Royal Mail Releases Triumph Motorcycle Stamps

Thursday, June 30th

Royal Mail Releases Triumph Motorcycle Stamps

In celebration of "the glory years of British motorcycle design," the Royal Mail on July 19 will issue a set of six stamps in its ongoing "Transport" series.

The "Transport" series began in 2001 with stamps picturing buses. Jetliners appeared in 2002. Toys -- "Transports of Delight" -- were featured in 2003. Classic locomotives and ocean liners were commemorated in 2004.

Now, for the first time, motorcycles will appear on a "special stamp," or commemorative, set.

Artist Michael English created the detailed illustrations on which the stamp designs were based. The bikes featured and stamp denominations are:

First class: The 1991 Norton F.1 with an engine capacity of 588 cubic centimeters, an output of 95 British horsepower and top speed of 145 mph. Fewer than 150 were manufactured before production ceased in the early 1990s.

40-pence: The 1969 BSA Rocket 3 with a 750-cc three-cylinder engine, 58 bhp and 145-mph top speed. The Rocket 3 was "one of the original superbikes." Competition from cheaper Japanese bikes and poor U.S. sales hurt the company. Its last motorcycle came off the assembly line after the BSA Group merged with Norton-Villiers.

42p: The 1949 Vincent Black Shadow with a 1,000-cc engine, 55 bhp and top speed of 125 mph. "A motorcycling legend of the 1950s," the Black Shadow's production ended in 1955.

47p: The 1937 Triumph Speed Twin with a 500-cc engine, 27 bhp and top speed of 92 mph. In 1951, Triumph was bought by BSA. The manufacture of Triumph motorcycles continued when BSA merged with Norton-Villiers.

60p: The 1930 Brough Superior with a 1,000-cc engine capacity, 45 bhp and 110-mph top speed. Company owner George Brough called it the "Rolls-Royce of motorcycles." His most famous bike was the SS100, which came with a 100-mph guarantee and was "renowned for superb roadholding." Brough's most celebrated customer was Thomas Edward Lawrence, more famously known as "Lawrence of Arabia." He owned six SS100s.

68p: The 1914 Royal Enfield 1914 with a 425-cc engine, 14 bhp and top speed of 50 mph. Royal Enfield hit its manufacturing stride in 1910 and "became known for solid, dependable products," such as the Model 140 middleweight with its V-twin engine. Royal Enfield later made larger V-twins and a series of sturdy single-cylinder bikes. Production ended in 1970, however, the Royal Enfield brand lives on with motorcycles made in India.

For information about prices and ordering these stamps and related items, contact Royal Mail, Tallents House, 21 S. Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9PB, Scotland; or Royal Mail, 148 Old St., Room 108, London EC1V 9HQ, U.K.

(this article was taken from sun-sentinel.com and was written by Richard Carr)

GT on 30.06.05 @ 12:17 PM GMT [link]

Monday, June 27th

You Are Where You Look

Since racers are more often than not traveling at warp speed, they must anticipate what their racebike is going to do long before it happens-which means looking far ahead of their present location.

We know we're constantly harping on this subject, but we've seen one too many accidents lately that were caused by a rider getting into a corner a little too hot, locking up the brakes and/or straightening the bike, then running off the road. We can't emphasize enough how important it is to not only look where you want to go, but also to scan far enough ahead of yourself; this is basically a recital of the racing mantra, "Don't ride the front wheel."

Riding a sportbike well means being in control, and although it may not appear that way, it's vitally important for a racer to constantly be on top of his motorcycle's handling. Since racers are more often than not traveling at warp speed, they must anticipate what their racebike is going to do long before it happens-which means looking far ahead of their present location. This is why racers seem to be checking out spectators on the side of the track when entering hairpins. Instead, they're looking at where they'd like to be in a 10th of a second.

Try practicing your vision skills at a fairly tight corner, either on your favorite canyon road or racetrack. As you approach the apex (or a fixed, readily visible point on the pavement), note how close you are to that mark before you begin to scan ahead for your next reference point. If you are staring at that point until you are nearly on top of it, you're target fixating-if the corner ahead tightened up or if you found an obstacle in your path, it would be difficult to correct. In fact, if you're looking at that point even 25 to 35 feet before you get there, you're still not looking far enough ahead.
GT on 27.06.05 @ 05:13 PM GMT [link]

Thursday, June 23rd

Braking and Downshifting

Some hints on braking and downshifting from the experts at sportrider.com...

Shifting gears smoothly is one of the hallmarks of a competent rider. Downshifting properly poses the greatest challenge for novices because miscues lead to an unsettled chassis at inopportune times-like entering a corner. What makes the task difficult is the right hand must manage to brake and blip the throttle to match the engine speed to the road speed. Having your hand in the proper position will make the process easier. When the throttle is completely closed, your wrist should still have a slight downward bend (right)-not choked-up drag-racer style (left). Now practice maintaining constant pressure on the brake lever, while quickly rolling the throttle on and off. This is how you'll match the engine speed to the lower gear, and prevent the front end from bobbing up and down due to uneven brake lever pressure.

While you're braking and blipping the throttle, the left side of your body is busy shifting gears and modulating the clutch. Almost simultaneously, slightly preload the shifter (to get slack out of the linkage) by lightly pressing down on it, pull in the clutch, make the downshift and release the clutch when you blip the throttle. You only need to pull in the lever far enough to disengage the clutch plates. Pulling the lever all the way in is wasted effort and makes it more difficult to shift smoothly. One way to make this slight movement easier is to only cover the lever with two fingers. Your other fingers will remind you when you pull it in too far as you become accustomed to the technique.

GT on 23.06.05 @ 11:06 AM GMT [link]

Monday, June 20th

Garden of England Motorcycle Show

Some news from the BMF on the GEMS show;

Now in its 1Oth year, this years Garden of England Motorcycle Show hit all the right buttons yet again with a weekend attendance of 19,221, up nearly 800 on last years figure.

With bright, sunny weather and set in the beautiful surroundings of the Kent countryside, this well-established event had no trouble building on a successful formula of arena activities, trade stalls, club stalls and dozens of side-shows.

Sponsored by Carole Nash Insurance, its well-earned reputation as one of the friendliest bike shows in the UK always attracts a wide family audience as well as the enthusiast and this year was no exception.

Horsepower of the four-legged kind provided excitement galore in the main arena when the Knights of the Damned put on a stunt display as it would have been hundreds of years ago, but showing what the youth of today can do, the youngsters of the Tigers motorcycle display team put on a display that would put even a bold Knight to shame!

Regular favourites UK FMX put on a spectacular display of extreme motocross tricks while another hardy-annual, the bizarre game of Motoball, drew as many laughs as it did gasps!

Such was the demand for space that trade bookings had closed two weeks prior to the show so it was no real surprise that all reported doing good business. Traders proved generous too in providing free prizes for the popular road show, now a regular feature of GEMS.
GT on 20.06.05 @ 04:34 PM GMT [link]

Thursday, June 16th

World of Motorcycling at Beaulieu

One of the best shows in the UK is coming up this weekend - World of Motorcycling at Beaulieu.

Here's some info direct from the organisers;

Motorcycle World, the greatest extravaganza of the moving motorcycle in the South, has become a key summer event for bikers, but this year we celebrate a rare milestone:- The 100th anniversary of the Velocette marque.

Its `100 at 100` time as no fewer than one hundred Velocettes from across the generations gather for a unique centennial ride on the Beaulieu demonstration circuit, courtesy of the Velo Owners Club and their special guests.

Younger, but with bouncier springs, we also celebrate 25 years of the BMW model that invented a new category of motorcycle the Giant Trailie as specially-invited owners of GS (and G/S - theyre fussy like that, BMW owners) ride-in on Saturday, lead by Long Way Round star Charley Boorman and fastest round the world traveller Kevin Sanders, seasoned moto-tourists both who will be on hand to talk about their experiences and sign autographs, books and DVDs.

Charley will also be giving one of his marvellous hour long talks on the hardships he and fellow traveller Ewan McGregor faced on their global trek in the National Motor Museum Lecture Theatre at lunchtime on Saturday. A ticket-only event, seats are £10 each from 01590 614667 and quote the reference MCW!

Historic Hondas will also be much in evidence you can see, hear - and smell (aaaah!) Beaulieus own 1962 World Championship winning 250cc four of Mike Hailwood and were promised something a bit special and a bit more modern from the worlds biggest motorcycle manufacturer. If we said oval - and winked - you might get a clue!

And speaking of modern machinery: A secret collection of GP bikes from the winners enclosure of the last thirty years will be presented to the public for the first time by a mystery benefactor, ridden by Jamie Whitham and Niall MacKenzie, among many other top-flight names. Barry Sheene's ex-GP winning Suzuki RG500 machines will also be on show.

Top film and BMW stunt rider Jean-Pierre Goy returns after his stunning debut last year to wow the crowds with yet more things you shouldnt even be able to do on a bike!

Talking of things Francais, Voxan will be at the show, with three of their V-twin bikes - and the public can demo ride them, subject to conditions and availability.

Its not just two wheels either: Sidecars through the ages fill both road and off-road circuits, headed by 140hp left-handed sidecar grasstrackers four cylinders, three wheels, two riders, one engine no brakes!

And for those for whom three wheels isnt enough, quads make a welcome return to both arenas. Racing, leisure and work use are highlighted, and new for this year is `Quad Alley` - a dedicated thoroughfare for the expanding world of quads for sport and recreational use. If your idea of a dirty weekend is shale, mud, grass or dirt youll find something to interest Isle of Wight and Poole Speedway stars will be in attendance and Craig Boyce will be on hand to sign programs and talk rear-end sliding, in a non-medical manner!

With more than 400 trade and exhibitor stands and 28,000 visitors each year, Motorcycle World is now one of the biggest events on the show calendar a celebration of biking in all its forms.

The show opens 9am Saturday 18th June and Sunday 19th June.

(this article was taken from NewsFile)
GT on 16.06.05 @ 11:50 AM GMT [link]

Monday, June 13th

Riding Skills: You Are Where You Look

Since racers are more often than not traveling at warp speed, they must anticipate what their racebike is going to do long before it happens-which means looking far ahead of their present location.

We've seen one too many accidents lately that were caused by a rider getting into a corner a little too hot, locking up the brakes and/or straightening the bike, then running off the road. We can't emphasize enough how important it is to not only look where you want to go, but also to scan far enough ahead of yourself; this is basically a recital of the racing mantra, "Don't ride the front wheel." Riding a sportbike well means being in control, and although it may not appear that way, it's vitally important for a racer to constantly be on top of his motorcycle's handling. Since racers are more often than not traveling at warp speed, they must anticipate what their racebike is going to do long before it happens-which means looking far ahead of their present location. This is why racers seem to be checking out spectators on the side of the track when entering hairpins. Instead, they're looking at where they'd like to be in a 10th of a second.

Try practicing your vision skills at a fairly tight corner, either on your favorite canyon road or racetrack. As you approach the apex (or a fixed, readily visible point on the pavement), note how close you are to that mark before you begin to scan ahead for your next reference point. If you are staring at that point until you are nearly on top of it, you're target fixating-if the corner ahead tightened up or if you found an obstacle in your path, it would be difficult to correct. In fact, if you're looking at that point even 25 to 35 feet before you get there, you're still not looking far enough ahead.

(this article was taken from sportrider.com)
GT on 13.06.05 @ 10:18 AM GMT [link]

Thursday, June 9th

Paignton Bike Nights Under Way

Paignton Bike nights which we posted a bulletin on a few weeks ago is now well under way. There was a full on festival in late April and early May, and now the weekly Wednesday night gatherings are in full swing. Bikers from all over the South West gather in Paignton gather in the evening for talk, fun, to peruse some of the unique motorcycles visiting for the event, to raise money for charity and sometimes live music and stalls.

Paignton Bike Nights was started two years ago by BMAD to raise money for charity and get bikers together in an organised summer event. You can find information on the history of the event on their pages here.

GT on 09.06.05 @ 10:54 AM GMT [link]

Monday, June 6th

The Triumph Daytona T595

A really nice example of Triumph's beautiful Daytona, with a single-sided swing arm, and excellent road handling capable of satisfying the needs of a long road trip or simple daily commute.

Colour: Red
Year: 1997
Mileage: 16517
Location: Plymouth
Engine: 955cc inline triple
Power: 130.00hp (94.9kw)
Torque: 100.00nm (10.2kgf-m or 73.8ft.lbs)
Gearbox: 6speed
Dry Weight: 198.0kg

GT Motorcycles are offering this bike for £3,499.00.

If you'd like to take a closer look, feel free to drop into our Plymouth showroom, or give us a call. To brose the rest of the used motorbikes we have to offer, see these pages.

GT on 06.06.05 @ 12:10 PM GMT [link]

Thursday, June 2nd

Louth's Classic Bike and Car Event

The 11th Louth Classic Car and Country Show relies on the public's support to be a success, and organiser Trevor Marris has launched a rallying call to get as many people as possible along to the event this Sunday, June 5.
In aid of both the Louth Scanner Appeal and the Lindsey Blind Society, the popular annual show boasts a car run, Lancaster fly past, music, craft displays, charity stalls, beer tent, and many other attractions.
Mr Marris said: "The more people we get the better it will be. Both charities are vital to the town and we should give them as much support as possible."
He added the event was a premier car show in this part of the county.
"And there aren't many such shows you can go to for such a small price," he said.
As ever, the Classic Car Run featuring such esteemed models as the Rolls Royce, Bentley and Wolseley will set off from Louth Market Place at 10am.

Around 150 classic vehicles and bikes will then convene at the show in Deighton Close around 11.30am.
Other attractions include a hot dog stall, Riverhead Silver Band, a display from the Louth Search and Rescue Dog Team, Appleby's Ice Cream, and a bouncy castle.
Don't miss the Leader stall and look out for our own children's mascot Techno Ted who will be meeting his fans on the day.
There is even a chance to win a Morris Minor for £1.
Entry for the show is just £1.50 for adults and 50p for children.

The event is expecting many people, so there will be two clearly posted car parks on the day. So mark your diaries if you live nearby, and make it into a short holiday if you don't! There are sure to be lots of classic bikes in attendance, including Triumphs and Harleys, so it's well worth the trip. With summer approaching, this is the first of what is sure to be a run of exciting bike and car centred events.

GT on 02.06.05 @ 05:25 PM GMT [link]

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