Motorbikes and music are set to collide as the Billing Bike Fest returns to Billing Aquadrome for a second outing on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st July.

Promising something for every biking taste, the show also has an impressive line up of bands performing throughout the weekend.

Supporting the Marco Simmoncelli foundation, Billing Bike Fest will host more than 250 riders taking part in their 2013 charity ride out, as well as having hundreds of bikes on show from motorcycle manufacturers. Motorcycle clubs will showcase everything from great British classics to modern day heroes, Japanese elegance to American icons.

Motorbike Clubs are invited to join in the celebrations with the organisers offering free space for clubs bringing up to ten bikes, with each owner receiving two weekend passes and camping per bike. Clubs wanting to bring over ten bikes will get the first ten free and then pay £25 per bike, again with the owners getting two free show tickets, giving you a free weekend away if you’re part of a club stand!

Take part in the Custom Concours competition where the very best customised bikes will be displayed in a purpose built marque with awards for outstanding examples. Concours categories include Best in Show, Best Trike, Best Chop, Best Street fighter and Best Classic. 

Get some expert advice or watch the experts in action with live demonstrations, browse the extensive retail village or search the treasure trove that is the Bike Jumble for that elusive spare or part. Whatever you love about motorbikes can be found at Billing Bike Fest.

Hear the roar of the engine and soak up the fumes as you enjoy live action in the main arena from our special guests The Bolddog Lings Mini-X Tour, uses Britain’s best motocross and extreme sports participants, introducing the mobile Mini-bike freestyle ramp. The Joseph Peace fire stunt show team will also perform their modern circus stunt show on Saturday.

Live music will once again take center stage throughout the weekend; Bands already confirmed include Manchester’s The Rainband, a four-piece indie rock band predicted by Rolling Stone magazine as the sound of 2013. Last year’s headline act The Great Divide also return along with Sons of Icarus, Dionysus Unbound and Foo Fighters tribute band The Four Fighters.

And what festival wouldn’t be complete without the fantastic camping facilities at Billing Aquadrome including an indoor aqua park for all ages, go karting, climbing walls and much more.

Adult ticket prices start from just £10 when booking in advance or £12 on the gate. Children under the age of 16 get free entry when accompanied by an adult. Parking is also free throughout. The show is open from 10am to 5pm each day. Camping is £25 per adult and £12.50 per child. Camping can be booked by contacting 01524 781453 (8am-8pm weekdays).

To book day tickets call 0844 8540064 the latest updates visit www.billingbikefest.com

Hot on the heels of the Enduro World Championship GP of Romania, the Husqvarna Enduro Team by Monster Energy CH Racing heads to Kastoria, Greece for the penultimate round of the 2013 EWC series.

With the GP of Romania serving up another batch of podium results for the squad, all four riders are eager to build on that momentum in Kastoria.   With his strong showing in Buzau, Finland’s Juha Salminen on his TE250R leads the charge of Husqvarna riders to Greece. Delivering a determined performance at round five, Salminen came agonisingly close to winning both days in the Enduro 1 class in Romania. Fighting for the victory with championship leader Antoine Meo, the duo swapped the lead on numerous occasions. Unable to hold his rival at bay, the TE250R rider missed out on victory by the narrowest of margins. Knowing that he has the pace to battle for victory Juha will be going all-out to do just that in Greece.  

Getting his GP of Romania off to a perfect start by setting the outright fastest time during the Friday SuperTest, Matti Seistola hoped to join Salminen and Meo in the battle for the win. Unfortunately, the Finn suffered a bad dose of food poisoning and then broke his toe midway through day one. Catching his foot on a tree stump resulted in the TE250R rider badly breaking his toe. Determined to finish the race, he soldiered on to end day one in fifth position. Undeterred by the pain, Seistola produced a heroic performance on day two and improved to fourth position, successfully limiting the damage to his championship aspirations.  

For Lorenzo Santolino on his TE310R the GP of Romania marked the best performance of his 2013 season to date. Placing sixth on day one in the highly competitive Enduro 2 class Santolino claimed fifth on day two. With confidence in his own abilities growing strong, the Spaniard knows he has the speed to run with the best E2 class riders in the world.  

The GP of Romania might have brought an end to Australian Matt Phillips’ winning streak in the Enduro Junior class, but the TE310R rider was able to extend his advantage in the championship to 28 points. Placing second on day one, Phillips capped his weekend off with a win on day two. With more dry, dusty and hot conditions expected in Greece the 19-year old Aussie will be hungry to end the GP of Greece with two more podium visits.  

The Enduro World Championship’s GP of Greece takes place in Kastoria on June 22/23.  

Championship Standings (After Round 5)   Enduro 1 1. Antoine Meo (KTM) 191 pts 2. Juha Salminen (Husqvarna) 150 pts 3. Matti Seistola (Husqvarna) 141 pts   Enduro 2 1. Alex Salvini (Honda) 186 pts 2. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 160 pts 3. Pela Renet (Husaberg) 153 pts… 7. Lorenzo Santolino (Husqvarna) 85 pts   Enduro Junior 1. Matt Phillips (Husqvarna) 180 pts 2. Giacomo Redondi (KTM) 152 pts 3. Mario Roman (Husaberg) 128 pts

for September 9, Brands Hatch GP circuit  

Following the success of the recent Ducati track day at Donington Park, Ducati UK are pleased to announce a further date to be held at the Brands Hatch GP circuit on September 9.

Ducati UK in association with Focused Events will again be organising one of their heralded track days for Ducatisti at the full GP Brands Hatch circuit. The 2.433 mile circuit is one the World’s most famous race tracks and thanks to its natural combination of dips, cambers and challenging corners such as Paddock hill bend it has become one of motorcycling’s favourites.

The full GP circuit is only available to use for a limited number of days per year, so Ducati riders will have a unique opportunity to experience this iconic circuit, scene of some Ducati’s famous victories in both British and World Superbikes.

The cost of the track day is £229 which includes breakfast and lunch and the chance to share track time with star riders Neil Hodgson and Niall Mackenzie who will also be available for coaching sessions. The track day is a Ducati only event and will be attended by Ducati UK staff and dealers including Rapido Sport Ducati. The British Superbike team will be at Brands Hatch hot on the heels from their race at Donington Park (subject to race conditions).

To book your place visit www.focusedevents.com

This is an important issue that can affect a claim brought by a motorcyclist.

In laymen’s terms it means that you have gone some way to contribute to your own injuries. For example, motorcycle contributory negligence can arise if you are riding without a helmet and without protective clothing and you are knocked from your motorcycle and injured, you will claim against the offending motorist.  

You have fractured your skull and fractured your leg. The damages for the skull are say £10,000 and the leg £5,000. But whilst the broken leg is unavoidable in any instance, the judge will find that because of your failure to wear a helmet, that motorcycle contributory negligence was the reason why you broke your skull and it is therefore in the Judges’ eyes that you were responsible for your own demise. In this case he will award you for the broken leg but not the fractured skull.  

Similarly even if you aren’t at fault when someone pulls out of a side road into your path, if it is proven that you were speeding at the time, the Judge will contribute some motorcycle contributory negligence to you. They usually do this in percentages, and in this instance he may award a reduction in your damages of fifty or more percent. So it is very important that you understand how this system works.

Improved pedestrian safety design will help high risk children on the roads, says IAM 

Today's report by AXA puts pedestrian safety under the spotlight, the IAM is asking the UK government and car makers to make pedestrian-friendly car fronts a top priority.  The government should be taking the lead in lobbying the European Commission and car manufacturers to make radical changes so that vulnerable road users can get the same five star protection as those sitting in the vehicle. 

The number of deaths and serious injuries to car occupants fell by 524 in 2011 but amongst vulnerable road users they increased: 

•           Pedestrians - 48 more killed, 254 more seriously injured  
•           Cyclists - four fewer killed, 425 more seriously injured   Since 2006, car occupants' deaths and serious injuries have fallen by 35% but for pedestrians the fall is just 16 per cent, while cyclist deaths and serious injuries have increased by 31 per cent. 

Car occupants benefit increasingly from the high standards of crash protection brought about by the Euro NCAP crash testing programme, ensuring more four and five-star cars than ever are on the market. Improvements to the front of cars that would benefit pedestrians and cyclists in a collision have simply not kept pace. 

Research by IAM shows that the average Euro NCAP rating for car occupants in super minis in the last three years is eighty-two per cent while for pedestrians it is much lower, at 53 per cent. There needs to be a new focus on bringing pedestrian safety up to the level now enjoyed by car occupants. 

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “While the people in the car are much safer, in the case of a crash with a child pedestrian or cyclist, the front of the car is not as forgiving. Much more can and should be done through car design to minimise the damage caused by hard metal on soft tissue.”