Biker wins MotoGP kit in road safety prize draw

22 September 2008

A visitor to last month's Bike Plus 2008 festival is now the lucky owner of a Yamaha team shirt signed by MotoGP contender James Toseland.

Biker wins MotoGP kit in road safety prize draw

The shirt was offered in a prize draw during the event in Matlock Bath, which was organised by Derby and Derbyshire Road Safety Partnership to celebrate the art of motoring on two wheels.

Prize draw winner Mark Sewell from Belper has been riding regularly since he was 17 and currently has two bikes – A Ducati ST2 sports touring bike and a Honda XR 400 trail bike.

Andy Adlington, the partnership’s motorcycle project officer, said: "It was great for me to meet fellow riders like Mark during Bike Plus 2008. We all love the Derbyshire countryside because it offers great rides – but too many of us are running into trouble.  Nearly a third of the people killed or badly hurt in the county last year were motorcyclists."
 
Andy added: "My mission as partnership project officer is to provide bikers with the information and training they need to enjoy the Derbyshire countryside year after year rather than leaving in an ambulance or a hearse."

Visitors to Bike Plus 2008 had the opportunity to admire the latest machines, test their skills on Honda's motorbike simulator and pick up a free copy of The Bikers' Guide to Derbyshire. They were also able to learn about discounted training and enjoy a virtual tour of the nation’s best roads by watching Highways Agency movie Great Roads Great Rides. The event took place in the Derwent Gardens in Matlock Bath on Sunday 27 July.

Earlier this year, the partnership published The Bikers' Guide to Derbyshire - A free pocket-sized booklet explaining how to survive the eight countryside routes which they have identified as biker crash hot spots. The guide also includes an application form for Bike Plus - the subsidised rider development course after which last month’s festival of motorcycling was named.
 
Thanks to Derbyshire County Council, bikers can usually take advantage of the training for as little as £50 if they live in Derbyshire or £90 if they live outside the county. Bike Plus instructors teach bikers to spot hazards and tackle challenges - such as cornering and overtaking - with greater confidence

Call Derbyshire on 08 456 058 058 a free copy of The Bikers' Guide to Derbyshire.