Amazing Bikes - Real and Concept Designs

Check out some of the fantastic photo's being put up on our forum currently...
The bike below was submitted by Endo and is just one of many fantastic bikes already added. Why not go to the forum and add your own.

Excerpt from thread:

Looks like a fairly normal, if stretched, racer, but under the plastic is a two-speed automatic Rolls Royce Allison jet turbine rated to 225mph. So far, so good, but Leno actually rides the thing around on the roads on a fairly regular basis. He did say it got quite expensive - mainly in compensating car drivers whose bumpers melted in the jet backwash!

Check out the size of that Exhaust!

New to Biking - Written by a Newbie for Newbies!

A couple of months back one of our forum regulars took it upon themselves to begin writing up their experiences of entering the biking fraternity and posted these to the UKBike forum.

It seems like a real waste for this great read to be lost amongst many other posts, so for those of you that might be interested, below is an excerpt from the first instalment and a link to the full post in our forum.

Thanks goes to Trick3003 for the time and effort, it's great stuff! If you want to say thanks personally then you can do so on the forum or via Trick3003's page - http://forums.ukbike.com/UserInfo5297.aspx.


It begins:

Being a user of public transport for nearly 10 years I had always envied those people who skipped to the front of every queue, didn’t have to stop at every bus stop and was generally slightly quicker than the 10 tonne monstrosities that are busses. When I was at Senior School, I dreamed of being able to cruise into the playground on my Harley, pull all the girls and generally be Mr Cool. I always wondered why 16 year old run around on dodgy 2nd hand 49cc scooters and not a babe magnet instead. When I looked into the facts behind biking at a young age I was horrified! Until you turn 17 you’re restricted to a measly 50 cc engine with a top speed of 50Km/h (around 32 mph) REF Link1. These scooters can easily cost you 500-600 pounds (there are cheaper ones available! Just have a good scout around) and probably cost the same to insure (as you’re a young, reckless teenager). On my meagre part time salary of 60 quid a month this was beyond my financial reach and so had to wait.
By the time I could afford to run a bike I had reached the grand old age of 20! With a full time job in a busy city centre office, unreliable public transport and sick of getting a lift of everybody I decided it was time to take my CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) and make myself mobile.
What You Need

- A Valid provisional License (these can be obtained via an application form from the post office, or over the internet. The cost is £50, plus the cost of passport size photos (around £4).

- Once you have this you can find a local Training Centre (Google is handy for this, or Yell.com) and ask them for a price. Mine cost £115 (on a Saturday). You will find that prices vary from area to area (down south costing slightly more) and it will be cheaper during the week.

- Book a date!

Please note: When you apply for a provisional license, you are agreeing to the fact that you have read the latest version of the Highway Code. It is important to know what is in this book; it may well save your life and stop you breaking the law inadvertently.

To continue reading visit the thread in our fourm - http://forums.ukbike.com/Topic3723-6-2.aspx#bm3759


Happy reading!

Rob

Recommended biker read: Distant Suns

Author and biker Sam Manicom has done what many would consider the ultimate dream - he jumped on his bike with a few belongings and then spent 8 years on the road, covering some 200,000 miles.

He has previously documented his travels in the books Into Africa and Under Asian Skies, and has now released his third - Distant Suns.

Here's some background info on Sam and his travels...

I’d been riding a bike for 3 months when I started, which was pretty daft but turned the planned year into a stunning adventure. I was shot at twice, arrested three times, nearly raped in jail, had a severe dose of malaria and fractured seventeen bones crossing the desert in Namibia.

I’d only planned to take a year out of ‘real life’ but in spite of all the above adventures I had such an amazing time that I decided to keep on going for another three years. There wasn’t a good reason to stop!

In Under Asian Skies I travel by cargo ship to Australia and then after exploring Australia and New Zealand, I head up into SE Asia and across Asia. During my time in Australia, I ended up being escorted from Sydney Harbour with a man in front of me waving a red flag, I was rescued from a motorcycle accident by three Hells Angels, fell asleep on the bike in the outback, which I only just survived, and worked my way around the country.

The adventures didn’t stop there. I was rescued by a prostitute in Thailand as I lay dying from Dengue fever, was arrested in Madras by port police in the middle of a bout of the plague, got involved with people smuggling goods from India into Pakistan, and after riding three inch black ice in the mountains of Turkey I was hit by a very wobbly case of road rage.

Ted Simon said that Under Asian Skies is ‘a unique and wonderful adventure.’

Distant Suns is my latest book – the travel bug had well and truly bitten and the journey continued on for the 3 more years. Distant Suns takes the reader through Southern Africa and then across to South and Central America. This time I am travelling with a friend. I met Birgit in Under Asian Skies when she was riding a bicycle around New Zealand. I persuaded her that a bicycle with an engine was a better deal! She still isn’t totally convinced of that but soon became an avid fan of overlanding by motorcycle.

This book not only looks at some of the history, geography and legends from the countries travelled, but concentrates on people and the quirky things that happen to you when out on the road. It also looks at what happens when things go very badly wrong. At one stage I am evacuated from Chile by air ambulance, and I’m told I will never ride a motorcycle again. I’m told that I will probably be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. Three months later we are back on the road!

One of the best pieces of reader feedback we have had is from a chap half way down Africa who’d bought Into Africa, and was inspired enough to have a go himself. He wrote to say thanks and that he was having a great time. The book was success from that point as far as I was concerned.

Who is Sam Manicom? I was born in the Belgian Congo in the last days before it became Zaire. I’ve lived off and on in the UK since I was ten years old – the UK is now my home base. I worked as a retail manager for 11 years, commencing my employment with the John Lewis Partnership in Nottingham. I have also worked as a practice manager for a firm of solicitors and have renovated semi derelict houses. I have been writing as a freelance motorcycle travel journalist since 1996. Most of my work has been published in the UK but I have also been published in South Africa, the USA and Canada. I now write full time and do talks all over the UK. I am working on my fourth book.

For more information about Sam or his books visit his website.

Show revs up to find biker babe

This just in so thought we should share it with you all...

The search has been launched to find the Biker Babe of North Wales The winner of the competition will be crowned at the popular Motorbike Show which is being held in Llangollen on August 1 and 2.

Last year’s show was the first and was hailed a roaring success by the thousands of bike fans who came from far and wide.

The organisers, Xuberance Events, are promising bigger and better things this year and the preparations are hotting up already – not least thanks to the Biker Babe competition. Xuberance boss David Green explained that biker babes or grid girls were a big feature of all the best biking events.

The search for the North Wales Biker Babe is being spearheaded by aspiring model Lauren Knowles, 19, from Prestatyn....read more

Thundersprint roars into Town

Binny from the UKBike.com team headed north recently for the Thundersprint. Here's her report on the fun and games that went on...

Another event I thought. Great fun but tiring, especially when I’m down south near Brighton and the event is virtually in Liverpool.

Anyway I head up to the M6 thinking about the event, and what I heard about it. I heard that the Thundersprint takes over Northwich town, all you see is motorbikes, there are lots of trade stands, and it’s a marvellous weekend.

I had also had a good look on the site before I left. This did shed light on the situation, and looked fantastic.

Saturday morning comes and I head into Northwich. On my way I see loads of bikes, so I start getting excited. Get into town and there are bikes everywhere, and everyone is being really bike friendly, safe and well organised.

After to speaking with some traders and bikers I hear all the action really happens tomorrow (Sunday,) and today is mainly the warm up, and not forgetting the classic bike show.
I had a good walk around all the trade stands amongst the bustles of people, shoppers and bikers. I have to say there has never been such a buzz around an event like this that I have seen.

I’m also feeling there is more excitement due to a certain gorgeous talented man walking around in arms reach named James Toseland. I have to say I went weak at the knees not only is he very talented on and off the track, he is a great musician, and I have to say a really genuine nice bloke!

So after being elbowed by not only young women to get to him, but by some older ladies too. I manage to have a bit of a chat to him.

His band “Crash” were playing at the Memorial Hall that evening. So after being lucky enough to watch the band rehearsing in the hall, I got to meet them before the gig. As well as having a great chat with Frank Melling (the man behind the Thundersprint, and on it) Jim Redman and Sammy Miller.
All lovely gentleman, and very talented on a motorbike.

I called it an early night and leave before the actually show as I had a long day on the Sunday, and had to drive back South.

Sunday: Up at 7, there by 8.30. Oh yes there were some tired, and hung over faces. I’m pleased to say I wasn’t one! Smug!

So where do I start Sunday pretty much went like this bikes, excitement, races, more excitement.
With the Thundersprint track opening for the participants to practice laps from 8.30, there is already excitement building.

Today there are more famous faces about too including Glen Richards, Steve Platter, Jimmi Harkishin, and from yesterday JT, Sammy Miller and Jim Redman.
After seeing everyone get lap times for the second time I went for a wander round.

There were hundreds more people already, and loads more stands and bikers around.
With the programme for the weekend clutched in my paw, I plan my day.
12.oo The Cavalcade. This is where all the bikes leave the Thundersprint event, and drive around the town, with the celebrities taking the lead. This is not a race, just a pleasant ride around in convoy.
Fingers crossed we will have the clip of this up soon. As it is a sight to be seen!

In the afternoon the Spitfires go over in an air display, followed by a lap of honour by JT, Jim and Sammy.

Then time for the Thundersprint race. This is where everyone id divided into their category lightweight, classic, master class, personality, golden age, pre war etc. I have to say it was great to see all the classic bikes to the new bikes, even the TTX01 electric bike which was fantastic!

I think everyone loved the personalities round as they all had a fool around on the track, and after a few of them doing some stunts and including burn outs and doughnuts

Over the weekend there were only 3 or 4 people who came off their bikes that I saw, which just goes to show how well organised the event was, and the safety factors to the show.

It simply was a great weekend, and a great show. I have to say a big well done to Frank Melling and his family who all work so hard all year round to put on such a great show.

It’s already in the diary for next year, certainly one I won’t be missing!