The big news of the show came from Bonhams who produced a record-breaking sale achieving £3.4 million! The star of which was the ex-C.F Edwards, 1925 Brough Superior 981cc SS100 Sand Racer Project, which despite being completely dismantled, achieved more than double its estimate and sold for £264,500 – the highest amount ever achieved for a dismantled Brough Superior!

James Stensel, Head of Bonhams Motorcycle Department UK said, “Once again, the Bonhams motorcycle department has achieved exactly what it set out to – to sell the best machines on the market at the best prices. Our realistic estimates attracted bidders from across the globe, and bidding throughout was incredibly lively. We are absolutely thrilled with the results of the sale, we look forward to our Spring Sale in April and continuing to consign the widest possible range of top machinery and automobilia.”

Bike fans had plenty to get excited about at the show, including for the first time in the history of Cagiva, a stunning display of 11 of the red racers being displayed in one place! The machines, part of the collection owned by Dean Simpkins and his father Martyn, are all genuine factory racers, ridden by some of Grand Prix racing’s greatest riders, including the Eddie Lawson and John Kocinski 500cc race-winning bikes.

Exhibition Manager Nick Mowbray said, “Once more we’ve had a great October show here at Stafford. With the addition of a brand new Off- Road Hall, the famous Classic Racer GP Paddock, along with stunning bike displays and the wonderful and expansive mix of club stands, there has been something for everyone and we look forward to returning next April.”

A survey conducted by the UK’s largest independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, found that many drivers have a real lack of awareness of the rules of the road, putting themselves and others in danger.

More than 50% admitted their road knowledge was so poor, they didn’t recognise the roundabout sign.

More than two-thirds of drivers admitted they had no understanding of the two second rule.

Over 1,000 motorists participated in the survey for IAM RoadSmart to test their knowledge of the Highway Code.

Some 68% of drivers were unaware of the two-second following distance in dry weather, with 53% confusing this for two car lengths. This results in a gap of less than a third of a second when travelling at 60mph, for an average-sized family car.

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, said: “This is truly shocking. The outcome of the survey brings to light some frightening statistics which demonstrates the need to constantly re-fresh on-road knowledge.”

The survey also found that only 43% correctly recognised the Highway Code ‘dual carriageway ends’ sign, with respondents aged between 17 and 39 being the largest group to answer this incorrectly.

When asked what to do when arriving to a scene of a serious crash, almost half (48%) were unaware that the first thing you need to do is to warn others of the danger by turning on hazard lights.

Of those who participated, over half were not able to identify that a circle shaped sign demonstrates traffic signs that give orders – a crucial piece of information when on the road. Drivers aged 70 onwards statistically scored below average on this question.
Worryingly, two-thirds of those surveyed admitted they were unable to recognise the colour of the reflective studs between a motorway and its slip road, with only one in five (20%) of those aged 17 to 39 answering correctly that they are green.

Neil said: “With many young drivers showing high levels of traffic sign ignorance these results reinforce IAM RoadSmart’s view that road safety education should be taught as part of the National Curriculum in schools to prepare teenagers for their future driving career.
“Many drivers don’t look at the Highway Code regularly after they’ve passed their test, but no-one’s memory is perfect and it’s crucial to read and understand the most recent version of the Highway Code for the safety of all road users.”

Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team’s Jake Gagne fought his way into the top ten with a spirited Race 2 at the Circuito San Juan Villicum as teammate Leon Camier was forced to retire.
Lining up in twelfth for Race 2, Leon Camier fought to hold his position into the tight first corner as the lights went out in Argentina. Behind, Jake Gagne moved up to twelfth from fourteenth on the grid as he looked to make amends for Saturday’s crash. The fighting was fierce and Camier found himself again forced to run off track, dropping to eighteenth on lap two while Gagne continued to chase the top ten.
Unfortunately, a technical issue saw Leon Camier retire on lap eight. Gagne had meanwhile become embroiled in a battle with Michael van der Mark, the Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team rider holding his own for several laps against the Dutchman before Gagne developed a vibration issue. Gagne’s pace saw him hold tenth place comfortably in the final third of the race, earning his third top ten finish of 2018.
As the final round of the 2018 season looms, Camier remains on 108 championship points as Gagne moves up to 57 points and seventeenth in the championship.
The Losail International Circuit will host the final round of the 2018 FIM Superbike World Championship, with its traditional Friday and Saturday night races meaning the weekend runs from the October 25 to 27.

Dainese has joined the Altagamma Foundation, the prestigious association that, since 1992, has been bringing together high-end cultural and creative companies recognised globally as authentic ambassadors of Italian style.
In becoming a Member of the Altagamma Foundation, Dainese joins such Italian players as Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Riva, and Ducati, as well as many others from outside the automotive world. Companies like Gucci, Cucinelli, Bulgari, and Versace, that, just like Dainese since 1972, are true ambassadors of Italian style at an international level.
For more than 45 years, Dainese has been setting the benchmark when it comes to protection and apparel for dynamic sports. The Company continues to focus on research and development in order to create solutions that allow individuals to express their full potential.
Dainese Group CEO Cristiano Silei is proud to be associated with the Altagamma Foundation. He said, “For a company like Dainese, which holds style, quality, technology, and research as its core principles, becoming part of such a tight circle of Italian businesses symbolising excellence across every sector, only confirms the positive work we have done up until now. Being a member of Altagamma pushes us to continue along the path that we have taken.”
Stefania Lazzaroni, General Manager at Altagamma, added, “We are especially proud to have Dainese among the Foundation’s members because the company from Vicenza is an all-around trailblazer in the sports apparel field. From motorcycle riding to horseback riding, from winter sports to sailing, Dainese successfully blends functionality and design to create products with significant technical and style content.”

"My Gsx1400 in Pontsticyll near Merthyr Tydfil"
- Antony Baker