Ride to work on June 17 with REALRIDER® and you could win 2 BSB Paddock Passes for any UK round with exclusive rider meet and greet courtesy of Shoei Helmets. Plus a second place prize of RAC Roadside, Recovery & At Home Cover and five runner-up prizes of Commuter Survival Guide DVDs - just for riding to work!

For your chance to win, switch on your REALRIDER® app and record your route to work on Monday June 17.

For those who don’t work, are on holiday or won’t be heading into the office on 17 June - you can still enter. Routes will be chosen at random so it’s even easier to win. Here’s what you need to do.

On Monday 17 June, log in to your REALRIDER® app, hit the routes tab then follow these steps:

Step 1: Open new route and click Add New.

Step 2: In the description, type RTWD and then enter details of your route.

Step 3: Set the activity to ‘Is riding to work’.

Step 4: Hit ‘Record’

Step 5: When you reach your destination, hit ‘End Route’, rate the route and submit.

Once your route has been submitted, view it in the My Routes tab of your app or manage it online in the Discover tab at realrider.com

Take a look at some of the routes recorded on the day in ‘Latest Routes’ and don’t forget to like your favourite by clicking the glove.

The winning routes will be published on the Ride to Work day website and across REALRIDER® Facebook and Twitter pages. Winners will be announced separately*.

Find out more about Ride to Work Day here

Record routes for longer

You can now purchase an easy to fit Smartphone USB charger for your bike at realrider.com. See the Spark of Genius cover story for further details.

Not got the app yet?

Register your account at realrider.com first then download your app from iTunes or Google Play. The first 10,000 downloaded apps, worth £4.99 each, are free of charge but numbers are running out fast so get downloading today!

Please note: If you enable Emergency Assist, always ensure you carry your phone on your person and not on the bike.

* Competition ends midnight 17 June 2013. Prizes available to UK residents only. No cash alternatives are available. Terms & Conditions apply. Winners will be notified by Friday 21 June 2013.

The Moto-Charge is a small and compact, simple to fit USB device to charge your Smartphone whilst riding or while your bike is parked. And with auto shut off at 12.3V you won't get a flat battery.

The device comes with pre-fitted (and fused) direct-to-battery connectors and can be placed anywhere on the motorcycle. Simply use the lead that came with your phone and plug into the USB connector.

To see the charger in action click HERE

• Give your motorcycle a USB charging port at an affordable price - £23.99
• Simple to fit and use
• Pre-fitted and fused two wire direct-to-battery connection
• Fits anywhere on the motorcycle, in view or under the seat
• Charges any device using the cable that came with the device
• Instant charging capability whether on the move or while parked, ignition on or off
• Fits any 12v motorcycle (scooter or superbike)
• Auto shut off feature ensuring your bike will always start.
• GRAB YOURSELF ONE OF THESE NOW!

posted 23 May 2013

The former Isle of Man female record holder and friend of REALRIDER® will ride a new Triumph 675R at events including the Isle of Man TT and the Ulster Grand Prix as well as other selected Irish short circuit and real road races.

The Triumph 675R has been enjoying rave reviews since its launch and Northampton-based Costello says she cannot wait to get onboard and try it for herself. As well as the 675R, Maria will also compete on the Bob Wylie Racing Honda NSF250 Moto3 bike that she rode to two top-eight places last season; 7th at Walderstown and 8th at the Ulster Grand Prix.

Maria’s first road race event of the season will be the Cookstown 100 at the end of April when she will compete on both the Bob Wylie Racing Triumph 675R and Moto3 bike, her own Kawasaki ER6 Supertwin and the Bob Jackson Racing Suzuki T20.

Bob Wylie commented: "I am delighted to have Maria riding for me again this season. The 675R is set to be a very capable race bike and the Moto3 bike has recently had the HRC race kit fitted, which should provide a substantial horsepower increase. Maria went very well on it last season and I'm sure this season she will be even more successful on both machines."

Maria added: "I'm so pleased and fortunate to be riding Bob Wylie's bikes again this year. The 675R has the potential to be a brilliant race bike and I get to race the Moto3 bike again. Great bikes and a fantastic opportunity. I'm very excited about this season, what with these and the other rides I have planned."

"My season has been given a real boost by this opportunity and I can’t thank Bob Wylie enough. I will savour every moment competing on these fantastic bikes and aim for yet more success on both of them."

Being the safety-conscious bunch we are at REALRIDER® - we really rate what the folks at Helite are up to. And it looks like we're not the only ones...

"Last Christmas my caring wife bought me an Airvest inflatable motorbike jacket for added protection. The cool thing is the vest fits over a normal motorcycle jacket and is virtually unnoticeable except for the lanyard that attaches to the motorcycle. I am an ex motocross racer who was forced to retire after I ripped my knee apart. However I started riding motorcycles again 8 years ago and have loved my daily commute to work and weekend rides with friends.

It didn't take long to put my newest accessory to the test. Whilst commuting to work one morning near Twickenham Rugby Ground a car made an illegal u-turn right in front of me, before I knew what was happening I was lying on the floor after being body slammed into the car in question. I looked down and noticed that my inflatable jacket had deployed as designed. I had minimal injuries; instead of several broken ribs and severe whiplash, I sustained a damaged shoulder and medium case of whiplash.

The vest was worth every penny and I can't recommend it highly enough, just a pity my bike wasn't wearing one as it was a write off!"
JW, London

"Having been knocked off my bike twice in the past by cars whose excuse was 'sorry mate......' even though riding with three lights and hi viz vest on I thought it prudent to look at buying one of the rider air vest/jackets that are on the market now.

I bought a high-viz Airvest. I chose the vest as opposed to a jacket for the simple reason that I have a number of jackets for summer, winter and hot weather riding and the vest would be used all year round.

9:10am on February 29th 2012 was when it paid for itself. Whilst riding on my BMW Adventure to a meeting I had an accident, which saw me run at 20mph into the back of an almost stationary car that had to brake suddenly.

The result was that I was thrown forward off the bike and rolled off the car boot landing on the road looking back at the damaged bike. The Airvest had inflated protecting my front, back and neck and acted as a cushion when impacting on the car, in effect I 'bounced' off his boot. My injuries were minimal - a bruise on my thigh where my leg hit one of my mirrors, a couple of grazes on my shins and dented pride at having had such a stupid accident.

I am 6ft 3" tall and weigh in at 21.5 stone and so the Airvest did its job even on someone of my size. What can I say, to walk away from an accident with two grazes and one bruise is good even if the bike is a write off.

All I need now is another bike and a new gas cylinder for the vest. If ever there was a prize for the best safety feature then this Airvest should get it.
AC, Barnsley

Find out more at http://www.helite-motorcycle-airbagjackets.co.uk/

REALRIDER® is the brainchild of the two founder members, Zoe Farrington and Andrew Richardson. Yes - that’s them receiving an International Road Safety Award from Prince Michael.

Zoe and Andrew spent several years working with the public sector (Department for Transport, Highways Agency, Ambulance Service, Police and local authorities) to produce education, training and publicity resources targeted specifically at bikers. Some of them even won awards.

The aspiration for much of their work, including Great Roads, Great Rides and The Commuter Survival Guide, was to try and:

• engage with riders
• reduce the high number of road casualties
• promote skills enhancement

During these years, they were privileged to work with many of the Emergency Services. All had their own issues when it came to trying to ensure the safety and wellbeing of riders on the road.

However, it was clear that one of the biggest concerns was when a rider did have a crash. Not too much of an issue finding the bike (although not always the case), but major problems trying to locate the rider within the ‘Golden Hour’. If you've read the article on Anthony Margrave, you’ll understand exactly why.

So the REALRIDER® app is their solution to the problem.

REALRIDER® is currently working with the North East Ambulance Service Trust (the top-performing Ambulance Trust in the UK), running a national scheme on a pilot basis while we continue to refine the service and tolerances set within the app. The pilot is being carried out under agreement from the 999 Government Liaison Committee (Dept for Culture, Media and Sport), and once all parties are satisfied, will be rolled out through Ambulance Service Trusts across the UK.

Other Ambulance Services have been made aware of the pilot and have agreed to cascade details through to their respective Logistics Centres so they know how to react to a REALRIDER® alert that may come through from the NEAS Control Centre.

Medical data stored in the app (not by REALRIDER®) is sent transiently from the phone to our server, which then sends an automated alert to the NEAS Control Centre.

The process has also been cleared with the ICO as part of our Data Protection Registration and is available on request through customerservice@realrider.com

So you really are in safe hands with REALRIDER®.

A passion for riding is a wonderful thing. Whether you’ve always had it, you’ve rediscovered it or you’re new to it, that passion is something to be embraced.

Advanced Riding is about taking that next step. Whether it’s about challenging your own standards or reassuring a loved one who struggles to share your enthusiasm, the IAM Skill for Life programme can make you a better rider.
The programme teaches five phases of advanced driving:

• Information
• Position
• Speed
• Gear
• Acceleration

So regardless of whether you’re navigating country lanes, busy roads, or tackling the challenging English weather, you have the skills and knowledge to remain confident and in control. Safety is part of the advanced riding programme, but it also encourages you to feel confident on the road, to make good progress, and to get even greater enjoyment from the experience.

But don’t just take the IAM’s word for it:

“The whole experience for me has been nothing but a long list of positives and is probably the best single item I have spent money on riding a motorcycle.”
Fraser Quin

The IAM are offering 10% discount on their Skill for Life programme to all REALRIDERS. To take advantage of this offer, click on the link. Click for more details

MIRACLE motorcyclist Anthony Margrave survived three days in a ditch after crashing and is now backing REALRIDER®, a new safety technology he is sure will save lives.

Margrave, 40, from Goole in East Yorkshire, crashed on 9th September 2012 and hit the headlines when he didn’t make it home. Three days later, after a massive manhunt, he was found barely alive. "I know I couldn’t have survived another night. I was in and out of consciousness the whole time and was close to giving up." explains Anthony.

REALRIDER® technology has been developed specifically for motorcyclists and operates REALsafe®, a series of complex algorithms connected to a Smartphone’s GPS, motion and tilt sensors to determine when a crash has occurred.

"If I had REALRIDER® then the emergency services would have been alerted to my crash. They would have tried to contact me, and when I wasn’t able to pick-up and stopped moving, they would have deployed an ambulance. I would have had medical assistance well within the hour, and that would have made a huge difference to me."

Anthony suffered a spinal injury that has left him with only partial movement of his arms and legs. He said: "It would have made a hell of difference if I had been found sooner. I could have been a completely different case and my injuries might not have been as bad.

"I wish to God I had REALRIDER® when I crashed. My family went through hell trying to find me. I am convinced REALRIDER® can help save the lives of bikers who suffer a crash – as well as help reduce injuries - by getting the emergency services to them much quicker than before."

As one of the first manufacturers to partner REALRIDER® Rieju is giving the app free of charge to everyone that buys a new bike in 2013.

It is a major commitment from one of the most forward thinking and growing brands in motorcycling to its customers, designed not only to improve safety but increase their enjoyment of biking.

Rieju's Jamie Masterman said: "REALRIDER® helps to make motorcycling safer and that is something Rieju supports."REALRIDER® Director Jason McClean said: "We are delighted to be working closely with Rieju. Rieju riders tend to be technology users, so this is a proper benefit that will enhance their experience of motorcycling. We look forward to a long, successful and safe partnership with Rieju and its riders."

Rieju offers high-quality Spanish made stylish motorcycles ranging from 50cc - 250cc (and an all electric model). For more information on Rieju visit www.riejumoto.com.

ROAD racing sensation and TT favourite Michael Dunlop is a big fan of REALRIDER® and will be mapping some of the famous races he takes part in during 2013.

The three-time TT winner is hot favourite for the Isle of Man this year now he has official Honda machinery. Dunlop, 23, is a real road racer and once he heard of REALRIDER® he wanted to be involved. While he likes the mapping and community aspects, he is a major fan of REALsafe®, believing it will help to save lives.

"REALRIDER® is new and is useful," explained Michael. "For road riders the fact that REALsafe® knows when you have a crash and gets the emergency services to you if you need them is just fantastic. It’s a no brainer and will help save lives.

"But on top of that it has route mapping which is good as well. I’ll be switching it on during a few of the races I’ll be riding this year to map the courses, then I’ll say a few things about them on REALRIDER®.

"I will be using REALRIDER® as my main website in 2013 as well. All my pictures, press releases, sponsors, comments and thoughts will be posted there. See you on REALRIDER®".

posted 24 February 2013