4 NEWS
Guy Martin’s mega-month
A WHOLE YEAR OF BIKING FOR JUST
Odds slashed on Top Gear job AND Tour Divide completed (under a different name though) – it’s been a manic four weeks for the housewife’s favourite.
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It’s been an amazing four weeks for Guy Martin – and if the bookies at William Hill actually know something about what’s going on behind closed doors at the BBC then it’s going to get even better. Firstly, Guy completed the punishing Tour Divide mountain bike event, averaging around 150 miles a day.
Here’s the odds: Next Top Gear presenter:
Competing in the event under the pseudonym Terry Smith, Guy crossed the line at the border of New Mexico 20 days after kicking off in Canada. He cycled for 2712 miles and covered 185,000ft of climbing. Guy said: “It was the toughest thing I have ever done. It was bloody brilliant. Brutal.” Then, just a week after finishing the tour, Guy found himself popping up on William Hill’s list of those most likely to take over the spot on Top Gear which has been left empty following host
Chris Evans’ resignation after the last episode. According to BBC insiders,the show is going to continue with former Friends star Matt LeBlanc in the host spot and another member of the team is to be recruited. There’s been no comment from Guy about the rumours but the bookies have slashed the odds on him joining the telly team and as MCM went to press he was 6/1 on to join, the only other TV stars to be on the same odds are former F1 world champion Jenson Button and chef James Martin.
6/1 Guy Martin; 6/1 James Martin; 6/1 Jenson Button; 8/1 Dermot O’Leary; 8/1 Philip Glenister; 8/1 Rebecca Jackson; 10/1 Jodie Kidd; 14/1 Steve Coogan; 14/1 Suzi Perry; 25/1 David Coulthard; 25/1 Eddie Irvine; 25/1 Jake Humphrey; 25/1 Jay Kay; 25/1 Jay Leno; 25/1 Jimmy Carr; 25/1 Johnny Vaughan; 25/1 Ken Block; 25/1 Paul di Resta; 33/1 Martin Brundle; 33/1 Rowan Atkinson; 50/1 Ant & Dec; 50/1 James Blunt; 50/1 Matthew Perry; 50/1 Nigel Mansell; 100/1 Nigel Farage “The market is wide open at the moment and of course there may not be a replacement but at the moment Guy Martin, James Martin and Jenson Button are the front runners,” said William Hill spokesman Joe Crilly.
Iconic stars of On Any Sunday headlining Stafford Show The original superstars back together again! As well as finding fame on the big screen, all four of the guests also took part in the Anglo-American Match Races in held in the UK in the 1970s at circuits such as Brands Hatch, Mallory Park and Oulton Park. Mert Lawwill’s appearance at the show will be his first visit to the UK since that time. The rest of the event – the biggest of its kind in the world – will feature its traditional blend of hundreds of trade stands, a massive autojumble, firing up of race bikes in the Classic Racer GP Paddock, trials demonstrations in the More than 80 owners’ clubs 1000s of moder n-classic bikes Classic Dirt Bike Experience, Massive autojumble Bonhams Auction the Stafford Autumn Sale from Bonhams, a live restoration theatre and more. S
FOUR of the cast from iconic motorcycle documentary On Any Sunday are set for guest of honour duties at Stafford’s massive annual motorcycle event this autumn. Yep. Those guys. They’re coming to the UK. Gracing the Carole Nash Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show on the weekend of October 15-16 will be former racers David Aldana, Don Emde, Mert Lawwill and Gene Romero who each had central roles in Bruce Brown’s legendary 1972 film. Classic Racer magazine editor Malc Wheeler said: “On Any Sunday will have played its part in inspiring many of our Stafford showgoers to get on two wheels in their youth, and I’m sure there will be plenty of excitement as they get to meet four of its stars.”
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Digital thieves swoop to steal bikers’ details
Millions of bikers’ details have been stolen off forums by internet hackers. Users of sites including Motorcycle. com, GoldWingOwners.com, SVRider. com, K1600Forum.com, Gixxer.com and others have come under attack by the digital thieves and according to company VerticalScope the data breach was limited to usernames, user IDs, email addresses, IP addresses, and encrypted passwords. That basically means that if you were a member of one of these forums but weren’t using the same password to log on to other online services, it might not be a big deal. VerticalScope has said it is making changes to its password restrictions on its forums, to ensure users’ data is kept secure in the future.
Motorcyclists are ‘more attractive than drivers’
People who wear clothing associated with motorcycling are seen as more attractive, daring, adventurous and fun, new research has found. The study from one of the UK and Ireland’s leading motorcycle insurance brokers, Carole Nash, asked over 1000 adults to rate the looks of the opposite sex when dressed as bikers, compared to plain driving attire. In five out of six cases, members of the public dressed as motorcyclists were voted as more desirable than when dressed as drivers, making biking leathers and boots the go-to garments for those wanting to impress. When it comes to attractiveness, it is the 25 to 34-yearolds who are most likely to find a biker easier on the eye (23%) compared to 10% of 55 to 64-year-olds.
REVEALED! Ducati CEO’s designs to reinvent the wheel (and cure chatter at the same time) Claudio Domenicali is the chief executive of Ducati. A man with lots on his plate. But when he’s not steering one of the world’s strongest motorcycle brands to bigger and better things, the guy is still an engineer and inventor. And here’s his latest idea – a motorcycle wheel with a rubberised centre that acts like a shock absorber mounted INSIDE the wheel itself. The designs look pretty radical but have been filed for Ducati with patent offices across Europe, the USA and China. The drawings show a wheel with what’s described as an ‘elastically yielding material’ fitted inside the cast elements of the hub and spokes. That’s the bit shown as shaded areas in the front-on drawing. The material effectively sits inside the hub and extends up and into the spokes. This rubberised (okay, it’s unlikely to be just a rubberised material, but it will be something
like a rubber in a similar way to how Moto Guzzi has already used a rubberised-type material to mount engines on with it’s 1400cc cruiserbased bikes) material is also attached to a thick central hub which is – in turn – fixed to a hard collar within which the bike’s usual metal axle sits, although the axle is longer than on a conventional bike’s set-up. The patent description doesn’t explain why the axle needs to be longer, but it makes sense if the bearings and shims needed to house a conventional metal axle to the newmaterial shock absorbing hub, and the hardened collar built into it, are in some way mounted to the outside of the centre of the invention. What we do know is that Domenicali thinks that this solution will help cut chatter when a bike’s at serious lean angles. That is the primary reason for this system as laid out in the official invention’s
Advanced Husqvarna on the way for 2017
description, to help cut the chattering feeling that comes from forces transferring from the road surface, through the wheel and in a direction of force that a motorcycle forks can’t get rid of. So because this invention’s description mentions the feeling of chatter at extremely high lean
angles at pace it would appear that this is the next step forward in development for the sportsbike side of Ducati’s future.
Husqvarna has just unveiled its new 2017 FS 450 Supermoto bike. According to the company, the new 450cc machine features updated and top-of-the-line components (including WP’s AER 48 forks and a composite subframe made from 30% carbon fibre), further advances in engine management (launch control, new handlebar map switch, traction control) and a fresh design (new graphics Get up to and improved speed daily ergonomics). There’s no price THE FREE yet for the bike, WEBSITE once we get it we’ll let you know.
10 FIRST RIDE
20 FIRST RIDE
26 FIRST RIDE
CONVERT:
“The original bike would wheelie from a standstill, and then repeat the feat in the next few gears.”
Not that there was much wrong with the previous version; it’s just that the conversion to the liquidcooled motor was a huge departure from the aspirations of the original air-cooled Hyper’. The first bike to bear the Hypermotard moniker was a proper fruitcake, born when Ducati’s engines still had daft amounts of low-down thump. Despite the big capacity it felt exactly how you’d expect a big supermotard to ride in the handling department – a bit boingy with lots of suspension travel and just enough inbuilt poise and accuracy to take one on a race track. But any skills it (or any of the subsequently upgraded models that followed) showed in the handling department were utterly overshadowed by the walloping motor, the 1078cc two-valve L-twin, which we still sorely miss. The bloody thing would wheelie from a standstill, and then repeat the feat in the next few gears. Doing this away from a set of traffic lights, you’d be laughing your head off and having the time of your life before you’d even hit 60mph! It did have a few drawbacks though; the main one being that it really was
The Hyperstrada 939 Not present at the launch, the Hyperstrada is the touring version of the Hypermotard. It has a shorter wheelbase than the SP, and also the stock bike at 1485mm, 1498mm and 1493mm respectively. The three also weigh differently, with the stocker 3 kilos heavier than the SP, and the ’Strada a further 6kg heavier than that at 187kg dry. The chassis is the same, but suspension on both nonSP bikes has Kayaba up front and Sachs at the
rear. The Hyperstrada comes on Pirelli Scorpion IIs, the stocker on Pirelli Rosso Corsa IIs and the SP on Supercorsa SPs. The ’Strada obviously comes with some extras; like 50 litre semi-rigid panniers, a touring screen, larger front and rear mudguards, touring seats, grab-handles, two 12v power outlets, a centestand and sump-guard. All go some way to justifying the extra cost over the stocker. You can also fit heated-grips as an accessory, and a Ducati branded sat-nav, too.
a big supermotard, and as such only really good for Sunday hacks and thrashes. Going anywhere far on one was a tough ask for anybody, bar discomfort masochists, and thus its appeal was ultimately limited. Even as a possible second-bike option it was a bit of a stretch for all but the most financially comfortable. So when the first full redesign came along three years ago, the Hyper’ changed quite dramatically. A completely new engine philosophy (in line with previous regulations), and a far more capable and useful chassis fundamentally changed the bike’s attitude. It handled like a proper bike now and you could do more with it – which was made more evident by the addition of a touring Hyperstrada edition. That sounds great, what are you complaining about, you may think? Well, yes you’re right, sort of. The (then) new 821cc engine had a completely different character, with the fun part now available from the midrange upwards. It felt extremely sophisticated and modern, but lacked that catalytic spark at the lower reaches of the rev range. That it revved quicker made up for it somewhat, but still a part of the Hyper’s essence had been lost. Fast forward to 2016, and it would appear that the missing verve is back with the new Euro 4 friendly engine, which has grown from 821 to 937cc. Yes, it’s not a 939cc motor (like the 959 Panigale isn’t actually 959cc), but we all know how important the number ‘9’ is to Ducati’s model designations, don’t we? With Euro 4 regs sapping power and torque on any bike, throwing a bit more capacity at the Hyper’ means
that none is significantly lost over the previous bike and low to mid-range shove goes up. Engine stroke remains as is, but the bore has been enlarged to achieve the desired capacity hike. The motor also gets a brand new set of pistons, rods and a crank, plus a new oil-cooler. Chassis-wise, it’s pretty much ‘if it ain’t broke’ from Ducati, and although there are still varying differences betwixt the three models – the Hypermotard, Hypermotard SP and the Hyperstrada – their respective chassis are essentially the same as the last versions. So, natty Öhlins for the SP, and a Kayaba and Sachs combo for the other two. For this launch we’d be riding the stock and SP versions, on road and track respectively, just outside of Barcelona. Some blasting in the hills around Montserrat, followed by thrapping around the excellent figure-of-eight Parc Motor circuit, sounds like a great introduction to the 939, right? Of course it does, but to be quite honest it’s not a bad thing that the main differences in this bike we had to assess were the engine upgrades, because we didn’t get a huge amount of riding time in. First up, we rode the stock machine straight out of the circuit and to the first photo location, about a 10 minute ride altogether. Right off the bat the extra capacity is evident though, it does feel like it has more go in the lower reaches. Now, I did think the same of the new 959 Panigale too, yet we later discovered what I thought was more torque was actually a clever use of the throttle and exhaust valves. I don’t think this is the same in this instance, especially as it’s over 100cc
32 TESTED: DUNLOP ROADSMART III TYRE TEST Cross-bike compatibility
The holy trinity of rubber This is the latest rubber from Dunlop – the new RoadSmart III. It’s made to step up to the latest rivals in the sport-touring sector and as such it needs to deliver great mileage, loads of feedback and plenty of grip. It’s the holy trinity of two-wheeled wishlists, rubber-wise. Here’s what we found out on the launch of the hoops...
Better handling, improved wet grip and increased performance durability were the main aims of Dunlop’s allnew RoadSmart III. The revolutionary design of the tyre, which now sees the introduction of a rayon ply carcass at the rear, plus a whole new ‘nanorubber’ compound and mixing process,
has moved the sports-touring goalposts by an unprecedented degree; there was a hint of embarrassment during the tyres’ presentation in Montpellier when it was announced that independent testers had discovered an 82% average front tyre mileage advantage when compared to its four main rivals.
It also delivered 19% better durability with the rear tyre, and scored the highest ratings for dry grip. It sounded impressive, as did the 31-month long development process, which saw in excess of one million kilometres of development and 206 different prototype tyres evaluated.
On any other launch, torrential rain would have been considered a nightmare, but it provided the perfect chance to determine the product’s wet grip performance during an initial 100-mile road ride, on a blend of motorway, single carriageway and single track roads, across a mix of potholed, smooth and even gravelly surface conditions. Dunlop’s claiming compatibility with 91% of the motorcycle market from the new product, covering everything from RC30s to the latest Speed Triple R. We had 56 different motorcycles, of all sizes and weights to choose from to test the tyre with. BMW’s K1600 jumped out as a great bike on which to hide away from the worst of the weather, while seeing just how well the rubber coped with the weightiest of motorcycles. Handling’s been the key focus for the new product, seeing a smaller radius for the stiffer front tyre (which means a sharper profile), while the rear’s gone the other way with a broader shoulder and profile in place; the theoretical results of which encourage quicker turning, plus improved grip and stability. Within a matter of metres of leaving Dunlop’s custom-built Mireval circuit proving ground, it was surprisingly notable how effortlessly the enormous Beemer changed direction, prancing around like a bike half its size, regardless of how fast or slow the direction change. Riding back into the pit-lane, it hit me just how capable these tyres were. They’d performed well in all different kinds of conditions, in different temperatures and on different surface types. A true all-rounder, which could cope when pushed hard on track, or challenged for grip on wet roads.
PRODUCTS 35 Valentino Rossi – The Game RRP: From £36.99 // Compatible with: Microsoft Xbox One and Sony PS4
Redverz Atacama garage tent
RRP: £399 // Size: Packed 23 x 53cm, Overall 254 x 495 x 195cm, Sleeping bay 234 x 241cm The Redverz Atacama is the latest incarnation of the multipurpose multifunctional garage tent from Redverz Gear. Redvertz says that the tent, which is big enough for you to stand in, uses the best components with the highest strength fabrics, and packs down to just 23 x 53cm, weighing in at 6.3kg. You can store your bike in the porch area or alternatively make use of the space for storing gear. Access to the sleeping area is through the porch or via the rear of the tent if you have the porch filled to the rafters.
The Atacama is a three-person tent, with room for cots and the ability to sleep either widthways or lengthways. The overall attention to detail is exceptional, right down to the little stitched-in pockets that the guy ropes pack into when not in use or for when packing the tent away to keep them out of the way. The motorcycle bay is capable of accommodating a full-size adventure bike with panniers, two or three motocross bikes, or a Harley Ultra Classic. For further information: www.twistmoto.co.uk
Öhlins shock with remote adjuster RRP: £875 Öhlins has developed an STX 46 piggyback shock absorber with a remote spring preload adjuster for the new Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin. The shock features compression and rebound damping adjustment. According Öhlins, the remote preload adjuster comes in handy when adding a passenger or luggage to the bike. Öhlins says the rear shock handles everything from road vibrations and small bumps to bigger jumps, very effectively. Traction and stability will also be improved during acceleration and cornering. For further information: www.ohlins.eu/en
Piranha jacket from Richa
RRP: £199.99 // Sizes: 38-56 // Colours: Black and Black/White
Richa has unveiled a new, sporty Piranha jacket, available in UK dealers now. The leather jacket features CE-approved D3O armour in the shoulders, elbows and back, as well as an outside shoulder cap as an extra protective layer. There is a removable thermo-liner and long and short zips to connect the jacket to the trousers. Matching Buffalo leather trousers are also available and feature D3O CE-approved armour in the knees, a polymesh lining and long and short connecting zips. Knee sliders are available to purchase separately (RRP £24.99). For further information: www.nevis.uk.com // 01425 478936
This unique videogame entirely dedicated to the career of Valentino Rossi, the nine-times world champion, is probably the closest thing to riding like a pro that most of us will get! With the game you can experience the career of Valentino from his perspective in a series of 20 challenges from his first race in 1996 up to 2015. You can jump into a new career starting at the VR|46 Academy and taking you up to World Champion. During the championship, Valentino will ask you to take part in different events like drifting, flat, R1M-only races, and rally in order to improve his abilities. For further information: www.game.co.uk // www.amazon.co.uk
Spidi J&K Stretch jeans
RRP: £169.99 // Sizes: 28-40 / Colour: Stone-wash
Spidi J&K Stretch jeans are stone-washed and made in Italy. The denim jeans are made of 98% cotton and 2% Lycra stretch, with Keramide-coating for increased abrasion resistance on ground contact areas (around 30% of total surface). The jeans feature five outer pockets, a metal keyring, leather loop with reflex details and YKK zippers. There are removable and heightadjustable CE Forcetech protectors on the Knee to help with protection. According to Spidi the elasticity of the fabric absorbs the volume of the knee protection. The J&K Stretch jeans benefit from reformed leg for riding comfort and slim fit. There’s a Spidi logo printed on the reverse side at the bottom of the leg. For further info: www.spidi.com
40 NEW RIDER
PLANNING YOUR FIRST BIKING TRIP
Ever dreamed of grabbing your helmet and roaring off into the sunset? Here’s how to do it… We all dream about adventures on two wheels, but the reality is that many of us spend most of our time riding in the city for the daily commute rather than touring out on open roads. Adventures come in all shapes and sizes though, so there’s no need to lock the bike away for the weekend. Short trips on two wheels are great fun, and they don’t require much planning or extra kit on top of what you already have. And even small capacity bikes can be capable tourers if you plan the journey with care. What’s stopping you going away for a night, a weekend, or even longer? If you’ve never been away on your bike, you’re missing out. Leaving the stress of city traffic behind you and discovering new places, roads and people is pure bliss.
What does it cost?
Weekend trips can be as cheap as anything, and with the current low petrol prices you might actually spend more money travelling by public transport. Once you know the route you want to take you can work out roughly how much fuel you will need. It’s worth adding a small contingency fund as the route might change due to roadworks, change of plan or simply as a result of getting lost. Accommodation costs are probably the biggest variable in your budget. If you want to keep the costs low, staying with friends or family is free,
and camping is cheap. Splashing out on a B&B or a hotel will add a bit of luxury to your trip but also cost you more.
Planning your route
Planning a trip on the bike can be almost as much fun as the trip itself. Poring over atlases or scrolling through Google Maps is the easiest way to get started. There are plenty of books and websites with suggested routes if you want some inspiration. Google Street View is a great tool that lets you see what the roads you plan to ride actually look like. It’s a fantastic way to see if a road is worth a ride. It’s easy to get a bit excited and add more and more miles to your trip when planning the route, but try to be realistic about distances. It’s not much fun to spend all day just riding from A to B without stopping on the way. There are far too many nice views, events, picturesque villages and cafes serving cream teas that you might miss if you’re in a hurry. Allowing yourself plenty of time will also help if the weather turns nasty and you want to stop for a while to get warm and dry.
Prepping your bike
Regularly checking that your bike is in good condition is a good idea anyway, but if you’re going away it’s particularly important as you will likely have a lot further to walk back to the nearest garage in the event that something goes wrong. The usual
memory aids for checks, such as POWDER (Petrol, Oil, Water, Damage, Electrics, Rubber), are a handy way to ensure that you cover all the bases. If your bike hasn’t been serviced for a while and you’re not sure how to go about it yourself, it’s best to take it in for a service before your trip. Better safe than sorry. Scooters with plenty of underseat storage or bikes with a top box or panniers are ideal for touring because you have loads of room for your belongings, but a simple cargo net, a waterproof bag on the pillion seat, or an aftermarket luggage solution will also work nicely. There’s also the option of a good old-fashioned backpack. Just be mindful that if you make it too heavy your neck and shoulders will pay the price on a longer journey.
Prepare for the open road
If you’re used to riding in cities, taking the bike out on country lanes means that you will be dealing with different conditions, traffic and speeds. It’s nothing to worry about, but it’s good to be aware
Right: A good sat nav will make finding your way much easier, and also make planning your routes easier.
THE INSIDE LINE TO CLASSIC JAPANESE IRON WITH STEVE COOPER FROM THE VJMC 43
Can you ever have too many motorcycles? Once you own one old Japanese motorcycle, it is all too easy to find yourself with several. Maybe you bought the others are parts donors, or maybe you they were a bargain too good to resist. But don’t worry, this is not bad thing, says Steve... Words and picture: Steve Cooper Now that you’re on board with owning, running and riding old Japanese motorcycles there’s a possibility that you might just want to own more than one. Even if the counter claim goes along the lines that you can only ride one at a time, remember most of us have more than one coat, trousers, pair of shoes etc. This will emphatically not win the argument with anyone who’s rational but it helps to justify the logic in your own mind… and after all it’s you you’re trying to please. The VJMC is liberally peppered with what’s known as serial restorers or collectors. These are people who for whatever reason amass old motorcycles in the way that ‘normal’ people collect beer mates, stamps or football programmes. The fact that these hobbies are viewed as acceptable and conventional should be fervently ignored as normality is, only, a relative term after all!
The desire to own several models of the same or similar type should be kept at bay wherever possible… this way lies madness. Few if any enthusiasts can defend collecting half a dozen sub 350cc Hondas, yet worryingly this totally indefensible position does not mean people don’t do exactly this; quite why is a riddle best not pondered. Brand loyalty is something the Japanese motorcycle industry has majored in for decades which means many a classic fan has amassed a garage full of one make machines. This, in reality, is often no bad thing, simply because there’s likely to be some parts commonality across the collection. Even if there’s not, at least you as an owner will be pretty much assured your rapidly expanding knowledge base can be transferred from one model to the next. Wiring colours will be similar, build methodologies are unlikely to differ and there’s a warm feeling of familiarity when it comes to
working on the different models. The VJMC has folk who collect small 1960s Suzukis, 1970s Yamaha dirt bikes, Kawasaki triples, Honda CBX 1000s etc. In our world all of this and more is perfectly ordinary and every day. If you opt to collect the bikes of your youth i.e. 1980s 125cc learners, then things can get a little more muddled as you’ll be faced with four different answers to the same question with all of the attendant costs as you build up your two wheeled portfolio. Perhaps the most perverse serial collector of old bike is the person who simply collects multiples of the same machine. Quite why anyone would want two garages full of the same bike can be rightly seen as irrational, abnormal, contrary or even deviant yet for some folk such an approach makes perfect sense. For aspirant classic multiple bike owners variety might very well be the best option and this is the route taken by innumerable enthusiasts. A bike for every occasion or as close as possible is a pretty good maxim upon which to base your hopes. A small bike is ideal for a cheeky short ride in between weekend jobs or family obligations. Easy to move in and out of the garage, cheap to insure and run, they are the perfect quick fix of biking adrenaline. Look for something 200ccs or smaller as even now prices are still fairly
“The Home of the Japanese Classic”
favourable. If you fancy a long run or weekend away then something 500cc or over makes sense and here the world is your oyster. Pick almost any air-cooled four-cylinder machine and you are assured of a seminal classic riding experience. Simply put there really aren’t any truly bad Japanese bikes out there and if you steer away from the high end stuff you can still pick up a genuine bargain. No one’s garage or shed has infinite storage capability so choosing wisely on the subject of multiple ownership should be a considered process and in doing so you probably really need at least one good middleweight. These are the machines that have the legs to do longer trips yet are physically smaller and lighter than the big stuff. Something between 350 and 550ccs should fit the bill and once again if you keep away from the models we journalists tout as being iconic you can once again blag yourself a genuine bargain. Perhaps crucially and most importantly never add a bike to your
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Biker Friendly Guide
garage that someone else tells you “you simply must have!” Unless you truly want it, it will become both a chore and an impediment to what you actually want out of classic biking. On a similar vein never tell yourself you cannot move a bike on that you’ve devoted time to. Most garages will only hold 8-10 motorcycles and you cannot fit one of everything in there. Analyse why you bought that particular bike; if you’ve enjoyed it and have done everything you wanted to with it let someone else have a crack at it while you sample something different. A collection of old bikes is time consuming, potentially expensive and possibly divisive… but it’s rewarding and that’s what classic ownership is all about! The VJMC; run by motorcyclists for motorcyclists membership_vjmc@yahoo.co.uk 01634 361825/07948 563280
WHITE DALTON 47 he MCM gal column compiled y managing artner ndrew ‘Chef’ rendergast and is bike-riding arristers and olicitors at White Dalton Motorcycle Solicitors. The firm deals with personal njury claims and its sister company, Motor Defence Solicitors, deals with all the motoring offences. White Dalton lawyers have a vast knowledge of bike law – and they have full bike licences too. They don’t act for insurance companies or the prosecution. White Dalton is Britain’s premier specialist motorcycle law practice, and if its professionals don’t know the answer to your question there probably isn’t one. Don’t rely on the advice from your insurance-appointed solicitor, get proper independent advice. For road traffic offences call the Motor Defence solicitors on 0800 280 0912. For non-offence cases call White Dalton motorcycle solicitors on 0800 783 6191
Need advice If you need advice on a biking-related legal question or query, email mail@whitedalton.co.uk The best Q&A will be published in MCM, in confidence, of course.
Q&A
Specialist motoring solicitor Andrew Prendergast guides our readers through their legal trials and troubles...
Q
I’m off to Spain in a month with my ‘GSX-R crew’ to go and rag around the mountains and then head to Valencia for a few cheeky beers. We have been every year for the last five years and I have been stopped once before by the old bill for speeding and I had to pay a fine. My question is now that we have voted for Brexit, can me and my mates head over and properly tear it up safe in the knowledge the Spanish Fuzz can’t do a thing? Ragging everywhere knowing I can effectively stick two fingers up sounds awesome.
A
Perhaps you are nicer in person. However, from the question you sound like you just crawled out of a swamp. There is nothing worse than scallywags visiting other countries and flagrantly disrespecting it. In answer to your question, we are not out of the EU yet. In addition, it’s Spain you numpty. So… if you break Spanish laws then you can be punished in Spain. The same is true if a Spanish driver came to the UK. If for example Mr Spanish Rider had a few “cheeky beers” got on his bike and ran over a kid on a crossing he would get locked up. In short, while I like to have a ‘spirited ride’, don’t be a dipstick and respect the local laws, wherever you ride.
A
Firstly you need to know about the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). Every time we all pay motor insurance some of that money goes into a big pot they use to pay out to insured motorists who have had an accident with an uninsured or an untraced driver. In your scenario you could look to bring a claim under the MIB Untraced Drivers’ scheme. For a claim to be successful you need to prove “on the balance of probabilities” the exhaust pipe came from a vehicle that would have needed insurance. If you haven’t reported the accident to the police, do so immediately. Also, evidence is going to be the key so if you haven’t done so already, go and get the exhaust pipe and keep it safe. It sounds mad but I won a case on exactly this point years ago. You do need to bear in mind the MIB Untraced Drivers’ Scheme may not compensate you for your damaged bike and kit. However it will compensate you for your injuries and other losses that flow from those i.e. loss of earnings, medical costs etc.
For more info, go to:
Q
I was riding home on my Fazer one night and was going around a right hand bend when the front of my bike just let go and I fell off. I slid across the road and ended up in a ditch. When I scrambled out I found I had hit an old exhaust pipe box left on the road. While I am chuffed to be alive and kicking, I did trash my bike, break my arm and have been off work for eight weeks (I’m a carpenter). The accident was in the middle of nowhere, there were no houses nearby and I don’t know whose exhaust it was. Can I bring a claim or am I stuffed?
SOLICITORS
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Meet MiClimate MiClimate is an American company that’s developed what it calls ‘personal air conditioning’ aimed at motorcyclists. The system has been developed to be worn on the belt and weighs in at 1.5lb. It has moveable vents so a rider can direct the cooling air wherever they want under a jacket as they ride. Developed in Phoenix, Arizona, the project has already broken it’s $20,000 fund call on crowd-funding website Indiegogo (this thing is up to $30,300 already). MiClimate says that the unit can either cool you down to 10 degrees lower than the ambient air temperature or warm you to 20 degrees above it on cold days. It runs off batteries or a bike’s 12v system. To find out more about the project go to www.indiegogo.com.
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