The Dunlop Tyres Motorcycle division is pleased to welcome Mark Sears to the team as Product Support Manager as of 1st October 2011.

The position has been filled internally by Mark who has 23 years of experience with Dunlop. Mark directly replaces Bryn Phillips.

Mark began as an apprentice with Dunlop in 1988 and after three years with the company moved into the motorsport division. Over the space of 20 years Mark has worked with a number of winning teams at some of the largest championships around the world including WSB, World Endurance/GP, AMA, BSB and IDM.

Most recently Mark sat in the position of Chief Design Engineer for Dunlop Motorcycle Motorsport and his expertise in tyre design and technology are second to none. Mark has patents for the D208 and D208A and was the co designer on Dunlop’s first 16.5 inch rear slick tyre.

As a rider himself Mark has a wide range of experience with both race and road products and currently rides a Ducati Monster.

Mark comments: “I am really pleased to join the ever improving Dunlop motorcycle marketing team. The entire motorcycle product range is the youngest and strongest we have ever had. We also have new products on the horizon and I can’t wait to increase my involvement with our consumers & dealers via our ‘Race to Road’ program. As a motorcyclist myself, I know the importance of high performing tyres and how they can instill confidence in a rider. I look forward to working with the team soon.”

Mark will report directly to Andy Marfleet, Dunlop Brand Manager, as well as having a close working relationship with Dunlop Motorcycle SBU Manager Dominic Clifford and the Dunlop Motorcycle Sales team.

Andy comments: “We are pleased to welcome Mark to the Dunlop Marketing team. Mark’s motorsport background and extensive knowledge of motorcycle tyres will help us to communicate our ‘Race to Road’ philosophy to end users and dealers. Mark will be the key technical contact for the Dunlop motorcycle range as well as training dealers and internal associates. I wish Mark all the very best in his new role with us.”

Humber Bridge motorcycle toll to be scrapped!

Tell your friends but just as important tell them that it was MAG that got it. 

Ducati UK is pleased to announce a set of finance offers including 0% APR and low rate options over 24 and 36 months - deposits starting from 33% on the 24 month option, and 50% for the 36 month option.

The Monster carries one of the most iconic names in motorcycling and the Monster 696 and 796 fully live up to the heritage.  Power outputs of 80hp and 87hp respectively, delivered with character from the L-twin engine is plenty to set the pulse running.  Famous Ducati handling plus the option of ABS braking keeps things nicely under control, making the Monster 696 and 796 ideal for novice and more experienced riders alike.

The Monster 696 also features in the Ducati Learn to Ride programme, allowing new riders to take their first motorcycling steps with Ducati.

For more details see www.ducatiuk.com or visit your dealer to arrange a test ride and discuss the available finance options.

Riders in the UK and in Ireland are up in arms about the EU Commission’s proposals for motorcycles. Protest demonstrations have been organised for the 25^th September throughout the UK and Ireland.

There are many issues of which riders have justifiable reasons to express their anger and concerns regarding these proposals.

There is however a lot of misinformation out there and it seems to us that riders are getting mixed messages about what the European Commission is actually proposing and what the MEPs and the UK Government is doing in response to these proposals.

Right To Ride has aimed to provide clear and factual details of the progression of the Commission’s proposals and the discussions that have taken place within the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee.

We have communicated to all the players in the Commission, Industry and IMCO expressing our views and concerns.

Yesterday we received from Malcolm Harbour, Chairman of the IMCO Committee and Shadow Rapporteur for the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) a follow up email in relation to the Commission proposal for an EU Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of two- or three-wheel vehicles and quadricycles.

Excerpts from his email:

“The amendments tabled by MEPs which are outside the scope of the Commission's proposal constitute political recommendations which are very unlikely to feature in the adopted text. If however there is majority support for any of these ideas, the amendments concerned can only feature in Recitals to the Regulation which means they have no legal effect. Even if these recommendations make it through the Committee stage, which I doubt, both Council and Commission would resist them featuring in the final text of the Regulation as they have no corresponding Article. The amendments concerned relate to driver/rider training, side visibility reflectors, roadside random spot-checks, technical examinations of motorbikes and liabilities in accident situations, and the harmonisation of driver licence schemes”.

“In the context of this draft Regulation, we are simply not engaged in a discussion on national debates concerning the mandating of high visibility jackets for riders, the banning of older motorcycles from urban areas, nor are we discussing EU funded research on throttle and speed control schemes. These are all considerations which are completely outside the scope of this legislative proposal. Furthermore, picking up on other concerns constituents have expressed, there are no proposals on the table about mandating the sealing of the power train from the air box or relating to setting a diameter and aspect ratio for the rear tyre”.

Read the full article on Right To Ride EU