Metzeler VIP weekend

Group shot of the Metzeler weekend group! 

A few months ago Metzeler sent us an email inviting us to a VIP event, with no more information other than a 'please hold the date' - such teases. A few months of back and forth emails trying to tease out some more information the 'final plan' was released a week before the event.

Metzeler invited us to join them and James Hillier at the FIM Speedway British Grand Prix with all the trimmings! We've been to a few speedway events before but nothing of this scale and certainly not with the pleasure of meeting an IOM TT Racer in the flesh! @Birotar_Jonjo was gleaming with joy with one question on his mind - 'James, please tell me how to not crash a Ninja!'

So that was Saturday planned, on Sunday they organised an EPIC ride through what was promised to be some fabulous scenery. They also mentioned there would be some other surprises along the way but we'd have to wait to see what these entailed.

Saturday 22nd June 2017. 

With an alarm ringing at 7AM and a meet-up point set (McDonalds at 8AM) it was time for us to convene for our usual pre-trip B-conference (with breakfast) before our 160-something mile ride to the rendezvous point.

@Birotar_Jonjo's R1200GS & @Birotar_Max's GSXR1000 chilling for breakfast

Did we say 8AM? Someone was a bit late but not to worry we always factor in a bit of faff time…

The weather forecast wasn’t certain but it did say 40-60% chance of heavy rain, basically it was going to rain, it is the UK after all. A uneventful ‘cruise’ round the M25 and across the M4 saw us approaching Wales. Have you ever crossed the Severn bridge? It’s quite spectacular.

Let the fun begin' #ride5000miles

A post shared by BirotarUK (@birotaruk) on Jul 22, 2017 at 3:59am PDT

We arrived at the meeting point on time (for a change) to meet Simon, Barry and Jim from Metzeler, shortly after the others from the social media world arrived. Great to finally put some faces to names after months and in some cases years exchanging comments, likes and stories across social media.

We had a short ride to the hotel and just enough time to freshen up and prepare for the evening’s entertainment, the FIM Speedway GP held at the Principality stadium – Cardiff. It was at the Hotel Metzeler rider and TT extraordinaire, James Hillier joined the group. Previously our experience of Speedway is about 300 people, a tin shed and some ropey old tractor to re-level the track. Well, we were in for a real treat because the 2016 GP hosted some 60,000 spectators and this year was to be no different.

We had a half hour taxi ride with Jim (Metzeler UK Boss) and James to enjoy before the entertainment kicked off. It’s always a bit strange at first... rubbing shoulders (literally) with a professional racer and proclaiming you can’t find the hole (the seat belt – come on now!) but we all got on well.

The Streets of Cardiff as we entered the Stadium. 

The streets of Cardiff were alive with air horns, flags and people having a great time. From that point on the atmosphere was set and it was clear this event was attracting a huge crowd.

The @speedwaygp was epic. Never experienced it that scale before. The atmosphere and the great people around us made it even better. BIG thanks to @metzelermoto for hosting us in VIP. Today should be pretty good too! #ride5000miles #birotarukbehindthescenes

A post shared by Max (@birotar_max) on Jul 22, 2017 at 11:46pm PDT

Earlier on we mentioned Metzeler would provide all the trimmings, here we found out that meant a VIP package including drinks and a three course meal, nice!

Pleasantries out the way it was time to take our seats with a great view of the whole circuit, in particular we were sat on the start/finish line. The build-up was incredible – fireworks, fire, flames, fire breathers, music, you get the idea. It was a show before the show.

Holy mother of Speedways. This is the biggest we've ever seen! 😂 #speedwaygp

A post shared by BirotarUK (@birotaruk) on Jul 22, 2017 at 7:13am PDT

Selfie wankers. #birotarukbehindthescenes

A post shared by Max (@birotar_max) on Jul 22, 2017 at 8:46am PDT

If you’ve not seen Speedway before it’s basically four people on motorbikes with no brakes that race/drift around an oval circuit. It’s so simple yet so addictive, the skill needed to hustle these lightweight machines around is incredible. The smell, is something that will stick in your memory. The 500cc single gear bikes run on pure methanol and vegetable based oil, the smell is addictive, as is the noise!

The format of the Speedway means you get a good couple of hours racing. Sixteen riders take part in each Grand Prix and over the course of twenty heats each rider will race against every other rider once. The top eight scorers advance to a semi-final and from each semi-final the 1st and 2nd placed riders will advance to the GP final.

The evening concluded with a huge firework show, the crowd had been fully immersed from start to finish. After a few (more) beers it was time to head back to the hotel. Once again we were with Jim and James, now this taxi ride is something we really wish we could have got on camera although we don’t think it’s something we could have gone live with…pure comedy, a reminder that even the most professional of riders/businessmen are just normal (and very funny) people.  If you ever get to meet James, ask him if there’s a McDonalds in the Punjab, guaranteed it’ll bring a smile.

The FUNNIEST can journey with our Punjabi cab driver. "Is there a McDonalds in Pakistan?"

A post shared by Max (@birotar_max) on Jul 22, 2017 at 1:07pm PDT

To conclude Saturday we all shared a drink or two at the hotel before calling it a night at some time past midnight.

Sunday 23^rd July.

Metzeler had put us up in a very nice hotel and it would be rude not to take advantage of this, with the alarms ringing early and being told we had to be ready to ride at 10am we made sure we had enough time for a morning swim and sauna, got to keep fit and healthy, right? Not wanting to be too healthy we enjoyed a nice cooked breakfast knowing the weather wasn’t going to be on our side today.

James Hillier's Kawasaki Z1000S fitted with Metzeler Road Tech 01s 

With everyone suited up and ready to ride the heavy rain continued, no problem though we’re used to riding in any weather. To follow was some amazing Welsh roads with stunning views. The rain had eased off by now to all but a drizzle so we all stopped off for an ice cream and to enjoy the views. It was at this point we managed to get a few words from James on camera after the wild sheep had stopped playing chicken with the passing cars!

Interview with Jame Hillier! Coming soon

Welsh Sheep

Ice creams finished, interview done it was time to head back into the valleys and enjoy more of what Wales could offer. We enjoyed a good couple hours of wide open roads to tight woodland twistys, but then the Bthou started playing up, cue loss of power, cutting ignition and generally being a pain. Initially it looked like an electrical problem so we taped up some connections under the seat and the bike seemed fine again, good because it was a long way home!

James Hillier's AGV!

We finished the ride for the day around 2pm, we all stopped for a drink and chin wag before packing up to head home as yet again the rain clouds rolled in. From where we stopped it was about 170 mile ride home, James joined us for part of the journey and for the first and only time we can say we were ahead of a TT rider on the open road! On the way back we had torrential rain and hail, yes hail, in July. We managed to get our heads down and power on though making some good progress through the traffic.

Bthou playing silly buggers and the GS coming to the rescue!

About 60 miles from home the Bthou started playing up again, certainly not fun when you’re on the outside lane of the M4, we managed to nurse her to the services but couldn’t find anything obvious contributing to the problem. We’d left the heavy rain behind us but it was soon catching up so with nothing obvious wrong with the bike and the clouds getting darker there was only one option – get back on, heads down and hope for the best! Never simple is it, we had to stop 3 or 4 times on the hard shoulder but the bike would always sort it’s self out. We’re thinking a blocked/dodgy fuel filter…

Naughty Suzuki. Funny what electrical tape can solve. #birotarukbehindthescenes #birotaruk #gsxr

A post shared by Jonjo (@birotar_jonjo) on Jul 23, 2017 at 8:30am PDT

Anyway, we made it home safe and sound in the end after what was an amazing weekend.

Being side-by-side with tyre industry professionals and world class racer James Hillier opened our eyes to the true science that goes into tyre production and development. We're not experts because of it but we've certainly discovered that the knowledge and experience in Metzeler/Pirelli is what makes their tyres market leaders. We highly recommend you take the time to find out more about Metzeler & Pirelli tyres when you're next due to change your tyres. You will not be disappointed! And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with us - we'd be happy to help.

Metzeler Road Tech 01 Rear Tyre

We’d like to thank Metzeler for inviting us, providing the hospitality, guiding us around some amazing roads and providing some great laughs along the way!

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Riding gear. Should it be Cheap or affordable?

Riding gear. Should it be Cheap or affordable?

Here at BirotarUK HQ we’ve seen a rise in the number of "cheap gear" reviews, promising the best gear for the least amount of money. Just like you, we love saving a few quid here and there but sometimes "cheap gear" can cost you more in the long run. 

But we believe that there is a difference between "cheap" and 'affordable". If you're just starting out on a bike, or if you are a seasoned rider it is hard to gauge what is good value and what is over priced. With high-street giants retailing garments for very little, we understand that it can be freighting to turn the price tag to reveal an item of gear worth hundreds or even thousands.

So, we’ve put together a list of affordable gear that we think will get you from A to B in comfort, all year round and last for a few years too (depending on the miles you cover). We haven’t tried and tested all the gear mentioned in this review but where we have, we will let you know.

Let’s start with the most important item, a helmet, the minimum legal requirement of protective equipment you need to ride a motorcycle. At this point we’ll say we are huge advocates of always riding in full protective gear.

The most important thing about a helmet is the fit, a £600 ill-fitting helmet will be no better than a £200 properly fitting helmet. On this basis we can only recommend what fits our heads and suggest you visit your local bike shop to try on their helmets and get some expert advice, it could be a life saver after all..

With all that a side we’re a big fan of the HJC R-PHA ST for many reasons. It's a fully spec’d touring helmet that also holds a gold ACU sticker meaning it’s good for track/race use.

The HJC features:

• Good airflow vents to keep you cool in the warmer months
• Quick release visor mechanism
• Double D retention system
• Pinlock ready visor
• Internal sun visor
• Slots for bluetooth kit

HJC R-PHA ST - Image from Google

We think it’s a great all round helmet for commuting, touring and track days and it can be had from £179 (at time of writing).

When it comes to jacket and trousers we’re torn on what to recommend, but to keep things affordable we’ll go with what we’ve been wearing for the past 10,000 miles.

Birotar Jonjo, taken on a winter shoot with Wil Collins

The RST Pro Series Adventure 2 textile suit.

First off it’s not the most ‘attractive’ of 2 piece textiles but they are functional, very functional.
There’s a clue in the name, the adventure jacket has been designed with the adventure fit in mind, think more upright adventure / touring bikes, giving it a slightly looser fit. This doesn’t mean it’s not comfortable on a sports bike, we’ve used this suit on GSXRs, Ninjas and GS’ to name a few.

So what makes this a good jacket;

• 2 year warranty
• Full Connection zip
• Removable waterproof membrane
• Removable quilted thermal liner
• CE approved back, shoulder and elbow protection included
• Vents, lots of vents!
• Detachable wind collar
• Removable map pocket that doubles as a bum-bag

RST Adventure 2 Jacket - Image from Google

You’ll notice there’s lots of detachable parts meaning this can be used in the depths of winter or heights of summer. We’ve certainly been happy all year round, and think the price is good too. Before we get to the price let’s skim over the features of the trousers;

• Removable waterproof membrane
• Removable quilted thermal liner
• Full connection zip
• CE approved knee armour and pockets for hip protectors
• Slightly flared to allow a good fit over adventure boots

Again, removable inners mean you can tailor to the weather and ride in comfort, avoiding arriving to work or a meet all hot a sweaty! (Or cold and damp).

RST Adventure 2 Trousers - Image from Google

The jacket can be had for £179.99 (at time of writing)

The trousers can be had for £149.99 (at time of writing)

Gloves are an important part of year round riding and it’s hard to find a glove that’ll work in all seasons, we tend to have a set for winter/rainy days and a summer set however there is an answer for both.

Held have a glove called the Air ‘n’ Dry, whilst we haven’t managed to try them yet we have heard good things from like-minded bikers.

The Air ‘n’ Dry features:

• Kangaroo leather palm
• Gore-Tex waterproof, windproof & breathable membrane
• Hard plastic knuckle protection
• Visor wipe on index finger

In a nut shell, the palm of the glove has summer like features and the back of the glove is Gore-tex waterproofed to keep you warm and dry yet cool in the summer months.

Held Air N Dry - Image from Google

These gloves can be found for £148.49 (at time of writing)

The final piece of the puzzle is boots, long gone are the days of something big and cumbersome needed to fulfil the all-round requirement for the past two years we’ve been wearing the TCX X-Street waterproof casual boot. They are seriously comfortable, waterproof and best of all look just like a normal high top trainer.

They feature:

• Full grain leather upper
• Waterproof lining
• Toe and heel reinforcement
• Lace up closure

TCX X-Street Boots - Photo by Birotar Jonjo

We’re a big fan of these boots, tried and tested, we even wear them as casual trainers with a pair of jeans (and to do the gardening, DIY, shopping). They can be had for £89.99 (at time of writing)

The total cost of all this gear is £747.46. It sounds like a lot of money, in fact you can buy a bike for £800 but we believe these items will last you a good few years making the equivalent annual spend less than £250. 

Our point isn't that you should stop what your doing to go out and purchase these items. Instead consider the alternatives. Do your research, check out reviews and most importantly, go and try the gear on. Take your time. 

You'll know as soon as you try an item of gear, that it fits. feels comfortable and has all of the features you want and need.

Everyone is different and has different requirements, but there is a risk associated with buying "cheap gear". The price may be good, but you will find that the item won't last as long as you want it to and it may not perform in when you need it most.

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Dainese D-Cyclone Gore-Tex Jacket

Dainese D-Cyclone Gore-Tex Jacket

This is the latest Gore-Tex jacket from Dainese, and it has been designed to keep you comfortable in any climate. The D-Cyclone comes with a new laminated Gore-Tex shell, guaranteed to keep the water out whilst allowing moisture to evaporate through the jacket. A removable thermal liner and collar means you can wear this jacket all year round, in any weather condition.

The front of the Dainese D-Cyclone

What’s special about laminate Gore-Tex? Well, it won’t retain water in the fabric like other non-laminate Gore-Tex textile jackets. Meaning that when you're exposed to the worst conditions, the water will just run off, like water off a ducks back as they say. For the rider this means after a long (or short) ride in the rain, a quick shake of the jacket and it will be dry again ready for the next ride. No need to hang it up to dry over night, and no damp smell the next day! For those using this jacket on tour, it means you’re less fatigued at the end of the day, since the jacket isn’t absorbing water, it will remain light, whatever the weather.

The inner lining of the Dainese D-Cyclone

The jacket comes with the usual comfort features you can expect from the latest Dainese range, these include;

• Removable inner collar
• Removable thermal liner
• Air vents on the chest and back
• Waist adjustment
• Neck adjustment
• Wrists adjustment

The jacket comes with CE approved arm, shoulder and back protection. The Wave G2 back protector is included with the jacket, however we feel it’s a bit short to offer full lower back protection. The external material of the jacket is quite thick and remains stiff, offering high levels of abrasion resistance.

The external shoulder detail of the Dainese D-Cyclone

What we like about the jacket is the four fully waterproof pockets; two external and two internal with plenty space for phone, wallet, passport and any other small objects you may want to carry. It offers a comfortable fit with lots of adjustment - we didn’t feel the need to go up or down a size here (our usual size 52 fit very well). The thermal layer certainly keeps you warm without inducing a sweat thanks to Gore-Tex technology. The jacket-to-trouser fastening system has a good amount of stretch to it making for easy fastening to any of the trousers in the Dainese range.

Internal pocket demo of the Dainese D-Cyclone

We found the jacket quite stiff! With the strategically positioned elasticated areas it isn't tight on the body, it just seems to be the laminate material that may need some time relax. This is fine when you're roaming around off the bike but when riding a sports bike we found this stiffness quite restrictive in the shoulder area. On the flip side, when riding an adventure style bike, the jacket felt slightly more relaxed and it was something we could live with it until it softened up. That could take a week or a month depending on how often you ride.

A demo of the stiffness on the back of the Dainese D-Cyclone

The jacket does come with a big price tag, £679.99 to be exact. Still breathing? Good. It does sound expensive, but it really is an investment guaranteed to keep you warm and dry whatever weather you choose to ride in. For the price we'd have liked to see a removable thermal Dainese fleece or soft-shell like the one that can be found in the Sandstorm jacket. 

Compared to a similar spec jacket like Rukka for example, Dainese comes out on top in terms of style.

IG: @Birotar_Jonjo posing in the Dainese D-Cyclone

For those looking to invest in a textile jacket for use 365 days a year, and for many years to come this jacked would not disappoint. 

To purchase you can visit Bike Stop online or in store.

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Ducati 749S

We're back with another installment of our #teaBreakreview - approx read time under 5mins 

There’s always been something special about a Ducati, the iconic red colour and that unmistakable dry clutch rattle. We decided to take the plunge into Ducati ownership and see what all the fuss was about. 

Ducati sitting pretty at Bedford Autodrome

Official Specs

Max power: 116 bhp
Max torque: 60 ft-lb
Top speed: 150 mph
Tank range: 148 miles (Big lies here!)
Weight: 186kg
Seat height: 780mm

Our Ducati was the Ducati 749S Monoposto, a single seat version of the Ducati 749S. As with buying any Ducati, full service history is a must have. But then again, the cost of the services may make you think twice. Ours has a full Ducati, and Ducati specialist service history with some services amounting to well over £700! It’ll be worth it – right? 

The 749S has one of the most aggressive riding positions we’ve experienced. Low bars, stiff suspension and a poor excuse for a seat makes for a very uncomfortable ride on our lovely British roads. Initially we had real trouble with the handling of the bike. After reading much about the wonderful chassis, it just wasn’t living up to what we had hoped so we took a trip over to Race Engineering and after they adjusted the setup it was like riding a new bike. Confidence inspiring, stable and incredible handling around corners. The only 'problem' now was the fuel consumption - at about 100 miles to a tank it was quite thirsty considering the official specs suggest we could achieve 150 miles!

Always getting attention

You can always hear a Ducati in the distance and the 749S is no different. With a full Termignoni exhaust system, the bike really did command a presence attacking all senses. If you own a Ducati with a dry clutch, you know it's not long before someone tells you it sounds like a ‘bag ‘o nails’. We laugh and say we think it just adds character.

Many people have reported the clutch as very snatchy on the 749S, but we didn’t find it much different to any other bike we’ve ridden. Although we were running a freshly uprated clutch.

Enough torque to catapult you out of corners

The 749s packs a real punch low down but really lacks at the top end of the rev range. It takes quite a while to get used to when coming from a screaming Japanese inline four. One of the nice additions you get with the S version is full Brembo brakes and these are still the best we’ve felt in a long time, great feel and loads of confidence when you’re late braking on track.

As mentioned earlier, the 749S was a real struggle on the road, uncomfortable and bone shattering so we thought we would take it on track to see what this race pedigree was really made about. With the full Termignoni system booming we’re still amazed it past the noise test, the sound tester did have a smirk though…

Coffee runs made special on the Ducati

The 749S really comes to life on track, with loads of torque to throw you out the corners and amazing brakes begging you to brake later. The handling is made sublime after a suspension set up, it’s a bike designed for the race track. Being a V twin, the back end could get quite lively when hastily shifting down before entering a corner but there was so much feedback from the chassis it felt natural and very controllable.

The Ducati at home on the race track

Overall the Ducati was a great bike for the track, but it was just too much for the road and certainly too expensive to keep just for the track. Where ever we went the 749S got attention – maybe we should have kept it as an ornament!?

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GSXR K5 750

Suzuki GSXR K5 750 - approx read time under 5mins 

After one year and over five thousand miles of ownership, we parted with the Bfiddy. It was used for commuting, trackdays and UK touring, never missing a beat.

Rider Birotar_Jonjo

Back in 2015, when we bought the bike, she came as standard with an Arrow exhaust, the only hidden extra was a Power Commander 3. After an hours ride home we knew the right choice had been made, with great handling and acceleration there when you want it.

Nice unobtrusive dash

The bike received a full service when we got her back to the BirotarUK HQ. We also changed the pads knowing full well it wouldn’t be long before we had her on track, EBC HH Sintered are the pads of choice. 

The first big trip for the Bfiddy was to Wales to enjoy some fine roads and scenery. A waterproof bag strapped to the back and that was all that was needed. Official figures state 160 miles to a tank of fuel, but we found 120-130 was more realistic before the fuel light came on.

The Bfiddy ready for a trip to Wales

After some time to get to grips with the bike, it was evident we needed to get the suspension set up. We used Race Engineering, as we do with all our bikes. As usual they did a great job and the bike's handling was transformed. We’d also added a quickshifter to the bike, this was tested on the dyno whilst also confirming a very healthy 130bhp at the rear wheel.

The Bfiddy in Wales

Knowing the bike was healthy and the suspension performing much better, it was time to hit the track. We managed two on the Bfiddy, one at Mallory park in the standard road fairings and the other at Brands Hatch after we sourced some track fairings. Both times the bike performed really well, building rider confidence.

There isn’t much you can fault the Bfiddy on, if anything. It's a bike that can be used in most situations and takes everything in its stride. Servicing and parts are cheap, and providing the bike comes with a good service history there isn't much that would stop the bike.

Overall a big thumbs up from us. A highly recommended sports motorcycle capable of commuting, fast road riding, touring and track days. Here's to the duly departed Bfiddy. 

Bfiddy at Brands Hatch

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BMW S1000XR

We're back with another installment of our #teaBreakreview - approx read time under 5mins 

Cast your mind back a week, we took a R1200GSA out for a ride. If you missed it you can read it here. Whilst on the GS we thought about touring on something a bit sportier, 160bhp kind of sportier to be precise.

Photo credit: Wil Collins

Official Specs:
Max power: 160 bhp
Max torque: 83 lb-ft
Top speed: 155 mph
Seat height: 840mm
Average fuel consumption: 43 mpg
Weight: 228kg

A wet ride on the S1000XR

 With the XR you get the same 999cc inline four that's in the heart of the S1000RR, the engine has been tamed slightly for use in the XR. It makes peak power at 11,000 rpm instead of 13,500, and peak torque at 9,250 rpm instead of 10,500. 
The model we rode had all the optional extras including;

• Quickshifter
• Dynamic Traction Control
• Cruise control
• Dynamic ESA (electronic suspension adjust)

So what does it actually feel like to ride? Well, the 160bhp engine is a peach, high revving and certainly packs a punch at the top end but it feels somewhat lacking lower down in the revs. It feels like you really have to give it some to get the bike moving, the non adjustable clutch lever doesn't help with that either. As we started the day in typical British fashion, lots of rain, it was a good opportunity to test out the rain mode. Rain mode cuts even more low down power which makes pulling away from a junction around towns painfully slow.With rain mode off and heading out to clearer roads it was time to open the throttle, there are lights on the dash that flash letting you know the traction control is keeping things under control. For us, the handling of the bike felt quite sluggish compared to what we'd been expecting but maybe some more time in the saddle would change our views on this.

Photo credit: BMW Motorrad

 The riding position is upright and comfortable with nice wide bars, the mirrors are next to useless though which is a shame on a brand new bike. The adjustable screen provides a good level of protection, even keeping things relatively quiet at motorway speeds. The XR provides plenty of pillion space even with a top box on. A real bug bear for us is the lack of locking sat nav mount that can be found on the GS however there are modifications/alternatives available.
BMW shift assist pro is a brilliant addition to the bike, seamless up and down shifts which really emphasize this bike is still a sporty number a heart. The standard exhaust note is good, loud enough to induce a smile whilst pushing on in the higher revs yet quite enough whilst you sit back and engage cruise control.
The standard seat height is a modest 840mm, not the tallest on the market and making it easy to put a foot flat on the floor for us 5ft somethings. BMW offer a lower seat option for an additional £172, reducing the height to 820mm, the same as a S1000RR. 

Overall the S1000XR left us a bit underwhelmed, it wasn't a bike we could hop on and unleash the potential quickly. It's a bike we'd need more time on and some big miles to get to grips with. We can however really understand the appeal of the XR, for those not wanting to leave the power of their trusty sports bike behind but want to tour two up or with a full set of hard luggage.

A wet and wild ride on the S1000XR

The model we rode can be had for £15,000, not a bad price tag for a super sport engine and comfortable touring capability. Hopefully we can get some more miles in the saddle soon and see if our views change on the handling.

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