On Wednesday 28 November, Motorcycle Live will be hosting Dirt Day – an introduction to the world of off-road and adventure riding.

Kawasaki, BMW Motorrad, Yamaha and Honda will each takeover a slot on the Blackhorse Stage in the British Eurosport Entertainment Zone, where special guests – from road racers to well-known adventurers – will talk about their love of dirt riding, offer advice on how to get started and show visitors how to navigate their way around off-road machinery.      

The day will begin with Kawasaki British Superbike rider Chris ‘The Stalker’ Walker taking to the stage to chat about his off-road school, StalkerMX. He will be joined by World MX2 rider Tommy Searle, as well as seven-times Dakar contender Mick Extance, who will launch his new Kawasaki Experience and enduro rider Martin Chappell, who will introduce his Trail and Off-road Experience.       

This will be followed by a Q&A session with a whole host of BMW Motorrad’s worldwide adventure riders including Long Way Round’s Charley Boorman, Dakar rally racer Si Pavey, female thrill-seeker Squash Falconer and the globe-busting riding duo Julia and Kevin Sanders.      

Honda World Superbike star and off-road enthusiast Jonathan Rea will take to the stage to talk about his passion for motocross and how it led him to set up his own MX team – JAR Honda. Three-time world motocross champion and Buildbase Honda Team Manager, Dave Thorpe, will also be present to introduce the new Dave Thorpe Honda Off Road Centre in Wales.      

Finally, Yamaha will welcome two special guests: long-distance adventure motorcyclist Nick Sanders and former MX GP rider Barry Johnson – both of whom are running live features at Motorcycle Live 2012.      

Sanders, whose career spans 30 years and has included seven round-the-world trips, will be entertaining show goers with the FREE Nick Sanders Motorcycle Cinema. The feature is back for 2012 with a brand new short film depicting the charismatic traveller’s mad journeys across deserts and faraway places, with clips from his record-breaking Pan American journey The Incredible Ride along with his first record ride Fastest Man, a classic from 15 years ago.      

If you’re up for trying dirt riding on the day – or any other day of the show – head to the Yamaha Off-Road Experience for a FREE taster session under the watchful eye of qualified instructors, led by Barry Johnson. The specially-designed indoor motocross circuit caters for all levels of experience from those who have just the basics of clutch control through to experienced road riders. Kids can also have a go on the KTM Red Bull Pro Nationals Motocross Experience, which gives children aged five to 12 years old the chance to get dirty and try out off-road riding.      

Motorcycle Live 2012 runs from Saturday 24 November to Sunday 2 December at The NEC, Birmingham. The all-inclusive ticket gives access to five exhibition halls crammed with all the latest bikes, clothing and accessories and seven FREE opportunities to ride a bike**, plus non-stop entertainment from some of the biggest names in biking on the Blackhorse Stage in the British Eurosport Entertainment Zone. Also featuring the BSH/Streetfighters Custom Xtreme Zone, the Yamaha Escape Zone, the Classic Zone in association with Coventry Transport Museum and FREE entry into the Ramp’d Up Freestyle Motocross Arena**.      

Advance tickets for Motorcycle Live 2012 cost just £16 per adult, £10 for seniors and £6 per child*.

To book your tickets, call 0844 581 2345 or visit www.motorcyclelive.co.uk

The latest Department for Transport road casualty statistics released today show a decrease in casualties for vulnerable road users.  

There has been in a fall in vulnerable road user casualties when April-June 2011 is compared to April-June 2012; however there has been a significant rise over the year.  

• The number of cyclists killed or seriously injured rose 9 per cent from 2,950 in 2010/11 to 3,210 in 2011/12. This is 27 per cent more than the average between 2005-2009.
• The number of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured rose 5 per cent from 5,207 in 2010/11 to 5,450 in 2011/12
• The number of pedestrians killed or seriously injured rose 5 per cent from 5,701 in 2010/11  to 5,970 in 2011/12  

IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig said: “In the six months before these results there were increases in the numbers killed and seriously injured.  This drop has not made up for that.  We need to do much more to turn this quarter’s figures into a trend. Upgrading roads, targeted safety campaigns and measures to improve road user awareness among new drivers are needed too. The drop in road casualties is really good news but the Department for Transport admits that it is likely to be linked to this year’s wet weather. We shouldn’t rely on a few months of dodgy weather to get cyclists and motorcyclists casualties down.”

www.iam.org.uk

The Test Ride Zone will make a welcome return to Motorcycle Live 2012 thanks to Shoei, Sidi and Spada and a great line up of models from some of the world’s leading manufacturers.      

Show goers with a full motorcycle licence can sign up for a FREE 20-minute test ride on a model of their choice before heading out on the open roads around The NEC accompanied by an out-rider. Those visitors travelling by train or car can also get involved, as Shoei, Sidi and Spada will be providing all the necessary safety equipment. Here’s what last year’s visitors had to say about the feature:      

“A good idea for those who are not sure what sort of bike to buy. You can get good advice on what bike suits your needs and what sort of riding gear is available to you.” – Colin Williams, 65, Cardiff      

“The best way to ride different manufacturer’s bikes all in one place.” – Gene Loder, 45, Hartlepool      

“Great for deciding if that new bike is right for you.” – Steve Collier, 47, Wolverhampton      

“Buzzing, informative and a pleasure.” – Nicola Ford, 55, Beccles      

The following manufacturers will be providing motorcycles (models TBC): Ducati, Kawasaki, Harley-Davidson, Honda, KTM, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Victory, Yamaha and Zero. Participation is subject to availability. Participants must be over 21 years old and hold a full UK licence and bring both parts of this for verification. To book a ride, head to the Test Ride Zone check-in desk in Hall 4. Bookings will be taken from 10.00am.      

The Test Ride Zone is just one of the exciting live features at this year’s show. The all-inclusive Motorcycle Live ticket gives access to five exhibition halls crammed with all the latest bikes, clothing and accessories and seven FREE opportunities to ride a bike**, plus non-stop entertainment from some of the biggest names in biking on the Blackhorse Stage in the British Eurosport Entertainment Zone. Also featuring the BSH/Streetfighters Custom Xtreme Zone, the Yamaha Escape Zone, the Classic Zone in association with Coventry Transport Museum and FREE entry into the Ramp’d Up Freestyle Motocross Arena**.      

Advance tickets for Motorcycle Live 2012 cost just £16 per adult, £10 for seniors and £6 per child*. To book your tickets, call 0844 581 2345 or click here.      

For real-time news and updates:  

Visit www.facebook.com/motorcyclelive  

Follow @motorcyclelive on Twitter

The IAM is continuing its call for post-test training for young drivers in the light of the government’s response to the transport select committee.

IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig said:  “We welcome the MPs’ call for more central government responsibility.  We want to see national targets to reduce death and injuries on Britain’s roads.  Getting rid of them was a mistake. We support a review of driver training, especially for young drivers.  The current system of learning to drive abandons them when they need help most – in the first six months of solo driving. Post-test training in the first 12 to 18 months after passing the driving test would save lives. Having analysed systems of post-test training from other countries, we know that the best examples have reduced young male deaths by almost 30 per cent2*.”  

The IAM wants to see accredited training offered to young drivers in the first 12 to 18 months after passing the basic driving test.  

This would include:  
• Training by qualified instructors.
• An initial on-road assessment to gain knowledge of their experience and to highlight any deficiencies.
• Off-road practice in handling in the wet, speed into corners and the impact of speed on stopping distances.
• Benefits such as cheaper insurance for young drivers who complete the training.

www.iam.org.uk

Many people who live in larger cities purchase motorbikes for transportation. They are much more compact and easier to use to get around the city. However, as with any vehicle in the city, parking space can be quite limited.

Also, another issue is that cities tend to have higher crime rates than less urbanized areas. What this means for a motorbike owner is higher insurance premiums. Living in a city with a motorbike poses a lot of inherent risk which affects insurance costs.

Even though motorbike insurance costs are generally higher in urban areas, there are some things that can help bring these costs down somewhat. The insurance company will want to know where you store your vehicle. They may also send an agent down to inspect the location. When a motorbike is stored in a more secure location, this can help bring the premium down a bit.

Some apartment complexes will offer storage units or offer renting of parking spaces within a covered garage. This are ideal if you own a motorbike. Secure and covered storage is the best kind to keep one’s motorbike safe. Insurance companies will offer lower premiums if this is where the motorbike will be kept.

Certain parts of a city may be more prone to crimes than other. If you absolutely must park your motorbike on the street, perhaps the section of the city in which you reside is one of the lower crime areas. This can also make a small difference in the premium amount.

If you have no other choice but to park a motorbike on the street, make sure to park in a well-lit area. It is also a good idea to park in location that has a certain amount of traffic. Also, adding a security alarm or device to secure the bike can help to keep it safe.

There are many different types of insurance available, and lots of different insurers that will offer different types of policies. 

Insurers like Carole Nash offer policies for motorcycles and you can find more information about what they offer by going to their website.