New Year – New Gear (Part II) : Helmet – Arai X4 Detour

The official line from Arai pretty much says it all…

Adventure, grand touring or off road, no matter the riding conditions, the Tour-X4 motorcycle helmet is ready for anything. The Tour-X4 has a complete new outer shell. Redesigned to be tougher, stronger and stiffer than ever. As the Tour-X4 may be used under extreme conditions, the ventilation system has been redeveloped for maximum efficiency. The new Facial Contour System (FCS) offers more support and comfort to the lower jaw and creates a tighter fit. For an even better personal fit, there is a removable 5 mm surface foam layer on the cheek pads and temple pad from the headliner. Wear the Tour-X4 with or without peak, with or without visor and combinations of these two. The large visor opening offers plenty of room for motocross-style goggles when riding without visor.

The spec listing is as follows :

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#NC500In2Days : FREE Pannier Message Slots Available NOW!

Last year for my #WAWIn1Week challenge I offered slots on my panniers to Companies to advertise their products / brand whilst I travelled along the length of the World’s Longest Dedicated Coastal Route in a record breaking 6 days*  The uptake was great as was the feedback!

I have decided to do the same again this year and offer out my panniers for you guys to patch your brand onto the side of my bike as it travels round the coast line of Scotland in another time limited (and in my eyes record breaking)challenge of 2 days!

So what’s the catch?  There isn’t one, however I do have to want to support your brand.  It is my decision on what I put on my boxes.  It is also free!  

All you have to do is contact me, telling me a little about your brand (a website reference will do) and if I like what your are doing / about I will contact you back.  Then you just have to get the sticker made up and sent to me.  I will add it to my panniers and boom, there you have it, free advertising for you (whilst on the trip and in the subsequent photos and videos across FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube) and awesome looking panniers for me!

Charities are also welcome.

*I don’t know if it was actually record breaking but as I haven’t heard any difference let’s just pretend it was!

2016 #NC500In2Days Pannier Message Space Availability
2016 #NC500In2Days Pannier Message Space Availability

Follow Me on Instagram : @hondaafricatiwncrf1000l

As you should now I have a few instagram account, my own main ‘random’ one being @TomBoyNI, I have also just started up another few, the first I will mention is :

@hondaafricatwincrf1000l

It is dedicated to the new Honda CRF1000L – Africa Twin and some epic photographs from all over the world.  It has easily sailed past its first 1000 followers so get over there and check it out and click the nice little ‘Follow’ button!  Thanks!

@hondaafricatwincrf1000l Instagram Page - Follow Me please
@hondaafricatwincrf1000l Instagram Page – Follow Me please

Sneak Peak : Ken Block’s Ford Focus RS RX Revealed for Gymkhana 9!

If you haven’t already you need to watch Ken Block tear up Dubai in the just released Gymkhana EIGHT – you will find it here :

KEN BLOCK’S GYMKHANA EIGHT: ULTIMATE EXOTIC PLAYGROUND; DUBAI

Now that you have done that I am sure, like me, you noticed a cheeky sneaky look at the new car coming for Gymkhana Nine – a Ford Focus RS RX.

Apparently it’s coming soon, i’d imagine that video will drop in 2017, but oh my life, how good does that Focus look!  I’m not a Ford fan per se, but when that thing gets liveried, it is going to look epic!

Looking forward to it already!

If you missed the reveal here a little sneak peak I have put together on your behalf :

Ken Block’s Ford Focus RS RX Revealed for Gymkhana 9!

Gallery:

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Ken Block’s Gymkhana 8 – Ultimate Exotic Playground : Dubai

With it just being released 2 hours ago, feast your eyes on this :

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hf6ke1-i3E]

Gymkhana 8 – Ultimate Exotic Playground : Dubai
Be sure to check out Hoonigan.com Blog for the full write-up.

What more needs to be said!  The guy is an outstanding pilot and every one of these videos instantly becomes epic and legendary!

And just check  it the location!

Sticky Post : New Site Section : Motorcycling…

Like motorcycling?  You are in for a treat!

If you take a quick look up to the top of the site you will see some separate sub sections such as ‘About’, ‘Events’ and so on…

Look a little closer and you will see the latest one – ‘Motorcycling’ 

As this is such a big section of the site and let’s be honest there are some epic biking posts contained in here I decided it needed its own dedicated section.  That means the site will stay dynamic with newest posts going to the main page which won’t therefore get filled with ‘Sticky’ Posts so the new stuff keeps appearing but the epic bike stuff remains ridiculously easy to find too… WIN WIN!

Now what are you waiting for, go on click it… ‘Motorcycling.’

 

Official Statement from Guy Martin…

Official statement from #GuyMartin:
Plenty of folk have been asking what I’m up to this year.

I fancy a change of scenery. I’ve been racing the TT for 11 years. All I’ve really done since I was 18, except the trucks, is race motorbikes and my brain needs something else. 

Every year’s the same: testing, racing, then start again. It brought it home to me when I was lying in hospital after the Ulster Grand Prix crash. 

I’ve been on about the Tour Divide, the toughest pushbike race in the world, for three years and I thought I’ll blink and next thing I’ll be 45, so I’m going to do it this year. I like breaking myself mentally and the Tour Divide will be tough, but it’s same time at TT, so that’s forced me to make a choice.

I’m not done with motorbikes. I’m attempting the Wall of Death record in the spring and having a go at the land speed record in the summer and if I do race on the roads it will be with TAS.

After the Tour Divide I might never want to see a pushbike again – or never want to go road racing again, I don’t know. But I do know Bruce Anstey and John McGuinness are still racing the TT, and they’ve got a few years on me, so maybe I’ll come back next year. Or maybe I’ll find something else interesting to do. 

I’ve got more interests than just motorbikes and I just think let’s bloody have ‘em.

Thanks very much as ever for the support. 

Guy.

Unfortunately to me that reads as a ‘farewell.’ Hopefully it is more of a ‘see you later’ than a ‘good bye.’

  

Honda Africa Twin CRF1000L – Release Imminent

With the imminent (UK) release of the new Honda Africa Twin (CRF1000L) I thought it only fitting to throw together a little gallery to wet your appitite towards what is one of the most highly anticipated adventure style / dual sport motorcycles to be released in a decade.

As an owner of a 2002 RD07a Africa Twin I am excited, but will it be enough to draw me away from  my excellent BMW F800 GSA Travel Edition?  Who knows!

In the meantime and on the run up to release here is a little teaser…

Instagram : HondaAfricaTwinCRF1000L – Follow this Account on Instagram from more photos of and dedicated to the New Honda Africa Twin :

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Coming Soon : The Game of Thrones Locations : Motorcycle Tour

With the pretty huge success my WAWIn1Week posts received and the great feedback that came with it I just thought I would let you know that I have another dedicated motorcycle post coming soon.

With the massive current popularity of Game of Thrones, and the fact that I live in the country where so much filming of it happens I took the opportunity this summer to follow the Northern Ireland Tourist’s Board Map of Game of Thrones Filming Locations.

From this I have put together some nice photographs of the locations themselves and then for the bike fans, some pics of these locations with my bike, combining scenery and machinery!

I will post up the Galleries in the coming weeks so please feel free to subscribe to this blog, or follow me on Twitter or Instagram (@TomBoyNI) for regular updates.

For further information on the locations themselves here is a handy link :

https://www.discovernorthernireland.com/gameofthrones/

(There are plenty of Tours in action in relation to these locations, however if an organised Tour isn’t your thing, just remember this.  Northern Ireland is in itself a small country.  Nothing is too hard to find or too far away, a good sat nav will easily take you to all of these locations, I will add specific addresses etc to each posting to make it even easier).  Half the fun is exploring yourself so don’t be afraid to take yourself, in fact I recommend it!  And even if you do get lost you are never to far away from a pub, or local shop to stop in for a coffee and some sound free local advice!)

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Game of Thrones Filming Locations – Northern Ireland