Category: Events and Shows

1. RIDE TO WORK DAY 2013 SEES MORE BIKERS THAN EVER TAKING PART

   Posted on 8:12am Friday 5th Jul 2013

   Ride to Work Day 2013 took place on Monday 17 June, with dealers, biker cafes and companies up and down the country taking part. Riders were asked to use their motorcycle or scooter to commute to work to demonstrate the benefits of commuting on two wheels.

   2013 saw the largest measured rider participation ever with over 8,000 bikers on the Ride to Work Day Facebook page and another 1,200 on Twitter - all pledging their support. The Ride to Work Day team introduced a mile counter on the website and encouraged riders to send in their mileage for the day, just the miles sent in via Facebook and Twitter come to over 30,000 and the count is still going!

   Manufacturer support came from Harley Davidson, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda and ZingBikes, while insurance companies, BikeSure, Carol Nash, MCE and Bennetts all helped promote the event and held their own Ride to Work Day celebrations. Large corporate firms encouraged their staff to consider a motorcycle for their commute, such as Santander and Visteon Global Engineering.

   Competitions were run in celebration of the day, not only on the Ride to Work Day sites, but by MCN, Twist and Go and MCE’s Big Ed, with motorcycling app REALRIDER giving away BSB Paddock passes and Michelin tyres if your route was picked from all those uploaded via their app on Ride to Work Day.

   One of the winners of the Ultimate Ride to Work Day award went to new rider, Rachel Jones, who passed her CBT in May this year and now commutes the 40 miles from Bo’ness to Edinburgh everyday: “I know I'm a newbie, but even with town riding, I'm getting 140 miles to the gallon! The guys at work laugh at me in my bike gear, but I have the last laugh - I've cut my commuting costs from the train being £8 a day to just £1.50 on the bike”.

   Dealers and biker cafes opened early, with special offers and tempting freebies such as bacon sandwiches, cakes and hot drinks to welcome riders. Even councils in Leicestershire and Neath held riding events in their car parks, with free bacon rolls for passing bikers!

   Harley Davidson was a particularly strong supporter this year, supplying goods for competition prizes across the Ride to Work Day social networking platforms and encouraging all their dealers to get behind the event. Don Rutherford from Glasgow dealer, West Coast Harley-Davidson said: "Ride to Work Day works very well as a general awareness campaign promoting the benefits of motorcycling. We had the opportunity to use Ride to Work Day to generate solid local media coverage in the local press and radio, and that's good for us. We laid on free coffee and buns, but at the end of the day people were riding to work, and so wouldn't have the time to visit a dealer on the same day. For us, we don't judge the success of Ride to Work Day on the numbers of people that came through our showroom on one day, we have reached a larger audience with an important motorcycling message and that means they could visit us tomorrow, next week or next month. As an industry, we need to promote ourselves and Ride to Work Day does a very good job of that."

   Surrey-based dealer, Doble Motorcycles has always supported Ride to Work Day and 2013 was no exception. Michael Lee at Doble explained: "We always support Ride to Work Day, it's a positive event for motorcycling with a good message. This year we organised a staff and customer ride out before work with a free breakfast at the end of it! We had a lot of customer interest with around 50 customers signing up, but unfortunately the weather let us down.  It rained in the morning and this obviously put some people off, but the ride out still went ahead with around 25 riders, and we all enjoyed a 'full English' overlooking the runway at Redhill Aerodrome. We enjoyed the early morning ride out and would definitely do it again next year. Ride to Work Day is the only annual event that is committed to promoting the benefits of commuting by bike - why wouldn't we support it?!"

   The team at Zing Bikes celebrated Ride to Work Day by opening early and giving callers to their Huntingdon showroom free coffee and muffins throughout the day. They also held a free prize draw that was open to the public and to employees of parent company Encocam, as long as they rode to work on a motorcycle or scooter. Peterborough biker, Pete Formosa, was the lucky winner and won a ZingWear leather motorcycle jacket and gloves. ZingBikes General Manager Paul Hinchliffe said “We were really pleased to back the Ride to Work campaign.  It gives people a chance to consider the alternatives to the car and to look at the cost savings in fuel and road tax, but also the joy of getting out on two wheels.”

   The campaign is part of the MCI’s annual calendar of events. The MCI opened its Coventry headquarters this year, with free bacon rolls on offer for passing bikers, while acting CEO Steve Kenward, recorded his own 136 mile commute.

   Overall the aim of promoting the benefits of commuting by motorcycle to existing and potential riders was fulfilled and 2014 promises to be another exciting event!

   www.ridetoworkday.co.uk

2. Triumph Open Day - 13th July 2013

   Posted on 8:10am Friday 5th Jul 2013

   Joining us at our annual Open Day* is not only the perfect opportunity to swing your leg over the current Triumph range but could also win you the loan of the Triumph of your choice for a whole year!

    Simply register to let us know you’ll be attending on the 13th, and we’ll enter you into the competition. It’s that easy!

   Alongside a list of other prizes, including service vouchers, clothing vouchers and items from our personal accessory range, we’re also offering 25% off Triumph clothing**, valid on the 13th July.

   Now there’s no excuse, clear your diary on the 13th July and register today...

3. TUCANO URBANO LAUNCH COMPETITION WITH BRITISH BAND THE CHARLATANS

   Posted on 8:11am Thursday 4th Jul 2013

   Tucano Urbano has teamed up with The Charlatans to offer one lucky winner the ultimate festival package this summer. Two weekend camping tickets to see The Charlatans perform at the award-winning Kendal Calling festival, 26th - 28th July, alongside legends such as Primal Scream and Basement Jaxx.

   The winner will also receive an iconic Charlatans T-shirt featuring front-man Tim Burgess and signed by the band, plus a signed copy of the band’s latest DVD Mountain Picnic Blues.

   The exclusive prize package is available to win only by entering the competition at the Tucano Urbano UK Facebook page. The competition closes on Monday 22 July at 14:00 –so enter now,– it’'s so simple, just click!

   As scooter riders, The Charlatans are long-term fans of the Tucano Urbano brand, having worn Tucano Urbano clothing for many years, including recently choosing several items from the latest collection.

   The Spring/Summer 2013 collection is available now at stockists nationwide

   www.tucanourbano.co.uk

   The award-winning Kendal Calling festival is set in the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District and over the years has attracted big-name performers such Pendulum, Dizzee Rascal, Doves, Blondie and Mumford & Sons. Maintaining an intimate, happy atmosphere, the line-up for 2013 looks like this is set to be the best year yet and you could be there! Find out more at www.kendalcalling.co.uk

4. 2014 LAUNCH FOR BIG KENT BIKE SHOW

   Posted on 7:15am Wednesday 3rd Jul 2013

   THE team behind some of Britain’s biggest and best motorcycle shows is consolidating this year’s programme before further expansion in 2014.

   Classic Bike Shows, organiser of events such as the International Dirt Bike Show and the International Classic MotorCycle Show, had planned to launch a new event this September in the garden of England – the Carole Nash Big Kent Bike Show.

   But, having already taken on successful new events at Lanark and Newark over the past year, the decision has now been made to reschedule the Kent launch for 2014.

   The Kent County Showground in Detling will remain as the venue, with the delay allowing for planned renovation work to get underway at the location, meaning enhanced and redeveloped facilities will be in place when the much-anticipated weekend arrives.

   Exhibition manager Nick Mowbray said: “Having expanded our portfolio of events in the last year, we have taken a decision that gives us the necessary time to inject the kind of quality into the Big Kent Bike Show that is expected of us by our visitors.”

5. 2013 VESPA WORLD DAYS - GREAT SUCCESS FOR THE WORLDWIDE VESPA RALLY

   Posted on 7:42am Wednesday 26th Jun 2013

   FOUR DAYS OF ADVENTURE, FUN AND LOVE FOR THE MOST FAMOUS TWO-WHEELED VEHICLE IN THE WORLD. THE 2014 EDITION OF VESPA WORLD DAYS IS PLANNED, WHICH WILL BE HELD AT MANTUA

   Hasselt (Belgium), 25 June 2013 – The most important Vespa concentration in the world, held in the green village of Hasselt in Belgium from 20 to 23 June, was a record breaking success with the public and registered participants: three thousand Vespa riders participated; 2,300 Vespas were registered; 173 Vespa Clubs participated from 21 nations. The most represented country was naturally Belgium with 722 registered participants, followed by Germany with 408. As always, Italy was also a key player with 318 registered participants. The Bel Paese was also the star of the activities scheduled in the rich programme this year: the Sirmione Vespa Club won the tourist competition Vespa Trophy, while the Rovereto Vespa Club took the wreath in the gimkana race.

   The perfect execution of the event is a direct result not only of the strong spirit of brotherhood that has always bound Vespa riders of all ages and all nationalities, but also by the punctual organisation of the host country Vespa Club. The Vespa riders from all over the world enjoyed the hospitality of the Hasselt residents, enthusiastic to welcome such a large, cheerful and peaceful group like the Vespa lovers.

   The unforgettable Vespa outings, including the one to the legendary Zolder circuit, had Vespas from all generations in the parade: numerous Vespa GTS 125 Supers participated which is, in Belgium, the best selling two-wheeled vehicle, various 1959 Vespa GS 150s and some Vespa 150 Sidecars dating back to 1955. For the 2013 Concorso d’Eleganza precious models and unique units at the show paraded, as well as some of the earliest Vespas produced, preserved or majestically restored, or the rare Vespa 400, the four-wheeled vehicle built entirely by Piaggio of which only 90 are in existence in Italy.

   Just how ingenious Vespa is was demonstrated once again: for a long time it has managed to transcend the common use of an urban commuter, becoming a true cult phenomena, loved and even revered. It is a transversal vehicle, able to excite different generations, at any latitude, in any place on the planet. One specific piece of information represents Vespas ability to reach the heart and ignite the passion of an extremely broad audience: the 74 years that separated the youngest registered participant in Vespa World Days 2013 (born in 2003) and the most senior (born in 1929).

   The 'Made in Italy' ambassador to the world, manufactured without interruption from 1946 to the present for a total of more than eighteen million units, succeeded on the occasion of Vespa World Days 2013 in moving spirit and body of enthusiasts hailing not only from opposite corners of Europe, but also from Russia, Macedonia and Malta. In order not to miss out on the event, many travelled over thousands of kilometres of roads astride their classic Vespas, like the Vespa rider who came from St. Petersburg, seventeen hundred kilometres from Hasselt, over two days of travel.

   Vespa as a means of daily transportation, Vespa as a philosophy of life, Vespa as a representative of Italian genius in the world; Vespa recognised and loved by all; Vespa as a tireless traveller; Vespa exciting with its timeless lines, Vespa that mobilises different generations, Vespa that strikes directly in the heart. Vespa that unites thousands of enthusiasts, joined by a single love for her.

   The long wave of success of the seventh Vespa World Days edition has not stopped and the appointment for 2014 has already been set. The most important Vespa concentration returns to Italy, in splendid Mantua.

   www.vespa.com