Category Archives: Isle of Man TT and Other Roads

Vulcanet: the waterless cleaning wipe that does it all

Fed up with dragging the pressure washer out the garage or carrying heavy buckets of water from the sink? Look no further than Vulcanet, the all-in-one wipe that cleans, rejuvenates, polishes and protects all vehicles.

Vulcanet can be used anywhere, at home or on the go as everything you need will be found inside the black and red tube. The pre-cut cleaning wipes are in the centre of the canister and the microfibre finishing cloth is housed in the lid.

How it works
Coming pre-soaked in the cleaning solution, the waterless wipes work to liquify the dirt on any surface. Vulcanet’s textile weave has a spiral shape with the bevelled edges to the wipe creating thousands of micro-like blades to remove stubborn dirt particles. There are three different sized holes capture the dirt. Once collected by the wipe, the dirt will thicken, become trapped in the cilia and coat itself in lubricating resin so that it doesn’t scratch the surface that is being cleaned.

To waterlessly clean simply, take out the wipe, fold it in half and apply by sliding your hand over the small area you are cleaning – there will be a total of four useable sides. Avoid applying pressure to the surface until it becomes slippery.

Once the surface is completely clean of debris and smooth to the touch, the Vulcanet solution can be sealed with the provided M420 Microfibre cloth. The construction of the microfibre cloth works with the cleaning solution to harden the liquid, protecting the cleaned surface. On one side, there is the long pile which is ideal for rougher surfaces like plastics and the short pile side is for smooth surfaces such as the paintwork. The M420 Microfibre is machine washable at 40°c without fabric conditioner.

After cleaning and finishing is complete, place the microfibre cloth back in the cover and clip in the red cover on top – the red cover is important to help seal the tube when closing. Ensure the aluminium cover is removed fully and then simply twist the lid back on until you hear a click, then back a quarter of a turn to fully seal.

Vulcanet has saved 750-million liters of water in 2022 alone, the equivalent of the annual consumption of 19,000 people. By the end of 2023, Vulcanet are on track to save 1-billion litres of water.

Vulcanet Cleaning Wipes have an RRP of £36.99 and to locate your nearest dealer, visit www.nevis.uk.com or call 01425 478936.

New 2023 Arai Limited Edition RX-7V Evo Helmet

New 2023 Arai limited edition RX-7V Evo helmet, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the MANX GP road race.

To celebrate this year’s 100th Anniversary of the Isle of Man Manx Grand Prix, Arai helmets -in partnership with TheVisorShop.com and the Manx Grand Prix Motorcycle Club – have produced a limited-edition Arai RX7V Evo helmet with ECE R22-06 approval. This is the first time there has been a helmet for the Manx Grand Prix and the detailed design highlights the mountain course over which the Manx GP has been held since 1923.

From the start to finish, the helmet design introduces a golden line around the commemorative helmet following the topography of the world’s most challenging 37.73-mile racetrack. This limited-edition helmet features some of the iconic landmarks and timing sectors the island is famous for, together with the Triskelion (Three Legs of Man).

The helmet will be available to purchase from Thursday 20th July exclusively through thevisorshop.com and Crossan Motorcycles Ltd – RRP £829.99. The Manx Motorcycle Club will receive a royalty from the sale of each of the limited-edition Manx GP helmets so all sales will support this fantastic club.

This UK exclusive helmet will be officially unveiled at the Isle of Man TT in the Arai Village, at 9am GMT on Thursday 1st June 2023.

For more Arai Helmets UK news check out our dedicated page Arai Helmets UK News

Find a local dealer at whyarai.co.uk/bike-locator

Metzeler appointed as the Official Tyre of the Isle of Man TT

Metzeler will be the sole Official Tyre of the most iconic motorcycle road race until 2027.

The Metzeler tyre brand has been selected by the Department for Enterprise of the Isle of Man as Official Tyre with a sponsorship contract for the TT Races for the five-year period 2023-2027.

 
Paul Phillips, Head of Motorsport – Isle of Man Department for Enterprise
“Metzeler are a welcome addition to the line-up of official sponsoring brands for this year’s Isle of Man TT Races. Our commercial objective is to work collaboratively with our Official partners to add value to the TT experience for everyone involved in the event. Metzeler is already integrally associated with the TT and is the tyre of choice for many teams competing in the event, with a proven performance track record. We are sure that this will be a successful partnership that will grow in strength over the years to come.” 
 
Francesco Pietrangeli, Motorcycle Marketing Director Metzeler brand
“The Isle of Man TT is one of the oldest and best known motorcycle races in the world and has a unique and timeless appeal. Metzeler tyres have been involved in Road Racing for some time and over the years have contributed to the successes of many riders by supporting them and making our RACETEC RR tyres available to them. We are very delighted with the agreement which represents the natural evolution of our commitment to Road Racing and it is also the best way to celebrate the 160th anniversary of the birth of our brand”.

The Tourist Trophy has been run since 1907 on the road circuit of the Snaefell Mountain Course, a 60.720 km track on the Isle of Man. Over the years it has become an iconic competition characterised by charm, tradition, glory, passion and adrenaline, values also shared by those choosing Metzeler tyres, a brand that boasts a history of over a century and a half full of motorsport successes and technology.

The Metzeler RACETEC RR tyres already used by the riders have been developed thanks to Metzeler’s experience in Road Racing competitions which, as is known, do not take place on circuits but on roads which are open to the public throughout the year and where all the situations that any motorcyclist may have to face on a daily basis can be found. And it is precisely for this reason that road racing has always been the testing and development ground for Metzeler tyres. Thanks to its participation in Road Racing activities and to the acquired know-how, Metzeler tyre range has enriched by giving life to successful tyres, not least the sporty SPORTEC M9 RR.

For more Metzeler Tyre news check out our dedicated page Metzeler Tyres

For more information on Metzeler Tyres visit metzeler.com/en-uk/home

Hickman’s 2022 Isle Of Man TT-winning BMW Kick Starts Bonhams Stafford Sale

A Reigning Isle of Man TT Champion Motorcycle Offered for First Time at Auction.

Bonhams : The Spring Stafford Sale – The International Classic MotorCycle Show

The reigning Isle of Man TT Champion motorcycle will cross an auction block for the very first time when the Gas Monkey BMW by FHO Racing, 2022 BMW M 1000 RR Superbike, ridden to victory by Peter Hickman in last year’s Superbike and Senior TT Race is offered in Bonhams Spring Stafford Sale on 22-23 April. It has an estimate of £80,000-100,000.

The champion motorcycle is offered exactly as it crossed the finish line of the world’s largest road race finale, the blue riband Senior TT, 16.9 seconds ahead of nearest rival Dean Harrison’s Kawasaki, complete with its original race winning fairing, speckled with flies from the gruelling 228-mile race.

The motorcycle is a one-off version of the BMW M 1000 RR Superbike, run last season by the Lincolnshire-based team, which has been campaigning BMW Motorrad’s first M model since it was introduced in 2021. Loosely based on the production superbike, this TT machine is the full-factory version designed specifically for the TT Superbike and Senior races’ challenging 37.73-mile mountain road course.

The Superbike’s bespoke specification includes a strengthened blank braced frame direct from BMW, BMW factory Type 7.1 engine, Brembo discs and calipers, Öhlins forks and damper and the Dunlop tyres used for the Senior TT race. The machine still has its ‘Parc Fermé’ band on the top yoke and its ‘warhorse’ Senior TT winning fairing – in immediate post-race condition.

Gas Monkey Garage by FHO Racing

Dave Hancock, Bonhams Motorcycle Consultant, said: “This is a very special motorcycle. It’s survived 12 laps over two races of the world’s most challenging and infamous road circuits – more than 450 miles at an average speed of more than 130mph. It’s the closest you’d get to buying an active racing machine – an absolute rarity.”

With his Superbike and Senior TT victories last June, Hickman became the fourth rider in TT history to win four races in a week – bringing his tally of wins to date on the island to nine. The result also won him the coveted Joey Dunlop TT Championship with 111 points. He was also the outright fastest lap record holder of the event – therefore the fastest man on the Isle of Man – having clocked an average speed of 133.461 mph on this machine in the Superbike TT.

The machine is being offered direct from the FHO Racing BMW team. Founded in 2021 by team owner and principal Faye Ho, the British Superbike team made its successful debut in TT racing last year.

Gas Monkey Garage by FHO Racing

James Stensel, Head of Bonhams Motorcycles UK, said: “Never before has a ‘current’ TT-winning motorcycle been offered for sale at a public auction and Bonhams is especially proud to have been entrusted with finding a new custodian collector for Peter Hickman’s 2022 Isle of Man Superbike and Senior TT-winning Gas Monkey BMW by FHO Racing, 2022 M 1000 RR Superbike. This is a truly exceptional opportunity to acquire an important piece of motorcycling history.”

The historic motorcycle will be previewed on the Bonhams stand at the 17-19 February MCN London show in advance of it going under the hammer in Stafford in April.

The Bonhams Spring Stafford Sale will once again offer collector motorcycles from veterans to cutting-edge contemporary machines. One of the other many racing highlights of the sale is an incredibly rare Works Honda Racing Motorcycle, a 1963 Honda 250cc CR72 (Estimate £120,000 – 150,000). Ridden throughout Rhodesia in the 1960’s by six-times world Champion Jim Redman along with fellow countryman and Grand Prix racer Bruce Beale, it has more recently been campaigned by him in classic events including Imatra and Essen, following a comprehensive 30-year restoration.

For more info click link below to take you to Bonhams : The Peter Hickman, 2022 Isle of Man TT Superbike and Senior Race Winning, Gas Monkey BMW by FHO Racing,2022 BMW M1000RR Superbike

More auction news can be found on our dedicated page here: Motorcycle Auction News

For more information on Bonhams Motorcycles Auctions head to the official website: Bonhams Motorcycles

Ticketmaster partners with Isle of Man TT Races

Ticketmaster is proud to announce it has signed a partnership with Isle of Man TT Races, an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May/June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907.

There are very few sporting events in the world with the tradition, heritage, and prestige of the Isle of Man TT Races. Despite being the world’s oldest continuous motorsports event, the TT remains, however, as fascinating and relevant today – continuously inspiring new generations of riders to come and race the Mountain Course.

Largely unchanged since 1911, the 37.73 miles of public roads simply capture the imagination like no other motorcycling venue can. The TT Course, whilst difficult to learn, is even harder to master – requiring immense levels of skill and concentration as speeds nudge an incredible 200mph.

The Isle of Man TT Races takes place Monday 29th May – Saturday 10th June.

Full Schedule is available at https://iomttraces.com/

Ticketmaster will look to supply top-of-the-market ticketing solutions with innovative features to facilitate entry to The Isle of Man TT Race fans’ experience with:

– Full mobile optimisation

– Digital tickets, compatible with digital wallets

– The ability to directly manage upgrades and transfers to friends and family

– Accessibility features

Ticketmaster’s technology will give Isle of Man TT access to the best and most comprehensive suite of tools in the industry. TT fans will see huge improvements in their ticketing experience as well as a number of technological innovations that will revolutionise the way fans interact with the event.

Paul Philips, Business Development, Isle of Man TT Races commented:
“Putting customers first is one of the key strategic pillars for the Isle of Man TT Races. It’s important that we deliver an exceptional customer service experience and offer our fans excellent value for money for the products, services and experiences we deliver. Our partnership with Ticketmaster enables us to provide fans with a seamless experience that supports our vision, as fans around the world are able to book Grandstand tickets or a hospitality experience online in a secure and easy to access way.”

Chris Gratton, Managing Director, Ticketmaster Sport commented:
“We’re very thrilled about working with Isle of Man TT races to allow fans to benefit from Ticketmaster’s cutting-edge technology. Fans will enjoy a seamless ticketing experience that will allow them to focus on what is essential to them: supporting their rider.”

Hagerty partners with motorcycle racer and Isle of Man TT hero Maria Costello MBE

Hagerty is best known as a classic vehicle insurer, but with a 600,000-member strong Drivers Club, a magazine with 1.9m readers, more than 1m monthly unique users visiting its Media site and 1.4m subscribers on YouTube, it is one of the world’s largest automotive lifestyle brands.

2021 has seen increased investment across all aspects of the Hagerty business, from content and events and data to client services, as Hagerty strengthens its global offering to the motoring enthusiast.

The latest announcement from Hagerty UK is a partnership with Maria Costello, the renowned motorcycle racer, and the only female rider from the sport to be awarded an MBE. The partnership will see Hagerty branding on Maria’s LCR Kawasaki F2 sidecar and Kawasaki ER6 Supertwin racing motorcycles throughout the 2021/22 season, which includes an appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Maria recently announced Vicky Cooke as her teammate in an all-female sidecar team for the 2021 racing season and beyond.

In addition, Maria will produce exciting content with the Hagerty media team, attend selected automotive events, and will take part in Hagerty’s successful online panel and seminar discussions.

A place in motorcycle racing history was secured when Maria was the first woman solo racer in the history of the Isle of Man motorcycle races to stand on the podium after finishing in third place at the 2005 Manx Grand Prix (ultra-lightweight category). Her legendary status on the island was maintained with a third-place finish in the 2016 Isle of Man Senior Classic TT, standing on the podium alongside race winner, and personal hero, John McGuinness – a 23 times TT winner. Maria has also secured a 12th place finish in the 2016 Isle of Man Lightweight TT and made history by being the first woman to race both a sidecar and a solo motorcycle at the 2019 TT.

Maria formerly held the female lap record at all three international road races, the Isle of Man TT, the Northwest 200 and the Ulster Grand Prix and remains the only woman to have held lap records at all three events.

Throughout her racing career, Maria has shown remarkable resilience and determination in the male dominated world of motorcycle racing, overcoming astonishing injuries – including 24 broken bones – to gain multiple podium finishes in real, public road racing.

Maria is also a previous Guinness World Record holder for being the fastest woman to lap the Isle of Man TT course at an average speed of 114.73mph, was voted BBC Northampton Sports Personality of the Year, became an animated character in a PlayStation game, was appointed as a stunt double for Reese Witherspoon and is a published author. In 2013 she founded ‘Woman on a Motorcycle’ – a community space where like-minded ladies can share experiences and ideas. Her pioneering women-only trackdays have also gone from strength to strength.

In 2018 Maria was made President of the TT Riders Association, the first woman to be inducted into this position in the charity’s 67-year history and is also an Ambassador for ex-F1 driver Susie Wolff’s ‘Dare to Be Different’ campaign to drive female talent. Maria also visits schools and communities to encourage young people to take part in sport.

Speaking of the partnership Lee Mathewson, Managing Director for Hagerty UK, said “Maria has a long history of challenging archetypes which is hugely inspiring. Hagerty wants to save the art of driving and riding and to keep the global automotive lifestyle alive for generations to come. To do that we need to celebrate those who are leaders in the field, allowing newcomers to feel inspired to join us. Maria fits perfectly with the ethos of Hagerty, and we are delighted to welcome her as a partner and to support her 2021 racing season.”

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Record breaker Hind wins Lightweight; Unissart completes French double with Ultra Lightweight win at MGP.

James Hind continued his lap record breaking in the Lightweight Manx Grip; but this time he brought the machine home to claim his maiden victory on the Mountain Course. French winners are like London buses; you wait an age for one and then two come along together. In the Ultra Lightweight MGP it was Lancelot Unissart who claimed victory and his second podium finish.

The Lightweight looked likely to be a dust up between Hind and Francesco Curinga; fastest in qualifying on the gorgeous Paton. At the first timing point at Glen Helen it was Curinga who had the lead of the race; he was 2.6s ahead of Hind, with Dave Butler third 1.5s down on hind. Mark Purslow, Michael Rees and Chris Moore held the leader board places. At Ballaugh, the top positions were reversed, Hind led by 3.8s and Butler was just 1.5s down on Curinga who may have been hampered by a slower rider. Hind continued to charge away at the front; he was on lap record pace and led Curinga by 8.5s as he reached Ramsey Hairpin for the first time. Butler was third, 2s down on Curinga; Purslow, Moore and Rees completed the top 6. At the Bungalow it was a lovely evening with bright sunshine for the first two laps; however it was cold in the light northerly breeze. As he swept through and over the tram lines Hind led by 9.6s.

Francesco Curinga with James Hind at the Bungalow.

As he crossed the line to begin the second lap Hind led by 10.94s; having set a new lap record at 115.203mph. Curinga lapped at 114.1144mph to give himself an advantage of 4.7s over Butler who lapped at 113.701mph. Hind continued to pull away from Curinga; the lead was 13s at Glen Helen, 18.4s at Ballaugh and 23.2s at Ramsey; where Curinga was 7.5s ahead of Butler.

Dave Butler.

Another record lap at 116.453mph gave Hind a commanding lead of 29.27s as he came into the pits for his mandatory stop. Curinga had lapped at 114.652mph to be 13.3s ahead of Butler (113.820mph). Moore, Rees and Brad Vicars completed the leader board. Purslow had been slowed by mechanical issues and retired in the pits. For Rees the stop was a disaster; he was at rest for 95s; and dropped down the order.

On the final lap Hind led by 20s at Glen Helen, by 27s at Ballaugh and caught Curinga on the road before Ramsey; giving himself a 30s lead. They circulated together for the remainder of the lap and made a fine sight as they flicked left and right through the Bungalow. Curinga crossed the line first; but Hind was the victor by 28.7s; what a talent this young man is. Butler duly took third place. Rees recovered some lost ground on the final lap but missed out on a leader board finish by 21s.

The concurrent Ultra Lightweight Race was led away by fastest qualifier Alex Sinclair. At Glen Helen it was Lancelot Unissart who had made the best start; he led by 3s from Leon Murphy; who was just 0.1s ahead of Daniel Ingham; with Rad Hughes fourth only 0.3s down on Sinclair. Unissart was fastest on the run to Ramsey, where he led by 7s from Hughes who was 1.5s ahead of Sinclair. Hughes wad rapid over the mountain section and with a lap at 104.600mph he led by 1.435s as he crossed the line. Unissart (104.485mph) was 0.89s ahead of Ingham (104.414mph).

Ultra Lightweight winner Lancelot Unissart.

Unissart was the leader as they went through the challenging Glen Helen section for the final time. He led by 1.7s from Ingham, with Sinclair now third. Hughes was encountering problems and had dropped to fourth. At Ramsey, Unissart had increased his lead to 9.8s; whilst Ingham had a slender 2.5 advantage over Sinclair. Lloyd Collins, Tom Snow and the ailing Hughes completed the leader board.

Runner-up Tom Snow.

Coming into the pits for the compulsory stop Unissart led by 9.71s and added 10s to that by simply putting his foot down and continuing; whilst Ingham took 10s putting a little extra fuel into the tank. This meant that at Glen Helen, Unissart led by 25s from Ingham who had Snow just 3s behind him and charging on the little Honda. At Ramsey, Unissart led by 26s; with Ingham still 3s ahead of Snow. There was no change in the order as they passed through the Bungalow; but for Ingham the disappointment of retirement befell him at Windy Corner. So it was that we had our second French winner of the meeting and he was delighted to have won; and showed a fine command of Anglo Saxon English during his post race interview.

MGP Supporters Club Lightweight Race

  1. James Hind                   Yamaha                            114.307mph
  2. Francesco Curinga         Bremar Paton                    113.394mph
  3. Dave Butler                  AG Kawasaki                      112.755mph
  4. Chris Moore                 Outhwaite Yamaha              110.864mph
  5. Brad Vicars                  VRS Kawasaki                    109.303mph
  6. David McConnachy       Bespoke Kawasaki              109.068mph

 

Ultra Lightweight Race

  1. Lancelot Unissart         Pullen Honda                     104.652mph
  2. Tom Snow                   Falcon Honda                    104.233mph
  3. Alex Sinclair                CSC Yamaha                     103.269mph
  4. Lloyd Collins                Hack Kawasaki                  102.801mph
  5. Sebastian Witt             Kramer                             102.598mph
  6. Radley Hughes             RAF Kawasaki                   102.378mph

Triumph Motorcycles announce their support for two top rank riders

Triumph Motorcycles are extremely proud to announce their support for two top rank riders, Peter Hickman and Gary Johnson, in their 2019 Supersport road racing campaigns, with the provision of Daytona 675R motorcycles and engines. Peter Hickman, who is widely recognised as the fastest man on the roads during the 2018 season, will be riding a Triumph Daytona 675R for the Smith’s Racing team during the 2019 road racing season campaign, incorporating the North West 200, Isle of Man TT and Ulster Grand Prix.

In 2018, Peter and Smith’s Racing took two podium positions in the punishing TT Supersport races, and went on to win the Supersport race outright at the Ulster Grand Prix, all aboard the Triumph Daytona 675R motorcycle sponsored by Trooper premium British beer.

Gary Johnson, riding for the RAF Reserves Lee Hardy racing team, is a two time Isle of Man Supersport TT winner and seasoned road racing expert. Gary will also be campaigning in the four races within the racing schedule of the Isle of Man TT and North West 200 Supersport races on board his Triumph Daytona 675R.

Triumph is incredibly excited to support such accomplished and capable teams, plus the fastest rider on the island electing to choose a Triumph Motorcycle for the Supersport category. Everyone in the Triumph factory are excited, as the TT holds such a high place in the brand’s history in the heartland of UK racing. Along with Triumph triple engines powering Moto2™ and the forthcoming Scrambler 1200 racer debut at the Mexican 1000, 2019 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting years for Triumph racing fans to witness and enjoy.

Paul Stroud, Triumph’s Chief Commercial Officer said:

““All Triumph staff and fans wish both Peter and Gary an extremely successful 2019 road racing season. We are delighted to be assisting with their Supersport racing campaigns and it’s fair to say that everyone here is looking forward to hearing the Daytona 675R triple powered machines reverberating around the 37-mile course in June and challenging for the win.”

For both riders, we wish them all the best for successful, safe and exciting 2019 road racing campaign.