Suzuki has launched its new motorcycle accident aftercare programme, an entirely free service for all customers, regardless of age of machine, that aims to make dealing with the aftermath of an accident or theft as smooth and as pain-free as possible.

The programme provides riders with a single point of contact and will handle everything from liaising with insurance providers and recovery of the motorbike, right through to the repair at an authorised Suzuki dealership using only Suzuki Genuine Parts.

The service is a motorcycle industry first, and by helping to remove a lot of the stress from what is already a high-stress situation, it highlights Suzuki’s ongoing commitment to its customers past the new motorcycle point of sale.

With no sign-up required, any Suzuki owner involved in an accident – regardless of their insurer – can benefit from the service by calling Suzuki First, a dedicated call centre available 24 hours a day. From there, the entire claims process, recovery, and repair, will be handled on the owner’s behalf. Suzuki First will also be there if the motorcycle is stolen.

Jacob Lewis, Suzuki GB’s customer retention manager, commented, “We pride ourselves on our level of aftersales care at Suzuki, and I think our customers will agree we put a great deal of effort into things like our Suzuki Service Promise and our Vintage Parts Programme. Now, we’re really pleased to be able to further demonstrate our commitment to Suzuki owners with the Suzuki Accident Aftercare programme. Sometimes accidents happen and we know how stressful it is managing the fallout, arranging recovery and dealing with insurance companies. 

“We aim to make this process as easy as it can be, by handling everything on the owner’s behalf. Not only that, by managing the process we can ensure that their Suzuki is repaired to the highest possible standard, using Suzuki Genuine Parts and by fully trained and experienced Suzuki technicians. And best of all it is completely free, there is no charge to the owner. All they need to do is call Suzuki First and we’ll take it from there.”

Motorcycle Live in association with Bikesure Insurance opens its doors at the NEC, Birmingham, from Saturday 19 November to Sunday 27 November. Four halls packed with over 50 manufacturers, free opportunities to get on two wheels, meet racers and celebrities, watch live entertainment on the Blackhorse Stage and win great prizes. Here’s a closer look at what’s happening inside Motorcycle Live 2022… 

It’s the first chance to see the latest new models from over 50 manufacturers, all under one roof and for many models, their debut in the UK. It’s a great chance try them out for size, before speaking to knowledgeable staff on the stand for more information. 

It’s not just new bikes on show either, the Classic Feature supported by the National Motorcycle Museum will be celebrating 120 years of Triumph and restoring a 1923 Triumph Junior Lightweight “Baby” 2.5hp live. Fans of custom will love this year’s Custom Heroes stand, supported by Back Street Heroes, where some unique machines will be displayed.  The 'Dream Garage' will also be showcasing 10 of the top picks from the Motorcycle Live star-studded panel. 

Not only can two-wheeled machines be admired at the show, they can also be ridden with free riding opportunities for all ages and abilities. Whether you’re 18 months old and take to the purpose-built Kiddimoto track, don’t have a licence and want to try out two wheels for the first time in the MCIA TryRide zone sponsored by MCN, or take to the dirt track in Experience Adventure - it’s all included in the price of your ticket. There’s even the chance to head out on the open road for a test ride on petrol or electric powered machines in the Test Ride Zone. Where required, kit is kindly provided by Shoei, Sidi, Spada, RST and Bell. Electric converts or those wishing to make their first foray into the world of electric power can try out some of the latest electric offerings on the purpose-built track in the Electric Test Ride Zone. 

The much-loved Blackhorse Stage will take its place at the heart of the show with a packed schedule of rider and celebrity interviews, fun and games. James Whitham will be back presenting ‘Whitham Talks’ every day over the course of the week, chatting with a variety of guests. Every day at 1pm, two teams of racing stars and celebrities will go head-to-head in ‘Visordown - Question of Bikes’, a Q&A game with multiple rounds and a lot of curveballs. Win prizes with ‘Bike Trac Stronger for Longer’,  'R&G Wheel Change Challenge', the ‘Visin Bike Balance’ and the brand new 'Gerbing' heated clothing game!

Bringing the whole family has never been easier - advanced tickets are priced at £22* for adults, £1** for children aged 6-18 and under 5’s go free**. There’s plenty to do for all ages, including a ‘zoom-tastic’ Ricky Zoom colouring competition with the opportunity to win one of three Ricky Zoom prize bundles, the Kiddimoto Balance Bike Experience and the Youth MX Experience. 

Motorcycle Live 2022 in association with Bikesure Insurance takes place at The NEC, Birmingham from 19-27 November. See You There! 

A hydraulic braking system without proper brake fluid is a bit like a heart without blood. The brake fluid is what transmits the force applied to the brake lever to the front and rear brakes, stopping the motorcycle. As you pull the lever, the bike’s master cylinder is activated, creating hydraulic pressure. As the fluid is pushed through the brake lines, this pressure is transferred to the pistons in the calipers, which then press the pads against the brake discs. The friction created as the pads come into contact with the metal discs causes the wheels to slow down, converting kinetic energy into heat energy.

This hydraulic process requires a non-compressible fluid with a high boiling point so that it is able to effectively transmit pressure and withstand high braking temperatures. It should also effectively protect the metal components. The viscosity also has an impact on braking performance. Low viscosity brake fluid is often the preferred option for modern anti-locking braking systems (ABS) as a thinner fluid can easily travel through the small passageways and channels in the system.

Types of motorcycle brake fluid

Nowadays, the vast majority of motorbikes use DOT 4 products. For example, the ATE brake fluid 03.9901-6202.2 is a popular choice for motorcycles and sports vehicles. The Typ 200 racing-quality product comes in a 1-litre can. It is compatible with other glycol-based types. Thanks to the high-quality metal container, the product has a long shelf life, and the additives in the formula protect against corrosion and deterioration. DOT 4 also offers significant advantages over DOT 3 fluid and is cheaper than DOT 5.1 products.  

When to change your motorcycle brake fluid

As mentioned before, glycol-based fluids attract water over time causing them to deteriorate. Although some brake fluid formulas last longer than others, most vehicle manufacturers recommend changing the fluid every 2 years, just to be on the safe side. Signs that it needs to be replaced include a spongy or bouncy brake pedal, strange noises or odours when braking, poor braking performance, and an illuminated ABS dashboard light. The type of fluid required is normally specified on the master cylinder reservoir cap.

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• Ducati Live from London will take place on Wednesday 28th September 2022
• The event will be broadcast live on YouTube and Ducati social channels (Starting at 7pm BST)
• The new Ducati London store is in the heart of the Capital, in the railway arches of Vauxhall

London, Tuesday 27th September 2022 - Ducati Live, will be an exclusive ‘first of its kind’ event, hosted at the UK’s landmark new store, Ducati Live will be a celebration of everything that Ducati stands for: Style, Sophistication, Performance.

Ducati is not just a motorcycle company. It is a diversified universe in which passion is a generating force that gives life to exclusive products, innovative technologies, and unmistakable style. Taking on formidable feats and uniting a community of people around the world, animated by the same spirit of belonging.

Those lucky few who will be in attendance are sure to be the envy of Ducatisti worldwide as the event will be broadcast live on YouTube and Ducati social channels (Starting at 6.45pm BST).

Special guests from the Ducati world and celebrities alike will be in attendance as well as a selection of truly special Ducati motorcycles. The evening will be hosted by TV presenter Rachel Stringer who will conduct live interviews featuring guest Q&A with Ducati VIPs including Claudio Domenicali – Ducati CEO, fellow Board Members Andrea Ferraresi – Ducati Centro Stile Director, Patrizia Cianetti – Marketing and Communication Director and Chaz Davies - Former Ducati WSBK Racer, Ducati Development and Rider Coach.

The new dealership of the Capital is in an ideal central position, in the railway arches of Vauxhall. A significant investment has been made resulting in a showroom designed to offer the best Ducati experience in a premium, yet welcoming environment.

Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js-fn-3-Bas

Further information about Ducati Live from London can be found here: https://www.ducati.com/gb/en/events-uk/ducati-live-from-london

Following the completion of an internal study at Sunra UK, where the team set out to understand owner habits better in a climate where the cost of living is ever under scrutiny, the two-wheel EV brand is pleased to bring some encouraging findings, highlighting the exceptional value of small EV motorcycles and scooters in the process.

Conducted by the same team responsible for bringing the forward-thinking electric brand to the UK market, the group looked into rider habits, costs of ownership and comparable social spending habits, uncovering some interesting insights in the process.

Logan Black of Sunra UK commented, “It’s been interesting to learn more about the habits of our customers and at the same time look more at the affordability picture too. Not only do we understand our customer base better, but it’s been interesting to see how running and finance costs are considered alongside daily purchases, such as something as simple as a cup of coffee.”

In the study, the team looked at a variety of daily, weekly and monthly outgoing costs for typical users, understanding priorities and how users had rationalised their spending to fund or run an EV bike such as a Sunra.

Aside from looking at the cost of purchase, the team looked at the cost to recharge and run, providing very real-world insights into making the switch to electric.

Black continued, “Discussing how our customers use their bikes gave us a great insight into their habits, allowing us to look more closely into typical running costs. Based on an official government survey*, we were able to calculate 3300 miles as a typical yearly average for use in this segment, before looking at energy costs and real-world range to understand this better. Under current energy pricing, we found that an electric bike equivalent to a ROBO-S model can cost as little as £55 per year in electricity costs, or less than £5 per month for example.”

As well as looking at plug-in recharge costs, the team also considered general ownership, looking at finance too and comparable daily living allowances that customers make.

Looking at direct consumer outgoing comparisons further highlighted the low cost of ownership of two-wheel EV machines, with typical monthly payments* half that of some rail travel cards, while even the comparison of a typical household outgoings, such as a satellite TV subscription were surprisingly similar too, with Sunra EV bikes available for as little as £77 per month, with sensible deposits.

“We were keen to make sure everything we looked at was comparable to real life”, added Black. “Finance is popular with our customers, so we looked at typical monthly costs based on our own program to understand comparable costs. The comparisons and consumer rationale, combined with impact in the rise of cost living, gave us some interesting insights that further demonstrate what exceptional value an EV two-wheeler brings.”