One of the most important aspects of the National Motorcycle Museum friends’ scheme is giving its members the chance to take part in some unique activities that just wouldn’t be possible otherwise. Some of this unique content includes the chance for museum friends to ride some of the best bikes in our inventory!   
 
NMM Friends Classic Bike Tour Day. 
Saturday 25th March saw eight museum friends scheme members having the opportunity to ride some of the most exciting and valuable classic motorcycles from the museums inventory. 
Those taking part received an induction and “off road” training before being escorted by ex-police motorcyclists/IAM instructors around the beautiful Warwickshire countryside. 
Riding via Henley in Arden and other local beauty spots our riders enjoyed various exotic machinery including a Brough Superior SS100 and a Norton Rotary F1! 
Each class of machine attracts a different “hire” fee which includes insurance cover and lunch in the museum restaurant. The next tours date we have planned is Saturday 17/06/17.  
 
NMM Friends “Ride a Classic” Weekend.
Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd April saw no less than 100 museum friends scheme members having the opportunity to ride a diverse range of classic motorcycles from the museums inventory in our first “ride a classic” weekend of 2017. 
The days were split into two with twenty five friends pre-booked onto either morning or afternoon sessions which gave everyone the chance to sample all of the ten machines on offer.
 
Museum friends were treated to a host of exotic machinery including a BSA Goldstar, Sunbeam Model 9, Ariel Cyclone 650cc and even an ex-WD 1940 Triumph!
 
In addition to their annual membership fee the day cost museum friends just £10.00 per rider to help cover insurance costs. The next “ride a classic” day we have planned is Saturday 13/05/17.  
 
Become A Friend Of The National Motorcycle Museum & Ride Our Bikes!
Access to the above plus many other exclusive events & benefits for an annual subscription of-
Adults 18-65 £29.95
Senior Citizens 65+ £27.45
Junior 0-18 £19.95
Family (2 Adults & 2 Children) £49.95
By Phone: Call the National Motorcycle Museum on (01675) 443311

Online: Join on-line www.thenmm.co.uk 

Ex World Champions Wayne Gardner and Freddie Spencer announce a new future for 2017

Following the hugely successful events at Jerez in 2015, and the Sachsenring and Silverstone classic events in the Summer of 2016, World GP Bike Legends was pleased to announce its new manufacturer partnership with Yamaha YME on 23^rd March at the legendary Silverstone Circuit.
 
Ex 500cc World Champion Wayne Gardner and ex 250 and 500cc World Champion Freddie Spencer were on hand to do the honours, as was the celebrated Yamaha YZR-500 GP machine along with the new 998cc Yamaha YZF-R1 sportsbike. Both machines will take part in World GP Bike Legends events in the 2017 season.
 
WGPBL Ambassador, Wayne Gardner, was pleased to make the announcement that Yamaha would work with World GP Bike Legends during the 2017 season. Wayne said “We’ve had an outstanding success with World GP Bike Legends. In three years we’ve gone from an idea to 43 million TV viewers and spectators, and this shows that the fans love their classic bikes and catching up with and talking to the Legend riders. Yamaha is the first of the manufacturers to join us and will be providing their latest sportsbikes for this season.”
 
While the riders on the World GP Bike Legends circuit will still be seen on the fiery 500cc two-stroke GP bikes of the 1980s and 1990s, the new R1 machines provided by Yamaha this season will allow the riders to race faster and safer with all the noise, spectacle and excitement of 1980s GP racing.
 
Wayne added, “We’ll still have the classic 500s parading over the weekend, but the races will be with the latest sportsbikes. This will make the racing safer for the riders and allow them to reunite with their brands.”
 
The R1s provided by Yamaha will be in the classic colours and liveries of the 1980s 500cc GP teams, taking fans back to Grand Prix seasons of the past. The technology associated with Yamaha’s modern sportsbikes will allow the Legend riders to really demonstrate their outstanding ability, as well as adding a new dimension to events.
 
Ex Grand Prix champions and riders who have competed in previous World GP Bike Legends events include Wayne Gardner, Freddie Spencer, Kevin Schwantz, Phil Read, Jim Redman, Steve Parrish, Graeme Crosby, Loris Capirossi, Christian Sarron, Tadayuki Okada, Pierfrancesco Chili, Didier de Radigues, Carlos Lavado, Garry McCoy, Jeremy McWilliams and Ralf Waldmann.
 
The first World GP Bike Legends of 2017 will be at the Silverstone Classic on 28-30th July. As the largest classic motor racing festival in the world it attracts more than 100,000 fans over the weekend.
 
With the increased level of interest from other circuits throughout Europe and worldwide also wishing to host WGPBL, additional events will be announced in the near future.

This year on 1st April, new rates of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) will be introduced … and they could have quite an effect on the tax you pay for your vehicle … 

What Car? had revealed the biggest car tax rises ahead of the new rules. So who will be most affected, and will you be paying more?

• Some models will command almost 25 times more tax than before
• Even greener hybrids are hit but still qualify for government grants of up to £2,500
• Six out of 10 top sellers incur eye-watering tax increases

Imminent changes to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) mean consumers have just a few days to secure a deal on a new car before tax rates soar by up to 2475%.

Analysis by What Car? has shown that the cost of taxing a car purchased after 1 April 2017 could be up to 25 times more, with even some of the most environmentally friendly plug-in hybrids commanding sharp tax increases.

It’s conventional hybrids such as the Lexus GS300h and RX450h that will be hit hardest, however. These have traditionally been an attractive option for those seeking a luxury car with small-car emissions, because under the outgoing legislation, the GS300h and RX450h cost owners as little as £40 to tax over three years. But under the new rules, that increases to £1,030.

Under the new legislation, only zero-emissions cars costing less than £40,000 will be free to tax, but buyers still have a few days to make significant savings by purchasing before the 1 April deadline, using the new What Car? New Car Buyer Marketplace, which lets people compare discounts from dealers in their area.

In the case of the GS300h hybrid, the near-£1000 hike in the three-year tax bill is made up of a £150 first-year rate based on its CO₂ emissions, followed by two subsequent payments of the new hybrid flat rate of £130 per year, which applies to all vehicles with emissions above 0g/km CO₂.

In addition, all vehicles that cost more than £40,000 are subject to a further £310 a year charge between years two and six. As a result, three-year tax bills on the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Volvo XC90 T8 and Audi Q7 E-tron will also jump from zero to as much as £1,000.

On the up side, the Audi, Mitsubishi and Volvo remain eligible for a government grant of £2,500 thanks to their low CO₂ emissions of less than 75g/km, and if buyers order before the tax hike they could save almost half as much again.

Motorists who flocked to buy one of Britain’s top sellers in the first months of 2017 are also likely to have avoided a hefty tax premium and could still do so if they move quickly. Six of 2017’s top 10 sellers are among the highest risers. Certain derivatives of the Vauxhall Astra, Ford Focus, Nissan Qashqai, Mercedes C-Class, Audi A3 and BMW 3-Series will command an extra tax bill of between £400 and £1,000 over three years.

What Car? editor Steve Huntingford said: “The new tax laws are designed to increase the advantage of running a zero emissions car, but they make things much more complicated and push up the price of many ‘bread and butter’ models. Fortunately, there are still opportunities to get a great deal.

“Buyers still have a small window to snap up a bargain before 1 April, and there are a number of grants for plug-in hybrids at their disposal. Tax aside, valuable savings can be made by using the What Car? New Car Marketplace to get the best possible price.”

The latest deals can be found at www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals

Read more here 

AFTER THE GREAT DÉBUT IN QATAR APRILIA SEEKS CONFIRMATION AT TERMAS DE RIO HONDO

The maiden race for the 2017 RS-GP was one to remember, but for Aprilia it is already time to focus on a new challenge. The second race of the 2017 MotoGP season that will be held on the Argentinian Termas de Río Hondo is a new test bench for the progress the Italian bike has demonstrated.

In Qatar, the new RS-GP proved its competitiveness in the race, managing traction and performance, allowing Aleix Espargaró to finish just behind the leaders, taking sixth place after an excellent comeback ride. Performance on the flying lap in qualifying is the situation where riders and mechanics are now seeking further improvement. In the first race, Aleix was the protagonist of impressive progress, but a good position on the starting grid would increase the chances of aiming for an important result.

Therefore, for both of the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders, the Argentinian race represents an important exam. If Aleix's goal is to continue the positive trend begun in Losail, Sam Lowes, a rookie in the category, is expecting a positive weekend after a less than easy début.

ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"After the good sensations in Qatar, I can't wait to ride in Argentina. It's a track that I really like and I'm always comfortable with my riding style there. I hope to be able to get an optimal set up in race conditions, but at the same time I would like to battle for a good position in QP too."

SAM LOWES
“I am happy to be getting back on the track straight away, especially in Argentina, a circuit that I like and where I was on the podium last year. Qatar was not the début we wanted. The particular conditions certainly did not make my first race an easy one. Next weekend I want to start the right way. As a team we need to take Aleix's good results as a point of reference and continue improving.”

ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
“In the first race we received important confirmation on our pre-season development efforts. The RS-GP proved to be a well-balanced bike. It will be interesting to put it to the test on a circuit that is very different from Qatar. The characteristics of the Termas track seem to be a good fit both for the character of our bike and for Aleix's riding style. Sam, on the other hand, after "breaking the ice", needs to continue improving. The first day of practice will be a chance to figure out the track conditions. We will be continuing to work in view of the race but with particular attention on qualifying performance. We will try to improve in that situation, exploiting the new tyre as best we can to aim for a good position on the starting grid.”

FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
“We are heading to Argentina with good intentions. We are on a positive trend both in technical terms and in terms of morale after the results in Qatar. Aprilia has done a great job. We have a technical package that has demonstrated a clear step forward. We are keeping our feet on the ground, but we are also well aware of our potential. We want to confirm the progress we saw in the first race on a different track now. On paper, the Termas track could suit our project better than Qatar, but as always, we will only be able to verify that once we get out on the track.”

Field-Tested in the Harshest Conditions: New Touratech Skid Plates

Products that cope with tough racing and off-road conditions are certainly fit for everyday use. This is the reason why Touratech tends to test new products in rally and enduro events before putting them on the market. 

Good examples for field-tested accessories are the new “Rallye” and “Rally Extreme” skid plates which combine modern production techniques with a unique design for the best possible protection of the entire engine area. In the toughest test conditions, the “Rally Extreme” version demonstrated its qualities on the Touratech Africa Twin RR, the winning bike in the 2016 Hellas Rallye in Greece.

The unique design of the 4 mm thick aluminium part guarantees effective protection and high stability and gives the bike a sporty, modern look. Thanks to a new deep-draw manufacturing process, there are no disturbing welds, which are often considered to be a vulnerable point. The recesses on the underside provide the shock absorbing and lightweight aluminium with a robust stiffness. And as well as that, the two parallel recesses allow the bike to almost glide over obstacles. This way, the energy of the impact is effectively dissipated, preventing jamming or snagging.

The “Rallye” skid plate is available in anodized black and bare aluminum finishes for the Honda Africa Twin CRF 1000L and soon also for the BMW R 1200 GS (LC) / Adventure (LC) and the KTM models 1050 Adventure, 1190 Adventure / R und 1290 Super Adventure.
For the Africa Twin Touratech has two sizes; the standard size also works with DCT or standard bikes with crash bars installed while the larger Extreme version for manual transmission bikes has increased coverage area eliminating the need for lower crash bars. It is designed to withstand really tough use with the lowest possible weight.