An international prize-winning custom-built Harley-Davidson is the latest motorcycle with a story to arrive at the Customising, Culture & Harley-Davidson exhibition at MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester).

The Strike True II won Modified Harley class of the AMD Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building at Sturgis last year, and it is on display to the public for the first time. The stunning customised 2010 Harley-Davidson Softail Crossbones motorcycle was built by Shaw Harley-Davidson Speed and Custom, in Sussex.

Strike True II will be displayed in the MOSI exhibition, which runs until 11 September and spans early Harley-Davidsons to the very latest in customised motorcycles. The victorious bike features a number of modifications, including a hand-made rear fender, fabricated petrol tank, 1940s style speedster handlebars and custom paintwork.

Customising, Culture & Harley Davidson exhibition features over 30 motorcycles, including models from the UK, Germany, Japan and the US. Each bike has its own story, from a rare 1909 model built in the first decade of Harley-Davidson’s production heritage,  to the 1956 KH like the one Elvis rode, to the 1948 Ice Road Panhead, which defied motorcycle capabilities in conditions of minus 53 degrees, to complete an expedition to the Arctic.

Harley-Davidson Dealer Principal Steve Willis said: “Winning at the Sturgis World Custom event was a great accolade for us, particularly as it was the first year we entered. We’re delighted to feature in the world premiere of the Customising, Culture & Harley-Davidson exhibition, which spans over 100 years of this iconic motorcycle, so we really have gone down in history!”

Exhibition organizer Chris Scott of Claridon said: “We are delighted to have Strike True II as a guest in the exhibition. It is the first time this award-winning motorcycle has been on public display, so this is a chance to see some of the incredible engineering and design skill involved in customised Harley-Davidson motorcycles. We are extremely grateful to Shaw Speed & Custom for the loan of their amazing motorcycles but also for working with us on the monthly rolling bike programme which will bring added enjoyment to visitors of the exhibition.”

Customising, Culture and Harley-Davidson was created by the Claridon Group and MOSI and features many motorcycles which have never been displayed to the public before. It is the first time ever that an exhibition has showcased the historic and radical customs of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles, and the culture surrounding them.

The exhibition includes a section on customised Harley-Davidsons, such as the incredible Jaguar Bike, built by Polar Cycles, the Air Bike by Richard Taylor and the High Roller Trike (Destiny Cycles). It also looks at the distinctive culture of Harley-Davidson, including the tattoos, music and film associated with this of this iconic brand.

All Harley-Davidson motorcycles are manufactured in Milwaukee, USA, but the almost endless array of available aftermarket parts and accessories worldwide provides radical customisation opportunities and enables owners to realise their own personal dream machine. A full list of all motorcycles in the exhibition is available.

Customising, Culture and Harley-Davidson runs until 11 September at MOSI, Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester M3 4FP. Get Rhythm is on display until the end of June.

Adults £8, Concessions £6.50, HOG Members £6.50, Children (5-16) £2; Under 5s Free; Family £20 (2 adults, 3 children). Tickets can be bought from the MOSI Information Desk in the Great Western Warehouse or at www.ticketmaster.co.uk or by calling 0844 847 2261 (24 hours)*

*order processing fee applies to telephone or online sales

For more information on MOSI look up www.mosi.org.uk

The Heritage Motor Centre is delighted to host the National Bike Safe Show, a fantastic free outdoor family event dedicated to motorbike safety on Sunday 4th September from 10am – 4pm.  

Exciting highlights of the show include stunt rider Mattie Griffin performing some exhilarating motorcycle stunts plus displays of Manufacturers & Dealer bikes, Motorcycle Clothing & Accessories, Motorcycle Clubs, Mini Motos and a ‘Try before you buy’ scooter arena.

Visitors will also have the opportunity of riding for free on demo bikes including top names such as Ducati, Yamaha, Royal Enfield, BMW, Honda, Triumph and Suzuki (please bring both parts of your license). In addition visitors can enjoy refreshments and live music from three talented local bands. Younger members of the family can also enjoy entertainment such as a funfair and face-painting!

Emma Rawlinson, Event Executive for the Heritage Motor Centre stated “We’re delighted to be hosting the National Bike Safe Show at the HMC, the perfect venue for an event of this nature. If you ride a motorbike or scooter then this is the ideal show for you but even if you don't there is plenty for everyone to enjoy!”

‘BikeSafe’ is a nationwide police-led motorcyclist casualty reduction initiative that is run by the majority of forces throughout the UK. The Show is being organised in association with the Heritage Motor Centre, Sands Photography, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, The Motor Cycle Industry Association and Institute of Advanced Motorists, Highways Traffic Management.

National Bike Safe is just one of many exciting and unique motoring events held at the Heritage Motor Centre in 2011. To find out more information please visit the website at www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk

America’s top-selling and leading motorcycle magazine, Cycle World has announced its “10 Best Bikes of 2011” and among them awarded Italian manufacturer, Ducati, with “Best Open Streetbike” award for the Multistrada 1200 S Sport and “Best Cruiser” for the incredible new Diavel Carbon. 

It is for the second successive year that the game-changing Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Sport has won the “Best Open Streetbike” award, underlining the incredible success of the innovative 4-bikes-in-1 concept that has made it Ducati’s top-selling model world-wide.

Recognising the motorcycle’s design, Cycle World wrote:

“For the second year running, Ducati’s Multistrada 1200 S Sport has proven that its do-anything design, awesome on and off-road performance and category-leading features deserve recognition… Its tall adventure-bike stature puts its pilot in a comfortable and commanding seating position. Even in standard form, without the Sport’s excellent electronically adjustable Öhlins suspension, Ducati Traction Control, ABS and multiple-power-mode, ride-by-wire fuel injection, this Italian V-Twin is a sure winner. But with these weapons at its disposal, the Multistrada 1200 S Sport is one of the most capable and potent all-around machines we’ve ever tested.”

When unveiled at the Milan motorcycle show at the end of 2010, the Ducati Diavel represented a bold departure from the company’s sporting image, but the Bologna based manufacturer combined its sport technology and experience with elements of cruiser styling to present its own interpretation. This courageous, out-of-the-box thinking is something that has set Ducati aside from its competitors and enabled it to constantly redefine established sectors of the market.

Cycle World celebrated the Diavel’s challenge to the industry and wrote:

“Sure, you can go apehanger, floorboards or any number of more traditional routes in this most traditional of categories. Or you can say, Screw it! and let the focus groups focus on their navels. Ducati did just that, channelling the performance-minded spirit of classic American V-Twins like the Crocker and infusing it with garlic and other more modern powerful Italian spices (such as carbon fiber) to come up with one of the coolest, fastest, most fun motorcycles ever made, one that happens to be a “cruiser.”…it was impossible not to pick it as Best Cruiser.”

This important recognition mirrors the current success of Ducati in the US, where the famous Bologna brand has turned crisis into opportunity, with exciting product responsible for increasing its first half-year sales by 18.1% compared to 2010. In a market which has actually retreated by 8.8%, this clearly underlines the value of the award-winning Ducati Diavel and Multistrada 1200 as well as the Hypermotard 796, Monster 696 and 796 models. With the new Monster 1100EVO about to arrive stateside, Ducati are highly confident of their continued performance in the very important US market .

Ace Cafe London has teamed up with Rock of Ages - The Musical. Pick up a Rock of Ages postcard at the cafe, or from the Ace stand at either this weekend's High Voltage Festival, Victoria Park, London or at the cafe's Streetfighter & Stunt Festival, Brent Cross (Sunday 31st July) or at the cafe's Harley weekend (Thursday 25th - Sunday 28th August) to be in with a chance of winning two top price tickets and a nights stay at the Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury, Central London.
 
In addition, pairs of tickets to the show are for grabs as prizes for "Best Harleys" on Warr's HD Nights at the cafe, from 6pm on the last Thursdays of July, August and September.
 
The show, featuring 28 classic anthems, starring Justin Lee Collins & Shayne Ward, has been described as "Spinal Tap meets Rocky Horror", kicks off on Wednesday 31st August at London's Shaftsbury Theatre.
 
www.rockofagesmusical.co.uk

Red Dwarf’s ‘Cat’ and BBC MotoGP presenter lead charity ride on bright pink bikes from London to Southern Spain

Viva Valencia!, the charity ride being undertaken by Red Dwarf’s The Cat, real name Danny John-Jules, BBC MotoGP presenter, Matt Roberts, and Steve Keys, now has an official website – www.motoventures.co.uk
 
John-Jules and Keys, owner of the UK’s first Yamaha dealer, have been raising awareness and money for the charity, Riders for Health, by attending numerous events and shows on two bright pink Yamaha R1s over the past year. In October, the boys will be joined by Roberts to ride 1200 miles from Ace Cafe London to the Ricardo Tormo circuit, Valencia, Spain for the last race of the 2011 MotoGP championship.

The new website will bring news, updates, photos and list events that the Viva Valencia! team are attending, but, more importantly, it will be a place for people to donate to the charity, either using the pledge button or buying one of the special T-shirts on offer.

Riders for Health works by supplying and maintaining reliable transport for health workers to reach people in remote parts of Africa. Millions of people in Africa die from easily preventable diseases and the charity tries to prevent this by making sure these people can receive regular, reliable health care often for the first time in their lives.

The ride, which will be filmed for a TV documentary, will leave on October 30th from the Ace Cafe on London’s North Circular and follow a route taking in France’s Champagne region, Dijon, Montpellier and Barcelona; giving the boys plenty of time to take in local culture.

Once the team arrives in Valencia on November 3rd, they will be meeting up with local supporters of Riders for Health and then lead approximately 200 bikes into the circuit for a parade lap, followed by Spain's very own Day of Champions where, it is hoped, they will be auctioning for the charity some of the exclusive items they have gathered during their trip.

Danny John-Jules, currently in Guadalupe filming the new BBC One series Death in Paradise, said: ‘I’m a huge bike racing fan and supporter of the amazing work that Riders for Health does for the people living in remote parts of Africa. The charity provides and maintains motorcycles so that doctors and medical staff can reach these people – basic, but essential and life saving. To be able to ride down to the Valencia MotoGP with a couple of mates and help this charity along the way is a fantastic way to spend a week!

Matt Roberts will ride the 1200 miles on the specially painted Yamaha R1 that MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo used during a parade lap at the 2010 Isle of Man TT:

"As soon as Danny (John-Jules) and Steve (Keys) told me about their plan to ride to Valencia, I wanted in! I know it is going to be a long trip and the R1 isn't exactly built for comfort, but it's all for a great cause and I know there'll be plenty of laughs along the way. I'm also a big Red Dwarf fan so for me it doesn't get much cooler than riding with the Cat!"

Visit www.motoventures.co.uk to donate and keep up with regular news.