Norfolk & suffolk biker 2018

4TH EDITION

NORFOLK SUFFOLK BIKER

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2018 Bold Dog FMX Display Team Interview with Adrian Morton - Senior Designer at MV Agusta Poole Global Trek Peter Hickman - A Rare Breed

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elcome to the fourth edition of Norfolk & Suffolk Biker.

2018 exploded into life with some really exciting new models and not all at the high end of the market. Do please support those that have advertised in your local magazine because without their support, there wouldn’t be one.

One of the first people to put his hand up and agree to get the edition No 1 rolling was Bob Brennan of Lings Norfolk & Suffolk Triumph. Sadly, Bob lost his battle with liver cancer last year, 20 odd years after contracting hepatitis following a contaminated blood transfusion. Bob was a character and will be sadly missed by the bike community. Our sympathies go to his family and friends.

Bob Brennan

Those of you that have attended one of the i2i Machine Control Courses at Scottow Enterprise Park (Still RAF Coltishall to most of us) will know how good they are but they were absent for the first half of last year with planning issues on site. The good news is that they returned in late 2017, caught up with the backlog and are raring to go again with a revamped range of courses.

Another notable fact is that this year is the 20th season of the much respected police Safe Rider course. Priced at £50, this season finds Under 25 year old riders (full A or A2) being able to get it at a special price of just £25!

The casualty figures for 2017 were a bit worse than the previous year. Do please consider doing one of the courses on offer within this magazine. You will get more out of your bike without putting yourself at risk and be better prepared to deal with other people’s shortcomings.

Wishing you a great 2018 season.

Have fun, stay safe.

Cover Photo - Thanks to Signature Moto/Norwich MV Agusta for the loan of the Bimota DB5 and to Framlingham College for permission to photograph in their fabulous grounds.

BOLD DOG FMX DISPLAY TEAM

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ased in Harleston with a training base in Metfield, is one of the Country’s top Freestyle MotoCross teams, the Lings sponsored Bold Dog Lings FMX Display Team. N&SB spoke to team rider Dan Whitby to find out more about this exciting format of motor sport that most of us have no ambition to try, but admire from afar!

Formed in 1995, the team use Honda CRF 450 machines and Dan’s co-riders are Samson Eaton and Arran Powley. changes are made to a stock Q What Honda CRF for use in FMX? DW “We make quite a lot of suspension changes to stiffen it up and slow down the rebound to give better ‘feel’ off the ramp. We have to cut the side panels to provide grab holds under the seat which is easy on the Honda. We also fit high rise bars with no bracing bar and put on a louder pipe for better bottom end kick and some extra noise for the displays. Honda’s have great reliability and build quality.

Q Before fuel injection, did carburettors limit what tricks you could do with the bikes, for example when inverted?

DW “No, the carbs didn’t cut out but there was

a lot of experimenting with jetting. We used to take a box of jets with us, depending on where we were in the world to get the engine running right. The fuel injection sorts itself out.

Q

How do you get the bike onto its side and back again in mid air?

DW

“It’s complicated to explain but very basically it starts with carving an angle

off the ramp to get it started and then using body position and the gyroscopic forces of the wheels to pull it back.” do you think the next big trick Q What will be and who will perform it?

DW “Thomas Pages will probably be the

man but he keeps his cards very close to his chest. He has taken the sport to a whole new level, he’s almost reinvented FMX and turned it into something more like a computer game”

Q What’s the injury rate like

amongst riders, either in practice or during displays?

“Very high. Practice is worse because you are trying to perfect new tricks. For the shows we ride within a healthy safety margin because we are performing in front of families with children” DW

sort of age do most of the Q What riders call it a day?

DW “Well, I’m one of the older ones on the

circuit and I’m 33. I absolutely love my job and have no plans to retire any time soon. I have to keep myself very fit to do this.

Q What is the highest profile display that you have done?

DW ”It’s difficult to pick one, we have performed

in front of the British Royal Family, the Royal Family in Abu Dhabi but we have also performed at Top Gear Live and the Arenacross Tour. We do like to do local shows though so have performed at the Royal Norfolk Show, Suffolk show and the Sandringham Flower Show.

Q With the triple back-flip now

achieved, how much further can riders push what is possible within the laws of physics?

DW “There has to be a limit but the top riders are always trying to push the boundaries.

We are not trying to do that. With the Red Bull sponsorship, the top riders are being highly paid for a display so there is pressure to develop new tricks. Bold Dog are in the field of providing good quality family entertainment and not so much in pushing new boundaries. It’s interesting because the crowd like the more obvious dramatic whip-out tricks while the more technical ones, involving complex grabs and hand movements tend to be appreciated more by those who actually understand what is involved.

He continued “For example, the ‘Captain Morgan’ trick is reasonably easy to do but the crowd love it. The younger generation see Nitro Circus or Nitro games and often request some of those extreme tricks without realising that different ramps are needed, plus we aren’t paid £5,000 each for the session to push the limits!

Q What is your favourite trick?

DW “Probably ‘Rock Solid’ which involves

flying above the bike not connected to it in any way”

Q Can you give an idea of how much

practice it takes to perfect a new trick before you feel ready to display it?

DW “Obviously it depends on the individual

rider and the trick, it’s a confidence thing, it depends on how you personally feel about it. For example, I did 80 backflips into the foam pit before I was ready to display it but Arran was happy after only 30. In training

Dan added that the latest thing is replacing the traditional training foam pit with an airbag lander but at some cost, a cool £50,000. “It has a top mat on it but there is still a chance of damaging it with hot exhausts and so many metal protrusions.

The Bold Dog season starts in May and finishes at the end of August. They then move indoors for the NEC show for 10 days followed by the Arenacross tour in early January for 2 months before it all starts up again.

He said that one piece of equipment they use is a ‘cheater ramp’ that pivots on the top edge to assist with front flips and they cover the landing ramp with carpet which still retains good traction even when wet. When we spoke, the team at the training area at Metfield were trying to remove the adhesive from the old carpet and sand it down ready for re-coating. It’s clearly not all glamour and rock and roll being a FMX rider.

Dan said “We are extremely grateful and very lucky working with Honda and Lings, we get all the latest equipment and we were very excited when we got the latest bikes. Lings have been so supportive of the team.

Dan only has a provisional licence and a Honda MTX but rarely rides on the road. I guess road riding must seem pretty dull after all this flying around the sky.

Jennifer Charlton Photography (right)

The team featured in the title sequence of the first new Top Gear series with Matt le Blanc and Dan can be seen in one programme flying over the top of an Ariel Nomad.

we don’t do more than 10 repetitions of any trick because errors start to creep in, we move on to something else. FMX is a bit of a psychological game.

Photo credits to Tracy Whittington (background)

We are all proud to be Norfolk boys and give a good discount to perform at local events.

ADRIAN MORTON

DESIGN DIRECTOR AT MV AGUSTA

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t may come as a surprise to some local riders, that the creator of some of the most beautiful and iconic bikes of recent times from the MV Agusta stable are the work of Norwich born Adrian Morton. N&SB had privileged access to ask Adrian some questions to see how a boy from Norwich, graduated from The Royal College of Art in 1995 and ended up being one of the world’s leading motorcycle designers.

Q What part of Norwich are you from and where did you go to school?

AM Thorpe St. Andrew. Sprowston

High School.

Q When you graduated from the Royal

College of Art, studying industrial design, did you have a clear idea that you wanted to design motorcycles or were other products in your mind?

AM Absolutely! I studied previously at

Coventry University to achieve a degree

in Transportation Design, then proceeded to the RCA to achieve a Masters in Vehicle Design. Both my final exam projects were motorcycles “Chameleon” – A lightweight beginners bike that evolved in terms of rider position and power & “Equus” which looked at the assimilation of rider and bike, with an armoured medieval knight and armoured horse.

Did you own bikes as a young man

Q and which contemporary bikes

influenced your creative ideas by the time you started designing bikes?

AM When I was at school I

owned a (very, very) worn out Suzuki AP 50 two-stroke that refused to start on a daily basis. The crank seals were worn and I’d get through more gearbox oil than 2 stroke oil. When I arrived in London to study my Masters degree I purchased a T-Reg Honda C90 for £25 that became my daily ride / ”race” machine (with the competitive couriers). A passionate

security guard in the Royal College of Art called Tim took pity on me and gave me an incredible gift; my first true motorcycle, a Honda Benly 200 Twin. After a few weeks the engine expired but it was widely used a courier machine in London so finding parts was easy. It ran faultlessly for a year and was the best sounding bike in the World (or so I thought…..). I then gave it to a friend of mine when I left for Italy.

Adrian went to Italy in to work for Centro Ricerche Cagiva (CRC) where the revered Massimo Tamburini headed the design team. Tamburini is undeniably one of the greatest ever motorcycle designers, responsible for, amongst others, the game-changing Ducati 916 and the stunning MV F4.

Which bikes did you work on whilst

Q at CRC?

AM I began contributing to the design

development work of the then CAGIVA F4 750. After a few months I was tasked to develop some initial thoughts and concepts on the naked project. In parallel I also worked on the design and 3d development of the single sided swing arm that was utilised on both vehicles. At an early stage the introduction of a Porsche inspired headlamp, “Discovolante”

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inspired fuel tank and streetfighter proportions were introduced. Above all the name BRUTALE the Italian for BRUTAL was the header on every sketch; which gave a theme for the project and defined a brand within itself. I made a full-size clay model that formed the basis for the production motorcycle that Massimo was accredited for.

18 months later Adrian was hired by Benelli (for 7 years) to design a new range of 3-cylinder sports bikes.

Q Which bikes did you work on there?

AM

Tornado 900 3, Tornado SBK Contender, TNT 1130 & the initial phase of the TREK.

With Tamburini due to retire and Benelli sold to the Chinese in 2005, Adrian was seen as the man to continue Tamburini’s vision at MV Agusta -

Q For how long did you work alongside Tamburini at MV before he retired?

AM I worked with Massimo between 1995

and 1997 (two years) and 2004 until his retirement in 2008 (four years) so six years in total.

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Q Which were the first bikes that you worked on at MV?

AM Brutale 750 & F4 750 4 cylinder.

Q What is your proudest creation to date?

AM I think the F3 Super sports. It was

a difficult project after the F4 where there were less imposing limits on costs.

It was also developed under the strict management of Harley Davidson who owned MV Agusta at the time, and was the first complete motorcycle developed without Massimo Tamburini which meant it had to respect the values he defined.

The goal was to create a bike that would not be perceived as a change in direction and brand DNA. Most people saw it as a motorcycle designed by Tamburini which I consider to be a huge compliment.

Q Your career seems to be

dominated by three-cylinder engines. Is that configuration one that you favour?

AM I love big twins too but a three

cylinder bike offers the torque and power characteristics that are fabulous when seeking a truly incredible emotive riding experience.

Q How much is the engine

configuration or chassis type dictated by the engineering team and how much by the chief designer’s overall vision and styling requirements?

AM I’m not an engineer but I have

developed a sensibility to technical aspects after working in the industry for 23 years More often than not if it looks (and feels) right it more than often is. I work closely with our engineers without conflict and with mutual respect. I get a say on every detail which is essential in creating a harmonic design.

Q The F3 is an absolutely stunning

looking motorcycle, were you solely responsible for the design?

AM Yes, working in collaboration with our

incredible technical office based in the Castiglioni Research Centre based in San Marino.

Q Does the F3 have radially placed

valves like the F4 with its Ferrari inspired layout.

AM No, it uses a traditional arrangement.

Q What is the big benefit from using valves positioned in this way?

AM The radial valve layout does not actually

refer to the way they are positioned in the cylinder head. This arrangement allows improved port size and shape, valve included angle, and improved combustion chamber shape. The concept was carried over from technology utilized in F1 cars at the beginning of the engine development and still provides a class leading (over 205 bhp x liter) on our current road bikes.

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Q Is the F4 unique amongst sports

bikes with this valve positioning?

AM On production bikes it is unique feature.

Q The Turismo Veloce is another

beautiful bike. As it is a departure for MV, breaking into a new sector of the market, how important is the Turismo Veloce to the future plans of MV? AM Yes, it is fact a departure in some

respects but with all the core values that make it a true MV Agusta. We didn’t intend to create a competitor for long haul tourers. This bike is about maximum enjoyment, incredible rider dynamics with sufficient space for a passenger and incredible levels of storage capacity give its compact dimensions. A true Fast Tourer as the name suggests.

Q Does it create any practical problems

with you being located at the R&D facility in San Marino when the bike are built 350 miles away in Varese?

AM Of course, there are certain issues. We

often travel to the main factory but with the revolution in communication technology the distance has in many respects diminished.

Q When you start to design a new

bike do you intentionally retain some of the DNA of the previous models to maintain the evolutionary process and brand identity or sit down with a clean sheet of paper and see where your creativity takes you?

AM Absolutely…. it’s important to carry

over a family feeling in terms of surface quality and feel but we always try to add something new into the mix to avoid the risk of repetition and therefore a potential negative customer response.

Q With the restructuring and

refinancing of the company hopefully now sorted, where do you see MV going in the next 10 years, what sort of player do they hope to be?

AM We have some incredible projects on

the drawing board, and with a rationale to convert from expensive mass production tooling to soft tooling (and therefore the widespread use of composites) we will increase further the perceived value of our product. This has been typified in our new RVS line where for the first time the CRC has contributed to the production components to make a limited 100 bikes. We have also introduced the 1 to 1 project that allows an affluent individual to create a single unique motorcycle designed by us entirely and developed into a working reality. This will allow us a huge degree of freedom to create a vehicle that doesn’t have to meet specific homologation requests. It will offer us the chance to develop a true concept bike.

The Cagiva brand will also be revived in 2018 with some incredibly exciting original fresh projects that fit the spirit of this legendary youthful brand.

SOME DAYS ARE DEFINITELY BETTER THAN OTHERS s an independent service agent and MOT centre, Ashley Smith at Acle A based Smiffy’s Superbikes gets a huge variety of machinery through his workshop. Occasionally, he is treated to some real motorcycling exotica to

work on. They don’t get much more exotic or exclusive than one bike that we spotted on a visit last year, a very rare early 90’s Honda NR750 that the owner had entrusted to Ash for service. The owner has four of them but then again, he is a bike dealer!

The bike was constructed with a mixture carbon and fibreglass bodywork and the styling is said to have influenced the great Massimo Tamburini. The NR had top flight suspension, was the first to feature 42mm upside down forks with the rear controlled by Honda’s pro-link system. It was also the first Japanese sports bike with multipoint EFI.

A Trip Down memory lane The NR750 (Also designated RC40) of 1992 was a highly advanced short stroke V4 with oval pistons, 8 valves per cylinder and 8 conrods, two per cylinder. In truth, the pistons looked more like rectangles with rounded ends, rather than an ‘oval’ in the accepted sense of the word as the front and back edges were straight.

It was effectively a V8 to bend the rules around the racing restrictions that outlawed V8’s. Back then, it cost £36,500, a huge amount of money today, never mind in 1992!

It produced 125bhp at 14,000 rpm. Only 322 were built as the cost was over 5 times more than Honda’s top flight sports bike of the time. 1000 units were envisaged but, unsurprisingly, demand dried up.

Honda restricted the road version to 125bhp and aimed it towards use-ability and comfort rather than out and out power and race track handling. However, it was heavy for a sports bike at over 250kg fully fuelled. Somewhat over-geared, its performance was described as ‘lively’ in one road test but not ground breaking. It made power from the word go in a smooth linear road-focussed way. This was not the razor sharp race replica of the RC30, it was much more an exotic sports-tourer than snarling super-sports bike.

It was a staggering engineering exercise, even if it didn’t lead to the creation of mass-market oval piston-equipped machines. If you had £36,500 lying around in the early 90’s, it will have given you a fair return on your investment as the NR750 is highly collectable and prices are still climbing upwards of £100,000.

Acesport Motorcycle clothing UK A family run business established in 1985 as a retailer of used motorcycles on the then Norwich livestock market, where one day we bought in a second hand jacket and helmet which we placed on a wooden table outside our unit to find they sold within the hour, we then decided to buy as much used clothing as we could, three years later we had enough to open a small outlet above AC MOTORS workshop in Beech drive but this was not ideal so opened a stall on Norwich market, selling used and then new motorcycle clothing . 7 years later in 2001 we moved to our present day shop now designing and importing fine motorcycle garments and apparel using latest materials and products available. We offer new and used clothing and bespoke tailor made garments to your own design for gents, ladies and children at sensible prices. We offer one of the largest selection of motorcycle clothing in Norwich including boots, helmets and gloves with men’s waist sizes from 28 to 50 inch and chest sizes 38 to 60 inch, Ladies sizes from 8 to 26, other sizes made to order.

We boast a 5 star rating from existing customers for good products and friendly after sales service. At present our website address is www.acesport.co.uk but we are building another to take over from this with a predicted web address of www.acesport-motorcycleclothing.uk

WWW.HOLTMOTORCYCLES.CO.UK

HOLT MOTORCYCLES

Providing Sales Service & MOTs

T 01263 502308 E info@holtmotorcycles.co.uk HOLT. NR25 7DZ

200 Ranelagh Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2 0AQ Exclusive offers with SUZUKI for all Defence Discount Service (DDS), and Blue Light (BLC) Card holders.

Motorcycle SalesServicingClothingAccessories

 01473 257401

DUCATI V4 DESMOSEDICI STRADALE

Desmosedici Stradale The Heart of the Ducati V4 Panigale It is called Panigale V4 and it marks a new and important chapter in Ducati’s history, being the first massproduced Ducati motorcycle to be equipped with a 4-cylinder engine.

So what’s at the heart of this new Ducati sportbike….the Desmosedici Stradale is the new V4 90° engine, based on the experience gained in MotoGP where the performance of the four-cylinder Desmosedici is at the top of its class. By transferring the technology of its most powerful engine from competition to production, Ducati offers the experience that has been acquired over many seasons of MotoGP to their customers. The Desmosedici Stradale is destined to become a huge milestone in the history of Ducati.

V4 90° For Ducati, the V4 layout at 90° is the utmost expression of sportiness for a motorcycle engine. It is no coincidence that it is the same solution used in the MotoGP Desmosedici engines. The 90° V layout of the cylinders creates a natural balancing of first-order forces without the need to resort to a balance shaft to eliminate the vibrations that notoriously entail increases in weight and power absorption.

Counter-Rotating Crankshaft On street bikes the crankshaft rotates in the same direction as the wheels. In contrast, in MotoGP the counter-rotating crankshaft that rotates in the opposite direction is commonly used. The Desmosedici Stradale has borrowed this technical solution to compensate for part of the gyroscopic effect produced by the wheels, making the bike more agile and precise when changing directions. The counter-rotating crankshaft also generates a torque due to inertia that tends to lower the front end during acceleration, and the rear end when braking, thus reducing the wheelie phenomenon.

“Twin Pulse” Firing Order The crank pins, offset by 70° like on the Desmosedici GP, require a “Twin Pulse” firing order to generate power that is easy to handle and optimise traction when coming out of curves (“Big Bang” effect). Thanks to this firing order the Desmosedici Stradale makes a unique and distinctive sound.

MotoGP Performance The Desmosedici Stradale was developed to combine racing performance with all the necessities for road use. To maximise midrange torque - so important for the enjoyability of motorcycles on roads open to traffic - and to achieve torque and power at slower speeds, the engine has a larger displacement than the MotoGP version, specifically 1,103 cm³. It delivers a power output of more than 155 kW (210 hp) at 13,000 rpm and a maximum torque of over 120 Nm (12.2 Kgm) from 8,750 to 12,250 rpm in the Euro 4 version

Road and Track The bore of (81 mm) is the same as that used by the Desmosedici GP engine and is the maximum dimension allowed by MotoGP regulations. It is also the highest in the four-cylinder supersport segment. The stroke (53.5 mm) is longer compared to the Desmosedici GP engine in order to deliver higher torque on open road use, and to reduce maximum engine rotation speed.

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Racing Architecture The V4 90° layout makes the engine extremely compact, allowing the centring of the masses and better integration into the bike. In fact, the Desmosedici Stradale has been inserted into the vehicle with the front bank of the cylinders rotated back by 42° with respect to the horizontal plane, as on the Ducati engines competing in MotoGP.

Maintenance Starting from the Desmosedici GP engine, the manufacturing technologies, the materials and the auxiliary components layouts have been modified to achieve the required road durability, achieving standard maintenance intervals of 24,000 km (Desmo Service), Euro 4 homologation and high production capacity.

The V4 is the future of Ducati sportsbikes and a concentrated blend of Ducati technology, style and performance.

You can view the Ducati V4 and the entire Ducati range for 2018 at Seastar Superbikes or online here https://www.seastarsuperbikes.co.uk.

Alternatively, give us a call on 01508 471919 to book a test ride today.

H2 SX - Supercharge your journey

Z900 RS & Z900 Cafe

ZX10R SE

Ninja 650

Z650 Seastar Superbikes, The Garage, Ipswich Road, Newton Flotman, Norwich, Norfolk NR15 1PN.

Tel: 01508 471919 SeastarSuperbikes.co.uk

DUCATI Norwich

Seastar Superbikes, The Garage, Ipswich Road, Newton Flotman, Norwich, Norfolk NR15 1PN.

Tel: 01508 471919 SeastarSuperbikes.co.uk

Panigale V4

Multistrada 1260

Scrambler 1100

Monster 821

Monster 797

PROGRESSION IS NATURAL TO LINGS NORFOLK TRIUMPH

Design in progress

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017 proved to be an exceptional year for Lings Norfolk Triumph. In January we were awarded the prestigious ‘Triumph UK Dealer of the Year’ for 2016, which was a fantastic achievement for all the staff working in Watton. But where would we go from there? Here are just some of the highlights at Lings Norfolk Triumph:

In February we embarked on a new franchise refit with Triumph. This wasn’t just a quick splash of paint on the walls.

The existing showroom was completed re-modelled: brand new furniture, new low energy lighting, a new floor, a rebuilt storeroom, new unisex customer toilets and relocated office space. Indeed, a

complete transformation! Now more than ever, you are made to feel welcome at the dealership. The illustrious Triumph emblem at the entrance greets you as you step inside the vast, open plan showroom.

Take a seat in the new customer waiting area and enjoy a delicious cup of freshly brewed coffee while you browse our fantastic selection of Triumph clothing and accessories. Or take a stroll around the showroom and check out the exciting new Triumph range.

The refit didn’t put a stop to our ever popular customer events, which have become a regular fixture in the calendar for Triumph enthusiasts throughout the county. Mid refit the decorating tools had to be laid down as staff prepared for the launch of one of Triumph’s most highly anticipated models in recent years: the all new Triumph Bonneville Bobber. The more than 300 people in attendance that night saw for the first time in the flesh what would quickly become Triumph’s fasted selling model in it’s Hinkley era.

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More events quickly followed, all well attended by Lings Triumph customers old and new: the annual TFest (scheduled again for 21st April 2018), the National Demo Week (running again for 2 weeks between 17th 31st March 2018) and our exclusive Christmas celebration party. It wasn’t just the Triumph Bonneville Bobber that we unveiled to customers in 2017.

We had a whole new Bonneville family to present: the Bonneville T100, the Bonneville T100 Black, the Street Scrambler and the Street Cup. Five new models in one year alone gave us plenty to consider.

And It didn’t stop there. Soon the motorcycle press were speculating that there might be even more models appearing in the Triumph line-up. As the year drew to a close, Triumph announced updates to some of the industry’s most successful and desirable models. Triumph’s highly acclaimed range of adventure bikes saw both its Tiger 800 and Tiger 1200 models heavy revised to incorporate the latest technological advances in rider aids, increases in power and reduced weight, making these bikes even more desirable. The Bonneville range gained the aggressively styled

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Bobber Black and the all new Bonneville Speedmaster, with an extensive range of accessories including a dual seat option for riding two up when required.

Finally, it was the iconic Speed Triple’s turn to get the treatment.

With more than 100 changes to an even freer reving motor producing significantly more power and torque as well as reduced weight, this must surely be the finest Speed Triple yet.

All of these exciting bikes are available at Lings Norfolk Triumph and Suffolk Triumph. There is no better time to get in touch with us and find out more about these bikes and our forthcoming events.

MADE IN ITALY

SOLD IN STOWMARKET

By Karl Adler

John Fallon

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s a descriptive name for your company, it doesn’t get much clearer than ‘Made in Italy Motorcycles’. John Fallon concentrates his business on older classic Italian bikes from his Stowmarket showroom.

surplus of Italian metal to be scooped up.

This became a sideline business for John.

“I always loved the looks, the sound and the style of Italian bikes. My first one was a Laverda Jota back in 1980, I was only 19 and it cost me £400 to insure it, a huge amount of money back then. I continued to buy Italian bikes, improve them and sell them on making a small profit along the way although this was never my motivation”

John’s main job is sourcing the stock. So, where do all these bikes come from?

An advert in the Laverda owners club magazine resulted in John borrowing £8,000 from the bank and heading to Valencia to buy Laverda’s from a Dutchman with whom he remains friends to this day.

At the time, Spain was a rich hunting ground for Italian bikes because under the Franco regime, only European bikes could be bought and Ducati had a Spanish factory. With Franco gone, Japanese bikes flooded the market, leaving a nice

He built up a parts supplies business, Mdina Italia but his heart was not in selling spares, he wanted to buy and sell bikes so he sold that company to form ‘Made in Italy Motorcycles’

“I deal a lot with collectors. Some of them have huge collections between 5 and 50 bikes. They sometimes want to add a particular bike to their collection and need to move some stock on. They don’t want people knocking at their door, so they deal with me. A lot of the bikes we handle, we have seen before.” He continued “I also have friends in Italy, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands all looking out for bikes on my behalf”. John sells between 120 and 150 bikes a year.

“Some people are fanatical about originality, particularly my Australian customers for some reason. For example, early Dell’orto carbs wore out quickly. We would normally replace them with better ones to get the bikes running properly but some customers would rather accept that the carbs are worn

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out but be totally original. On the other hand, others are quite happy with things being improved. We cater for whatever the customer wants.“ Nearly all of John’s sales are via the internet with customers rarely seeing the bikes other than in the photographs.

Whilst I was there a customer rang up and bought a mint condition ex-military Moto Guzzi NF500 without ever having seen it or heard it run. “I tend to undersell them on the web so that they are even better than customers are expecting. If I’m shipping a £150,000 bike to Australia, I don’t want them opening the crate in 3 months time and being disappointed.“

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Undeterred and with very little thought, John responded “Bimota DB1, the workshop boys hate them because everything is shoehorned in but what a bike!”

With all the fabulous bikes in stock, if he could pick one, for himself, which would it be? “It would have to be that beautiful Ducati 750SS” “Final question then, you can own one bike, but only one, regardless of cost, what’s it going to be?”

Bimota db1

“Would you stop encouraging him please?” came the plaintive cry from John’s wife Linda on the other side of the office.

loved the looks, “theI always sound and the style of Italian bikes. ”

PETER HICKMAN A RARE BREED - By Phil Armes

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n the modern era of road racing there is very little requirement, or indeed incentive, to race on both public road circuits and purpose built race tracks; and there are very few riders capable of being competitive in both environments. So, for someone whose dad forbade him to get a motorcycle, Peter Hickman hasn’t done too badly in the last few years, winning races at major International public roads events around the globe, and visiting the top step of the podium in the British Superbike Championship.

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Although Peter was brought up in the racing paddocks around the UK and Europe due to his father, Dave, competing in both domestic and world championships, it wasn’t until a chance visit to Cadwell Park as a 10 year old that he really got the bug for riding bikes.

So much so, that he saved his pocket money and sold/swapped some of his toys to buy a Kawasaki AR50 that was just a pile of bits in a wheelbarrow!!

Having been forbidden a motorcycle by his dad, it took the young Hickman a few weeks to admit what he had done, and ask for assistance in building the machine; on which he duly learnt to ride on the farmers’ field next door!

But it was racing that Peter really wanted to take part in, and, having seen the likes of Casey Stoner and Chaz Davies who were only one or two years older than him, on that trip to Cadwell Park, he started competing in 2000 on a minimoto, graduating to the Aprilia Superteen Challenge in 2002 where he finished 6th. Just two years later his potential was underlined when he won the British Superstock title after sitting out the opening round as he was too young to ride a 1000cc machine!!

With limited opportunity and restricted budget Peter set up his own team, which

they ran from 2008 until 2010 and financed at less than £30k per season; which is about the same as one rider’s tyre bill in the current BSB climate. So tight were their finances that he would beg/borrow and steal used tyres from the other teams after they had discarded them after practice!

The breakthrough came in 2014 when he rode the Ice Valley by Motorsave BMW Team’s S1000RR around the Isle of Man TT course at an astonishing 129.104 mph average to become the fastest ever newcomer in the 107 year history of the world famous event. He subsequently signed for the RAF Regular & Reserve team as a replacement for their rider Simon Andrews, who had sadly been killed in a crash at the North West 200 earlier in the season.

The transition to racing on public road circuits seemed to come quite naturally and he admits that it actually requires a more relaxed style when riding the ‘roads’ where corner entry speed is sacrificed for getting on the gas early to achieve and maintain faster speeds along the many long straights in Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man. But the change back to BSB is difficult, where you are “riding on, or over the edge” every corner of every lap.

an almost unprecedented full house of five podium finishes from five starts at the 2017 TT, have been secured alongside an incredible fourth in the British Superbike Championship in the privately run Smiths Racing BMW team. For 2018 he stays with the same set up, and when asked which would give him most satisfaction, a TT win or the British Superbike title he replied, after a good bit of deliberation and maybe a little bit of modesty, “to be honest, both.”

And it wouldn’t come as too much of a surprise if he does achieve both those goals in the coming campaign.

One of the UK’s “best all round

”

motorcycle racers.

Despite the level of success and fully warranted adulation Peter has remained totally approachable to his growing army of fans, and no more so than when he visits Snetterton in Norfolk for the annual round of the BSB series. He was more than happy to pop down the A11 to the Route 11 Diner, which has become a popular local gathering place for bikers, and help with a charity fundraiser.

Over the last two seasons Peter has proven to be one of the UK’s best all round motorcycle racers. A host of victories at the Ulster GP, Macau GP, and Photograph - Amanda Leeming

BIKER INFORMATION IN NORFOLK & SUFFOLK 2018 These are the most popular biking destinations in the area.

SUNDAYS NORFOLK BIKER MEETING PLACES MONDAY EVENINGS A11 Attleborough (Northbound) Route 11 Kitchen Route 11 Kitchen is located on the Northbound carriageway of the A11 next to the petrol station, The restaurant serves high quality food and Monday evening has been designated ‘Biker Night’ but this changes to Sunday afternoons during the winter. Follow them on Facebook for updates on special events. www.route-11.co.uk Walcott Biker Night – 1st Mon of the month Easter to Sept 6:00pm - 9:00pm There are few more pleasant places to ride to than Walcott on a summers evening. The Kingfisher café is located at the south end of Walcott seafront.

With a large car park, plenty of outside seating

with views out to sea, it is a popular biker destination on the 1st Monday of the month Easter to September.

TUESDAY EVENINGS Old Buckenham - Two Wheel Tuesday at The Ox & Plough An astonishing number and eclectic mix of bikes, old and new, descend on Old Buckenham on fine Tuesday evenings during the summer. Hot food is available from vendors on the green. Pub staff provide seats and tables side stand supports.

FRIDAY EVENINGS Whitwell & Reepham Railway Museum On Friday evenings riders head to Whitwell. Its popularity shows no sign of diminishing. With hot and cold food and drinks available, it is a great place to hang out with other bikers. www.whitwellstation.com

Hunstanton Sea Front Probably the longest established destination, Norfolk’s west-facing east coast town is still popular on Sundays. Bikes park near the sloping green, which is near to the town centre, shops and cafes. It’s very popular with riders from the East Midlands.

SUFFOLK BIKER MEETING PLACES The Greyhound, Wickhambrook From 6pm in summer months and 7:30pm in wnter. (Wickhambrook Motorcycle Club) All welcome.

WEDNESDAY EVENINGS Great Bentley Green, Essex Whilst just over the Essex border, Great Bentley Green draws a lot of bikers from Suffolk on a Wednesday evening night during the summer.

THURSDAY EVENINGS The Lakeside Café Lower Road, Onehouse near Stowmarket. Bike Night meets from 6pm to 9pm each second Thursday of the month from June to October.

Krazy Horse Based on an industrial site on Lamdin Rd, Bury St Edmunds, IP32 6NU, Krazy Horse host a bike night on the last Thursday of the month from 6pm to 10pm. The estate is packed with bikes including a lot of customs which is Krazy Horse’s core business.

There is a burger and tea stall on site oftern accompanied by live music.

SATURDAYS Chick King

BIKER FRIENDLY WATERING HOLES IN NORFOLK Attleborough Route 11 Kitchen On A11 northbound carriageway. Listed above in biker venues, this is an excellent restaurant/café with a bike friendly focus.

Ditchingham A143 McDonalds (near Beccles). This is a popular gathering point for people out for a ride.

Friday evenings seem particularly popular but it is well-used most evenings in the summer by bikers.

Mundford roundabout A1065 Brown’s Café Restaurant – very biker friendly.

Norwich Katie’s Cabin – At CJ Ball Motorcycles, Salhouse Road Norwich. Permanently located, Katie’s cabin is a very popular destination with benches and tables for your use.

Pulham St Mary Pennoyer Centre. This community run venue and café located in an old school/church, has a fabulous selection of homemade cakes and freshly ground coffee or full meals if you prefer. Closed Sundays, last café order Saturdays 1430.

Tasburgh Foundry Coffee Shop (At Foundry Plant Centre) I mile south of Seastar Superbikes on the A140.

All day breakfasts, lunches etc. Advertised as ‘Bikers Welcome’.

Mile End Café, Brandon Meet 1st Saturday of the month from 6pm from March to October.

Please feel free to suggest more of your favourite biker café’s in Norfolk or Suffolk for next year’s magazine on info@indmedia.biz

4TH EDITION

NORFOLK SUFFOLK BIKER

&

BIKER FRIENDLY WATERING HOLES IN SUFFOLK Red Lodge Transport Café 70, Turnpike Road, Redlodge, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 8LB This café was a favoured watering hole for truck drivers when the Turnpike Road was the A11, prior to the bypass being built. It is still a great café and popular with bikers.

The Huntsmen & Hounds Stone Street, Spexhall, Halesworth, Suffolk IP19 0RN Walker’s Snacks A1065, Near Mildenhall, Suffolk. IP28 6AE

Please feel free to suggest more of your favourite biker café’s in Norfolk or Suffolk for next year’s magazine on info@indmedia.biz

Local Motorcycle Museums There are two motorcycle museums in the area.

The Norfolk Motorcycle Museum is at the railway station at North Walsham, on your right as you approach up the B1150 from Norwich, just after the railway bridge. It’s a small privately owned museum with some very interesting exhibits, some in original condition, some restored.

Tel 01692 406266 Entrance fee £5 No website.

David Silver Honda Collection, Leiston Suffolk opened in 2016 01728 833020 Unit 14 Masterlord Industrial Estate, Station Road, Leiston IP16 4JD. Entrance fee £10 www.davidsilverhondacollection. co.uk

in Norfolk & Suffolk this year These are the shows and events that we know of at the time of going to press.

The majority of the dealer launches take place during the winter but events pop up all the time. In order to get the latest information, follow NorfolkHugger on Facebook and Think! Hugger on Twitter or Suffolk Hugger on @SuffolkHugger

JUNE Sat 2nd & Sun 3rd Seastar Demo Weekend A140 Newton Flotman.

An opportunity to ride bikes from Seastar’s Kawasaki & Ducati fleets. A limit of 3 test rides per person for the weekend for the Seastar fleet.

Ducati UK will also have their test fleet there escorted by instructors from the California Superbike School. Slots can be pre-booked.

Saturday 9th

Friday 27th

Touching the Cloth (NABD) Bike & Trike show - Frettenham Village Hall NR12 7NN

Norfolk Day Charity Motorcycle Ride Part of the ‘Norfolk Day’ celebrations, organised by T&DMCC 08:30 starting McDonalds Thetford. Groups of 10, distance optional, full route 206 miles.

Sunday 10th ‘Wheels next the Sea Bike show’ 10:00 – 16:00 £1 per wheel.

Set in the charming location of Wells next the Sea. There will be a Classic bike show and trade stands. Proceeds to support the local football club.

Fri 15th to Sun 17th BSB Snetterton round.

JULY Sunday 15th Thetford Bike Show.

Thetford Rugby Club, Mundford Road IP24 1NB. A long-standing charity bike show run by Thetford & District Motorcycle Club. Live band, classic show, trade stands & weekend camping.

AUGUST Sunday 12th Mods & Rockers show – Tuesday Market Place Kings Lynn.

The third year of this increasingly popular event, live bands, trade stalls etc.

Mon 27th (Bank Holiday) The 30th Wimbotsham Fenman Classic Bike Show. The show takes over the village and the classic bike show takes place in the school playground. With trade stands on the school field and village green, it’s a great day out.

OCTOBER Sunday 7th Copdock Annual Motorcycle Show, Trinity Park Ipswich.

The biggest show in Suffolk run by the Copdock Classic Motorcycle Club. This is the last big show of the year. There will be many attractions and side shows plus trade stands, club stands, autojumbles. http://www.copdock-cmc.co.uk/

4TH EDITION

NORFOLK SUFFOLK BIKER

&

NORFOLK BIKE CLUBS

SUFFOLK BIKE CLUBS

Dereham & Breckland Bikers Motorcycle Club

Black Shuck Motorcycle Club

Facebook

www.black-shuck.com

Eastern Riders

Norfolk & Suffolk Female Biker Group

www.easternriders.co.uk

Facebook

Fenriders IAM group

RoSPA

www.nnam.org

www.rospa-suffolk.org.uk

Norfolk & Suffolk Female Biker Group

Sudbury MCC (off road)

Facebook

www.sudburymcc.co.uk

Norfolk Advanced Motorcyclists

Suffolk Advanced Motorcyclists

www.n-a-m.co.uk

www.suffolk-advanced-motorcyclists.com

Norfolk Honda Owners Club

Triangle (Ipswich) Motorcycle Club

wwww.norfolkhoc.co.uk

www.trianglemcc.co.uk

Norfolk TRF (Trail Riders Fellowship)

Triumph Owners Club

www.norfolktrf.org.uk

(Suffolk Branch)

North Norfolk Motorcycle Club

www.tomccsuffolk.org

www.nnmotorcycleclub.blogspot.co.uk

Vintage Motorcycle Club

Thetford & District Motorcycle Club

(Ipswich & Suffolk Section)

www.spanglefish.com www.TinyURL.com/

www.ipswich-vmcc.co.uk

z3ynk68

VJMC Suffolk Section

Triumph Owners Club (Norfolk Branch)

www.vjmc-suffolk.co.uk

www.norfolktomcc.co.uk Vintage Motorcycle Club (Norwich Section) www.vmccnorwich.co.uk Vintage Motorcycle Club (Kings Lynn Section) www.vmcckingslynn.co.uk Curvy Riders MCC (Norfolk Branch) female only bike club www.curvyriders.co.uk norfolk@curvyriders. co.uk Norfolk RoSPA www.norfolkrar.org.uk Holt Motorcycle Club holtbiker@gmail.com

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56 SWAFFHAM ROAD DEREHAM NORFOLK NR19 2DL

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POOLE GLOBAL TREK “Remaining flexible at all times�

became the motto of our Motorcycle adventure.

T

here had always been a dream that someday we might ride around the world on a motorcycle but we had no Plan. Once Nick retired and the time was right it took us 4 months to arrange documents, visas, inoculations, insurance and the renting and clearing of our house in Norfolk.

We reduced all our worldly goods into 9 small boxes and what we could get onto the BMW1150 GS and found it hugely liberating.

We rarely booked anything in advance. The shipping of the bike from Southampton to Halifax Nova Scotia and a hostel in Halifax were the only bookings we made, along with a date for the start of our adventure 1st July 2006.

Hostel/shed, Peru

From day one we had to work as a team.

Nick in charge of the map, imports and exporting of the bike and its maintenance.

I dealt more with the currency exchanges, accommodation and clothing maintenance.

Unwritten rules developed such as: No riding at night Find somewhere to camp or a bed for the night by mid-afternoon Stop for a snack and drink before you get to large towns as with no GPS you always get lost and tetchy.

We were fortunate to have no time limit as such. The countries visa allowances were our biggest restraints. The only visa we had on starting the trip was for the USA and from then on the visa was purchased and stamped in our passports on entry to the next country usually, valid for 3 months. At

a border crossing between Laos and Cambodia we had to wake the customs guy sleeping in his hammock and help him find the appropriate rubber stamp for the passports. When Nick tried to import the bike he disappeared leaving us waiting outside a shed.

He reappeared from the shed wearing a different hat and braided jacket and once again we had to find the rubber stamp required.

Some crossings were easier than others but patience was the key.

We gave ourselves a few objectives at the start of the trip, Riding North to south of the Americas visiting a few friends on the way and making many more friends. Our route deviated almost every day as we listened to the locals who always had suggestions for places that must not be missed.

We met lots of other adventurers from different countries and the exchange of information was invaluable as we had no internet access, phones or GPS just using maps and Lonely Planet guide books.

Our journey took 3 years, 89,000 miles travelling from North to south of the Americas, New Zealand, Australia, south

Death Valley - with his nickname of ‘The Grim Reaper’, Nick had to go there!

Stole the inflatable globe idea from Micheal Palin.

east Asia and Europe visiting around 34 countries. An amazing experience.

We would like to thank our friend Eddie Gregory for building and running our website, Julie and Chris Easterford of Hood Jeans, who generously supplied our brilliant combat style trousers and Kevin of KRF motorcycles who advised Nick on the maintenance of the bike. And finally to Nick who gave me the ride of my life!!

Lesley Poole

Hugger’s 1:1 Skills Session Motorcycle training tailored to your needs

01603 638115 roadsafety@norfolk.gov.uk

Motorcycle training tailored to your needs Whatever you want to focus on, the session will be personalised to your individual training needs.

Do your cornering skills need sharpening up?

How well-judged is your overtaking?

Perhaps you just want a general check on your ride?

How much and how long?

The training will take place at a mutually convenient time and costs £50 for 2 hours. You will also receive a Hugger Gold Card that will entitle you to discounts at participating outlets.

“A very worthwhile course even if you’ve been riding a while. It helped me to focus on areas of weakness with my riding that I was aware of but couldn’t resolve on my own.”

Bella Hewitt-Parkings

“The whole experience was a great one. I really learnt a lot and I already feel much more confident in approaching unfamiliar bends. I’m getting more out of the bike and having more fun but with increased safety” Oli Loveless

Interested?

Please get in touch to find out more or to book a session* Email roadsafety@norfolk.gov.uk or call 01603 638115 *Post test only - We can help to direct learners with a list of suitably Email martin.andrew@suffolk.gov.uk or call 01473 qualified pre-test trainers. Please call or email us.

265004

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RIDER SKILLS DOWNLOADS

principles but the difference that some basic changes can make is potentially huge.

A

lways something more to learn

If you can’t confidently read a bend that you’ve never seen before, get the correct speed and line through it and link it with what’s coming next, you might benefit from reading these downloads.

They are based on accepted police Roadcraft practice. There’s no rocketscience involved, just simple to understand

They simplify the basic elements of the police Roadcraft manual with embedded videos and clear explanations. Used as pre-reads for either Safe Rider or Hugger’s 1:1 Skills Session courses, they are well worth reading to see if there is anything you might like to try doing differently, whether or not you choose to get involved in a Safe Rider or Hugger session.

Check them out on

www.think.norfolk.gov.uk or www.suffolkroadsafe.net

© THINK Norfolk Partnership - 2011

Page 8

Linking The Bends

If the presence of a surface hazard or oncoming vehicles requires a different line to be taken from the one illustrated, it’s not a problem as long as you have correctly assessed the speed for the bend.

What matters is that you get round safely.

If, for example, a right hand bend leads into another right hand bend linked by a straight section, there is no point moving towards the crown only to just go straight back out again to line up the second bend.

The illustration below shows this point.

2

1

© Norfolk County Council and Norfolk Constabulary

© Norfolk County Council and Norfolk Constabulary

Showing a smooth line where the exit point from the first bend leads in to the entry point of the next.

www.think.norfolk.gov.uk/cornering

There is no point coming away from the line if the bend continues, after a short straight, leading into another right hand bend. You may as well stay on the nearside line.

cornering

Having looked at these two bends in isolation we can now see how they link together forming a smooth flowing line where one bend leads seamlessly into the next by the exit point from the first leading straight into the entry point for the second. By planning properly this eliminates scrappy manoeuvres to get the bike on line for the next bend having exited the previous bend in the wrong position.

PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

4TH EDITION

NORFOLK SUFFOLK BIKER

&

I

t is important to us to know what riders think of the magazine to guide the content.

SUPERB FIRST PRIZE - A fabulous first prize this year has been donated by the

i2i Motorcycle Academy; a day on an i2i MC1 Machine Control Course at the former RAF Coltishall. This is a fun course and will open your eyes to some new concepts and debunk some urban myths. The course is worth £150 and could be yours just by filling out the survey.

OTHER PRIZES ARE - A free police Safe Rider course in Norfolk worth £50 - A free

two hour Hugger’s 1:1 Skills Session based on whatever you want to work on worth £50 Please complete the survey either using the QR code or by this link. http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/QB4YE/

2017 PRIZE WINNERS 1. MOTO Scotland - Colin McDonald* 2. Hood Jeans - Mark Stockings 3. Hugger’s Challenge - Sue Turley 4. Safe Rider - Mark Middleton * Changed due to operational problems at Moto Scotland

The i2i Motorcycle Academy are booking their amazing machine control courses at (former) RAF Coltishall. Book direct via their website www.i2imca.com

SWM MOTORCYCLES ITALIAN STYLE AND QUALITY, AVAILABLE IN HOLT

I

talian firm SWM built excellent off road competition bikes in the early 1970’s, going into liquidation in 1984.

Resurrected in 2014 with Chinese capital, the new SWM company is still proudly retained as an Italian marque and with very competitive prices with great specs. The bikes, which range through Enduro, Supermoto, Classic and Adventure, start with a 125 and are all hand built in Milan using (BMW era) Husqvarna engines and come with a 2 year warranty. The company has some very big plans for the future including four V-twin engines.

Coming 3rd in the overall standings of the Supermoto World Championships in 2017, with rider Marc Reiner-Schmidt, SWM are back with a vengeance.

Jamie Murch at Holt Motorcycles, who also sells AJS, Mash & Herald ranges is very excited by the expanding range. N&SB publisher Ian Stavert rode a 650 Super Dual GT in its natural environment, on the Duke of Argyll’s estate in Scotland. He said:

“

Not everyone can afford to

pay £10k – £16k for a motorcycle or want all the electronic wizardry.

There is also a height issue on some tall adventure bikes and the fear of dropping it! The Super Dual GT costs just £7599 (incl vat) – that includes Givi luggage, fog lights, sump guard, handguards, engine bars, fork protectors and luggage rack and it stands at just 35 inches seat height!

”

The liquid cooled 650cc single cylinder engine, built in the former BMW/Husqvarna factory, is matched to a sweet 6 speed gearbox. With a steel frame, alloy swinging arm, Fast Ace USD forks, Sachs mono shock, Metzeler tyres, Brembo brakes, F&R braided hoses, the bike is really well spec’d and beautifully finished.

It’s also great fun, has a responsive engine, sweet gearbox and the suspension seems well suited to the ride. I’ve also ridden the SWM 650 Enduro which had a far snappier throttle response – the Super Dual GT is the better bike for the road.

For an Italian built bike, it offers remarkable value for money. It’s a great Adventure bike alternative.

THE VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE CLUB NOT JUST FOR VINTAGE RIDERS OR BRITISH BIKES

W

hat does the future hold for motorcycle clubs dedicated to old bikes?

It’s a fair question given the spiralling value of some older machines, many of which will have been in the hands of their owners from a time when you could barely give them away. They were old fashioned, required work or specialist knowledge to keep going and people couldn’t be bothered with vibration, poor electrics, oil leaks and weak brakes. They wanted to get on, press a button and ride. How that has all changed, with some seen simply as ‘investments’ but many more seen as refreshingly simple and charming bikes in an over-complicated world

of cornering ABS, power modes and Euro 4 regulations. These bikes were, for the most part, how people got about when they couldn’t afford a car and yet now they are often revered as ‘classics’ with price tags to match.

Inevitably, the band of enthusiasts that own valuable old bikes is aging. Many will have a nostalgia for bikes they rode in their youth, or those that they remember their Father or Grandfather riding. What does the future hold with a generation of riders that have no memory of these bikes as daily transport and do not want to commit large amounts of money to buy them?

Bob Forster, Chairman of the Norwich and District Section of the VMCC has no doubt that the club has a future but

must continue to attract a different age group of riders and bikes from a more modern (and slightly more affordable) era.

He said “People that grew up with the likes of RD350LC’s or Honda 400/4’s have a different nostalgia to those riders 20 or 30 years older for whom the traditional British built bike was so familiar. We have a healthy number of Japanese, Italian & German bikes in our membership but we need to attract more of people that ride 1970’s & 80’s bikes. There is no snobbery about more modern machines within the club, I have a Honda 400/4 because it’s a cracking little bike and easier for me to start and run, plus it’s very reliable. As I got older, the Laverda Jota , 900 SS Ducati and the Vincent Rapide were too much of a handful.”

“We welcome anyone along, no matter what they ride, we are a very friendly bunch and have many group runs during the year”.

VMCC eligibility starts once the bike is 25 years old. For 2018 Pre 1978 & registered before 8th January, bikes are exempt from

road tax and pre 1960 bikes are exempt from an MOT. Even very early Hinckley Triumphs are now eligible.

The Norwich section VMCC meets at Postwick Village Hall 3rd Wednesday of each month www.vmccnorwich.co.uk The Kings Lynn section meets last Tuesday of the month at NSSC, Northwold

www.vmcckingslynn.co.uk

The Ipswich section meets at Ipswich School Sports Centre, has monthly club nights (bi-monthly during the winter) check website for dates

www.ipswich-vmcc.co.uk 4TH EDITION

NORFOLK SUFFOLK BIKER

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ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN

T

he Enfield Himalayan has been long awaited in the UK. The critical reception to this 410cc small adventure bike has been overwhelming and in head to head review with 5 other bikes at a similar price point, in Bike magazine, it came joint top. It heads a huge range expansion by Enfield who now have their R&D facility here in the UK, at Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire.

Paul Clarke, owner of Norwich dealer Moonraker Motorcycles was firmly convinced of its credentials as an affordable general use road bike, he was interested in the views of an acknowledged off road expert and they don’t come much more expert than Kevin Hammond who runs the Adventure Bike Training company from his Syderstone farm near Fakenham, which has space and purpose built obstacles to put a bike through its paces. Kevin’s history and off road credentials include having being one of Dakar legend Si Pavey’s instructors and one of the UK trio that won the International GS trophy in South Africa in 2010.

Adventure Bike Training offer a wide range of courses on your doorstep, tailored to your needs.

Check out their website www.adventurebiketraining.co.uk 01485 529491

Kevin was keen to try a Himalayan as some of his customers were expressing an interest in buying one. So what did he think of this £4,199 bike?

“The fun factor was huge, I’ve had a lot of fun this morning. I’ve ridden £15,000 to £20,000 bikes and not had as much fun as I did on that. It comes with a lot of kit, screen, sump guards, racks front & rear, the rubber inserts on the pegs are removable for adventure riding, it has a light clutch, decent brakes and the Pirelli tyres work well. The seat was comfortable and I like the addition of the oil cooler.”

“I’d only add heated grips and handguards. It would be nice to be able to turn off the ABS for sliding turns but it would not dissuade me from buying one. The quality was good, the handlebars are strong, it will take a bit of abuse. I can see why people are talking about it in the adventure world, it’s going to be an important bike out there this season for sure and the price point is fantastic.”

01603 307 500 SALHOUSE ROAD NORWICH NR7 9AB CJBALL.COM

D E M O AVA I L A B L E Honda has created a new breed, Neo Sports Café, and this is the ultimate expression with stunning performance for riders who want to unleash it all. But it’s more than that. This is a unique evolution of the iconic and ultra-modern, built with the best of Japanese craftsmanship. It is pure emotion made metal, with an exquisite attention to detail and level of engineering that connects on every level. Excitement, exhilaration and pride – that’s what this is.

For those that yearn to feel something special.

20th year

Cost £50

(£25 for Under 25’s for this season) To find out more about Norfolk Safe Rider email Andy Micklethwaite on Roadsafety@Norfolk.gov.uk or telephone 01603 638115 For Suffolk Safe Rider contact Kevin Stark on 01473 613888 ext 3395 or ext 3722 for The Motorcycle Casualty Reduction Team email saferider@suffolk.pnn.police.uk

SAFE RIDER

S

afe Rider is non-judgemental, light touch and fun. It’s intended to show riders a different way of doing things as a start to your ongoing progression.

View some of the more recent feedback on Safe Rider and see if you think this might be worth doing:

“ “ “ “

I found the Safe Rider course to be hugely beneficial. It was eye-opening to observe the police riding system first hand and I believe that it has had a permanent positive impact on my riding.

“

I would strongly recommend any rider, from novice to seasoned rider, to take up this course. It’s absolutely a must do for all. Brilliant!

”

”

“

This course should be mandatory when beginning to ride on the road.

”

Without doubt the most useful money I’ve ever spent on motorcycling. It was all pitched at exactly the right level, delivered expertly but with an appropriately light touch; brilliant.

”

I am a CBT instructor and often see my students during and after their full test pass. Definitely going to encourage them to go for it, telling the story of my experience with energy.

”

Fantastic course. I felt it very constructive that an outside person could assess my ride and help make me safer on the road. Thank you.

“

”

“

The course was brilliant and possibly the most valuable advice I have received to date.

Riding alongside a Police rider was an incredible opportunity and a privilege.

It was a much needed confidence boost in a friendly and relaxed setting. Would do it again!

”

”

This year, CJ Ball Motorcycles will pay for customers to do Safe Rider if they take their test with their training school and go on to buy a bike from them.

M ANCE

X 0 5 69 S5V ,99 PE R FOR D N A E ST Y L

£

H PR ICE L AU N C

01603 307 500 SALHOUSE ROAD NORWICH NR7 9AB CJBALL.COM

D E M O AVA I L A B L E

IT’S MAKING YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

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