Race, Rock ‘n’ Ride certainly lived up to its name last weekend as visitors raced up the famous Santa Pod strip, rocked out to Limehouse Lizzy on Saturday night, and witnessed stunt riders galore in what was an action-packed motorcycle festival with a difference. 

Building on its inaugural success in 2016, the show, sponsored by Principal Insurance, boasted a packed timetable of events with newcomers to the line-up including the gravity-defying Wall of Death and the opportunity for youngsters to test their skills on two wheels.

The Run What Ya Brung, supported by Fast Bikes magazine, was a hit with men and women alike as they took to the starting line, ready to blitz up the track. Racking up the fastest speed was Ralvin Petnonilia, clocking up just 8.7776 seconds and a speed of 154.15mph.

Show sponsors Principal said: “Race, Rock ‘n’ Ride was again tremendous fun. It’s a great show, one in which bikers can and do get really involved, whether by burning rubber on that iconic track or enjoying the many other entertainments laid on at Santa Pod.”

Pod favourites Eric Teboul’s Rocket Bike and the FireForce 3 Jet Car certainly wowed the grandstand as they hit staggering speeds of more than 246mph and 268mph respectively.

New for this year, the quarter mile was proud to host round three of the ACU Drag Bike Championships; showcasing a whole host of classes from ET Bike to Super Street – THE drag bike racing class of the current time. We saw a very impressive run from Super Street champion Rick Stubbins tearing up the track at a mind-blowing 198.14mph in 7.3524 seconds.

In addition to the on-track action, attractions filled the venue including round two of the British Stunt Bike Championships which saw Lee Bowers crowned winner, Broke FMX freestyle motocross and the GP Paddock showcasing race bikes from yesteryear firing up and wowing the crowds, to name but a few!

To top it off, a custom bike show, in association with Back Street Heroes magazine, created a spectacle of some of the finest handcrafted machines with jaw-dropping paintwork and incredible craftsmanship. 

“As well as our static displays, showcasing a varied and unique congregation of some very impressive machinery, the track laid down the red carpet for some of Europe’s finest two-wheeled masters,” said a spokesperson for hosts Santa Pod. “Race, Rock ‘n’ Ride is growing year on year so stay tuned to see what we have in store for next year’s motorbike utopia at Santa Pod Raceway.”

With plans already afoot for 2018, show organisers Santa Pod Raceway and Mortons Media Group – publisher of both Fast Bikes and Back Street Heroes – are looking forward to building on its successes and bringing more action to an already packed weekend. 

Bike Night - Jacks Hill Cafe
Ireland Bike Fest
Unwanted MCC's Annual Bike, Trike & Custom show
The Big Knock - Diesel Motorcycle Rally
Coventry Motofest
Antelope Rally
Mad Sunday Bike Meet in aid of SERV @ Ace Cafe
Haynes Breakfast Club

See more details on the main WHAT'S ON section for June

The UK Round of the 2017 FIM Superbike World Championship has come to a close with the second WorldSBK race of the weekend, which took place today under sunny skies at Donington Park. Stefan Bradl was eleventh at the chequered flag on board his Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 machine.

The outcome of the race for the 27-year-old German rider was largely dictated at the start by a crash in front of him at turn one. When the rider fell ahead of him, it forced Stefan almost to a stop to which naturally cost him a lot of ground to the leaders. From the very back of the field, Bradl fought back as he went from 21st place to 14th in the first third of the race. Then, with a big gap to bridge from the riders ahead, Bradl rode a lonely race to cross the finish line in 11th at the end of the 23-lap encounter.

The Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team will now be on the road to Misano, where a two-day private test will be carried out from Wednesday with Stefan Bradl and test rider Michele Magnoni. The next round of the 2017 FIM Superbike World Championship will take place at the same track in three weekends time.

Some fabulous guided and self-guided riding beckons in New Zealand and Australia this coming winter. We've a variety of itineraries to choose from with different durations from 7 to 22 days. New Zealand is a breathtakingly beautiful land with its mystical rolling hills, ancient rainforest, majestic fjords and untouched wilderness. Australia is an awesome combination of big city excitement in Sydney and Melbourne, mouthwatering vineyards, thundering waterfalls, the Great Barrier Reef and miles of sweeping sandy beaches. And there surely can be no better way to experience the thrill of these countries than by motorcycle!

Australia Offer: 2017/18 self-guided tours and rentals at 2016 prices, if you book before 30th June 2017!

For further details on all our other tours, locations and summer destinations too, please visit our website: www.hctravel.com

Please find below an obituary for Nicky Hayden issued by the Hayden family.

Nicholas “Nicky” Hayden passed away on Monday, May 22, 2017, at the age of 35, following a May 17 bicycle accident in Italy.

Born into a large extended Catholic family in Owensboro, Kentucky, Nicky was the middle child of Earl and Rose Hayden, with two brothers and two sisters. The entire family loved motorcycles, and shortly after he could walk, Nicky declared that his dream was to be a world champion. Although life on a farm meant that animals - horses, pot-belly pigs, even llamas - were a part of every day, for Nicky they were just novelties and while he was a natural athlete, childhood sports leagues were little more than a lark. Racing - for the whole family, but especially for Nicky - was everything. Apart from an annual spring-break jaunt to Panama City, Florida, family trips were to racetracks, first around the Midwest, then the Eastern U.S., and eventually the entire country.

That said, there was never any doubt about where home was. Even after he began traveling the globe to race in exotic locales, Nicky would always return to his beloved “OWB.” He received his education through local Catholic schools - Precious Blood Elementary School, Owensboro Catholic Middle School and Owensboro Catholic High School - and his first jobs comprised helping out at his uncles’ nearby farms, where he began developing the tenacious work ethic for which he would be known throughout his racing career. He remained close with his core group of childhood friends throughout his life, and he helped many young local racers to pursue their own dreams.

For Nicky, a distinguished amateur dirt track and road racing career transitioned into a successful stint in the AMA Grand National Championship and AMA Superbike series, in which he earned the 1999 AMA Supersport and 2002 AMA Superbike crowns with American Honda. He was promoted to the FIM MotoGP series with Repsol Honda, for whom he achieved his dream of earning the World Championship in 2006. Nicky also rode for Ducati and Aspar Racing in MotoGP, and last year he transitioned to the FIM Superbike World Championship with the Ten Kate squad. Along the way, his charisma earned him legions of fans the world over, while his dedication and professionalism earned the respect and admiration of his teams, teammates and competitors.

Among those who knew him best, Nicky was cherished for his generosity, kindness, and mischievous sense of humour. His famous grin was never far from his lips and he invariably had time to engage with others, even strangers. The life of any party, Nicky loved to dance, wear funny costumes, and pull pranks, often with a microphone in hand.

Throughout it all, family was Nicky’s anchor. Many Americans who race internationally opt to relocate overseas, but Nicky always preferred to return home between events. Well into his professional career, he resided in an apartment above his parents’ garage, and even after purchasing his own home nearby, he religiously showed up for his mother’s 6 o’clock dinners when he wasn’t traveling. Several years ago, he purchased and refurbished an old building on an Owensboro lake, and what he dubbed Victory Lane Lodge became the family’s preferred location for functions of all types, from Sunday get-togethers to weddings. He loved children and was a model uncle, and friends and family say he was never happier than after meeting girlfriend Jackie, with whom he became engaged last year.

Nicky is survived by his parents Earl and Rose; his siblings Tommy, Jennifer, Roger, and Kathleen; his fiancée Jacqueline Marin; nieces Olivia, Klaudia, Vera, Kyla Jo, and Kate; nephew Colt; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. CT Sunday at Haley-McGinnis Funeral Home in Owensboro. Funeral services will be at noon Monday at St. Stephen Cathedral Church, and will be streamed live on Nicky’s facebook fan page. Donations may be made to the Nicky Hayden Memorial Fund, which helps local children in the community Nicky loved so much.

www.nickyhayden.com

www.facebook.com/NickyHaydenUSA/