Keep your tyres in check to help you stay safe on motorways – that is the message today from the Institute of Advanced Motorists after a total of 3,852 tyre-related incidents were reported on England’s motorways between April and the end of June 2013  – an average of 1,284 per month.

Many motorists will often put off tyre repairs to save on costs. But it is actually cheaper to replace worn or damaged tyres where necessary, rather than waiting to face a burst tyre and having to be towed off the motorway.

As part of their Motorway Month campaign, the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) offers advice for motorists on how to keep your tyres in check: • P – Performance. You can monitor the state of your tyres through observation of the performance of your vehicle; grip, handling and fuel economy will all be improved with correct tyre care. • A – Air pressure. It is essential that you check your tyre pressures on a regular basis for maximum performance. Low tyre pressure can cause increased fuel consumption as well as making them more susceptible to damage. • C – Condition. Inspect tyres for any cuts, bulges, uneven wear or objects embedded in the tread. • T – Tread depth. Monitoring your tyres’ tread is essential for safety, particularly on wet roads. Check that your tread depth is not below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, although it is worth considering getting them replaced if they are below 3mm.

IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger said: “Regular tyre checks are the best way to keep on top of maintenance and avoid those nasty surprises both to your vehicle and to your wallet.”

But one day you could become one of the thousands unlucky enough to experience a tyre-related breakdown, so having a dry-run of changing your tyre at home can prove very useful and will mean you needn’t rely so heavily on breakdown services, getting you back on the road quicker.”

Incidents contribute to delays which cost the economy billions of pounds each year. According to the Highways Agency’s national satisfaction survey, carried out between April 2012 and the end of March 2013, only 53% of respondents say they regularly check their tyre pressure.

Stuart Lovatt from the Highways Agency said: “Nobody wants to start their holiday off by having a breakdown that leads to them having to extend their journey time.”

By checking that tyres are still in good condition, drivers are helping to avoid incidents and the risk of delays, not only to their own journey but to those of other drivers.”

If you are carrying heavy loads, you will need to increase the air pressure in your car tyres to compensate. You can find the correct tyre pressures for heavy loads in your car’s handbook.

Chairman of TyreSafe Stuart Jackson said: “Before setting off on their summer holidays, it’s essential that drivers give their tyres a thorough inspection. It’s particularly important to ensure tyres are correctly inflated in line with the vehicle manufacturer’s settings, which may be different if extra passengers or heavy luggage is being carried. But remember to readjust your tyre pressures when you start to using your car normally again.”

www.iam.org.uk

Come join us at the Keighley Motorcycle Shop for a FREE fun-filled evening of treasure hunting! There will be a BBQ & refreshments afterwards, and prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.

The evening kicks off around 6pm, with the Treasure Hunt in and around Keighley (~10 mile radius, so bring a mode of transport or a fit pair of legs!) expected to take about 1 hour. Post-hunt we'll be serving up some tasty BBQ grub and refreshments, so come join us for a light-hearted, fun, social gathering!

www.colinappleyard.com

The relationship between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Dainese continues with the aim of better protecting astronauts during both training and operations.

Current space suits are designed to protect an astronaut whilst in space and are in effect miniature spacecrafts. The drawback to these suits however is that their construction involves a series of compromises, which affect overall comfort and the very rigid structure of the suits has on occasion caused minor injuries.

The aim of this project is to create special protection that astronauts can wear inside space suits. This material will be an integral part of the undergarment currently in use for controlling body temperature.

MIT Professor Dava Newman who teaches aeronautics and astronautics and Dainese’s Technology Centre have combined their expertise in order to study the problem and provide astronauts with the best possible solution. The project has already been approved by NASA and now involves a detailed investigation of the pressures exercised by the space suit against the body. To achieve this a special suit has been made with a series of sensors, which indicate areas that could cause impact or abrasion injuries. The suit will also allow scientific analysis of the potentially harmful effects of the space suit and provide essential data for re-designing the interaction between the space suit and the astronaut.

A series of in-depth discussions with astronauts has already identified the most exposed areas of the body and allowed possible solutions to be identified. Such solutions will have to be assessed after the investigation on the sensor-fitted suit, and will need to fully comply with NASA’s specifications regarding the use of materials inside the suits, which will be worn under demanding conditions. Even the smallest issue, for example the release of a barely perceptible amount of a chemical substance or even CO2, might create problems in management of the suit micro-atmosphere and mean the astronaut having to return to the space craft.

The project is currently being run in Italy at D-Tec by the engineer Allison Anderson from MIT who, along with Dainese engineers, has created the suit undergarment for detecting the pressure points presented to Prof. Newman during her recent visit to Dainese for meetings about progress on the project. A further collaborating partner is the Industrial Design Studio of Trotti and Associates whose president, the architect Guillermo Trotti, is highly specialised in working on projects with space agencies.

The results of the project will also be made available to other space agencies with the Russian space agency possibly amongst the first to benefit.

www.dainese.com

'A new exhibition opens to the public on Saturday 20 July 2013 at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, near Warwick.  Visitors can learn the behind-the-scenes story of Aston Martin’s first 100-years and the craftsmanship involved in making these iconic cars.

‘Aston Martin - A Century of Craftsmanship’ features material from the collection of Roger Stowers, Aston Martin’s former historian. The Collection was donated to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT) by Aston Martin Lagonda Limited in 2001.  This is the first result of a two-year Project, which was awarded a generous grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund.  Aston Martin Lagonda and the Aston Martin Heritage Trust are also supporting the Project.

The display will take a fresh look at Aston Martin’s history through its long tradition of craftsmanship. This is a chance to see unique documents and photographs, some of which have not been publically available until now.  There will also be a small display of Aston Martin cars which will change throughout the life of the exhibition.

Located on the Mezzanine floor, this exhibition runs from the 20 July 2013 until December 2014 and will evolve during this time, to feature new material and exhibits. Admission to this new exhibition is included within the standard museum entry fees.

www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk

Ace Cafe London Stunt Festival & Streetfighter Show, Wembley 2013  

Tickets are now available to purchase at the cafe and via the on-line web shop

Ace Cafe London, this year celebrating the 75th anniversary of having originally opened in 1938, returns to the world famous and iconic Wembley Stadium Complex for the 4th annual Stunt Festival & Streetfighter Show featuring the premiere of the all new Stunt Bike Open Freestyle Championship Finals, to be held throughout the day from 10am Sunday 28th July.

In addition to trade and industry stands and displays, the Carole Nash Grandstand, this increasingly popular annual event combines the cafe's legendary Streetfighter Sunday, as well as showcasing the dramatic live action finals of the stunt competition, with stunt riders from across Europe and beyond taking part and competing in the "Metzeler Arena" for the coveted awards, Metzeler tyres, Draggin Jeans and cash prize fund totalling £5K.

Individual Free Style:

1st - £2K 2nd - 1K 3rd - £750

Draggin Jeans Longest Stoppie - £750

Sickest Trick - £500

Highlights of this prestigious event also includes "Best Streetfighter" static display and competition, with cash prize fund of £500, the awards and prizes include vouchers for exclusive, precision-made performance products, courtesy of Germany's renowned LSL Motorradtechnik, to the value of £1800!

Best in Show: 1st - £100 & LSL Voucher £750 2nd - £75 & LSL Voucher £500 3rd - £50 & LSL Voucher £250

Best Engineering: £50 & LSL Voucher £50

Best Brightwork - £50 & LSL Voucher £50

Best Rat - £50 & LSL Voucher £50

Best Junior/Lightweight - £25 & LSL Voucher £50

Special cash prizes, each of £50, are to be awarded for the "Best Harley Streetfighter" & "Best BMW Streetfighter", each also receiving a £50 LSL Voucher, both marques this year respectively celebrating their 110th and 90th anniversaries.

Best Streetfighters competition will be run on a "Show Up n' Shine" basis and are to be on site at Wembley by 9am.

All fourteen winners, of both the Stunt Bike Open Freestyle Championship Finals and the "Best Streetfighter" Show Up n' Shine competition, also receive Draggin Jeans product vouchers courtesy The Key Collection.

Other features include tyre-frying burnouts and the "Extreme Wheelie"  machine for those who want to experience "Up in the air thrills, a fun mini moto circuit (40cc's, 5 "on track" at any one time and open to all over 6 years of age and with a special Academy session for kids), together with interactive stands and displays.

Live entertainment on the Ace stage includes with The Fuel Girls, and mixed with the music, the roar of engines and tyre-shredding drifters, along with the spectacular motorcycling aerobatics and hot tricks of the East Coast FMX Team, featuring Chris "Sir Swampy" Birch, widely acknowledged as Britain's No.1 FMX rider, a regular at the Red Bull X Fighters and BoldDog FMX British Championship winner, adrenaline will be pumping - let the action begin!

The London Rockin Rollers, who with their eight-wheeled thrills and spills have been rolling with the punches since 2007, will be assisting in raising funds for "Riders for Health", the events chosen charity and who will be operating a helmet park on the day.

Tickets are available at the cafe and via the Ace on-line web shop as well as "On the gate on the day".

Buy your ticket at the cafe and you will receive a free tea or coffee.

Tickets: £10 per person £15 Family Ticket (available on the day)

Club & Group pre-booking concessions available - please contact Lora David at the cafe on [email protected]