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A trio of distinctive Yamaha R1s due to head south in aid of Riders for Health

Viva Valencia! is the name given to the charity motorcycle ride being undertaken by Danny John-Jules (Red Dwarf’s The Cat), Matt Roberts (BBC MotoGP presenter) and Steve Keys (owner of the first Yamaha dealership in the UK) in order to raise money for Riders for Health, the organisation that provides and maintains reliable motorcycles so health workers in remote parts of Africa can reach people with regular health care.

The trio of riders are set to leave from the Ace Cafe, London, on 30^th October and, making them a lot easier to spot, Danny and Steve will be clad in pink Arai helmets and leathers, matching their pink Yamaha R1s, while the Yamaha R1 Jorge Lorenzo rode on his parade lap at the 2010 Isle of Man TT, will be ridden by Matt. The ride (to be filmed by KMBA productions) follows a route taking in the Champagne region, Beaujolais, Montpellier and Barcelona giving them plenty of time to take in local culture.

On arrival in Valencia they will be meeting up with local supporters of Riders for Health and leading them into the circuit for Día de los Campeones, the Spanish version of Day of Champions. It is hoped that the team will gather some exclusive items on route that will be auctioned for Riders for Health at the event.

In addition the Lorenzo R1, featuring a one-off paint scheme and signed by the MotoGP world champion, will be auctioned at the Arai-supported Riders for Health auction taking place at Motorcycle Live on Sunday 20th November.  All three R1s will be on display for the duration of the show on the Arai stand, B320 in Hall 2.

Arai and their UK importer, Phoenix, are long-time supporters of Riders for Health and have also donated a range of Arai items – both new and used by a variety of famous racers – for the auction.  A list of these items will be available to view shortly on www.riders.org or www.whyarai.co.uk

For more details about Viva Valencia! visit www.motoventures.co.uk, for more information on Motorcycle Live visit www.motorcyclelive.co.uk

Value Award recognises Arai quality at an impressive price.

The Arai Axces helmet has been given the Value Award in the November 2011 RiDE Awards issue of the magazine. Designed specifically by Arai to act as an affordable entry point to the iconic Japanese brand’s array of desirable helmets, the Axces has proved an extremely popular addition to the range and enjoyed great sales success.

The Axces maybe the most affordable Arai ever, but nothing has been spared in its construction – to quote from the RiDE Awards article itself:

“When it comes to safety and quality, no corners have been cut.”

The shell is made with Arai’s Super Fibre Construction (SFC) and features the same ring shaped strengthening in its lower section as found on the benchmark race-specification RX-7 GP. Built into the outer shell are an air conductor rear vent, ducting for an optional top vent, plus side exhaust vents. A powerful chin vent features enlarged duct access for improved efficiency.

The triple density inner shell and fully washable interior add to the Axces’s comfort and safety, as does the Arai-standard double ‘D’ ring strap fastening. The 2mm polycarbonate Pinlock® ready visor features twin brow vents, de-mist visor lock, Lever Release System (LRS) and mounts via Arai’s aerodynamic recessed visor holder system.

John Wakefield, Managing Director of Arai’s UK importer Phoenix was delighted to receive news of the RiDE Award; “Arai has long been, and always will be, a premium product but the Axces has given the opportunity to a whole segment of motorcyclists who may have always wanted an Arai, but with the recent economic situation were finding it difficult to actually own one. And as RiDE so succinctly points out, it’s still very much an Arai with the attention to detail and quality you’d expect.”

The Arai Axces is available in Plain Black or White, sizes XS–XXL with an RRP of £259.99 or Black Frost with an RRP of £269.99.

The Arai Difference

Without exception all Arai helmets offer a peerless fit; the Japanese brand’s reputation for quality, comfort and safety has recently been further reinforced as, for the 13^th consecutive year, Arai came out top of the JD Power and Associates Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction Study. Also, Arai placed three of its helmets in the overall top ten – including the number one spot – of RiDE Magazine’s 2009 RiDER Power Survey, an exhaustive poll taken from 5000 readers, reported in the November 2009 issue.