A great turnout for The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride in Manchester

Great bikes and lots of very dapper folk @ Youles Triumph Manchester.

25th September 2016
The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride

For one day a year, however, thousands of Distinguished Gentleman (and genteel ladyfolk) in hundreds of cities worldwide press their cravats, starch their tweed and sit astride their classic-styled motorcycles to raise funds for prostate cancer research and awareness. 

It’s a day all about spreading merriment, while raising awareness of a really important issue, that affects 1 in 8 blokes across the world. The fundraising supports research into Men's Health by bringing together dapper riders of classic machines, cafe racers, bobbers, custom motorcycles, trackers and undefinable two-wheeled creations.

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is a celebration of the art of being dapper and the style of classic custom motorcycles. What does that mean, you ask? Think: Monocles, jaunty trimmed moustaches, silk vests, crisp shirts and tailored suits. Ride: Café Racers, Bobbers, Flat Trackers, Scramblers and quirky, undefinable two-wheeled machines. The styles of bike should be reflective of classic motorcycle nature. Think 1970's and the decades before them. Do: Bring your finest manners, neatest beards and a sense of fun and adventure.

Pay: Nothing to ride (entry is free); but please consider helping our charities by getting your friends and family to sponsor your involvement. Or buy a patch, cap or tshirt. Every little bit helps. Dapper for a Cause: Where we’ve come from and where we’re headed. 

In 2014, there was 20,000 smartly-dressed gentlefolk in 258 cities across 57 countries. 
In 2015, there was 50,000 smartly-dressed gentlefolk in over 500 cities across 90 countries; straddle the saddle in the name of men’s health. 
In 2016, there was over 55,000 smartly-dressed gentlefolk in over 500 cities across 90 countries; straddle the saddle in the name of men’s health. 

venue: Thousands of riders in 500+ cities across the globe will ‘join the gentry’ on a ride to raise money for the Prostrate Cancer Foundation. Please note below are UK and Ireland events. Lots more listed on the website and facebook - Manchester event 
website: www.gentlemansride.com
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Q2 AND FOURTH ROW FOR STEFAN BRADL, FIFTH ROW FOR BAUTISTA

The RS-GP machines confirm their progress once again in the Aragón qualifiers, with Stefan Bradl good enough to go through to Q2 and Alvaro Bautista just missing the second session by 3 tenths. The Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders will therefore start from the fourth (twelfth best time for Bradl) and fifth row (fourteenth for Bautista).

Stefan and Alvaro continued their hard work in the two practice sessions, searching for the best race pace on a track that had already highlighted the close times yesterday using a new tyre, but significant drops in pace lap by lap. This is a situation that makes it essential on one hand, to choose the most suitable tyre of the available options and on the other, to constantly fine tune the electronic and chassis configurations. During morning FP3, Alvaro was also involved in a harmless crash during a session that was noted for the many falls because of the rather cold asphalt.

In Q1, Bradl and Bautista started off enthusiastically, putting good times on the sheets from the first outing. Back in pit lane to change tyres, they then went after the top two spots, the ones that would send them through to Q2. Stefan earned the privilege with the second best time, 1'48.622, just 26 thousandths behind the best. Alvaro, on the other hand, just missed the second qualifying session by less than 3 tenths with a time of 1'48.904.
In Q2, Stefan Bradl gave it his all, not having new tyres available, but taking a promising twelfth place.

ALVARO BAUTISTA
"The conditions this morning were not the best. I crashed without pushing particularly hard, losing a bit of confidence. In the afternoon we picked up where we had left off. In FP4 especially, I did a lot of laps on a used tyre, maintaining a good pace and that makes me very hopeful for the race. In qualifying, during my fast lap I made a small mistake on the last corner that surely cost me a few tenths. In any case, we are starting from a good position as we have for the last few races and this demonstrates our progress. We can say that we are reaping the benefits of what we have done so far on the RS-GP. Tomorrow we have all our papers in order to set our sights on a good result".

STEFAN BRADL
"A great day for us. Going through to Q2 is an important achievement. We have not made any big changes compared with yesterday. We simply fine-tuned the setup since the sensations were already good. This morning was not easy. We saw many crashes and I almost had a sliding crash myself at a certain point. In the afternoon the situation improved. I had a good feeling with my Aprilia and we were able to do a fast lap to go through to Q2. At that point I did not have any new front tyre to use, but my starting position makes me confident anyway. We have prepared for the race as best we can. If the conditions are like they were today we will be able to do well".

The Grand Prix of San Marino and Riviera di Rimini held last September 11 at the Misano World Circuit represented the perfect backdrop for the consolidation of the partnership between Mactac and Gresini Racing, started last June. All graphic decorations of the Gresini Racing teams participating in all the three classes of the MotoGP World Championship are in fact made with Mactac materials, a company with a great experience in the wrapping field, able to provide a wide range of adhesive films for any graphics application: from the sponsor logos on the fairings to the graphic layout of the garage panels, through the liveries of trucks and of the hospitality unit at the races.

A racing bike is an example of maximum customization and extreme application for wrapping films. The surfaces are slightly curved, the liveries are complex and the time to approve and implement the graphics projects, before the action starts, it’s always very little. Thanks to Mactac colored films, colors of the team and sponsor logos can be easily applied avoiding long painting processes.

Motorcycles, vehicles and facilities of the Gresini Racing teams are decorated with all the best Mactac materials, combined with the relative lamination for added protection and durability. The adhesive film Tuning Film, for example, UV-resistant and color loss, allows quick and easy customization thanks to a wide range of textures and finishes, difficult to reproduce with paint. With regard to the colored cut-out films, it’s used the top-of-the-range MACal 9800 Pro, with its 98 gloss and 2 matt colors, lasting 10 years outdoors (B/W).

The valuable partnership with Mactac is also allowing Gresini Racing to create all the graphics internally and independently in the laboratory set up inside the Racing Department in Faenza, equipped with Roland equipment for printing and cutting.

COMPANY PROFILE
Thanks to the constant innovation and improvement of its production, after more than half a century of history Mactac is now a leader in the graphic and decoration field. The foundation of Mactac dates back to the 40s, when the entrepreneur Burt Morgan started to produce tapes intended for the use in the medical sector. Currently the production facilities and distribution centers of Morgan Adhesives Company (MACtac) are present all over the world including the United States, Belgium, Canada, Mexico and Singapore. Mactac Europe distributes its products through wholly owned subsidiaries (France, UK, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Benelux, Switzerland, Spain and Singapore), and through an international network of specialized distributors located in other geographic areas, which are able to provide a sales service and highly professional assistance to companies of any size and sector of activity.

For more information, please visit:
www.mactac.eu

LUISA PETRUOLO (Mactac Italy Marketing Manager)
“At Misano we found a lot of passion, energy, professionalism and friendliness. We are proud to announce the partnership with Gresini Racing and we are pleased to provide them our material, as well as our experience. In these early months of collaboration our films for wrapping gave excellent results and that’s why all the team’s decorations from now on will be realized with Mactac materials. This is only the beginning of a great partnership, for sure!”.

FAUSTO GRESINI
“I’m very happy to count on a partner like Mactac to ‘dress up’ our bikes and all our facilities. Our teams need to show their colors and logos on the circuits around the world with a strong and well-finished image, and the Mactac materials allow us to fully meet this need, ensuring excellent quality and durability. An important collaboration that also allows us to manage the many custom graphics throughout the season in a simple and fast way. At our headquarters in Faenza we have also set up a laboratory dedicated to produce independently all our graphics and in this context the help of Mactac is undoubtedly essential”.

THE BIKES WILL BE RIDDEN BY ITALIAN LORENZO SAVADORI AND NORTHERN IRISHMAN EUGENE LAVERTY IN THE RACES

Two Aprilia RSV4 bikes will be on the track in the 2017 World Superbike Championship with the Milwaukee Aprilia Racing Team colours.

This is a two-year contract, so it will also be valid for 2018.

The agreement specifies that technical material and related direct assistance and support will be provided by Aprilia Racing, including bike development, which classifies Milwaukee as a Supported Factory Team.

This means that Aprilia Racing - the Piaggio Group racing department and technological point of excellence in the Italian motorcycle industry - is confirming its high level presence in the premier competition for factory derivative bikes, alongside its important efforts in MotoGP.

The goal is to compete at top levels in World SBK in order to emphasize the competitiveness of the Aprilia RSV4, capable of taking no less than seven World Titles (three Rider and four Manufacturer) between 2010 and 2014, proving to be the most victorious bike in recent WSBK history.

The result of a project intended to create a true racing bike that any enthusiast could have, the RSV4 astonished from its rookie season, winning a race in its maiden year and then racking up repeated championship wins in both the Manufacturer and Rider competitions (twice with Max Biaggi and once with Sylvain Guintoli). All this while the street version - obviously also characterized by an exclusive narrow 1.0 litre V4 - continued to win comparative reviews year after year with the best competitors in the world, both European and Japanese.

The team run by Shaun Muir, which boasts two British titles, will be able to count on a top shelf rider lineup: in addition to the 2015 Superstock Champion Lorenzo Savadori, who quickly drew attention this year in his rookie World Superbike season, Northern Irishman Eugene Laverty will be back in WSBK, 2013 runner up astride none other than an Aprilia RSV4.

Romano Albesiano - Aprilia Racing Manager

"Shaun Muir's team, after making a good name for themselves in the British championship, wants to get to the top of a world category. Our agreement includes, in addition to providing bikes and materials, support from Aprilia Racing personnel to manage and develop the RSV4, within a Factory Support type relationship.

The birth of the Milwaukee Aprilia Racing Team also marks Eugene Laverty's return to WSBK, a rider who we know well and whose professional and personal qualities have our utmost respect. He will have Lorenzo Savadori working alongside him, a young rider who has been part of our sports project for two seasons in which he won the Superstock 1000 title first and then drew attention in WSBK with an extremely positive rookie year".

Shaun Muir - SMR General Manager

"For SMR, collaboration with Aprilia Racing for 2017 and 2018 means a real chance to fight for the win. Aprilia has a strong and victorious history in World Superbike and we are determined to continue on the same path. Having Eugene and Lorenzo on board makes this a dream team. Without a doubt, Eugene is coming back to WSBK for one reason only - to win. Lorenzo, on the other hand, is the fastest rookie and a sure protagonist. I wish to thank Milwaukee, Gulf and all of the partners who are supporting our project".

Eugene Laverty

"I'm excited to return to Superbike with Aprilia and the RSV4, a bike with which I took ten wins and second place overall in the championship. I hope to be able to pick up where I left off with those results, thanks to the support of Aprilia and a fantastic team like Shaun Muir's. Everything is in place for us to be competitive straight away".

Lorenzo Savadori

"I am very happy to continue my adventure in World Superbike with Aprilia. This is another chance to achieve great results, with one more year of experience on the RSV4 for me. In a demanding rookie season I was already able to express a good performance level, learning a lot, both about race management and working in the garage, but I do not want to stop here. We will definitely be highly motivated at the start, with an ambitious project and a great desire to do well".

Jason Chiswell - Vice President of Marketing Milwaukee Tools

"At Milwaukee Power tools our vision is always to win and that same mentality is shared with the SMR team. We see the next year with Aprilia as being an exciting and a new winning chapter in our World Superbike program”.

Frank Rutten - Vice President of Gulf Oil International

"As the world’s fastest growing oil brand we are very excited by the prospect of moving forwards with what we believe will be one of the most rapid teams in SBK next year. We have been extremely impressed by the way SMR has entered the World Superbike arena. They are one of the best organized and most professional outfits in the paddock and we have developed an excellent working relationship with both them and the team’s title sponsor, Milwaukee Tools.

We are very excited by the prospect of moving forwards with them as team sponsor and official lubricant partners”. 

A new road rage survey from the car leasing company, Lease Car, has revealed that over 40% of UK drivers find cyclists more irritating than any other road user they encounter.

The survey asked more than 1,200* people in the UK a series of questions about what winds them up on our roads as well as their experiences with road rage. When asked to pick out the most infuriating road users motorists come across, there was a clear winner…

The top 5 most irritating road users in the UK

- Cyclists 40.5%

- School Run Mums 29.3%

- White Van Men 28.6%

- Taxi Drivers 24.2%

- Farm Machinery 21.4%

According to British Cycling, the number of cyclists on the road is at an all-time high, with more than two million cyclists taking to the roads every week. It’s thought that team GB’s success in the velodrome at the Olympic games, along with Britain’s recent successes in the Tour de France has spiked our nations interest in the sport.

Just about everyone has experienced “road rage” behind the wheel at some point or another. In fact, 42.6% of drivers feel angry with fellow road users at least once a week. But which UK city has the worst road rage problem? Cyclists… steer clear!

The angriest cities behind the wheel in the UK (based on instances of road rage a month)   

1. Southampton – 10.3

2. Leeds - 8.1

3. Plymouth – 7.8

4. Liverpool- 7.3

5. Manchester -7.1

6. Bristol – 7

7. Sheffield – 7

8. Newcastle – 6.8

9. Nottingham – 6.8

10. Glasgow – 6.2

Although they may be considered a nuisance, cyclists are the most vulnerable group on our roads today and need to be protected, even if this means adding a few minutes on to the average journey time. 

To help drivers and cyclists live in harmony on our roads, Lease Car has created a fact file of top tips for drivers to keep in mind when they encounter a cyclist on the road.

· Always check for cyclists before you open your car door – it sounds obvious but drivers can often forget to take a look at their surroundings before leaving their vehicle.

· Give cyclists plenty of space when overtaking them and if there isn’t enough room don’t attempt it.

· Treat cyclist’s equally- by law they are entitled to the same rights on the road as motorists so treat them as you would any slow-moving vehicle.

· Give them extra space in bad weather - wet conditions can make it extremely slippery for cyclists.

· At night use dipped headlights when approaching cyclists like you would any other road user.

· Leave room for cyclists at traffic lights.

· Be aware of blind spots, especially if you drive a HGV.

· When turning left allow a cyclist ahead of you to pass the junction rather than overtake them- patience can save lives.

Tim Alcock, Senior Marketing Executive at Lease Car said: “Our survey revealed that cyclists caused more stress to the average driver than any other road user, and whilst they may be an inconvenience when getting from A to B, we need to remember that they have as much right to be on the roads than anyone else. Cyclists are vulnerable road users, so it’s important to look at how we can raise awareness around their safety, and try and get drivers to keep their cool when they encounter them. Drivers can get carried away sometimes and its important to understand that what may seem like a minor reaction can be extremely dangerous and carry serious penalties if you’re caught by the police. We all come down with a case of Road Rage from time to time, but in these situations it’s important to keep to the old adage of keeping calm and carrying on.”

 * The research was conducted with 1,200 general consumers aged 18+ in GB between 05/08/2016 & 08/08/2016.  The survey was conducted from a random sample of UK adults.