Then check out the latest models at the Manchester Bike Show 2018 from Manufacturers that include Benelli, BMW, CCM, Daelim, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Herald Motor Co., Honda, Kawasaki, Keeway, KTM, Lexmoto, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph, UM Motorcycles and Yamaha.

See the full list on the website, along with the current exhibitors...

Government proposals of £7million funding for new bike-friendly areas fail to address a fundamental issue of cycling road safety: potholes and deteriorating road surfaces reports the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA).

“The government’s own figures state that 100 cyclists a year are killed or seriously injured due to accidents caused by poor or defective road surfaces. This is the issue that needs to be addressed”, said Howard Robinson, RSTA chief executive.

Under the proposals the government will provide £6.5 million funding for a range of projects to improve road safety and help create more bike-friendly areas in 8 cities including Bristol, Leeds, Cambridge, Birmingham, Norwich, Manchester, Newcastle and Oxford. In addition, it will also provide £0.5 million to support the Cycling UK Big Bike initiative to get more people cycling safely.

“Cyclists are amongst our more vulnerable road users. For them, the continued deterioration of local road surfaces can result in death or serious, life-changing injuries”, said Robinson. “Initiatives to get more people cycling are to be welcomed but the government needs to invest in the provision of a well-maintained road network that is safe to for them to use.”

Robinson points to the latest Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey that found to restore the local road network to a satisfactory condition would cost over £12.06 billion and it would take 13 years to address the backlog of potholes. Produced by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) the survey found that such is the rate of deterioration a sixth of local roads could be unusable within five years.

“Before making headline grabbing announcements the government should provide real levels of investment in road maintenance to ensure that cyclists have a safe road surface to cycle on”, said Robinson.

All around the UK custom bike builders are putting the finishing touches to their masterpieces. It's just six weeks until KICKBACK opens its doors and unveils over 60 customs and modified specials that have made it to the Finals of the 2018 National Championships.

If you haven't entered yours yet, simply email good photos of your build to [email protected] before the cut off date which is 4th April 2018.

The KICKBACK Motorbike Show is hosting the 2018 National Championships for Customised Motorcycles, there are seven categories in the competition which are:

Freestyle (sponsor needed)
Young Builder of the Year (supporting emerging talent) (sponsor needed)
Best Modified Triumph (sponsored by Bonnefication.com)
Best Modified Sportsbike (sponsored by MH Products)
Best Modified Classic (sponsored by Butchered Classics fb group)
Best Old School Chopper (sponsor needed)
Best Cafe Racer Style (sponsored by Anti Gravity Batteries)

The judging for the 2018 National Champs will take place on the Saturday 7th April with the Awards Ceremony on Sunday afternoon. The judging panel includes previous Champions and Award Winners plus special guests and selected media.

There's also a full professional stunt show for you to enjoy, trade booths, Invitational Showcase (for non-competition show bikes), coffee, food and licensed bars. You can park for free and bikes can park up right by the main entrance.

You can buy tickets here:

The whole event is indoors and tickets are valid for both / either days.

You can pay cash on the door or...

Cheaper tickets and more information available at TheCustomShow.com

One of the Isle of Man’s leading sidecar drivers, Michael Jackson, will make his debut at the Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy, this year, with the Manxman contesting the two Sidecar races.

Joined by passenger Harry Payne, Jackson, who won the 2017 ACU British Formula Two Sidecar Cup, will compete in the two three-lap races on a newly acquired DMR chassis built by 17-time TT winner and fellow Manxman Dave Molyneux. The outfit will use a 600cc GSXR Suzuki engine.

Having secured the Wirral 100 Championship in 2016, Jackson and his MJR team made a huge impression on the British F2 Sidecar Championship last year. With Callum Crowe in the chair, Jackson won the Cup competition by a comfortable 66 points having done the double at Donington Park, Anglesey and Cadwell Park with another victory, his seventh in total, being taken at the final round of the season.

In total, Jackson stood on the podium nine times during the 14-race campaign and only failed to finish once all season. And as well as winning the Cup, the former trials rider finished seventh overall in the main F2 British Championship where he was only beaten by Pete Founds, Steve Ramsden, Conrad Harrison, Lee Crawford, John Lowther and Sean Hegarty.

His reliability and consistency was key to his and Crowe’s overall success, which is sure to pay dividends on his first appearance on the 37.73-mile Mountain Course. Payne, meanwhile, has scored strong results at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough and was originally lined up to partner Molyneux at last year’s TT before he opted for multiple winner Dan Sayle instead.

With strong results behind them, Jackson and Payne are the latest high profile sidecar pairing to make their TT debuts with the duo certainly having the potential to secure top twenty finishes in both races.