Compass Expeditions is pleased to announce that it has joined forces with Triumph Australia to run motorcycle adventures in Australia each year. The inaugural event known as the Triumph Otway Dirty RATS weekend will take place late March 2014 while the second event known as the Triumph Flinders Ranges Dirty Rats Adventure takes place early August 2014.

“We are thrilled that Triumph reached out to us to run these fantastic events” says Compass Expeditions co-founder Mick McDonald, “ both events are open to non Triumph riders as long as they are accompanied by a Triumph riding mate” continues Mick.

“The Triumph Tiger is a wonderful bike and this will give us a great opportunity to test this bike out”, says Mick

The Otway’s weekend is a 2-day event focusing on the many and varied dirt tracks in and around Victoria’s Otway’s National Park and offers riders some superb temperate rainforest riding coupled with stunning Great Ocean Road views.

The Flinders adventure is a 5-day ride that takes place in and around the beautiful Flinders and Gammon Rangers National Parks in South Australia. This ride will offer clients a chance to experience wonderful outback riding through immense landscapes or gorges and ranges.

Triumph FLINDERS RANGES DIRTY RATS ADVENTURE

Triumph OTWAYS DIRTY RATS WEEKEND

The use of speed cameras are supported by the majority of the motoring public, according to the latest research published today by road safety charity, the Institute of Advanced Motorists.

Eighty per cent of motorists accept the use of speed cameras, but this is down one per cent on last year’s survey.  Seventy nine per cent think that speed cameras are useful to reducing injuries, a fall of six per cent from the 2012 findings.

There is still scepticism amongst the motoring public.  Over half of drivers (52%) do not believe that cameras are only sited at locations where accidents happen.  Almost half of drivers think that raising money is the main purpose of safety cameras.

Scottish motorists are the least likely to have someone in their household with speeding points but they are also the most against speed cameras and speed awareness courses.

Support for speed awareness courses has increased.  Three quarters of motorists support the use of speed awareness courses up from 70 per cent in 2011.

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: Speed cameras are a successful road safety solution at key crash sites and it’s important that the government and safety camera partnerships work to maintain a positive view so that the rising suspicion amongst motorists does not become a trend.”

“During times of austerity, drivers are increasingly seeing speed cameras as revenue raising apparatus and are sceptical of their importance for road safety.”

Motorcycle Live 2013 will be home to a brand-new feature giving visitors an exclusive insight into the lives of some of Britain’s top racing stars.

Behind Bars – The Movie is a FREE must-see, 30-minute fly-on-the-wall film that will be shown in a specially-constructed bike theatre with cinema-style seats, visuals and acoustics.

The life of a professional motorcycle racer is a tough and unforgiving existence – a life where even the smallest mistake can result in paying the ultimate price. Behind Bars – The Movie provides a no holds barred look at what it takes to live that life, and what makes our racing heroes heroes.

The movie features 20-time Isle of Man TT winner John McGuinness, 2013 World Superbike Champion Tom Sykes, 2013 World Supersport Champion Sam Lowes, 2013 British Superbike Champion Alex Lowes, 2013 Speedway World Champion Tai Woffinden, Moto2 star Scott Redding, World Motocross rider Tommy Searle and three-time British Superbike Champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Bryne.

Behind Bars – The Movie visits the stars at their homes, meets their loved ones, travels with them to races and finds out what it feels like to brush kerbs at 200mph, rub plastics with their fellow pros, hit rutted 70ft double jumps flat out and – ultimately – stand on the top step of the podium showering champagne on their adoring fans.

The movie will be shown at the following times:

Friday, Saturdays and Sundays: 11.00am, 12.15pm 1.45pm, 3.15pm, 4.45pm  Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday: 11.30am 1.30pm 2.45pm, 4.00pm

To see a teaser for Behind Bars – The Movie, please click here. 

Back by popular demand is the FREE Nick Sanders Steampunk Cinema which will this year be housed in a newly-built film cube with two super-large 70 inch TV screens showing two three-minute films every half-hour. Sound effects will be awesome and the whole thing will give off the appearance of being driven by steam. An experience not to miss!

Advance tickets for Motorcycle Live 2013 are just £17 per adult, £11 for Seniors and £7 for children aged 6-16* (kids five and under accompanied by a paying adult go free). Bike parking is free of charge and subject to availability. Reduced car parking costs of £8 – subsidised by Motorcycle Live. To book your tickets, call 0844 581 2345 or visit www.motorcyclelive.co.uk

Leading TT stars are heading to Motorcycle Live to promote the Isle of Man's 2014 motorcycling events calendar including the TT Races, the Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling and the Southern 100.

20-times Isle of Man TT winner John McGuinness and 2013’s big winner Michael Dunlop will be leading a star-studded line-up which also includes Manxman Conor Cummins, fan favourite Bruce Anstey, SES TT Zero winner Michael Rutter and rising star James Hillier, who won his first TT race this year.

John Holden and Andy Winkle, Ben and Tom Birchall, Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle and sixteen-time TT champion Dave Molyneux along with his passenger Patrick Farrance will be representing the Sidecars.

The riders will be signing autographs and meeting fans on the high profile TT Paddock Experience stand and taking part in daily Q&As with TT commentator James Whitham on the Black Horse Stage in the British Eurosport Entertainment Zone. On Sunday 1 December, the TT will take over the stage, with four Q&A sessions and a special TT-themed edition of Fast Bikes Question of Bikes hosted by Steve Parrish.

The Department of Economic Development has again developed the TT paddock themed stand which will feature a display of fabulous racing machines from the TT and Classic TT including Michael Dunlop’s Dainese Superbike Race winning Honda Superbike and his Motorsport merchandise Formula 1 Classic TT Race winning Suzuki. The stand will also have the iconic Senior TT Trophy and will show 2013 race highlights on a large screen.

Members of the Department of Economic Development Motorsport team, representatives of the Isle of Man TT Marshals Association and official TT Travel Agency Regency Travel who will be promoting travel and accommodation, grandstand and VIP hospitality packages, will be manning the stand.

This year's Motorcycle Live features two days dedicated to the Isle of Man’s flagship road racing festivals. Sunday 24 November will celebrate heritage event the Classic TT, while Sunday 1 December - 'Mad Sunday – TT Day' - will be devoted to the world’s most famous road race, the Isle of Man TT.

1980s RACE-ACE and 12 time British champion Roger Marshall will be the premier attraction as Newark Showground once again plays host to the event that kick-starts the classic motorcycling calendar…

Back by popular demand, the Carole Nash Classic Bike Guide Winter Classic takes place on the weekend of January 4-5, and brings together an extensive array of display machines, trade stands and autojumble plots, as well as former track star Marshall – who will be talking to fans and showgoers about his illustrious career.

“Roger Marshall is right up there as one of the most successful Britons to have ever competed on two wheels,” said Nick Mowbray – exhibition manager at organising team Classic Bike Shows.

“He is a genuine legend of British motorcycle sport and we can’t wait to hear his stories from the good old days.”

Marshall won’t be the only racing star in attendance at Newark with scooter sport celebrities Norman and John Ronald set to participate in a special Q&A session.

The Ronald brothers’ names will be familiar to anyone has followed scooter sport history – the pair achieved success both as individuals and as part of Team S Equipe.

The pair will also present trophies as part of Scooter World – a dedicated area at the event that will showcase many of the UK’s major scooter clubs and individual private entries.

As the curtain-raiser to a superb season of events from the Classic Bike Shows team, the new year show boasts a fantastic range of trade stalls and autojumbles that provide the perfect place to grab some inspiration and a boxful of parts to get restoration projects finished in plenty of time for the summer.

“Starting our year of events at the Carole Nash Classic Bike Guide Winter Classic is always a thoroughly enjoyable experience,” added Nick.

“The superb indoor facilities at Newark Showground make this the perfect location for a winter show and with all the action located within the halls, walking round and feasting your eyes on the stunning selection of classics makes for the perfect winter warmer.”

Discount advance tickets – priced at just £7 for a one day pass – are now on sale at www.classicbikeshows.com or can be purchased over the phone on 01507 529529.

Gates are open Saturday, January 4 (9am-5pm) and Sunday, January 5 (9am-4pm).