Unfortunately he won’t be able to stick around for the weekend as he is jetting off to Le Mans for the next round of the MotoGP.

Can Valentino Rossi make the podium again after his less than thrilling form this year? More to the point, can our very own Cal Crutchlow continue his run of good form? Steve sure hopes so, almost as much as he’s hoping for sunshine at Le Mans…

Don’t forget to keep up to date with Steve’s MotoGP blog, as he brings you all the latest news and previews direct from the track!

2012′s line-up sees John McGuinness and Simon Andrews comprise a two-man Superbike squad on their Honda CBR1000RR Fireblades. In addition, Gary Johnson will be hoping to take the lead in the Superstock Class in this, his fifth year at the event.

McGuinness made his NW200 debut in 1994 in what was to be his first ever road-race. Since then, he managed to secure his first win in 2000 and has achieved four wins around the 8.9 mile course. Simon Andrews, meanwhile was 2011′s fastest newcomer at the Isle of Man TT and makes his debut at the NW200 this year. Both riders will take part in two Superbike races on Saturday 19th May.

Speaking of the event, McGuinness said;

‘The NW200 has been part of my racing career for such a long time. I absolutely love it – there’s nothing quite like Northern Irish hospitality. It’s a unique circuit and we race wheel to wheel at incredibly high speeds. It will be really nice to make a return and I hope we can make it count.’

The prize includes a VIP trip for two to see the likes of Tyco Suzuki’s Alistair Seeley and Josh Brookes fighting it out with other masters of the track. Not only is the BSB weekend ticket included, but you will also receive travel to and from the Assen venue, accommodation for three nights in a four-star hotel, grandstand seats, circuit hospitality, paddock access, a garage tour and a meet and greet with the TAS Racing Team.

This is a massive prize and is a once in a lifetime chance for any BSB fan. Suzuki GB’s Tim Davies said he was very pleased to be offering a fan the opportunity;

‘British Superbike is regarded as the best domestic race series in the world and to have one of the showdown meetings on this famous and historic circuit is fantastic. We’re very excited to offer one of our loyal and valued customers the chance to be a part of it and reward them for choosing to stay with our dealer network.’

When it comes to searching for cheap Suzuki insurance there’s no better place to compare prices than at thebikeinsurer.co.uk.

The donation is a part of the BikeSafe UK initiative which aims to prevent accidents amongst the motorbike community by promoting safe riding ahead of the imminent summer season.

The police force hopes their new machine will act as an ice-breaker with motorbike riders at motorcycle events throughout the year, such as those scheduled at Devil’s Bridge and Hartside Cafe. In previous years, the Cumbrian Police have used a Ducati 848 for the same purpose.

Looking for Kawasaki insurance? Then you’ve come to the right place as we guarantee to beat your cheapest quote – no matter what model you ride!

Fast becoming a leading name in the replacement control cable market, Slinky Glide’s cables are strong, hard-wearing and feature a rust and freeze resistant compound so you can be on the road in less than desirable conditions. They also contain a polymide coating around the inner cable to protect it from friction.

Mimicking the original part perfectly but at a much lower cost, the cable delivers a superior level of performance and durability when compared to cables of a similar price.

If you like the sound of Slinky Glide’s parts then they are available for the:

• Hyosung GA 125 Cruise
• Hyosung GV 125 Aquilia
• Hyosung GT 650 R Comet.

The 25-year old and his team had worked hard all weekend to get his Honda CBR1000RR ready for the harder rear-tyre available at the race-track, an effort which obviously paid off, affording him a fourth place finish in race one and a flat out win in the second race of the event.

A set-up alteration for the second race allowed Rea to join a hard-fought five way battle at the front, a battle which continued until the final corner when main competitor Leon Haslam crashed out, leaving the way clear for Rea to glide through to victory. The podium win was the rider’s first at Donington and as a result of his points allocation, he is now third in the Championship stakes, 20.5 points off the lead.

As can be expected, Rea was more than happy with the result;

‘It’s nice to win and in that second race everybody wanted to win so bad. It’s nice to come here and get a good result because it’s never happened in the past with Superbike. On the slowing-down lap, everybody was clapping and it’s nice to have a British winner at a British round.’

The first prize is a Yamaha Off-Road Experience Day, which would normally cost £200 per session. The day will see you pitting your wits on an off-road course, while at the same time learning all-new off-road skills all under expert tuition. As if that wasn’t enough, you will also win a copy of the game so you can practice your skills virtually, at home.Five lucky runners up will also receive a copy of the game.

If this sounds like a prize too good to miss, then get your entries into the Great Competitions website before midday, Friday  25th May.

The 110th Anniversary Signature Jacket comes in at £399 and with only 500 produced worldwide it really is an item any die-hard Triumph fan will be proud to own. Each jacket is individually embroidered and numbered and is constructed from natural grain leather in a black matt finish. Complete with removable Knox shoulder pads and elbow protectors, the jacket not only looks stylish but is protective also.  Its deep red thermal lining includes an exclusive woven label featuring the signature of John Bloor, the man behind the brand’s 1990 relaunch.

If your budget can’t quite stretch to the jacket, then why not consider the 110th Anniversary Polo Shirt or T-Shirt which retails at £45? The shirt comprises a printed patch on the left side of the chest, while the T-Shirt feels very vintage, with a 110 year anniversary print emblazoned across its front.

If you’d much rather go for a stylish and limited edition accessory then you will love the 110th Anniversary Watch, coming in at £399.99. The watch is a Swiss Ronda Chronograph and has a leather strap. Only 110 watches are to be made and each will be individually numbered.

Finally, the Helmet Bag, at £250, includes the exclusive woven label with John Bloor’s signature. Only 110 will be crafted in England and again, they are all individually numbered.

If you would like to get your hands on some of this limited edition and celebratory Triumph merchandise, then head to their website www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk for more information.

For £50, fans will be given a complete TT package including a 40mm photo printed directly onto the side of their bike, a unique sponsors t-shirt, access to the paddock and team awnings, a grid walk with a team pass and even an invitation to a sponsor’s gathering. Not only is the package the ultimate for a TT fan, but it also benefits the event in general, as Team Founder Mark Cubbon explains;

‘During the TT fortnight, every bike will require approximately £2,000 worth of tyres and a minimum of £700 in fuel as well as chains, brake pads and any other consumable.This is a unique way to cover costs and at the same time give TT fans the chance to get close to the event.’

The team itself is now in its fourth year and in that time it has been responsible for launching the careers of both Steve Mercer and Stephen Thompson. They also backed Dan Hegarty who made his debut in the TT for the outfit last year and though an arm injury meant he couldn’t ride as well as he would have liked, Mr Cubbon says they are very glad to have him back this year;

‘As a team, we believe Dan has the talent to progress into a great Road Racer. TT 2011 was a frustrating year for him because of an arm injury but now a fully fit Dan is leading the British Thundersport Series and excited  about returning to the Mountain Course with the team.’

If you would like to be involved with The People’s Bike then just visit the website, www.thepeoplesbike.com for more information!

Sdoc 10o is a complete leather care system which, after application, forms a protective barrier around the outer skin of your leathers. The best part of it is, the barrier is 100% waterproof and invisible which means water won’t be able to seep through between your skin and your leathers should you ever get stuck in the rain.

After just one application, the spray begins to give nutrients back to the leather, keeping it supple and comfortable to wear. With regular applications, it can even help prevent UV bleaching. All you have to do is spray the treatment directly onto the garment, let it go to work and then gently wipe with a soft, dry cloth. And that’s it!

Sdoc 100 Leather Care Spray retails at £13.98 and can be used on your leather jackets, trousers and complete suits. You could even give it a go on your boots, gloves and any other leather garment you might own.

So, you’ve got your leathers, you’ve got your bike, now you just need your motorbike insurance. That’s where we come in. When it comes to searching for cheap motorbike insurance, there’s no better place than thebikeinsurer.co.uk

This year, the event is sponsored by Dick Lovett Motorrad and is all set to be the best showcase to date. Stunt rider Mattie Griffin will be attending as will plenty of trade stands, local dealer exhibits, motorbike clubs and family attractions ensuring the day really is catered to all ages. For the little ones there’ll be bouncy castles, mini quad bikes and buggies so they can really get involved.

In a special event, the Assessed Ride and Track experience will be on hand for you to really hone your motorbiking skills. With Advanced Police Motorcyclists available to provide professional rider training, the session will end with a 15 minute spin around the Castle Combe Circuit. If you like the sound of some professional training, it will cost £30 and is worth booking in advance to avoid disappointment.

Local dealers including Dick Lovettt Motorrad, Bristol Kawasaki,Total Triumph and Branson’s of Yeovil are also going to be present with a range of their latest bikes for you to get the feel of. Rivers of Bridgwater will also be showing their demo fleets of Ducati and Harley Davidson bikes which will be available for test rides on the day; again, advance booing via the website is recommended so you’re not disappointed when you arrive! As if that wasn’t enough, there will be on track demos by professional riders.

Managing Director of Castle Combe, Rodney Gooch, said he was delighted to be hosting the event;

‘We are very pleased to be hosting the Experience this year. We feel anything that helps riders improve their skills to make them safer is worthwhile and hopefully they can achieve that. Also, if they enjoy a few laps of the track they can come back and participate in one of our track days during the year.’

R+B UK JT Ltd has managed to enlist British Superbike rider Michael Rutter to support their new product which greatly improves wheel traction and helps to prevent dangerous crashes occurring. The company’s Managing Director, Ian Russell though not a biker himself, questioned hundreds of motorbike riders all of who said they would welcome the introduction of the redesigned covers;

‘Other than there being something in the road, there is nothing worse for a biker than a slippery manhole cover. As a manufacturer in the industry it is something we have only recently been asked to look at. Until three or four years ago, skid resistance wasn’t really a factor but it has been driven up by motorcycling groups and it has snowballed recently.’

The Tuftac cover is effective because asphalt is embedded into its surface before it is placed on the road, so it is automatically given a double layer of strength, durability and most importantly, traction.

The business is currently sponsoring Michael Rutter’s Superbike Team and as a result he has been able to show the item off around Europe. The company is now in talks with the Isle of Man TT team to replace all the manhole covers around the circuit with Tuftac ones. All in all, the business has a turnover of £3 million a year and is hoping to expand further by selling the product in Doha, Qatar.

In order to fire the gun, the bike had to be halted and stabilised; nonetheless, the sight of an enormous gun motoring towards you on the back of an otherwise harmless moped would have been an unnerving one, especially if you were in its sights!

According to the auctioneer at Coys, in its heyday the moped would have also had the delicate addition of a rocket propelled grenade presented in a stylish wicker basket, but as this one has remained unused and unloved for 30 years, it’s safe to say all live weapons have been removed.

If you can’t quite stretch to the guide price or have a slightly more up to date and less frightening version of a Vespa, why not consider insuring it with thebikeinsurer.co.uk? We guarantee your cheapest quote and not a weapon in sight!

The accident meant two lanes of the M4 had to be closed for nearly three hours after the incident occurred around lunchtime near Swindon, Wiltshire. Both riders are thought to be in their fifties,with the female suffering a head injury as she was thrown from the machine. The male sustained both back and head injuries but thankfully neither rider’s injuries are life-threatening.

A Met Office spokesman said that the wind was strong on Monday, with gusts ranging from 17-25mph throughout the day. He said, ‘It was reasonably strong but not that unusual.’ Passers by who witnessed the accident noted that the riders appeared to suddenly swerve out of the blue before they fell from the vehicle.

Having recently become a racing contender with Tom Sykes at the helm, the Kawasaki has certainly proven it deserves its superbike status, winning at Monza over the weekend and creating a fastest ever top speed in the process. If you’d like to be a part of race history, the monster of the road is available for 0% finance with monthly repayments of £250 per month over a four-year period.

If the ZX-10R isn’t the bike for you, then don’t let that stop you because Kawasaki are also offering finance packages on 15 of hteir other top models, including the Ninja ZX-6R, ER6 and Z1000 SX.

When you need motorbike insurance for your Kawasaki look no further than The Bike Insurer. We’ll compare prices at the click of a button – to make sure you get a great deal.

Both scooters have a generous saddle and a helmet compartment which has enough space for a flip-up helmet. Its wheels are five double spoke 14” glossy black.

To help you get on the road and to celebrate the scooter’s launch, Aprilia is offering a couple of finance deals to get you started;

• The SR Motard 125 ca be yours for a £99 deposit and monthly repayments of £60.38 thereafter at 4.9% APR.
• If you’d prefer the SR Motard 50, put down a £99 deposit and then pay £49.93 a month at 4.9% APR.

All motorcyclists who test ride a Harley before the 30th June 2012 will be in with a chance of winning a trip to ride the iconic Route on the equally iconic bike. To be automatically entered into the competition, all you have to do is complete a demonstrator test-ride of a brand new Harley at an authorised dealership in the UK and Ireland; do this and you will be in with a chance of winning this once in a lifetime prize!

To book your test-ride, simply visit the Harley Davidson website and choose the time and date that best suits you. An extensive range of bikes is ready and waiting for you to try from the nippy Sportster, to the performance-focused V-Rods and touring machines, perfect for cruising down Route 66. You could even try out the brand new models released in February; the Seventy-Two and Softail Slim.

When looking for insurance, why not compare motorbike insurance with us and we’ll display prices from over 35 of the UK’s top brokers, ensuring you get the best deal possible.

The second episode provides another behind the scenes look at all the action from the Challenge’s second round which took place at Thruxton on the 14th-15th April. The show provides highlights from the weekend’s two action-packed races from the Hampshire circuit, as well as an interview with rider James Egan about his reasons for moving to the UK from South Africa to take part in the Triumph Triple Challenge event.

Guy Masters, the General Manager of Triumph UK said he hopes the second installment is as successful as the first;

‘The first episode of the Triumph Triple Torque Vodcast has been hugely well received with viewing figures shooting up to over 4000 viewers in the first week alone. The second episode demonstrates how competitive the Championship is. Interviews with riders and race teams also help viewers get under the skin of the Championship, revealing some great human stories behind the Triumph Triple Challenge.’

Race One

Though Philip Atkinson started the first race of the day in fourth place, he soon managed to power through the field reaching poll position in no time ahead of both Rob Guiver and Chrissy Rouse. From the moment he overtook, Atkinson proved himself unbeatable, keeping the bike way out in front for the duration of the challenge. As can be imagined, he was elated with his win;

‘Chrissy rode by me and he fell off immediately so I knew that was obviously the limit on that corner. Then Rob flew by and he had a few big moments, I managed to get around him again and stay inch perfect.’

Rob Guiver finished second, closely followed by Christian Elkin who had a great race. Guiver said he was happy to beat wet conditions;

‘I’ve not been too confident in the wet in the past couple of years so to get ou there and get some decent laps in the rain was really good. Some corners had a lot of grip, some didn’t – Phil just seemed to find more and rode really well.’

Race Two

After a hard fought first race, the second resulted in a complete turn of events with Guiver taking the win after out-braking Atkinson and breaking free from the lap for lap contest between the two. Though at times Atkinson looked as though he had taken the advantage, it wasn’t to be and Guiver stormed through to bring home the win;

‘I’m over the moon with that. I do love races where there’s loads of pressure. Phil pushed me all the way,  he was riding just as well as me.’

When you needmotorbike insurance for your Triumph look no further than The Bike Insurer. We’ll compare prices at the click of a button – to make sure you get a great deal.

2012′s Isle of Man TT programme, fuelled by Monster Energy, is set to be one of the closely fought in TT history and with only a few short weeks until riders start their engines, we will soon bare witness once again to the greatest motorbike road race on earth.

When is the 2012 Isle of Man TT taking place?

The 26th May to the 8th June 2012 – fourteen days in which the eyes of the world will turn to a small island off-mainland UK; a small island with a massive motorcycle racing history which will once again host the greatest multi-race, multi category motorbike event in the world.

The History of the Isle of Man TT Races

1904 was the start of the phenomenon; the government of the Isle of Man passed a law which permitted racing on the public roads of the island and in the following year, 1905, the Tourist Trophy (TT) race was added to the racing calendar with 1907 hosting the first motorbike race.

By 1911 the world famous Mountain circuit became a part of the overall race, with the first motorcycles taking it on in the event of the same year. The 1922 TT saw the first victory for a Manx rider in the shape of Tom Sheard in the 350cc category. Fast forward a few years and 1949 was the year in which the TT became the venue for the Motorcycle World Championships.

The late 1950s and 1960s is often fondly remembered as the Golden Era of the TT, with riders such as Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini, Phil Read and Jim Redmond all competing for the trophy. This period of history also signalled the entrance of Honda as a TT racing team.

By 1961, Mike Hailwood won the first of fourteen TTs, becoming the first ever rider to finish the race with a total of three wins in a week. One of the most historical races of the period was 1967′s battle between Hailwood on an MV and  Giacomo Agostini on a Honda, a race still considered by many as the greatest ever race in TT history. During the head to head, Hailwood managed to set a lap record of 108.77mph which he held on to for the next eleven years.

1975 saw the introduction of one of the TT’s true greats, Joey Dunlop. Over his epic career, Joey took a massive 26 victories on the Mountain Course between 1977 and 2000, a record never exceeded to this day. One of his many career highlights was in 1980, when he recorded the fastest lap since the beginning of the TT with a speed of 115+mph.

1992 signalled the  TT entrance of World Superbike Champion, Carl Fogarty. It was also the year in which Joey Dunlop managed to equal Mike Hailwood’s record of fourteen TT wins. By the year 2000, Joey was ready to bow out in style at the age of 48, winning his final TT and clocking up a total of 26 entries into the race.

By 2004, John McGuinness began to demonstrate the skills that have made him one of the best riders the TT has ever known by taking his first hat-trick of wins; by 2009, he had managed to overtake Mike Hailwood’s winning record by taking the trophy fifteen times. At the same time he raised the outright lap record to 131.578mph on his Honda CBR 1000R. Last year’s TT, 2011, was the centenary of the Mountain Course’s involvement in the event.

With so much history behind it, it’s no wonder the TT is the most important motorbike race on the calendar. Any competitive motorbike racer worth his salt wants to take a piece of TT glory at some point in their career, but only the best can prevail. To succeed, the rider must sustain their machine over the 37.75 mile course, but with over 200 corners to contend with, it’s no mean feat.

This year alone, 101 riders registered their interest for the 1000cc sector but with only 70 starting spots only 86 riders qualified to fill the 70 positions with 16 held back in reserve. Of these, 56 have already managed to break the 120mph barrier proving that this is one race for which the faint-hearted need not apply. Something summed up perfectly by top ex-TT rider Cam McDonald;
“The Isle of Man TT is simply the greatest test of man and machine you could imagine. There’s just nothing like it on earth.”

Who will be competing in the Isle of Man TT in 2012?

The competition this year is set to be fierce with a capital ‘F’, with John McGuinness determined to take the title for the 18th time. His number of wins means he has surpassed the late, great John Hailwood’s tally of wins on the Snaefell Mountain Course and he’ll also no doubt attempt to beat his own personal lap record while he’s at it. Hoping to do even better than he did in 2011 in this, his second TT, is last year’s best newcomer Simon Andrews, so he is certainly one to watch. It couldn’t have been put better than it was by former TT competitior Neil Tuxworth who recently said;
“When it comes to the TT what better line up than the fastest man around the course and the 2011 fastest newcomer?“

How do I buy tickets for the 2012 Isle of Man TT?

Massive numbers of tickets are sold every year for this great spectacle and 2012 is proving to be no exception with five new dedicated ‘Fan Zones’. Each zone has 200-300 dedicated seats to supplement the main grandstand area at the start/finish line at Glencrutchery Road.

When we checked at the time of writing there was still plenty of Granstand ticket availability and your best bet of buying your tickets quickly and safely, is to purchase them from the IOM TT official website. Priced from £5-£25, these vantage points are all situated in official grandstands with a range of refreshments and facilities:

• Ballacrye (200 seats) – Just north of Ballaugh Village on the A3 Ballacraine to Ramsey Road
• Crosby Jump (200 seats) – 4.5 miles west of Douglas and the TT Grandstand on the A1 Douglas to Peel road
• Creg Ny Baa (325 seats) – 3 miles north of Douglas and the TT Grandstand on the A18 Mountain Road
• Ginger Hall (170 seats) – On the eastern edge of Sulby Village on the A3 Ballacraine to Ramsey Road
• Rhencullen (200 seats) – Just north of Kirk Michael on the A3 Ballacraine to Ramsey Road

Anybody who is anybody in the motorbike fan fraternity will want to say they were at an Isle of Man TT event and with 2012 looking to be one of the most thrilling yet (and that’s saying something!) you won’t want to miss out! As Ian Hutchinson pointed out;
“If you’re into motorcycles and have never experienced an Isle of Man TT, then you’re not really into motorcycles!”

Isle of Man TT Race Schedule 2012

Once you have your ticket, you are all ready to take your seat for what Murray Walker called,
“The greatest motor-sporting event in the world.”

Months of practice, expectation and excitement ride on the events of Race Week and the Isle of Man TT timetable for 2012 is organised as follows:

Saturday 2nd June

• Dainese Superbike TT Race
• Sure Sidecar TT Race 1
• Supersport/Lightweight Qualifying

Monday 4th June

• Monster Energy Supersport TT Race 1
• Sidecar Qualifying
• Royal London 360 Superstock TT Race

Wednesday 6th June

• SES TT Zero Challenge
• Monster Energy Supersort TT Race 2
• Sure Sidecar TT Race 2
• Senior Qualifying
• Lightweight Qualifying

Friday 8th June

• BikePetition.co.uk Lightweight TT Race
• PokerStars Senior TT Race

Isle of Man TT Lap Records

Isle of Man TT Most Wins

Just before the competitors line up to take their places in what could well be a career changing event, they may want to consider adding to the tradition of saying hello to the fairies at Fairy Bridge in exchange for some good luck. Though it may sound like an obscure tradition, with speeds of 130mph plus to contend with, luck may well come in handy!

The only thing that is certain on the course is that there are no certainties, and TT hopeful Guy Martin is all too aware of the number of doubts and challenges surrounding the race;
“If ‘ifs and buts’ were pots and pans we’d all be scrap metal merchants”.

When all is said and done the TT really is the event of a lifetime, not only for the racers and their teams but also for all fans of the sport.

Throughout the years, history has been made in a huge event held on a small island; and in the words of Bruce Anstey;
“I love everything about racing on the Isle of Man – the course, the people, the atmosphere, there’s nowhere else like it!”