Visit them all when staying in these fab-u-lous lodges in Bath, Somerset!

Lovely lodges for Bikers to stay in Somerset, where a warm welcome awaits from owner Chris (a Biker himself) who can assist with local routes and places to head to...

Fabulous facilities including hot-tubs, outdoor heated swimming pool, a gym with sauna, barbeque, sun terrace and ample seating areas for you to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of your surroundings.

IAM RoadSmart has welcomed the Department of Transport commitment to monitor the Northern Ireland Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Scheme as a possible model for future roll out across the rest of the UK in the future.

IAM RoadSmart, the UK’s largest road safety charity has long campaigned for a bespoke British graduated driving licensing scheme for new drivers, who are the biggest at-risk driving group by a significant margin.

Under its long awaited proposals, the Northern Ireland Government plans to bring a number of provisions into force in 2019/20 including passenger carrying restrictions and a six-month mandatory learning period.

IAM RoadSmart is wholly in favour of the Northern Ireland approach, in particular the minimum learning period and some restrictions on peer group passengers. We remain to be convinced about the value of night curfews, but the real world experience in Northern Ireland will help ensure that the next steps are evidence based.

In addition IAM RoadSmart also strongly supports the Department for Transport’s commissioning of a £2 million young driver research programme. This will look into the effectiveness of a range of safety measures for young and novice drivers, both pre and post-test. These will include getting parents more involved in managing post-test hazardous situations as well as greater use of telematics to manage driver behaviour.

IAM RoadSmart is ready to provide its knowledge and expertise in developing the content of any new driver learning system and post-test interventions.

Sarah Sillars, IAM RoadSmart Chief Executive Officer, said: “IAM RoadSmart welcomes the new scheme for GDL in Northern Ireland. Road crashes are the biggest killer of young people in the UK today. New drivers are most at risk in their first year of driving and yet the current system abandons them to learn by their own, sometimes fatal, mistakes.”

She added: “The risk factors are well known; lack of experience in all traffic conditions but, especially rural roads, darkness and poor weather, attitude, distraction (by peer passengers or smartphones) and alcohol and drugs. Choosing effective restrictions to limit these risk factors should be the key objective of the government in creating a new licensing system that is practical, affordable and works to reduce young driver road deaths and injuries.

“Today’s news is a great first step in ensuring that a young person’s lifetime journey on our roads does not end before it has even started.”

Customers of James Whitham’s track day training schools at Mallory Park can also test ride the GSX-R1000R, with added incentives for those that go on to purchase the championship-winning machine.

Starting from next week’s event on April 18 at the ‘friendly circuit’ and included at no extra cost, customers can choose to take a GSX-R1000R out on track for a 20-minute session. Those that go on to purchase a new GSX-R1000 or GSX-R1000 before the end of 2018 will then have the cost of the track day reimbursed, and will be automatically granted a free place on Suzuki’s 2019 All-Star track day event.

Three-time British Superbike champion John Reynolds – who played a pivotal role in the development of the GSX-R1000 both in Japan and Europe – will also be on hand to answer any questions and offer additional on-track instruction.

Suzuki GB marketing manager, Rob Cooper, said, “There’s nowhere better to get a taste for a GSX-R1000R than a race track, which is why we want to give people that chance. James already uses GSX-R1000Rs for the instructors on his days, so it made sense to add to the number of bikes at his Mallory Park events and let customers experience the bike for themselves too, including its full suite of electronics and MotoGP-derived engine.”

Customers that purchase before the end of April will also get a free Yoshimura Hepta Force exhaust, while the GSX-R1000 is currently on Suzuki’s low-rate finance offer, which allows customers to choose from either a PCP or hire purchase deal, 2%, 3%, or 4% APR, and an agreement term to match. The offer runs until the end of June.

To book a place on James Whitham track days, visit www.jameswhitham.com/track-training. GSX-R1000R test rides will only be available at Mallory Park events.

Riding a bike is definitely an exciting activity. As a matter of fact, this activity is so interesting that people love to watch people involved in bike racing. Now, thanks to modern technology people can also place bets on bike racing. Of course, they can do this in physical bookmaker shops too. If you are a bike racing aficionado, you should consider betting on bike racing. According to the latest surveys, most bike racing fans are laying bets on different races in this sport. 

Beginner bettors are typically selecting picks based on their favorite racer or team. They are so fond of them and believe in their capabilities that they are gladly placing their money on them. This may seem like a fun thing in the beginning, but it won’t take much time before they realize that this is a sure way of losing money. In order to avoid these situations and increase your chances of winning, we are providing these effective bike racing betting tips. 

Choose the bet carefully

If you ask any experienced individual involved in sports betting, they will confirm that selecting a bet carefully is one of the first things that you should do. By learning more about the current bike racing tips, you will gather valuable information and get a clearer picture of the racers and teams that have higher chances to win the race. It is vital to read the suggestions and pointers provided by experts in this field. Find out why they are giving an advantage to one racer over another. Although the element of luck is always present in betting, you can increase your winning chances by laying a bet based on reliable information you have before the race starts.

Visiting bike-related websites

Additionally, there are many bike racing fans who love to bet that are visiting websites dedicated to bike racing. These are the places where they can get tips and advice on what racer or team is expected to end first. This means that they are placing bets on the suggested teams no matter what team or racer they are supporting. It’s not a good idea to include emotions in activities like betting. If you do your homework, you will notice that there are many reliable websites that you can use to get analysis, news and other information that can help you choose the right picks. At the same time, an approach like this will help you avoid heavy losses. 

Visiting betting-related websites

Of course, there is another option that you can use and that’s visiting betting-related websites. There are thousands of sites like this, but don’t forget that only a small number of them are focused on bike racing. So, it will take some time to find a reputable site like this. Before you use the tips provided by these websites, make sure that the tipster has a good record. A good website will provide details about the success of every tipster they have. Once again, it is crucial to focus on tipsters that are specialized in this sport. Bike racing can’t be compared to other sports even to other racing sports.

Check the competition

Another good advice is to take the schedule of racing events into account. There are bike racing competitions with a long history and rivalry. Read the reviews related to the competition and try to figure out who has an advantage. One of the reasons why bike racing is so popular is that fans can’t tell who will win every time. There are certain racers who perform quite well on specific terrains or even on specific events. Don’t forget that you have different betting options that you can use at any time. you don’t have to bet on the outright winner.

Don’t bet on every race

Our last bike racing betting tip is a tip that you can use for any type of betting. This rule is simple – don’t bet on every race. Some people think that they can cover their losses in this way, but in the end, they usually end up worse. Our advice is to pick the races that you are confident about the winners. Remember that bike racing betting is not a sprint; it’s more like a marathon. This means that you have to be disciplined, persistent and careful. 

Sponsored article supplied - April 2018 

Seasoned bikers who know their Ricky Carmicheals from their Mika Aholas may be able to talk until the cows come home about the differences between a trials bike, an endurance bike and a motocross bike. But if you’re a little newer to the scene – or your own two-wheeled interests are usually in the field of choppers and bobbers – knowing which off-road motorbike is going to be your style can be a little harder to figure out.

Are you planning on riding tracks or trails, or setting off on Green Lane adventures? Whatever your pleasure, whether everyday practice or weekend warrior, here are a few key differences between off-road motorbikes to help you choose the right one for you.

Motocross Bikes vs Supermotos 

Motocross and Supercross are very similar sports with one key difference: Supercross takes place in arenas and stadiums, while Motocross takes place out in naturally occurring terrain. Both use dirt tracks, and in either sport the dirt tracks have been man-made for purpose, but the difference between arena dirt track and out-on-the-land dirt track is enough to warrant a different style of tyre and suspension.

In either sport, bikes need to be capable of making tight turns and big jumps. But while supermotos feature road tyres and soft suspension set-ups that make them suited to well-maintained routes, motocross bikes are more about the off-road. If you’re planning on going Green Laning and need guarantees that your bike will tolerate bumpier terrain, a motocross bike or enduro bike might be the one for you. But if your focus is on the track and you also need a daily ride, a supermoto can offer that flexibility. That’s not to say they’re all street legal – but it’s easier to make a supermoto street legal than it is to get an MX bike on the road.

Trials Bikes vs Trail Bikes

Trials bikes and trail bikes, aren’t they the same thing? Well, no. Most noticeably because trials bikes don’t have seats.

Trail bikes are incredibly similar to motocross bikes in just about every way, though motocross bikes are lighter because they’re designed to be track-raced. They’re both great for going off-road on tracks that aren’t manicured specifically for motorsports, but a motocross bike will need some accessorising to protect it from the roughest terrain – whereas a trail bike will take Green Lanes with ease. Trail bikes, often being designed more for fun and games than for competitive sport, sometimes come with a headlight and/or kickstand and may have a front tyre that’s bigger than the rear to absorb impact.

Trials bikes on the other hand are not about the mod cons. Trial sport doesn’t focus on speed and power – it’s about balance and agility. These bikes are designed to hop over obstacles and be thrown around with ease by their rider, so any weight that can be lost is taken away – including the bike seat.

Trials competitions are slow speed and don’t cover a lot of ground, so you’ll notice the fuel tanks are tiny, usually incorporated into the U-shaped frame as if there isn’t a tank there at all. This helps with balance and keeps the bike’s centre of gravity low. Trials bikes are great if you want to get into trial riding, but they aren’t a comfortable choice for just about anything else.

Enduro Bikes vs Moto and Supermoto 

Motocross, supermoto, trails and trials… how does an enduro bike differ from all of these? Endurance races are just that – they require a bike that can go for many miles, day or night, on varying terrain. Unlike motocross and supermoto, where fast acceleration is needed and you’re up against a series of tight turns, ruts and ‘whoops’ sections, enduro bikes get kitted out with lights, panniers for carrying extra fuel and other things you wouldn’t be needing in 3-5 lap race.

Enduro motorbikes also come with wider transmission ratios, meaning they can operate over a broad speed range without as much gear-shifting as another bike. Like a trails bike, enduro rides are designed to take even the messiest terrain in their stride – but if you’re setting off for a weekend or a week rather than a day, the extra space in the fuel tank is not to be sniffed at.

Unlike trail bikes, enduro bikes sometimes have a rear wheel that’s larger than the front – instead of impact absorption, this is primarily to prevent drifting. The overall weight is heavier than other types of dirt bike, so bear that in mind if you’re planning on attempting off-road jumps.

The odd one out: Quad Bikes 

Most bikers don’t really think of quad bikes as ‘bikes’ per se, but when it comes to off-roading it’s worth giving them a look in. Some insurers offer discounts on quad bike insurance if you’re already insuring other motorbikes, so you don’t need to worry about much extra spend for those extra wheels.

Hitting tricky terrain on four wheels instead of two gives you a lot of extra stability, but does mean it’s harder to navigate tight spots. If you’re looking to venture off along narrow trails or through dense woodland, a dirt bike of any description will likely be a better fit than a quad. But if you’re going off-road into fields, Green Lanes designed for tractors and trailers or sandy areas, quad bikes might be just the thing you need.

Particularly for a new rider, quad bikes give you the opportunity to get confident handling a piece of heavy machinery without worrying about dropping it or having a wheel drift out. You’ve got a comfortable, wide ride, and you can familiarise yourself with tyre traction on dirt, mud and grass before tackling that movement on something less stable.

All in all, which vehicle is right for you depends on where you’re planning on riding, whether it’s going to be all about speed and tricks or taking in the scenery, and how confident you are in your riding abilities. For experienced riders looking to get agile, a trials bike might be the winning hobby that shows off new skills – but for total novices, a quad or trail bike is probably a better fit.