The one-piece ABS unit replaces the factory-fit number plate holder and tail light surround, bringing the number plate closer to the twin exhaust pipe exit on the Speed Triple. It offers a cleaner, more stylish and compact look to the back end of the machine.

The R & G Tail Tidy can be fitted by any competent home mechanic and comes with all fittings and instructions. No specialist tools are required and the kit includes three LED lights to illuminate your registration plate, plus pre-drilled holes allowing you to retain standard indicators, or fit a micro lens kit.

R & G Racing produce a range of protective accessories for the Speed Triple 1050 as well, including fork, exhaust, engine casing and frame protectors, with prices starting at just £12.99.

More info at; www.rg-racing.com

Feedback from owners and traders at the Classic Motor Show suggests that record prices are still being reached for classic machines such as the Vincent 1000 twins, AJS 7R, Norvins, Tritons and so on, but more importantly enthusiasts are still collecting old bikes and using them, as well as restoring them.

Steve Tonkin, who runs a restoration business in the North-West of England told insidebikes;

” I started out 20 years ago and thought the classic bike business would die away as people got older and stopped riding old motorcycles, but it’s still keeping me busy. I have a couple of restorations to do, plus a guy who wants a Matchless G50 race machine converting to road spec on the books, which should keep me busy well into next year.”

Steve built the Tempest single cylinder cafe racer (pictured above), which features a Seeley frame and a brand new, single cylinder engine, plus many hand-crafted parts. The bike was pictured on the Tamworth and District Club stand, next to an Egli Vincent - which had just been sold to a Vincent enthusiast.

Chatting with a member of the TR03 ( Triumph Trident and Rocket 3 Owners) club, insidebikes was told that `people are buying older bikes because they offer better value in the long run, they’re just as much fun and, let’s face it, you can’t use the performance of modern bikes on the roads anymore.’

There seems no doubt that there will be plenty of interest in the Carole Nash sponsored Classic Village section at the NEC, where some of the most stunning restorations will be on display. The Classic Village is part of the International Motorcycle Show, which opens at the NEC on 28th October 2008.

Venhill actually manufacture their high quality, braided steel brake lines and control cables, right here in the UK, which is an increasing rarity these days.  There are new colours available for 2009, so if you own a bike like say a KTM MX or Enduro machine, you can have matching orange brake lines.

The Venhill brake products are factory tested to 1500psi, although a hydraulic brake line normally only has to cope with around 30psi in everyday operation. Venhill products meet the tough German TUV standards, generally aknowledged as being the highest in motorcycle component manufacturing.

All Venhill brake lines come with a fitting kit, including swivel unions, fork leg mountings etc. Venhill launched new brake, clutch and throttle line products for off-road marques like Beta, Scorpa and Gas Gas at the Dirt Bike Show.

More at; www.venhill.co.uk

The Ruby a la carte service allows buyers to browse the Ruby range online, select a base helmet shell, choose one of 26 colour schemes, three different paint finishes, various fastening and trim detailing, one-off graphics etc. In five weeks, your custom Ruby helmet will be delivered to your door.

Those who want to take things a stage further can contact the Ruby Made-to-Measure service.

This is ideal for anyone who has built their own custom bike, trike or scooter maybe, and wants their helmet to match the one-off design of their custom machine. Email contact@ateliersruby.com for more details on their bespoke, hand-built helmet service.

Find out more at www.boutiqueruby.com

The card works like many High Street reward cards and motorcyclists can rack up reward points each time they make a purchase from an Infinity store. Saving up the points means that regular customers can earn money-saving vouchers.

” We wanted to do something for customers to show that we don’t take their business for granted.” said Infinity boss Dave Holloway, launching the reward card scheme. The points can be earned on all regular store purchases, except motorcycles, bike servicing and sale or specially reduced offers.

Those who hold the reward card will also get an extra 10% off the retail price on Shoei, Oxford, Sidi and Schuberth products, plus £75 worth of free goodies with every new Arai helmet they buy. Membership of the Infinity reward card scheme is completely free as well.

Find out more at; www.inifinitymotorcycles.com

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The Keis bodywarmer connects directly to a motorcycle battery and once in action rapidly warms up to a maximum of 65 degrees. It tranfers heat across the core area of the human body using carbon woven panels in the kidney and chest areas, so there’s no need for any wires. Because there are no wire elements, you can hand-wash and drip-dry the Keis bodywarmer.

If you prefer not to connect the garment to your bike’s electrical system, then the Keis bodywarmer can also be powered using an optional Li-ion battery pack, which offers 2.2-6.7 hours of heat, depending on the temperature setting chosen. There are 5 settings in total, with a temperature range of 40-65 degrees available.

The Keis bodywarmer is designed to combat the effects of wind-chill, which particularly affects motorcycle riders who own machines without touring fairings or heated grips. The Keis vest comes in sizes XS-XXL, costs £89.99, with the optional temperature controller being an extra £29.99. The battery pack costs an extra £39.99.

More at; www.motohaus.com

 

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Warranty Direct initially entered the market with the BMW bike brand, but have now decided to offer their unique cover to owners of other marques.

From as little as £16.50 per month you can cover against major mechanical breakdown, electrical system failure or even wear and tear. So if a fault is picked up during an MoT, or service, then Warranty Direct’s policy may well cover you.

Protection under standard manufacturer warranties is often limited to just two years from new, or as little as 20,000 miles. If you have a machine that’s over two years old, or plan on clocking up serious mileage, then Warranty Direct may well be a worthwhile investment, with cover up to eight years or 80,000 miles.

If something does go wrong a Warranty Direct customer has the right to choose a franchised dealer, or independent specialist to carry out repairs. That’s the kind of peace of mind that makes a big difference with specialsed marques.

For more info please visit; www.bikewarranty.co.uk

KBC Europe are renowned as one of the top value helmet brands in the market and have signed an agreement to distribute the V2 Visorvision range of visor and helmet care products. Products in the range include the V2 sponge, the Fog Tech anti-misting wipes and Rain Coat water-beading treatment.

All the V2 Visorvision products for 2009 are designed to help riders maintain maximum vision at all times, especially in tricky wet weather conditions. insidebikes has road-tested the V2 sponge in the past and found it a rapid way to clean your visor, without leaving any scratches or smears.

Find out more at; www.visorvision.co.uk, or for details on the KBC helmet range try www.kbchelmets.co.uk

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It’s made from 3mm thick polycarbonate and retails for £104.95, available from all UK Kawasaki dealers. The Cafe Windshield makes a real difference in rider comfort for those who fancy touring longer distances on the new VN900 model. There are also Kawasaki saddlebags and other accessories available to help personalise the VN900 machine.

More at; www.kawasaki.co.uk

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They are made from cowhide leather, feature kevlar and carbon fibre protective panels, plus two extra pads on the palm area, to lessen the chances of a rider suffering a broken scaphoid in an accident. The scaphoid is especially vulnerable in a bike accident and can take months to heal up.

Here’s another handy feature; the carbon fibre knuckle guard on the R & G Deluxe glove also has a layer of padding beneath it, so that will reduce the potential impact in an accident too. Non-slip material on the thumb and finger areas helps throttle and clutch control whilst riding the motorcycle.

The R & G Deluxe glove costs a reasonable £34.99 and is aviailable in Black only, sizes S-XL. More info at; www.rg-racing.com

 

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