The nine-day biking spectacular that was Motorcycle Live 2014 drew to a close on Sunday after thousands of bike fans flocked though the doors to SEE all the new 2015 models for the first time, LEARN to ride a bike, WATCH amazing live action, RIDE on and off road, MEET racing stars and celebrities and ENJOY the UK’s best day out in motorcycling.

We would like to thank every single person that attended the show and made it such a brilliant nine days – we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! If you did attend, you may receive an email asking you to complete a short survey about your experience. We would really appreciate your feedback so that we can make Motorcycle Live even better next year.

Speaking of next year, Motorcycle Live 2015 will take place from 21-29 November 2015 – add it to your diary now and we hope to see you there!

Welcome in a special rockin' new year at Ace Cafe London with the hot new 5-piece band, The Shooting Stars, recently a big hit at the UK’s annual Rockabilly Rave and at the Summer Jamboree rock n’ roll event in Italy, with a killer dance floor hit "Watchtower Blues" that will lift the roof off the Ace this New Year’s Eve.

A "6 foot 6" tall lead singer in a pink suit! A wonderful female mandolin player! One of the very best rockabilly guitarists in Europe, Mr Darren Lince and legendary drummer and band leader Ricky Lee Brawn creating a mix of Rockabilly, Rockin' Blues, Western Swing, Americana, and total Rock 'n' Roll madness! See it to believe it!

Together with DJ Jimmy Guntrip, the maestro on the decks, the evening, from 9pm - 2am on Wednesday 31st December, includes a hot supper, party poppers and the chance to win a host of prizes to include Ace prize goodie packs, copies of Vintage Rock magazine and pairs of tickets to attend the cafes annual Elvis "Jailhouse Rock" Party Night on Saturday 10th January, as well as pairs of tickets to attend the cafe's annual Gene Vincent Tribute Night on Saturday 7th February.    

To be in with a chance to win prizes, just retain your entry raffle ticket - the draw will be held late on the night!    
Entry £12 (Advance)          
£15 (Door)  Sorry no under 18's on this evening    
For advance bookings telephone or pop into the cafe.  

For more information about what's on at the Ace, check out the scrolling calendar at www.ace-cafe-london.com

J & S Accessories is one of the UK's leading motorcycle accessory retailers and they have put together an Advent Calendar with lots of offers, gifts and surprises on each day from the 1st to the 25th of the month of December!

There will be fantastic reductions on items such as Castor Goretex Gloves, Armadillo Parka and Alpinestars Druitt Flat Hat Black, all in time for Christmas as gifts for others or even yourself. 

Simply open the page and click on the date on the day to see whats inside...

#wheelsinwinter

As part of our wheels in winter campaign, I will be sharing with you weekly motoring advice throughout the season. This week, I am sharing some all-important riding tips with motorcyclists, guiding them through the cold, wet and windy weather.

There may be rubble ahead

When you’re riding in the rain look well ahead; make sure you have enough following distance to avoid large puddles or drain covers. And watch out for potholes that fill up with rain water because you never know how deep they are, and they are not always easy to spot. Changes in road surfaces can be very slippery and dangerous, so make sure you’re riding at a steady pace – giving yourself enough time to slow down if you need to.

Sprays of water

Large vehicles and lorries will throw up a wall of spray. To avoid the worst of it avoid overtaking or rushing passed large vehicle, especially when you’re on the motorway. Spray can also affect your ability to see clearly, misting up your helmet. Use an anti-mist spray or have a visor insert fitted into the inside of your helmet to keep out any water.

Pools of water

Heavy rain forces pools of water to form across carriageways – forcing motorcyclists to either brake sharply into the water or accelerate through it. While pools of water are unavoidable you should avoid braking or accelerating and simply ease off the throttle for a bit. Hold onto the handlebars firmly and steer ahead in a straight line to pass through the pool as smoothly as possible.

Fallen trees and branches

Be wary of narrow roads where large trees and branches fall, which will unsettle your bike. If you can, avoid travelling on roads that are affected by high winds, and take a route that is less likely to be affected – even if it means you’re on the road for a little longer.

Gaps in buildings

Watch out for any gaps between buildings and trees where large vehicles can force motorcycles to shudder. Remember, strong winds will affect other vehicles too – large and flat sided vehicles are usually more affected. See that you give them more room, and if you plan to overtake them make sure it is safe to do so when winds are less blustery.

The nine-day biking spectacular that was Motorcycle Live 2014 drew to a close today with organisers confirming a 10% rise in attendance compared with 2013 and visitors and exhibitors alike declaring the show one of the best ever.

Over 117,000 two-wheel enthusiasts and their families and friends flocked though the doors to SEE all the new 2015 models for the first time, LEARN to ride a bike, WATCH amazing live action and entertainment, RIDE on and off road, MEET racing stars and celebrities and ENJOY the UK’s best day out in motorcycling.

Motorcycle Live opened on Saturday 22 November with more than 250 exhibitors and 20 live FREE features and shows, including ten opportunities to ride a bike, filling 67,000m2 of hall space at The NEC, Birmingham. The 39 manufacturers in attendance went all out to impress with a huge variety of interactive features on their stands, including ultra-loud motorcycles being fired up, dance and drum shows, special displays of anniversary and racing machinery and much more.

Each day saw an influx of racing stars from MotoGP, World and British Superbikes, the Isle of Man TT and Speedway – including 2014 World Superbike Champion Sylvain Guintoli and 2014 British Superbike Champion Shane Bryne – taking part in signing sessions and on-stage Q&As. There were also one or two TV personalities to be spotted with appearances by the Long Way Round’s Charley Boorman, This is England actor Andrew Shim and The Great British Bake Off’s Paul Hollywood.

The show’s Facebook and Twitter pages were flooded with positive feedback from happy visitors over the course of the nine-day event: “My 11 year old daughter had so much fun yesterday. She met Charley Boorman and bumped into Bradley Smith! Came home grinning with a new jacket and a pile of goodies! Thank you so much!”

“This was one of the best exhibitions in the last few years. All (the) major manufacturers. Keep up the good work!”

“Had a top birthday today with my family & friends @motorcyclelive could not ask for anything better to do. Top show once again.”

The exhibitors were equally enthusiastic. Richard Davies, Managing Director of Three Cross Motorcycles, distributer for Peugeot and SFM commented: “It’s been a very good show. We’ve been surprised at how busy it’s been throughout the week and to be honest, we’ve been too busy on the stand to have a proper look around during opening hours! We’ve had a nose round in the early morning though and the level of interaction is great. You can sense that people have really been enjoying it.”

Chris Hollis, General Manager of Mega Motorcycle Store, runs a retail stand close to the Blackhorse Stage in the British Eurosport Entertainment Zone: “It’s been a fantastic show for us, busy from day one right up until the last couple of hours today. The visitors that have shopped with us have been buzzing from all the live action going on and the stage entertainment has pulled in a massive crowd every day. We can’t fault it!”

Motorcycle Live organiser, Finlay McAllan, said: “I’ve been involved in the bike show in its various guises for many years now and I can honestly say that Motorcycle Live 2014 has had a brilliant buzz about it. So many of the exhibitors have gone the extra mile to provide a truly interactive experience and, of course, there’s an abundance of exciting new motorcycles on display. I want to thank everyone involved for making this year’s show such a fantastic one. Roll on 2015!”

Make a date for your diary for Motorcycle Live 2015, at The NEC, Birmingham from 21-29 November.