Major motorcycle insurers to offer free commuter cover during Ride to Work Week 

Motorcycle insurers Ageas, Bennetts, Bikesure*, Harley-Davidson Insurance Services and Carole Nash are all offering free commuter cover to leisure riders, so that they can ride to work during national Ride to Work Week from Monday 19th June to Friday 23rd June 2017.

Ride to Work Week campaign manager Stevie Muir says: “We are delighted these companies are encouraging leisure riders to try commuting on their bikes during Ride to Work Week, by extending their cover. Around two-thirds of motorcyclists only opt for social and domestic cover and so are missing out on the huge benefits of commuting on their bikes.  These include saving time, money and enjoying easier parking.  Regular commuters are also likely to become more skilled road users and the best reason of all is that it’s just more fun!”

The campaign slogan #commutehappy is backed up by fact.  Motorcyclists are among the happiest commuters according to a one off survey by the Office for National Statistics. It revealed that riding a motorcycle, moped or scooter had no negative impact on well-being on commutes up to 30 minutes and after that it was negligible.  This was in contrast to those who walked, cycled, took the bus or drove, who all experienced a dip in well-being after just 15 minutes.

Campaign hi-viz vests are available for free for those organising their own workplace events (subject to availability), which can be ordered by contacting the team [email protected]

*if a Bikesure policyholder with Ageas, Markerstudy or Highway

British Motorcycle manufacturer Norton has won the prestigious Motul team award for technical excellence at the 2017 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy.

The award, which was created by TT Races Official Lubricant Partner Motul, is decided by the TT Race Management Team, which includes Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson, Rider Liaison Officers Richard Quayle and John Barton and TT Business Development Manager Paul Phillips from the Isle of Man Government Department of Economic Development Motorsport team.

The award was given in recognition of Norton Motorcycles being the only team to have achieved two top ten finishers in both the RST Superbike and PokerStars Senior TT Races.

David Johnson finished seventh, fourteen seconds and one place ahead of teammate Josh Brookes in the opening RST Superbike with the team order reversed in the PokerStars Senior with Brookes finishing 6^th, a place and less than three seconds ahead of Johnson.

Brookes also lifted the fastest Mountain Course lap by a Norton to 130.883 with Johnson also adding another 130mph lap to his record during the PokerStars Senior TT.

Leslie Raiwoit, Motorsport Co-ordinator, Motul, commented.
“At Motul performance is everything and we understand that there are a number of factors to delivering great results which Norton has undoubtedly achieved this year.  The team is very deserving winners of this year’s award which recognises not only where they are today but the journey they have taken to get here.”
 
Stuart Garner, MD, Norton Motorcycles:
 
“I’m really pleased to win this award but it reflects exactly what we’ve strived to create at Norton – a team.  And that team is built not only from the two great riders that we have on our bikes and an excellent group of mechanics supporting them on event but is also for every one of the people who work for us including all of the hard working people back at the factory who have helped us to get where we are today.”

Photocaption Pictured left to right are Josh Taylor (Norton), Dom Murfin (Norton), Sunni Wilson (Norton), Fabrizio D’Ottavi, Motul Associate Motorsport Manager, Johnny Cusack (Norton), Mick Grant (Norton), Ian Mackman (Norton).

Michael Dunlop won a shortened PokerStars Senior TT race at the 2017 Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy on Friday evening with the Bennetts Suzuki rider taking his 15^th TT victory by 13.3s from Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) and Dean Harrison (Silicone Engineering Kawasaki).

The race was restarted over four laps after the original race was red flagged on the second lap due to an incident involving 16-time TT winner Ian Hutchinson at the 27^th Milestone. The Tyco BMW rider was conscious but was taken to hospital by airmed where it was later confirmed that he had suffered a fractured femur.

The race had been shaping up to be an epic with just 0.18s between Hickman and Hutchinson and Harrison only 1.2s further back in third but, eventually getting underway at 5.15pm, Dunlop led the restarted race through Glen Helen on the opening lap, with a 1.5s advantage over Bruce Anstey. Harrison was a further 0.9s back in third with Hickman, Michael Rutter and James Hillier completing the top six, the last two getting a second bite of the cherry having experienced problems in the first start.

Dunlop increased his lead through Ramsey slightly to 2s but Hickman was up to second ahead of Anstey who in turn held a 0.2s advantage over Harrison with Rutter still in fifth but with Conor Cummins now up to sixth at the expense of Hillier.

Dunlop added a further second to his lead by the time he reached the Bungalow and an opening lap speed of 132.292mph gave him a 4.2s lead over Hickman who in turn was 3.2s clear of Anstey. Harrison, Rutter and Cummins were holding station in fourth to sixth but Josh Brookes was on the move, going from 12^th at Ramsey to eighth at the Grandstand.

At Glen Helen on lap 2 Dunlop had increased his lead by two more seconds and Harrison was now up to third with Anstey dropping back to fourth despite leading on the road and having a clear track. Rutter was still fifth but Hillier had moved back ahead of Cummins for sixth.

By Ramsey, Dunlop was still leading by 6s as him and Hickman practically matched each other every mile. Harrison was losing a bit of time in third but he was pulling away from Anstey who was extending his advantage over Rutter. Hillier was still sixth but just 2.4s covered him, Cummins and Brookes.

Coming into the pits at the end of the lap and Dunlop’s lead was now 9.2s after lapping at 132.903mph with Hickman in second and Harrison third, the latter having lapped at 131.838mph. Anstey was out though at Bedstead with the top six now completed by Rutter, Hillier and Cummins. Brookes was up to seventh having done his first 130mph+ lap around the Mountain Course at 130.551mph.

The lead was down slightly at Glen Helen on lap three to 7.7s as Hillier took over fourth from Rutter with Brookes moving up to sixth and by Ballaugh, Hickman had reduced the deficit to Dunlop further to 7.3s. However, through Ramsey for the third time and the Northern Irishman had got the gap back up to 8.5s.

Indeed, going into the fourth and final lap, the 28-year old was 10.6s clear of Hickman and he duly came home for his 15^th TT win, his eventual winning margin being 13.3s.

Hickman made it five podiums from five starts with Harrison repeating his third place finish from Sunday’s RST Superbike race, aided by his first ever 132mph lap on lap four. Hillier and Rutter ended their strong weeks in fourth and fifth, the gap between the duo just 0.64s at the chequered flag.

The battle for sixth also went all the way to the end with Brookes, who lapped at 130.883mph fourth time around edging out Norton team-mate David Johnson. Cummins, Martin Jessopp, who recorded his first 130mph lap, and William Dunlop completed the top ten.

The results meant that Hickman won the Joey Dunlop Championship with 76 points based on cumulative results from the RST Superbike, Monster Energy Supersport, RL360 Quantum Superstock and PokerStars Senior TT Races with Hutchinson second (61) and Dunlop third (60).

Jamie Coward was the first privateer home in an excellent 11^th place with Daley Mathison next home in 13^th but Horst Saiger’s 18^th saw him clinch the TT Privateer’s Championship. He finished with 71 points with Coward in second on 63.

Ben and Tom Birchall won the second Sure Formula Two Sidecar race at the 2017 Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy, on Friday afternoon, taking victory by 26.5s from John Holden/Lee Cain in a repeat result of the opening race on Monday.

The Birchalls hit the front for the first time on the run from Glen Helen to Ballaugh on lap one and were never challenged again as they took their sixth TT victory.

Holden took his 17^th podium in second with Conrad Harrison/Andy Winkle, in their first TT together, took the final podium place.

The crews were warned of a hint of dampness on the exit of Ginger Hall, Ramsey Hairpin, Hillberry and Governor’s Dip and the race got underway at 1.15pm with Holden/Cain leading through Glen Helen on the opening lap.

They held a slender 0.9s advantage over the Birchalls with Dave Molyneux/Dan Sayle in third and Tim Reeves/Mark Wilkes, Alan Founds/Jake Lowther and Lewis Blackstock/Patrick Rosney completing the top six.

Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley, sixth in the first race, were early retirements at Quarter Bridge, and Molyneux/Sayle followed them at Sulby Crossroads but by Ramsey Hairpin, the Birchalls had taken over the lead by 1.4s from Holden/Cain. Molyneux’s retirement promoted Reeves/Wilkes into third although they were 7s down on Holden.

The Birchalls surged over the Mountain and an opening lap of 115.567mph saw their lead increase considerably to 7.9s and it was Reeves/Wilkes who were now in second with Holden/Cain a further 1.2s adrift. Founds/Lowther were in fourth with Blackstock/Rosney going great guns in fifth.

At the head of the field, the Birchalls extended their lead to 13.5s but Holden/Cain were now back up to second as Reeves/Wilkes stopped at Glen Helen briefly before getting back into the race. Founds/Lowther were also in trouble and they retired at Quarter Bridge, which saw Blackstock/Rosney move up to fourth.

By Ramsey second time around, the Birchalls had added another four seconds to their lead and there were further changes at the top of the leaderboard as Reeves/Wilkes retired at Lambfell. That put Blackstock/Rosney up into a brilliant third with the top six now completed by Steve and Matty Ramsden, Conrad Harrison/Andy Winkle and Allan Schofield/Steve Thomas.

A second lap of 116.423mph meant the Birchalls went into the third and final lap with a healthy 20s lead over Holden/Cain with Blackstock/Rosney maintaining their third position courtesy of their maiden 110mph+ lap around the Mountain Course at 110.599mph.

There were to be no changes in the front two over the final 37.73-miles but Blackstock/Rosney slowed and that allowed Harrison/Winkle to take third, the former having to settle for fourth.

Karl Bennett/Maxime Vasseur came through for fifth but there was disappointment for the French female pairing of Estelle Leblond/Melanie Farrier who, after lapping at 109.394mph, were forced to retire from sixth on the final lap. Tony Baker/Fiona Baker-Holden, Rob Handcock/Ken Edwards, Greg Lambert/Julie Canipa, Wayne Lockey/Mark Sayers and Gary Knight/Dan Evanson completed the top ten.