIKER GUIDE.

So thanks again to all at THE BIKER GUIDE for a great weekend!

Al Brown

Ripley Land Racing have moved quickly to replace the injured Cameron Donald for this month’s Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts with the news that Manxman Dan Kneen will take over the machines vacated by the Australian.

Donald, who took second in last year’s Okells Brewery 350cc Classic TT Race was ruled out of action recently with two broken wrists sustained in a training accident and Kneen, who will be having his first ever outing on Classic machinery, will now line up on the G50 Seeley Matchless and 350cc 7R AJS machinery and he’s sure to be among the pre-race favourites.

Kneen, who will also contest the Motorsport Merchandise F1 race on the RLR Motorsports GSXR750 Suzuki, has had a stellar year on the roads with the highlight clinching the Irish Superbike Road Race Championship at the recent Armoy Road Races. The Manxman has been making his debut appearances at the majority of the Irish National road races this year yet has still been victorious at the Cookstown 100, Tandragee 100, Skerries 100, Walderstown and Kells Road Races.

The 27-year old Braddan rider also enjoyed one of his best year’s at the TT with three top ten finishes and two more finishes inside the top fifteen. His best result was seventh in the RL 360º Superstock Race while he also became the 17th fastest rider of all time around the Mountain Course with a lap of 129.360mph.

Tickets are now on sale and selling fast for the 2014 Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts. VIP experiences, Grandstand tickets, Classic TT Heroes Dinner and Classic TT Party tickets can be purchased from www.iomtt.com or by phoning 00 44 (0)1624 640000.

Travel and accommodation packages to suit all budgets and requirements are available from Official Classic TT Travel Agency Regency Travel 

The countdown to Motorcycle Live 2014 has officially begun. Tickets for the UK’s biggest and best bike show, which will return to The NEC, Birmingham from 22-30 November, are available now.

Every November, thousands of two-wheel fans and their families make the winter-season pilgrimage to Motorcycle Live to see the next year’s new models in the UK for the first time. This year will be no different, with more manufacturers signed up than ever before – each one showcasing the very latest machinery, from sports bikes and scooters to adventure models and off-roaders.

In addition to the new metal, visitors get a jam-packed day of entertainment with Classic and Custom Xtreme zones, the Crank’d live action stunt show, the Behind Bars cinema experience, more than nine opportunities to ride a bike, loads of retail stands to bag a bargain, the chance to meet and greet their racing heroes and the ever-popular Blackhorse stage in the British Eurosport Entertainment Zone – which will again feature non-stop action every day with live chats, games and quiz shows.

Motorcycle Live takes place at The NEC, Birmingham from 22-30 November 2014. Advance tickets are just £17 per adult, £11 for Seniors and £7 for children aged 11-16* (kids ten and under accompanied by a paying adult go free). There is also a £20 advance ticket, which includes entry to the show and a three-pack of Oxford Comfy neck warmers worth £15.

To book, call 0844 581 2345 or click here.

*Advance ticket price, closing date for advanced tickets 5.00pm on 21 November 2014.

All information correct at time of going to press.

Michelin-sponsored road racer, Daley Mathison, took the top spot on the podium in the Welsh Open at the historic Aberdare Park National Road Races recently. Riding his Hold Taj Suzuki GSXR600 fitted with

Michelin’s Power Cup tyres, Mathison beat off stiff competition to be crowned the victor in a race that has been running for more than sixty years.

In glorious dry, sunny conditions Daley rode to victory in front of more than 4,000 spectators and as such has earned his free place back on the grid at next year’s event. Following a close battle with fellow rider Mark Goodings, Mathison made every split second count and finished a nail-biting 0.1 of a second ahead.

Speaking of the win, Daley said: “This is the first time I’ve competed at the Aberdare Park Road Races since 2010 and this year I was determined to show what I could do. We struggled with the gearing and were chasing suspension settings over the weekend, but the tyres performed flawlessly and we still came away with the win despite it all!”

The next challenge for Daley will be the Ulster Grand Prix coming up in mid-August and with the focus and determination shown at the Welsh Open it looks like Mathison will be a serious contender for the top spots.

Millsport Ducati and Jakub ‘Kuba’ Smrz have grabbed the headlines this afternoon (2 August) by taking the first ever pole position for the 1199 Panigale in the British Superbike Championship. The sensational result came at the UK’s fastest circuit – Thruxton in Hampshire – as Smrz beat all of the championship front-runners to top spot.

Following a first front row earlier in the year at Snetterton, the team was confident that the elusive maiden pole was coming their way, but with conditions looking mixed at the high-speed Hampshire venue no-one dared predict it this weekend.

Smrz had been on the pace from the start of the race meeting, setting top ten times in both of the free practice sessions on Friday. With tricky conditions for FP3 this morning, the Czech rider proved he had the pace whatever the weather with another top ten time, and despite some huge downpours that threatened to half proceedings the track was dry when it was time for qualifying.

With confidence riding high, Smrz put in a great lap early on in the first part of the session, going third fastest and immediately returning to the pits happy that it would be enough. Times moved on another step in Q2, as Kuba made sure he progressed to the top-ten shootout with a tour two tenths quicker than his initial effort. The leap to pole position was, however, an incredible half a second, as the Ducati rider’s time of 1:15.281s outshone all of the established BSB contenders.

The team is understandably elated with the result, and it has been a long and committed road to this success by everyone at Millsport.

BSB pole-sitter Smrz said:

“It feels really good! Everything this season is new for us – we are working really hard to improve the bike, and it’s always good to have some reward for that. While today is good, we need to be fast in the races tomorrow as well but we are proving that we are going forward. To have pole with some things still to improve is cool.

“I really like tracks like this – it even reminds me a little bit of the legendary Phillip Island in Australia which is one of my favourite tracks. Pole is important, my team have found some solutions to our issues getting off the line, so hopefully tomorrow’s start will be good and we can fight for the podium.”

Millsport Ducati’s chief technician Steve Moore said:

“It’s been a long time coming, but we’ve proven that all the hard work has been worth it. The long-term commitment from our sponsors and team members have made this pole position possible, and I’d like to thank them, and of course Kuba for producing a fantastic lap!

“We’ve been working hard going through the data to help the Panigale get off the line better, so we’re hopeful that Kuba will be able to get away at the front tomorrow and bring home some silverware!”