You can now wear an AGV helmet with exactly the same specifications as the one that nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi wore on the track in last year’s championship.
“The only difference is that his personal sponsors are removed from the graphics,” Don says.
“Out of interest , he wears a size MS Pista GP R.”
Italian made
What’s more, this helmet is not another Chinese-made product.
The design, research and development of the helmet was carried out by AGV technicians at their headquarters in Molvena and it is made at AGV’s facility in Campodoro.
All Pista GP R helmets cost $1999 which is $300 more than the matte black model.
Valentino Rossi and Aldo Drudi, the most famous graphic designer of the MotoGP, created a 1970s-inspired design for the 2018 season with linear shapes and large colour blocks.
The design is deliberately clean and simple, emphasising the Doctor’s famous sun and moon graphics.
Its paint scheme has been updated with a matte finish, also featured on the new Spoiler, and the carbon shell is visible on the chin guard.
Safety wear
Many racers in MotoGP and other world and national racing championships wear the AGV Pista GP R.
The shell shape is designed to maximise aerodynamic performance with the latest wind-tunnel-tested rear spoiler.
Developed under AGV’s “Extreme Standards” protocol, Pista GP R features a 100% carbon shell layered with a five-density EPS shell.
The lightweight structure exceeds the regulatory safety requirements and scores a five-star rating from the independent British certifying body, Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme (SHARP).
It includes MotoGP-derived innovations such as a removable hydration system with internal channels and a drinking valve inside the chin area.
There is an elastic tube at the back of the helmet which draws water from a hydration kit which you can wear as a backpack, or integrated into the aerodynamic hump in many modern racing leathers.
While most helmets only come in three sell sizes, this has four dedicated shell sizes and four internal EPS sizes to create a compact structure that minimises volume around the rider’s head.
Elspeth Beard is much-admired among many adventurers. At a time when few women travelled or rode motorbikes, Elspeth achieved an impressive feat- when she was just 23 years old she embarked on a solo motorbike journey around the world and became the first ever British woman to do so.
Let’s have a look at this formidable traveller and her two-year journey that took her from New York City back to the United Kingdom, with 35,000 miles (56,000km) in between!
The Beginnings of A Life-Long Love
The first time Elspeth rode a bike was when she was sixteen, a short journey on the back of her friend’s Husqvarna. This was enough to catch the motorcycling bug. Her first bike was a Yamaha YB100, a run-around just to help her to get from A to B around London. Around a year later, she upgraded to a 250cc Honda and then a second-hand 600cc BMW R60/6 …
Elspeth talks about the immense sense of freedom she felt with her BMW and began to travel further and further afield as her confidence grew. She started with trips to Scotland and Ireland, and then went onto bigger adventures like a two-month trip around Europe and a road trip from LA to Detroit. Elspeth had an incredible appetite for exploration.
Around the World in 915 Days (Roughly!)
Sure enough, as soon as she finished her degree in architecture in 1982, Elspeth began preparing to embark on her historic two-year solo journey around the world.
Starting in New York, she travelled across the USA to Canada. Her next stops were New Zealand and Australia, where she encountered a road block – she’d ran out of money. After working in Sydney for seven months, she shipped her bike to Singapore and rode through Malaysia and Thailand. She had to turn back to Malaysia after failing to gain entry in what is now Myanmar, and instead she caught a boat to India. From Chennai she travelled to Nepal, then around India to Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Yugoslavia, Europe and back to London.
That’s an incredible 23 countries and 35,000 miles over the course of two-and-a-half years!
However, her achievements went unnoticed – very few women travelled at that time and rather bafflingly, it was almost seen as a blip in her life rather than an achievement.
Immortalising the Elspeth story
Thankfully, we’ve come a long way since then and Elspeth’s remarkable achievements are now celebrated. She enjoys the accolade of the first British woman to ride solo around the world on a motorbike, not to mention the fact she’s an award-winning architect!
It’s no wonder her story has now been immortalised in her memoirs, Lone Rider: The First British Woman to Motorcycle Around the World, and she has joined the ranks of the likes of Che Guevara and Steve McQueen to become an ambassador for iconic British brands like Belstaff, who are famed for their motorcycle jackets.
We’re sure this isn’t the last time we’ll hear about this incredibly inspirational woman and we look forward to hearing about the feats that Elspeth will no doubt continue to amaze us with!
The irony is thick here with a name like that. Nonetheless, Erik Buell is back in the two-wheel business, but not how we thought.
Begin press release:
Dear Friends and Supporters,
We are very proud and excited to reveal to you our new Urban Electric Mobility Brand: FUELL (formerly known as “VanguardSpark”), and its first products, Fluid and Flow.
FUELL is all about creating freedom and emotion through innovation.
Erik Buell, founder of Buell Motorcycles and legendary engineer, Frédéric Vasseur, Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team principal and founder of Spark Racing Technology (which builds the Formula E racers), and Francois-Xavier Terny, a transatlantic entrepreneur fond of industrial endeavors, have rallied together to create a genuinely new experience entirely focused on the urban rider.
It is our pleasure to introduce to you Fluid and Flow!
Fluid is a robust and elegant electric bike, with exceptional range (up to 125 miles thanks to its 2 removable batteries with a total of 1,000Wh) and generous torque (100Nm). Fluid is virtually maintenance-free with its carbon belt and internal hub gears.
Flow is an electric urban motorcycle combining practical aspects for the urban journey (integrated 50-liter internal storage) and technological innovations (proprietary wheel-motor, connected dashboard). Flow delivers an unparalleled ride thanks to exceptional acceleration and a low center of gravity.
The Flow and Fluid prototypes will be in New York City before the end of March for 4 to 5 weeks to be presented to investors, journalists and influencers. No test ride yet, but you can see them by appointment only. Please contact us at [email protected] should you be interested in taking a peek at these machines and experiencing first hand the urban revolution!
Please click on our press release or visit our introductory website – today we’re unveiling our brand, vision and first images, and will be sharing more information over the next weeks, until our full reveal on April 23rd.
Unexpected repairs are the bane of a motorcyclist’s life. No, we’re not talking about changing your tyres or brakes. Those are maintenance costs that you should have planned for. What we’re talking about here is when your chain snaps or you find out that rust has formed on the inside of your old metal fuel tank (something riders of older bikes will be all too familiar with.)
If you’re lucky, this type of problem will be spotted before it becomes a major issue. Even so, when your mechanic tells you they found something wrong with your bike, all you can think of is how much the repair bill is going to be. Fortunately, there are ways to deal with these unwanted surprises, but our first piece of advice is all about being prepared.
Expect the unexpected
It’s a great piece of advice that most folks will offer after something bad has happened. ‘You should have planned for this,’ ‘you’ll be ready for it next time’; you know what we’re talking about. But as annoying as hearing such advice is, there’s a whole lot of truth in those words.
Ideally, you should have a rainy day fund where you save money in case of emergency. But we don’t want you to touch that. Instead, you should have a repairs fund set up somewhere. Use a cookie jar in the kitchen or an old bank account that you don’t use much. Whatever it is, you need to put a small amount in there every single time you get paid. It can be just a few dollars each time, but over the space of a year that fund will build up so when any emergency repairs are required, you have some cash to foot the bill.
Ask your mechanic about credit terms
Of course, your mechanic needs to pay his bills too, but he may be able to arrange credit with your parts supplier. This way you get new parts for your bike, and you only need to pay the mechanic for his labor costs. It’s not very often that parts suppliers will agree to this, but it’s worth asking about.
Put the repairs on credit
Credit cards are there for convenience, and yes, you guessed it, in times of emergencies. While it might hurt to put a thousand dollars on your card just like that, it’s worth it to get back on the road. But not everyone has a plastic “out of jail card”.
If you don’t have a credit card, you can always opt for a short term loan. The great thing about this option is that even if your credit score has taken a battering in recent years, it’s easy enough to get one approved. Yes, the interest rate is high but at least this way, you’re more likely to get rid of that bill as soon as possible. With a credit card, the temptation to pay the minimum each time is just too much.
Shop around
Look, we know it’s tough to leave your mechanic especially if they do great work, but there’s no harm in shopping around for a better deal. Get a price from your mechanic and then call around. It could be that the mechanic in the next town does great work but is a bit cheaper than your guy. It could be worth loading the bike up on a truck and driving a few miles out of town to get the work done cheaper. You may even find that you can get cheaper parts online but take care not to get scammed.
Whatever option you decide on, remember this; never cut corners when it comes to repairs. You can shop around for cheaper parts and look for a mechanic that doesn’t charge quite so much, but never compromise on your safety. Secondhand parts should be in good shape and preferably reconditioned while your mechanic should have a solid reputation for doing good work. Remember, while you want to save some money, it’s all about staying safe on the road.
Although we are awaiting the official conclusion of the investigation by local police, initial evidence regarding the cause of the fire at the E-paddock of the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto on March 14th seems to point to a short circuit as the main cause of the incident.
The source of the short circuit has yet to be identified but, once the fire broke out, it ignited the high-density battery which is part of the high-performance charger used at MotoE™ events.
The motorbikes were not connected to the charging infrastructure at the time the fire began.
“We also had the chance to do more tests, since in addition to the Valencia Test, Jerez, Sepang and Qatar, we were able to participate in the three days of Shakedown with the official team. I can tell you that, when arriving in Malaysia, the riders felt a huge difference on the bike compared to November. They were much more confident, especially with the front of the bike, so they were able to deliver clearer feedback and attack more. But it is in Qatar that we really realise that everything starts, because the teams cannot hide their games anymore. It is at this moment that we can gauge ourselves and determine the forces involved.”
Round one dominator, Alvaro Bautista steadily improved the Ducati Panigale V4 R settings before consolidating his position as the man to beat with a 1m32.971s lap to top Friday ahead of Jonathan Rea.
Álvaro Bautista – P1
“For sure it’s only Friday, but I’m quite happy because the most important thing was to confirm our potential on a track that is different from Australia. This morning I started to understand the track and the reference markers, which are a little bit different from the MotoGP bike, so I needed some laps to adapt my riding style. Then I just worked on the bike settings without making any big changes, just some adjustments for the set-up on this track. In the afternoon we tried a different type of rear tyre to see what the new compound was like. There were positives and negatives, so we still have to decide for the race tomorrow. The feeling with the Panigale V4 R is good and I’m satisfied with the result of this first day.”
Álvaro Bautista – Image by Geebee
Seven-time Buriram race-winner Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) has an impeccable record in Buriram and will look to retain that mantle come racing on Saturday and Sunday.
Jonathan Rea
“We were building into it this morning and we got off to a good start. Step-by-step we improved the bike and were getting into a rhythm in that second free practice session, where we started to make some steps with set-up. I wanted to do a consistent long run but we had to confirm which tyre we will use for tomorrow, at the front and the rear. In some areas of this track I also want to improve my braking. We found some positives in all that so – putting it together – I felt pretty good out there. We can look at the finer details tonight but already we are on the way.”
Teammate Leon Haslam was one of the biggest improvers in the session, taking just under a second off of his morning time to finish seventh.
Leon Haslam
“I thought I had a good handle on the track after racing here four years ago but it has taken me a little bit of time to get my head around the layout again. We stuck to our strategy and just used one tyre in each session, feeling a good rhythm, but we just need to find a little bit more pace. There is a lot of different tarmac from when I last rode here in 2015, so I am working out where those new bumps are, where it is grippy and where it is not. I am still finding braking points, which is just taking a bit of time. We are chipping away every lap, feeling better and better. It is hot out there but it is the same for everyone.”
Rookie Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) took over as leading Yamaha rider, with a stunning charge to third positionin what is his first visit to Thailand.
Veteran teammate Marco Melandri was firmly inside the top six.
Leading the Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team charge is Alex Lowes, fourth on the combined timesheets.
Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven) finished in eighth position and as second Ducati rider. The Irishman, who has never managed a race finish better than ninth in Thailand, will hope to translate his pace from today into Saturday’s Tissot Superpole Session.
Britain’s Leon Camier (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team) placed ninth on combined times and at one point of the session, had the track to himself, enabling him to put in some fast times and work on race pace.
Leon Camier
“I feel we had a good second session after having spent some time sorting out a few little things with the bike setup this morning. In the afternoon I feel we made some progress, I was feeling much better on my bike and was able to put some good laps together at the end of the session. There a few key areas where we are still losing but we know what these areas are and will keep working to try and improve them. All in all, I think we are not doing a bad job at the moment, but it will be a big fight for sure. Weather conditions are incredible, it’s so hot! The end of the race will be tough for everyone!”
Teammate Ryuichi Kiyonari improved his time but dropped places. The Japanese star was only 16th at the end of Friday’s track action.
Making it five manufacturers inside the top ten, Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was tenth as he continues to develop the new S1000RR. The 2013 WorldSBK champion completed an important 34 laps throughout the day, whilst German teammate Markus Reiterberger finished in 12th position, just 1.3s from Bautista.
Shaun Muir – BMW Team Principal
“FP1 was really good for us today. Tom and Markus both found a good direction, so everything went positive. We had three exits for each rider and all took steps forward so that was promising. In FP2 we had more test items. While we were pretty happy after FP1 we did not make quite the progress we had hoped for in FP2. We went in a different direction with Tom which unfortunately was the wrong way so had to come back, FP3 tomorrow we will hopefully go in a better direction. Markus had some gremlins that cost a bit of time but overall we can’t be too disappointed. We did not use any additional tyres in FP2 so the times that we put in were pretty much on 15 to 20 lap tyres, so overall I am quite happy with that. Regarding our expectations for Superpole, I think the group from third down to tenth is quite tight and is achievable, so to have a top six for Tom and a top nine for Markus would be a realistic target.”
But not only that. This episode will feature interviews with a host of familiar names, with former Grand Prix rider John Hopkins, Grand Prix winner and MotoGP™ pitlane reporter Simon Crafar, four-time World Champion turned team owner Max Biaggi and American Moto2™ rider Joe Roberts (American Racing KTM) all featuring.
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