| | Biker News - Regularly updated
Category: Other
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2019 is H-C Travel's Silver Jubilee year - we've been organising tours around the world since 1994!
To celebrate, let us take you to the very soul of American music and along some of the twistiest roads in the world. We've a very special 15 day motorcycle adventure for you 'LIVE' In The Deep South from Nashville to New Orleans.
We’ll ride America’s most famous stretch of road – the Tail of the Dragon – so good we ride it twice... Along the way is some impressive scenery – the Great Smoky Mountains, Cumberland Falls State Park and the mighty Mississippi River and Delta.
We'll be submersed in blues, country, jazz, bluegrass, R’n’B, rock and roll, rockabilly and all shades in between.
Your guide, Marc Sloan, is looking forward to taking you on this ride down musical memory lane. Here's a quick video intro from Marc
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As summer hails the start of peak biking season, specialist motorcycle insurers Devitt Motorcycle Insurance Brokers has launched a new study to discover attitudes between car drivers and motorcyclists.
Far from the speed-fuelled stereotypes often attributed to them, research shows that the top priority for more than two fifths (41%) of British motorcyclists is to stay safe on the road. Fewer than one percent (0.21%) said their goal was to ride fast.
The results confirm that motorcyclists take safety on the roads extremely seriously. When riding closely to other vehicles, nine out of 10 motorcyclists (90%) say they are concerned about their safety. In addition, nearly three quarters (71%) of bikers claim car drivers are distracted. A further two thirds (62%) also consider drivers to be impatient on the road.
In comparison, the majority (61%) of drivers said their number-one priority was getting to their destination, with less than a fifth (19%) saying safety was their primary objective. While nearly half (48%) of drivers surveyed also felt that bikers were impatient, fewer than one in 20 (4%) considered motorcyclists to be distracted on the roads.
Drivers also expressed concern about riding closely to bikers. A third of male drivers (67%), and even more female drivers (73%), said they were vigilant of their own safety when driving near motorcyclists.
Commenting on the findings, Tom Warsop, Head of Marketing at Devitt Motorcycle Insurance Brokers, said: “For many, motorcycling is a leisure activity which provides a great way to get out and about in the countryside, and to enjoy the good weather. In contrast, driving is more readily associated with day-to-day tasks, such as going to and from work, which may shed some light on why bikers are considered to be more focused than drivers.
“However, there is common ground between drivers and bikers with regard to safety. The results also suggest that road users are stereotyping each other, despite the findings showing that both groups are concerned about keeping themselves – and their vehicles – safe.
“In line with this, Devitt has prepared a list of core tips for drivers and riders alike to take each other’s perspectives. Taking just a couple of moments to appreciate the challenges and considerations of other road users can help us all in becoming more tolerant and to keep safety – not preconceptions – as our number one focus.”
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Mike Hailwood was honoured at the 2018 Motor Sport Hall of Fame Awards, which took place on June 4 at the Royal Automobile Club’s Woodcote Park estate. Hailwood’s widow Pauline was at the star-studded event, which was hosted by broadcaster Suzi Perry, to receive the award from his former Honda team-mate Stuart Graham. 
More than 40,000 enthusiasts from around the world voted for their favourites in a number of categories, with Hailwood topping a Motorcycle shortlist that also included TT hero Joey Dunlop and American world champion ‘King Kenny’ Roberts. Graham spoke warmly of his friend – nine times a Grand Prix world champion on 250cc, 350cc and 500cc machinery – entertaining the audience with memories of their time racing for the factory Honda team in 1966.
“When we went to Monza in September 1966, I’d got used to the ’bike and I found that, being small and light, I could pull a higher top gear than Mike and overtake him going past the pits. During practice, I’d asked him whether Curva Grande was flat and he casually said, ‘Oh yeah, no problem’. I went back out, wound myself up and finally did it. I came in, told him that it was a bit hairy but that, yes, it could be taken flat-out, and he said, ‘You silly little so and so – I was only joking!’
“Mike was so laid back and such a natural. He didn’t think too much about it because it all came so naturally. If you’d asked him how he did it, he wouldn’t have been able to explain it.
“It’s so difficult to compare different generations, but he was the best of our era. He was so versatile and could win on anything. When he came back to the Isle of Man and, in 1979, rode that RG500 Suzuki – on modern tyres and completely different to everything else he’d ridden – that proved beyond all doubt that he had exceptional talent.
“He was just such a lovely guy. We became friends because in those days there was a wonderful camaraderie between riders – we watched out for each other. No one had a bad word to say about Mike.”
Among the other awards to be presented on the night was one for Industry Champion, MotorSport Vision boss Jonathan Palmer receiving it from last year’s winner David Richards. As well as running famous venues such as Brands Hatch, Donington Park and Oulton Park, MSV has run the British Superbike Championship since 2008.
As has become tradition at the event, a range of machinery was demonstrated on the Captain’s Drive at Woodcote Park. Motorcycle collector Dick Shepherd provided the two-wheeled highlight by riding the ex-Hailwood Triumph 650 that won the inaugural Thruxton 500-mile race in 1958.
As well as honouring the great names from two wheels and four, the awards supported charity partner Mission Motorsport, which provides opportunities for servicemen and women who have been affected by military operations to take part in motor racing as part of their recovery and rehabilitation.
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Motorcycle Industry Statistics
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Motorcycle industry in the UK has been valued at over £5.3 billion
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According to DVSA statistics 220,000 motorcycle practical riding tests were conducted in 2017
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RideTo was listed this week as one of the ‘top 100 most awe-inspiring and fast-growth potential new businesses launched in the last three years’ in the Startups 100.
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In less than a year since launch, RideTo has more than 500 new customers a month and growing 40% month on month.
London based RideTo announced today they have raised £325k in a second round of funding. The funds will be used to continue expansion plans into all major cities across the UK, having already branched out to Manchester and Birmingham from its original London network. The Company will also be investing heavily into their platform, offering additional services and value to new motorcyclists. This latest round was led by Angel Investor and Money.co.uk Founder Chris Morling who was joined by the Chairman of Aspall and a small number of other Angel Investors.
RideTo, was founded by James Beddows, who, (like most Londoners) got fed up with his daily commute. In an attempt to avoid the busy and unsavoury underground, he decided to switch to riding a scooter which proved to be a challenge in itself. The market he encountered at the time offered little in the way of assistance to first time riders. The solution was RideTo, an intuitive and accessible online marketplace for new riders, which launched in June 2017.
Chris Morling added “There aren’t many sectors that are still waiting to be modernised, but RideTo has found one. The service that RideTo provides is overdue, and early results show that customers agree. It’s always exciting to be involved with a business that is genuinely disrupting a market. {Chris Morling, Founder - Money.co.uk}
RideTo have already helped 1000’s of new motorcyclists get on the road. They enable learner riders to easily book reviewed motorcycle training schools online and access a platform of motorcycle guides, learning resources and advice.
Founder of RideTo, James Beddows said: "Learning to ride currently has too many barriers and inefficiencies, for beginners it can be a mind-boggling experience. We believe technology can play a large part in making the process safer and more accessible for new riders” {James Beddows, Founder - RideTo}
About RideTo
RideTo is making it safer and easier to experience the joy of riding a motorcycle. We’re the UK’s fastest growing platform for new riders to find the best training, bikes and gear supported with expert advice.
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Debi Trevett joins H-C Travel, as travel agency manager and motorcycle tours sales and operations manager for Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Debi previously worked for Trailfinders for 10 years, latterly as their product manager for Africa. Debi joins Linda Kember, North American sales and operations manager responsible for Orange & Black motorcycle tours and rentals, and Carol Hooker, responsible for Asia and Latin America.
David Grist, owner of H-C Travel, said: ‘Debi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to H-C Travel, and I’m delighted to welcome her on board. Our success is based on our professional, personal approach to motorcycle touring, our unique business model, and our passion for travel. Debi is a great fit and reflects our approach perfectly. I’m looking forward to working with her.'
H-C Travel Ltd was established in 1994 and is the UK's leading specialist operator of fly - ride motorcycle tours to destinations around the world. Based in Overton, Hampshire it also has a retail travel agency for the North Hampshire/Berkshire borders (serving the area between Basingstoke, Newbury, Winchester and Andover.) Its Orange & Black brand offers Harley-Davidson authorised guided tours, self-guided tours and rentals in the USA. H-C Travel is uniquely positioned in the UK motorcycle tour market with professional travel industry recognition, ATOL bonding and TTA membership.
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