The UK Round of the 2017 FIM Superbike World Championship has come to a close with the second WorldSBK race of the weekend, which took place today under sunny skies at Donington Park. Stefan Bradl was eleventh at the chequered flag on board his Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 machine.

The outcome of the race for the 27-year-old German rider was largely dictated at the start by a crash in front of him at turn one. When the rider fell ahead of him, it forced Stefan almost to a stop to which naturally cost him a lot of ground to the leaders. From the very back of the field, Bradl fought back as he went from 21st place to 14th in the first third of the race. Then, with a big gap to bridge from the riders ahead, Bradl rode a lonely race to cross the finish line in 11th at the end of the 23-lap encounter.

The Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team will now be on the road to Misano, where a two-day private test will be carried out from Wednesday with Stefan Bradl and test rider Michele Magnoni. The next round of the 2017 FIM Superbike World Championship will take place at the same track in three weekends time.

Some fabulous guided and self-guided riding beckons in New Zealand and Australia this coming winter. We've a variety of itineraries to choose from with different durations from 7 to 22 days. New Zealand is a breathtakingly beautiful land with its mystical rolling hills, ancient rainforest, majestic fjords and untouched wilderness. Australia is an awesome combination of big city excitement in Sydney and Melbourne, mouthwatering vineyards, thundering waterfalls, the Great Barrier Reef and miles of sweeping sandy beaches. And there surely can be no better way to experience the thrill of these countries than by motorcycle!

Australia Offer: 2017/18 self-guided tours and rentals at 2016 prices, if you book before 30th June 2017!

For further details on all our other tours, locations and summer destinations too, please visit our website: www.hctravel.com

Please find below an obituary for Nicky Hayden issued by the Hayden family.

Nicholas “Nicky” Hayden passed away on Monday, May 22, 2017, at the age of 35, following a May 17 bicycle accident in Italy.

Born into a large extended Catholic family in Owensboro, Kentucky, Nicky was the middle child of Earl and Rose Hayden, with two brothers and two sisters. The entire family loved motorcycles, and shortly after he could walk, Nicky declared that his dream was to be a world champion. Although life on a farm meant that animals - horses, pot-belly pigs, even llamas - were a part of every day, for Nicky they were just novelties and while he was a natural athlete, childhood sports leagues were little more than a lark. Racing - for the whole family, but especially for Nicky - was everything. Apart from an annual spring-break jaunt to Panama City, Florida, family trips were to racetracks, first around the Midwest, then the Eastern U.S., and eventually the entire country.

That said, there was never any doubt about where home was. Even after he began traveling the globe to race in exotic locales, Nicky would always return to his beloved “OWB.” He received his education through local Catholic schools - Precious Blood Elementary School, Owensboro Catholic Middle School and Owensboro Catholic High School - and his first jobs comprised helping out at his uncles’ nearby farms, where he began developing the tenacious work ethic for which he would be known throughout his racing career. He remained close with his core group of childhood friends throughout his life, and he helped many young local racers to pursue their own dreams.

For Nicky, a distinguished amateur dirt track and road racing career transitioned into a successful stint in the AMA Grand National Championship and AMA Superbike series, in which he earned the 1999 AMA Supersport and 2002 AMA Superbike crowns with American Honda. He was promoted to the FIM MotoGP series with Repsol Honda, for whom he achieved his dream of earning the World Championship in 2006. Nicky also rode for Ducati and Aspar Racing in MotoGP, and last year he transitioned to the FIM Superbike World Championship with the Ten Kate squad. Along the way, his charisma earned him legions of fans the world over, while his dedication and professionalism earned the respect and admiration of his teams, teammates and competitors.

Among those who knew him best, Nicky was cherished for his generosity, kindness, and mischievous sense of humour. His famous grin was never far from his lips and he invariably had time to engage with others, even strangers. The life of any party, Nicky loved to dance, wear funny costumes, and pull pranks, often with a microphone in hand.

Throughout it all, family was Nicky’s anchor. Many Americans who race internationally opt to relocate overseas, but Nicky always preferred to return home between events. Well into his professional career, he resided in an apartment above his parents’ garage, and even after purchasing his own home nearby, he religiously showed up for his mother’s 6 o’clock dinners when he wasn’t traveling. Several years ago, he purchased and refurbished an old building on an Owensboro lake, and what he dubbed Victory Lane Lodge became the family’s preferred location for functions of all types, from Sunday get-togethers to weddings. He loved children and was a model uncle, and friends and family say he was never happier than after meeting girlfriend Jackie, with whom he became engaged last year.

Nicky is survived by his parents Earl and Rose; his siblings Tommy, Jennifer, Roger, and Kathleen; his fiancée Jacqueline Marin; nieces Olivia, Klaudia, Vera, Kyla Jo, and Kate; nephew Colt; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. CT Sunday at Haley-McGinnis Funeral Home in Owensboro. Funeral services will be at noon Monday at St. Stephen Cathedral Church, and will be streamed live on Nicky’s facebook fan page. Donations may be made to the Nicky Hayden Memorial Fund, which helps local children in the community Nicky loved so much.

www.nickyhayden.com

www.facebook.com/NickyHaydenUSA/

The opening day of the UK Round of the 2017 FIM Superbike World Championship has come to a close, with the Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team on track for Friday’s traditional two free practice sessions at Donington Park. Stefan Bradl, who turned a wheel at this track today for the first time in eight years, is 17th in the combined times of the two hours of practice and, therefore, will take part in tomorrow’s Superpole 1.

On the other side of the garage, Nicky Hayden’s Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 machine was on full display, with his #69 helmet on top of the fuel tank.

With gorgeous weather blessing England’s East Midlands area, Bradl took his time to find his braking marks and riding line around the undulating strip of asphalt of the spectacular 4.023km track, which is known for requiring a lot of work in search of a good set-up for all sectors. The 27-year-old German rider was able to improve on his FP1 time towards the end of the second session by logging a 1’29.400secs lap.

World Superbike action at Donington Park will resume tomorrow morning at 9:05 local time (GMT +1) for the 25-minute FP3 session, with Superpole 1 (11:00) and race one (15:00) to follow. At 2pm, the whole paddock and many fans will gather together on the grid for a minute’s silence in honour of Nicky Hayden.

From 18th to 21st May took place the 31st edition of the Biker Fest International in the fascinating location of Lignano Sabbiadoro (Italy), which is very similar to the Daytona Bike Week of Italy because of the sun, the sand and obviously the motorcycles invading the whole peninsula where living Hernest Hemingway too.

The sun accompanied the event for most of the time; the weather was great to take a trip by motorbike, so a lot of visitors drove for about 1.000 kilometres to get to the Biker Fest – The Italian Bike Week.

Thousands of visitors were at the event riding their bike. Back colours from entire Europe, but not only: from United States, Canada, Australia and New Zeland!

The Strabilia Luna Park, heart of the Biker Fest, was the stage of most activities: people from every part of the world invaded it.

The parking in front of it shined: chrome and colours of bikes and U.S. Cars reflected the sun, so Biker Fest seemed to be a charming world.

Nik’s Harley-Davidson from Pordenone, helped by Friuli HOG Chapter, with his official merchandising, had a stand dedicated to Harley-Davidson. The Hoggers were hosted in the great reserved tent.

The 22nd edition of the U.S. Cars Reunion was a four wheels parenthesis: more than 300 American Cars, from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia animated the Sunday morning of the event with the most historical U.S. Cars Parade in Italy, supported by Old School Garage Am. Cars Club and Cruisin’ Magazine.

The 2nd edition of the East Coast Pin Up Contest attracted many visitors, as the famous Sexy Bike & U.S. Cars Wash by Ma-Fra girls, which offered a lot of rich awards to the different winners of the contest, as well other sponsors.

Many professional photographers were at the Biker Fest to immortalise the best and the most spectacular moments.

The new element of this year was the Russian Devil Wall of Death of Davide Terrenghi – Dare Devil David. After 9 years of work, the Russian Devil Wall of Death team adapted to standard a russian Wall of Death dated 1937, which was used like a theatre for professional stunt exhibitions riding old Indian motorcycles, to challenge the gravity force and excite the audience.

Thursday morning, we assisted to the building of the 18-meter-high structure, with 13-meter diameter. It had disappeared from the Italian scene from about 37 years.

The Mosquito’s Way was fantastic: a parade dedicated to vintage 50 cc motorbikes with pedals producted before 1990. It was the craziest parade in the world, invented by the Rock Star Piero Pelù (ex Litfiba) and Giovanni di Pillo, an Italian sport journalist, voice of the Superbike Championship.

After the debut at the Motor Bike Expo in Verona, Biker Fest International hosted Mosquito’s Way on Saturday afternoon. A lot of people came from all over Italy to participate to the “race” and to revive the heritage of this old motorbikes, most of them abandoned in garages or in haylofts.

Dress code guessed: marines, pin up, 60s style, with a showy blonde wig or with a dark stutted leather jacket, young people and less young people made the spectators felt their crackling mufflers and gas in front of the Luna Park area.

During the four days on the stage (Kenword Truck of 1973) there were 11 live bands and countless shows.

There were also the fabulous motocross freestyle signed by Team Daboot, directed by Vanni Oddera, one of the few Italian who is able to do the backflip and represent Italy in all the world competitions.
Friday morning, Vanni did the “mototerapy” with about 30 young disabled guys of Fondation Valentino Pontello Onlus, who visited the stand area after the show.
The exciting of the guys and of the people who watched them was indescribable.

Well, who said that women aren’t able to ride a motorbike? This year we hosted Stephanie Saayman from belgium, the only girl in whole Europe who does stunt riding on asphalt with a Harley Davidson! There were other Teams of professional stuntmen as well for example the Swat Gang and the Custom Stuntz.

Other exhibitions were performed by endure motorcycles, mini motorcycles, Jeep, modelling and obviously the 4th Scrambler Challenge in the dedicated off road site.

Some books written by motorcycle travellers were presented during the event and the authors showed them at their dedicated stand.
From Luna Park was possible to participated to some organized motorcycle tour in the region Friuli Venezia Giulia.

On Saturday evening the “Saturday Light Fever” was held. Moto Club Morena FMI organized it: a parade of thousands of motorcycles along the ways of Lignano, which wasn’t stopped by the rain and excited the city.

Another great success for the Italian Motorcycle Championship Custom Bike Show and the only Italian stop of  the AMD World Championship is the Custom Bike Show: the most historic, large and spectacular Bike Show in Italy, which has attracted over 100 motorcycles among the most beautiful and oldest in Europe. The dislocated location in Terrazza Mare hosted this famous Custom Bike Contest. The prizegiving took place Saturday in the evening in the Lounge Bar at the Terrace, with a big participation of customizers, who won prizes offered by our sponsor and four cost reimbursements of 1000 euros.

The prizegiving attracted an international audience to admire the show of Classic Motorcycles dated 60s and 70s, Speedways motorbikes and Old Scooters along the entire fantastic pier.

The live exhibition of aerography by Elia Venturini e Luca Andreani was in Terrazza Mare pier, too.
Provided by airbrush, they gave vent to their fantasy on different parts of a Harley Davidson’s bodywork given by Vintage H-D Motorcycles and step by step they showed in front of engine lovers and not.

Furthermore, Kustom World Magazine organized a charity project, collaborating with the Biker Fest and Due Pistoni Association of Volontary. This project consisted in the realization of three airbrushed Bell Helmets’ helmets offered by Bergamaschi Company. These helmets will be used as the first three prizes at the lottery, which will take place at the event organized by Due Pistoni Association 4-5-6 August in San Daniele del Friuli (look at their Facebook page). The proceeds would be devolved to CRO in Aviano (Oncological Reference Center of Aviano).
The artists who participated to this project were Elia Venturini, Maurizio Forestan and Luca Andreani.

In Terrazza Mare there was also the Discover World Truck of the Boss Hoss Motorcycles born in Tennessee (USA) with engines of 5700 cc Chevrolet.

In the third area, the parking in front of the Teghil Stadium, there were a official Brands of Honda, BMW, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati XDiavel, Ducati Scrambler, Moto Guzzi and Aprilia. The Official Motorcycles Companies officially presented the new models and made them available free demo rides. Only one of these brands did over 650 Demo Rides on 4 days.

Also this year the Biker Fest International was extended in the whole city of Lignano Sabbiadoro, transforming it in the Daytona of Italy: motorcycles everywhere, biker in the seaside, hotels, bars, shops invaded and a lot of entertainments! Mission accomplished!

Lignano Sabbiadoro is a new location but the entire event has been organized with an Old School heart and decennial experience all around the world.

We are already working for the 32nd edition: it will be amazing... Stay with us!

www.bikerfest.it

PRIZEGIVING ITALIAN MOTORCYCLE CHAMPIONSHIP - Biker Fest 2017
The Oldest Custom Bike Show in Europe     
CATEGORIES:

Scrambler
1- BMW R 45 by Ferri da Miglia (Verona)  Vince borsa e premi WD-40
2- HONDA FMX “Flat T.” by Moto Sport Ciot (Treviso) Vince premi Ma-FRA
3- HONDA XL 600 By Overdrive Customs (Venezia) Vince premi WD-40


Café Racer
1- HONDA CB 750 by Mastercycles (Treviso)  Vince  premi Ace Café London
2- DUCATI MONSTER by WPR Officina 144 (Rimini) Vince premi Ma-Fra
3- BMW R 1200 S by Free Sound Customs (Lucca) Vince premi WD-40


Old Style
1- H-D Sportster by Bob (Czech Republic) Vince manubrio Highway Hawk
2- H-D Sportster by Roberto Ligas (Treviso) Vince premi Ma-Fra
3- H-D Panhead  by Number8 (Udine) Vince premi WD-40


Bagger
1- H-D Road Glide Special by Biker Sheriff (Treviso)  Vince Set Stereo Highway Hawk
2- H-D Street Glide by MC Cycles (Treviso)  Vince premi Ma-Fra
3- H-D Heritage “Chicana” by American Dreams (Monza) Vince premi WD-40


Metric
1- HONDA CB 400 by Brunetti Elvis (Udine) Vince borsa e premi WD-40 

2- BMW R 45 by Motocicli Ignoranti (Varese) Vince premi Ma-Fra
3- Moto Guzzi T3 – 850 by Viky Bikers (Como)  Vince premi WD-40


Modified H-D
1- H-D 1340 by Luca Turata (Verona)  Vince terminali di scarico Highway Hawk
2- H-D V-Rod by MC Cycles (Treviso) Vince premi Ma-Fra
3- H-D Shovelhead by 089 Garage (Salerno) Vince premi WD-40

Streetfighter
1- H-D V- Rod by Rebuffini M. (Bergamo) Vince occhiali Bertoni
2- SUZUKI GSX-R 1000 by Peter Schmidt (Germany) Vince premi Ma-Fra
3- Ducati ST 4 by WRP Officina 144 (Rimini) Vince premi WD-40


Freestyle
1- ATOMIC SNAIL by Asso Special Bike (Como) Vince accessori Rebuffini
2- H-D XL 1200 by Ferri da Miglia (Verona) Vince premi Ma-Fra
3- 10th Anniversary by Bike Garage (Chieti) Vince premi WD-40


Best in Show Italian Motorcycle Championship
1- H-D XL 1200 by Ema Custom Shop (Pistoia) Vince trofeo e 1000 euro in rimborso Spese AMD

PRIZEGIVING  AMD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP –  31st BIKER FEST 2017
1- H-D WLA 750 by VM Motorcycles (Udine) Vince Trofeo e 1000 euro in rimborso Spese AMD
1- H-D LEGEND by Gallery Motorcycles e H-D Luce (Brescia)  Vince Trofeo e 1000 euro in rimborso Spese AMD
1- ROBIN by Lari Motori (Vicenza)  Vince Trofeo e 1000 euro in rimborso Spese AMD

Best Emerging Customizer
Free Sound Customs (Lucca) Vince stand al Motor Bike Expo 2018 a Verona

PRIZEGIVING SCRAMBLER CHALLENGE 2017
1- Lerry’s Garage di Verona – Vince premi Ma-fra
2- Giuseppe Giunta di Padova - Vince premi Ma-fra
3- Vinicio Schiavon del DOC Udine - Vince premi Ma-fra