A team of eight motorcyclists from road safety charity, the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) are undertaking a sponsored tour of the British Isles in June to promote motorcycle safety and raise money for the Association of Air Ambulances. 
 
The ride begins on Monday 18 June, Ride to Work day, from the Ace Cafe London, finishing on Sunday 24 June at the Bikefest event in Shrewsbury.
 
Over the week-long tour, they will be visiting Christchurch, Bournemouth, Bassetts Pole, Newcastle, Glasgow and Belfast.
 
On Friday 22 June, Belfast will see a world record attempt for the most makes and models of motorcycles in a single parade. Supporters include the Quay Vipers Motorcycle Club, Adelaide Insurance Services, Days Hotel, Stena Line, Fiat and Bridgestone Tyres.
 
IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “Motorcyclists are some of the most vulnerable road users, but anyone that rides appreciates the enjoyment, convenience, and freedom that motorcycling brings.
 
“Our aims are to teach riders how to continue to enjoy their riding safely, and to better educate all road users to understand the needs of the individuals they share the road with. We are delighted to be supporting the Association of Air Ambulances, and raising money for this vital cause. Tragically, riding does sometimes go wrong and the quick response service they provide is vital in saving lives.”
 
To donate to the Association of Air Ambulances, click here.
 
To find out more about the Around British Isles Bike Ride, click here.
 
To sign up for the world record attempt, click here.

This year the American Memorial Remembrance Ride will take place on Armed Forces Day, which is Saturday 30th June 2012. 

Over 600 bikers and their machines are expected at the Cambridge Services on the A14 who will then ride along the A14 in ahuge convoy and through Cambridge to Madingly. 
 
This event is for all Bikers from across the United Kingdom, United States and Canada who are invited to attend the fourth Allied Memorial Remembrance Ride creating one ride in three Nations, its riders united in remembrance of our fallen heroes from the allied forces, past and present, who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
 
The UK ride will take place in Cambridge with a short service being held at the American War Cemetery in Madingley, Cambs. There will aslo be a salute and flypast by a Spitfire of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

This event has been organised by members of the Royal British Legion Riders Branch, a UK charity that safeguards the welfare, interests and memory of those who are serving or who have served in the Armed Forces. We are recognised as custodians of Remembrance. This ride is open to all bikers, you do not have to be a member of the Royal British Legion Riders to take part. In 2011 alone over £2,300 was handed over to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

The website gives full details of the Cambridge event and all the other rides taking place in both the USA and Canada.   

www.alliedride.org

World Ducati Week 2012 “by night” is set to rock the Adriatic Riviera, with events on Thursday and Friday nights acting as a warm-up for a Saturday night spectacular when the heroes of Ducati MotoGP and World Superbike take to the stage in Piazzale Roma in Riccione, followed by US-based super group, the Ducati All Stars in concert.

Running “by day” from 21-24 June at the Misano circuit, WDW2012 will continue “by night” with three evenings of red-hot Ducati entertainment ready for the thousands of Ducatisti arriving from all over the world. In what is shaping-up to be a record attendance for this year’s event entitled, “The Planet of the Champions”, Ducati have organised an action-packed program of enhanced nightlife.

The fun starts Thursday night when a massive procession of motorcycles leaves the Misano circuit to ride to nearby Cattolica, where the Beach Barbecue and Rock Party will be ready. The famous Rustida Barbecue will be followed by live music from the Ducati Band, a rock band whose members are all Ducati employees from the factory in Bologna. The spectacular sea-front opening night will finish with a stunning lightshow and fireworks display, typical of the Riviera.

On Friday night, the action moves to the centre of Misano where the Adriatic sea will provide the backdrop to a giant oval dirt track set-up for the Misano Speed Show. In the presence of "surprise guest stars”, stuntmen and riders of the Barrel Show will do battle in a series of adrenalin-fuelled performances.

The grand finale for WDW2012, will undoubtedly be from 9pm Saturday night, when a giant stage in Piazzale Roma on Riccione’s exclusive sea-front provides the venue for Champions on Stage and the Ducati All Stars live in concert. The show will host the Ducati racers as they arrive directly from their Diavel Drag Races at the circuit earlier in the evening and include Ducati’s MotoGP riders, Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden, the legendary triple World Superbike Champion, Troy Bayliss and reigning World Superbike Champion and Team Althea rider, Carlos Checa and teammate, Davide Giugliano. Team Effenbert Liberty Racing riders, Sylvain Guintoli, Jakub Smrz, Maxime Berger and Brett McCormick will also appear alongside Italian World Superbike riders, Niccolò Canepa and Lorenzo Zanetti. In a unique tribute to Ducati’s racing history, this incredible line-up of current world-level Ducati riders will also be joined by the man who kick-started Ducati’s L-Twin racing success 40 years ago, the legendary 1972 Imola 200 winner, Paul Smart.

Ducati’s full-gas preparation for the passion-filled seventh edition of World Ducati Week will headline the US-based super group, the Ducati All Stars. The stunning line-up includes Steve Jones, founder-member of the Sex Pistols and the proud owner of a Ducati GT1000 and Multistrada 1200, Duff McKagan, former bass player of Guns & Roses and currently in love with the Diavel, and Streetfighter S rider, Franky Perez, singer and percussionist and undoubtedly one of the strongest voices of rock in Los Angeles. On guitar is Steve Stevens, Grammy Award winner for co-writing the Top Gun anthem and who began his career with Billy Idol and worked with Michael Jackson and Robert Palmer. Also on guitar, ex-The Cult and current Billy Idol guitarist, Billy Morris alongside Loaded drummer, Isaac Carpenter.

With advance on-line ticket sales closing at wdw.ducati.com on 13 June, sales will recommence direct from the Misano circuit 18 June ready for Ducati’s massive World Ducati Week 2012.

www.ducati.com
 

TomTom the leading manufacturer of navigation systems have recently launched its Map Paradise Project, where they are looking for people to map tropical islands.

In their continued development of maps in countries far and wide, they have launched the project to help create five new navigable maps. These include Fiji, St.Lucia. Cape Verde, The Seycelles and currently, Mauritius.

They are looking for five lucky people (friends or families), to spend two weeks on the island of Maurities, staying in a 4 star all inclusive beach resort, where all they have to do is gain relevant information by driving around in a specially equipped mapping car. All expenses will be paid, along with an extra €10,000 paid to the group.

The winners will have the opportunity to not only have a great holiday in a beautiful location and free of charge, they also get to experience first hand what it takes to produce the maps that we all use inside our sat navs... and in glorious surroundings!

So if you enjoy exploring beautiful places, like lovely weather and know your East from you West and indeed your North from your South, just fill in the simple form by 12th of July.

For Cape Verde from the 12th of July until the 26th of July.

The Seycelles from 26th of July until the 9th of August.

There are also nine runner up prizes of a TomTom Via 130 or equivalent.

The winners will be announced on their facebook page and also via email.

TomTom produce a variety of devices including the RIDER, specifically for Motorcycle users.

See the video below for more details

This post has been sponsored by TomTom

During the week Environment Minister Alex Attwood proposed radical changes in driver training and new driver safety. The new measures which are said to reflect best practice around the world, are claimed to be a fundamental shift towards safer driving for young people.
 
Alex Attwood said: “These proposals would create the most radical change in the driver training regime for a generation. I know that the proposals will challenge our thinking. But the objective of better road safety with the ambition of zero road deaths on one hand and reduced driver premiums on the other makes a bold and informed approach the right approach. This is the core argument at the heart of the proposals.”
 
The Minister’s plans include:
 •lower provisional licence age of 16½;
 •a mandatory minimum learning period of 12 months for provisional licence holders;
 •post test period will be two not one year;
 •removal of the 45 mph speed restriction currently applied to learner and restricted drivers;
 •learner drivers will be allowed to take lessons on motorways when accompanied by a fully qualified Approved Driving Instructor in a dual-controlled car;
 •N plates (for ‘New’ drivers) will replace R plates, displayed for two years; and
 •compulsory logbooks for learner drivers;
 •and in a new initiative, new drivers up to age 24 will not be allowed to carry young passengers (aged 14 to 20, except immediate family members) during their first six months post-test, unless there is a supervising driver over 21, with three years full licence in the passenger seat.
 
To implement these changes the Department will need to make primary legislation. With Executive approval from Stormont,  it intends to include the necessary provisions in a Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill planned for introduction to the Assembly later this year.
 
How although this only mentions drivers, there are some aspects, if related to riders, that would have an effect, especially as in January 2013 the European Driving Licence will change the learning and testing period for riders.
 
At Right To Ride, not being backward at coming forward, we fired off some questions which included:
 •Part of the announcement was that the R-plate currently displayed by newly-qualified drivers restricted to 45 mph will be replaced by an N (for new drivers) plate which must be displayed for two years. This is linked into, as previously discussed in the stakeholders meeting, to remove the 45 mph restriction on learners and newly-qualified drivers.
 •Also regarding the N plate would this include motorcyclists, considering the introduction of the 3DLD and the progressive access route to the different categories and having to pass a test to step up a category A1- A2 – A would a rider have to display a N plate for six years.
 •Also with introduction of Direct Access then I would assume a rider would have to display the N Plate.
 •And also the announcement includes that,  New drivers up to the age of 24 will not be allowed to carry young passengers, except immediate family, for six months after passing the driving test., would this have an effect on motorcyclists.
 •Maybe a review/overview for the next stakeholders meeting on how or if the changes will affect learner motorcyclists and those that past their test.
 
The Department of the Environment has also announced it is already taking forward plans to legislate to set the drink drive limit for newly qualified drivers (for two year post-test) at 20mg/100mls in place of the current limit for all drivers of 80 mg/100mls and plans to consult on this shortly.
 
The Department will also be taking measures to improve new driver safety that won’t need legislation. It will do this by developing awareness campaigns and improving driver training.
 
In a “Pigs might Fly” statement the insurance industry has apparently said, “Significantly, the car insurance industry has pledged to review premiums for young drivers if these changes are enacted. “ “These measures should benefit young drivers on the road and in their pocket: by helping to make them safer drivers and reducing their crash risk, they will benefit from lower motor insurance premiums.”
 
We would like to see that same statement from the insurance industry regarding motorcycling, as previously mentioned with the introduction of the 3rd European Driving Licence will see a motorcycle licence structure in place designed for riders to progressively access different categories of motorcycles in respect of their power and speed, with a regime of stricter testing and training. New riders should already be safer on the road with the introduction of CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) that riders must complete and be delivered by AMI (Approved Motorcycle Instructor).
 
However riders in themselves may be safer on the roads but is the interaction with other road users and their awareness of motorcyclists that cause problems? Therefore within these proposals we welcome the introduction of compulsory logbooks for learner drivers and we hope that these log books include a section for learner drivers to be instructed and learn to look out for riders and other vulnerable road users.
 
Perhaps a new generation of drivers will be more aware of motorcycles and their riders.
 
Read the article on Right To Ride 
 
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