Danny and Graham’s Iron Butts Challenge Blog

Red Dwarf’s ‘Cat’ and bike fan Danny John Jules and his team mate Graham Hoskins are taking on an endurance bike run in aid of Sport Relief.

You can follow their adventures on their blog here and donate to Sport Relief here

The profile on their blog reads;

Red Dwarf star Danny John-Jules and his team mate Graham Hoskins undertake the challenge of a lifetime, motor-biking nearly 7000 miles to circumnavigate the Mediterranean Sea in just 15 days. Graham and Danny will travel through 3 continents, riding across 14 diverse, scenic and often chaotic Mediterranean countries as they cross from Europe over the Bosphorus into Asia, through the Middle East and round into North Africa. It’s an endurance challenge and not for the faint hearted! To finish the Iron Butts Challenge, Danny and Graham will have to work together to overcome whatever trials face them. From bad navigation and getting lost, to flat tyres, mad and bad local drivers, mechanical failure, visa and border issues, running out of fuel and cultural differences.

About Sport Relief

As one of the UK’s biggest fundraising events, Sport Relief brings the entire nation together to get active, raise cash and change lives. It has a unique history of dedicated people doing extraordinary things to rise to the challenge and make the world of difference to poor and vulnerable people.

And, following in their footsteps, hundreds of thousands of people, right across the UK, have a great time when they complete brilliant challenges of their own.

The Sport Relief Weekend is taking place from Friday 19th March to Sunday 21st March 2010 and it’ll be three whole days of energy, entertainment and events for everyone to enjoy. From the Friday of fundraising fun, and a night of cracking TV on BBC One, right through to the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile on Sunday, it promises to be a brilliant weekend.

And, the best bit is, all the money raised by the public will be spent by Comic Relief to help people living unimaginably tough lives, both at home and across the world’s poorest countries. So be a part of it… Rise to your challenge!

Sport Relief is an initiative of Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland).

Yamaha Super Tenere to cost…”Gulp!”….£13,500

Geez I banged my head when I fainted there!!

Ok, deep breaths, compose myself….

Yamaha has announced the ‘on-line orders only’ XT1200Z Super Tenere will cost £13,500 for UK buyers.  Wait don’t leave in disgust just yet!  A fully tricked out BMW GS 1200 is just over a £1000 less than that and it gives the bike a comparable spec to that of the ‘First Edition’ Super Tenere.  Now if, if, the Super Tenere outperforms the GS in road tests and shows itself to be the ultimate adventure bike, Yamaha might, might, justify this price point, as eye-watering as it is.

I should point out that the spate of ATM robberies here in Ireland isn’t me getting ready to make an on-line down payment for this bike! : )

Accessorise Your New Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere!

Ride The Wild Wind is slowly turning into Yamaha’s press office it would seem, but as mentioned in earlier posts the Turkish Motorcycle Show in Istanbul has seen a flurry of Yamaha news this week and RTWW is just reporting on it, honestly.

However … if Yamaha would like to donate a Super Tenere as the official RTWW bike I won’t say no, just in case any Yamaha staff are checking us out : ) yes I have no shame….

Annnyway… Back to business….

Yamaha has added an accessories page to its web site for the new Super Tenere, and it all looks rather good.  Have to say I’m really impressed by this bike so far, and increasingly nervous that first ride reports will show it to be complete pants! (cough! Honda VFR1200f cough!)

Much of the accessories are pretty standard adventure bike stuff, taller screen, crash bars, belts and buckles for luggage, tank bag, pannier and top box bags, fog lamps etc.  One of my favourites has to be the lower seat option shaving a further 35mm off the standard seat’s lowest setting of 835mm.  Brilliant for those of us who are somewhat, how shall we say, inner leg challenged.  The best one however has to be the original PR image of the ‘Lord of Adventure’ as a tank pad!

Check out the full list of accessories here

The New Yamaha Fazer8

The Turkish Motorcycle Show in Istanbul has been Yamaha’s launchpad for new models with the Super Tenere and also this, the new Fazer model, the Fazer8.

This is the half-faired version having previously seen the naked model a few weeks ago.  The 799cc Fazer8 is a replacement for the Fazer6 and more details are due on March 12th.  The naked version of the bike can be seen below…

Ace Cafe Motorcycle & Custom Show 26th-28th Feb 2010

Ace Cafe Motorcycle & Custom Show

26th-28th Feb 2010, Alexandra Palace

The Ace Cafe London Motorcycle and Custom Show will be staged at the iconic Alexandra Palace (‘Ally Pally’) venue in north London on February 26th, 27th and 28th 2010.

The Alexandra Palace is a popular and historic London venue, set in hill-top parkland with commanding views across London, that already has a 20-year pedigree of attracting British motorcyclists to shows staged there.

‘The Peoples Palace’ originally opened on 24th May 1873, only to be destroyed by fire 16 days later on the 9th June. It was rebuilt and reopened 1st May 1875. Severely damaged by fire again in 1980, Alexandra Palace was again rebuilt and now stands surrounded by 196 acres of parkland, offers visitors an uninterrupted panoramic view of the London Skyline, and is famous for the variety of major events it hosts as well as its Ice Rink and general leisure facilities. The BBC moved in during 1935 and first public transmissions started in 1936. Alexandra Palace housed the world’s first TV studios.

Motorcycle events: Road Racing and Superbike: London’s only M/C Show ran at Ally Pally continually for 16 years till 2005 when it became The MCN London Motorcycle Show. Shifted to Excel 2007 which saw launch of Superbike’s Ally Pally Show which only ran that year. Nothing in 2008, but huge demand for the show’s return amongst exhibitors and visitors. The Ally Pally Show was relaunched by Andrew Greenwood in February 2009. The Ace Cafe London Motorcycle and Custom Show draws on the Motorcycling heritage of Ally Pally, the passion for riding and bikes that the Ace brings and a burning desire in the custom community for a stable and sustainable event in the UK.

Show Dates and Times

Friday 26th February, 10am – 4pm
Saturday 27th February, 10am – 5pm
Sunday 28th November, 10am – 5pm

Admissions

Adults: In advance £12 – Door £15
Seniors: In advance £10 – Door £12
Child 7-14: In Advance £5 – Door £5
Advance Ticket Hotline: 08452 305 177 www.netaticket.co.uk

Custom Competition

To read the rules click here. A PDF version is available on request.

Entries are now closed. Please email neil@amdchampionship.com to be added to a priority entry list for next year’s event.

Contacts

Exhibitors & Trade: Chris Gothard +44 (0)1732 362 845 or email chris@esnevents.co.uk
Show Competitors: Neil Blaber +44 (0)1892 511 516 or email neil@amdchampionship.com
Press & All Other Enquiries: Mark Wilsmore +44 (0)20 8961 1000 or email acecafe1@aol.com

www.Ace-Cafe-London.com
www.ClassicShows.org
www.AlexandraPalace.com

More Details on Yamaha’s 1200cc Super Tenere ‘First Edition’

So it’s finally out there motorcycling’s new potential adventure bike king.  On looks alone the new Super Tenere appears every bit the capable do everything bike, and certainly more off-road capable and robust  than the 2010 Ducati Multistrada.  I’m sure BMW are pouring over specs this morning to consider the impact Yamaha might have on GS sales this year.

However, while there’s nothing official yet, rumoured pricing for the Super Tenere was pretty high and it would need to really outperform BMW’s GS variants to justify a possible £2000 more.

Yamaha has listed the big features of the bike as being;

• Shaft drive inline 2-cyl engine – 270-degree crank
• Mass kept low and central for agile handling
• Intelligent Unified Brake System and ABS
• YCC-T with 3-stage traction control plus Yamaha D-mode
• First edition adventure pack
• Tough spoked, tubeless aluminium rims
• Adjustable front and rear suspension
• Adjustable seat height

All of which sound very exciting and technically it appears to tick all the necessary boxes given the bike’s multi-purpose role.  The first road tests will be interesting especially on the hot topic of tank range, with recent ‘tourers’ being barely capable of a blast to the corner shop!

This 2010 Super Tenere is dubbed, understandably, the ‘First Edition’ with no other variants available this year.  For the buyer this means, as well a snazzy ‘First Edtion’ sticker you get aluminium panniers with brackets, aluminium bash plate, and a headlight protector (not for road use).  All this is fine but I worry if it’s a way to justify that rumoured painful showroom price?

RTWW will report on any road tests as they appear and below you’ll find some more images of the bike and a link to Yamaha’s product page where you’ll find quite an exciting video detailing the Super Tenere’s features.

Doesn’t the shaft drive look great! …. and yes I know how weird that sounds.  Yamaha’s Product page can be found here, and don’t forget to check out the features video.

More news and reviews as we get them.

Yamaha Super Tenere is revealed!

The details are out on Yamahas new adventure bike the 1200cc Super Tenere, and it appears to be a decent mix of BMW GS and Ducati Multistrada, at first look I hasten to add.  We’ll have a mull over the details and form an opinion soon but for now here’s the specs along with a few images of the bike Yamaha hopes can breath some life into it’s flagging fortunes.

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, inline 2-cylinder, 4-valve, fuel injected, twin spark engine
Displacement: 1199cc
Bore x stroke: 98 x 79.5 mm
Compression ratio: 11.0:1
Firing intervals: 270- and 450-degree points
Max. Power: 80.9kW (110PS) @7,250rpm
Max. Torque: 114.1 Nm (11.6kgf･m) @6000 r/min
Lubrication system: Dry sump, oil tank in crankcase
Fuel supply system: Fuel injection
Ignition system: Twin spark
Starter system: Electric
Transmission system: Constant mesh, 6-speed
Throttle system: Yamaha Chip-Controlled Throttle (YCC-T)
Yamaha D-MODE: 2 modes, Sport (S) and Touring (T)
Traction control: 3 modes, TCS1, TCS2 and OFF
Exhaust System: 2-into-1

CHASSIS
Front suspension: Upside-down telescopic fork, 43 mm inner tube, adjustable preload, compression and rebound damping
Front wheel travel: 190 mm
Rear suspension: Monoshock, adjustable preload and rebound damping
Rear wheel travel: 190 mm
Front brake: Twin 310 mm wave discs, ABS/Unified Brake System
Rear brake: Single 282 mm wave disc
Front tyre: 110/80/19
Rear tyre: 150/70/17

DIMENSIONS
Overall length: 2,250 mm
Overall width: 980 mm
Overall height: MIN：1,410 mm / MAX：1,440 mm
Seat height: Adjustable 835-860 mm
Wheelbase: 1,540 mm
Min. ground clearance: 205 mm
Wet weight: 261kg (includes full oil and fuel tank)
Fuel capacity: 22 litres

Yamaha Super Tenere, tonight is the big reveal..

Yamaha will unveil the production version of the much hyped adventure bike at 7pm tonight.  RTWW will update you as soon as possible.  Hopefully it isn’t a damp squib like the Honda VFR12ooF.

New 2010 Special Editions from Triumph

Triumph have introduced two special editions for 2010 of its Thunderbird crusier and Daytona 675 sports bike.  The Thunderbird will benefit from several genuine Triumph accesories and a stylish metallic red dubbed ‘Carnival Red’.

Next up is the Daytona 675 of which Triumph says;

Following on from the success of last year’s limited run, white and blue Daytona 675 coloured special edition, Triumph is introducing a limited run of its class-leading sportsbike with an even higher specification.

Priced at £8,199 on-the-road, the 2010 Daytona 675SE comes loaded with over £500 worth of accessories in addition to an exclusive livery.

Just like the 2009 special edition, the 2010 Daytona 675SE features stunning Pearl White bodywork accompanied by a Sparkle Blue frame. However, the latest version takes things a stage further with racy new graphics adorning the flanks, white striped wheels, race-inspired brake and clutch levers and a host of carbon fibre parts from Triumph’s accessories catalogue.

Triumph’s new adjustable, machined alloy levers, similar to those found on the company’s world supersport racers, are a new feature on the Daytona 675SE, while the carbon fibre heat shield, exhaust cap, cockpit infills and rear hugger complete the factory racer look.

The circuit-developed Daytona 675 embraces the latest chassis technology, including highly sophisticated and adjustable suspension front and rear. These suspension units, adjustable for both high and low speed compression damping, give unparalleled levels of control on the track while offering a plush ride on rough road surfaces.

Mechanically, the Daytona 675SE retains the soulful 126bhp 675cc triple of the standard machine, while a full range of official accessories are available to provide owners with an opportunity to personalise both the look and performance of their machine.

Track day enthusiasts are well catered for with a number of racing accessories, including numerous lightweight carbon fibre parts, a ‘plug-and-play’ quickshifter set, exquisite race-style rear set footrests and silencers developed in cooperation with Italian race specialists Arrow Special Parts.

Both bikes will arrive in authorised Triumph dealerships from March 1st.

Does Northern Ireland need a bigger bike show?

What were your views on this years Adelaide Motorcycle show at the Kings Hall in Belfast.  Several friends of RTWW have said that while the show is well laid out it is lacking as a ‘big event’ akin to shows by the BMF, MCN, etc in England and elsewhere in mainland UK.

Northern Ireland does have several good shows throughout the year such as the custom show in Belfast due to return later this year, but would you like to see a ‘big bash’ style event with stunts, racing, ride outs, brand displays, live music, and hosting every kind of bike to be found from scooters to customs?

The picutre above is of the Port Dover Friday the 13th event in Canada which attracts 1000s of riders and is something we’d love to see here in NI or as a cross border event.  RTWW would like to hear your thoughts on what you’d like to see and whether you would support a ‘Northern Ireland’s Big Biker Bash’ event?  Or if you have been to a big event, what was the best thing you saw or did?

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