The Thankful Villages Run is a nine-day charity ride-out to all 51 villages in the UK who had all their soldiers return home alive at the end of the Great War in 1918 and we want you to take part!

The run, which takes place between 27th July and 4th August 2013, is the brainchild of motorcyclists Dougie Bancroft and Medwyn Parry and appropriately aims to raise £51,000 for the Royal British Legion.

Triumph, who supplied 30,000 motorcycles to the allied forces during WW1, have loaned two, bespoke liveried Trophys to the duo, to enable them to undertake this historic tour.

The bikes have now been collected, the route planned, the GPS, tracker and comms fitted, now all that’s left to do is invite you to join the Thankful Villages Run.

Pick as much or little of the route as you like and follow the two Triumph Trophys between the Thankful Villages. Riders who join the ride are asked to donate a minimum £5 towards the Royal British Legion and can do this by texting ‘THVR51 £5’ to 70070, via the website or in cash on the day.

Further details, including the complete village-by-village schedule, are available on the Thankful Village Run website.

Schedule   Saturday 27 July Ceredigion – Gloucestershire Sunday 28 July Gloucestershire – Somerset Monday 29 July Somerset – Sussex Tuesday 30 July Kent – Northamptonshire Wednesday 31 July Essex – Leicestershire Thursday 1 August Nottinghamshire – Lincolnshire Friday 2 August Lincolnshire – Yorkshire Saturday 3 August Yorkshire – Lancashire Sunday 4 August Lancashire - Ceredigion

www.thankfulvillagesrun.com

The Heritage Motor Centre is pleased to announce a new experience day providing an introduction to the classic car scene for potential or first time owners. The ‘Classic Virgins Day’, is to be held at Gaydon on Saturday 28 September.

The day will give participants the theory of classic car ownership including choosing a classic car, finance, insurance, club support etc. The day will also include some “hands on” experience in the workshop to enable new owners to tackle basic maintenance with greater confidence. Experienced tutors will guide the participants through basic maintenance issues of lubrication, carburettor and fuel pump, ignition and brake adjustment.

In the afternoon participants will ride in a range of classic cars through the Warwickshire countryside with a rendezvous at the Tool Connection showroom in Southam. Cars have been made available by a range of club members giving their time and, more importantly, a chance for those taking part to sample the thrill of classic motoring.

Bob Wilkinson, Course Director, said “I’m excited about this event and sharing our enthusiasm with those considering buying a classic car. For the rides I have assembled a group of classic cars covering a range of values and styles – sports cars and saloons from several decades. The participants will be in a better position to make an informed decision about becoming a classic owner without the sales pressure which usually goes along with buying a first car. The day will be an enjoyable experience to give as a birthday present for a family member or a friend considering becoming a classic car owner”.

Emma Rawlinson, Lifelong Learning Officer at HMC said “Car clubs have been concerned about getting the next generation of classic car owners involved in the hobby. This experience day will hopefully be just the thing to attract them. Gaydon’s central location and facilities make it ideal for such an event”.

The cost is £50 per person including lunch, refreshments and museum entry. Please note the event is open only to those over 18 years of age. For more information about the Heritage Motor Centre please visit www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk or call 01926 641188.

A survey carried out for the Motorcycle industry* researched the impact of bikers on the tourist industry and found that Motorcycle-related tourism spending in the UK is over £565 million each year, supporting over 13, 000 tourism jobs.

In recent years the most significant growth in motorcyclists has been in female riders and with this the rise in longer stays under bricks & mortar such as B&B's, hotels, cottages, etc, rather than just for one night... Many riders know there is nothing worse than arriving somewhere after a long ride, unpacking, showering, eating, drinking, sleeping and then up the next day to pack up and move on. With this there is a significant rise in finding a great Biker Friendly place to stay as a base for a few days and then to go out each day to tour and explore the area.

Hoteliers, cafes, pubs, event organisers and other tourist related organisations could be getting more money from the biker pound, by choosing the correct medium to promote themselves within, especially as many Bikers travel in the UK for their holidays, along with overseas motorcycling tourists spending over £17 million on trips here.

The traditional stereotype of bikers being free-spirited, leather clad hooligan is thing of the past, according to research** the profile of the ‘average biker’ in 21st Century Britain, a seemingly upstanding, 40+-something middle-class citizen who is a married, professional, family man, who almost certainly owns a car. Challenging the old perceptions of bikers even further, only 7% sport either long hair or a pony tail. This is probably because nearly 60% of those surveyed hold down a professional senior/management job, taking home an average wage 25% higher than the national average.

By simply advertising your business as 'Biker friendly' here on THE BIKER GUIDE is letting this niche audience know that you welcome them, which many times is enough in itself... by also offering drying facilities, garaged and/or secure parking is a bonus and not a necessary, for you to capitalise on this growing market.

Other interesting facts:

More than half of all motorcyclists are over 40, with the vast majority of motorcycle tourists being in this age category.

“The lack of interest in the motorcycle tourism sector may be due to a perceived image of rebellious youthful bikers which is at odds with their current demographic," (Dr Cater, lecturer at Aberystwyth University).

* by GHK on behalf of the MCI

Bradford biker Chris Eden has issued an invite to all Yorkshire motorcyclists to join the 2013 Ride of Honour a mass motorcycle ride in aid of military charities.

The 55-mile Sunday ride out will take place on September 22nd, leaving Squires Café at Sherburn-in-Elmet at 11am to arrive in Catterick Garrison in time for lunch.

There, they are being hosted by Help for Heroes northern Rehabilitation Centre, Phoenix House, which the riders will have the opportunity to look around before setting off home.

It’s the third year in succession that Chris, an HGV technician, has organised the fundraising event. To date, it has raised £13,500, which has been shared out between Help for Heroes, the Black Rat Fund and SOS,this years ride is sponsored by Bike Tyres Leeds and Scorpion Exhausts UK.

“I feel very strongly about what our servicemen and women do and this is my way of helping and supporting them,” said the 40-year-old.

Money is raised through the £15 participation fee, in return for which the bikers receive a commemorative T-shirt. Pillion riders are free.

Last year, the Ride of Honour comprised 750 bikes and trikes from all over Yorkshire, Humberside, Lancashire and the North East and Chris is hoping for the same number – if not more – this year.

Phoenix House Manager, Mo Usman, said he was delighted by the show of support from the biking fraternity.

“Their monetary donation is, of course, very welcome and will be invested well in our work to provide direct, practical assistance by funding projects and individual support that make a real difference throughout the life of wounded servicemen and women, veterans and their families,” said Mo.

“But we are aware that many bikers are ex servicemen themselves and, equally important to us, is the role those who visit Phoenix House can play in spreading the word about what we do so that no one who needs help slips through the net. We are here to assist veterans, however long ago they were discharged.”

Anyone interested in joining The Ride of Honour to Catterick needs to register in advance at www.rideofhonour.com. All those who register will go into a prize draw to win a pair of Michelin tyres worth up to £240.

Three time motorcycle Grand Prix World Champion Freddie Spencer is the latest star name to be added to a glittering cast list for the inaugural Classic TT Races due to be held in August this year.

The American will ride his 1987 500cc, 3 Cylinder Rothmans Honda that he is currently parading in Europe at the Festival of Jurby on the 25th August and again in the Classic Racer Magazine Lap of Honour on Monday 26th August.

He will also be a guest in the official VIP Hospitality Club and will host a table at the Classic TT Legends Dinner on the evening of Sunday 25th August.

'Fast Freddie' first came to prominence in 1978, winning the 250cc US National Road Racing Championship and gained international recognition at the 1980 U.S. versus Britain Trans-Atlantic Match races when he won two legs, defeating World Champions Kenny Roberts and Barry Sheene in the process.

He was promoted to Honda's Grand Prix team in 1982 and in 1983 he won his first 500cc World Championship at the age of 21, becoming the youngest person to win the title, a distinction previously held by Mike Hailwood.

The 1983 season is remembered as one of the most dramatic title chases in the history of Grand Prix racing; Honda's Spencer and Yamaha's Kenny Roberts fighting for the points lead throughout the championship with each of them earning six victories. The season culminated at the penultimate round in Sweden when Roberts ran off the track on the last lap leaving Spencer to sprint to the finish line and victory. Roberts won the last race but Spencer finished second, securing his first world title by two points.

Teething problems with Honda's radically new V4 NSR500 coupled with injuries from crashes hindered Spencer's title defense in 1984 but 1985 proved to be an historic year for him. He won both the 250cc and 500cc Grand Prix World Championships, the last rider to achieve such a feat. His career was cut short by wrist injuries and he retired from Grand Prix racing at the beginning of 1988.

Commenting on his appearance at this year's Classic TT he said: "The Isle of Man TT is one of the great event's in motorsport and to get the chance to be involved in the inaugural Classic TT is a real honour. I'm really looking forward to experiencing the place where so many great names have competed and to meeting the fans."

Other legendary names from the past already confirmed to attend the Classic TT include Giacomo Agostini, Phil Read, Mick Grant, Phillip McCallen, Kork Ballington and Steve Baker.

To book tickets for the Classic TT Legends Dinner, Platinum or VIP Hospitality places or Grandstand tickets for the Classic TT Races go to www.iomtt.com or contact Duke Marketing on +44 (0) 1624 640 000.