The Pata Honda World Superbike team returns to Europe this weekend for the penultimate round of the 2013 series at Magny-Cours in France following last Sunday’s two 12th-round races at Laguna Seca in America.

While results at Laguna Seca were not what the team or riders would have wished for, both Leon Haslam and Michel Fabrizio left the US with some positives which they are hoping to take to the 4.411km Magny-Cours circuit near Nevers in central France.

Haslam, 30, was able to demonstrate some pace last weekend but his results in Superpole and the two races did not live up to the potential shown, with a crash in the first outing and electronics problems in race two.

Michel Fabrizio, who will continue to replace the injured Jonathan Rea until the end of the season, made a breakthrough after Sunday’s warm-up and was able to produce more consistent and appropriate lap times during race two. The 29-year-old Italian is aiming to continue those positive steps at Magny-Cours this weekend.

Leon Haslam

I’ve got a pretty good record at Magny-Cours and I’ve been on the podium there a couple of times. I like the circuit so I’m looking forward to heading back there this weekend. I want to get back to a podium-fighting position in these last few races because we need to end the season on a high. We’ve definitely made some progress with the bike recently but every time we make a step forward we seem to get a bit of bad luck that puts us back again. It’s been that kind of season but, hopefully, that’s all out of the way now and we can show what we’re capable of.

Michel Fabrizio

The results at Laguna Seca were not great but I was quite happy after the race on Sunday because we made another big change to the front of the bike after warm-up and it worked. I was able to do faster lap times and the bike was much better for me, so I think we have a good direction to follow this weekend. My results at Magny-Cours have not been so good over the years, with only one podium, so we will work as hard as possible to achieve some good results this time.

2013 World Superbike championship, round 13

Magny-Cours, France – weekend schedule (local times – GMT+2)

Compass Expeditions is pleased to announce its latest offering of superb tours from around the world. The 38-day Europe to the Mongol Steppe offers a taste of riding one of the worlds most epic riding destinations of Mongolia.

“Traditionally it has been all but impossible to ride into Mongolia without it being part of a major expedition”, says Mick McDonald co-founder of Compass Expeditions.  We have developed this tour to satisfy demand for those who cant join our 105 day Road of Bones Expedition; the Europe to the Mongol Steppe includes flights and shipping of clients bikes back to Europe or we can supply a BMW if desired, this is a unique ride offering” continues Mick.

The ride shall depart July 2014 from the amazing BMW Days held in Garmisch – Partenkirchen, Germany where clients will be some of the 35,000 BMW enthusiasts to attend. Visiting the Ukraine the ride enters Russia and travel the mighty Trans Siberian Highway via the legendary Ural factory and Lake Baikal before dropping into biking nirvana, Mongolia, terminating in Ulaan Bataar.

For more info on this ride visit here:

www.compassexpeditions.com

Motorcycle Live 2013 just got even bigger with the addition of yet another live feature – the Silverstone Rookie Ride – taking the tally of interactive activities at the show to 17, including nine FREE opportunities to ride.

The Silverstone Rookie Ride* is an initiative launched by the Northamptonshire race circuit to introduce young people to motorcycling. Aimed at those aged 11 and up, the feature will offer FREE 20-minute indoor taster sessions on a Yamaha Jog RR scooter. Participants will be provided with Alpinestars protective clothing and will be taught the basics of machine familiarisation and how to pull away and stop safely, before progressing to slow speed manoeuvring skills.  

The scooters are fitted with kill switches and all training takes places under the watchful eye of expert instructors. As well as a learning new skills and an awareness of other road users, all attendees will take away a Silverstone lanyard and ‘Rookie Ride’ card.  

The Silverstone Rookie Ride completes a range of live features aimed at introducing children and young adults to life on two wheels. With the Kiddimoto Children’s Fun Track, Honda My First Licence, the Red Bull Pro National Children’s Off-Road experience, Try a Kuberg – Children’s Electric Motorcycle and now the Silverstone Rookie Ride, youngsters from the age of two to late teens can enjoy a two-wheeled experience at Motorcycle Live.

Motorcycle Live takes place at The NEC, Birmingham from 23 November – 1 December 2013. Advance tickets for Motorcycle Live 2013 are just £17 per adult, £11 for Seniors and £7 for children aged 6-16** (kids under five accompanied by a paying adult go free). Bike parking is free of charge and subject to availability. Reduced car parking costs of £8 – subsidised by Motorcycle Live.

To book your tickets, call 0844 581 2345 or visit www.motorcyclelive.co.uk

Road safety charity the IAM is offering weekly motoring tips from Britain’s top advanced driver, Peter Rodger.

Research shows that older drivers are as safe as drivers from all other age groups.  Drivers over 75 react just as quickly as other age groups when a vehicle emerges from a side road or if the car in front brakes suddenly on a rural road.1  Today is older people’s day, and in light of this, Peter offers tips for older drivers.

• Currently motorists are required to renew their licence at 70, and then every three years after that. Make sure you keep up to date with your renewals, or you could end up driving illegally.
• When you renew your license you are asked to self-certify the state of your health. Be honest with yourself – it may be worth going for an all-round check-up with your GP before you choose which box to tick.
• Whether it is time to renew or not, you have a legal requirement to inform the DVLA as soon as possible if you are diagnosed with a medical condition which may affect your ability to drive.
• Your eyesight will inevitably deteriorate as you age, but the law requires drivers to be able to read a car number plate from a distance of 20 metres, whatever your age – If you need glasses or contact lenses to do this, they must be worn at all times when driving.
• If you are diagnosed with a condition which causes vision impairment, the law says you must inform the DVLA. Failure to do so is a criminal offence.
• Research has proven older drivers are as safe as or safer than other age groups. But bad habits do creep in over time, and it may be worth considering giving your driving a check-up. Online and on-road assessments are available for older drivers to make sure your driving is still up to scratch.

IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger said: “As we age, unfortunately our health will deteriorate, which may mean that it’s time to hang up the driving gloves.  You should consider is whether you are still able to drive safely, what steps you can take to ensure you are up to the job, and what legal requirements you have to register your illness.

“Experienced motorists may feel that driving is very much an automated activity, but must remember that it is actually a highly complex task that requires acute observation and manual skills.”

 Holding back the gears: The ageing process and driver safety can be viewed here:

Over at Right To Ride EU we have just taken a look at the announcement from KTM that the production of their new 2014 models the 1190 Adventure and Adventure R will feature, “a truly revolutionary rider assistance system”, Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC). 

If MSC works in real world riding conditions then motorcycling is in for a big change, within the laws of physics.

So it looks like we have systems from KTM with Bosch for riders whose abilities come below the abilities of the motorcycle and those whose abilities and experience sometimes get caught out by the laws of physics.

These KTMs are designed or promoted with an off-road ability, either on non-metallic roads (roads with a “loose” surface) that still require the rider and bike to be road legal (insurance/VED etc) or fully off-road or  perhaps a mixture of the two on a round the world trip through far flung outer Mongolia.

The “off” capability of the systems is to facilitate this type of riding, so when returning to the tarmac the bike the systems can be engaged which makes the bike suitable again to that surface.

But in all this (recently agreed European Legislation) there is nothing in any regulation that stops manufacturers fitting an off switch!

So did riders ask for all these new technological systems? Like the latest tablet or phone technology when it is announced to the buying public and clambered over, as a must have, to a degree as riders hold some decorum, there is a want for new technology!

There is of course the rhetoric that these systems and legislation to introduce them as compulsory, removes the freedom of choice – for riders to choose to have or not have the system on a bike – we have to be careful here in case of a back lash on the freedom of choice issue.

However with over 27 million PTWs (motorcycles – scooters – mopeds) in use in Europe and their riders –  the average rider – the majority of riders, want the freedom of choice to have these systems on their bikes and do not care that there is no alternative.

For these riders there appears to be no concern of these systems being fitted or the inconvenience or cost if there are electronic failures, these riders do not care, it is a part of modern acceptability and they want their bikes to have the latest technology fitted.

Perhaps instead of some sort of panacea being offered to reduce collisions, fatalities and injuries what we are being offered is an actual cure or at least a partial remedy?

However we would say that all this technology is going to sell well!

Read the article in full at Right To Ride EU and view the videos of the system in action