Brighton Speed Trials, thought to be the world’s longest running motorsport event, has finally come to an end, with no events planned in the foreseeable future. Organised by the Brighton & Hove Motor Club, with the motorcycle entry run by the Sprint Section of the VMCC, it was first held in 1905 and soon became an annual fixture in Britain’s motorsport calendar, with cars and bikes measured over a standing start sprint along Madeira Drive on Brighton seafront. Many well known names have competed on the famous quarter-mile – Sir Malcolm Campbell, Stirling Moss, Noel Pope and Trevor Nation all sprinted cars or bikes here, against the unforgettable backdrop of Madeira Drive’s ornate terraces on one side, and Brighton beach on

Tall, heavy motorcycles – especially adventure bikes – can be a challenge for riders with shorter legs or less mobility. Get it wrong at low speeds, and 250kg of expensive motorcycle topples over, usually taking the pilot with it – potentially expensive, certainly embarrassing and not a great thing for rider confidence. Some manufacturers have looked at how a big, weighty bike can be kept reliably upright at low speeds, but apart from the odd low-seat option, nothing has reached the market. But now Chinese brand Voge has patented an idea for hydraulically-operated stabiliser wheels, which might just work. The application shows a pair of tiny wheels (probably only suitable for sub-walking pace) mounted on arms which pivot just ahead of

Bosch has developed lighter, cheaper versions of its high-tech riding aids such as lean sensitive ABS and traction control, and for the first time these are being applied to sub-400cc bikes such as the Indian-made TVS Apache RTR 310, which uses the latest version of Bosch’s MSC (Motorcycle Stability Control). The 2024 KTM 390 Duke (also made by TVS) is also fitted with the new-generation kit, with a Bosch 3D inertial measurement unit (IMU) which integrates various functions via the MSC. Interviewed in MCN, Geoff Liersch, head of Bosch’s Two-Wheeler and Powersports unit highlighted the safety benefits of making these systems available on cheaper bikes. “It’s pretty simple for me,” he said. “I would like to see 100% MSC systems on

The giants of the Indian motorcycle industry are planning an assault on European and UK markets. As a result, we could see a new generation of bargain-priced mid-range bikes on British roads. An article in trade magazine British Dealer News pinpoints Bajaj, Hero and TVS in particular. Until now, they’ve all been selling bikes to the West ‘under the radar,’ by building machines for Western brands. Think the BMW G310GS (built by TVS) and Triumph’s 400 plus the smaller KTMs (made by Bajaj). Royal Enfield of course, has been a slow burn Indian success story in the UK for many years. All are attracted by selling their mid-size offerings to Europe for fatter profit margins than they get on the home

Three Shropshire bikers have raised over £1500 for Blood Bikes Shropshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire, by riding a trio of Honda 125s over 1000 miles from Shrewsbury to the Hebrides and back. BMF member David Bramwell, who did the ride along with Keith Arscott and John Clarke, takes up the story. “My friend Keith said, ‘I want to ride to the Hebrides on a Monkey bike and take it along Barra Beach!’ When we’d all finished laughing we thought it was quite a good idea. I’m a bit too big for a Monkey bike so I bought a PCX 125 and John already had his son’s CG125, though to be honest that was a bit of a wreck.” Perhaps wisely, John

Aprilia has applied for a patent to cover its latest work on aerodynamics, a ground-effect fairing which allows greater lean angles and more corner speed without losing grip. The company pioneered this work in 2022 for MotoGP, and the idea was copied by several rivals for the ’23 race season. But the existence of a patent application suggests that Aprilia is protecting the concept for future use on a production bike. Ground effect – creating a low pressure venturi effect under a vehicle for extra downforce – was originally used in Formula One in the 1970s, but is more difficult to apply to a motorcycle. Aprilia has already patented aerodynamic features on the RS-GP which give more downforce in a straight

The family of a couple killed by an 80-year-old driver have called for compulsory retests for older motorists. At the moment, drivers and motorcyclists over 70 simply have to renew their licence every three years, declaring that they are fit to drive, including to an eyesight standard. Roger and Christine Barton were killed when 80-year-old Michael Hamburger pulled out in front of their VW Tiguan, which was pushed into the opposite lane of traffic and struck by another car. Winchester Court heard that Mr Hamburger had an “unobstructed” 500-metre view of traffic in clear and dry conditions. Georgina Abbot, daughter of the Bartons, said, “I think we should all be retested at a certain age. Relying on a driver to declare their

The RAC is calling on the Government to run an independent study into the issue of headlight glare, after a survey in November 2023 found that 85% of drivers affected said they thought the problem was getting worse. The survey of 2000 drivers, commissioned by the RAC, found that 89% stated that some car headlights are too bright, with three in four of those they were dazzled regularly. More than two-thirds said they had to slow down until they could see clearly again. About the same proportion (68%) said it took between one and five seconds before their sight recovered, while more one in ten said it took six or more, quite sobering when you think how far a 60mph car