Southern Sporting Motor Cycle Club

Southern Sporting

Motor Cycle Club

October

2019

Table of Contents

Table of Contents ...... 2 Your Committee ...... 3 Dates for your diary ...... 3 Editor’s Comments ...... 4 SSMCC Committee Minutes- September 2019 ...... 5 Limited-edition Honda CB1100 RS 5Four revealed ...... 9 The Motorbike Test ...... 11 Affordable Adventure Bikes Under £5,000 ...... 14 TAG Racing to run two-man Superbike team ...... 18 Saw but forgot – Drivers’ memory lapses puts motorcyclists at risk ...... 20 Bosch Reveals 3d Dashboard Display - ...... 23 ‘Re-Route’ Century-Old Isle Of Man TT...... 25 Tickets? Tickets? Anyone for tickets? ...... 26 Break Time ...... 27 These Barry Sheene Suzuki Race Bikes Are To Be Restored… Live! ...... 28 Michael Dunlop Confirmed ...... 29 Motorcycling Burns Between 170 And 600 Calories Per Hour ...... 30 Harley-Davidson To Lay Off Staff ...... 32 Ducati Panigale V4R (2019) Review ...... 33 Limited-edition Honda CB1100 RS 5Four revealed ...... 37 Uk Motorcycle Sales Slide In August; ...... 39 Guy Martin sets new UK speed record on route to 300mph! ...... 41 Tour Hungry ...... 42 The Lockport Motorcycle Graveyard: A Ghost Story ...... 44 Regular venues ...... 46 October/November Events-Not Club runs but may be of interest ...... 47 Breaktime Answers: ...... 52

Your Committee

President…………………………………………. John Mason Vice President…………………………………. Ian Slater, Mick Wallace, Richard Barnett Chairman………………………………….……. Christian Gorth Club Secretary…………………………………. Ian Slater PRO…………………………………………………. Steve Pearce Training Scheme……………………………… Chris Booker Club Captain……………………………………. Mick Wallace Social Secretary……………….………………. Heather Wallace Editor………………………………………………. Sharon Roberts Auditor - Club Auditor - Training Scheme ………………. Rob Wood Centre Board Delegate (2) Star Group Delegate (2) BMF Liaison Officer …………………………. Ian Slater Minutes Secretary …………………………… Heather Wallace

Dates for your diary

13th Oct Possible Club Run - TBC 3rd Nov Brighton Veteran Car Rally 16th Nov Bowling – Airport Bowl TBC 22nd Nov Motorcycle Live: NEC Birmingham 14th Dec The Red Lion – Russell Road Shepperton

Editor’s Comments

Welcome to another edition of Contact. As October arrives I am wondering how many more days of decent weather we will have for trips out on two wheels. Lots of rain here in Wales at the moment!

Please don’t forget that you can have your say about anything motorcycle related (as long as there is no swearing)! All articles are welcome. There has been an interesting point raised at the committee meeting this month by your PRO Steve P, (see any other business). If you want your say you will need to make your voice heard. Talking of Steve P, he’s still waiting for photos of your interesting trips-out for the website - permission required from anyone appearing in them before publication please. Post to [email protected]

There are lots of interesting stories for you again this month, hopefully something for everyone. Bike reviews, new technology, even an old story which I have unearthed from 2006 on rideapart.com. An interesting article from Nottingham University which suggestions why motorcyclists may not be seen by car drivers on page 16 and I have put pen to paper on page 42!

Despite winter approaching, there are still a number of events taking place within the club, as listed, The Brighton Veteran Car Rally and bowling at the Airport Bowl. Check out page 24 to see how to save money on tickets for Motorcycle Live at the NEC. I wonder if any of you will venture to The Midlands on two wheels, parking is free for bikes! There are also events across the country on the ‘Not club runs’ from page 44 this month

For the bowling - Heather is looking to book the 16th November. Can you let her know if you are interested in going? ALSO XMAS dinner has been booked with a change of venue this year. The 14th December is the date and it will be at the Red Lion, Russel Road, Shepperton. We will be in a separate section. Heather will send the menu option around as soon as it has been confirmed. The cost will be £25 for members and £30 for non-members. This is a pub, so drinks will be available at the bar. Please let Heather know if you want to come.

The WRWR are still going strong and the ladies have just arrived in The US from Canada.

SSMCC Committee Minutes- September 2019 Meeting Monday 16 September 2019 – 29 Mandeville Road, Shepperton TW17 0AL

In Attendance: Chris Gorth (CG) Chairman John Mason (JM) Treasurer Ian Slater (IS) Secretary Heather Wallace (HW) Social Secretary Mick Wallace (MW) Club Captain

Meeting started at: 20:00hrs

Apologies – Chris Booker, Steve Pearce, Sharon Roberts

Minutes from the Last Meeting The minutes were proposed by Heather Wallace (HW) and seconded by Ian Slater (IS) and were adopted without dissent.

Matters Arising Nothing arising

Correspondence Martyn Young has moved, so the membership list has been updated and the committee will be sent an updated list shortly. As everything is sent by email, there is not rush.

Since the last meeting, Tony Coe contact Ian to ask if there were still some bikes for sale. Ian confirmed that there was a YBR, Vision, GN & a Torpedo left. He asked if he could have the YBR & Vision and a price was agreed £700 for both.

Club Secretary Since then the GN has been take to CBS so that it can be viewed there, along with an advert arranged on eBay at a price of £400, arranged by Mick Wallace.

Mick advised that there are 39 watchers, there has been 2 bids so far, and someone has also asked what we would accept for it as a pay now price. He has been told that he would have to pay £400. He has not responded yet. The MOT is valid until 13 Oct. Ian said he intended giving CBS 10% of the sold price as a thank you.

Tony Coe has collected the bikes he purchased.

New Members No new members.

Treasurer’s Report John Mason advised that he has a receipt that needs refunding to him for fuel for the scheme bikes £7.61. John would also like to know how much the Scheme account has now, once the bike sale money has been transferred over.

Training Scheme Heather Wallace needs to contact Isleworth Town Primary School to see if they do want to have the rubber cones and keep left bollard. Term has only just restarted.

Social Secretary’s Report As we didn’t have a committee meeting in August, Heather had not been able to report on the Picnic in the Park at Marble Hill Park. The weather was kind to those that came, although it was a small group. Heather, Mick, Ian, Amoret, Chris G and Sam & Marnie (related to the Wallace’s) It was still a nice afternoon, if a shame that not more could have attended.

The next event in the social calendar is the Curry Night (21st Sept), which has been offered up as a ‘Takeaway Night’ at Heather & Mick’s so that those that don’t particularly like curry can still come along and bring their own food of choice. There are several alternative options close by to Mandeville Road Shepperton including a Chinese, Fish & Chips and a Chicken shop.

An email was sent to the members, although only a few have responded. Another email is going out after this meeting.

Then Xmas will be upon us. Heather thinks we need to go somewhere else this year.

Does anyone have any suggestions? One suggestion given was upstairs at the Adelaide. It would make it a private room. It’s local and the Park hotel down the road for accommodation.

We could go back to the Holiday Inn at Shepperton, which would be a dinner/dance.

Other possibilities could be Red Peppers in Teddington – we’d have to check.

POST MEETING NOTE Following on from the meeting, Mick went to the Red Lion, Shepperton to enquire about booking a table. He has been able to book the side room for the 14th December. Heather will be sending the menu choices at a later date, but if you could let her know if you are interested. The cost per person for 3 course meal is £32.50. The club will subsidise this, so for members expect to pay £25, for non-members £30 and the club will pay the difference.

Editors Report Assume that Articles are to be in by 28 September

Captain’s Report Ian did the last run to Berry Hill. 13 bikes attended

There will be a club run to Hayling Island on 22nd Sept, which the Club Captain (Mick) is hoping to lead.

Another run is hoped to be made available in October.

3 Nov - Brighton Veteran Car Rally

Public Relations Officer’s Report The website hosting was due for renewal, I emailed committee members to get agreement to continue the website for the next 2 years at £83.98, I have confirmed this with Lisa and I’ve reimbursed her the money, I’m still waiting reimbursement for this. Website has been updated with the last couple of months of contact. The statistics for some reason are not giving a count of hits so not sure if it’s still being found - I will look into this.

ACTION – Chris Booker, please reimburse Steve.

Any Other Business Steve Pearce sent following - Just throwing a concern out - with the training now finished and looking like it’s not going to restart, where is the club going? We will lose members due to lack of the training scheme; this now means that the club has to do something “special” to make people want to continue to be members and attract new members. I think that a tell tail will be when membership invites are sent out - but would like to see something proactive rather than reactive to a possible disbanding of the club. People are not just going to join because they have been members for X number of years or just because the club has been going for 80 years - the training scheme is proof of this.

This was discussed. It was pointed out that there is more than one aspect to the Club. There are members who actively attend club runs or social events, and then there is the social media ‘club’ e.g. those that use Facebook.

In more recent years, those people who did join the club following their training did very little to be involved. Even when small bike runs were pushed out on the ‘run’ calendar, they did not come forward for it.

Steve may be correct in that membership may drop off when renewals come around again, but this may also be as a result of people moving away.

There are a good number of members who have not been actively involved for many years.

Also take into account, there are 15 Honorary members.

It’s just unfortunate that this year, both Ian and Mick have been unwell, so the idea of going on runs from Sam’s Café on Saturday have not taken place and European trips have not taken place either.

But, if anyone has other suggestions as to how to encourage membership, they should stand up and be counted.

Chris Gorth mentioned the NEC. He is happy to book group tickets & parking, which helps to bring the price down. Please let Chris know if you are interested, as unless enough people are interested it’s not worth it.

Fixtures 21 Sept - Curry Night or similar - TBC 13 Oct - Possible Club Run - TBC 3 Nov - Brighton Veteran Car Rally 16 Nov - Bowling - TBC 22 Nov - NEC Bike Show 14 Dec - The Red Lion – Russell Road Shepperton

The meeting closed at 21:15hrs

Thanks were given to Heather & Mick for their hospitality.

Next meeting – The next meeting will be Monday 14th October – Chris Gorth - Flat 3, Oakhill Gardens, Oatlands Drive, Weybridge KT13 9JP

Limited-edition Honda CB1100 RS 5Four revealed By Ben Purvis https://www.bennetts.co.uk

Honda’s CB750 is the machine that inspired the term ‘superbike’ and – with four cylinders and disc brakes – brought Grand Prix technology to the road at a fraction of the price of its slower rivals. Now it’s 50 years old and to mark the occasion Honda UK has teamed up with 5Four Motorcycles to create a limited edition tribute machine.

Just 54 of the bikes, based on the latest CB1100 RS, will be made. Rather than trying to replicate the 1969 CB750, the CB1100 RS 5Four takes its inspiration from endurance racing, with a single seat and small nose fairing, but its air-cooled four-cylinder engine provides a clear link to the original.

Guy Willson known from TV’s The Motorbike Show, spearheaded the design for 5Four Motorcycles. He said: “5Four Motorcycles was created to move away from the one-size-fits-all standard and to build thoroughbred machines with cool design, a statement of individualism, quality, performance and exclusivity. From the moment I first saw the CB1100 RS I knew it had the potential to be a thoroughbred, single seat, point-and-squirt A and B road blaster. So we’re making a strictly limited production run of 54 CB1100 RS 5Four motorcycles, each individually numbered. The number is etched subtly into the number 5 of the nickel plated 5Four badge which itself is inset into the tailpiece. And the paintwork had to hark back to the period in my youth when Honda dominated World Endurance racing with their red, white and blue works racers; there are no stickers or transfers – even the retro Honda logo and Wing are lovingly hand-painted. We’re passionate about this motorcycle. We have just selfishly designed and built it and it stirs us when we walk up to it and we don’t want to leave it at the end of a day’s riding.”

In case you’re wondering about the 5Four name, it’s Willson’s call number from his days as a despatch rider.

Changes to the limited-edition machine include Renthal bars, Tomaselli grips, billet mirrors and short, adjustable levers. The seat is Alcantara and leather, but most impressively that single seat unit and the custom-made fairing are handmade from aluminium rather than plastic or fibreglass. Racefit provides the ‘Urban Growler’ end cans and each machine is individually numbered.

While the bikes are modified from stock CB1100 RS machines by 5Four Motorcycles, because the limited-edition is officially sanction you can order one from any Honda dealer. A deposit secures a build slot, provided you get there before all 54 are sold, and delivery is expected about three months later. Speaking of which, you can either collect the bike at your dealer or collect the bike from Corby, where Guy Willson will hand it over in person. As with any other official Honda, finance deals including PCP are on offer.

How much for all this? Honda’s asking £15,554. That’s more than 50% more than a stock CB1100 RS (£9999) but seems reasonable given the bike’s rarity and hand-made nature.

The Motorbike Test

It might have taken me until the age of 32, but I finally proved the Doctors wrong and passed my motorbike test Growing up, I was surrounded by motorbikes all the time and from a very young age; my Mum would take me to local egg runs where there’d be convoys of biker after biker all donning their leather waistcoats and big motors.

My first experience on the back of a bike was when I was 8-years old; a red Suzuki Bandit. My Mum went first, then me and after my brother who was waiting with my Grandma until he was picked up. One by one we were ferried to the local farm on the back of the Bandit. It was only a few miles, but I loved it. So, to be told following a car accident at 18-years old, in which I broke my back (L5 vertebrate), that I probably wouldn’t ride a motorbike was pretty devastating. I was walking across the road when a lady more interested in her phone hit me left side on. Much physio and rehabilitation followed the accident and despite being able to walk fine it wasn’t without pain. A dull ache I’ve simply gotten used to over the years.

So, if it was so important to me why wait so long I hear you ask. Well, being completely honest, it was fear, along with that permanent dull backache I was living with. This wasn’t my first attempt at going for my licence, by the way. I did my CBT back in 2015 and borrowed a Honda CBR125 from Honda Bikes to see how I fared. Well, it was fine until I had an issue at a junction that completely put me off. I was waiting to turn right and the bike slid beneath me into an angle that I just couldn’t recover by myself. A kind white van man helped me to get it back upright. Naturally, this shook me and resulted in me making the decision that it wasn’t the right time.

About a year ago, however, I joined the gym. Working out six days a week, building strength with weights and working on mobility started to make a huge difference. I went from being very weak on one side to having a more balanced strength and deadlifting almost double my bodyweight with relative ease. And so the itch came back. The itch to give it another go. My new-found strength and balance coupled with 2019 marking 15 years of me driving a car, I hoped would stand me in good stead for passing my bike licence. And, needless to say, I was right.

I got in touch with a local one-man-band ADS Motorcycle Training and booked my CBT for a second time. I took to it like a fly on sh*t. It was nothing like my first attempt, I wasn’t struggling with the weight of the bike nor the awkwardness of my imbalance, it just seemed to come naturally. The only issue being forgetting to switch my indicator off. An easy mistake to make, but a dangerous one depending on the situation.

So, following getting my CBT certificate – it’s training, not a test. I went straight back to Honda Bikes to see if they had anything I could get a few days’ practise on. And what did they offer me?! A Monkey. I’m sure you’re laughing and so did I when I turned up and realised how small it was, but, and this is very important, you don’t realise how much you learn being thrown in the deep end and the Monkey was just that.

I rode it back from Corby to my home in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, in the worst rain conditions ever; I was freezing, I was stiff, but I still had the biggest smile on my face. The Monkey was difficult to ride, taking more concentration at higher speeds – especially when lorries are passing, but it all fared me well! The Kawasaki 650 ER-6n that I passed on feeling easier to ride. I practised my low-speed stuff on the Monkey, ready for the Mod1, while I awaited my Theory Test appointment. I didn’t study for the Theory Test, but I wish I had! I didn’t bother because I thought it would be general Highway Code and the majority of it was, along with hazard perception which I’ve done every day for more than a decade. However, there were bike-specific questions and, despite me passing the theory test fine, there were a couple that stumped me so do bear this in mind if you’re planning on doing it.

Theory test pass letter and CBT certificate in hand, it was time to attempt the Mod1. Having arrived at Cardington Test Centre nice and early, the nerves had plenty of time to set in. And set in they did! I was shaking like a leaf; every aspect of the Mod1 I’d done and practised to perfection every time. And the miserable examiner really didn’t help. Reverse into bay; fine, slalom; perfect, figure of 8; better than ever… then it was time for the emergency stop. I’d panicked and focused so much on getting my speed up to the required 32mph that I didn’t notice the examiner’s arm reaching for the sky. No minors, but one major, equalling one major fail for me.

Mod1 take two. This time it was at the Cambridge Test Centre. And this time the examiner was lovely – a complete U-turn from the first one. I was still stupidly nervous, but I got through it with flying colours. I knew exactly what I needed to do and I didn’t look at the speedo once through the emergency stop or the avoidance test. Remember that you get another go at it if you don’t hit the required speed, anyway! Provided it was done safely, of course.

Mod1 in the bag, it was time to practice for the Mod2. Due to time restriction, as we went for the very next available appointment, I had just three hours of bike time between tests, with all said three hours being the morning of test day. So, naturally, I was quite nervous about it. As I don’t own a 125, I wasn’t able to go out and practice. However, the three hours of practice pre-test went very well, with the only real issue being veering a tad wide when corning on a hill. I was giving it more throttle than needed, trying to compensate for the incline. Once this was flagged, though, I quickly addressed it. All set up at Cardington Test Centre and hoping it wouldn’t be another re-take of the first Mod1, I was test ready. Well, as ready as I’d ever be. The examiner started off by asking me some questions about the bike; questions that my trainer and I had already gone through that morning, such as show me where you’d check oil levels or tell me how you’d check the brake lights are working etc. Passed that part without an issue – this section is made to sound scarier than it is; it’s really not that technical and it’s general things you should probably know when owning a bike – for your own safety, as well as others. Out on the road, I started to relax into it. The first part of the on-road test was the examiner directing me where to go, with very specific instructions, and later he left me to follow signs for Cambridge so he could watch me without instruction. Easy. There were a couple of minors accumulated. Funnily enough, I’d counted the minors as I went, so I wasn’t shocked when he told me of the couple I had. One being that I was too close to the car in front in slow-moving traffic and another where I left my indicator on for a little too long – an issue that didn’t pose a problem due to there being no roads or turnings. If, however, there had have been a junction, I would have failed immediately with a major, due to this being misleading to other drivers. And based on the latter minor I got back to the test centre convinced I’d failed, but I hadn’t. I’d bloody passed! With the indicator issue put down as a minor. In total, I’d had around an hour of riding the Monkey (bike) each day for around 7 days and took up around 8 hours of training with Stuart at ADS Motorcycle Training and he was absolutely brilliant throughout; he took a personal approach and I really felt like he was going through it with me. Pass certificate now safely under my belt and thanks to my age – one of the very few benefits of being a bit older – I have no restrictions in terms of engine size. Although, despite sitting on a 1299 Ducati Panigale last weekend and falling a little bit in love, I think I’m going to go with the 800cc Scrambler, do some customisation bits to it and generally enjoy motorbike ownership.

I’m afraid to say, though, I’ll be joining the fair weather rider club, as I have a nice warm car for in the winter – much respect to the die-hards out there, though! https://www.influx.co.uk Written By Danni Bagnall

Affordable Adventure Bikes Under £5,000

© KTM | KTM Adventure 990 The surge in adventure bike sales over the past few years has produced a very happy by- product – the availability of adventure bikes under £5,000. We take a look at the pick of the crop. Adventure bikes are hugely popular in the British market right now, and that doesn’t look likely to change any time soon. The key to their popularity is surely in their enormous versatility. They can commute, tour or – as the name suggests – go adventuring on the green lanes. We’ve even seen them used on track days. On top of that, they deal with the changeable British weather very well indeed.

One of the few downsides to these bikes is the price. Most of these top-spec motorcycles have a lot of technology put into them and this is often reflected in the cost, with popular models like BMW’s R 125O GS starting at £13,415 new.

I recently wrote a blog addressing this, looking at great brand new options for under £10k (check that out here). However, this time we’re going to try and get that down even further by looking at used models. Looking out for bargains on the used market has never been easier thanks to tools like eBay and Auto Trader available on the internet. However, don’t underestimate the benefits of simply going to local dealerships the old fashioned way and seeing what they have on offer, too. Dealers will often unload non-franchise bikes at a discount to keep their stock lists on- brand.

Of course, it’s worth being aware that finding the perfect bike for your budget will depend on your location and how long you’re willing to wait for the right bike to come along.

With all that said, here are seven top adventure bikes that can be found for less than five grand!

BMW R 1200 GS (2013-2016) The R1200 GS is BMW’s best-selling bike and has been one of the UK’s top sellers for years, and for good reason, too. It is an excellent all-rounder, probably the best there is. As mentioned earlier, the modern iteration has a hefty price tag, but you can find some earlier models that are still in excellent condition available at around the £5,000 mark.

It may take some searching and a bit of patience, but it is definitely possible to get a used 2013 R1200 GS in this price range.© BMW The Motorrad 2013 | BMWmodel R 1200 had GS (2013-2016) improvements made in almost every area and will still hold up among most modern bikes in terms of its performance, quality and features. Preload adjustable suspension, Brembo brakes, heated grips and cruise control were all updated for this model, and the 125bhp engine will even give sport bikes a run for their money.

BMW R 1200 GS (2010 – 2013) If you find the 2013 model is too elusive in your area, you may have an easier time finding the previous version from 2010. Nearly ten years old now, this still represents the first truly modern 1200 GS whose versatility opened the world’s eyes to the advantages and conveniences adventure bikes could offer. While slightly slower than its newer counterparts, at 110bhp it’s no slouch either and it will soak up the miles on tour with comfort and ease. Another big advantage © BMW Motorrad | BMW R 1200 GS (2010 – 2013) of buying used is that many of these bikes will have been up-specced with the full host of optional extras offered by BMW. I’ve seen these 2010 models fully-loaded with gadgets including panniers, top box and crash guards still come in at five grand.

TRIUMPH TIGER 800 XC (2010-2014) Triumph has long been considered “king of the middleweights” with their fantastic triple engines, and here – in their iconic Tiger model – we see the bike in adventure form. You can find one of these on the used market relatively easily for less than £5,000, and it will provide everything you could want in an adventure bike. The 94 bhp Triumph Tiger 800 XC has been developed with adventuring in mind, from its extended forks and elevated bars to the huge 21″ front wheel. It’s a bike ready to tear up the green lanes, but the smooth © Triumph Motorcycles | Triumph Tiger 800 XC (2010-2014) acceleration and excellent handling ensure it rides like a treat on the roads, as well.

HONDA AFRICA TWIN XRV750 (1992 – 2003) The Africa Twin rose to fame in the 80s with multiple Dakar Rally wins and has become a bit of a cult favourite in modern times. You can also find one of the 90s versions fairly easily for around the £4,000 mark. The fact so many are still around and going strong in terms of second-hand sales speaks to Honda’s legendary reliability and build quality. The 90s version features an onboard computer – a pretty wild inclusion for a 30-year-old bike – but lacks some of the other modern gadgetry you find on modern adventure bikes. With a 742cc V-twin and a max 61bhp, it’s also a lot lower on © Honda Motorcycles | Honda Africa Twin power than the contemporary players. However, what it XRV750 (1992 – 2003) lacks in refinement it makes up for in pure character. The retro aesthetics are timeless and its off-road prowess is well documented. A real classic!

KTM 990 ADVENTURE (2003-2012) Being a full-fledged adventure bike with a Super Duke engine inside, the KTM 990 Adventure is a unique machine (doubly so at the time of its release)!

The KTM’s 942cc engine with 97bhp output may be a little smaller on paper than its GS rival. However, the bike is a full 20 kilos lighter, ensuring high performance on the road. Additionally, the 21″ front wheel, switchable ABS and adjustable suspension are all nice features for a bike made in the late 2000s, helping solidify this bike’s powerful off-road capabilities.

The looks might have people divided nowadays. On the other hand, I don’t think there’s another bike quite like it, and I love its boxy retro style hailing from a time © KTM | KTM 990 Adventure (2003-2012) before retro was cool. You can find one of these 2006-2008 models at around the £3,000 to £4,000 mark. At just over ten years old, they’re usually still in great shape.

BMW G 310 GS (2017 – ON) Perhaps you have an A2 licence, or you don’t fancy lugging about a 220-kilo machine, or you would rather look for a bike a bit newer and still under warranty. Well, this bike ticks all those boxes. It’s worth noting that, even when brand new, the BMW G 310 GS only just makes it over the £5k mark. That means you can find one less than a year old for under £4,000!

The G 310 GS has the classic GS adventure looks but comes in a smaller package, weighing in at just 168kg. © BMW Motorrad | BMW G 310 GS Fully A2 compliant, the 310 GS won’t offer the same performance as other bikes on the list, but it is still a more than capable commuter and tourer with some basic off-road functionality as well. It may struggle to deal with more heavy going terrain, but it makes for a great budget introduction to the adventure market.

DUCATI SCRAMBLER (2015 – ON) This is our ‘mystery house’ option for the daytime TV viewers among you. Ducati’s Scrambler has been a huge hit, leading the charge on this current retro revival craze since its introduction in 2015. The good news is that those 2015 models are still in plentiful supply on the second-hand market and can be picked up for less than £5,000.

The Scrambler is based on the off-road bikes of the © Ducati | Ducati Scrambler 2015 60s and 70s. As such, they are a great choice for anyone who loves these modern-meets-retro machines and is looking for something with some added versatility. The Ducati excels at cruising about town and commuting, but it can also adventure confidently off the beaten track, which is why it gets a ranking here.

It doesn’t offer quite the performance of the bigger bikes on this list, but the Scrambler’s milder, more muted character is an excellent option for less experienced full-licence holders. The fact it is only a handful of years old also means you can easily find these in great condition.

Roger Ironmonger Having worked in the Motorcycle Insurance industry for many years, Roger went on to gain his full motorcycle licence in 2015 and currently rides a Kawasaki ZX-6R. Roger now focuses his motorcycle passion on creating motorcycle articles for Lexham.

This article was produced in association with Lexham Insurance. https://www.bikerandbike.co.uk

TAG Racing to run two-man Superbike team in 2020 as Winfield switches to Superstock 1000 www.bennetts.co.uk

Swadlincote based TAG Racing will once again run two Bennetts British Superbikes in 2020, with Shaun Winfield switching to the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship. After five strong years in the blue-ribband Superbike class, 26-year-old Shaun Winfield will compete in the 2020 Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship onboard the all new Yamaha YZF-R1, which the team have secured ahead of the new season. The 26-year-old has his eyes firmly set on a strong season in 2020, where he is aiming to battle at the front. Winfield will once again continue to be mentored by Chris ‘Stalker’ Walker, who will also be his crew chief. Next year will see TAG Racing once again run a two-man British Superbike outfit, onboard the all-new 2020 Yamaha YZF-R1’s, which the team will collect following on from the current campaign. The team are currently in the process of selecting two strong riders to join the project and will be making an announcement in the coming weeks. Team owner Rob Winfield said: “We are pleased to announce our plans so soon for 2020, in the recent past we have waited but we felt it was the right time to inform every one of our plans. “It’s a delight of mine to once again be able to run two superbikes in 2020, our search for riders is well underway and we have already had a lot of interest. Although our performances over the recent two seasons have been under par by our high standards, we know we are still a race winning team and we have proved that in 2019 with Dan leading races and getting on the podium.

“Our superbike plans are quickly coming together, and I’m already excited to see what 2020 will bring with the new R1’s that Yamaha have brought out. I have spoken to a few people that have already ridden the bike and they have spoken highly of it, so we’re expecting a strong season.

“In terms of Shaun he told me he wanted a new challenge and we feel as a team that moving into Superstock 1000 it is the perfect opportunity for him to go and win races. He now has five years of experience on a superbike which will set him up well for next season. I feel it’s a great move for him, and the new R1 should be great in Superstock form.” Shaun Winfield said: “I’m excited for 2020, some may see this as a step down however I don’t, it was my choice to make the move to the National Superstock 1000 Championship and it’s one I’m excited for. “I’ve loved my time in Superbikes, I’ve learnt so much and the experiences I’ve had will be extremely valuable next season. The new R1 looks great on paper and I feel with a strong winter under our belts, which the team have planned, we’ll be strong from the outset at round one. “My aim is to win races, fight for the podium and be back at the front again where I know I can be. I’m under no illusions that it’s going to be easy, because it isn’t, but I’m looking forward to the challenge and ultimately I want to be challenging at the front and prove a lot of doubters wrong.”

Saw but forgot – Drivers’ memory lapses puts motorcyclists at risk

There are an estimated 90 fatalities a year in the UK caused by drivers pulling out into the path of an oncoming motorcycle. New research by psychologists at the University of Nottingham suggests this sort of crash may often be the result of a short-term memory failure rather than the driver not seeing an approaching motorcycle.

A series of experiments, carried out in the School of Psychology’s high-fidelity driving simulator, showed that drivers looked at, but seconds later failed to recall, critical approaching vehicles on up to 15% of occasions. Drivers were around 5 times more likely to forget a motorcycle compared with a car.

The research was funded by the ESRC and carried out by PhD student, Chloe Robbins supervised by Dr Peter Chapman, in the School of Psychology. It suggests that many ‘Look but Fail to See’ (LBFTS) crashes may have been misclassified and are more likely to be a case of ‘Saw but Forgot’ (SBF) errors. “The ‘Saw But Forgot’ error: A role for short-term memory failures in understanding junction crashes? “has been published in the online journal PLOS ONE and offers practical interventions that may prevent SBF crashes in the future.

Short term memory failure

For each real-world crash there are hundreds of thousands of safe, successful, junction crossings, but when errors do occur they can have fatal consequences. To understand what is going on the research team explored where drivers looked and what they remembered while crossing junctions in a driving simulator. The big surprise from the research was the fact that some drivers have absolutely no recollection of seeing an oncoming vehicle at all even as they are about to pull out at a junction.

Their results suggest that it’s what happens in the moments between seeing an approaching vehicle and pulling out that can lead to a complete absence of memory – particularly for approaching motorcycles.

Typical interpretations of the LBFTS crash are based on the idea that the driver pulling out has failed to devote sufficient attention to the traffic on the road. Our study set out to look for systematic biases in attention towards and memory for different vehicle types. Although these effects were found, the most striking finding was not subtle biases in vision or memory, but the fact that in some cases there was a complete absence of memory, particularly for approaching motorcycles. Dr Chapman, an expert in the psychology of driving.

Study 1: Stopping at a junction The research team recorded the eye movements of 60 drivers crossing junctions in the University of Nottingham’s high fidelity driving simulator – part of NITES (the Nottingham Integrated Transport and Environment Simulation facility). Although drivers seemed to look in the right places as they approached the junction, there were 20 occasions where a driver couldn’t remember one of the oncoming vehicles. The forgotten vehicle was a LGV on 2 occasions, a car on 4 occasions and a motorcycle on 14 occasions.

Study 2: Pulling out of the junction For this study 30 drivers were required to approach a series of junctions and go straight on, if they thought it was safe to do so. The simulation of oncoming vehicles involved either 2 cars or a car and a motorcycle. The driver’s eye movements were tracked continuously throughout the experiment and memory tests were only given if the driver actually pulled out in front of oncoming vehicles. Out of the 120 times memory was tested drivers failed to report a car on one occasion and a motorcycle on 8 occasions.

Study 3: Tracking head and eye movements This experiment used the same design as study 2 but now 45 drivers wore lightweight eye- tracking glasses to obtain highly accurate measures of exactly where they looked before pulling out. Out of the 180 memory tests drivers failed to report a car on 3 occasions and a motorcycle on 16 occasions. Of these 16 memory failures there were 5 occasions when the driver had not looked directly at the oncoming motorcycle. These could be examples of typical LBFTS (Look but Fail to See) errors where the driver looked in the right direction but failed to see the motorcycle. In contrast, on the remaining 11 occasions the driver clearly looked directly at the oncoming motorcycle but couldn’t remember it a few seconds later. The researchers have described these as SBF (Saw but Forgot) errors. This study also showed that SBF errors were associated with more head movements and a longer gap between fixating on the motorcycle and pulling out. The researchers suggest that this is where the forgetting is occurring. Things the driver looks at between seeing the oncoming vehicle and pulling out might be overwriting the initial contents of visuospatial

memory so information about the oncoming vehicle is no longer available at the time a decision is made to pull out.

Dr Chapman said: “These studies compellingly demonstrate that even in safety-critical situations it is possible to observe dramatic failures of visual memory. These ‘Saw but Forgot’ errors were remarkably frequent in the simulator and we have every reason to think that they may be equally prevalent in the real world. The surprising lack of memory may be exactly why these crashes appear so mysterious.”

The phonological loop - ‘See bike say bike’ As a result of their findings the research team has established a new framework to understand dynamic risky decision-making with an emphasis on the role of short-term memory in such situations. The ‘Perceive Retain Choose’ (PRC) model creates new predictions and proposals for practical interventions. Specifically, they suggest teaching drivers that if they see a motorcycle approaching, they should say so out loud – ‘See Bike, Say Bike’. Dr Chapman said: “If relevant visual information is encoded phonologically it has been shown that it is no longer subject to visuospatial interference. Clearly any research that improves our understanding of these crashes and the kind of countermeasures that can be used to prevent them, has the potential to be a major contribution to world health.” Research apparatus

This research was carried out in the Nottingham Integrated Transport and Environment Simulation(NITES) facility at the University of Nottingham. The simulator that was used is equipped with a full BMW Mini, housed within a projection dome and mounted on a six- degrees of freedom motion platform with a 360-degree projection screen. XPI (XPI Simulation London, UK) driving simulation software was used to create the scenarios. Drivers’ eye movements were tracked using simulators linked to Face LAB 5.0 remote eye tracking system (four cameras and two infrared sources) or Tobii Pro Glasses 2. A custom build MatLab script was used to automatically analyse drivers’ eye movements. A KODAK PIXPRO 360-degree action video camera was mounted on top of the BMW Mini roof directly above the driver’s head to record the actual location of vehicles to test memory condition. Story credits More information is available from Dr Peter Chapman, School of Psychology at the University of Nottingham, on +44 (0) 115 9515562, [email protected] or Jane Icke, Media Relations Managers for the Faculty of Science at the University of Nottingham, on +44 (0)115 7486462 or [email protected]

Bosch Reveals 3d Dashboard Display - In Development For Motorcycles

3D Dashboard displays could transform the way riders consume information easily and safely, such as hazards and changes in weather conditions.

Bigger, bolder and more intuitive dashboards could be on the way very soon after German tech giant Bosch revealed its plans to develop a 3D display – and it could be a game-changer for the motorcycle industry in particular.

There has been an increasing drive by some of the bigger manufacturers to improve the clarity and ease of use when it comes to dashboards, not least because – unlike cars – hands cannot (or should not) be far from the handlebars for a long period of time. Triumph is particularly proud of its crisper, weather-proof TFT dashboard, which rightly raises the standard for both connectivity and clarity, but Bosch could be about to take things one step further with displays that literally pop to give you crucial information, such as upcoming ice or a hazard

Indeed, with dashboards being less in the line of sight for riders compared with drivers, a technology that allows certain emergency or hazard information to be moved safely into your vision certainly holds appeal.

"Displays are increasingly becoming interactive systems that can better anticipate drivers’ individual needs," says Dr. Steffen Berns, president of Bosch Car Multimedia. "There is huge business potential for Bosch here." According to Bosch’s press release, ‘the eyes are responsible for 90 percent of all human sensory perception. Bosch believes the future is all about interaction between users and displays”

Indeed, as well as grabbing your full attention when it needs to, 3D displays offer more depth and help to differentiate different readings, which is useful when you consider motorcycle dashes often have to display a lot of information on a relatively small cluster.

This is of course in a development stage, so the theory versus the reality might vary, but there is definitely strong idea here if it can be executed well. Indeed, Bosch – who pioneered the first digital car dashboard displays back in the mid-90s - are masters in adapting tech to a wider audience.

While the innovation seems to have been developed with cars in mind – meaning it’ll probably appear in BMW 3-Series before it finds its way onto a BMW S1000RR - many have pointed out it is motorcycles that arguably have a more immediate need for it.

From 3D dashes to Motorcycles are getting cleverer This latest tech step forward comes as KTM and Ducati race one another to get to market with the first radar cruise control system, which will debut on either the KTM 1290 or the Ducati Multistrada.

Ducati’s version, known as ARAS (Advanced Rider Assistance Systems) has been in development since 2016 but is now expected to be amongst a big update for the revised Multistrada, which EPA papers revealed to be called the 2020 Ducati Multistrada 1260GT, in October. KTM could launch its version around the same time.

Radar cruise control uses a variety of sensors front and rear to understand its environment and feedback to the rider accordingly, such as obstacles or fast-approaching cars. Put simply, it aims to predict an accident before it happens, hopefully giving the rider a fair chance to avoid it.

It’s the latest innovation that brings motorcycles up to standard when it comes to technology, an important step since riders share the roads with an increasing number of cars that adopt driverless features that many researchers believe don’t take into account motorcyclists enough.

By Ollie Barstow https://www.visordown.com

‘Re-Route’ Century-Old Isle Of Man TT Mountain Course, Locals Argue

A representative for Isle of Man locals argues the famed Isle of Man TT Mountain Course should be re-routed to ease disruption on residents and businesses

A leader for one of the Isle of Man’s local authorities has proposed changing the route of the island’s famed TT Mountain Course to limit the disruption to residents and communities during its annual motorcycling events.

The Isle of Man has been globally synonymous with motorcycling and road racing for more than 100 years, attracting around 50,000 people to the tiny island and becoming an increasingly important commercial draw for some of the industry’s biggest riders and manufacturers. The island also hosts the Classic TT in August which, though smaller in terms of spectator disruption, follows the same 37-mile Mountain Course (sometimes referred to as Snaefell Mountain Course).

However, this enduring popularity is seemingly beginning to frustrate local islanders, who say the annual disruption is causing longer commutes. It has led to Andrew Jessopp, chairman of Braddan Commissioners, to suggest the 219-turn Mountain Course – which has been largely unchanged since 1911 – be re-routed to be less of a strain on residents.

“I have been in discussions with the Department of Infrastructure with suggestions made to me that the route of the TT course should be changed,” he told the local Isle of Man Today newspaper. “That would require a certain amount of infrastructure work as well. But then that would enable the main road to continue in use which means there would be access to Snugborough housing and Snugborough trading estate.”

Classic TT event adds to Isle of Man TT local stress It comes after a report by the same newspaper quoted residents complaining about access to certain points on the island being difficult to traverse during the recent Classic TT, particularly New Castletown Road in Douglas and Braddan Road.

“In the last couple of days ,I’ve had people say to me that they are going to be spending at least an hour stuck in traffic trying to get through the access road,’ Mr Jessopp continued. “That’s an hour of their life they’ll never get back again. There is a high level of frustration and annoyance about it.”

Though the Department of Infrastructure says it will construct a two-way carriageway by 2022, Mr Jessopp is less confident, saying it would be created ‘remarkably quickly’ [sic].

By Ollie Barstow https://www.visordown.com

Tickets? Tickets? Anyone for tickets?

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Motorcycle Live, NEC Birmingham

Dear SSMCC Membership

Doesn't time fly! The annual pilgrimage to the NEC Bike Show is almost upon us again. Therefore, as last year, I am proposing to organise a group ticket booking (10+) for Friday 22.11.19, which will pocket a 10% saving (every little helps). Please check your calendars, work/holiday/social schedules + let me know if you would like to go + ticket type required (including parking) by Friday 18.10.19. Tickets will be ordered on Saturday 19.10.19 and will be sent to me, so can be handed out prior to or at the show.

Please note, all tickets confirmed + ordered by Saturday 19.10.19 are non-refundable. Reimburse payment no later than Saturday 02.11.19 please, in good old fashioned cold hard cash (or bank transfer for the tech heads).

Current prices are as follows: Adults (aka big children) £19.50 Seniors 65+ (you know who you are, although our 'brothers from another mother', seniors Mason + Barnett, got away with it last year! So, if you feel you had a longer than average paper round when you were younger, please feel free to select this option) £12.00 Parking £10.00 (tbc, unsure if discount applies)

Please contact me on mobile 07496 046 226 or email [email protected] Thank you + hope to see you there.

Regards, Chris Gorth (Club Chairman)

️

Break Time

What is it?

Well-known British bike Well-known iconic building in the UK

Dad Jokes for the month.. Today, my son asked, "Can I have a book mark?" and I burst into tears. 11 years old and he still doesn't know my name is Brian.

I bought some shoes from a drug dealer. I don't know what he laced them with, but I was tripping all day! https://www.boredpanda.com

Mr. And Mrs. Jacks have five children, half of them are boys. How is this possible?

A window cleaner is cleaning the windows on the 25th floor of a skyscraper, when he slips and falls. He is not wearing a safety harness and nothing slows his fall, yet he suffered no injuries. Explain.

Answers on page 52 www.paulsquiz.com/other-quizzes-mainmenu-161/202

These Barry Sheene Suzuki Race Bikes Are To Be Restored… Live! By Ollie Barstow www.visordown.com

More of Barry Sheene's iconic Suzuki race bikes will get the full restoration treatment at the upcoming Motorcycle Live show in London.

Visitors to November’s Motorcycle Live event are to be treated with an opportunity to watch three iconic Suzuki’s raced by the legendary Barry Sheene undergo a full restoration and be placed on display.

Winging their way over from Sheene’s family home in Australia, Suzuki GB recently took delivery of the precious cargo ahead of the show. They are a 1984 Harris-framed XR45 RG500 in DAF Trucks livery – his last Grand Prix bike – a 1978 XR27 RG500 and a special XR23A 652cc big bore RG500, which raced in the Trans-Atlantic series and the F1 Championship in 1979.

Michael Dunlop Confirmed As Special Guest For Inaugural '14 Ball'

The Dan Kneen Charitable Fund has confirmed that legendary Isle of Man TT champion Michael Dunlop will be the special guest at the inaugural ‘14 Ball’ scheduled for November 22nd, 2019 at the newly refurbished Comis Hotel and Golf Resort, Isle of Man. 30-year-old Dunlop is synonymous with the Isle of Man having dominated the TT Races over the past decade. The Northern Irishman has amassed 19 TT victories in all, making him the third most successful TT rider of all time. Michael will be recalling stories from his unrivalled career when he talks live on stage to fellow TT winner and current ITV4 TV presenter Steve Plater, who will compère the evening. The Dan Kneen Charitable Fund is delighted that Michael has agreed to support their inaugural event, with Michael having been Dan’s teammate during the 2018 season in the Tyco BMW Team. Michael won the 2018 RST Superbike TT Race for the Tyco squad, and dedicated the victory to Dan’s memory. The ‘14 Ball’ will feature a sumptuous three-course meal as well as a 14-lot auction of amazing items and experiences which money can’t buy. Details of the auction lots and arrangements around pre-bidding will be announced in due course. The bill for a packed evening’s entertainment will also feature the UK’s premier 1950’s Rock and Roll Tribute Band, the Bluejays. The multi award winning band have performed together for years on the West End in theatre shows such as ‘Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story’, ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ and ‘Dreamboats and Petticoats’ and will be bringing the house down on the Isle of Man on November the 22nd with their performance sponsored by local company Corlett’s. Local events company ELS will be adding extra gloss to the evening with a stunning audio-visual production throughout the night. The Dan Kneen Charitable Fund is a new charity set up in memory of TT hero Dan Kneen who tragically lost his life during qualifying for the event in 2018. The purpose of the fund is to support other Isle of Man-based motorcycle charities. The fund will also provide a bursary via Isle of Man Sport to assist a Manx motorcycle racer with travel costs in getting to and from the Island – something that, for many years, had been a challenge for Dan himself. Tickets for the inaugural 14 Ball go on sale from 14:00 on Sunday 8th September via www.dankneen.shop priced at £75. Author: IOM TT Races Official

Motorcycling Burns Between 170 And 600 Calories Per Hour

Not only do you burn calories riding a motorcycle, but each ride can also give the majority of your muscles a workout. Proof, if any more were needed, that you are much better off going for a ride than wasting an hour down the gym.

If you have ever spent all day on the bike you’ll have noticed you are way more tired than when you set off, yet supposedly you have spent the entire time just sitting on your backside. The reason for this is that, simply by riding a motorbike, you’ll have been burning off calories at a fairly decent rate.

At rest, doing nothing more taxing than pointing the remote at the TV, the body wades through 68 calories an hour. Switch to an hour on a motorcycle and an 11st (70kg) rider will get through at least 170 calories in the same time. How does this happen?

Even on the daily commute, you are using many more muscle groups than you might think. As you maintain the bike’s balance you’ll be using not just your arms but also, sometimes without even thinking about it, your legs, hips and lower back muscles, and your whole upper body as you counterbalance the bike’s weight. Your head, the heaviest part of the body on an average sized person, will also be moving around a lot as you constantly observe the road and look out for hazards. This all takes energy and even fairly minimal movements, such as operating brake and clutch levers, all add up.

In more arduous situations like on a track or engaging in off-road pursuits, you will be using the lower half of your body constantly as you use your legs to transfer the bias of the bike into and out of corners or lifting your body weight to counteract changes in terrain height. In these cases, a motorcyclist can be using around 400 calories per hour on track, explaining why, even after a just a standard 15-20 minute track day session, many riders come into the pits feeling like they’ve run a mini-marathon. An aggressive off-road ride or motocross race could be consuming as many as 600 calories per hour, based on the calorie calculations of similarly strenuous activities, like vigorous swimming or an intense gym session, that also use the majority of the body’s muscles.

Getting on the dirt can seriously burn up the calories But you don’t need to be going to extremes at Silverstone or on a motocross track to burn energy. Just counteracting the wind buffeting in the fast lane of a motorway can give your upper body a fairly decent workout. Think about how your shoulders can often ache after riding at speed for any length of time. Another factor is weight. Heavy bikes and heavy gear such as full leathers with armour need more effort. Likewise, the heavy clutch lever offers more resistance than a lighter action and therefore uses more calories. Certainly more than using the remote to change channels vegging in front of the TV.

Contrary to what many people believe, the heightened concentration levels a biker needs don’t require that much energy. Although your brain consumes between 10-20% of the calories your body uses at rest, the act of being more alert – actually using your brain more than the average car driver – doesn’t take that much more effort. While the brain does consume more calories while concentrating, the increase is minimal.

Every motorcyclist knows a ride will make them feel great. Now we know that going for a blat could be as beneficial as spending an hour down the gym. And way more fun too. Sources: Calorie calculation: http://calorielab.com/burned/?mo=ac&ac=16030&ti=Riding+motor+scooter+or+m otorcycle&q&wt=150&un=lb&kg=68 Calories used by the brain: https://www.sciencealert.com/watch-here-s-how-thinking-hard- can-help-you-burn-calories-according-to-science Calories used by off-road motorcycling pursuits: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/46282558_A_cross- sectional_examination_of_the_physical_fitness_and_selected_health_attributes_of_recreatio nal_all-terrain_vehicle_riders_and_off-road_motorcyclists https://www.bikerandbike.co.uk

Harley-Davidson To Lay Off Staff By Simon Hancocks https://www.visordown.com

The Harley-Davidson merchandising division is to lose 40 staff as part of a restructuring exercise

HARLEY-DAVIDSON is to lose 40 staff from its merchandising department in Wisconsin in Milwaukee Reuters has reported.

Reuters also reports that the news comes from somebody within the business that is a ‘company official with knowledge of the matter.’ In a response that was emailed to Reuters, Harley-Davidson did confirm the layoffs but didn’t share further details. Harley-Davidson did confirm it was reorganizing the division to manage its business with “focus and discipline”. The news comes amid a tough time for the brand, as they battle withering sales, an aging customer base, and ever-tightening trade tariffs eat into sales and profits, at home and abroad. It’s estimated that H-D’s sales in the US account for half of their global total, with merchandising accounting for about 5% of last year’s revenue.

While 5% doesn’t sound like a massive amount, when you consider that Harley-Davidson’s revenue in 2018 was reported to be in the region of $5.7b, that makes it a very healthy sum indeed – more than some motorcycle manufacturers total turnover

Harley-Davidson – down, but not out! Just last week we reported that Harley’s Q3 sales were falling again, and it looks like it may be some time before the turnaround begins. With new models, like the Livewire, soon to hit dealers, and a new design ethos and models incoming, a turnaround is possible but sadly for the Milwaukee maker, it’s going to be years not months before it happens.

What do you think of Harley’s chances in the coming years? Is a fight back possible, or is it time for the brand to step aside?

Ducati Panigale V4R (2019) Review By Simon Hancocks www.visordown.com

Visordown spent a fast and furious couple of weeks with Ducati’s top-spec superbike, the Panigale V4R. Here’s what it’s like living with a 214hp homologation special.

Details Manufacturer: Ducati Category: Sportsbikes Price: £ 34995 Overall 4 Average: 4 (1 vote)

It’s ballistically fast and like the V4S it’s a physical struggle to feed in the next gear before the 999cc engine slams into the rev-limiter as if it’s slapping you round the face for forgetting to change gear “DON’T worry, it’s not intimidating at all…” says Ducati's tech guru Jinx, as I nervously take the keys to his Ducati Panigale V4R from him.

The trouble is, when a bike reaches this level of hype, it’s hard not to get a tad intimidated. When a machine wears proper downforce applying wings on each fairing, it’s hard not to feel daunted about riding it flat out. When a bike costs £34,995, weighs 193kg and puts out 217bhp, it’s difficult to not feel like your about to puke as you realise this is yours to keep, to guard and to ride for the next two weeks. Engine Powering the Ducati Panigale V4R is a version of Ducati’s V4S engine, that can trace its own roots back to the units used in the MotoGP world championship. To get the bike through the WSBK homologation testing – which is the sole purpose of the V4R – the engineers at Borgo Panigale lopped 5.1mm from each of the piston’s stroke, creating a high-revving, high-output V4 engine.

In its full-blown Race mode, the engine will rev out to a blood-curdling 16,500rpm and will apply 217hp to any willing road surface. Slap on the optional easier breathing Race Kit exhaust and the engine will push out a mind-blowing 234bhp.

Out on the open road – and the track – the R is as easy going at low speeds and comfortable to ride as the lesser spec’d V4S, with the carbon tipped winglets that peek around the fairing sides being the only clue to the monster that lies within. The power is linear with electric efficiency, pulling effortlessly without any need for hurried down-shifts and with very little of the old Ducati shudder you used to spend most of your ride trying to avoid.

It’s when you hit some clear road that the engines Jekyll and Hyde character appears, with two distinct power bands. The first arrives at about 8k rpm, making you think you’re in the fat part of the torque curve. It’s the sort of change in an engine’s demeanour that makes you sink into the seat, ready to enjoy the ride. And just when you’re getting comfy, the TFT dash flashes past the 11k rpm mark and it’s like two of the four pistons have been bullshitting you all along, only just deciding to join the party at this late hour. The bike now launches forwards like a greyhound out of the traps, wrenching your arms with it as the front wheel hovers an inch above the Tarmac.

It’s ballistically fast and like the V4S it’s a physical struggle to feed in the next gear before the 999cc engine slams into the rev-limiter as if it’s slapping you round the face for forgetting to change already. This is what a Ducati should feel like to ride, physical, demanding and engaging, but my god is it rewarding when you get it right!

Ducati Panigale V4R ReviewSuspension To comply with WBSK regulations the V4R loses the trick electronic suspension of the V4S, instead it’s suspended by top-spec Öhlins NPX 25-30 pressurised front forks, an Öhlins TTX36 rear shock and Öhlins steering damper. On the road or the track, the V4R feels taut, but not uncomfortable. It’s surprisingly good at riding the bumps on

my favourite B-road, and some of those are pretty big and easily felt on more road-biased machines.

Handling On the track the Panigale V4R is a sumptuous machine to drop into a corner, a feeling that’s accentuated by the Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa ZR17 at the rear. The profile of the tyre seems almost never-ending, almost laying the bike on the horizontal sidewall when you’re at full lean. To help put the bike reach the top step of the podium, the V4R is blessed with the same counter-rotating crank as the V4S but thanks to this machine’s supersonic redline the effect seems magnified. Even pulling the bike down into the corner with tiny inputs of the throttle at the corner apex. To help deal with these forces, Ducati’s engineers have the revised frame from the donor VRS. Cutting large holes in it to help the thing flex and to prevent it from tying itself in knots.

Equipment As you’d expect from a homologation machine, the V4R is dripping with electronic gizmos to make the well-heeled speed-freak go faster on track. The electronics system is closely related to that of the V4S, it’s just been tuned and honed for the track, with less of the road-biased compromise. The traction control and slide control are supposed to predict a slide, using a cluster of sensors and gyroscopes to pre-warn the electronics, allowing them to prepare for it and then letting you to hold on to it, just like the GP heroes on track!

You have the multiple riding modes, power modes, Bosch Cornering ABS EVO, Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO 2, Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO, Ducati Slide Control (DSC), Engine Brake Control (EBC) EVO, with the Auto tyre calibration being the only thing close to a creature comfort. Keeping the 217hp in check during the downshifts is a super-trick STM EVO-SBK clutch, which is hewn from a single lump of billet aluminium. While this may sound like an exercise in bollock-waving, it’s actually a sound engineering solution to get the best performance from the part. The billet construction means no clutch dust can pollute the oil that circulates the engine, helping it to run cooler and more smoothly.

During my two weeks with the bike, I found the clutch to be a satisfying thing to use. With a chunky throw of the lever that requires a full-fisted pull to get the thing to disengaged. When clutching between up-shifts – at low speed it just smoother – you get a nice feeling of backlash through the lever, as the clutch basket and 48-tooth plates argue with each other about who has the most important job. It’s nice, and just another little reminder that this is no ordinary motorcycle. Verdict Taking the Ducati Panigale V4R back to the Silverstone HQ was a solemn ride, and I’d probably only spent about 800-miles in the presence of this legend. Returning a bike to a manufacturer is normally a bit of a brain-out blast, a final fling, one last ride where I get to pretend for just a bit longer that this bike is mine. I didn’t do any of that with the R, I just plodded along and barely got above the national speed limit. I just wanted to savour being around this bike for as long as I possibly could.

Yes, it’s lost some of the fun-time torque of the V4S. Yes, the suspension isn’t as magic carpet- like over bumps. But that fairing, those winglets, that 16,500 rpm redline and of course, the howl of that over-squared engine: Those are the things that make the hairs on the back of your neck tingle, not how comfy that pothole felt half a mile ago. The sad thing is, I’ll probably never be able to own one, and many of the people who do buy one – outside of race teams – may never ride it. How many out of the batch already built have been hurried away into storage, never to be seen again? I know, it’s their money, buts it’s a waste. A waste of a great bike, to ride, to look at and to race.

Limited-edition Honda CB1100 RS 5Four revealed By Ben Purvis https://www.bennetts.co.uk

In case you’re wondering about the 5Four name, it’s Willson’s call number from his days as a despatch rider. Changes to the limited-edition machine include Renthal bars, Tomaselli grips, billet mirrors and short, adjustable levers. The seat is Alcantara and leather, but most impressively that single seat unit and the custom-made fairing are handmade from aluminium rather than plastic or

fibreglass. Racefit provides the ‘Urban Growler’ end cans and each machine is individually numbered.

How much for all this? Honda’s asking £15,554. That’s more than 50% more than a stock CB1100 RS (£9999), but seems reasonable given the bike’s rarity and hand-made nature.

Uk Motorcycle Sales Slide In August; 2019 Still Up Overall, Honda Top By Ollie Barstow https://www.visordown.com

Motorcycle sales in the United Kingdom suffer a drop of 7% year-on-year in August 2019; Honda PCX 125 scooter still top buy as Honda dominates sales charts.

Motorcycle sales in the United Kingdom suffered a sizeable 7 per cent drop in August when compared with the same period in 2018, lowering expectations of staying above 2018’s overall total come the year end.

August traditionally sees a fall in sales as the final month of the incumbent registration nomenclature, with the new ‘69’ plates going into circulation from September. However, total registrations of 6,924 was a full 7.4% down on the same period in 2018 and well down on other months, which up to the end of August have averaged at 9,538 per month in 2019.

The slide brings overall UK motorcycle sales – which have been buoyant year on year up to a sluggish summer period - down to a year to date growth of 2.1%.

This is against the trend in Europe where motorcycle sales have been booming in the biggest markets of France, Germany and Italy, contributing to a 9% jump overall.

Brexit taking its toll on UK motorcycle sales? It means without an upturn again, the UK is at risk of sale going into the red overall, in line with other industries which have pointed to the ongoing uncertainty of Brexit for dips across the board.

Indeed, with that October 31 deadline proving a hot topic amongst reporters and industry bods alike at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show, there is expectation that ongoing rigmarole and debate over whether it goes ahead – and more crucially whether a deal will be achieved – is likely to stall the motor industry in terms of sales, production and costs at least until November.

The best-selling motorcycles in the UK Breaking down the data, Naked motorcycles continue to dominate the charts with more than 2,000 shifted in August, followed by Scooters, Adventure Sport and Custom motorcycles. Only the Adventure Sport, Enduro and Moped classes saw an increase in sales year-on-year.

As ever, Honda maintained its dominance of the market with 1,356 motorcycles sold – representing almost 20% of August’s entire sales – spurred on by topping the class in the Naked class with the Honda CB 125 F and Scooter market with the Honda PCX 125, the latter of which is also the best-selling two-wheel motorcycle.

Yamaha (722 sales) was second best-placed manufacturer, followed by Lexmoto (574), Triumph (436), KTM (435), Kawasaki (407) and BMW (302).

Aug CATEGORY HIGHEST SELLING UK MOTORCYCLE 2019 SCOOTER (MOPED) Lexmoto ECHO 50 70 OTHER (MOPED) Lexmoto ASPIRE 50 TD 50 Q-2 40 SCOOTER Honda PCX 125 205 ADVENTURE SPORT Yamaha TENERE 700 80 CUSTOM Keeway SUPERLIGHT 49 NAKED Honda CB 125 F 136 SPORT/TOUR Kawasaki Z1000 SX 56 SUPERSPORT Lexmoto LXR 125 SY 125-10 73 TOURING BMW R 1250 RT 20 TRAIL/ENDURO Honda CRF 250 LA 32

RANK MAJOR BRANDS Aug 2019 1 Honda 1,356 2 Yamaha 722 3 Lexmoto 574 4 Triumph 436 5 KTM 435 6 Kawasaki 407 7 BMW 302 8 Harley-Davidson 271 9 Suzuki 219 10 Royal Enfield 200

Guy Martin sets new UK speed record on route to 300mph! By Jordan Gibbons MCN

Guy Martin set a new UK speed record of 270.965mph over a measured mile from a standing start last week – and now has his sights set on a world record of 300mph!

The record was set aboard a specially-prepared, 830bhp Suzuki Hayabusa in the Straightliners event at Elvington near York on Tuesday, September 10. The streamlined, tuned and turbocharged machine was prepared by Jarrod ‘Jack’ Frost, a long-time collaborator of Guy and fellow speed freak.

"Guy had a go on my bike a few years ago and said, ‘Once I’ve finished with my other stuff, I’d like to have a crack at this," Frost told MCN. "He brought me a stock Hayabusa and I’ve worked on it to get it up to speed. "He was made up to do 270mph but now he wants more. In the end we stopped for wind but it was really all in his head. If he can get past that, he can do it easily."

For the full details of Guy's bike as well as the inside info on his record attempt, grab the latest issue of MCN available at all good newsagents and supermarkets.

Tour Hungry

A rider of bikes for over thirty years meant it really was time to enjoy lots of touring to far-flung places. The furthest I would travel would be along the M4 and across the Irish sea to visit friends in Ireland who were once members of SSMCC.

Now that Tom has grown we have time to travel further afield. The first tour abroad was to Arras, France. The miles we would cover were daunting as I hadn’t done so many on the bike in one hit before. Done in stages, we travelled towards Dover and stayed the night in a poor excuse of a hotel in Folkstone. One to tick off the list permanently.

We met friends at the terminal before catching the train across to Calais in rain which stayed with us all the way to Arras. It was a fantastic trip. My first proper visit to France, and the wettest holiday I have ever had, although we did enjoy an afternoon with some sunshine.

Apparently, the horrendous weather was the remnants of a hurricane from the USA. The journey home was gales force winds while riding through ‘rivers’ I felt seasick for days!

This trip didn’t put me off travelling to mainland Europe it just whetted my appetite and it wasn’t long before we were planning the next. A real epic. Travel to Austria through France (Mike visited Paris several times) and Germany, returning via Italy, Switzerland and again France. A two-week tour. The distances travelled were butt achingly tiring as well as being awe ridden with beautiful scenery.

Stopovers in places that are on my bucket list made it all worthwhile and to have done them on the bike made them more memorable. Austria was a big tick, the very windy roads, mountains and Lederhosen. Clanking spanners in washing machines, surprise birthday cake and a brown water bath made it one to remember. Venice, The Lakes, the Alps and Genève, then Dijon, and Orléans made for a fantastic two weeks. Riding many miles during the day, we would travel in small groups and then meet in hotels for the evening. It kept the speed of travel up being in smaller groups. We had more very wet weather, another hurricane that had started in the Atlantic and was burning itself out over Europe. This was becoming a habit!

The Isle of Man was another destination on the list and although we didn’t visit during the TT races, we did ride the circuit. We waved to the fairies, ate ice cream on the beach, rode in thick fog and overtook a police car while doing more than 70 miles an hour! After the Isle of Man, the group split one member having an unfortunate mishap with his bike, injuring himself enough to warrant a trip to hospital. Very much later

arriving at the hotel in Sterling for rest. Three went home and three continued in the rain to Scotland via The Lake District. More places to tick off the list including Lake Windemere.

Living in Wales, we feel kind of spoilt with the scenery, mountains and green fields. Scotland has mountains which are so much bigger, not quite as much as The Alps but still pretty amazing. More wet weather! Getting used to this, we took the day off from riding and toured around Oban on foot. Lovely town with a chocolate factory and whiskey distillery, heaven! We will return to Scotland hopefully when it’s not raining. Is that a thing?

Our return home was through the Yorkshire Dales, another very wet ride, so we were happy to arrive at our overnight stop, a lovely hotel in the middle of nowhere, beautifully decorated, fantastic food, and very busy. The towels were fluffy and white until we rested our wet, black gloves on them!

The North West 200 has become a staple for this tour hungry rider. Travelling to Carlisle and Cairnryan before crossing to Belfast and then taking the Giants Causeway to Portrush, was real fun the first year. Scorching weather was the icing on the cake. But year two, as pillion with a bruised butt and no bike, it became a long, arduous journey. Rain stopped play many times even prompting us to leave the races early on the final day to travel home.

Changing bikes hasn’t stopped me and although a totally different ride on the XJR, it’s no less enjoyable even with restricted luggage capacity. I am yet to travel in foreign lands on it but have enjoyed trips to the south and east coasts, Plymouth, Arundel and Great Yarmouth. Many first class hotels and some not so nice, travelling with friends to surprise friends while enjoying beautiful scenery make for good touring.

As autumn settles in and winter arrives the planning for next year is underway, starting with the NW200!

The Lockport Motorcycle Graveyard: A Ghost Story By: Kate Murphy https://www.rideapart.com

So many dead motorcycles. A senseless waste! Everyone likes a good ghost story every now and then, and boy is this one a doozy. Often we bring you resurrections; the transformative back-from-the-dead scenario in which one custom builder or another makes a barn-find discovery and brings that bike back, better than it ever was when it was new. This is not that story. Right near Niagara Falls, in Lockport, NY, there was once a warehouse. In that warehouse, one man who ran a motorcycle dealership called Kohl’s Cycle Sales bought up extra stock from surrounding dealers which had gone out of business, took trade-ins on the bikes he sold, and amassed this vast collection. He then got out of the business and sold the building and all of its contents on to the next guy. That next guy was named Frank, and he ran Kohl’s Motorcycle Salvage for a time. This is where the story gets a little thin: maybe it was the first guy, or maybe it was Frank, but someone didn’t pay quite as much property tax as the state of New York thought they should. The building was seized by the city of Lockport and subsequently condemned.

The photos tell a very sad story: hundreds and hundreds of motorcycles, abandoned and unloved, stuffed into an immense four-story building on the Erie Canal. Because the wooden building was in such rough shape, getting in there to get motorcycles out of it became a more dangerous prospect by the day. The place became known as the Lockport Motorcycle Graveyard.

In late 2010, a man named David Cuff found some pictures on the internet and decided to go have a look. He found the heartbreaking sight and encouraged the current owner, still Frank, to contact the city and try to remove some motorcycles and parts. Because the floors were collapsing, the prospect of falling through to the floor below, or of the floor above giving under the weight of hundreds of bikes, was a real danger.

Amazingly, Cuff and his friends were successful, and were able to get into the buildings and save a bunch of bikes and parts. They made several trips in and out, with a bike trailer, to salvage what they could. The rest was, unfortunately, scrapped. Time was not kind to these machines, and you can tell they spent years neglected in a drafty wooden building along a waterfront. The damp environment and temperature swings that New York state sees disintegrated quite a lot of the motorcycles.

In 2013, the building burned to the ground. That fire took any bikes or parts that were left behind with it. Ashes to ashes, and rust to rust; so many old motorcycles that once had plenty of life left in them, lost to the ravages of time. Source: The Vintage News, RoadTrippers, Abandoned America All photos credit: David Cuff

Regular venues

October/November Events-Not Club runs but may be of interest

Bennetts British Superbike Championship 4-5 October Donington Park Circuit, Castle Donington, Derby, DE74 2RP The penultimate round of the 2019 championship. Each Bennetts BSB event also features a busy timetable of regular support races, including the Dickies British Supersport Championship, Hel British Motostar Championship, Pirelli National Superstock 1000 and Pirelli National Superstock 600. Prices: Weekend: Adults £37, Kids under 13 free. Raceday: Adults £28 (advance, Gate: £34), Kids under 13 free. Teens and OAP concessions available. http://www.britishsuperbike.com/

Motogymkhana National Championships Round 5 5 October Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, Bath Lane, Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire, LE17 5QS Anyone with at least a CBT can turn up with a road-legal bike and compete in this rapidly growing sport imported from Japan: time trails to complete a series of manoeuvres around a short circuit. All new riders are assisted to get up speed and men and women compete on equal terms – it’s just you against the clock. Practice evenings are also held every Wednesday evening at Wheels Raceway in Saltley, Birmingham for anyone who wants to get an idea of the sport before coming to the competition. Prices: Rider entry £50, spectators free https://motogymkhana.org/uk/events

Bike Shed Festival 5-6 October Lydden Hill Circuit, Dumbrill Hill, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 6ET Building on last year’s hugely successful inaugural Cafe Racer Cup day, the Bike Shed crew take the event up a notch to create a whole weekend of fun. Unlike the shows that display beautiful bikes on trendy plinths, the Bike Shed Festival celebrates bikes on the move – classics and retro-style customs on track and on the dirt. Weekend camping opens the day before the festival on Friday 4th. Prices: Early bird weekend tickets from £20.99, early bird camping from £45.99 http://bikeshedfestival.com/

Shuttleworth Race Day 6 October Shuttleworth Museum, Old Warden Aerodrome, Hill Lane, Biggleswade, SG18 9EP Our season finale is a fast-paced day celebrating Richard’s Shuttleworth’s passion for racing, veteran cars, and vintage aviation! The smell of oil and the roar of engines will bring to Shuttleworth the excitement of mock air races and the Shuttleworth Sprint, along with vintage aircraft flying displays, live music, period

paddock and exhibits, visiting car and motorcycle clubs, and fun activities to keep our younger visitors entertained. The Shuttleworth Sprint is a ‘classic’ sprint course along a grass runway. It’s purely fun, non- competitive or timed and no racing licences are required, though some of the world’s finest veteran and vintage race cars and motorcycles will be taking part! Entry applications are welcome from pre-1939 vehicles. Visiting car and motorcycle clubs are welcome. http://www.shuttleworth.org/events/raceday

Brightona 2019 13 October Madeira Drive, Brighton Help raise money for heart patients in Sussex by attending Brighton’s largest charity motorcycle event. Motorcycles, scooters, trikes and quads are all welcome to come and enjoy the trade stands and live bands on the seafront. Parking and a pin badge with every donation Donations: £5 http://brightona.co.uk/

An Audience With Peter Hickman And James Whitham - 6-8 November 6th November: Victoria Hall, Hardings Road, Keighley, BD21 3JN 7th November: The Spa Scarborough, South Street, Scarborough, YO11 2HD 8th November: The Point 4, Venns Lane, Hereford, HR1 1DT Two-times TT winner and outright lap record holder on the Mountain Course, Peter Hickman is interviewed by fellow racing legend James Whitham on a mini-tour. There will be plenty of banter on tap as the racers tap into a wealth of racing stories and answer questions from the audience. Photo opportunities are also available. Prices: Tickets from £25 https://mjksportsevents.co.uk/an-audience-with-hickman-whitham/

Skegness Beach Race - 10-11 November Skegness Beach, Skegness, Lincolnshire, PE25 1JL Amateur Motor Cross Association (AMCA) holds its coveted annual Beach Race in Skegness. This is one the largest off-road events in the UK and hundreds of entrants flock to the resort every year to compete over three races in front of crowds in their thousands who line the beach. Prices: Spectating is free, although there are car parking charges in the immediate area. https://www.magnavitae.org/events/amca-skegness-beach-race/

Remembrance Sunday Rides And Events Around The Country - 10 November 2018 marks the centenary of the end of the first world war, a poignant time for all who feel it is important to recognise the sacrifices made by those who lost their lives in the conflict. Each year, bikers mark their respect by holding a ride out on remembrance Sunday for all those who lost their lives in conflict. The following events take place this year.

Brighton Mag Remembrance Day Ride Madeira Cafe, 15-16 Madeira Dr, Brighton, BN2 1PS Meet at 9.30am All riders are welcome on this MAG (Motorcycle Action Group) ride from Brighton to the Remembrance Service that takes place at Newhaven Fort. http://www.mag-uk.org/en/eventslist Bikers & Public Remembrance Day Newhaven Fort, Fort Road, Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 9DS A Remembrance Day Service officiated by the Bishop of Lewes for members of the motorcycle, scooter & trike community. The service will be preceded by an escorted ride in from Maderia Drive Brighton organised by MAG (above). The event is open to all and members of the public are welcome. Free event https://www.facebook.com/events/301517720572894/

Royal British Legion Riders Remembrance Service, Portsmouth Portsmouth Naval War Memorial, Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, Hampshire, PO5 3NW Gathers from 10 am The Royal British Legion Riders Branch gather at Avenue de Caen, before the War Memorial and welcome all bikers to join them. Attendees can also take the opportunity to visit the D-Day Story exhibition. See also: Portsmouth Ride Of Remembrance Lakeside North Harbour, Western Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO6 3EN Departs 10 am, arriving at Southsea War Memorial at 10.30 am An opportunity to ride in respect through this great military city before joining the main memorial service at Southsea. Like the event above, you can also take the opportunity to visit the nearby D-Day Story exhibition.

REMEMBRANCE RIDE SOUTHAMPTON Sainsburys, Tollbar Way, Hedge End, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2UH Departs 9.30 am A ride through the city to the Bargate Centre where riders will park up before walking through the park to the Cenotaph.

Surrey Chapter Remembrance Sunday Ride To Runnymede Newlands Corner, Drove Rd, Albury, Guildford, Surrey, GU4 8SE Departs 9.15 am By popular demand, we will be returning to pay our respects with our friends at the Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede. They welcome our presence and enjoy our company. Meet at Newlands Corner at 9 am for a prompt 9.15am departure. We will take a leisurely ride avoiding the slippery bits to our second pick up point at Runnymede Pleasure Grounds Café (approx. 10.00am). We will then ride the last couple of miles to the Air Forces Memorial to park up, take our positions at 10.30am and be ready for the service that commences from 10.45am. After the service at the Air Forces Memorial those who wish to can make a choice of what to do next, you may wish to make your own arrangements for lunch in a local pub or cafe, and/or join the M25 Ring of Red Ride (see below) http://www.surreychapteruk.org/index.php?idPage=3&e=83

Ring Of Red M25 Multiple start points. See website Ride of Respect organises two events on Remembrance Sunday, one North and one South. In the South of England, riders wearing red ride around the M25, to form a huge ‘poppy’. If you want to purchase an official Ring of Red shirt to wear on the day you are advised to order one from the website no later than the beginning of October. Prices: Voluntary donations http://www.therideofrespect.co.uk/ring-of-red-m25

Poppy Day Parade & Service + Military Vehicle Meet Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, North Circular Road, Stonebridge London, NW10 7UD The day starts at 9.am with a service at 11.am Not strictly a bike meet, but open to bikers to attend, especially if you can’t make it to the Ring of Red ride around the M25. https://london.acecafe.com/meets/

Ride Of Remembrance X1 The Star & Garter, 4 Lower Richmond Road, Putney London, SW15 1JN Two-minute silence at 11 am followed by the ride that departs at 11.30 am London’s biggest ride out of year, now in its 11th consecutive year, will start with a two minute silence at 11 AM along with a wreath laying service at the local War Memorial opposite at approximately 1130 we will leave to start our Ride Of Remembrance Journey to the War Memorial at Hyde Park Corner we will have our main Wreath lying service once the service has ended we will return to The Star and Garter pub. facebook.com/events/2288950531119269/

MOTORCYCLE LIVE - 16-24 NOVEMBER NEC Exhibition Centre, Birmingham The biggie billed as the UK’s largest motorcycle show by the organiser. As well as an indoor track area offering ride experiences there are outside ride zones, so it’s easy to find yourself on a bike. Stunt shows and displays, talks, bike builds, challenges and special exhibitions means Motorcycle Live always feels more special than the other big shows. All the manufacturers will be there plus masses of traders. A big day out all right. Prices: Adults: £19.50, Kids 11-16: £1, Kids under 11: free http://www.motorcyclelive.co.uk/

Malvern Classic Car & Bike Show - 24 November Wye Halls and outside, Three Counties Showgrounds, Malvern Not much to go on at the time of writing but expect Vintage and Classic displays, auto jumble and trade stalls. Prices: Adults £7, Kids 7-14 £2.50. Kids under 7, free. http://www.classicshows.org/

Breaktime Answers:

What is it?

1974 Norton Commando 850

Big Ben

Lateral Thinking: Mr. And Mrs. Jacks have five children, half of them are boys. How is this possible? The other half are also boys.